Catholic Forum

Our guest, Fr. Peter Damian, joins us to discuss concerns regarding the relatively poor understanding and belief of Catholics in the fundamental doctrine of the Church - the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Members of a local  informal collective of gentlemen, known as The Inquisitors, share about how their meetings challenge and nurture each other with thoughtful presentations regarding various historic, economic, ethical and political propositions,  usually in the light of Catholic tradition. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Mentoring couples discuss Church Canon 1063, which outlines the obligation and responsibility of the local pastor to nuture a sacramental marriage through thorough preparation, liturgical teaching and post-nuptial support. This segment focuses on the preparations for marriage. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Musician, author and speaker Chris Padgett describes how his contact with Catholics animated by their faith, as well as thought-provoking Catholic authors, led him beyond negative preconceptions he harbored as a Protestant to an appreciation of Catholic teachings on sacraments, authority, etc. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Independent pharmacist describes the ethical and professional journey he undertook after learning about the abortifacient properties of some contraceptives. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Gentlemen from a number of men's prayer groups in the Grand Rapids, MI area share their experiences regarding the faith formation and spiritual support that these fellowships have provided them. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to continue our conversation with Gaby Schoepflin and dig deeper into a consideration of the woundedness of humanity that is evidenced by the myriad forms of human trafficking that are taking place all around the world. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

This week's guest shares her story of finding her way to an exciting job and comfortable lifestyle, only to realize that there remained an emptiness that has led her to pursue a mission to expose and combat human trafficking. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

The last time we visited the St. Francis Sculpture Garden for Prayer and Meditation, it was early November of last year; it was cold, foggy and headed for the dormancy of winter. We got the chance to take our cameras back out to the site to enjoy the new growth - full foliage and new sculpture sites - and we had Mic Carlson in the climate-controlled studio to tell us about the latest developments at the Garden. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Dr. Dennis Marshall discusses the history of the Enlightenment and its influence on our contemporary culture. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Amongst the responsibilities the Fr. Scott Nolan juggles is that of Chaplain at West Catholic High School. Fr. Nolan discusses that role with us this week. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

In this special Catholic Forum Presents... edition, we offer excerpts from a recent presentation by Susan Brinkmann, best known for her contributions to EWTN's Women of Grace program and blog, as she addresses the influences of New Age spirituality in American culture. In this segment, Susan describes the defining characteristics of New Age Spirituality and the nuances that separate it from Christian practice in the area of prayer. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Three Catholic Forum hosts discuss re-evangelizing lost and lukewarm Catholics.   To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Influence of a father's daily prayerful example & God's love leads youngest of seven children into the priesthood.   To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

A "cradle Catholic" describes his experienced of being estranged from the Church, only to find himself wooed back by the sacraments, the Blessed Mother and the witness of strong Catholics in his life.   To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

A Dominican priest shares with us about the history, structure and charism of the Dominican order.   To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Administrators from Sacred Heart of Jesus Academy return to discuss with us their first year after having converted from a "traditional" educational curriculum to an even more traditional model, the so-called "Classical" educational model.   To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Our guests share about their experiences while on a missionary trip to be of service to a community in Nicaruagua. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Our guest describes his journey from cradle Catholicism to Evangelical Protestantism and  back again. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).

Influence of a father's daily prayerful example & God's love leads youngest of seven children into the priesthood. To learn more about our work, visit our web site, catholicforuminc.org, or share our page on Facebook (facebook.com/catholicforuminc).