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

M.S. Bickford
  • 4.9 (21)
  • Christianity
  • Updated 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. 6d ago

    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!

  2. 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!

  3. 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!

  4. 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!

  5. 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!

  6. Sep 8

    063 - The Theology of the Body

    This episode marks the 1- year anniversary of this podcast! Thank you for your support!!   The greatest challenge facing the Church today is one of Anthropology: "What does it mean to be human?" The secular culture thinks the body, like everything else, is just something we can change and manipulate any way we choose to.   Drawing on Pope St. John Paul II's landmark Wednesday audiences from 1979-1984, this episode explores his "Theology of the Body" which argues that the human body reveals both the spiritual and divine, why marriage and celibacy both point toward God's eternal plan, and how Catholics are called not to repress desire but to redeem it. This episode continues and examines the dignity of the body, the meaning of sexuality, and the hope of forgiveness and holiness in Christ.   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 1

    062 - Practicing the Presence of God

    Lots of people "talk" about the faith, but the Carmelite Monk, Brother Lawrence, lived it in such a profound way that he inspired the spiritual classic, The Practice of the Presence of God. In a world of modern skepticism, doubt, and the intellectual search for certainty, Brother Lawrence showed what trust and love can accomplish.   Brother Lawrence's holiness was expressed through simple, daily work—first in the monastery kitchen and later repairing sandals after illness made kitchen work impossible. His practice was to treat every action as prayer: scrubbing pots, mopping floors, enduring pain, and serving others were all done with God and for God. The episode emphasizes that this approach was not sentimental or easy; it required trust, discipline, and a constant turning of the heart back to God. His example challenges us to stop treating faith as something reserved for church or study and instead make every moment an act of worship, love, and surrender.   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. Aug 25

    061 - Peak Morality or Dying Empire

    Many non-Catholics argue that Catholic morality is outdated irrelevant. Using the Letter To Diognetus from the very early years of Christianity, this episode shows that many modern Western values resemble the moral assumptions of the late Roman Empire rather than genuine progress. The Letter to Diognetus shows Christians were distinct from surrounding pagan culture not because of language, nationality, or appearance, but because of their values: they honored marriage, protected children, restrained bodily desires, obeyed civil law while living for heaven, and accepted persecution rather than compromise. The episode connects that ancient contrast to today's cultural debates, especially around family, human dignity, abortion, sexuality, individualism, and the role of the state. Dr. Bickford argues that Catholic moral teaching has remained consistent while societies and empires often drift into decadence before decline. We are to expect misunderstanding or ridicule as part of the cost of discipleship.   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!

See All (68)

4.9
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

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.

Information

You Might Also Like