July 23, 2026 - Hour 2

Segment 1: Does the Pope Speak with Political Authority? (2 segments)US Ambassador Brian Burch recently said that when Pope Leo spoke out against the war in Iran, he was not doing so as a leader of the Roman Catholic Church, adding that he was speaking as a world leader of the Holy See. What authority does the pope have in such occasions? Matthew Bunson joins us with more on this and other Church news.Segment 2: What do our seminarians need? (2 segments)A new study from the University of Notre Dame calls for better preparation for celibacy, greater use of psychological resources and a focus on vocational quality over quantity. Dr John Cavadini has the details. 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