All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)

M.S. Bickford
  • 4.9 (21)
  • Christianity
  • Weekly

This podcast is for people interested in the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. It is especially helpful if you have only heard negative things about it, or if you are in an OCIA class.

  1. 1d ago

    071 - The Transcendentals

    The transcendentals—the True, the Good, and the Beautiful—play a significant part of Catholic theology and philosophy. This is part of Catholic Metaphysics, which is the study of being and explains the understanding of God as being itself, rather than another being within the universe. Tracing the development of these ideas through classical and Christian philosophy, the episode connects truth with the intelligibility of reality, goodness with what is worthy of desire, and beauty with integrity, proportion, and clarity. It also discusses evil as a privation of goodness and describes virtue as the cultivation of habits that orient a person toward holiness. The episode then considers why the transcendentals matter for understanding faith and sharing it with others. It argues that encounters with beauty—in sacred architecture, art, worship, and exemplary lives—can invite curiosity and open a path toward exploring truth and goodness. Rather than beginning with technical arguments about doctrine, we can offer an experience of beauty that awakens a desire to learn more. Its central takeaway is that truth, goodness, and beauty are interconnected dimensions of existence that can deepen both philosophical understanding and spiritual life.        Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast   Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  2. Oct 27

    070 - All Saints and All Souls

    All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and All Hallows' Eve, together create All Hallow Tide. What is this?      It starts with an understanding of the Church being made up of three parts: The Church Militant on Earth, the Church Penitent in purgatory, and the Church Triumphant in heaven. All three parts are equally the church and so the dead in purgatory and heaven are as much a part of the church as the living are. This episode explains the history and thinking of all of this.      Once you understand this, the reasons why saints are seen as examples of holiness and why we ask them to pray for us becomes clear. Remembering the role the saints play in the Church and how they are role models of the faith for us is important enough for All Saint's Day, on November 1, to be a Holy Day of Obligation. It is followed by the Feast of All Souls on November 2 and we use that day to remember and honor family and friends who have died.      The observance of All Saint's Day used to begin the night before with All Hallows Eve, but that has become commercialized and has morphed into the silliness that is Halloween.        Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast   Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  3. Oct 20

    069 - Abortion

    This episode tackles abortion by stepping back from politics and asking the deeper question beneath it: what does it mean to be human? We look at the Catholic view through the lens of the Imago Dei, the Incarnation, the sacredness of life, human dignity, and the belief that every person has an eternal soul created by God. From that foundation, we argue that the Church's teaching on abortion is not an isolated rule, but part of a consistent understanding of humanity that also shapes Catholic teaching on issues like assisted suicide, capital punishment, artificial intelligence, and the treatment of the weak and vulnerable.   The episode also contrasts the Church's anthropology with modern secular views influenced by nominalism, Darwinism, Marxism, and population-control thinking, arguing that these frameworks can reduce human life to preference, utility, or power. Along the way, this episode draws from Scripture, Catholic tradition, pastoral experience, and resources like Project Rachel and Catholic Charities to address both the moral seriousness of abortion and the need for compassion and healing. The central takeaway is that how we think about abortion reveals how we define humanity itself—and whether we see every human life as sacred, dignified, and made in the image of God.        Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  4. Oct 13

    068 - St. John of the Cross

    St. John of the Cross is one of the 38 Doctors of the Church and a towering figure in Christian mysticism. He was born into poverty and his life was marked by hunger, family hardship, betrayal, imprisonment, and physical suffering. He had every reason to become a bitter and angry man. Instead, he joined the Carmelite order and worked with St. Teresa of Ávila and the Discalced Carmelite reform.   This episode explores his life, as well as his 4 major works: The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul, The Spiritual Canticle, and The Living Flame of Love. It is from John of the Cross that we have the model of Purgation, Illumination, and Union as the model of spiritual development. If you are interested in Catholic spirituality, Christian mysticism, or learning how hardship can lead to holiness, St. John of the Cross offers a powerful reminder: to gain God, we must let go of ourselves and be transformed by love.        Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  5. Oct 6

    067 - The Battle of Lepanto and the Rosary

    This episode looks at the dramatic story of the Battle of Lepanto and its enduring connection to the Rosary. After setting the stage with the Ottoman threat in the Mediterranean, the fall of Rhodes, the defense of Malta, and the fragile politics of 16th-century Europe, the episode follows the formation of the Holy League under Pope Pius V. As the Ottoman navy advanced toward a possible conquest of Italy, Christians throughout Europe were called to prayer, especially through the Rosary, culminating in the fleet praying together before battle and Mass being offered aboard the ships on the morning of October 7, 1571.   The Holy League, despite facing a larger Ottoman fleet, won a stunning victory at Lepanto after a sudden shift in the wind helped turn the battle. Pope Pius V attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, leading October 7 to become the "Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary" and we still mark this feast today. It is a fascinating story!          Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  6. Sep 29

    066 - God's Holy Name

    This episode explores why names matter—and why the holiest name of all is God's own revealed name. God first reveals His name to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3, "I AM WHO AM," it becomes one of the most important moments in Scripture, revealing not merely something God does, but who God is: existence itself.        The episode also explains why Jewish and Christian tradition have treated God's holy name with such reverence, often substituting "Adonai" or "LORD" rather than pronouncing His 4-letter Holy Name. Along the way, Dr. Bickford connects this teaching to Aquinas, the burning bush, the Tetragrammaton, the origins of the word "Jehovah," and Jesus' declaration in John 8: "Before Abraham was, I am." This all may be new for you, but it has a very old history!          Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  7. Sep 22

    065 - Monastic Orders

    This episode explores the rich and sometimes confusing world of Catholic monastic orders. Beginning with the desert fathers and early Christian ascetics, it traces the development of monastic life through figures like St. Anthony the Great, St. Benedict, St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Mother Teresa. Along the way, he explains why different religious orders exist, what their different charisms are, and how their lives of prayer, service, poverty, education, evangelization, and sacrifice have shaped the Church and preserved Christian civilization.        The episode also highlights major Catholic orders including the Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians, Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Carmelites, Salesians, Missionaries of Charity, Daughters of Charity, and Poor Clares. There is a spiritual power of monastic life, a value to silence and contemplation, and the remarkable commitment of those who devote themselves fully to God and service.        Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

  8. Sep 15

    064 - Why We Suffer

    Why do we suffer? This episode explores the Catholic understanding of suffering not as proof against God, but as something God can use for a higher good. Dostoevsky's book, Notes From the Underground is cited as an example of the argument that humans are built for challenge, not comfort. This episode compliments Episode 16 and its examination of the Book of Job and Paul's explanation of suffering in Romans 5.   It also looks at the uniquely Catholic idea of redemptive suffering: the belief that our pain can be united with the suffering of Christ and offered for the good of others. From the crucifix as the central symbol of Christianity to the examples of saints like Thérèse of Lisieux, Padre Pio, and Bernadette Soubirous, the episode encourages you to see suffering not as meaningless or merely punitive, but as an opportunity for trust, transformation, and deeper participation in Christ's saving work.   Please visit our website: www.AllRoadsLeadtoRome.net. You can sign up for our newsletter, leave me a voice message with a comment or suggestion, get connected with us on socials, and you can become a Patron who makes all of this magic happen! AllRoadsLeadToRome.net   We are also on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585113580734 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arltr_podcast/ X: https://x.com/ARLTRPodcast Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AllRoadsLeadToRomePodcast     Please tell A Catholic Curious friend about us!

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This podcast is for people interested in the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. It is especially helpful if you have only heard negative things about it, or if you are in an OCIA class.

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