CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

In our first episode since Easter Sunday, and in light of the extraordinary number of new Catholic converts this year, we cover the amazing (and very familiar sounding!) conversion account of the first early American Puritan Pastor to the Catholic Faith. His name was John Thayer. He was known to Benjamin Franklin, and even challenged John Adams on Luther and Calvin. He converted in 1783, the same year the United States won its independence from Great Britain, and later became a priest dedicated to evangelizing his beloved America.

Christ is King! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

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Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

03:58 - Roadmap

05:16 - Historical Context

11:58 - Conversion: Intro

13:32 - Family Background

15:18 - Traveling to Rome, Prejudice Against Catholics Melting

17:35 - Inspiring Thought at the Pantheon

19:59 - Desiring to Learn the Catholic Faith to Shed Prejudice

25:05 - Catholic Unity of Faith + Diversity of Opinions

28:17 - The Instability of Protestantism

30:38 - Inquiring into the Catholic Faith + Respecting Guardian Angel

32:38 - The Miracles of St. Benedict Joseph Labre

35:50 - Surrounded by Catholic Truth, But Still Unwilling to Convert

37:23 - Discovering "Manifesto of a Christian Knight Converted to the Catholic Religion"

40:40 - Deciding to Become Catholic

41:50 - Final Obstacle: Veneration of Mary and the Saints

45:23 - Greatly Changed Upon Becoming Catholic

48:52 - Conclusion of the Conversion Story

49:42 - Concluding Reflections

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this Holy Week 2026, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Good Friday Sermon 70, delivered on April 2, 443, 1,583 years ago! This is the final sermon in our 2026 series "The Mystery of Lent with the Church Fathers," and in it, St. Pope Leo the Great reminds us that for Christians, taking up the cross is not an option. If we refuse, we will be damned. If we accept and endure to the end by God's grace, we will be saved.

May we join Our Lord on His Cross as we anticipate the joy of His Resurrection!

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

04:43 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 70 (April 2, 443)

17:29 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this final week of Lent before Holy week, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Lenten Sermon 40, delivered on March 1, 442, 1,584 years ago! Once more, this great Pope and Church Father presents us with powerful Lenten themes of sacrifice and penance being the marks of true Christians. Lent is what proves we are Christians. If yours has not gone as well as you hoped: it's not over! You still have time to offer generous sacrifices for Our Lord in preparation for the Passover.

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

10:59 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 40 (March 1, 442)

19:50 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this fifth week of Lent, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Lenten Sermon 43, delivered on February 25, 445, 1,581 years ago! Once more, this great Pope and Church Father presents us with powerful Lenten themes of sacrifice and penance being the marks of true Christians. Lent is indeed the "bootcamp" for Christian soldiers, and the "training field" for Christian athletes.

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

https://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

16:40 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 43 (February 25, 445)

26:15 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this fourth week of Lent, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Lenten Sermon 39, delivered on February 9, 441. Once more, this powerful sermon reminds us that the conquering of self is absolutely vital to Christian life and salvation. This great and saintly Pope especially reminds us that three of the most powerful means of doing so is forgiving others, fasting, and almsgiving.

May this Lent be arduous and sanctifying!

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

15:54 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 39 (February 9, 441)

26:51 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this second week of Lent, we are contemplating Sermon 44 of St. Pope Leo the Great (c. 391-461), which was delivered exactly 1,575 years before the publication of this episode. Like last week's sermon, it is brimming with incredible Lenten insights and vindications of the Catholic Faith, reminding us that we are not truly Christians unless we bear the cross of Christ.

May this Lent be arduous and sanctifying!

You can purchase the CUA volume we read from here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro

08:38 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 44 (February 25, 451)

15:52 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

In this Ash Wednesday episode, we enter into Eternal Christendom's traditional Lenten "hiddenness" in which we do audio-only episodes, reading and reflecting on Lenten sermons by the Church Fathers each week until we attain the joy of the Lord's Resurrection.

This Lent, we will read the sermons of St. Pope Leo the Great (c. 391-461), a great Saint, Church Father, Doctor of the Church, and Pope. Our first reading will be Sermon 48, delivered on March 13, 455. It is full of insights about our Catholic Faith, as well as refutations of various heresies and errors that are popular in our day. He compares our Lenten preparation for the joy of the "Pascal Feast" (Easter) with cleansing the "temples" of our soul.

May we sacrifice greatly for love of Christ this Lent, rightly preparing the temples of our souls!

You can purchase the CUA volume we read from here.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

https://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro

12:30 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 48 (March 13, 455)

22:00 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

In this episode we interview Ryan Grant, a Latinist and founder of Mediatrix Press, about Martin Luther, specifically some of the myths, confusions, and even lies that have been built up around him to justify the protestant "reformation."

Among many other great works it has revived, Mediatrix Press produced the first English translation in 500 years of St. John Fisher's "Against Luther's Babylonian Captivity." Fisher was among the only bishops to remain faithful to the Church in England, and was later martyred for his defense of the Catholic Faith. Joshua Charles wrote the Foreword to this volume.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

https://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro and Guest Biography

07:23 - Myths About Luther: Why This Matters

24:41 - What Indulgences Actually Are

40:52 - What Really Happened in 1517

52:01 - Luther's Education, and Latin vs. Vernacular

01:22:33 - Indulgence Myths

01:46:49 - The Myth of "The Church Left Luther"

02:21:32 - Pope Adrian VI's Repentance for the Papacy's Sins

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.