Ethics and Culture Cast

Jennifer Newsome Martin is an associate professor in the Program of Liberal Studies with a joint appointment in the Department of Theology, and, as of July 2024, the director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. We chat about her first semester in the director's chair, our recently-concluded Fall Conference on the Catholic Imagination, and preview some exciting new initiatives at the de Nicola Center. Special Guest: Jenny Martin.

The de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture presented the 2024 Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal—the nation’s most important award for heroes of the pro-life movement—to Dr. Elvira Parravicini, founding director of the Neonatal Comfort Care Program and professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center. She established the Neonatal Comfort Care Program (NCCP) in 2008 to address the complex medical and non-medical needs of infants affected by life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Today, the NCCP connects families with medical professionals, speech pathologists, lactation consultants, child life specialists, psychologists, and chaplains who work together to provide comfort, support, and specialized medical care for babies and their families in a compassionate environment. Special Guest: Elvira Parravicini.

The growing population and vibrant faith of African Catholics have engendered a long-expressed hope that the future of the Church is in Africa. Based on a model of solidarity and mutual enrichment between the Church in Africa and the Church in the United States, Church Life Africa (CLA), a strategic initiative at the University of Notre Dame, takes this hope seriously and calls for an intentional investment in its promise. Special Guests: Fr. Joachim Ozonze, Fr. Ken Amadi, and Fr. William Orbih.

Natalie MacMaster married Donnell Leahy in 2002, who came to prominence as the lead fiddle player for The Leahy Family. Together the pair have released two albums together. The first, One, was released in 2015. The pair released a traditional Christmas album, A Celtic Family Christmas, the year after. Natalie and Donnell have toured the world together and even feature their seven music-loving children in their performances. Special Guests: Donnell Leahy and Natalie MacMaster.

Fr. Fred Jenga, C.S.C. is president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, originally established by Venerable Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. to promote family prayer for peace. Today, HCFM is an international organization of ministries including Family Rosary, the Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life, the Catholic Mom blog, and Family Theater Productions. Special Guest: Fr. Fred Jenga, C.S.C..

Randall B. Smith returns to the studio to discuss his book, "From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality, and the Resurrection of the Body." We chat about how the incarnation of Jesus instituted a radical new way of understanding the universal experience of death. Special Guest: Randall Smith.

Gary Anderson is interested in all dimensions of Biblical studies. His specialization is in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, but because of his interest in the history of interpretation, he also works in Second Temple Judaism and early Christian sources. Special Guest: Gary Anderson.

Michael J. New, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Social Research at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Dartmouth College, Dr. New received a master’s degree in statistics and a doctorate in political science from Stanford University in 2002. He researches and writes about the social science of pro-life issues, and gives presentations on both the positive impact of pro-life laws and the gains in public support for the pro-life position. He is a frequent blogger on National Review Online "The Corner". Special Guest: Michael New.

Micheal Flaherty is a film and podcast producer who has been involved in bringing beloved books to the big screen including the Chronicles of Narnia, The Giver, Charlotte's Web, and Holes, as well as docudramas and documentaries like Amazing Grace and Waiting for Superman. Special Guest: Micheal Flaherty.

In this episode, we chat with Archbishop Anthony Fisher, the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia. We chat about how he discerned his vocation as a Dominican friar, how his training as an ethicist helped him in his pastoral responsibilites in the face of the global pandemic, and where he sees signs of hope for the future of the Church in the modern world. Special Guest: Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP.

In this episode, we chat with Aimee Murphy, founder of Rehumanize International, a human rights organization dedicated to creating a culture of peace and life. We discuss her new book, Rehumanize: A Vision to Secure Human Rights for All, and explore the principles of the Consistent Life Ethic. Special Guest: Aimee Murphy.

Sofia Carozza is a graduate student in neuroscience currently residing in the United Kingdom. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2019. She co-hosts The Pilgrim Soul podcast. Special Guest: Sofia Carozza.

Leonard J. DeLorenzo, Ph.D. (https://www.leonardjdelorenzo.com/about), is the director of undergraduate studies at the McGrath Institute for Church Life where he also serves as academic director for Notre Dame Vision, directs the Sullivan Family Saints Initiative, and hosts the popular radio show and podcast Church Life Today. He holds a concurrent teaching appointment in the Department of Theology. Special Guest: Leonard J. DeLorenzo.

Bo Bonner, senior advisor of mission initiatives and director of the Center for Human Flourishing at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, joins us to chat about his journey to the Catholic faith, how St. John Henry Newman has hounded him throughout his career, and much more. Special Guest: Bo Bonner.

Fr. Harrison returns to the podcast to discuss his book, Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview (https://paulinestore.com/mysterion-the-revelatory-power-of-sacramental-worldview-qs1005939-198267.html). Special Guest: Fr. Harrison Ayre.

Paul Blaschko is an assistant teaching professor in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He heads up curriculum design and digital pedagogy for the God and the Good Life Program, and has recently been working to develop similar curricula at universities across the nation as part of an initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Blaschko completed an MA in philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, a PhD at the University of Notre Dame, and held the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship prior to being appointed to his current position. Special Guest: Paul Blaschko.

Dr. Collier is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and she completed her internal medicine residency and chief medical resident year at the University of Michigan Health System. She is the director of Michigan Medicine's program on Health, Spirituality & Religion. Her special clinical interests include preventative medicine, primary care, depression and heart disease. Special Guest: Kristin Collier, MD.

The de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame presented the 11th annual Notre Dame Evangelium Vitae Medal to Dr. John T. Bruchalski, MD, founder of Tepeyac OB/GYN, one of the largest pro-life clinics in the nation, at a celebration on April 23, 2022. "Dr. Bruchalski is a shining example of the Church's untiring commitment to directly serving mothers, children, and families," said O. Carter Snead, director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. "His personal conversion story is a compelling example of the power of God's grace to transform hearts, and his visionary work at Tepeyac OB/GYN over the past 27 years is an invitation to each of us to employ our talents in service to building a civilization of life and love." Special Guest: John T. Bruchalski, MD.

Writer, editor, publisher, and teacher, Gregory Wolfe has been called “one of the most incisive and persuasive voices of our generation” (Ron Hansen). Both as a thinker and institution-builder, Wolfe has been a pioneer in the resurgence of interest in the relationship between art and religion—a resurgence that has had widespread impact both on religious communities and the public square. As an advocate for the tradition of Christian Humanism, Wolfe has established a reputation as an independent, non-ideological thinker—at times playing the role of gadfly but ultimately seeking to be a reconciler and peacemaker. Special Guest: Greg Wolfe.

Dan Lipinski is the former US Representative for the 3rd Congressional District in Illinois from 2005 to 2021, a member of the Democratic Party. He was co-chair of the Bi-partisan Congressional Pro-life Caucus. Special Guest: Daniel Lipinski.