The Catholic Current

What Happened to Higher Education? (Matt Lamb) 7/18/23

We welcome back Matt Lamb of The College Fix to continue our week reflecting on education - today focusing on issues in higher education. Why are things continuing to go off the rails in universities across America? Are there any bright spots? Father finishes with Timeless Thoughts.   Show Notes Professor made student 'uncomfortable' with open debate, gets fired | The College Fix Texas professor fired after teaching sex is determined by chromosomes: legal group | The College Fix Catholic Loyola University Chicago covers abortion in student health plan | The College Fix 40% of Brown University students are LGBT: student newspaper | The College Fix Catholic University of San Diego won't explain why it helps students get abortions | The College Fix 'Guadalupe Project' supports pregnant students at Catholic University of America | The College Fix Evaluating Catholic Schools (Kelly Salomon/Dr. Denise Donohue) 5/16/23 Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

New Hope for Catholic Education (Elisabeth Sullivan) 7/17/23

We welcome Elisabeth Sullivan of the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education to begin a week reflecting on education. What difference does authentically Catholic education make for both teachers and students, and what can the Institute do to help foster it?   The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education National Conference - Institute for Catholic Liberal Education Register for the 2023 ICLE National Conference Live Stream Joy of Education Report - Institute for Catholic Liberal Education Renewing Catholic Schools: How to Regain a Catholic Vision for a Secular Age Étienne Gilson – The Intelligence in the Service of Christ the King (1937) Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Confronting Congressional Catholics—Again (Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J.) 7/14/23

In this podcast-extended Let's Talk About This, Father McTeigue once again goes line-by-line through a "statement of principles" released by Catholic members of Congress who try to cite their Faith as reason for their advocacy for abortion. Is this year's statement any better than their first one?   DeLauro Leads Catholic Lawmakers In Releasing Renewed Statement of Principles DeLauro Statement on One Year Anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Father's First LTAT: Congressional Catholics – Let's Tell the Truth Right And Reason: Ethics in Theory and Practice 2nd Edition Christifideles Laici (December 30, 1988) | John Paul II Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Does the Church Need Good Music? (Dr. Peter Kwasniewski) 7/13/23

We welcome back author, composer, and scholar Dr. Peter Kwasniewski to discuss his latest book on sacred music with TAN Books. What is the proper understanding of music and participation in liturgy, and why is it so important to get right?   Good Music, Sacred Music, and Silence: Three Gifts of God for Liturgy and for Life Dr. Peter Kwasniewski Cantabo Domino Tradition and Sanity WARNING: The Music at Mass May Be Harmful to Your Soul - Crisis Magazine Instruction on Sacred Music (Tra le Sollecitudini) | Pope Saint Pius X What Many Priests No Longer Believe | Homiletic & Pastoral Review Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (Tom Brejcha) 7/12/23

We welcome back Tom Brejcha of the Thomas More Society to discuss the recent Supreme Court Cases that handed wins to Christians. Is the desire to practice your faith an "undue burden" on employers? What did the rulings say, and what's next in the legal sphere for Christians?   Thomas More Society Thomas More Society Praises Big Victory for Religious Liberty in Unanimous High Court Ruling US Supreme Court Decision Favoring 303 Creative Solidifies Tastries Bakery Free Speech Win Jesus didn't "turn the other cheek"—neither should you Donate to Assist the Work of the Thomas More Society Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

World Youth Day: Then and Now (Matt Gaspers) 7/11/23

We welcome back Matt Gaspers of Catholic Family News to discuss the upcoming World Youth Day in Portugal. How do we teach the faith to young adults without resorting to pandering and bad imitations of pop culture? Father finishes with Timely Thoughts. Future Portuguese Cardinal on WYD: 'We Don't Want to Convert the Young People to Christ'| National Catholic Register WYD Lisbon 2023 World Youth Day Beware the juvenilization of American Christianity Contemporary Eucharistic Miracles [Spitzer Scholarly Article] 4 Approved Eucharistic Miracles from the 21st Century Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Selling Embryos & Making A Killing (Dr. Tara Sander Lee) 7/10/23

In a Podcast-extended episode, we welcome back Dr. Tara Sander Lee of the Charlotte Lozier Institute to discuss the recent academic push to develop so-called synthetic embryos. Who thought this was a good idea, and what excuses are these academics using to further erode the sanctity of human life? Dr. Lee and Father cover IVF and surrogacy in the extended segment, so be sure to stay tuned till the end!   First reported synthetic human embryo sparks ethical concerns, creates questions | Catholic News Agency Lozier Institute The Voyage of Life | Lozier Institute Real Philosophy for Real People: Tools for Truthful Living Forever Connected: The Lifelong Biological Consequences of Fetomaternal and Maternofetal Microchimerism - PMC The Concentration Can: When Does Human Life Begin? an Eminent Geneticist Testifies: Lejeune, Jerome The Gianna Center | Catholic Health Anne Nolte, M.D. – MyCatholicDoctor Foundation Pope Paul VI Institute Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Are We Being Poisoned? (Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J.) 7/7/23

In Let's Talk About This, Father McTeigue discusses culture, music, and the necessity for silence in the spiritual life. What is the effect of (at least) three generations of failure to hand on these basic truths? Father finishes with Weekend Readiness to help you prepare for the upcoming Sunday Mass. Have we surrendered our kids to the popular culture - Aleteia JPII's penetrating question to Chicago's Cardinal George Parenting in the pop culture: Prepping our children for Heaven or Hell? Modern Civilization Is A Universal Conspiracy Against All Interior Life - Intellectual Takeout Good Music, Sacred Music, and Silence: Three Gifts of God for Liturgy and for Life The Examen Prayer: Ignatian Wisdom for Our Lives Today Fr. Timothy Gallagher – Discernment of Spirits Podcasts The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise - Cardinal Robert Sarah Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Did the Supreme Court Cancel Affirmative Action? (Peachy Keenan) 7/6/23

We welcome back Peachy Keenan of the American Mind to continue the discussion on Affirmative Action and the recent Supreme Court ruling. Why was the decision not as big of a win as is being advertised? How will the enemies of merit subvert the decision of the court? Is there anything that can be done about it?   Peachy Keenan's Extremely Domestic | Substack The Race for College Admission College: Whites and Asians Need Not Apply (Peachy Keenan) 3/20/23 The End of Affirmative Action? | City Journal Harvard united in resolve in face of Supreme Court's admissions ruling Colleges to implement 'adversity scores' in admissions after Supreme Court rejected race-based admissions | The Post Millennial Sean Davis on Twitter: "What comes next? Not merit-based university admissions. Instead, we'll see the opposite. Bolshevik madrassas masquerading as universities…" Domestic Extremist: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War The Newman Guide Evaluating Catholic Schools (Kelly Salomon/Dr. Denise Donohue) 5/16/23 The Death of Christian Culture Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Fairness for Asian Students (Wai Wah Chin) 7/5/23

We welcome back Wai Wah Chin of the Manhattan Institute to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action. What did the ruling say, and what are we to make of the apparent loopholes left open by the court to be exploited by those parties seeking racial quotas by another name? The Supreme Court and Harvard's Racial Discrimination | City Journal The Next Battle Over Racial Preferences | City Journal The End of Affirmative Action? | City Journal Harvard united in resolve in face of Supreme Court's admissions ruling Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Victimhood Forever (Soledad Ursúa) 7/3/23

We welcome Soledad Ursúa of the Manhattan Institute to discuss her article in the City Journal. Why do government attempts to heal racial tensions through talks of reparations have the opposite effect? How can we do right by others without making things even worse?   Victimhood Forever | City Journal "Cite and Release" Is a Prescription for More Crime | City Journal California Reparations: 10 Blocks podcast | City Journal Cristo Rey Network Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Ask Father Mailbag #1 (Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J.) 6/30/23

In Let's Talk About This, Father McTeigue opens up the mailbag to answer some of the listener questions that have been submitted in recent months. Did yours make it in? Keep sending in your questions to our Ask Father page to get in for next time! Father finishes with Weekend Readiness to help you prepare for the upcoming Sunday Mass. Conscience should begin, not end, moral discourse Conscience isn't an emotion — not even close How Not to Waste Another Summer Summer reading: For better or worse? Nefarious: The Must-See Movie (Cary Solomon) 5/15/23 Nefarious | Official Website Keep Your Kids Safe During the Summer Months (Steve Pokorny) 6/27/22 Real Philosophy for Real People: Tools for Truthful Living Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

When Race Trumps Merit (Heather Mac Donald) 6/29/23

We welcome back Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute to discuss her newest book with DW Books "When Race Trumps Merit". What is disparate impact, and why do policies written in favor of that legal theory do more harm than good? (Note: the episode was recorded before the ruling was released in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard)   When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives Heather Mac Donald | Bestselling Author | Manhattan Institute and City Journal Heather Mac Donald | Twitter "Equity" Over Merit: 10 Blocks podcast | City Journal Merit Over Identity | City Journal Not One Student Was Proficient In Math In 23 Baltimore Schools: REPORT | The Daily Caller The End of Affirmative Action? | City Journal Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

Can Silicon Valley Be Saved? (Allison Schrager) 6/28/23

We welcome back Allison Schrager of the Manhattan Institute to discuss the rise and apparent fall of Silicon Valley looking at her article in City Journal. What went wrong, and are there broader implications for the rest of the country?    Can Silicon Valley Remake Itself? | City Journal Too Small to Survive? | City Journal Allison Schrager - Bloomberg Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!

What to Do about Homelessness? (Dr. Stephen Eide) 6/27/23

We welcome back Dr. Stephen Eide of the Manhattan Institute to discuss homelessness via his article in City Journal. Why do so many government programs fail, and are there any organizations getting it right? Father finishes with Timely Thoughts.   The Encampment State | City Journal Snapcrap — Why I built an app to report poop on the streets of San Francisco | by Sean Miller | Medium Equal Opportunity vs Affirmative Action (Dr. Judge Glock) 5/23/23 At New Chicago Walgreens, You Can Only Browse 2 Aisles — The Rest Of The Store Is Locked Away The owner of two major San Francisco hotels STOPS making payments on its $725 million loan | Daily Mail Online This is where all those abandoned RVs and trailers go to die | HeraldNet.com Read Fr. McTeigue's Written Works! Visit Fr. McTeigue's Website | Herald of the Gospel Questions? Comments? Feedback? Ask Father!