The Based Catholic

Episode 28 Special Guests: Owner & Founder of Hull Millwork and Hull Homes, Brent Hull & Author Jack Cashill.How much did America change after World War II? The short answer: a lot. For starters, we accelerated our standard of "cheap and fast" to the utmost degree in our architectural design and building. Mr. Hull comes on to share his passion for craftsmanship in architectural millwork, residential construction, and historic restoration as well as explain the history of how we got to the ugliness we see today. Turns out, Catholic university architecture schools are the only remaining hold out on beauty, and might be our only hope in the restoration of it. Then Mr. Cashill comes on to discuss his book, "Untenable: The True Story of White Ethnic Flight From America's Cities." We discuss how the urban ethnic Catholic parishes were the center of community for immigrants and how that was just never recreated in the suburbs. He also made the connection that while our cities were crumbling due to crime (the fallout of the sexual revolution in the black community), our Church also decided to reimagine itself. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 27 Special Guest: Tim Carney, author of the book, "Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Having Kids Much Harder Than It Needs To Be."Civilization is in crisis. The birth decline continues to drop as marriage rates plummet and suffer from further delay. But how responsible is our culture for this? Does it play a role in family formation, making it intentionally harder to have kids? Would a more religious culture that encourages married couples to have more babies catch on? Listen to my discussion with Tim where we address all this and more!Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 26 Special Guests: Franciscan University Professor of Theology, Dr. John Bergsma & the Diocese of Arlington’s Father David.Are we willing to suffer for our beloved? If we liken the analogy of marriage to our relationship with God, how many of us simply think we love God enough, but are seldom willing to suffer for Him? In this episode I get into the different perspectives on suffering between protestants and Catholics with fellow Catholic convert, Dr. Bergsma. We discuss why we must suffer, why Catholics "offer up" their sufferings, why it seems the wicked prosper and the just are punished, and what we can learn about enduring faith from Joseph in the Old Testament. Then I talk with Fr. David about spiritual discernment, if suffering is sent from God or the devil, and I learn something about the book of Job that I didn’t know!Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 25 Special Guest: Diocese of Cleveland’s Father Patrick Schultz. I'm sure you've heard that famous Dr. Peter Kreeft quote: "Abortion is the Antichrist’s demonic parody of the eucharist. That’s why it uses the same holy words, “This is my body,” with the blasphemous opposite meaning." You could say that secular liberalism's sacramental substitute for the eucharist is a body *not* given up for another. In the same way, consider our culture's obsession with therapy. Is it a cope for a lack of sacramental confession and/or spiritual direction? Is meditation and manifesting alternative replacements for prayer? I pose all these questions to Father Pat, one of my favorite young priests! We also discuss the sacrament of confirmation and the need to bring back reverence and beauty in the liturgy, something that was suppose to remain in the mass post-Vatican II, but has unfortunately been obliterated by cringe suburban Catholicism. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 24 Special Guests: Them Before Us' Katy Faust & The Spectator's Teresa Mull.Issues related to marriage and family within liberalism's structure have long been decided based on what's best for the individual (i.e. the parent, the adult), never considering or in favor of what's best for the child. Katy goes child-centric in our conversation surrounding why biology matters, the agendas of adoption agencies, and how a regime that allows for reproductive technology like IVF to exist makes Ishmaels (like millions of frozen embryos). Then I talk with Teresa about why moving to small town America might be the answer to our prevailing woes of wokeness! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 23 Special Guests: Writer and Author, Declan Leary & Media Research Center's Brent Bozell III.If one of the founding fathers of the modern conservative movement, Brent Bozell Jr. were alive today (and still living in America), he'd probably be on the FBI's Catholic Extremist watch list. I interview Declan and his son Brent to discuss this lost piece of conservative media history and the Catholic giant that he was, his disenchantment with conservative politics after returning to the States from Catholic Spain, and his legacy with Triumph Magazine...and ask, could a *new* Triumph be the answer to the growing dissatisfaction with conservative media many on the Right are experiencing? Episode 23 Segments: Krames KornerSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 22 Special Guest: Diocese of Arlington’s Father David.In a post-Christian culture, with the trend of reception-based ceremonies, what weddings can a Catholic go to in good conscience? I ask Father David. Then I give my take on what I consider the missing rhetoric surrounding the two-parent household discussions and how they benefit children. Are the roles of mother and father interchangeable? Are two parents in the home all that matter, or do children deserve a married mother and father? Then lastly, I ask Catholic millennial women their thoughts on motherhood! Episode 22 Segments: Father Knows Best, Call Her Traddy, Krames KornerSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 21 Special Guest: Professor James Wilson.They say divorce is down but that's only because marriage rates are too. In a post-marriage culture, how do we defend marriage if we don't even know what it is? I speak with Professor Wilson and we break down the three acts of the profound play written by Pope Saint John Paul II, "The Jeweler's Shop," a meditation on marriage. Each of the three acts dives into a couple's marriage and teaches us something about love. You won't want to miss this one! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 20 Special Guests: Christopher Chapman & Jacob Beckwith. Do fools rush in or do men "know?" Ever heard of a decade-long friendship getting out of the friend-zone? After this episode, you will have! Meet the man behind the legend that is Emily Stimpson Chapman. Her husband Chris tells me his vocation story and his perspective in their shared love story. Then I discuss the growing trend of Gen Z ditching their smartphone for a dumbphone with Jacob. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 19 Special Guests: Patricia Patnode & J.P. De Gance.Writer and repentant former member of the Daddy Gang, Patricia comes on to discuss the social impact of Call Her Daddy (the #1 female podcast in the world). We ponder if Alex Cooper's Catholic education really screwed her up her views on sex (pssst..she must have never read Pope Saint John Paul II's defense of the female orgasm).Then I interview J.P. on his son's high school homeschool football league and if this could be a budding alternative for Catholic student-athletes who want the varsity sports experience without the less-than-stellar Catholic formation received in a lot of Catholic schools. Episode 19 Segments: Call Her Traddy Sound Engineer: Mark Coming