Considering Catholicism

Thomas wrestled with a very practical and painful question: Why does the Church insist we confess our sins to a priest when we can just tell God directly? In this episode Greg addresses the deeper anxiety underneath that objection—the fear that we’ll never really know if we’re forgiven, and the two common dead-ends many people fall into: anxious uncertainty or a shrugging casualness toward sin. Drawing on Scripture, the early Church, and his own experience, he explains why the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not a barrier but a gift of mercy that gives us something we can’t get anywhere else: the audible words of absolution and a structured path for real growth in holiness. Whether you’re blocked from the sacraments right now or simply wondering why “just tell God” has never quite been enough, this episode offers clarity and hope.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

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Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Thomas wrote with a question that sits underneath almost everything else: Can the Catholic Church really be trusted with its extraordinary claims? In this first episode of the series, Greg responds personally and honestly to that foundational doubt. Drawing from his own long journey out of self-selected Christianity and into the Church, he explores why there’s no comfortable middle ground, why the visible imperfections of the Church can feel like cold water on genuine inspiration, and what finally led him to make the deliberate choice to trust the Barque of Peter anyway. If you’ve ever felt the tension between the beauty that draws you toward Catholicism and the very human failures that make you hesitate, this conversation is for you.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this final episode of the Mary in the Dock series, we examine the Assumption of Mary — the solemn teaching that, at the end of her earthly life, the Immaculate Mother of God was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory. Many Protestants find this doctrine especially challenging, arguing that it lacks any biblical foundation and was simply invented by the pope when it was defined in 1950. We give those objections a full and fair hearing, including the complete silence of the New Testament, the absence of clear early patristic testimony, and the apparent difference between the Catholic understanding and the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the Dormition. We then present the Catholic case: the biblical precedent of God assuming other holy figures, the ancient and widespread liturgical tradition in both East and West, and the deep theological fittingness of Mary’s bodily glorification as the New Eve and the New Ark. Whether you’re wrestling with this teaching or simply want to understand why the Church holds it with such conviction, this episode brings the entire series to a coherent and Christ-centered conclusion.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In this installment of Mary in the Dock, we put the claim of Mary’s perpetual virginity on trial. Many Protestants see the “brothers of Jesus” mentioned in the Gospels and the word “until” in Matthew 1:25 as decisive proof that Mary and Joseph had a normal married life after Jesus’ birth. We examine those objections carefully and then explore the Catholic response — from the broader biblical and Jewish use of the word “brother,” to the idiomatic meaning of “until,” to the early and unanimous witness of the Church Fathers. Far from being a late ascetic invention, the perpetual virginity of Mary emerges as a profoundly fitting expression of her unique role as the New Ark and the Mother of God. Whether you’re wrestling with this teaching or simply want to understand why the Church has always held it, this episode offers a clear and Scripture-centered defense.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

In recent years, a number of dioceses have moved to remove or ban altar rails, even as some younger priests have begun reinstalling them. These disputes often follow a familiar pattern: one side appeals to history and theology, while the actual arguments on the ground tend to revolve around how a practice makes people feel. This episode steps back from the usual arguments to examine why the language of feelings so often dominates discussions about the liturgy — and why that creates problems on more than one side. Drawing a parallel to the common Bible study question “What does this passage mean to you?”, it argues that both Scripture and the Mass are better approached as a search for what is actually true rather than what feels meaningful in the moment. The result is a call to move beyond generational instincts and cultural assumptions toward a deeper, more consistent engagement with the Church’s tradition.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners

➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)

One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!

CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: consideringcatholicism@gmail.com • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)

RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.

SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.