The Family Room

Guest: Allan Smith, author, speaker, radio hostAllan Smith was 48 before he’d ever heard of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, a man recently declared Blessed on his way to sainthood. In our second interview with Smith, he shares how he discovered Sheen was the reason his father became Catholic. Grasping the significance, Smith has spent more than 15 years collecting Sheen memorabilia, republishing his works, and writing about this American prelate who won the hearts of so many. He wants to introduce today’s generations to this fiery, yet tender man whose faith was contagious.  With Advent starting soon, Smith declares “Sheen does Christmas right,” and introduces us to four books Smith has written explaining the true meaning of Advent and Christmas through the timeless wisdom of Blessed Fulton Sheen and the Catholic Church. Smith explains Christmas is not meant to be a mad dash from the first day of Advent to Christmas day, describing it as “a season of encounter” that starts the new liturgical year. Each book highlights a different aspect of Christmas. For example, “An Advent and Christmas Companion” consists of Scripture accompanied by short meditations and prayers while “The Twelve Days of Christmas” uncovers each day’s hidden meaning.  Come, prepare for Christmas with Blessed Fulton Sheen.Guest biography: Allan J. Smith is a Catholic author, speaker, radio host, and editor specializing in the life, writings, and spiritual legacy of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. As a member of the Advisory Board of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation in Peoria, Illinois, he has spent more than a decade helping preserve and promote Sheen's teachings. Smith is the compiler and editor of numerous Fulton Sheen anthologies, including bestselling titles published by Sophia Institute Press and his own Bishop Sheen Today publishing apostolate. As a “Cradle Catholic” with 13 siblings, he and his wife, Isabelle, have three adult children and eight grands.  Allan and Isabelle have retired to a sleepy village two hours north of Toronto, Canada, which sits next to property dedicated as a Shrine to martyred Jesuit priests. As Smith proudly proclaims, “we live on holy ground.”  Resources: Book: "Advent and Christmas with Archbishop Fulton Sheen"Book: "The Twelve Days of Christmas with Archbishop Fulton Sheen"Book: "The Christmas Hour"Book: "An Advent and Christmas Companion"Website: Bishop Sheen TodayWebsite: Celebrate SheenAllan Smith on The Family Room episode, "The Soul of a Disciple," airing September 23, 2026 

Guest: Elizabeth Leon, author, speaker, podcasterWhen tragedy strikes, some people collapse in waves of self-pity, unable to see anything but their own pain. Others stretch their hands out to God, begging for a way to comprehend the tragedy. That second group learns God has a plan for their pain, creating a reservoir of unexpected wisdom when they give it to Him. They become living testimonies of God’s love because they learn the path to healing comes from seeking Him, not withdrawing in unholy self-reliance. Elizabeth Leon calls these tragedies “unchosen paths” and shares how God has used them to give her a new perspective on pain and betrayal. She asks, “What if your greatest sufferings were an invitation to joy?”Elizabeth’s path out of pain has been to help others through different modalities which can facilitate healing. When her tenth child died one day after birth, she shared the experience through her award-winning book, “Let Yourself Be Loved: Big Lessons from a Little Life.”   Elizabeth shares cherished wisdom through her website and blog as well as workshops and inner healing coaching. She declares: “Live as the beloved! God’s promises are not for some day; they are for now! The fruit is intimacy with God.”Guest biography: Elizabeth Leon is a Catholic author, speaker, wife, mother, and grandmother from Ashburn, Virginia. She has been a leader in ministry and faith formation for more than thirty years. She is the founder of Journey of the Beloved. Her mission is to inspire and equip others to move from heartache to healing with Jesus, to claim their identity as beloved sons and daughters of the King and to find transformation and freedom through healing in Christ. Elizabeth serves as the Director of Family Support for Red Bird Ministries, a Catholic grief-support ministry for families of child loss, where she co-hosts and produces their podcast, It’s Not for Nothing. She also provides Catholic inner-healing coaching and Sacred Story workshops through You Are Made New Ministries. She has a B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary and a Level II Narrative Focused Trauma Care Certification from The Allender Center at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, as well as graduate-level study in Social Work from George Mason University.Resources: Elizabeth Leon's websiteElizabeth Leon's blogRed Bird Ministries “It’s Not for Nothing” podcastsYou Are Made New Ministries website

Guest: Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Catholic priest, author, and speakerWe cringe at the thought of ancient human sacrifice and its barbarism. Still, we are more linked to those rituals than we understand. In a compelling and imaginative study of visceral ancient customs that actually have a parallel in the Mass, Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s book, “Bloodshed & Blessings: Stories of Sacrifice from Ancient Altars to the Holy Mass,” connects the dots that have escaped us for more than two millennia.Using ten narrative stories that give a glimpse of life in ancient civilizations like the Vikings and Aztecs, Fr. Longenecker draws parallels of their bloody sacrifices to that of Jesus, the consummate victim, whose self-sacrifice is re-presented daily on every Catholic altar. Our ancestors acted out of a primordial “instinct,” believing these ritualized behaviors satisfied their gods of nature. Jews sacrificed animals to God for the atonement of sin, and from there we begin to understand what happened on the Cross.Written in two parts, Fr. Longenecker takes the reader from the bloody sacrifices of the past to a clear, understandable, and well-laid-out explanation of Jesus as Paschal Lamb. He traces three principal concepts that provide a genuine understanding of events from pre-history to the celebration of Mass and current events.Guest biography: Fr. Dwight Longenecker was raised in an evangelical home in Pennsylvania. After graduating from Bob Jones University with a degree in Speech and English, he studied theology at Oxford University in England. Eventually he was ordained as an Anglican priest and served as a curate, a school chaplain in Cambridge, and a country parson on the Isle of Wight. Realizing that the Anglican Church and he were on divergent paths, he and his family were received into full communion with the Catholic Church in 1995. For ten years they continued to live in England where Fr. Longenecker worked as a freelance writer and charity worker. In 2006 the family returned to the United States and Fr. Longenecker was ordained as a Catholic priest. The family moved to Greenville, South Carolina, and he accepted a post as chaplain to St Joseph’s Catholic School. After five years there he was asked to be the administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Greenville where he now serve as pastor. See his website (see resources below) for additional details about his books, talks, and endeavors.Resources:Book: “Bloodshed & Blessings: Stories of Sacrifice from Ancient Altars to the Holy Mass”Fr. Dwight Longenecker's website:  https://dwightlongenecker.com/about-fr-longenecker/  Fr. Dwight Longenecker's blog “Standing On My Head”The Family Room episode, "Legacy of Faith," airing Aug. 26, 2026, with guest Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Guest: Melissa Overmyer: evangelist, author, and speakerDo we prefer angst over peace? Doom scrolling highlights catastrophes that capture our imagination, leading us down dark corridors of dread. We yearn for happiness, but it escapes us. Melissa Overmyer’s book, “Living the Blessed Life: Seven Keys to Trusting God and Embracing Joy,” unlocks seven steps that will change how we perceive the world around us. In every life, there will be darkness and light, but we can choose what to dwell on.  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  Phil. 4:8.  Choosing a pattern of unhappiness begins with unhappy thoughts. Grumbling kept the children of Israel out of the Promised Land for 40 years. Using Scripture, science, and real-life experience, Melissa teaches us how to train our brains to change neural pathways of negative thinking into those which teach holy detachment as the pathway to joy. Her compilations of actionable steps help us grow holier by God’s Grace, thereby transforming us.   “Living the Blessed Life” is not a book to be read; it’s a retreat to be made.     Guest biography: Melissa Overmyer is a dynamic evangelist, author, and speaker. She is the founder of Something Greater Ministries, which fosters prayer, Scripture study, and community while presenting the teachings of the Catholic Church. She also founded The Georgetown Women’s Bible Study, an interdenominational women’s scripture study, more than 30 years ago. Author of several books, including “From Worry to Wonder,” Melissa is a convert to Catholicism and has her master’s degree in Catholic theology with a concentration in Sacred Scripture. She is passionate about archeology and Biblical history and leads Pilgrimages to the Holy Land. She is the mother of four daughters and lives with her husband, Dale, in Washington, DC.Resources: Book:  “Living the Blessed Life: Seven Keys to Trusting God and Embracing Joy”Something Greater Ministries websiteMelissa's website and vlogMelissa’s YouTube videosMelissa’s conversion story

Guest: Dr. Peter Kreeft, Catholic philosopher, author, and college professorMost Catholics know the Lord’s Prayer, or Our Father, word-for-word, reciting it easily from childhood memory. How many of us stop to meditate upon those words, though? In his luminous and meditative book, "Every Word in the Lord’s Prayer: Reflections on the Perfect Pray-er’s Perfect Prayer," beloved Catholic philosopher and author Peter Kreeft walks through the Lord’s Prayer word by word, mining its spiritual and theological depths. Kreeft follows in the footsteps of great saints like Teresa of Avila, who saw in each line of the prayer a treasure to be savored — slowly, lovingly, prayerfully. Saint Thomas Aquinas observed, “Among all other prayers, the Lord’s Prayer holds the chief place.” Fr. Mike Schmitz states that Kreeft opens up the Gospel message hidden in plain sight inside the prayer Jesus Himself taught us.Drawing from Scripture and a lifetime of reflection, Kreeft shows that every utterance of the Our Father brims with meaning. It is a summary of the Gospel, a path to union with God, and a guide to becoming fully alive. Kreeft says there is one observable feature in everyone who has lost their faith — they stopped praying. His short book is meant to be taken into quiet reflection, savoring every word as though it was written just for you…because, truthfully, it was.  Guest biography: Dr. Peter Kreeft is an American professor of philosophy at Boston College and a prominent Catholic author of more than 100 books. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, he completed his undergraduate studies at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before earning his MA and PhD from Fordham University in New York. Dr. Kreeft taught at Villanova University in Pennsylvania from 1962 to 1965. After earning his PhD from Fordham, he joined the faculty of the Department of Philosophy at Boston College in 1965 and has served there as a Professor of Philosophy for over 60 years. Dr. Kreeft converted from Calvinism to Catholicism during his college years, with the deciding factor being the Church’s claim to have been the one true Church which was historically founded by Christ. He took what he calls the famous C.S. Lewis trilemma approach of “Lunatic, Liar, or Lord” which posits the notion that either Jesus was a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord Himself. He chose Lord. Dr. Kreeft’s beloved wife of over 60 years, Maria, died in May 2026, leaving behind four grown children, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild. His beautiful tribute to her can be heard on this Matt Fradd podcast.  Resources:Peter Kreeft websiteBook: "Every Word in the Lord’s Prayer: Reflections on the Perfect Pray-er’s Perfect Prayer" Matt Fradd podcast after Maria Kreeft died

Guest: Fr. Burke Masters, Catholic priest, blogger, former baseball starBurke Masters was the youngest of three boys raised in a nominally Christian home in Joliet, Illinois. Praying before bedtime was the extent of their religious education, and sports became their passion. His dream was to play pro baseball, so attending a Catholic high school with a baseball team brought that dream closer. Not being Catholic, his religion requirements were nominal, but a nun challenged him to read the Bible daily, creating a thirst for Christ he never expected.  A providential mistake by a visiting priest took Burke’s thirst to a new level. He wanted to become Catholic and entered the Church one week before graduation. He pursued his baseball dream at Mississippi State and was devastated when he wasn’t picked for the major league in spite of achieving a grand slam and MVP title in the regional tournament just before the draft.  God put an end to one dream to begin another. Burke’s book, "A Grand Slam for God," details his journey into the priesthood. He felt God calling but planned to marry and didn’t want a “Plan B.” Listen as Fr. Burke explains how God fulfilled his dream of baseball when he surrendered to God’s dream of the priesthood.  Guest biography: Fr. Burke Masters has been a priest in the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, since June 1, 2002. He spent his first four years at St. Mary’s in West Chicago. From 2006 to 2018 he served as the Vocation Director for the Diocese of Joliet. From 2018-2022, he served as the Director of the Office of Adult Formation and Evangelization for the Diocese of Joliet. He has served as the Catholic chaplain for the Chicago Cubs since 2013, including being a part of the 2016 World Series Championship. In conjunction with Mike Sweeney, Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer, Fr. Burke started the Catholic Sports Camps in the Diocese of Joliet because of his passion to combine faith and sports. He also works closely with the John Paul II Healing Center and Dr. Bob Schuchts, giving retreats and conferences on healing. He became the 9th pastor of St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Hinsdale, Illinois, on July 1, 2022.Resources:Book: “A Grand Slam for God: A Journey From Baseball Star to Catholic Priest”YouTube Video: “A Grand Slam for Masters”YouTube Video: “From the Baseball Field to the Altar of Christ: Fr. Burke Masters”Fr. Burke Masters' daily videos and blogFr. Burke Masters' parish

Guest: Marcus Grodi, founder and president, Coming Home Network, Intl.The name Marcus Grodi might be familiar to many Catholics, as he founded and led a highly successful ministry called The Coming Home Network, helping other pastors discover the fullness of the Catholic Church. Marcus focused his first 20 years on himself. Then, he experienced a life-changing conversion in college and spent his next 20 years studying Jesus, becoming a Calvinist pastor. When Marcus reconnected with former college buddy, Scott Hahn, he converted to Catholicism and his next 20 years were spent trailblazing within Catholic circles, offering non-Catholics a new vision for their future.When he retired and moved to his wife’s family farm, Marcus thought contentment was retirement’s natural landscape. Instead, he realized contentment is a choice he still needed to develop. His book, “Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are,” is the result of his journey, where he learned to stop focusing on contentment tomorrow by choosing contentment today. Discovering that gratitude is the foundation for contentment, Marcus devised nine chapters, each one dealing with an important aspect of learning contentment. For example, living with simplicity or paying down debt can be huge relief valves for pent-up stress. Learning contentment means finding peace right where you are.Guest biography: Marcus received his BS degree from Case Institute of Technology (CWRU) in Polymer Engineering and a Master of Divinity Degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He worked six years as an engineer and over 45 years in some form of Christian ministry. He has served as the Founder/President of The Coming Home Network International for over 30 years, and hosted The Journey Home program on EWTN for 25 years. His son, JonMarc, has taken over the reins. Marcus is the author/editor of eleven books, and his articles have appeared in many publications and online sources. Marcus has taught college and graduate courses in youth ministry, leadership, catechetics, and theology. He and his wife, Marilyn, are now empty-nesters on a portion of Marilyn’s family farm in central Ohio.Resources:Book:  “Learning Contentment: Finding Peace Right Where You Are”About Marcus GrodiBlog: Just An Old Man Out Standing in his Field

Guest: Allan Smith, author, speaker, radio host, and editorSaints choose us; we don’t choose them. Allan Smith’s journey into the legacy of Archbishop Fulton Sheen was a serendipitous event caused by hearing Sheen’s words spoken out loud. He was hooked.  Sheen’s spiritual fire made him one of the most compelling voices of the 20th century, but his words still resonate today. People are desperately searching for something technology can’t provide. Finding a pearl of such great price, Allan has spent years collecting and republishing Sheen’s works so they can once again lead people to God.  So far Allan has compiled more than twenty of Sheen’s books into a collection of five anthologies. His latest work is “The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen's Meditations on the Cross, the Eucharist, and the Christian Life.”  Inside, you will find five powerful retreats drawn from the heart of the great evangelizer’s preaching. Each day offers short, simple tools to carry back into the world. For Fulton Sheen, a daily Holy Hour was never an obligation. It was a love affair, and Allan has included a practical guide on how we can spend an hour at the Fountain of Grace, where the heart of God speaks quietly to the heart of man.  Guest biography: Allan J. Smith is a Catholic author, speaker, radio host, and editor specializing in the life, writings, and spiritual legacy of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. A member of the Advisory Board of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation in Peoria, Illinois, he has spent more than a decade helping preserve and promote Sheen's teachings through books, radio, conferences, podcasts, and media outreach. Smith is the compiler and editor of numerous Fulton Sheen anthologies, including bestselling titles published by Sophia Institute Press and his own Bishop Sheen Today publishing apostolate. His work has introduced thousands of readers to Sheen's timeless insights on prayer, suffering, evangelization, the Eucharist, and the spiritual life. Allan Smith is also affectionately known as the “Pipe Padre” because as a professional plumber he’s been in over 30,000 basements, helping customers with their plumbing woes. Born as one of 12 kids to a devoutly Catholic couple, Smith would attend daily Mass with his mother and sibs, after watching his dad get up early to attend the early Mass before leaving for work. Daily Mass was and still is part of Smith’s daily routine. He and his wife, Isabelle, have three adult children and eight grands. His son has taken over the plumbing business while Allan and Isabelle have retired to a sleepy village two hours north of Toronto, Canada, which sits next to property dedicated as a shrine to martyred Jesuit priests. As Smith proudly proclaims, “we live on holy ground.”  Resources:"The Soul of a Disciple: Fulton Sheen’s Meditations on The Cross, The Eucharist and the Christian Life” by Allan Smith Website: Bishop Sheen TodayWebsite: Celebrate Sheen Website: Holy Face Miracle

Guest: Michael Lichens, author, editor, and researcherMichael Lichens loves finding obscure, long-forgotten stories about our Catholic heritage. As a young child, his Irish-Catholic grandmother and aunt whet his writing appetite with creepy Irish legends, but it was the story-telling of G.K. Chesterton that drew him back to Catholicism. Chesterton’s ability to masterfully present literary works with a quirky twist gave Lichens an earnest desire to write about obscure Catholic facts, leading to his book, "Weird Catholic Handbook." In this episode, Lichens discusses Sophia Press’ reprinted book, "Devotion to The Holy Angels," first published in 1869 by Fr. Henri-Marie Boudon. In it, Boudon shows how angels accompany us at every moment, encouraging virtue, restraining evil, and leading us closer to God. Through rich metaphors, Scripture, and the wisdom of the saints, he awakens gratitude and love for these heavenly guardians who labor tirelessly for our salvation. Boudon explores the nine choirs of angels – from the burning love of the Seraphim to the faithful Guardian Angels whose role is to help us get to heaven. Each choir serves a necessary and distinct role in God’s divine order. Boudon also shares practical, time-tested ways to honor and invoke the angels in daily life.Guest biography: Michael J. Lichens is an author and editor living in Denver, where he likes to study and write about the overlooked aspects of Christian history. His writings have appeared in numerous publications. You can find out about his love of ossuaries and GK Chesterton at his website.Resources:  Michael Lichens' website"Weird Catholic Handbook" book by Michael Lichens“How to Pray a Novena to The Nine Choirs of Angels” article on Catholic Exchange

Guest: January Donovan - mother, speaker, and innovatorWomen’s Liberation these last fifty years has left a bad taste in many people’s mouths. Young girls lost strong mentorship, and young men saw women become competitors rather than companions. Due to the prevalence of social media, women struggled with self-worth. January Donovan recounts how her well-meaning parents and the culture of the time left her vulnerable and wounded. Because of this, her passion became to change how women see themselves, declaring we have an opportunity like never before to reclaim the lost vision of womanhood. It’s time to stop trying to fix women and instead, help form them. Educating young women to become equal to men shortchanges everyone by ignoring their innate complementarity. Education can change what they know, but formation can change who they become.Creating what January calls a “human formation school,” teaching women practical skills to help them thrive, she successfully started “The Woman School,” an online program which is offered in 52 countries, being named one of Forbes Magazine’s top coaching schools worldwide. The Woman School seeks to start a feminine revival, replacing today’s competitive feminism with a new feminine archetype that helps women reclaim their God-given role as man’s helpmate rather than his competitor. Guest biography: January Donovan studied theology and philosophy and worked for a congressman on Capitol Hill for four years, where she worked on women’s issues. Her vision to create a human formation school rooted in objective truth and ordered toward truth, beauty, and goodness is timely in a culture that can no longer define what a woman is. January created a grassroots movement to reclaim femininity that grew to thousands of students in 52 countries in just a few years. She founded The Woman School as a supplemental skill-based training that teaches women to pursue a life of meaning, contribution, excellence, wholeness, and interior strength. January and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of eight young children and live in Florida.  Resources:January Donovan's websiteThe Woman School InstituteFeminine Formation podcast