The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

The Popecast Origin Story and Other Tales (Matt's Interview on Real Presence Radio)

Thu, 19 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Matt had the pleasure of being a guest on Real Presence Radio out in the Midwest, on a show hosted by none other than our most recent special guest Fr. Richard Kunst, to talk about the origins of The Popecast and his own personal favorite popes and papal history stories, among other things.

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Special Guest: Fr. Richard Kunst.

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The First Pope in History to Change His Name (John II)

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Today’s pope is certainly one for the record books. Even though he was only in office a couple short years, he’s memorable for one major papal staple that we take completely for granted these days.

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The World's Largest Papal Artifacts Collection Outside of the Vatican (Interview with Fr. Richard Kunst)

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Today’s episode is one we’ve been very excited to bring you all for a long time. Our guest, Fr. Richard Kunst, is the curator of the world's largest collection of papal memorabilia and artifacts outside of the Vatican. Our conversation covers everything from how Fr. Rich’s collection came to be, some of the coolest and strangest articles he’s seen, his appearances on Pawn Stars, and (in the patron-only bonus section) even some never-before-heard stories about BOTH Popes John Paul.

In addition to curating this great collection, Fr. Rich is a priest of the Diocese of Duluth Minnesota, pastor of St. James Parish in Duluth, and believe it or not, was even at one time Fr. Mike Schmitz’s vocation director when the latter was in formation for the priesthood.

FR. RICH'S WEBSITE: https://www.papalartifacts.com
Michelangelo & the Pope's Ceiling [Book recommendation from Patron-Only Bonus section]: https://amzn.to/3KkQqTb

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Special Guest: Fr. Richard Kunst.

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The Pope Whose Corpse Was Put on Trial (Formosus)

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Our man this episode is altogether unique – and not just because he’s the only Successor of Peter with this particular name. No, he’s actually most famous for something he had no control over at all – because he was dead.

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The Pope Who Worked Miracles (St. Leo IX)

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 08:00:00 GMT

This episode is about another one of those popes who you’ve probably never heard of, but is definitely one to remember. He was saintly from an early age, and despite desiring a life of anonymity in his service to Christendom, was plucked by the emperor from obscurity to become pope and, ultimately, usher in one of the biggest reform movements in Catholicism’s 2,000 year history.

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TWO RESOURCES MENTIONED AT THE END

Popes in a Year daily email series: flocknote.com/popes
Chronological List of Popes & Popecast episodes: https://www.thepopecast.fm/pope-list

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Christmas Special: Pope Benedict XVI's 2010 Urbi et Orbi Christmas Message

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

We kept trying to find a good Christmas-themed papal bio for this week, and then we ran across this Urbi et Orbi address of Pope Benedict XVI's from 2010. It's an absolutely excellent address (as usual from him), especially with the Choir of King's College singing O Holy Night in the background, as they are at the end of the episode.

Enjoy – and Merry Christmas to you and all of your families!

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The Papacy & America's Founding (Interview w/ Dr. Michael Breidenbach)

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

This week it's a special episode of the show – professor, historian, and author Dr. Michael Breidenbach joins the show to talk about his new book, Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America (https://amzn.to/3e0RDAM)

Especially for those in America, the story Dr. Breidenbach tells in his book and on the podcast – how English-turned-American Catholics wrestled between fealty to the king and fealty to the pope, how religious liberty as we know it is directly traced to an appeal from the brother of America's first Catholic bishop, and many other lesser-known historical threads – is truly something you won't want to miss.

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Special Guest: Dr. Michael Breidenbach.

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The Obscure Pope Who Did Just Fine (Donus)

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Today’s episode is about a pope who’s probably easy to overlook. He only reigned for a short time, we don’t know all that much about him, and he isn’t remembered as a saint – a canonized one anyway. And yet, he dabbled in plenty of important things and did alright.

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The Pope Who Renounced the Christian Faith...Or Did He? (St. Marcellinus)

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Today’s episode is about a pope who lived...and died...during the last and worst of Rome’s persecutions of the Christian people, that of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. But just how that living and dying went is still up for discussion. 1700 years later.

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The Pope Who Got a Bad Rap (John X)

Sun, 21 Nov 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Here's a pope who kept his head down and worked tirelessly for the good of Christendom. But in an age where secular rulers used the papacy as their plaything, he refused to be anyone’s puppet, and ended up paying the ultimate price. And what’s more, everyone though he was a bad pope until not all that long ago.

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Was Pope John Paul I Murdered? (An Interview w/ The Pillar's JD Flynn & Michelle La Rosa)

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 10:00:00 GMT

This episode we're joined by JD Flynn and Michelle La Rosa from The PIllar to tackle one of the saltiest and most recent papal conspiracy theories – one of the doozies in pretty much the whole history of the Catholic Church. A half-century ago a pope reigned for a mere 33 days. Was it all just a strange coincidence, or was there something more nefarious afoot?

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Special Guests: JD Flynn and Michelle La Rosa.

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The Pope St. John Paul II Supercut

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT

This week's episode is a very special one indeed. Our pope today needs no introduction, being one of the finest men to ever grace the Chair of St. Peter, but he does need a long episode to tell the whole tale of his long and eventful life. October 22 – the day that this episode is being released – is this man’s feast day and the anniversary of the 1978 inauguration of his papacy, so raise a glass (or a pierogi) for one of the greatest of all pontiffs.

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The Slave Who Became Pope (St. Callistus I)

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT

This pope is a guy who rose from the lowest rungs of society to become the leader of a burgeoning but still illegal faith. And yet, it wasn’t the Romans who gave him the most grief. It was one of his fellow Christians.

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The Pope Who Saved Western Civilization (St. Pius V REDUX)

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Today’s episode is a Popecast Redux about a pope who may well have single-handedly kept the known world from a very, very different future. In fact, 2021 marks the 450th anniversary of his masterstroke – a convening of both corporeal and a spiritual armies to lead the Catholic Christian West to victory in one of the greatest sea battles ever fought.

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LINKS

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The Other Pope Named John Paul (Venerable John Paul I)

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week was in the Chair of Peter for barely a moment in the great lifespan of Catholic history, but his humble heart and joyful demeanor has influenced each of the three popes who followed him and put him firmly among the most memorable and beloved pontiffs of the last several centuries.

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The Pope Who Hired a Warrior Cardinal (Innocent VI)

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week was a pontiff in exile – the whole Roman Curia was in those days – who everyone thought would be near death, but he ended up sticking around for 10 years and set about cleaning up the clerical riff-raff, leaving us with one of the greatest hymns ever written, and hiring a bloodhound in a red hat to prowl around Italy and gain back what was rightfully Peter’s.

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A Habsburg Shares the Story of Pope St. Gregory the Great

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Joining the show this week is special guest Eduard Habsburg, the Hungarian Ambassador to the Vatican and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, sharing the incredible story of Pope St. Gregory the Great, the "Pope Who Founded Western Civilization"

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Find Eduard Habsburg on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EduardHabsburg
Read Eduard's children's book, "Dubbie: The Double-Headed Eagle": https://amzn.to/3saENWS

Special Guest: Eduard Habsburg.

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The Pope Who Really REALLY Didn't Want the Job (Blessed Victor III)

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 07:00:00 GMT

This pope was far more renowned for his life BEFORE the papacy than he was after. And that was a bummer, because he kinda gets a bad rap for it. But it certainly didn’t help that he avoided accepting his election like the plague.

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The Greatest Pope You've Never Heard Of (Sixtus V)

Thu, 27 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week was startlingly good for a Renaissance pontiff – he didn’t use his power to elevate all of his greedy nephews, he began as a monk and never really forgot it, and he worked so hard and so much that he could have coined the phrase “I can sleep when I’m dead.”

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The Pope Whose Family Was the Literal Worst (Benedict VIII)

Wed, 12 May 2021 07:00:00 GMT

This guy was an able pontiff who brought much-needed respect back to the papacy at its lowest point in history. And on the family front, he was a real diamond in the rough. A lone bright spot amidst a group of relatives that would make the Kardashians blush.

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The Pope Who Was Ridiculously Good Looking (Conon)

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT

This pope wasn’t long for this world once he made it to the Chair of St. Peter and was a compromise pick from the beginning, to boot. Apparently it had something to do with being just another pretty face, but history is silent on whether or not he was a ...barbarian.

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The Pope Who Told Us When to Celebrate Easter (St. Victor I)

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week hit a lot of firsts – first Latin-writing pope, first African pope, and the first papal hothead. Good thing he had the humility to match it.

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The Pope Who Wasn't Even a Priest Yet (Nicholas III)

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week voted in literally one million papal elections before it was finally his turn. At least it probably seemed like that to him. He was a child of the nobility who served the Church from an early age, but there was just one small thing left to do after he got elected as the new Bishop of Rome...

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The First Assassinated Pope (John VIII)

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMT

He was one of the last solid pontiffs before perhaps the darkest time in the history of the papacy. He held off the Muslim Army as long as he could, spent way too long looking for new emperors, was a patron of one of the Church’s greatest evangelists, and sadly was the first Bishop of Rome in history to meet a certain kind of sordid end.

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The Last Pope...Alphabetically (St. Zosimus)

Sat, 13 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week was only in office a short time, but still managed to leave a mark that’s resounded through the ages in battling one of early Christianity’s most monumental heresies. He’s also one of just three pontiffs in history to have a name that starts with the letter Z.

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The Pope Who Died of the Plague (Pope Pelagius II)

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Our man this week was a mentor to one of the greatest popes to ever live, he spent far too much time trying to drum up an army from the emperor to protect Rome from destruction, and met his earthly end as a deadly disease swept brutally through late 6th-Century Rome.

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Quizzical Papist Crossover w/ Fr. Brad and Grace

Sun, 17 Jan 2021 09:00:00 GMT

This week is an extra special a CROSSOVER episode with the excellent podcast The Quizzical Papist – Your “extraordinary form” bar trivia with Fr. Brad and Grace. If you’ve ever been to bar trivia – or if you can even remember what that’s like after the long winter of 2020, that’s the exact structure of their show and, as a result, this crossover.

Grace and Matt battled it out over two rounds – the first half you’ll find on The Quizzical Papist, so make sure you go over and start there. Our half of the show has the second round and final results of the great papist showdown.

FIRST HALF IN THE LINK BELOW!

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Scandals, Canon Law, and Freemasonry with The Pillar's JD Flynn and Ed Condon

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Our first episode of 2021 is a very special one indeed. This week we’re joined by JD Flynn & Ed Condon, co-founders of The Pillar, the brand new Catholic media project focused on smart, faithful, and serious journalism, from committed and informed Catholics who love the Church, which you can find and sign up for at pillarcatholic.com.

Special Guests: Ed Condon and JD Flynn.

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Pope Benedict XVI (An Interview with Fr. Harrison from Clerically Speaking)

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Our special guest this week is Fr. Harrison from Clerically Speaking – not only is Fr. Harrison a huge fan of Pope Benedict XVI, he's writing his doctoral thesis on the guy!

But don't worry, this episode isn't super heady or academic as much as it is simply Matt & Fr. Harrison nerding out on their shared love for Pope Benedict XVI and why he's just as important to the average person in the pews as he is to the great Catholic intellectual tradition as a whole.

Special Guest: Fr. Harrison Ayre.

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EXTRA: Pope Francis' New Apostolic Letter on St. Joseph

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:00:00 GMT

An exclusive audio recording of Patris Corde, the new apostolic letter from Pope Francis on St. Joseph, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Joseph being named Patron of the Universal Church and announcing a "Year of St. Joseph" starting December 8, 2020.

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The Immaculate Conception and the Popes

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT

This episode is a bit unique. It’s early December, so our Catholic listeners will know that there are two mega huge feast days celebrating Mary in the first half of this month – the Immaculate Conception on December 8 and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12.

So we thought it might be fitting to break from the usual format and talk about the Mother of God under one of those titles, and what two 20th-Century popes have to say about her.

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[NEW] Today in Papal History Daily Newsletter
Become a Patron of The Popecast
(Patreon Alternative) Join The Popecast on Locals
Ineffabilis Deus (1854) — Bl. Pope Pius IX's papal bull solemnly proclaiming the dogma of the Immaculate Conception
[Pope Pius XII] Fulgens Corona — Encyclical on the 100th anniversary of Bl. Pope Pius IX's dogmatic declaration on the Immaculate Conception
[St. John Paul II] Immaculate Conception Defined by Pius IX

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The Pope Who Called a Crusade (Pope Clement III)

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week had the fun job of wrangling a bunch of Alphas and convincing them to work as a team for the sake of Christendom, and in the meantime tried not to lose everything the papacy had accumulated up to that point in history. Oh, and his nephew would later end up being one of the most powerful popes in history.

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The Pope Who Baptized the Pantheon (Pope St. Boniface IV)

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week you might not know, but odds are you know about something he did. I’m talking about the biggest and oldest unreinforced concrete dome IN THE WORLD. He converted it from a pagan temple into a church, which has been in constant use now for over 1400 years.

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The Pope Who Won a Contested Election (Pope St. Cornelius)

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week wasn’t around for long, but the time he did spend in office left its mark. He entered the Chair of Peter at a dicey time in Christian history and dealt with an arch nemesis from within the Church right after his election, to boot. He was eventually killed for his faith, and is now the patron saint of things like lovers and earaches.

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Pope Cornelius (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Pope Cornelius (Wikipedia)
Saint Cornelius (Britannica)
LETTER: Cornelius to Cyprian, on the Return of the Confessors to Unity
LETTER: St. Cyprian to Cornelius in Exile, Concerning His Confession.
[COMING SOON] Today in Papal History — A new daily newsletter on papal history, powered by The Popecast

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The Last Pope to Write about Witches (Pope Gregory XV)

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT

This pope was old and sick when he got elected, and wasn’t in office for all that long. But he wasn’t about to let any younger whipper snappers outdo him in energy or productivity. Oh, he also made the founder of the Jesuits a saint, and wrote the last document from a pope about when certain someones could or could not be burned at the stake.

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Pope Gregory XV - Wikipedia
Pope Gregory XV - Catholic Encyclopedia
Pope Gregory XV - Popes in a Year

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The Second Dominican Pope (Blessed Benedict XI)

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week is in elite company in more ways than one – he was holy when sanctity was severely lacking in the halls of the Vatican, and he’s one of only FIVE men in history from the Order of Preachers to be elevated to the Chair of St. Peter.

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Blessed Pope Benedict XI – Popes in a Year
Pope Benedict XI - Wikipedia
Pope Benedict XI – Catholic Encyclopedia

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Pope Francis Apostolic Letter on St. Jerome (For the 1600th anniversary of his death)

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMT

The exclusive audiobook of Pope Francis' new Apostolic Letter, Lettera Apostolica Scripturae, commemorating the 1600th anniversary of the death of St. Jerome. Chapters included if you'd like to skip around.

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The OTHER Saint Paul (Pope St. Paul I)

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week faced down an invading king, fought against a nasty heresy in the East, and has something in common with just FIVE other popes in all of Church history. Oh, and he’s not the St. Paul you’re probably thinking of.

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The Other OTHER Saint John (Pope St. John I)

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week was the first to hold the most popular papal name in Catholic Church history. A divisive figure in his early days, he repented of his old ways and went on to become so renowned that the emperor himself prostrated himself at this pope’s feet.

It just so happens that Episode #53 is on Pope #53. We swear we didn't realize this until after the episode was recorded.

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The Pope After Peter (St. Linus)

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMT

The pope we’re talking about today had to follow the Fisherman himself. He’s a man who not only knew the Apostles, but was taught and ordained by them. Not to mention he’s one of only two popes – not counting Peter himself – to be mentioned in Sacred Scripture.

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Guadalupe Roastery: These guys are the real deal – not only is their coffee excellent, but their mission is to empower farmers to support themselves and their families by bringing you the most directly sourced cup of coffee possible. So head on over to guadaluperoastery.com and get a couple pounds for you and a friend. Listeners to the Popecast can use the promo code POPE at checkout and get 10% off their entire order. Promo Code: POPE

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Popes in a Year – Pope St. Linus
Pope Linus - Wikipedia
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Linus

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Pope Peter: An Interview w/ Author Joe Heschmeyer

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMT

This week on the Popecast we have a very special guest: Author Joe Heschmeyer. Joe is a fellow pope nerd like you and me who’s just written a great book on the papacy entitled Pope Peter: Defending the Church's Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis.

Joe was once a litigator living in Washington DC and then was a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, but he now teaches at the Holy Family School of Faith in Kansas City, Missouri and continues to run the popular blog Shameless Popery. We hope you enjoy this great conversation with Joe Heschmeyer.

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Special Guest: Joe Heschmeyer.

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[BLOG] Shameless Popery
[BOOK] Pope Peter: Defending the Church's Most Distinctive Doctrine in a Time of Crisis — The papacy is no stranger to controversy. In many ways it's Catholicism's defining doctrine but also its most divisive. From medieval pontiffs who acted like princes to a modern pope whose every casual statement sets off a social-media firestorm, there has been plenty for non-Catholics to criticize and for the faithful to feel anxious about. We profess that Jesus made St. Peter the visible head of his Church on earth and that his successors throughout the ages are guided by the Holy Spirit to govern, teach, and sanctify it. How can we strengthen this belief in the papacy in the face of challenges (both outside the Church and within it) and so strengthen our faith in the One who instituted it? In Pope Peter, Joe Heschmeyer says that papal flaws are an opportunity to understand what the papacy really means, not to abandon it (or the Church). Drawing deeply on the scriptural and historical witness, he offers a thorough but accessible defense of the papal office and an edifying picture of the extent-and limits-of its authority. Jesus made Peter the Rock of the Church and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Pope Peter will confirm your faith in that promise and help you proclaim its truth to others.

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How are popes elected? (Episode 50 Special)

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMT

This time around we’re doing a little something different – a topic that’s more foundational to the very papacy itself – to celebrate the 50th episode of The Popecast. It's the only truly secret meeting left on the planet. Where all the red hats gather for a Catholic cage match, and the world waits, holding its breath, for that fateful white smoke.

IN THIS EPISODE
00:16 - Catholic Balm Co (Sponsor) – Enter the keyword POPE at catholicbalm.co
03:03 - Defining key terms
06:31 - History of papal elections
11:32 - What happens when the pope dies / resigns?
17:13 - Papal election fun facts
19:06 - Excerpt from Pope St. John Paul II

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Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Pope Who Baptized Coffee (Clement VIII)

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 07:15:00 GMT

Our pope this week had barely been a priest 10 years before being elected at age 55, had one of Catholicism’s great Renaissance saints as his confessor for 3 decades and, oh yeah, he’s the one who brought coffee to the Western World.

It’s fitting that our sponsor for this week is Guadalupe Roastery! These guys are the real deal – not only is their coffee excellent, but their mission is to empower farmers to support themselves and their families by bringing you the most directly sourced cup of coffee possible.

So head on over to guadaluperoastery.com and get a couple pounds for you and a friend. Be sure to use the promo code POPE at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

Click here to become a patron of The Popecast: patreon.com/thepopecast

Sponsored By:

Guadalupe Roastery: These guys are the real deal – not only is their coffee excellent, but their mission is to empower farmers to support themselves and their families by bringing you the most directly sourced cup of coffee possible. So head on over to guadaluperoastery.com and get a couple pounds for you and a friend. Listeners to the Popecast can use the promo code POPE at checkout and get 10% off their entire order. Promo Code: POPE

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Pope Who Wrote a Romance Novel (Pius II)

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope this week is one unlike any other of the 265 successors of St. Peter. Smart and eloquent with a pen though he was, for most of his life he was best known as a smooth-talking womanizer and deadbeat dad whose only goal was elevating his own career, all the way up to being crowned as the emperor’s imperial poet.

And then he met the pope (who he hated), and everything changed.

--
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Today’s episode is sponsored by our friends over at Sock Religious (sockreligious.com), where you’ll find all sorts of different saint-themed socks to spice up your Sunday best.

They’ve got Pope Francis & St. John Paul II themed socks along with a ton of other excellent designs that make for awesome birthday presents or honestly just a nice treat-yo-self gift.

So head over to sockreligious.com and say The Popecast sent you!

Sponsored By:

Sock Religious: Today’s episode is sponsored by our friends over at Sock Religious, where you’ll find all sorts of different saint-themed socks to spice up your Sunday best. They’ve got Pope Francis & St. John Paul II themed socks along with a ton of other excellent designs that make for awesome birthday presents or honestly just a nice treat-yo-self gift. So head over to sockreligious.com and say The Popecast sent you!

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Pope Who Canceled Rome (Adrian IV)

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Our pope today, the first and only British pope in history, is a man who came from nothing and was elevated to the papacy. A monk who would’ve rather not been pope, he faced down emperors and kings and shut down the entire Eternal City when a heretic threatened to hold it hostage.

Since it's another bearded pope this week, an extra special thanks again to our friends at Catholic Balm Co. for sponsoring this episode of The Popecast. Check out their beard balms and other great stuff at catholicbalm.co and be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

BECOME A PATRON of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast to support our mission and get some nice perks

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Fans of The Popecast get 10% off their entire order with the promo code POPE – visit catholicbalm.co to check out their entire supply of beard balms, oils, lotion bars, muscle and skincare rubs, and more. Promo Code: POPE

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Eleventh Pope (St. Anicetus)

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Our pope today reigned barely more than a century after Jesus walked the earth, and he’s best known for welcoming a disciple of the Beloved Disciple to Rome for a friendly chat about the date of Easter.

Since it's a (likely) bearded pope this episode, an extra special thanks to our friends at Catholic Balm Co. for sponsoring this episode of The Popecast. Check out their beard balms and other great stuff at catholicbalm.co and be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

BECOME A PATRON of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast to support our mission and get sweet benefits.

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Fans of The Popecast get 10% off their entire order with the promo code POPE – visit catholicbalm.co to check out their entire supply of beard balms, oils, lotion bars, muscle and skincare rubs, and more. Promo Code: POPE

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Pope Who Fought the Destruction of Statues (St. Gregory II)

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 07:00:00 GMT

Today we have a pope who found himself having to deal with an emperor demanding that Christian images and statues by smashed to bits. And he was having none of it.

SPECIAL THANKS to our friends at Catholic Balm Co. for sponsoring this episode of The Popecast. Check out their beard balms and other great stuff at [catholicbalm.co](catholicbalm.co) and be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

BECOME A PATRON of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast to support our mission and get sweet benefits.

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Fans of The Popecast get 10% off their entire order with the promo code POPE – visit catholicbalm.co to check out their entire supply of beard balms, oils, lotion bars, muscle and skincare rubs, and more. Promo Code: POPE

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The Pope Who Thought He Was Too Old (Pope Clement X)

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 08:00:00 GMT

This episode is on a pope who was already almost 80 years old by the time he was elected, and he was really hoping to be able to retire in peace before his fellow cardinals got the bright idea to put him in charge.

No, this wasn’t 7 years ago, or even 15 years ago.

It was the 1600s.

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Thanks to our sponsors over at Sock Religious, who help you bring your Catholic faith to your business attire and Sunday best with custom sock designs of all kinds. Visit bit.ly/popesocks to get a pair for you and a friend.*

*(Affiliate links. The Popecast receives a small portion of each sale in exchange for promotion.)

Sponsored By:

Sock Religious: Today’s episode is sponsored by our friends over at Sock Religious, where you’ll find all sorts of different saint-themed socks to spice up your Sunday best. They’ve got Pope Francis & St. John Paul II themed socks along with a ton of other excellent designs that make for awesome birthday presents or honestly just a nice treat-yo-self gift. So head over to sockreligious.com and say The Popecast sent you!

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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The Pope Who Said Putting a Corpse on Trial is Bad (Pope John IX)

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 19:00:00 GMT

Here we have a pope who condemned a predecessor who had dug up a dead pope and put his body on trial – no big deal. He also reigned longer than most of his immediate predecessors and successors – but was still only in office for 2 years. Times were tough in the late 9th Century.

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Two MORE Papal Difficulties (Interview on the Classical Theism Podcast)

Wed, 27 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

We were featured once more as a guest on the Classical Theism Podcast (see Episode #37 for our first appearance), this time on two more papal objections – how an ecumenical council called by an emperor can still be legit, and why Pope John XXII wasn't a heretic.

If you're enjoying The Popecast, please consider supporting us at patreon.com/thepopecast to get early access to new episodes and ensure we can continue to produce the show!

SPECIAL THANKS to our friends at Catholic Balm Co. for sponsoring this episode of The Popecast. Check out their beard balms, lotion bars, and ESPECIALLY their brand new Petra Solid Cologne at [catholicbalm.co](catholicbalm.co).

Be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Fans of The Popecast get 10% off their entire order with the promo code POPE – visit catholicbalm.co to check out their entire supply of beard balms, oils, lotion bars, muscle and skincare rubs, and more. Promo Code: POPE

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PART THREE - The Pope Who Destroyed Communism (Pope St. John Paul II)

Tue, 19 May 2020 06:00:00 GMT

The third and final installment of our series on one of the greatest popes in history.

He was the first non-Italian pope in almost 500 years and the youngest in over a century, having been elected at the young papal age of 58. He also would have the third-longest reign in history, serving as pope for almost 27 years, and trailing only Pope Pius IX and St. Peter himself in terms of longevity. He’s one of the most traveled world leaders in history and the most visible, after logging over 680,000 miles as pope and being seen in-person by half a billion people.

This is the story spanning Pope St. John Paul II's monumental papacy, from his election in 1978 to his death in 2005.

Be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

OTHER POPECAST LINKS

Become a patron of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast
[BOOK] Sign of Contradiction by St. John Paul II (As Cardinal Karol Wojtyla; Retreat preached to Pope Paul VI & the papal household – https://amzn.to/2WiGi5R
[BOOK] Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert – https://amzn.to/3d3isSf
[BOOK] Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II by George Weigel – https://amzn.to/35n4Dvy

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BONUS: Letter of Pope Benedict XVI for the 100th Birthday of Pope St. John Paul II

Sat, 16 May 2020 05:00:00 GMT

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope St. John Paul II (May 18), Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote a letter to the Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz.

This bonus episode of The Popecast is a free audio reading of that letter.

Become a patron of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast

Read the full text of the letter here.

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PART TWO – The Pope Who Destroyed Communism (Pope St. John Paul II)

Fri, 01 May 2020 04:30:00 GMT

The series so many listeners to The Popecast have been asking about and waiting for is back for Part Two.

Our pope this week, once again, is one of the finest men to ever grace the Chair of St. Peter. Ordained a priest in secret at the start of the Communist occupation of Poland, he was a bishop at 38, an archbishop at 44, and a cardinal at 47. Though he was gifted with a towering intellect and a love for academics, his greatest joy was spending time in the outdoors – canoeing, camping, and praying with his friends.

This is the story spanning Pope St. John Paul II's priesthood and tenure as bishop, archbishop, and cardinal in Poland.

Be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

OTHER POPECAST LINKS

Become a patron of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast
Brand new Popecast shirts at bonfire.com/pope-names
[BOOK] Sign of Contradiction by St. John Paul II (As Cardinal Karol Wojtyla; Retreat preached to Pope Paul VI & the papal household – https://amzn.to/2WiGi5R
[BOOK] Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert – https://amzn.to/3d3isSf
[BOOK] Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II by George Weigel – https://amzn.to/35n4Dvy

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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PART ONE – The Pope Who Destroyed Communism (Pope St. John Paul II)

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 05:00:00 GMT

It’s finally here. The episode so many of you have all been waiting for. And this is just part one…

Our pope this week is one of the finest men to ever grace the Chair of St. Peter. His life was one of unimaginable suffering, having been under the thumb of both the Nazis and the Communists at different points in his life. A renaissance man, he was equal parts philosopher and poet – exercising the head and the heart with unrivaled passion. Losing his earthly mother at age 9, he’s perhaps best known for his devotion to another Mother – God’s Mother.

This is the story of his early life.

Be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

OTHER POPECAST LINKS

Become a patron of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast
Brand new Popecast shirts at http://bit.ly/popenameshirt

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Petra is a line of all natural solid colognes, perfumes, and aromas that are custom blended and handmade using the finest ingredients. We use a base of shea butter, jojoba oil, and beeswax along with the highest quality of therapeutic grade essential oils to create aromas inspired by the stories, history, and traditions of our faith. Promo Code: POPE

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The Pope Who Didn't Back Down (St. Sixtus II)

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 04:30:00 GMT

Our pope this week is one of the greatest heroes of the ancient Church that you’ve never heard of. Well, at least, not until now. He was only pope for a short time, but his witness and heroic martyrdom left a mark that has echoed down through the centuries. Almost 18 centuries, in fact.

Be sure to enter "POPE" at checkout to get 10% off your entire order!

OTHER POPECAST LINKS

Become a patron of The Popecast at patreon.com/thepopecast
Brand new Popecast shirts at http://bit.ly/popenameshirt

Sponsored By:

Catholic Balm Co.: Petra is a line of all natural solid colognes, perfumes, and aromas that are custom blended and handmade using the finest ingredients. We use a base of shea butter, jojoba oil, and beeswax along with the highest quality of therapeutic grade essential oils to create aromas inspired by the stories, history, and traditions of our faith. Promo Code: POPE

Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

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Answering Two Papal Objections (Interview on the Classical Theism podcast)

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 05:00:00 GMT

Our episode this week is an interview we did with John DeRosa of the Classical Theism podcast, a show that’s all about defending Catholic Christian ideas in Conversation with all sorts of excellent guests like Trent Horn, Dr. Ed Feser, Jimmy Akin, Gomer from Catching Foxes and – somehow – yours truly. We chat about the stories of Pope Honorius I and Pope Liberius, along with lots of other great stuff.

Check out his show at classicaltheism.com

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The Pope Who Canceled the Jesuits (Pope Clement XIV)

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Our pontiff this week did one of the most infamous deeds in all of papal history. It was so memorable that no pope since has taken that particular papal name, and he was the butt of a joke at the election of our very own Pope Francis for it. His crime? He suppressed the Society of Jesus.

Support The Popecast on Patreon: patreon.com/thepopecast

LINKS MENTIONED FROM THIS EPISODE

"The Day the Jesuits Were Suppressed" by Professor Steve Weidenkopf – LINK
BOOK: "Mysteries, Marvels and Miracles" (including the story of St. Alphonsus Liguori bilocating to Clement XIV's deathbed) – AMAZON
"Dominus ac Redemptor" (Brief suppressing the Society of Jesus) by Pope Clement XIV – FULL TEXT
"Cum Sunni" (Proclaiming a Universal Jubilee) by Pope Clement XIV – FULL TEXT

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A Review of Netflix's "The Two Popes" (w/ Taylor Schroll of Forte Catholic)

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 15:00:00 GMT

Netflix's new film "The Two Popes" is a recently-released biographical drama of the friendship between Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, when the latter was still Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. The film has been mostly praised in the wider culture and predominantly criticized inside Catholic circles. In this episode, Matt from The Popecast and Taylor from Forte Catholic review the good and the bad of the new film.

Listen to the first half of the review at https://www.fortecatholic.com/radiopodcast/167 (21:20)

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(P.S. I sincerely apogolize for the super crappy audio on my end! With Christmas travels I was without my usual setup, so we made do as best we could in order to get the episode out in time!)

Special Guest: Forte Catholic.

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The Pope Who Made Christmas Official (St. Julius I)

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 06:00:00 GMT

It’s a Popecast Christmas episode this week. Not only did this guy take his turn at fighting off the heresy that had infected a majority of the world’s bishops, but he stood by one of the Church’s greatest bishops and saints, and he may have even been the one to officially declare the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth.

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EXTRA: Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter on the Nativity Scene

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 05:00:00 GMT

A free audio version of Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter_ Admirabile Signum _, defending and encouraging the use of the Nativity Scene – or Christmas creche – for families and communities to develop a deeper understanding of the mystery of Jesus Christ's Incarnation.

FULL TEXT: http://bit.ly/francisnativity
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The (Bad) Pope Caught in Bed With Another Man's Wife (Pope John XII)

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 06:45:00 GMT

Our pope this week – one of the notorious so-called Bad Popes – was what the kids might call “a player”. A man of loose morals who only got the job because on his deathbed dear old dad made Roman officials pinky swear to elect his kid pope. Oh, and he was killed after being caught in bed with a married woman … at the hands of her jealous husband, no less.

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The Lesser-Known Defender of Rome (St. Gelasius I)

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 04:00:00 GMT

We’re back this week with an episode on a pope who was equal parts lion and lamb. His blunt writing on papal authority was a respectful dunk on the eastern emperor, and served as that teaching’s foundation for centuries, but in the same breath he gave away all his earthly possessions before the end, and willingly died penniless.

No. 49 – Pope St. Gelasius
492-496 A.D

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The Last Martyred Pope (St. Martin I)

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 06:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, it’s a pope who answered to no one but God. He was fierce in battling the burgeoning heresy of Monothelitism (which claimed Jesus only had one will), didn’t care if the emperor approved his election or not, and would go on to pay the ultimate price for his efforts, all for the sake of the Church.

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The (Bad) Pope of the Protestant Reformation (Pope Leo X)

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 07:00:00 GMT

On this week’s episode, it’s another one of the “Bad Popes”. This guy loved partying so much, and was so bad at managing money, that one contemporary said he spent three pontificates worth of dough – everything from the guy before him, all of his own money, and all of his successor’s. Oh, and Martin Luther was stirring up a rebellion, and this pope didn’t do much to stop it.

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The Pope of the Counter-Reformation (Paul III)

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 06:45:00 GMT

On this episode of the Popecast it’s a guy who historian Eamon Duffy listed as one of the 10 Popes Who Shook the World. He was friends with a couple of bad popes, did some shady stuff himself in early life, then had a profound conversion and laid the groundwork for reform of the Church that we’re still feeling over 500 years later.

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EXTRA: Audio of Pope Francis' Letter to Priests

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 05:00:00 GMT

On the 160th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, Pope Francis released a letter addressed to all the priests of the world. In the letter, Francis encourages and thanks his brother priests for their service, especially during such a difficult era in the life of the Church.

FULL TEXT: https://bit.ly/popecastfrancisletter

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The Pope and His Enemy, Who Were Martyred Together (Sts. Pontian & Hippolytus)

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 07:30:00 GMT

This week is a Popecast unlike any other. Our pope this episode was not only the first in history to resign his office, but he did so after being exiled alongside his archrival, a man who had set himself up as the Church’s first antipope. And the craziest part about it? Both of them are now saints.

Also, we talk about beards at the end – thanks to a question for Nick, one of our newest patrons!

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The Pope Who Condemned His Predecessor...Sort Of (St. Leo II)

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 02:30:00 GMT

He was in office less than a year, but left a mark on the Church that’s still making waves among Catholics and non-Catholics alike to this very day. Well-educated, a lover of sacred music, and great servant of the poor, for better or for worse this pope is known for formally condemning one of his papal predecessors – though not for being a heretic, just for being wishy-washy and neglecting his sacred duty.

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The Pope Who Gave Us the Feast of Corpus Christi (Urban IV)

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 05:30:00 GMT

Our pope today introduced a day of celebration that’s endured for over THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLENNIUM. In addition to, you know, wrestling power away from a rogue dynasty and otherwise trying to keep the Church afloat in troubled waters. All in just 3 years. No big deal.

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LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:

Transiturus de Hoc Mundo – Papal Bull introducing the Feast of Corpus Christi
Flocknote's Popes in a Year – Pope Urban IV
The Catholic Encyclopedia – Pope Urban IV
Wikipedia – Pope Urban IV – Pope Urban IV
The Catholic Encyclopedia – Feast of Corpus Christi

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The Pope Who Saved Western Civilization (St. Pius V)

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMT

Here's a pope who came from nothing, spent his life fighting for the Truth, and ended up practically saving the world. Better to be frail in body and strong in will, than the other way around.

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DOCUMENTS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE

ESSAY: The Banners of Lepanto by Fr. George Rutler
ESSAY: Our Lady of the Rosary and the Battle of Lepanto by Fr. Steve Grunow
POEM: Lepanto by G.K. Chesterton
* Consueverunt Romani by Pope St. Pius V (Call to Prayer)

BIOGRAPHIES OF POPE ST. PIUS V

Pope St. Pius V in the The Catholic Encyclopedia
Pope St. Pius V in Flocknote's Popes in a Year
Pope St. Pius V at Catholic News Agency
Pope Pius V on Wikipedia

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The Brothers Pope (Sisinnius & Constantine)

Sat, 18 May 2019 06:30:00 GMT

It’s a Popecast first, folks. The first time we’re covering two popes in a single episode AND the first of three times in Church history that two brothers each held the Chair of Peter – and interestingly enough, also the first of three times that the brothers reigned back-to-back. Mama must’ve been so proud.

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LINKS

Pope Sisinnius (Flocknote's Popes in a Year)
Pope Sisinnius (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Pope Sisinnius (Wikipedia)
Pope Constantine (Flocknote's Popes in a Year)
Pope Constantine (Catholic Encyclopedia)
Pope Constantine (Wikipedia)

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Another Very Bad Pope (Alexander VI)

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:00:00 GMT

In 1492, something else happened besides Columbus sailing the ocean blue, namely, that the most notorious pope EVER ascended to the Chair of Peter. This week it's the guy who typically tops the list of every rundown of the so-called “Bad Popes”, and who was described by contemporary historian as “more evil and more lucky than perhaps any pope before him”.

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LINKS

Letter of Pope Pius II rebuking Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia
Inter Caetara (papal bull granting Spain exclusive rights to colonize and explore the New World)
Pope Alexander VI (Popes in a Year - Flocknote)
Pope Alexander VI (Wikipedia)
Pope Alexander VI (Catholic Encyclopedia)

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The Popecast's Guide to Pope Benedict XVI's Letter on the Sex Abuse Scandal

Wed, 01 May 2019 01:30:00 GMT

This episode serves as a brief recap and analysis on Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's recent letter on the Church's sexual abuse crisis – paired with the audio version of the letter released exclusively by The Popecast – for those who have neither the time nor the interest to wade through the minefield of Catholic Twitter to sort it all out.

LINKS MENTIONED ON THE EPISODE

Full Text of Pope Emeritus Benedict's letter: LINK

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

JD Flynn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdflynn/status/1116918335793328128
Ed Condon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/canonlawyered/status/1116686902525083648
Fr. Harrison Ayre on Twitter (2008 speech by Pope Benedict XVI): https://twitter.com/FrHarrison/status/1117322811884937219
Kyle Helmick on Twitter (Catholics who make money off the faith): https://twitter.com/HelmickeyMouse/status/1122247925013282816

CONS (Critics of the letter)

Fr. James Martin / Twitter thread – https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/1116348415812808706
Massimo Faggioli / Commonweal Magazine – Benedict's Untimely Meditation
Jamie Manson / National Catholic Reporter – Pope Benedict Explains Things to Me
Jason Horowitz / New York Times – Dueling Popes? Maybe. Dueling Views in a Divided Church? Definitely.

PROS (In favor of the letter, even with light criticism)

Gerhard Ludwig Muller / First Things – Benedict and His Critics
Marc Barnes / Bad Catholic – Benedict XVI's Critics Are Not Being Smart
Ed Condon / Catholic News Agency – Analysis: How Benedict's essay supports Francis' call for 'zero tolerance'
Marc Barnes / Bad Catholic – Fr. James Martin You Leave My Dad Right Out of This
Dr. Chad Pecknold / Catholic Herald – Why Benedict's Intervention is So Important
Dr. Chad Pecknold / Catholic Herald – Why did Benedict mention the Eucharist in his abuse essay?
Fr. Raymond de Souza / Catholic Herald – Why Benedict by-passed the Vatican

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EXTRA: Audio of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's Letter on Church Sex Abuse Scandal

Sat, 13 Apr 2019 17:00:00 GMT

On April 10, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI released a letter addressing the scandal of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church – of which the full audible reading can be found here. The retired pope gave historical background to how the scandal came to be, how it's affected the formation of priests in seminaries, and what the Church ought to do about it.

FULL TEXT: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-benedict-xvi-the-church-and-the-scandal-of-sexual-abuse-59639

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The Abuse Scandal, Human Nature, & the Altar of the Heart (Interview w/ Dr. Chad Pecknold)

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 20:00:00 GMT

Dr. Chad Pecknold, associate professor of theology at the Catholic University of America, joins the Popecast this week to talk about the present scandal in the Church, human nature, St. Augustine's two Cities, and the papacy's role in securing the Church as a divine institution.

Dr. Pecknold will be speaking at Healing the Breach of Trust on March 26, a day of talks at Catholic University of America and part of a series of planned conferences on the Church's current crisis. Dr. Pecknold's talk and others will be live-streamed here.

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LINKS

BIO

INFO

LIVESTREAM

Special Guest: Dr. Chad Pecknold.

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The Pope Who Didn't Do Anything Funny (Pope St. Hilarius)

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 07:00:00 GMT

This week’s pope has a bit of an ironic name. During his six years in the Chair of Peter, nothing too exciting happened, and certainly nothing that seemed to live up to, uh, how we currently define "hilarious."

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LINKS

Pope St. Hilarius

"Four Saints with Laughably Ridiculous Names"

Pope St. Hilarus

Pope Hilarius

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Interview w/ Trent Horn (Apologist, Speaker, & Author)

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Catholic apologist, speaker, and author Trent Horn joins Matt on The Popecast this week. Topics covered (among others) include:

Biblical basis for the papacyPapal infallibilityWhen is it okay to criticize the pope, and how far is too far?

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LINKS (mentioned in this episode)

Bad Shepherds

Ut Unum Sint

Donum Veritatis

The Papacy: What the Pope Does and Why It Matters

Special Guest: Trent Horn.

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EXTRA: The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 15:00:00 GMT

Normally the Church celebrates feast days for persons – men and women from every age who the Church has held up as models of holy living – but today is a day that celebrates a chair.

Well, at least what the chair represents.

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LINKS

General Audience, February 22, 2006

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

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The Pope Who Had RBF (Servant of God, Pope Benedict XIII)

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 05:00:00 GMT

This week’s pope didn’t want the job, and lived like he didn’t have the job, which got him in some hot water. But the people who worked closest with him knew him only as the parish priest of Rome, and ultimately his personal virtue carried the day. Plus he had RBF.

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The Pope Who Was BFFs With Charlemagne (Pope Adrian I)

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 07:00:00 GMT

This week’s pope is defined by two words. Charlemagne and iconoclasm. And no, I’m not talking the Trump Twitter kind of iconoclasm.

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LINKS

Pope Adrian I

The Republic of St. Peter

The History of Charles the Great

Duodecimum Saeculum

DUBIA LINKS

LINK

The Catholic Herald

LINK

N.C. Register

LINK

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The Pope Who Outsmarted Napoleon (Servant of God, Pope Pius VII)

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 06:00:00 GMT

The pope we’re talking about today was mild-mannered and monkish on the outside, but tough as nails on the inside. He’s went toe to toe with the tiny tyrant for 10 years, and was imprisoned for 6 of them. Never one to let the Church be bullied, he returned the papacy to the respect it deserved, after decades of being drug through the proverbial mud. One of my personal favorites, Pope Pius VII.

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The Pope Who Made the Emperor Kneel in the Snow (St. Gregory VII)

Sat, 19 Jan 2019 07:00:00 GMT

This week’s pope was once described as the epitome of a Christian gentleman, a man of universally recognized virtue, and a profound scholar. He was never one to back down from a fight, and stopped at nothing to reform a broken Church. 1000 years ago, that is.

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The Pope Who Built the Wall (St. Leo IV)

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 04:00:00 GMT

A worker of miracles, a battler of barbarians, and someone described as a man who lived to perfection the saying “pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you.” This week it's Pope #103, St. Leo IV.

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LINKS

AMAZON

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The Pope They Called a Heretic (Honorius I) - Infallibility Series, Pt. 3

Sat, 12 May 2018 15:00:00 GMT

Wait, a pope was actually condemned as a heretic by an ecumenical council of the Church? Sounds like the jig is up – papal infallibility is a false doctrine! Right? Well...we shall see.

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LINKS- Letter from Pope Honorius to St. Honorius of Canterbury- Popecast on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook – @thepopecast - [BOOK] Pope Fiction (by Patrick Madrid): bit.ly/popefiction

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The Pope Who Was Once an Antipope (Vigilius) - Infallibility Series, Pt. 2

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:00:00 GMT

This week's pope was one of the only guys to have been an anti-pope before getting legitimately elected, he pretty much killed his predecessor, and was a bit of a wuss to boot. Yes, even the Bishop of Rome can be a weak-willed flip-flopper, and it followed him around during all 18 years in office.

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LINKS- [BOOK] Pope Fiction (by Patrick Madrid): bit.ly/popefiction- Popecast on Twitter: @thepopecast- Matthew on Twitter: @MatthewJSewell

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Gaudete et Exsultate: Interview w/ Katie Prejean McGrady

Sat, 14 Apr 2018 01:00:00 GMT

Speaker & author Katie Prejean McGrady joins the Popecast to chat about Pope Francis' new apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice & Be Glad), her recent trip to Rome for a pre-Synod gathering of young people, and how Pope Francis knows exactly what he's doing in his mission of evangelization.

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LINKS

Gaudete et Exsultate (FULL TEXT)

Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus

Speech by Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (aka Pope Francis) pre-2013 conclave

Address by Pope Francis to Pre-Synod gathering of young people

Pre-Synod Document

Katie - @katieprejeanMatthew - @matthewjsewellThe Popecast - @thepopecast

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The First Pope to Not Be a Saint (Liberius) - Infallibility Series, Pt. 1

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

How would you like to be the first pope to not be named a saint? First in 350 years and the only non-saint pope in 5 centuries was still pretty holy, but people thought he might be heretic. Also, people use him as an argument against papal infallibility.

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The Pope who Condemned the Sexual Revolution (St. Paul VI)

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 07:00:00 GMT

Paul VI was nothing short of a prophet. He called out society’s future ills decades before they actually happened, and reigned as pope through the assassination of an American President, the sexual revolution, and a sweeping reform in the Church. Plus … drumroll … he just became a saint.

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The Pope Who Confirmed the Canon of Scripture (St. Damasus I)

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 01:00:00 GMT

Ever wonder where the official list of the books of the Bible came from? Well, this guy you’re about to learn about is who we have to thank. Every single one of those 73 books you find in Catholic Bibles was listed out by this guy, at a meeting in Rome, 16 centuries ago.

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The Pope Who Founded Western Civilization (St. Gregory the Great)

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 07:00:00 GMT

Lent is upon us, and we have just the pope. It’s the guy who instituted giving out ashes on Ash Wednesday. The former monk. The humble, generous pontiff who basically founded Western Civilization.

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A Very Bad Pope (Benedict IX)

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 02:00:00 GMT

Our first BAD POPE. Called by the Catholic Encyclopedia a "disgrace to the Chair of Peter" Benedict IX was pope not once, not twice, but THREE separate times, and only because dear ol' dad pulled some strings to get him there in the first place.

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The Pope Who Battled Attila the Hun (St. Leo the Great)

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 06:00:00 GMT

This week we’ve got a pope who was here to chew bubblegum and battle heresy … and he was fresh out of bubblegum. He also once convinced Attila the Hun to hightail it out of Rome. In short, he’s one of the greats. Literally.

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LINKS

The Tome of Leo - http://bit.ly/tomeofleo

Sermons of St. Leo - http://bit.ly/stleosermons

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The Pope with the Bird on His Head (St. Fabian)

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 06:00:00 GMT

This week’s pope was elected in the most unusual of ways. A bird landed on his head. That's right, A BIRD.

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The Pope Who Almost Contributed to the Bible (St. Clement I)

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 04:00:00 GMT

Here's a pope who knew personally more than one of the Apostles -- the ACTUAL APOSTLES -- and wrote a document that was thiiiis close to being included in the canon of the Bible. Batting cleanup for the young church at Pope #4, it’s St. Clement I.

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Mentioned on the Podcast

- Clement's First Epistle to the Corinthians: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-roberts.html

- Joe Heschmeyer on St. Clement I: http://shamelesspopery.com/did-the-papacy-exist-while-john-was-alive/

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The "About Dang Time" Pope (Bl. Gregory X)

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 12:30:00 GMT

This week we’ve got a pope who came to power after 1000 days of an empty papal chair, a guy who wasn’t even a priest when he was elected! Our pontiff this week butted heads with ambitious kings, and made revisions to the Church playbook that lasted for nearly 700 years … among other things. Oh, and he’s also one step away from sainthood.

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The First Pope (St. Peter)

Tue, 02 Jan 2018 23:00:00 GMT

This week we’re talking about perhaps the Church’s worst and best pope. The fisherman of little faith, the Apostle with the keys, the preacher who converted 3,000 in a single sermon.

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Why Popes?

Fri, 22 Dec 2017 16:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, an Atheist, or something in between -- the popes of the Roman Catholic Church matter. Sure, there are 1.2 billion of the world’s citizens who pledge their loyalty to the current pontiff, but St. Peter and his successors over the last 20 centuries have been a source of fascination -- be it for their sanctity, intrigue, or mere curiosity -- for just about everyone.

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