December 3, 2025 - Hour 1

Segment 1: Ideas have Consequences: Lessons from the Cold WarToday is the anniversary of the 1989 declaration by Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush that the Cold War had ended. The nearly 50-year conflict grew from ideological roots that ran deeper than troop movements or diplomatic cables. Marcus looks at these intellectual and ideological foundations of the Cold War.Segment 2: Meet the Sister Confronting the Mental Health CrisisWhen Sister Theres Hong Phuoc Tran teaches mental health workshops at Catholic parishes, schools and religious congregations, she uses a simple verse from Scripture – Mark 12:30 – to illustrate the different components of wellness. She joins us to talk about it.Segment 3: Confronting Homelessness with Community and CompassionAmerica’s homelessness crisis seems to have a simple fix – surely Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and a few of their friends have the money to provide housing, don’t they? But the problem is more complicated than that, and homeless means more than the simple lack of a home. Marcus has more.Segment 4: Francis Xavier and the Missionary MissionToday we celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier, who brought the Gospel all around the world. Marcus reflects on what it means to be a missionary. 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