It is all too common these days to hear of rifts in a family.  Whether the division is in the immediate or extended family, the result is the same.  It is painful on many levels.  Family is supposed to be closely united, with harmonious relations, topped off with peace and joy. Today, that is just not the case.  So how do we cope with this reality in the family?  Do we try to be an instrument of change?  Or do we run away to protect ourselves?  As Catholic Christians, how are we to respond to a family torn apart?  Share your experience with this type of situation within the family.  Call in early at 1-800-585-9396.

The Catholic Church has always led the way in promoting justice for all human beings. Without justice, there can be no peace. Where there is injustice, there will always – at least eventually – be unrest and chaos. But what does the body of the Church’s social justice doctrine consist of? The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops list on their website seven key themes:

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person
• Call to Family, Community and Participation
• Human Rights and Responsibilities
• An Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
• The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
• Human Solidarity
• Care for God’s Creation

Join Jerry and Debbie on Tuesday for a look at these important areas of human life and social justice.

Monday is the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven. One of our greatest spiritual weapons is the Rosary. The key is to meditate as much as possible on the mysteries that are reflected in the prayers. Fr. Edward Looney, a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay, has authored a book of reflections that are sure to help you penetrate more deeply into these beautiful mysteries. It’s called A Rosary Litany. It’s filled with short meditations (each one just a few words) that you insert into the prayers of the Rosary to help the mysteries come alive. Don’t miss this episode with Jerry and Debbie.

You can learn about getting a copy of Fr. Edward Looney’s book at https://arosarylitany.com.

So much of what we do in life is moving to the “cloud,” i.e. into the possession of someone else. Is our life’s information safe? Should we be trusting our most sensitive information to computer servers whose whereabouts we never know? Call today with your takes starting at Noon ET.

Every day we see people jaywalk, roll through stop signs/lights, go way over the speed limit, etc. What are we to make of this? What’s at the root of it? Selfishness? A blatant disregard for the law? Do people even care about the rule of law anymore? Have we become a society of people who are so jaded that we don’t care what the law says? Maybe we even find ourselves doing these things. It is a big deal or not? Share your take with Jerry and Debbie and the world on Thursday.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us we have a “duty” to help provide for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities. That means, of course, that some will give more in terms of a dollar amount than others, but not necessarily in relation to one’s financial means. There have been times in the Church when some of the lay faithful withheld their financial support due to certain unjustified indiscretions on the part of Church leaders. For example, the priest sex abuse scandal, being told off by “Father,” or “Sister,” or a lay minister in the parish, etc. It goes without saying that these sorts of behaviors are never acceptable. But does it justify not contributing to the ongoing operating costs of the parish and the diocese? And just what is your weekly offering applied toward? Not that it matters, but you could be helping to pay the pastor’s salary, the light bill, the purchase of communion hosts, etc. Share your take on all of this on Wednesday with Jerry and Debbie.

Lots of dangers swirling in today’s world. Still, in the U.S., we generally take our safety for granted. But a lot of neighborhoods are wracked with crime. Many people feel that putting up fences, alarming their homes and hiring security services will keep them safe.  Years ago neighbors would keep their front doors unlocked.  Now people are installing front security doors and gates as an added level of protection.  Late night strolls in the neighborhood used to be a relaxing time.  Now people won’t leave their home after dark.  The question is, do you feel safe in this world today?  Call in and share at 1-800-585-9396.

As Christians, we are called to “love one another.” OK, so that doesn’t mean telling everyone you know, “I love you.” But because of so many factors, even family members have trouble saying that to one another. Some fathers can’t get the words out to their children. Even some spouses have difficulty telling one another that they love them. If we really love someone, why is it hard to say the words, not to mention show them through our actions? Jerry and Debbie will discuss this on Monday – with your takes – at Noon and Midnight ET on EWTN Radio.

As Catholic Christians we should be filled with a sense of joy and hope every day.  If we are believing and living our faith, then each day becomes a gift from God; one more opportunity to grow in holiness.  Yet, so many of us wake up in the morning with a sense of dread, saying to ourselves, oh no just another day.  One can imagine that God is saddened by this outlook on life.  What robbed us of that joy and hope?  How can we put that skip in our step again and jump out of bed praising God for another day.  Join us on Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie by calling in at: 1-800-585-9396.

Today, Jerry and Debbie welcome Catholic Answers apologist Karlo Broussard to the show to discuss Purgatory. As Catholic Christians, we know from Scripture and history that if a soul dies in a state of grace, but not quite purged of the last vestiges of self-love (in other words, with its love not yet wholly centered on God), then a type of purification is required prior to entering Heaven. This is called Purgatory. But just what is Purgatory? A place? A period of time? Is it suffering? Is there joy? Can a soul that goes to Purgatory eventually go to Hell? Can we live this life so as to avoid Purgatory altogether? Should be a lively conversation – as always, with your great takes and questions.

Karlo Broussard