All Things Catholic by Edward Sri

Christians are called to rejoice, especially in the Advent season. But can we experience joy even in the midst of difficulties and trials? Edward Sri unpacks what joy actually is and how we can radiate more Christian joy in our lives, even in the face of life's daily challenges.

Don't miss out on Advent this year. Edward Sri helps us stay focused on the special graces that await us in this liturgical season - if we understand its meaning and key practices.

The Sign of the Cross is not just the way Catholics begin their prayers. It is itself a powerful prayer—one that’s rooted in Scripture and one that the earliest Christians often turned to for strength in spiritual battle and protection from all harm and evil. 

The Church has rich teaching about judgment, heaven, hell, and purgatory. But some Catholics are fuzzy on the details or have never heard about these matters from a truly Catholic perspective. In this episode, Edward Sri clearly and concisely unpacks what you need to know about the Last Things and equips you to answer confidently the question, “What Happens After We Die?"

Why does Jesus sometimes seem to push Mary away? For example: When people inform Jesus that his mother has arrived in Capernaum to see him, he says, “Who is my mother?” (My. 12:48).

Imagine waking up along the Sea of Galilee, walking out your door and seeing the place where Jesus calmed the storm, walked on water and called his first disciples.

“Why do you Catholics give so much attention to the saints? Shouldn’t we just focus on God?” Indeed, Catholic devotion to the saints is quite puzzling to some Christians. The whole idea of kneeling before a statue of Mary, doing a nine-day novena to St. Therese or asking St. Anthony to help you find your lost keys seems scandalous.  After all, these are just human beings who died a long time ago—they’re not God! 

Along the Sea of Galilee some 2,000 years ago, Peter was stunned when the Risen Jesus asked him, “Do you love me?” It was the word for “love” that got to him. Jesus didn’t speak of ordinary human affection. Another Greek word, phileo, describes that kind of love.  Jesus instead uses the word agape, which describes a total, self-giving, sacrificial love.

Before you say you’re pro-life, you might want to consider themes from JP2’s hard-hitting encyclical “The Gospel of Life.” It’s like an examination of conscience. It not only challenges us to take a deeper look at what’s really happening in “the culture of death.” It also invites us to consider the ways we Christians might be contributing to it through our own individualistic tendencies in our families, work environments and local communities.

Are you too busy to pray the rosary?  Get distracted?  Get bored? Prefer shorter prayers? For many, the rosary is the marathon of all Catholic devotions.  “I prefer shorter prayers like the Divine Mercy chaplet.” Who has time for 50 plus beads of prayers? But what if I were to tell you the rosary is not beyond you. That you don’t have to pray it all at once. And that there are creative ways to incorporate it into your daily life.

Does it really make a difference whether we believe in just a solitary divine being or a God who exists as Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Absolutely! In fact, understanding the Trinity is the key to understanding what love is, where our happiness is found and the purpose of our lives.

Edward Sri helps us discover the real purpose of sensual attraction. According to JPII’s ‘Theology of the Body,’ God wired us to notice the ‘good looks’ of the opposite sex in order to lead us to a deeper appreciation of the person who has those good looks.

Your past doesn’t have to define you. This week’s feast of St. Matthew inspires us to consider how the God who transformed this sinner-tax collector into the great apostle can transform us in our own walk with Him today. Edward Sri takes us on a mini-tour in Rome to two of his favorite pieces of art depicting the life of this great saint.

How do you know if you’re truly growing in your relationship with God or just going through the motions with your faith? One key to answering this question is the theme of discipleship.

In this opening episode, Edward Sri launches his ‘All Things Catholic’ podcast with a topic to help us get ready for the feast of Mary’s Birthday this week: The Hail Mary.