June 1, 2026 - Hour 1

Segment 1: California universities dropped Standardized Testing - Now they say their students aren’t preparedSix years ago, the two largest university systems in the country announced they would no longer consider an applicant’s SAT or ACT scores. DEI advocates applauded the decision, claiming that the use of standardized testing was a “racist metric” and a method of “illegal wealth and race discrimination.” Now, data shows a stunning lack of academic preparedness in students and hundreds of professors are asking for the policy to be abandoned.Segment 2: Why we’re still drawn to RomeAs Peter preached the first sermon on Pentecost, he could hardly have imagined that he was shaping a Catholicism—a new way of life in Christ for all people—that would become Roman. There was nothing Roman about Jesus’ life until His saving death. The cross, Christianity’s central symbol, was a Roman execution device. But the fact that Rome supplied the cross that redeemed mankind is not the cause of Catholics’ intense veneration of the city, which began just a few decades after Peter’s first sermon. David Bonagura has more.Segment 3: Living as if People MatterWhat does it mean to build a truly good home? In an age marked by distraction, isolation, and the weakening of family life, that question has become more relevant than ever. John Cuddeback joins us with a solution to the problem. 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