Gotta Be Saints

Brendan Gotta
  • 5.0 (149)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Brendan talks with (future) saints about being saints.Check out www.gottabesaints.com for more information.

  1. 12/09/2025

    The Reason to Stay Catholic with Colleen Dulle

    Send us a text The Reason to Stay Catholic (with Colleen Dulle) In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Colleen Dulle — wife, mother, Vatican reporter, and author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter. We talk honestly about why we remain Catholic in a wounded Church: how to stay when you’ve seen the worst, how to wrestle with God without walking away, and where real hope is found when scandals, hypocrisy, and disappointment hit close to home. From covering the clerical abuse crisis as a young journalist, to processing the revelations about Jean Vanier and L’Arche, to a powerful moment of grace at the tomb of Christ in the Holy Sepulchre, Colleen shares how the Lord has met her in the mess — and why, despite everything, she’s convinced the Gospel really is our only hope. About Colleen Dulle Vatican reporter and longtime journalist with America MagazineAuthor of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican ReporterHas covered some of the Church’s most painful scandals up closeWife and mother, soon moving with her family to Rome to cover the Vatican full-timeIn this episode, we talk about: Why stay Catholic at all? Colleen’s story & vocation as a Vatican reporterBeauty and brokenness in the ChurchThe Jean Vanier / L’Arche revelationsThe clerical abuse crisis and a crisis of faithLearning to “yell at God” & wrestle in prayerA moment of grace at the Holy SepulchreMadeleine Delbrêl and a “heart stripped of trust in all things human”The Church that moves slowly (and why that matters)Hope for ordinary CatholicsColleen’s “Mount Rushmore of saints”If she becomes a saint one day… andHow you can pray for her  Get the Book 📘 Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter by Colleen Dulle Find purchase options and more at Colleen’s website: colleendulle.comPrefer audio? Look for the audiobook version narrated by Colleen on major audiobook platforms.Stay Connected 👉 Follow Gotta Be Saints on Instagram: @gottabesaints  Episode Sponsor — Truthly This episode is sponsored by Truthly, the first Catholic action app helping you reflect, learn, and share your faith confidently. With Truthly, you can: Take short, practical actions to live your faith each dayDeepen your understanding of Catholic teachingShare truth online without feeling overwhelmed or underprepared🎁 Start your free trial with code gottabesaints at truthly.ai . Support the show

    40 min

  2. 12/02/2025

    The Shock of Holiness with Dr. Michael Pakaluk

    Send us a text In this episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Michael Pakaluk — husband, father of 15, philosopher, and author of The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life. We talk about the beauty of the Catholic faith, why holiness is both deeply attractive and deeply demanding, and how God meets us in the very ordinary, sometimes messy, details of daily life. From stories about daily Mass with small children, to reflections on his late wife Ruth (now a Servant of God), to a mind-blowing insight into Jesus walking on water and the Eucharist, this conversation will help you see your own life with new eyes. About Dr. Michael Pakaluk Professor of Political Economy at the Catholic University of America (Bush School of Business)Philosopher and scholar, especially in the thought of AristotleAuthor of 14 books (with more on the way!) and father of 15 childrenWidower of Ruth Pakaluk, whose cause for canonization has begun, and husband of Catherine Pakaluk, author of Hannah’s ChildrenIn this episode, we talk about: The beauty of the Catholic faithWhy holiness is so attractive — and so uncomfortableRuth’s story and the reality of heroic holinessThe universal call to holiness in ordinary lifeThe romance of everyday lifeA fresh look at the Eucharist and transubstantiationHow to actually live this outGet the Book 📘 The Shock of Holiness: Finding the Romance of Everyday Life Order from Ignatius PressOr ask your local Catholic bookstore to order it (and put a copy on the shelf!)Stay Connected 👉 Follow Gotta Be Saints on Instagram: @gottabesaints  If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs the reminder that holiness is possible — right in the middle of ordinary life. Episode Sponsor — Truthly This episode is sponsored by Truthly, the first Catholic action app helping you reflect, learn, and share your faith confidently.   Start your free trial with code gottabesaints: truthly.ai Support the show

    29 min

  3. 11/19/2025

    A Catholic Plan for Resisting Physician-Assisted Killing With Charles Camosy

    Send us a text In this powerful and timely episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Charles “Charlie” Camosy — moral theologian, bioethicist, and author of Living and Dying Well (order here). Charlie shares deep insights into the cultural push toward physician-assisted killing, why our society is at a “tipping point,” and how the Catholic vision of life and death offers a radically hopeful alternative rooted in dignity, community, and love. Drawing from Church teaching, real-world data, and his father’s own end-of-life journey, Charlie shows how we can resist the throwaway culture and accompany the sick and elderly with compassion and purpose. Whether you’re caring for aging parents, worried about dementia, or simply wondering what it means to “die well” as a disciple of Jesus, this conversation reframes aging and dying as invitations to deeper love. In this episode, Charlie shares: Why some states are pushing physician-assisted killing — and why others still strongly resistWhat “autonomy” really means in our cultural momentWhy the poor, disabled, and marginalized are most at riskHow consumerism distorts our view of productivity and worthWhat it truly means to live and die well in Christian communityHow demographic trends and the dementia crisis complicate end-of-life careHow Catholics can build a counterculture of hospitality, encounter, and hopeIf you’ve ever asked yourself… How do I support a loved one who fears being a burden?  What does the Church actually teach about assisted suicide?  How do I walk with aging parents with dignity and charity?  What does resisting the throwaway culture look like at the end of life? …then this episode is for you. Learn More Explore more of Charlie’s work: charlescamosy.com Truthly This episode is sponsored by Truthly — the first Catholic action app helping you reflect, learn, and share your faith confidently.  Start your free trial with code gottabesaints: truthly.ai Follow Gotta Be Saints Instagram: @gottabesaints  Subscribe and leave a review to help others discover the call to holiness. Support the show

    40 min

  4. 11/12/2025

    A Spirituality for the Aging with Fr. Ron Rolheiser

    Send us a text In this powerful and deeply moving episode of the Gotta Be Saints Podcast, I’m joined by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI — priest, theologian, and author of beloved spiritual classics The Holy Longing and Sacred Fire. Fr. Ron shares wisdom from his new book, Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years , exploring what it means to grow old with grace, purpose, and hope. Together we discuss how aging, loss, and even physical diminishment can become powerful acts of love — mirroring Christ’s own Passion and self-gift in the Eucharist. Whether you’re entering your later years, caring for an aging loved one, or simply wondering how to find meaning in seasons of limitation, this episode will help you see aging not as decline but as a sacred call to deeper love. In this episode, Fr. Ron shares: Why modern culture avoids talking about aging — and how the Church can respondWhat Jesus’ Passion teaches us about fruitful passivity and surrenderHow to turn diminishment and dependence into spiritual giftsThe hidden grace of caregiving and receiving careWhy forgiveness, gratitude, and inner work prepare us for our final act of loveThe meaning behind the title Insane for the Light — and what it means to “stare into eternity”If you’ve ever asked yourself… How can I find purpose after retirement or loss?What does it mean to grow old as a disciple of Christ?How can I accompany my parents or grandparents in their final years?  …this episode is for you.Learn More: Order Fr. Ron’s book: Insane for the Light Visit: ronrolheiser.com Follow Gotta Be Saints: Instagram: @gottabesaints Subscribe and leave a review to help others discover the call to holiness. Sponsored by Truthly This episode is brought to you by Truthly — the world’s first Catholic action app helping you reflect, learn, and share your faith confidently. Start your free trial with code gottabesaints at truthly.ai . Support the show

    44 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    A Saint for Every Day with Belinda Terro Mooney

    Send us a text In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, I sit down with author and Catholic coach Belinda Terro Mooney to talk about living real friendship with Jesus and praying with the saints—especially on their feast days. With All Saints’ Day right around the corner, we dive into why the saints’ stories matter, how ordinary people become holy, and practical ways to invite the saints to intercede for your family, parish, and daily life. Guest Bio Belinda Terro Mooney is an author, Catholic coach, widow, and mom of seven. She’s a definitively professed Secular Discalced Carmelite whose new book, Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day, offers short reflections and prayers that help readers grow in friendship with the saints throughout the year. 📘 Get the Book: Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day 🌐 Website: belindaterromooney.com Key Topics & Highlights 01:00 – Why the saints matter more than celebrity culture 04:00 – Becoming the saint God made you to be 07:00 – Holiness in every vocation: parents, spouses, singles, and priests 10:00 – Saints vs. self-help: the surest roadmap to heaven 12:00 – Ordinary people, heroic virtue, and the gift of true leisure 16:00 – Friendship with Jesus at the heart of prayer 19:00 – Staying faithful in dryness—when prayer feels like “chewing straw” 23:00 – Turning everyday duties into prayer 26:00 – Conversational prayer: driving, working, and parenting with Jesus beside you 30:00 – How to pray with the saints—especially on their feast days 33:00 – Inside the book: short bios, virtue-focused prayers, and adding your own intentions 36:00 – A vision for families: teaching children to pray with the saints 40:00 – Belinda’s “Mount Rushmore” of saints: Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, and Thérèse of Lisieux 49:00 – If she were a saint… Belinda’s heart for the vulnerable and abused 50:00 – How to pray for Belinda and her family Connect with Belinda Taro Mooney 🌐 Website 📘 Amazon – Pray With Us: A Saint for Every Day 📸 Instagram 📖 Facebook 💼 LinkedIn ▶️ YouTube 📍 Pinterest Sponsored by Truthly This episode is brought to you by Truthly — the Catholic action app that helps you reflect, learn, and share your faith confidently. Start your free trial at truthly.ai and use code GOTTABESAINTS for a discount. 📸 Instagram: @gottabesaints Support the show

    55 min

  6. 10/21/2025

    A Catholic Perspective on Conversion Therapy with Dr. Julia Sadusky

    Send us a text In this episode of Gotta Be Saints, Brendan Gotta welcomes back Dr. Julia Sadusky, a clinical psychologist and author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth. Together, they unpack the complex and often misunderstood topic of conversion therapy—how it’s defined, what the law says, and how Catholics can approach questions of faith, sexuality, and identity with both compassion and truth. From Colorado’s 2019 conversion therapy ban to the challenges faced by Christian clinicians, this conversation explores the balance between faithful accompaniment and clinical integrity, while offering hope for families navigating these sensitive issues. Guest Bio Dr. Julia Sadusky is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the integration of faith and mental health. She works primarily with sexual and gender minorities from Christian backgrounds and provides consultation and training to churches, schools, and clinicians. Julia holds a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Regent University and a B.A. from Ave Maria University. She is also the co-author of Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth. Website: juliasadusky.com Instagram: @drjuliasadusky Key Topics & Highlights 00:00 – Introduction and context for today’s discussion 00:03 – Defining conversion therapy: why it’s difficult to pin down 00:06 – What Colorado’s 2019 law actually says 00:10 – Why many Christian clinicians feel anxious about these laws 00:14 – How faith communities historically engaged with conversion therapy 00:18 – The impact of conversion therapy on faith, family, and trust in God 00:23 – The need for emotionally mature, well-formed Catholic clinicians 00:26 – The influence of culture and social media on identity formation 00:30 – Parenting with warmth and firmness rather than fear 00:36 – Building trust and walking with teens through difficult questions 00:39 – Finding common ground across divides and engaging others with charity Key Takeaways Conversion therapy isn’t a single practice—it’s an umbrella term that covers any therapy seeking to change orientation or gender identity.Laws like Colorado’s don’t ban pastoral care or identity exploration—they restrict licensed therapists from pursuing fixed outcomes with minors.Effective Catholic counseling should help teens think critically and mature in faith, not react out of fear.Building trust and long-term relationships matters more than offering quick fixes.Faithful dialogue across political and ideological lines is still possible—and deeply needed.Sponsored by Truthly This episode is brought to you by Truthly — the world’s first Catholic action app helping you reflect and share your faith confidently. Start your free trial here and use code Gottabesaints for a discount! Connect with Gotta Be Saints Instagram: @gottabesaints Support the show

    43 min

  7. 10/07/2025

    Venerable Francis Xavier Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan

    Send us a text Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuận spent 13 years imprisoned by the communist regime in Vietnam—nine of them in solitary confinement. In this moving conversation, his sister Elizabeth shares intimate family memories, the roots of his priestly vocation, and the crucible of prison where the Eucharist became his lifeline. She recounts how the meditations that became The Road of Hope were written and smuggled out, the small miracles that sustained him, and the day he was told simply to “be free… today.” We also trace his later service in Rome under St. John Paul II and the enduring lessons of dignity, forgiveness, and hope. In This Episode, You’ll Hear Family & Vocation: A promise to God after the death of the family’s first child; nightly rosary in a home chapel; formation that set the course for a priest and future cardinal.Seminary & History: Entering minor seminary at 13; formation amid the Indochina War and the influence of French missionaries; appointed bishop at 39.Arrest on a Marian Feast: The Assumption of 1975; immediate house arrest; writing 1,001 meditations that became The Road of Hope.Isolation & Interior Battle: The temptation to hatred in a windowless cell; the turning point—recognizing Christ’s crucified face in suffering and choosing charity.The Eucharist in the Camp: Clandestine Mass with “medicine” (wine and hosts) smuggled in; the re-education camp as his “new cathedral.”Release & Aftermath: The tea-and-banana meeting with a minister—“What do you want?” “To be free.” “When?” “Today.”—followed by house restrictions, exile, and service in Rome.Rome & Universal Witness: Vice President and then President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; preacher of the 2000 papal Lenten retreat; created cardinal in 2001.This Episode Is For You If You’ve Ever Asked How can faith transform suffering into hope—concretely?What does it mean to embrace brokenness without losing your dignity?How does Mary lead us to Christ in trials—especially when everything seems lost?Where can I find a modern witness who lived the Gospel under persecution?Resources Mentioned Biography: Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan: Man of Joy and Hope — Ignatius PressCause of Canonization: Official site — cardinalvanthuan.orgFollow Gotta Be Saints Instagram: @gottabesaintsIf this conversation moved you, subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more people can discover testimonies of faith, healing, and holiness.Share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement.Sponsored by Truthly This episode is brought to you by Truthly — the world’s first Catholic action app helping you reflect and share your faith confidently. Start your free trial at truthly.ai and use code gottabesaints for a special listener offer.  Support the show

    41 min

  8. 09/23/2025

    Broken Mary with Kevin Matthews

    Send us a text In this episode, I am joined by Kevin Matthews, legendary Chicago radio personality and author of Broken Mary. For nearly two decades, Kevin was the voice millions tuned in to hear every morning. Known for his unforgettable characters, sold-out comedy shows, and larger-than-life presence, he seemed to be living at the peak of success. But in 2008, Kevin was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis—a diagnosis that reshaped his life and faith. Out of that brokenness came an unlikely encounter: a discarded statue of Mary found beside a dumpster. That moment became a turning point, leading Kevin to a deeper relationship with Christ, a renewed sense of hope, and a mission to help others find healing in their own brokenness. In This Episode, You’ll Hear: Kevin’s journey from comedy clubs and radio stardom to the challenges of MSThe story of how a broken statue of Mary became a vessel of grace and healingWhat Kevin learned about humility, faith, and the dignity of womenHow suffering can lead us to discover true joy and hopeKevin’s message to anyone who longs for healing in their own lifeThis Episode Is For You If You’ve Ever Asked: How can faith transform suffering into hope?What does it mean to embrace brokenness as part of our journey?How can Mary, the Mother of God, draw us closer to her Son in times of trial?Resources Mentioned: Broken Mary: A Journey of Hope (Book & Movie) — Watch the film here Follow Gotta Be Saints: Instagram: @gottabesaintsSubscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover stories of faith, healing, and holiness. Sponsored by Truthly This episode is brought to you by Truthly — the world’s first Catholic action app helping you reflect and share your faith confidently. Start your free trial at truthly.ai and use code gottabesaints for a special listener offer. Support the show

    33 min
See All (239)

5
out of 5
149 Ratings

About

Brendan talks with (future) saints about being saints.Check out www.gottabesaints.com for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Brendan Gotta
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    239
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Gotta Be Saints
  • Show Website
    Gotta Be Saints

You Might Also Like