The Catholic Torch

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(0:00) Hello, and welcome to the Catholic Torch Podcast. (0:04) My name is Richard Becker. (0:06) I want to welcome everyone to the show.(0:08) This podcast is going to take a deeper dive into the writings of the saints, and we are (0:13) going to evaluate how they lived and what steps they took to get to know, love, and serve (0:18) God. (0:20) I am purposefully choosing to not make the focus of this podcast about the crisis in the church. (0:25) Every era of Catholicism has had heresies and a crisis.(0:30) Our time is no different. (0:32) What transcends time and matters for our eternity, is growing in holiness. (0:37) So the purpose of the Catholic Torch Podcast is to inform people how they can grow in virtue, (0:43) how to sacrifice their own wants and desires, and ultimately to love God better.

(0:49) The first older document I will be covering is the dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena. (0:55) This is the conversation she had with God while in mental prayer. (0:59) She dictated the conversation to four Dominican brothers, while she was in prayer and they transcribed (1:04) her words.(1:05) This I find, is such a crucial document for all of us to understand. (1:10) It is God talking to Catherine about how much he truly loves us, and how he wants to (1:15) be loved back. (1:17) These are his terms.(1:18) They are not going to be easy to hear for some listeners, but out of love for all of (1:24) those souls out there, they still have to be said. (1:27) The truth must prevail. (1:29) There are many practical steps described on how to arrive at this love for God.(1:34) Catherine never doubted them and neither did any of her spiritual children, and to their (1:39) great reward. (1:40) The world is starved of men talking of the love of God in most pockets because man has (1:45) made himself his own god, or tells God how it’s going to be. (1:49) This book is going to break that down very quickly, and build a better foundation of what (1:55) we are to actually be doing.

(1:58) And now to give the listeners a little bit about myself. (2:01) I am a cradle Catholic. (2:03) I started off in the Novus Ordo and discovered the tradition after being a nominal Catholic (2:08) at best in college and early married life.(2:11) My wife and I found the tradition thanks to many events that happened in 2020, but (2:16) most of all because Mr. Steve Cunningham and all the sermons that he posts over on (2:20) Sensus Fidelium. (2:22) Once I really dove into the faith, and started reading all the old encyclicals and papal bulls, (2:27) and the great doctors of the church and the catechisms, it just made sense finally. (2:33) Not to mention the daily rosary.(2:35) When Mama Mary gets a hold of you, it’s nearly impossible to resist. (2:40) There will never be a better mother than, the Mother of God. (2:44) When I’m not busy with all this podcast work, my wife and I run Holy Queen Handmade.(2:50) We make custom leather covers for the 1962 Missals and various other traditional books. (2:56) We offer other leather goods on the site as well. (2:59) You can go and check out our work at

https://www.holyqueenhandmade.com/

(3:09) You can find this podcast on the following platforms, Podbean, Spotify, YouTube and (3:16) my own website, TheCatholicTorch.com. (3:20) On the website, I will have a transcription of the podcasts for each episode.(3:24) For those of you out there that prefer to read or want to do further study of the resources (3:29) I will provide at the end of the page. (3:32) Thank you for listening and hearing my overview for the Catholic Torch. (3:36) I hope to see you on the next episode.(3:39) Remember to pray your rosary every day.