Dr. Italy

The biblical term "mystery" refers to a long thread running through history, hidden under ordinary faces and events.  It comes to a climax in an Angel's annunciation to a Virgin that puts together many biblical concepts -king, messiah, emmanuel, son of God - for the fourth Sunday of Advent.

In this 6 minute radio interview with Anna Mitchell of the Sonrise Morning Show, Dr. Italy begins a discussion on the vast topic of how the Catholic Church built Western civilization.  Starting with the indomitable missionary monks of Ireland, he illustrates how they not only saved but helped build Western civilization by preserving and spreading literacy and literature across Europe.  He also discusses how his upcoming Rhine pilgrimage will focus on this theme, and how many of the sites to be visited are crucial examples of it.

This Sunday reading examines the relationship between the transfiguration and the passion of Christ, between Mount Tabor and Calvary.  It examines the question of whether God ever abandoned Jesus and makes for helpful reading either for the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6 or during Lent and Holy Week. For the 2nd Sunday of Lent, cycle C.

Fasting is what most people first think of when they think about penance in general and Lent in particular.  But surprisingly, fasting, as valuable as it is, is probably the least important of the three main groups of Lenten Spiritual Exercises: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (or mercy). In this podcast, Dr. Italy points out that the real value of fasting is when it is combined with either prayer or almsgiving into a sort of one-two punch at sin and spiritual lethargy.  Some practical examples and tips are offered in the course of the discussion.

This 18 minute Lenten podcast from the Catholic Connection addresses the forty days of Lent and the hidden symbolism behind the number 40 which reappears in so many places throughout the Sacred Scriptures.  Show host Elena Rodriguez, pinch hitting for Teresa Tomeo, asks Dr. Italy to uncover the mystery of why Lent has 40 days and what this tells us about how we are to approach the season.

In this Lenten podcast, Matt Swaim asks Dr. Italy about his new book, 40 Days, 40 Ways, A New Look at Lent (Servant Books).  In response, Marcellino D’Ambrosio explains the book’s aim to help people break out of "same old" stale Lenten patterns. The book does this by offering forty fresh ideas of how to combine prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  The goal is to make us new people by the end of the season.

The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's gospel includes such tough commands as love your enemies, turn the other cheek, and judge not.  How are we to understand such things and put them into practice?  The examples of Jesus & St. Thomas More provide us with insight here.

No sooner does Jesus praise Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi and dub him "the Rock" than he rebukes him as the devil or Satan.  Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah.  But his idea of what it meant to be the Christ left no room for suffering, sacrifice or the way of the cross as the cost of discipleship.

The Beatitudes appear in the gospels of Matthew and Luke as part of the Sermon on the Mount. But what actually is the nature of true happiness?  Must we be miserable in this world to be happy in the next?  Faith and hope bring the lasting joy that is the essence of true blessedness.  For the 6th Sunday in Ordinary time, Cycle C.

Podcast excerpted from radio interview in which Dr. Italy offers some reflections on the apparitions of Mary to lowly shepherd girls in Lourdes in 1858.

February 2 is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the Temple.  It  commemorates Simeon's famous prophecy that Jesus would be a "light of revelation to the Gentiles."  It is also known as Candlemas since it is the day that candles are blessed for use throughout the Church year.

Bible study and prayer with Scripture is absolutely necessary for Catholics.  As St. Jerome said, ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.  For the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary time, cycle C.

In this 14 minute Podcast, Dr. Italy discusses the hidden meaning of the wedding feast of Cana and tells us how the transformation of water into wine is a sign of an even greater transformation.

In this 7 minute podcast, excerpted from a national radio interview, Dr. Italy describes what the town of Nazareth was like in the time of Jesus and what it is like to visit it today on pilgrimage.

The Feast of the Holy Family challenges us to grow in the virtues of piety, honor, patience, and forbearance.  And to learn to laugh together.

Advent is a season of joy & hope.  Paul says to rejoice in hope.  But what is hope, anyway?  How does this theological virtue differ from faith and what does it have to do with rejoicing?

The feast of Jesus Christ the Universal King was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and is observed on the last Sunday of the Roman Catholic Liturgical Year. It causes us to ponder what sort of authority, kingdom and dominion are truly lasting, and what judgment will be truly final.

Podcast by Dr. Italy on Florence, the Renaissance city, and what the art of Michelangelo teaches us about Catholic Culture and life.  With images of sites and churches of Florence that he will visit on his upcoming Italy pilgrimage.

Hear O Israel!  Most have heard of the Great Commandment - to love God with your whole heart and your neighbor as yourself.  But if God is just and salvation depends upon perfect obedience to this command, who can be saved?  For the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B.

The Bible stories of Naaman the Syrian and Jesus' healing of the 10 lepers shows us that gratitude is an obligation of justice. To remember the source of our blessings and to give thanks is exactly why some countries, like the USA and Canada, dedicate a national Thanksgiving holiday.  And why Catholics have a "Sunday obligation" to attend the Eucharist.