Dr. Italy

On this episode of the Sonrise Morning show, Dr. Italy shares about the way pilgrimage has been a central theme and serious obligation for Jews and Christians alike from Abraham through Jesus right down to the present time.  God seems very concerned to get across the idea that we are pilgrims and wayfarers, not settlers who get comfortable amidst the concerns and priorities of the present life.  Having just returned from leading his 24th pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Marcellino has fresh in his mind the poignant power of leaving the familiar behind to follow in the footsteps of the Savior.

A reflection on the Solemnity of All Souls, November 2, touching on the mystery of death and the afterlife including heaven, hell, and purgatory, and the validity of prayers for the dead.

Each November 1st Catholics are obliged to attend Mass to celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints.  This feast is more than a dutiful remembrance of the various saints that don't make it into the Roman calendar of feast days.  It is celebrates us - the fact that all of us are destined to attain the heights of holiness, that all of us are called and equipped to become saints, and will do so if we don't get in the way of the Holy Spirit.  Dr. Italy discusses where the feast comes from and why some consider it to be even greater than Easter in a curious way.

In this podcast, historical theologian Marcellino D'Ambrosio ("Dr. Italy") clears up misunderstandings about the holiday that are nearly universally believe by Christians, neo-pagans and secularists a like.  It will be of great help to grandparents and parents trying to decide how to approach this celebration.

When his enemies quiz him about what commandment is the greatest, Jesus reveals just how radical he really is.  His answer goes to the very root of every single one of the 613 commandments found in the law of the Old Testament – the distinct kind of divine love known as charity or agape is the great commandment.  For the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, liturgical cycle A.

When the Pharisees and the Herodians brought up the issue of paying taxes to the Emperor, Jesus uttered the famous line “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”  So what does this say about the role of government in our lives?  What do we owe to the state?

Ignatius of Antioch, whom the Church remembers on October 17, is one of the most important of the apostolic fathers, the Fathers of the Church who lives overlapped the lives of the last of the apostles.  Ignatius was, in fact, only the second successor of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas in the important city of Antioch, where the followers of Jesus were called Christians for the first time.  He is, therefore, a crucial link between us and the generation of the apostles who preceded him, a witness to the apostolic tradition. Ignatius was apprehended by the Roman authorities and sentenced to die in the arena in Rome.  He was chained to a squad of brutal soldiers and marched overland from Antioch to the Northwest coast of Turkey.  Along the way, local Christian churches sent delegations to meet with him.  Ignatius afterwards wrote seven short letters to these various churches in which he gives us a window into the soul of an early Christian martyr on his way to execution.  In this podcast we talk about the kinds of th

In this podcast Dr. Italy describes the great Carmelite mystic, Teresa of Avila, pointing out how she combined practical wisdom, mysticism and a sense of  humor in an extraordinary way.

Why would people decline a royal invitation to a wedding feast, a banquet fit for a king?  This parable of Jesus describes a situation we see around us everyday – pervasive apathy in the face of the offer of salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The cause?  A sneaky but deadly sin called sloth.

Angelo Roncalli, better known as Pope St. John XXIII, was a simple peasant boy who never quite lost his country simplicity even as he moved up through the Church’s hierarchy to occupy the chair of St. Peter. His election to the Papacy in 1958 surprised everyone, as did his announcement that he had decided to convene an ecumenical council to meet at the Vatican. We learn in this podcast why this Pope was canonized as a saint and why the council he convened cannot really be understood without understanding him.

The parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants or husbandmen is a warning to peoples and nations that no wall will protect a society that is abundantly blessed yet continues to bear bad fruit and sour grapes, refusing to give God his due.  Security and the peace that passes understanding are the rewards only of those who return thanks in response to God’s blessings.

A 16 minute podcast in which Sonrise Morning show host Matt Swaim asks Dr. Italy some insightful questions about the rosary, Mary, the misteries, and the power of praying the rosary. The Rosary has been the most honored and best known devotional prayer in the Roman Catholic tradition for the last five hundred years.   Yet few, even those very devoted to it, understand its meaning and unlock its full power.  We know that it is a Marian prayer, and associate it with the simplest and best known Marian prayer, the Hail Mary.

St. Francis of Assisi happens to be one of the most popular of all saints, honored by non-Catholics as well as Catholics, Buddhists and Hindus as well as Christians.  But are the words popularly attributed to him true?  "Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words? How about that saying?  Is it his?   What can Francis's famous encounter with the Muslim Sultan teach us about faith and how to approach the followers of Islam?  All these questions and more are discussed in this 15 minute podcast.

So what is meant by "fortresses" of faith? Much like the castles of medieval times, the saints serve as very visible guideposts, help us orient ourselves, and can even offer refuge in times of trouble. In this 7 minute podcast from the Sonrise Morning Show with host Anna Mitchell, Dr. Italy discusses the essential place of Mary and the saints in the Church and in our lives. He details how this pilgrimage down the Rhine river and the unique places that will be visited can bring bring us a deeper understanding and connection to some of our amazing brothers and sisters in heaven.

The parable of the two Sons makes clear that saying yes to Jesus Christ is much more a matter of deeds and actions than words and promises.  Talk is cheap but body language never lies. There will never be a shortage of words. Words are plentiful because talk is cheap. It’s easy to make a promise. Keeping a promise is an entirely different matter, as the parable of the two sons in Matthew’s Gospel makes abundantly clear.

14 minute podcast in which Sonrise Morning show guest host Ryan Lopez quizzes Dr. Italy about the life and impact of Jerome, bible scholar, father and Doctor of the Church and warrior for Christ.  On the occasion of his feast day, September 30.

The parable of the workers in the vineyard is a shock to our sensibilities – some laborers work longer than others but at the end of the day, all get the same pay from their generous employer.  Jesus is teaching us something about justice and generosity and why the last are usually first in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Dr. Italy discusses the Capuchin friar Padre Pio who in his lifetime was first famous in Italy and then the whole world for his stigmata and miracles worked through his intercession.

The parable of the merciless servant illustrates the meaning of  “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” a petition included in the Lord’s Prayer.  Anger can be righteous, but when we let it harden into resentment it becomes a poison that blocks the grace of God from flowing into us and through us. Forgiveness removes the block.

Many contemporary bishops have been criticized for taking half-measures instead of speaking and acting boldly and decisively.  The same could never be said of the ancient bishop who was a Father of the Church, St. John Chrysostom.  His preaching was so eloquent and powerful that he acquired the nickname of "Chrysostom" or "golden-tongue."  Gold as it may have been, his tongue was often sharp at times as he called out corruption among laity, clergy, even the Emperor.  His unrelenting honesty earned him the emnity of Imperial family and brutal exile that resulted in his untimely death.  In this brief, 8 minute podcast tells his story.