Mountains Made Low

Christine and Dennis explore what the Catholic Church teaches about the death penalty. Drawing on the Catechism, Scripture, and Church teaching, they consider the relationship between justice, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption—even for those who have committed terrible crimes. How can we uphold justice while remaining faithful to the Gospel’s call to respect the dignity of every human life?

Over the years, Christine has kept a small book with her and written down little bits of wisdom from various homilies, lectures, and even some unexpected places. In this week‘s episode, your hosts discuss the words that have proved challenging and encouraging, offering simple, yet profound truths that can shape how we live with others and love God more fully.

Archbishop Sheen was a gifted preacher, teacher, and author who brought the Gospel into millions of homes through radio and television. Beneath his remarkable public ministry was something even more important: a deep love for Jesus Christ, a profound devotion to the Eucharist, a life of prayer, and a desire to lead others to holiness. 

This week, Dennis and Christine are joined by Jenny O'Neill, the Associate Director for the Office for Ministry with Youth in the Archdiocese of Phila. 

For more information on the inititative and programs from the Office for Ministry with Youth, visit phillyomy.org

In this Coffee Talk episode, Christine and Dennis discuss the idea of denominations in relation to the Catholic Church, questions on praying the Rosary, why the Catholic Church requires godparents to be a male and a female and whether Catholic should wear Christian jewelry.  

Parish life has it quirks and sometimes those moments test us. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone gave you an instruction manual?? Well, this week, Dennis and Christine are your lifeline!

Inspired by her trip to the Great Smokey Mountains, this week Christine and Dennis are talking about the role of vacations and leisure in the spritual life. 

In this episode, we each share some of our favorite Scripture passages and reflect on how these verses connect to mission of the podcast. Join us for a faith-filled conversation deep in the Word of God and discover how Scripture still has the power to transform us and our modern world.

Our exploration of the 3 major branches of Christianity continues! Last week, we talked about the historical developments that led to the divisions that exist among Christians in the modern world. This week, we get into some of the major theological differences in belief. 

Christian is Christian, right? Well, for the next two weeks, Dennis and Christine talk about the three major branches of Christianity (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestanism) and the important historical developments points of belief that led to so much division over the centuries.

In an episode that nearly ended the podcast, and destroyed their friendship, Dennis and Christine debate the definition of lying and whether there are occasions where not telling the truth is ever permissible.  

This week, Dennis and Christine discuss the morality of anger as an emotional passion and as a sin. *Listener Advisory: This episode is intended for adult audiences and discusses themes of sexual abuse.

Dennis & Christine discuss whether it's every okay to lie, Pope Leo's visit with the new Archbishop of Canterbury, how to improve one's relationship with God, and whether it's okay to have a funeral Mass for a baptized Catholic who died a self-professed atheist in their latest Coffee Talk episode.  

In this episode, Mountains Made Low explores one of the most discussed and often misunderstood topics in modern Church life—the question of women’s ordination to the priesthood. Rooted in Scripture and guided by the living tradition of the Church, we lead listeners toward a deeper understanding of why, in Catholic teaching, the ordination of women is not simply impermissible but theologically impossible.

Dennis and Christine take listeners into one of the most intimate and often overlooked questions in Christology: Did Jesus ever have a bad day? Did He lose His temper? Was He ever not in control of His emotions? What may sound like a simple curiosity opens the door to profound theological insight about Jesus’ humanity, His divinity, and what it means for us to be fully human in Him.

This week, Dennis and Christine discuss the virtue of modesty and how it's not simply about what one wears, but other important virtues that lead to holiness.