Podcasting Priests
CHARLOTTE — Priests across the Diocese of Charlotte are taking to podcasting, offering homilies, insights on spiritual classics, and practical applications of theology to everyday life. The latest offerings are by priests in Charlotte and Mount Holly, who are working with TAN Books.
Father Timothy Reid has just launched “The Commentaries: The Interior Castle,” an exploration of the spiritual classic by St. Teresa of Ávila.
And TAN Books’ series “From the Rooftop” with Monsignor Patrick Winslow and Father Matthew Kauth will soon celebrate a year on the air. The duo first conceived the idea as a radio show during their seminary days more than 25 years ago as they pondered how to apply what they were learning to the lives of those they would one day shepherd.
Interested? Take an inside look at both podcasts with the Catholic News Herald.
Explore ‘The Interior Castle’
Recording from the rectory of St. Ann Church in Charlotte, Father Timothy Reid helps listeners read and understand St. Teresa of Ávila’s magnum opus in “The Commentaries: The Interior Castle.”
A Third Order Carmelite since 2007 and spiritual director for Charlotte’s Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Secular Carmelite group, Father Reid is well-versed on the spirituality of St. Teresa of Ávila, one of history’s most famous Carmelites. The Spanish nun and mystic reformed Carmelite life in the 16th century, but had previously struggled in the path to sanctity, making her relatable to modern readers.
“I have developed a devotion to all of the Carmelite saints,” Father Reid says. “As part of our formation as secular Carmelites, we study all of the great writings of our saints, including ‘The Interior Castle.’ It made quite an impression on me during my formation, and it’s a book that I’ve often gone back to study.”
Conor Gallagher, CEO of TAN Books, knew of Father Reid’s great love for St. Teresa of Ávila and pitched the idea of the commentary podcast leading listeners through “The Interior Castle.”
The 20-episode series is now available on streaming platforms and at www.tandirection.com/podcasts.
Father Reid says he aims to help people gain a greater understanding of one of the most important books on the spiritual life and a greater love for St. Teresa of Ávila.
“I hope listeners of this podcast will be motivated to really dig into their prayer lives and seek to grow in holiness,” he says. “And I really hope the listeners come to a greater confidence in God’s love for mankind, which becomes so evident as one moves through this book.”
Creating the podcast has been spiritually beneficial for Father Reid, too.
“It has been a great reminder of how seriously I must take my own spiritual life,” he says. “The process of our sanctification isn’t easy. It’s hard to be a saint! But it is God’s will that we each grow in real intimacy with Him so that we can become saints.”
Father Reid, who is also the vicar of education for the Diocese of Charlotte’s Catholic Schools system, strongly recommended that Catholics put aside the myriad forms of media available today, noting that most of it is not edifying.
“I never tire of studying the lives and writings of the saints, for doing so always provides encouragement to persevere in a life of prayer and works of charity, and to persevere in seeking God’s will – no matter what the cost,” he says.
“Watching TikTok videos, scrolling endlessly through Twitter, or binge-watching Netflix won’t get us to heaven. But following the teachings and examples of the saints will.”
View the Church ‘From the Rooftop’
The seeds of “From the Rooftop” were planted long ago when Monsignor Patrick Winslow and Father Matthew Kauth were in the seminary together in Washington, D.C. Now in full bloom more than 25 years later, the podcast has been on the air for a year and features 25 episodes covering a range of topics related to theology, morality, liturgical living and everyday life as a Catholic.
As Monsignor Winslow and Father Kauth prepared for exams in the seminary, they found that they wanted to continue their discussions of eschatology, the life of grace, and moral theology.
They climbed through windows and up ladders to reach the parapet of the seminary’s tower where a beautiful scene unfolded as they looked out over the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, The Catholic University of America, and iconic monuments in the nation’s capital. There, the future priests pondered how they would be able to draw forth discipleship in those they would soon serve – applying what they were learning to the lives of their flocks.
“In a certain sense, the setting – without us knowing at the time – was perfect for this disposition because we were looking out at the world, we were looking out at the people, we were looking out upon the things that were going on at the time, and we were trying to see it all in the light of faith,” Monsignor Winslow recalls in the first episode of the podcast.
Decades after their time in the seminary, Monsignor Winslow, now vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of Charlotte, and Father Kauth, now rector of St. Joseph College Seminary, brought their idea for a radio show to life as a podcast. The priests began partnering with TAN Books to distribute
“From the Rooftop” in August 2022.
Longtime friends and brother priests, the hosts have a natural, easy-going rapport.
“I hope the podcast encourages people to cultivate the spiritual dimension of their friendships,” Monsignor Winslow says.
On the show, the hosts seek to meet listeners where they are and elevate their minds to heavenly things.
“Sometimes I hear that it isn’t intellectual enough, and sometimes I hear that it is a bit over the heads of the listeners,” Father Kauth says. “Given that I hear both, we are probably hitting where we desire to. Mostly, it has been a joy to have so many tell me how much they enjoy the episodes. They speak of it bringing them just a bit of joy and that they relate and laugh a lot.”
— Annie Ferguson
Three priests in the Diocese of Charlotte have free, not-for-profit podcasts distributed by TAN Books. In the new release, “The Commentaries: The Interior Castle,” Father Timothy Reid leads listeners through the spiritual classic by St. Teresa of Ávila. Monsignor Patrick Winslow and Father Matthew Kauth apply their theological knowledge to everyday life in “From the Rooftop.” (Photos provided by TAN Books)
Listen for yourself
Find these podcasts and others at www.tandirection.com/podcasts. For more podcasts and homily recordings from priests across the Diocese of Charlotte, go to
www.catholicnewsherald.com/viewpoints.
There are several common misconceptions regarding the principles and practice of Natural Family Planning. Check out the realities behind frequent myths.
MYTH
NFP is based on guesswork: it's what people used before modern science developed contraception.
REALITY
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is not based on folktales! NFP is a general title for the methods of family planning that are science-based, accurate, natural, healthy, reliable and moral. There are many NFP methods and all can be used to achieve, or to postpone, a pregnancy naturally.
NFP is based on scientific research about women's cycles of fertility. Over a century ago, scientists discovered cyclic changes in cervical mucus and their relation to ovulation. In the 1920s, scientists identified the temperature rise that signals ovulation. But it wasn't until the 1950s, that scientists developed programs to teach others how to observe and interpret these fertility signs.
NFP methods are grouped according to which signs of fertility are being observed and charted. They are as follows: the basal body temperature method (BBT) monitors changes in a woman's temperature when she wakes up each morning; the cervical mucus method ( more commonly called "Ovulation Method" or "OM") monitors changes in a woman's cervical mucus; the Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) combines observations of temperature and cervical mucus with other indicators, such as changes in the cervix and secondary fertility signs; and the Sympto-Hormonal Method (SHM), which is similar to the STM, includes the self-detection of reproductive hormones in the urine with the assistance of an ovulation predictor kit or fertility monitor.
MYTH
NFP can be used only by women with regular cycles.
REALITY
NFP does not depend on a woman having regular menstrual cycles. NFP treats each woman and each cycle as unique. These methods rely on daily observations of the woman's signs of fertility.
NFP works with menstrual cycles of any length and any degree of irregularity. NFP can be used during breastfeeding, just before menopause, and in other special circumstances. NFP allows a woman to understand the physical signals her body gives her to tell her when she is most likely to become pregnant (around the time of ovulation). Once the woman understands this information, she and her husband can use the information according to their family planning intentions (i.e., to either achieve or postpone pregnancy).
Instruction in NFP provides women with information about their bodies that is specific and observable. The natural methods can be used throughout a woman's reproductive life. These methods teach couples to monitor current, daily fertility signs of the woman's menstrual cycle. When special circumstances occur, (e.g., stress, illness, breastfeeding, post-miscarriage, perimenopause, etc.), NFP instructors can provide additional guidance in interpreting signs of fertility.
MYTH
NFP is too complicated to be used by most people.
REALITY
NFP can be used by anyone who learns the method and is motivated to apply the guidelines.
NFP information is easy to learn. In fact, the methods have been successfully adapted to suit the needs of people and cultures all around the world. The key to using NFP effectively is for couples to learn together the information about their combined fertility, and to change their behavior, applying the guidelines according to whether they wish to achieve or postpone pregnancy. This process is learned in NFP education, where the couple can practice observing and charting the wife's signs of fertility. This is not hard to learn, but will take effort. NFP couples say that NFP is worth the effort because many benefits will be gained, including stronger communication, mutual responsibility and greater respect for each other.
MYTH
NFP is not a reliable method of family planning.
REALITY
NFP is not only reliable, but it is the only authentic method of family planning.
Since NFP methods are not contraception, their effectiveness works both ways—for achieving and postponing pregnancy. When couples wish to achieve a pregnancy they can time sexual intercourse to the fertile window of the menstrual cycle, thereby optimizing the possibility of becoming pregnant.When wishing to avoid pregnancy, studies show that couples who follow their NFP method's guidelines correctly, and all the time, achieve effectiveness rates of 97-99%. Others, who are unclear about their family planning intention (i.e., spacing or limiting pregnancy) or are less motivated, will not consistently follow the method's guidelines and have a lower effectiveness rate of 80-90%.
Effectiveness of Natural Family Planning in Avoiding Pregnancy
Couples who carefully follow all the rules for avoiding pregnancy all the time: 97%-99%
Couples who do not follow all the rules for avoiding pregnancy all the time: 80%-90%
*Note: these percentages represent the range of effectiveness provided by NFP studies. They are based on the number of pregnancies among 100 couples in one year of NFP method use.
MYTH
There is no difference between NFP and contraception.
REALITY
NFP methods are different from and better than contraception.
NFP methods:
• have no harmful side effects
• are environmentally friendly
• are virtually cost free
• cooperate with, rather than suppress, a couple's fertility
• can be used both to achieve and avoid pregnancy
• call for shared responsibility and cooperation by husband and wife
• require mutual communication
• foster respect for and acceptance of the total person
• encourage maturity and the virtue of chastity
• value the child
• honor and safeguard the unitive and procreative meanings of married love.
In other words, there is a big difference between NFP and contraception. NFP, as opposed to contraception, does not deliberately frustrate the procreative potential of sex. So, NFP is morally acceptable while contraception is actually sinful and never morally right. NFP is unique because it enables its users to work with the body rather than against it. Fertility is viewed as a gift and reality to live, not a problem to be solved. Ultimately, NFP respects God's design for married love.
MYTH
NFP does not allow for sexual "spontaneity."
REALITY
Most of the time, "spontaneity" in sex is itself a myth!
Modern culture is awash in sexual messages. This may fool us into thinking that "everyone" is having sex as often as possible and always "spontaneously!" Even married couples may fall into this trap. Or, they may think that their sex lives would be more spontaneous "if only" their spouse wanted sex at the same time they did. The reality is that most marital sexual encounters are planned, or at least happen in situations favorable to love-making that are setup by agreement regardless of the family planning method used. Otherwise, in the press of daily life with jobs, household chores, social commitments, children's demands, etc., a husband and wife would rarely have sex!
It's not necessarily bad news that married couples often plan on a time to have sexual relations. A loving invitation given in advance means a time of healthy anticipation for both husband and wife. For NFP couples who are trying to postpone a pregnancy, such an invitation in the days of sexual abstinence can mean living a "chaste courtship" that will be followed by a "mini-honeymoon." NFP couples often talk about how the times of sexual abstinence have helped them deepen their expressions of love for each other through loving gestures, "date nights," significant conversations and so forth. This is not to say that the times of abstinence are not challenging. They can be! With a positive attitude and living through it together, husband and wife can use periodic sexual abstinence to grow individually and as a couple. Such self-mastery fosters authentic freedom where one's desires are put in service to the other—a necessary ingredient for marriage! Real sexual spontaneity depends upon real freedom—and NFP fosters such freedom.
MYTH
Couples who use NFP have sex less often than couples who use contraception.
REALITY
Frequency of sexual intercourse is based on a couple's intention and desire, not on the family planning method.
NFP couples have sex as much as other married couples. They just have it on a different schedule according to whether they wish to avoid pregnancy or not. When spacing births, they would abstain from sexual intercourse during the fertile time of the woman's menstrual cycle. Keeping in mind that every woman is unique and every cycle is unique, the days of sexual abstinence will vary. But it's important to ask if the "frequency" of sexual intercourse is the right measure of fulfillment in a marital relationship. Most married couples would say that it is more important for their sexual relationship to reflect the quality of their marriage, that is, healthy, loving, intimate and respectful. NFP can be a great help to couples who are interested in building a strong marriage because NFP supports the gift of one's spouse, the gift of life and God's design for married love!
MYTH
The Catholic Church wants people to have as many babies as possible.
REALITY
In fact the Catholic Church encourages people to be both generous and responsible stewards over their fertility.
In this view of "responsible parenthood" married couples carefully think about the just reasons they may have to postpone pregnancy. When making decisions about the number and spacing of children in their family, they weigh their responsibilities to God, each other, the children they already have, and the world in which they live.
Responsible parenthood is lived within the structures that God has established in human nature. The nature of sexual intercourse, which is both life-giving (pro-creative) and love-giving (unitive), reflects a Divine plan. That is why the Church teaches that husband and wife must not actively intervene to separate their fertility from their bodily union. NFP methods respect the Divine plan and are at the service of authentic married love.
MYTH
The Catholic Church does not want married couples to have sex just for pleasure.
REALITY
The Catholic Church wants married couples to have the best sex possible!
Sexual pleasure in marriage is good. Pleasure is a part of intercourse, however, not its sole focus. There is, after all, a difference between simply "having sex," which includes actions aimed at one's own pleasure, and "making love," which involves giving oneself to another. Put another way, there is a difference between "self-taking" and "self-giving."
"Making love" as God planned it for marriage, means that husband and wife offer themselves to each other as a gift. This sexual gift is faithful and exclusive. It rejoices in the other person, is respectful of God's design, and welcomes a child who may come from their union. It thus has the potential to build the family. In expressing the mutual love and commitments of husband and wife, sexual intercourse becomes a lasting source of joy in their marital relationship.