Why wait until January 1st to make life-changing resolutions when the Catholic Church offers a fresh spiritual start every Advent? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Greg Willits, author of God Doesn't Hate Me After All (Sophia Institute Press) and founder of Rosary Army, to discuss the concept of Liturgical New Year's resolutions. 

Willits explains why the start of the liturgical year—beginning on the First Sunday of Advent—is the ideal time for Catholics to evaluate their spiritual lives and set intentional goals to grow in holiness. Referencing Paragraph 522 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Willits notes that if God prepared over centuries for the coming of His Son, faithful Catholics can certainly take a few weeks in November to prepare their hearts. He shares personal testimonies about making sacrifices—such as offering up specific abstinences or personal resolutions for the conversion of loved ones or fallen-away Catholics—and highlights how the natural progression from Advent to the calendar New Year and Lent provides built-in touchpoints to renew one's spiritual commitment. Stream now to listen!

Why wait until January 1st to make life-changing resolutions when the Catholic Church offers a fresh spiritual start every Advent? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Greg Willits, author of God Doesn't Hate Me After All (Sophia Institute Press) and founder of Rosary Army, to discuss the concept of Liturgical New Year's resolutions. 
Willits explains why the start of the liturgical year&mdash;beginning on the First Sunday of Advent&mdash;is the ideal time for Catholics to evaluate their spiritual lives and set intentional goals to grow in holiness. Referencing Paragraph 522 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Willits notes that if God prepared over centuries for the coming of His Son, faithful Catholics can certainly take a few weeks in November to prepare their hearts. He shares personal testimonies about making sacrifices&mdash;such as offering up specific abstinences or personal resolutions for the conversion of loved ones or fallen-away Catholics&mdash;and highlights how the natural progression from Advent to the calendar New Year and Lent provides built-in touchpoints to renew one's spiritual commitment. Stream now to listen!

Son Rise Morning Show The Son Rise Morning Show with Anna Mitchell and Matt Swaim is fast-paced, motivating and informational – always from the Catholic perspective. You’ll hear news, engaging interviews, prayer and more each weekday morning from 6am-8am ET. 

Son Rise Morning Show The Son Rise Morning Show with Anna Mitchell and Matt Swaim is fast-paced, motivating and informational – always from the Catholic perspective. You’ll hear news, engaging interviews, prayer and more each weekday morning from 6am-8am ET. <a href="https://www.ewtn.com/radio/podcasts/son-rise-morning-show-~NZ"></a>

Son Rise Morning Show

Featured Interviews

Liturgical New Year Resolutions: Greg Willits on Preparing for Advent & Spiritual Growth

How does devotion to the Holy Eucharist transform family life, inspire religious vocations, and fuel a culture of life? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes Sr. Deirdre "DeDe" Byrne, POSC—active-duty military veteran, thoracic surgeon, superior of the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts, and author of Sister Soldier Surgeon—to preview her upcoming All Saints Day event at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.

Sr. Deirdre reflects on her upbringing in a devout Catholic home where her parents prioritized daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration despite demanding schedules, demonstrating how the Eucharist forms the spiritual foundation for strong families. She addresses the global crisis of religious vocations and the breakdown of marriage, linking these challenges to broader cultural shifts, contraception, and the widespread destruction of life through abortion. Drawing on her experiences serving as a medical first responder at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, Sr. Deirdre compares man's inhumanity to man on that day with the daily reality of abortion mills, calling for a return to the love and power found before the Most Blessed Sacrament. Stream now to listen!

How does devotion to the Holy Eucharist transform family life, inspire religious vocations, and fuel a culture of life? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes Sr. Deirdre "DeDe" Byrne, POSC&mdash;active-duty military veteran, thoracic surgeon, superior of the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts, and author of Sister Soldier Surgeon&mdash;to preview her upcoming All Saints Day event at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
Sr. Deirdre reflects on her upbringing in a devout Catholic home where her parents prioritized daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration despite demanding schedules, demonstrating how the Eucharist forms the spiritual foundation for strong families. She addresses the global crisis of religious vocations and the breakdown of marriage, linking these challenges to broader cultural shifts, contraception, and the widespread destruction of life through abortion. Drawing on her experiences serving as a medical first responder at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, Sr. Deirdre compares man's inhumanity to man on that day with the daily reality of abortion mills, calling for a return to the love and power found before the Most Blessed Sacrament. Stream now to listen!

The Power of the Blessed Sacrament: Sr. Deirdre Byrne on Vocations, Family, and Pro-Life Witness

How do the upcoming solemnities of All Saints and All Souls reframe our understanding of mortality, holiness, and the universality of the Church? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Fr. Duncan, priest of the Diocese of Charleston and host of the Bone Church Revival Podcast, to reflect on the rich Catholic traditions surrounding death, resurrection, and sanctity.

Fr. Duncan explores how the autumn transition into winter serves as a spiritual reminder of mortality, pointing directly to All Souls' Day and the Catholic Church's teaching on purgatory—affirming that Jesus Christ, not sin or death, has the final word on the faithful. Looking ahead to All Saints' Day, he unpacks how the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are first and foremost descriptions of Christ Himself, while the vast cloud of witnesses—from ancient Roman martyrs to the newly beatified Franciscan Georgia Martyrs—proves that living a life subsumed in Christ's grace is genuinely possible for every person.

Swaim and Fr. Duncan also discuss the true, authentic "diversity" of the Catholic Church as envisioned in Revelation 7, where a great multitude from every nation, race, people, and tongue gathers around the throne of God, unified by the transformative power of the sacraments. Stream now to listen!

How do the upcoming solemnities of All Saints and All Souls reframe our understanding of mortality, holiness, and the universality of the Church? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes back Fr. Duncan, priest of the Diocese of Charleston and host of the Bone Church Revival Podcast, to reflect on the rich Catholic traditions surrounding death, resurrection, and sanctity.
Fr. Duncan explores how the autumn transition into winter serves as a spiritual reminder of mortality, pointing directly to All Souls' Day and the Catholic Church's teaching on purgatory&mdash;affirming that Jesus Christ, not sin or death, has the final word on the faithful. Looking ahead to All Saints' Day, he unpacks how the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are first and foremost descriptions of Christ Himself, while the vast cloud of witnesses&mdash;from ancient Roman martyrs to the newly beatified Franciscan Georgia Martyrs&mdash;proves that living a life subsumed in Christ's grace is genuinely possible for every person.
Swaim and Fr. Duncan also discuss the true, authentic "diversity" of the Catholic Church as envisioned in Revelation 7, where a great multitude from every nation, race, people, and tongue gathers around the throne of God, unified by the transformative power of the sacraments. Stream now to listen!

The Communion of Saints and the Hope of Resurrection: Fr. Duncan on All Saints, All Souls, and Christian Mortality

How are shifting health trends affecting stroke incidence in younger demographics, and how can cutting-edge blood tests transform traumatic brain injury (TBI) detection? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes Bobby Schindler, President of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, to discuss recent scientific developments regarding brain health and vulnerable patients.

Schindler reviews a landmark study led by Dr. Emily Fisher at the University of Cincinnati (published in Neurology), which revealed that stroke incidence among adults aged 20 to 54 nearly doubled over a nearly three-decade period. Schindler highlights identified contributing factors, including rising rates of hypertension, diabetes, and a sharp increase in substance and marijuana use among young adult stroke patients. 

Additionally, Schindler details a new study from researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Pittsburgh (published in the Journal of Neurosurgery) focused on mild traumatic brain injuries. The research identifies specific blood protein biomarkers that detect brain injuries missed by initial emergency room CT scans, paving the way for faster, accurate diagnoses without relying solely on expensive MRIs. Schindler emphasizes how these diagnostic advances are crucial for advocating for medically vulnerable patients recovering from strokes and brain trauma. Stream now to listen!

How are shifting health trends affecting stroke incidence in younger demographics, and how can cutting-edge blood tests transform traumatic brain injury (TBI) detection? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Matt Swaim welcomes Bobby Schindler, President of the Terri Schiavo Life &amp; Hope Network, to discuss recent scientific developments regarding brain health and vulnerable patients.
Schindler reviews a landmark study led by Dr. Emily Fisher at the University of Cincinnati (published in Neurology), which revealed that stroke incidence among adults aged 20 to 54 nearly doubled over a nearly three-decade period. Schindler highlights identified contributing factors, including rising rates of hypertension, diabetes, and a sharp increase in substance and marijuana use among young adult stroke patients. 
Additionally, Schindler details a new study from researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of Pittsburgh (published in the Journal of Neurosurgery) focused on mild traumatic brain injuries. The research identifies specific blood protein biomarkers that detect brain injuries missed by initial emergency room CT scans, paving the way for faster, accurate diagnoses without relying solely on expensive MRIs. Schindler emphasizes how these diagnostic advances are crucial for advocating for medically vulnerable patients recovering from strokes and brain trauma. Stream now to listen!

Liturgical New Year Resolutions: Greg Willits on Preparing for Advent & Spiritual Growth

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