A Very Different Catholic Podcast

This episode provides a brief introduction to St. Clement and the basilica dedicated to him in Rome, with particular emphasis on the archaeology beneath the modern church.

This episode provides a brief introduction to relics and to St. Anthony's Chapel in Pittsburgh, which is home to relics from more than 5,000 saints, the largest collection of relics outside of Rome.

This episode discusses the connection between a mysterious chest, an old prophecy, and devotion of many sailors to the Virgin Mary.

On the night of January 25th, 1938 a strange aurora appeared over much of the earth. This episode looks at the possible connection of this aurora to the second secret of Fatima.

This episode looks at St. Padre Pio and a blind girl who received her sight through his intercession.

The episode provides a brief introduction to the annual blessing of the golden rose on Laetare Sunday.

This episode looks at Christopher Columbus as a religious person and argues that his repentance for his involvement in the mistreatment of Native Americans is an important, but seldom told, part of his story.

The episode briefly introduces St. Clelia Barbieri and the strange phenomenon of her disembodied voice, which is heard from time to time, joining in the songs and prayers of the Little Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrow.

This episode provides a brief introduction to the Emmaus retreat and brotherhood. The Emmaus Retreat is a three-day retreat that grew out of the Cursillo Movement. During the retreat, the retreatants participate in a metaphorical walk to Emmaus. Once someone has "made his Emmaus," he is a member of the Brotherhood.

This episode briefly introduces St. Galgano Guidotti and his mysterious sword. According to tradition, St. Galgano drove his sword into a stone, perhaps as a dramatic way of renouncing his life as a mercenary or perhaps to mark the site of his conversion. The sword was long dismissed as a pious fraud until scientific examination proved its authenticity in 2001.

This episode looks at the relationship between the ten plagues described in the book of Exodus and the gods of Egypt.

This episode provides a brief introduction to the miraculous survival of eight monks present at ground zero when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and the connection between this event and Our Lady of Fatima.

In 1982, Mother Teresa rescued 37 disabled children during the siege of Beirut. This episode tells the story of the rescue and considers the possible role of Our Lady in securing the temporary cease-fire that made the rescue possible.

This episode provide a short introduction to Bl. Miguel Pro and his use of disguises to minister to Catholics during the Cristero War in Mexico with some thoughts regarding his inspiring example. Viva Cristo Rey!

In 2013, archaeologists found a silver box amid the chancel burials at Jamestown. How did such a distinctively Catholic artifact end up in a place of honor at what was thought to be a staunchly Protestant settlement? Who is the saint whose relics spent 400 years in the Virginia tidewater, and what does the discovery of the Jamestown reliquary imply about the early English settlement of North America?

Every year, on the Feast of the Assumption, snakes congregate on and around icons of the Blessed Mother in a church on the Greek island of Cephalonia. Host Christopher Reibold discusses the mysterious annual visit of the snakes and offers some thoughts regarding the meaning of their visit.

In this episode, Christopher Reibold delves into the Catholic origins of Halloween and explains why it is an important date on our liturgical calendar.

St. Romanus of Le Mans was one of the most successful evangelists in the history of the Church despite his many limitations. This episode briefly tells his story and offers some thoughts regarding what we can learn from his experiences as a street preacher.