Crash Course Catholicism
A summary of the teachings of the Catholic Church, given to you in short, easy-to-digest episodes, uploaded fortnightly. --- www.caitlinwest.com
Episodes
What is the Theology of the Body? Why was it developed, and why is it still relevant today?
In this episode, we begin our next deep dive (!) by telling the story of the development of ToB. From the fallout of the sexual revolution to Humanae Vitae and Pope St. John Paul II’s revolutionary vision of the human person, we ask why TOB remains one of the Church’s most important teachings today.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity o...
"Faith" is possibly one of the most misunderstood terms in religion.
True Faith isn't blind belief or surrender to something incoherent. In this video, we unpack the true meaning of one of the most fundamental concepts of Christianity.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the fo...
"At the hour of death we are going to be judged on what we have been to the poor, to the hungry, naked, the homeless."
Mother Teresa lived this truth with radical simplicity and unwavering love. From the streets of Calcutta, she dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor, restoring dignity to those the world had forgotten. Today, her legacy continues through the Missionaries of Charity, whose work reaches th...
Video mini-episodes are here!
In this introductory video, I explain an exciting new chapter for Crash Course Catholicism.
Thank you to all the Patrons and supporters who have made this work possible!
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
In this episode, we explore the human person's right to:
- Marriage and Family
- Meeting and association
- Work
- A just wage
- Private property
- Humane working conditions
- Migration
- Political activity and engagement.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
In this episode, we explore every human person's right to:
- Life
- Bodily integrity
- Dignity
- Equality
- Freedom of speech
- Truth
- Transcendence
- Freedom of Religion
- Medical care
- Education
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
What are Human Rights? How are they different from other kinds of rights? Are Human Rights inherent, or are they a social construct?
In this episode, we continue our exploration of Catholic Social Doctrine by considering the nature of Human Rights.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating...
We are made in the image of God, and this truth has profound implications for how we understand the human person.
In this episode, we explore key dimensions of human personhood, including freedom, responsibility, the capacity for transcendence, uniqueness and unrepeatability, and equality.
Understanding the full depth and complexity of human nature is essential for social doctrine, because our understanding of the human person form...
The whole of Catholic social doctrine rests on the answer to the question: What is a human being?
In this episode, we discuss human nature and human dignity. What does it mean to be made in the image of God? What makes human beings unique in comparison with the rest of nature? Do human beings have a particular dignity, or are we just intelligent animals?
Understanding what a human person is helps us to see why human beings must alway...
Catholic social doctrine did not suddenly appear in the nineteenth century. Its roots reach back to the very foundations of Scripture.
In this episode, we explore the biblical vision of social life: a world shaped by justice, mercy, solidarity, and the command to love one another. From the law and the prophets to the teaching of Christ, the Bible reveals that social responsibility is not an optional extra to the Christian life. Rath...
Happy New Year, friends! Welcome to the first episode on our next deep dive into the Social Doctrine of the Catholic church! This is an incredibly rich and important area of Catholic teaching that helps us to understand how human beings should function in societies. It covers topics such as human rights, the rights of workers, the responsibilities of employers, governments, and individuals, and the conditions necessary for human fl...
What do we know about the life of St Nicholas of Myra? What is his relationship with the modern-day Santa Claus? Should Catholics tell their children that Santa exists?
PLEASE NOTE: This entire episode is one giant spoiler about the existence of Santa Claus. If you have small children who have not yet been disillusioned, you might want to listen to this one when they're not in the room.
This podcast relies 100% on the genero...
Cardinal St John Henry Newman is a Catholic saint who lived in the nineteenth century and was canonised in 2019. In November 2025, he was officially declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV. This is a title held by only 38 saints in the entire history of the church, and it is given to those whose writings are of benefit to the whole church.
John Henry Newman was an Anglican priest and Oxford academic who converted to Catholi...
FINAL EPISODE OF THE DEEP DIVE LET'S GOOOO
In this episode, we consider common moral problems that people encounter when they read the Bible. Why does the God of the Old Testament seem so angry and cruel, while Jesus seems merciful and loving? Why does God give such harsh punishments to people in the Old Testament? Does the Bible condone things like slavery and genocide? What about all those people who do terrible thi...
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What should we do about all those apparent historical and scientific inaccuracies in the Bible? Like Genesis telling us the world was made in seven days, or that there was a flood that covered the whole earth, or that Jonah survived in the belly of a whale for three days?
And what about contradictions within the Bible? Why do some of the Gospel writers recount events differently? Do these discrepancies undermin...
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How did the Church decide which books to include in the Bible? Why are Catholic Bibles bigger than Protestant Bibles? Should we read the Old Testament? How do I read the Bible?
In this episode, we continue our deep dive into the Bible by addressing common questions about the Bible.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the fut...
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In this episode, we conclude our overview of the Bible by looking at the 7 catholic epistles, and the book of Revelation.
The aim of these episodes is to provide us with a bird's-eye view of the whole Bible, to help equip us to begin reading it, or to read it more deeply.
In this episode, we'll look at the following books:
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 and 2 Peter
- 1, 2, and 3 John
- Jude
- Revelation
This podcast relies 100% on...
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GUYS IT'S OUR 100TH EPISODE!!!
In this episode, we continue our overview of the Bible by looking at the 13 Pauline Epistles. We consider when each letter was written and why, and what its key aims and themes are.
The aim of these episodes is to provide us with a bird's-eye view of the whole Bible, to help equip us to begin reading it, or to read it more deeply.
In this episode, we'll look at the following books:
...-
In this episode, we continue our overview of the Bible by looking at the first five books of the New Testament: The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. We consider who wrote each book, when it was written, and what its key aims and themes are.
The aim of these episodes is to provide us with a bird's-eye view of the whole Bible, to help equip us to begin reading it, or to read it more deeply.
In this episode,...
In this episode, we take a brief intermission from our Bible deep dive to chat with Tim Hutchinson, a convert from Protestantism to Catholicism. Tim grew up in a vibrant Evangelical Christian community where he learned to love God and the Bible deeply. But one question kept troubling him: why are Protestant denominations so divided? Surely the Church Jesus founded wasn’t meant to be so fractured. For years, he fo...
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