Liz Lev

William Briggs

Kathleen Carr

Claudia McAdam

Josh Wood

Mark Brumley

Ken Craycraft

Today, art historian Elizabeth Lev tells us about architect (and possible saint) Antoni Gaudi, whose massive Cathedral of the Holy Family is finally complete; writer Claudia McAdam on a miraculous snowfall celebrated at once of the greatest churches named for Mary on August 5th, and much more!

Liz Lev Tours is at lizlevtours.com

Find William M Briggs at wmbriggs.substack.com

Get “Wolfgang Smith for Everyone” at angelicopress.com

Read “RIP Wolfgang Smith” at wmbriggs.com/post/52575/

Get “The Miracle of the August Snow” at orderOSV.com  — 50% off through August

Find all Claudia McAdam and her books at ClaudiaMcAdam.com

Them Before Us is at thembeforeus.com

Ignatius Press is at Ignatius.com

Today, art historian Elizabeth Lev tells us about architect (and possible saint) Antoni Gaudi, whose massive Cathedral of the Holy Family is finally complete; writer Claudia McAdam on a miraculous snowfall celebrated at once of the greatest churches named for Mary on August 5th, and much more!
Liz Lev Tours is at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lizlevtours.com/">lizlevtours.com</a>
Find William M Briggs at&nbsp;<a href="https://wmbriggs.substack.com/">wmbriggs.substack.com</a>
Get &ldquo;Wolfgang Smith for Everyone&rdquo; at&nbsp;<a href="https://angelicopress.com/products/wolfgang-smith-for-everyone-bruno-berard/">angelicopress.com</a>
Read &ldquo;RIP Wolfgang Smith&rdquo; at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wmbriggs.com/post/52575/">wmbriggs.com/post/52575/</a>
Get &ldquo;The Miracle of the August Snow&rdquo; at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.orderosv.com/">orderOSV.com</a>&nbsp; &mdash; 50% off through August
Find all Claudia McAdam and her books at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.claudiamcadam.com/">ClaudiaMcAdam.com</a>
Them Before Us is at&nbsp;<a href="https://thembeforeus.com/">thembeforeus.com</a>
Ignatius Press is at&nbsp;<a href="https://ignatius.com/">Ignatius.com</a>

Driving Home the Faith with Dr. Ken Craycraft.

Driving Home the Faith with Dr. Ken Craycraft.

Driving Home the Faith 2026

Dr. Ken Craycraft hosts Driving Home the Faith, catching you up on what’s going on in the world, across the country and in our local Catholic community. 

Dr. Ken Craycraft hosts Driving Home the Faith, catching you up on what&rsquo;s going on in the world, across the country and in our local Catholic community.&nbsp;

Driving Home the Faith

Driving Home the Faith 2025

Driving Home the Faith 2026.07.27

What does it really take to serve well as a Catholic cantor? On Driving Home the Faith, Ken Craycraft speaks with Rebecca Schaffer-Wells about the new Fifth Sunday Cantor Forum Podcast, created for cantors, music directors, and accompanists who want to grow in their ministry and musicianship.

Rebecca explains how the idea developed from conversations with parish musicians who were looking for meaningful training and formation. The podcast will address everything from vocal technique and musicianship to proclaiming the Psalms, understanding Scripture, and the many responsibilities that come with serving as a cantor at Mass.

Rebecca is joined in the project by experienced church musicians and cantor educators, including Annie Donlon Davis and Joe Simmons, who has extensive experience as a cantor and was involved in the development of National Pastoral Musicians' cantor certification requirements.

The conversation also takes an unexpected turn as Ken and Rebecca reflect on the legacy of Dolly Parton, her remarkable musical talent, humility, and generosity—particularly her efforts to promote childhood literacy.

Whether you're a longtime cantor, a music director, an accompanist, or someone considering this important ministry, the Fifth Sunday Cantor Forum Podcast aims to provide practical formation and encouragement for those who help God's people lift their voices in worship.

What does it really take to serve well as a Catholic cantor? On Driving Home the Faith, Ken Craycraft speaks with Rebecca Schaffer-Wells about the new Fifth Sunday Cantor Forum Podcast, created for cantors, music directors, and accompanists who want to grow in their ministry and musicianship.
Rebecca explains how the idea developed from conversations with parish musicians who were looking for meaningful training and formation. The podcast will address everything from vocal technique and musicianship to proclaiming the Psalms, understanding Scripture, and the many responsibilities that come with serving as a cantor at Mass.
Rebecca is joined in the project by experienced church musicians and cantor educators, including Annie Donlon Davis and Joe Simmons, who has extensive experience as a cantor and was involved in the development of National Pastoral Musicians' cantor certification requirements.
The conversation also takes an unexpected turn as Ken and Rebecca reflect on the legacy of Dolly Parton, her remarkable musical talent, humility, and generosity&mdash;particularly her efforts to promote childhood literacy.
Whether you're a longtime cantor, a music director, an accompanist, or someone considering this important ministry, the Fifth Sunday Cantor Forum Podcast aims to provide practical formation and encouragement for those who help God's people lift their voices in worship.

The Fifth Sunday Cantor Forum: Equipping Cantors to Lead the Church in Song

What can great movies teach us about faith, virtue, suffering, courage, and the human person?

On Driving Home the Faith, Dr. Ken Craycraft speaks with Andrew Petiprin, founder and editor of the Spirituality of the Arts Institute and co-author of Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List.

The conversation explores the Vatican's list of 45 important films, released in 1995 to mark the centenary of cinema. Rather than being simply a list of the "best" Catholic movies, the films are organized around three themes: Religion, Values, and Art.

Ken and Andrew discuss why the Catholic Church came to recognize cinema as an important art form and why Catholics should engage with great films even when those films are not explicitly religious.

Among the films they explore are:
A Man for All Seasons and the courage of St. Thomas More
The Passion of Joan of Arc and the enduring witness of St. Joan of Arc
2001: A Space Odyssey and the surprising depth Andrew discovered upon revisiting the film
It's a Wonderful Life and its themes of prayer, community, human dignity, and the importance of one person's life
The Leopard
Modern Times
Gandhi and some of the questions surrounding its inclusion on the Vatican list

The discussion also considers the relationship between art and evangelization. A film doesn't have to preach the Gospel explicitly to raise profound questions about human existence, morality, suffering, courage, sacrifice, and what ultimately gives our lives meaning.

Ken and Andrew also discuss St. Thomas More's martyrdom, the example of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, and the importance of following one's conscience even when doing so comes at tremendous personal cost.

Ultimately, Popcorn with the Pope offers an invitation to look at movies differently—not merely as entertainment, but as works of art that can challenge us, deepen our understanding of the human person, and even open our hearts to the transcendent.

Great films can do more than entertain us. They can teach us how to see.

What can great movies teach us about faith, virtue, suffering, courage, and the human person?
On Driving Home the Faith, Dr. Ken Craycraft speaks with Andrew Petiprin, founder and editor of the Spirituality of the Arts Institute and co-author of Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List.
The conversation explores the Vatican's list of 45 important films, released in 1995 to mark the centenary of cinema. Rather than being simply a list of the "best" Catholic movies, the films are organized around three themes: Religion, Values, and Art.
Ken and Andrew discuss why the Catholic Church came to recognize cinema as an important art form and why Catholics should engage with great films even when those films are not explicitly religious.
Among the films they explore are:
<ul data-start="911" data-end="1410">
<li data-section-id="1dequpw" data-start="911" data-end="979">A Man for All Seasons and the courage of St. Thomas More</li>
<li data-section-id="1428t2y" data-start="980" data-end="1062">The Passion of Joan of Arc and the enduring witness of St. Joan of Arc</li>
<li data-section-id="1q6solh" data-start="1063" data-end="1160">2001: A Space Odyssey and the surprising depth Andrew discovered upon revisiting the film</li>
<li data-section-id="a74h1v" data-start="1161" data-end="1282">It's a Wonderful Life and its themes of prayer, community, human dignity, and the importance of one person's life</li>
<li data-section-id="1qsnauo" data-start="1283" data-end="1302">The Leopard</li>
<li data-section-id="1a2fw1d" data-start="1303" data-end="1323">Modern Times</li>
<li data-section-id="1lp5qvp" data-start="1324" data-end="1410">Gandhi and some of the questions surrounding its inclusion on the Vatican list</li>
</ul>
The discussion also considers the relationship between art and evangelization. A film doesn't have to preach the Gospel explicitly to raise profound questions about human existence, morality, suffering, courage, sacrifice, and what ultimately gives our lives meaning.
Ken and Andrew also discuss St. Thomas More's martyrdom, the example of Blessed Franz J&auml;gerst&auml;tter, and the importance of following one's conscience even when doing so comes at tremendous personal cost.
Ultimately, Popcorn with the Pope offers an invitation to look at movies differently&mdash;not merely as entertainment, but as works of art that can challenge us, deepen our understanding of the human person, and even open our hearts to the transcendent.
Great films can do more than entertain us. They can teach us how to see.

Popcorn with the Pope: Finding Faith, Values, and Truth in Great Films

Can movies help us see the world—and even our faith—in a deeper way?

On Driving Home the Faith, Dr. Ken Craycraft welcomes Andrew Petiprin, founder and editor of the Scepter Institute, author, podcaster, and former Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism. Petiprin is the co-author, along with David Paul Baird and Fr. Michael Ward, of Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List from Word on Fire.

The conversation explores the Vatican's 1995 list of 45 important films, released to mark the centenary of cinema. The list includes everything from The Wizard of Oz, Fantasia, and It's a Wonderful Life to Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Modern Times, and internationally acclaimed works by directors such as Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman.

Petiprin explains that the Vatican's list isn't necessarily a ranking of the "45 greatest movies" or a list of films every Catholic must watch. Instead, the films are divided into three categories: Religion, Values, and Art—reflecting the Church's recognition that cinema can engage the human person in many different ways.

The discussion also looks at the Church's changing relationship with film. While the Church initially had concerns about the influence of the rapidly growing movie industry, by the middle of the 20th century it became increasingly clear that cinema could be a genuine and powerful art form capable of exploring profound questions about the human person, morality, relationships, suffering, beauty, and God.

Ken and Andrew also consider whether there is a single theme connecting all 45 films—and why the answer may be more complicated than we expect.

Can movies help us see the world&mdash;and even our faith&mdash;in a deeper way?
On Driving Home the Faith, Dr. Ken Craycraft welcomes Andrew Petiprin, founder and editor of the Scepter Institute, author, podcaster, and former Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism. Petiprin is the co-author, along with David Paul Baird and Fr. Michael Ward, of Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List from Word on Fire.
The conversation explores the Vatican's 1995 list of 45 important films, released to mark the centenary of cinema. The list includes everything from The Wizard of Oz, Fantasia, and It's a Wonderful Life to Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Modern Times, and internationally acclaimed works by directors such as Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman.
Petiprin explains that the Vatican's list isn't necessarily a ranking of the "45 greatest movies" or a list of films every Catholic must watch. Instead, the films are divided into three categories: Religion, Values, and Art&mdash;reflecting the Church's recognition that cinema can engage the human person in many different ways.
The discussion also looks at the Church's changing relationship with film. While the Church initially had concerns about the influence of the rapidly growing movie industry, by the middle of the 20th century it became increasingly clear that cinema could be a genuine and powerful art form capable of exploring profound questions about the human person, morality, relationships, suffering, beauty, and God.
Ken and Andrew also consider whether there is a single theme connecting all 45 films&mdash;and why the answer may be more complicated than we expect.

Driving Home the Faith 2026.07.27

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