Kris McGregor Archives

IP#332 Terry Polakovic – Life and Love on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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What a joy to speak with Terry Polakovic about “Life and Love: Opening Your Heart To God’s Design.” Personally, it was an honor and a blessing to talk with the co-founder of “Endow” (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) which is an organization I have greatly admired for many years. This is her first book and she approaches her subject with joy, fascination, and love, especially for the teachings of inspiring pontiffs of the Church like Pope Leo XIII, Bl. Pope Paul VI, and St. John Paul II. This is a must-have book for anyone who wishes to be touched by wisdom and encouraged in “life and love.”

You can find the book here

From the book description:

In Life and Love: Opening Your Heart to God’s Design, Terry Polakovic takes us on a fascinating tour of eight Church documents, spanning nearly 140 years, that pertain to human life and love:

Arcanum Divinae (On Christian Marriage), by Pope Leo XIII, 1880

Casti Connubii (Of Chaste Wedlock), by Pope Pius XI, 1930

Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life), by Pope Paul VI, 1968

Familiaris Consortio (On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World), by Pope John Paul II, 1981

Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women), by John Paul II, 1988

Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), by John Paul II, 1995

Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love), by Pope Benedict XVI, 2005

Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), by Pope Francis, 2016

Whether you’ve read these documents before or are discovering them for the first time, Life and Love will help you understand how the Church consistently and fearlessly offers the only true response to the battles of our time.

IP#329 Fr. Augustine Wetta O.S.B. – “Humility Rules” on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

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What a delight to talk with Fr. Augustine Wetta about “Humility Rules: Saint Benedict’s Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem! In this episode, we discuss humility, obedience, prudence, reverence, fear of the Lord, self-denial, the wisdom of “old monks” and so much. Fr. Wetta has a joyful soul and a listening “ear of the heart” which makes our conversation on the Holy Rule of St. Benedict and his engaging book one of my favorites.

You can find the book here

From the book description:

Saint Benedict’s fifth-century guide to humility offers the antidote to the epidemic of stress and depression overwhelming modern young adults. But the language of The Rule by Saint Benedict is medieval, and its most passionate advocates are cloistered monks and nuns. How then does this ancient wisdom translate into advice for ordinary people?

With candor, humor, and a unique approach to classical art, Father Augustine, a high school teacher and coach, breaks down Saint Benedict’s method into twelve pithy steps for finding inner peace in a way that can be applied to anyone’s life.

Drawing upon his own life experiences, both before and after becoming a Benedictine monk, the author explains every step, illustrating each chapter with color reproductions of sacred art that he has embellished with comic flourishes. The winsome combination is sure to keep readers from taking themselves too seriously—which is already a first step on the path to humility.

IP#312 Dr. Kevin Starr – Continental Ambitions on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

For the Audio only:

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What a delight to speak with Dr. Kevin Starr about “Continental Ambitions: Roman Catholics in North America: the Colonial Experience”! This volume is a beautifully massive work of “historical art”; so thorough and engaging, I couldn’t stop turning the pages! Dr. Starr is a master storyteller. It’s as though he has you on a high precipice overlooking a grand vista, and with the broad swipe of his arm, he points out all the personalities and movements shaping an ever changing view. And during our conversation, it was an absolute joy to hear the enthusiasm and love he has for history and for this particular subject. I simply cannot recommend this book more highly!

You can find the book here

“These accounts of a human drama heroic and villainous, saintly and sanguineous, are a feast for the historian and, more importantly, food for our generation starved of the story of its own past. The romantic whose knowledge is airbrushed and the cynic whose knowledge is cobbled together with clichés will jointly be challenged. For everyone, reading this book could be a transforming experience, and a delight as well.”
Fr. George Rutler, Author, He Spoke to Us: Discerning God in People and Events

“To see in one book the history of Catholics in the New World, its glories and its tragedies, is almost like reading a secret history of a lost tribe. Kevin Starr s magisterial narration of European Catholic presence in North America the Norse, the Spanish, the French, the English, plus a few others is a contribution of the first order to our understanding of the whole foundation of this land of the free.”
James V. Schall, S.J. Professor Emeritus, Georgetown University

IP#220 Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B. – The Ear of the Heart on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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This is the best biography I have read in years! What a glorious testament to the fruitfulness of the Benedictine rule and how it transforms lives. Mother Dolores Hart brings to us a generous sharing of her life experience and the joy found in the peace and stability in the living with her monastic community. How could a woman walk away from “having it all”? Mother Dolores discovered the “pearl of great price”, and she found it by listening to the “ear of the heart”. An absolutely fantastic read and spiritually fulfilling work. A must read!!!! This conversation will go down as one of my favorites of all time!!! Thank you God!!!

You can find the book here
“What a joy to be in the company of Mother Dolores Hart. She is a compassionate narrator, from her childhood days, darkened by parental alcoholism, to her Hollywood career and her calling as a Catholic nun. Mother Dolores talks candidly about the difficulty of becoming a cloistered, Benedictine nun. The struggle with years of discipline and the rigorous farm work at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. We learn there was something in her deepest heart she sought.” — —-Pia Lindstrom, television journalist, daughter of Ingrid Bergman

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.”
Saint Benedict

“Mother Dolores Hart is a remarkable woman with a remarkable story-one of love, devotion, and faith.”
—Maria Shriver, bestselling author of Just Who Will You Be?

IP#328 Fr. George Rutler – The Stories of Hymns on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor podcast

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What a delight to talk once again speak with Fr. George Rutler! This we discuss his book “The Stories of Hymns: The History Behind 100 of Christianity’s Greatest Hymns”! A gifted story teller and a devotee of great hymnody, Fr. Rutler guides us into the richness of prayer through our sacred song.

You can find the book here

From the Inside Flap

Hymns are more than beautiful musical compositions; they provide us with a heightened language for praising and speaking to God, all while teaching us theology that reflects both the depth and complexity of Our Lord.

Sacred hymns in our day have given way to “fifth-rate poetry set to fourth-rate music,” as C.S. Lewis once remarked. At times, the music used in worship can make us feel as though the culture is usurping the Church rather than being transfigured by it. There is a clear and present need to resurrect those distinctively different songs with a distinctively different vocabulary for people who want to live distinctive lives as followers of Christ.

In these pages, Fr. George William Rutler introduces and reflects upon dozens of the greatest hymns written from the earliest years of the Church through the Twentieth Century. The text and composition of each hymn is included, as well as inspiring accounts of their authors and composers, fascinating stories and historical events connected with them, and notes on the significant contributions each one made to theology and music.

Fr. Rutler has recovered here a rich musical legacy that will help us to give glory to our God who is Lord of all.

IP#327 Dr. James Papandrea – From Star Wars to Superman on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

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“From Star Wars to Superman: Christ Figures in Science Fiction and Superhero Films” is outstanding! Dr. James Papandrea is an engaging writer, as well as a solid theologian, who brings the lens of faith to our viewing of the beloved genres of science fiction and superhero films. Perfect for the “discerning heart!” The book and our conversation was great fun and a fantastic thought provoker. We can’t wait for the sequel!

You can find the book here

Included herein are astute Christian analyses of:

Batman * Captain * America * Doctor Who * The Fifth Element * I, Robot * Iron Man * LOST * The Matrix * Planet of the Apes * Pleasantville * Spider-Man * Star Trek * Star Wars * Superman * The Terminator * The Time Machine * Tron * Wonder Woman

Here you’ll read about:

The pervasive Christian imagery in Doctor Who
Star Trek s predicted “death of God”
Free-will: the stumbling block in the first Matrix
The crucifixion of Spider-Man
Why Wonder Woman is an image of a gnostic savior
The meaning of salvation in Star Wars (It masquerades as Christian)
How Superman’s life begins as a parallel of Moses.
I, Robot: the religious reason why the robot is called “Sonny”
Whether, in any Christian sense, Neo is The One?
Captain American and Iron-Man: one defends the innocent, the other brings justice to the guilty
The tomb scene in the Fifth Element: it s not the resurrection we need
Matter vs. Spirit in Tron: gnostic to the core
The anti-Christian bias of Planet of the Apes
Why the Force in Star Wars is no analogy to Grace or the Holy Spirit
The Star Wars Christ figure: Obi-Wan? Luke? Or even, ultimately, Darth Vader
What Heaven is understood to be in the LOST universe
Time travel as incarnation in The Terminator: a compelling analogy
Regeneration as resurrection in Doctor Who: Is it Christ-like?
How Pleasantville reverses the dynamism of the Fall
The baptismal significance of the plane crash in LOST
Pleasantville: a twisted version of Eden
The incarnation of the Christ-figure in Planet of the Apes
Tron’s parallels between Christianity and the Roman Empire

. . . and much more about other science fiction and superhero shows!

IP#326 Dr. Matthew Bunson – GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE (Rejoice and Be Glad) on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

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DC33 St. Anthony of Padua – The Doctors of the Church: The Charism of Wisdom w/ Dr. Matthew Bunson 1 With Dr. Matthew Bunson, Ph.D., we discuss the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis entitled Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad): On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World

From the preface:

1. “REJOICE AND BE GLAD” (Mt 5:12), Jesus tells those persecuted or humiliated for his sake. The Lord asks everything of us, and in return he offers us true life, the happiness for which we were created. He wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence. The call to holiness is present in various ways from the very first pages of the Bible. We see it expressed in the Lord’s words to Abraham: “Walk before me, and be blameless” (Gen 17:1).

2. What follows is not meant to be a treatise on holiness, containing definitions and distinctions helpful for understanding this important subject, or a discussion of the various means of sanctification. My modest goal is to repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities. For the Lord has chosen each one of us “to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Eph 1:4).

Dr. Matthew E. Bunson is a Register senior editor and senior contributor to EWTN News. For the past 20 years, he has been active in the area of Catholic social communications and education, including writing, editing, and teaching on a variety of topics related to Church history, the papacy, the saints and Catholic culture. He is faculty chair at Catholic Distance University, a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and the author or co-author of over 50 books including The Encyclopedia of Catholic History, The Pope Encyclopedia, We Have a Pope! Benedict XVI, The Saints Encyclopedia and best-selling biographies of St. Damien of Molokai and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

IP#325 Mike Pacer – Mercy and Hope on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor Podcast

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I really enjoyed the conversation with Mike Pacer about his book “Mercy and Hope”. His writing style is enjoyable to read and his love for the subject is the best type of witness. God’s love provides a fire that is so precious to the soul and Mike helps us to realize how his extraordinary mercy and gift of hope feeds that flame in our souls in unseen and incredible ways. This is an important contribution to the universal understanding of God’s great care for his beloved children.

You can find the book here

“Mike’s book is not a theological treatise; his writing, like his personality, is real and down-to-earth. To me, the most wonderful and powerful thing Mike has done in this book is to show us the interconnectedness of mercy and hope.”
–Vinny Flynn, author of 7 Secrets of Divine Mercy

“In this book, Mike Pacer offers a loving, heartfelt account of the hope he’s found in Divine Mercy. Through his personal reflections on Scripture, St. Faustina’s writings, and the theological virtues, he offers fresh insights into the hope-filled mystery of God’s merciful love.”
–Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, author of 33 Days to Morning Glory

IP#314 Dr. Peter Kreeft – Catholics and Protestants on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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Dr. Peter Kreeft brings forward an important work that is inspired by Christ’s high priestly prayer in the Gospel of John “that they may be one,” entitled “Catholics And Protestants: What Can We Learn From Each Other?” Thoughtful, engaging, and paradigm shifting, Dr. Kreeft shows that while there are still significant differences, we are much closer than we think. A highly recommended work!

You can find the book here

Peter Kreeft has a remarkable gift for expressing complex issues in lucid, accurate, and pithy ways. He also has the fairness and insight needed to undertake a tractate to bring Catholics and Protestants into closer union. This book will no doubt help understanding and dialog between both.
–Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Author, The Soul’ s Upward Yearning

No one has taught me more about what healthy ecumenism looks like than the brilliant and eloquent Peter Kreeft. He is a peerless apologist for truth and has been an inspiration to me for over two decades on the happy and vital connections between serious Catholic and evangelical faith.
–Eric Metaxas, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Bonhoeffer; Host of the Eric Metaxas Show

Readers will expect– and be gratified to find — what we always find in any work by Kreeft: thorough, solid, intelligent work, and agile prose style brought to the service of dependable content. This book should help us to find a real step forward in the mutual understanding of these two sectors of the Ancient Faith.
— Thomas Howard, Author, On Being Catholic

“Get Cracking” The Baroness, Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty speaks to us today! – Discerning Hearts

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We discovered an incredible audio of a conference talk given in the late 70’s by the Baroness herself, Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty. She is the co-founder of the Madonna House Apostolate and one of our absolute favorite authors. We dare you not to be moved by her words!

Reflection on Catherine’s talk by Deacon Omar Gutierrez:

Catherine de Hueck Doherty speaks with the kind of prophetic fire that one imagines would have poured from the mouth of Isaiah or out of the minds of the early Church fathers. Her spirit and message are as thoroughly Catholic as any you have ever heard. With the kind of salty swagger of a woman who knew what it was to live with the poorest of the poor, she understood intimately what it meant to live the social teaching of the Church. “Service without prayer,” she says, “is paternalism, social service work, something that the poor do not accept.” “In order to do what we must do, in order to be what we must be we have to pray.”

As she loudly asks why it is that our cities do not applaud and cry at the manifest love for the poor that should be there but isn’t, and demands that we pray for the souls of the owners of multi-million dollar corporations, and points out the “stupid” behavior of Church governors she can at the same time turn around and insist that we all have the faith of a St. Perpetua in order to renew the ancient Church. She demands that we pray for our priests who are manifestations of God’s love for us. “We don’t need psychiatrists from our priests. We don’t need counselors from our priests. We need priests to take us by the hand and lead us to sanctity.”