Ave Maria in the Afternoon Full Hours - August 21, 2026 - Hour 2

Segment 1: “Who do people say that I am?” (2 segments) In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples who people say that the Son of Man is – and then he confronts Peter “but who do YOU say that I am?” We unpack the readings with Rob Corzine.Segment 2: Is Reading Gone for Good? (2 segments) A recent longform piece in The Atlantic asks how Civilization can survive the postliterate area. It’s inspired by several recent studies showing a steady decline in American literacy. In one 2024 nationwide exam, only 35% of high school seniors ranked “proficient” in analyzing complex themes in fiction or the effectiveness of an essayist’s argument. From 1984 to 2025, the percentage of 13-year-olds who said they rarely or never read on their own for fun jumped from 8% to 29%. Is the age of reading over? David Bonagura joins us. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com