The Burrowshire Podcast Brandon Vogt

Brandon and Fr. Blake, both native Floridians, are proud of their home state, especially the sacred ground of St. Augustine. Founded in 1565, it's not only the oldest city in the United States but the site of the country's first recorded Catholic Mass. Even more, the so-called "sacred acre," home to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, also served as the place of martyrdom for several of the Florida Martyrs, whose cause for canonization has recently begun. Listen as Fr. Blake and Brandon share some of these incredible stories and why this great city of St. Augustine, bathed in Catholic history, is worth a visit.

Books + Resources

Books
The Cross in the Sand: The Early Catholic Church in Florida, 1513-1870 by Michael Gannon
The Florida Martyrs: Compelled by Compassion by Eric Olson
The Martyrs of La Florida: A Heroic Story of Catholic Faith (graphic novel)

Resources
“The Martyrs of Florida” - Fr. Blake Britton (Word on Fire)
“Antonio Cuipa and Companions” - Fr. Blake Britton (Word on Fire)
The Martyrs of La Florida Missions
“They Might Be Saints” (EWTN Documentary)

This month we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19), but that’s not the only reason St. Joseph is on our minds. A few months ago, Pope Francis released a beautiful apostolic exhortation on St. Joseph titled Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart), recalling the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To mark the occasion, the Holy Father has proclaimed a “Year of Saint Joseph” from December 8, 2020 to December 8, 2021.

There’s never been a better time to grow closer to St. Joseph, and that’s what Brandon and Fr. Blake help you do through this episode.

Books + Resources: https://burrowshirepodcast.com/st-joseph-fatherhood

On this Ash Wednesday, Brandon and Fr. Blake reflect on the holy season of Lent and offer advice on how to sanctify your Lenten season through spiritual reading, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Books

Frank Sheed – To Know Christ Jesus
Fulton Sheen – Life of Christ
Romano Guardini – The Lord
Pope Benedict XVI - Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week
Dom Jean-Charles Nault, OSB - The Noonday Devil: Acedia, the Unnamed Evil of Our Times
Fr. Benedict Baur - Frequent Confession: Its Place in the Spiritual Life
Church Fathers
St. Vladimir Seminary Press “Popular Patristics” series
St. Basil the Great - On Fasting and Feasts

Links

Word on Fire - “St. Basil the Great on Fasting” by Fr. Blake
Burrowshire Podcast - How to Start a Good Catholic Library
PDF - "How to Have a Holy Lent" by Fr. Blake Britton
PDF - "The Sacred Triduum: A Home Guide for Families" by Fr. Blake Britton

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings ranks near the top of almost every “favorite book” or “book of the century” list. Yet few readers know that Tolkien was a devout Catholic who infused his Middle-earth stories with Catholic themes and symbolism. In fact, the author stated, “The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision.”

In this episode, Fr. Blake and Brandon discuss these Catholic features, including Providence, the sacramentality of Middle-earth, three Christ figures, the Marian dimension, the philosophy of evil, and the eventual victory of goodness and beauty.

LINKS

Book Recommendations
Frodo’s Journey: Discover The Hidden Meaning of The Lord of the Rings by Joseph Pearce
The Power of the Ring: The Spiritual Vision Behind the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by Stratford Caldecott
The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind the Lord of the Rings by Peter Kreeft
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth by Bradley Birzer
The Battle for Middle-earth: Tolkien’s Divine Design in The Lord of the Rings by Fleming Rutledge
Tolkien’s Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages by Holly Ordway

Other Links
Brandon Vogt – “8 Books on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholicism”
Frederic Heidemann – “I Was an Atheist Until I Read “The Lord of the Rings”
Steven Greydanus – “Faith and fantasy: Tolkien the Catholic, The Lord of the Rings, and Peter Jackson’s film trilogy”

Let us give you fair warning ahead of time, because this is going to be quite the episode as we discuss two of our greatest heroes, G.K. Chesterton and Pope Benedict XVI. Prophets of their age who spoke truth with wisdom and clarity, these two holy men radiate a rare innocence and purity to all who read them. Discover why we love them so much and our recommendations on where to get started with each thinker. 

Links + Books >> https://burrowshirepodcast.com/chesterton-pope-bxvi

We often hear about our vocation to become a saint. But what is a saint? And why does the Church honor saints?

In this episode, Fr. Blake and Brandon discuss the theology of saints, how that theology is rooted in the Incarnation, and, most importantly, how we can become saints ourselves.