Living Catholic with Father Don Wolf

Someone says the quiet part out loud: what if we just rip out the Bible passages that bother us? A pastor in Oakland suggests removing “problem” pages and even adding a third testament, and the internet predictably erupts. We slow the whole thing down and ask what’s actually at stake when Christians treat scripture as disposable, outdated, or only selectively “God’s Word.”In this episode, we talk about why certain lines hit modern listeners like a slap, including texts tied to slavery and the treatment of women, and we don’t pretend those reactions are irrational. We also explore a growing pastoral reality: some communities reshape how scripture is proclaimed in worship because phrases like “The word of the Lord” or even lifting the book can feel weaponized to people carrying real trauma. Sensitivity matters, but so does the question underneath it: if the Bible is not God speaking to his people, then who decides what remains, what gets reinterpreted and what gets tossed?************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Funerals are quietly disappearing, and I do not think we realize what we are trading away. More and more, families tell us there will be no services at all, or we learn someone has already been buried with no prayer, no gathering, no public mourning. That choice is not just about preference. It exposes what we believe about the human person, what we think death means, and whether faith is still strong enough to bring us to the grave together.In this episode, I walk through why funerals have always mattered, even before Christianity, and why the Catholic funeral liturgy matters in a distinct way. At a Catholic funeral we proclaim the resurrection, we place our trust in Christ, and we pray for the forgiveness and mercy the dead still need. That is also why we do not turn the rite into a staged tribute or a “celebration of life” that only highlights accomplishments. When we edit the truth to protect comfort, grief becomes awkward, hope becomes thin, and we end up praising the dead instead of praying for them.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Prayer can feel like it should be simple, but many of us quietly experience it as awkward, distracting, or even discouraging. In this episode, we tackle the question: why is prayer so hard? We reflect on how naturally human beings communicate, then trace why communion with God can feel less natural than we expect. The Christian story of Eden points to an original harmony of heart and mind, while everyday life reveals how fractured our interior world can be. We talk about God’s word in Scripture, the ways God can speak beyond words, and why so many of us struggle to access the “territory of the heart” where that listening often happens. We also offer a grounded path forward: patience, perseverance, and the humility to stop performing prayer and start living it as a two-way exchange. The duck gliding across the pond while paddling hard underneath becomes a map for spiritual growth, reminding us that steady progress is often invisible. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Nobody walks to the tomb expecting a new world. In this episode, that’s where we start: with the disciples’ honest assumption that Jesus is gone for good, and with the uncomfortable way that grief trains all of us to think death, defeat, and shame are permanent.We talk through why the Resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a first-century mystery but a living Catholic claim that reorders how reality works. The irony is sharp: the chief priests are the ones who remember Jesus said He would rise, and their fear turns into a strange kind of witness. From there we sit with the disciples’ puzzlement as they struggle to recognize the risen Lord, including a reflection on the Shroud of Turin and the face cloth detail in John’s Gospel as a way to think about signs, belief, and the gap between “something happened” and “I have met Him.”The heart of the episode is what Easter does to suffering. Jesus appears in glory, yet His wounds remain, and that changes how we see our own scars. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we start with Iran in the headlines and then pull the camera back to something smaller and more personal: an Iranian student in an Oklahoma high school, far from home, carrying a life we barely understood. That memory becomes a challenge to how we talk about conflict, national security, and “winning” while ordinary families on every side try to survive the day. From there, we face the fog of war and the uncomfortable truth that certainty often outpaces knowledge. Even the people closest to the action rarely see the whole picture, and fast media can amplify confidence without adding wisdom. We ask what a Catholic view of war requires from citizens and leaders: humility, moral clarity, and a willingness to question whether policies pursued in our name actually serve the common good. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Before sunrise, a group of women walks through a city controlled by Roman power, carrying spices and cloth for a burial they expect will be painful and final. They’re not looking for a miracle. They’re looking for a body. That simple, human mission becomes the doorway to one of the most disruptive claims in Christian faith: the tomb is open, the grave is empty, and the world is no longer limited by death. In this episode, we reflect on how expectation shapes everything we do, how grief follows scripts we think we can trust, and why the first reaction to the empty tomb is confusion and suspicion rather than instant belief. In a Jerusalem tense with politics, fear, and the memory of a crucifixion, even a stolen body seems more “reasonable” than resurrection. But Easter does not arrive as an idea; it arrives as a fact that demands interpretation, and the women are entrusted with a message that reframes the impossible: Jesus is risen, and risen as he promised. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Jerusalem is packed for Passover, and it feels like the whole city is holding its breath. In this episode, we step into that tension on Palm Sunday, when Roman occupation, local religious leadership, and street-level resentment all collide with one name on everyone’s tongue: Jesus. From the first minutes, we follow the rising pressure of a place where whispers can become a revolt, and where every public gesture gets read as a political signal. We talk through why Jesus draws crowds so quickly: the blunt urgency of his preaching, the nearness of the kingdom of God, and the undeniable weight of his ministry in healings, deliverance, and wonder. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Prayer is suddenly everywhere online, from polished apps to celebrity invitations to “join us” for a few minutes a day. Are we witnessing a genuine renewal of prayer, or are we simply more aware of it because the internet puts constant spiritual marketing in our pocket?If we can learn to approach God together, maybe we can begin to hunger for the unity Christ desires, and avoid the shallow cycle of spiritual excitement that fades when the “sheen wears off.”************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Missiles fly, predictions spread, and suddenly “World War III” becomes a casual phrase on the lips of people who will never pay the real cost. In this episode, let's take a sober, Catholic look at the war talk surrounding current military conflict with Iran, and why reckless language can do more than describe reality. Words can pressure leaders, inflame public emotion, and make escalation feel normal. If wars are easier to begin than to end, then the way we speak at the beginning matters more than we admit. We walk through history to show how media voices have helped tilt nations toward catastrophe, from the great wars of the twentieth century to the myths and resentments that linger long after the shooting stops. We also explore why we’re drawn to violent headlines, using Walker Percy’s insight that carnage seizes our imagination more easily than care. When the news cycle becomes a steady diet of destruction, it’s easy to lose moral clarity, forget proportionality, and stop asking what any conflict is truly for. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What if the real plot twist isn’t learning you’re dead—it’s discovering you’re already alive? In this episode, I start with the movies we all know, from Ghost and The Sixth Sense to Shaun of the Dead, and then flip the lens to reveal a deeper current running through ancient myths, modern history, and the Gospels. Instead of a world where choice manufactures meaning, we enter a world where meaning arrives first, solid and surprising, and our choices learn to catch up.I also share about a vivid near-death account that captures the shock of recognition—seeing your own body from above—and use it to ask why so many stories hinge on slow awakening. From the Egyptian Book of the Dead to C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce, humanity keeps circling the same threshold: what does it take to notice the rules have changed? That question points straight to the New Testament, where Jesus doesn’t negotiate a future possibility but announces a present reality. The time is fulfilled. The page has turned. Whether or not we voted for it, the kingdom is at hand.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What if the loudest place in town is the best place to learn how to pray? In this episode we will talk about the Living Stations of the Cross at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City—a crowd shouting, a cross moving, voices cracking—and follow that energy into a bigger question: how does faith change when it steps outside and faces the street? From there, we trace a living thread through Church history, where stalls along a Roman road became sanctuaries, prayer was spoken for all to hear, and stained glass dressed Scripture in the clothes and cities of its makers so salvation felt near, not archived.Joining the crowd reveals our place in the Passion, and acting the story teaches what reflection alone cannot. Along the way, Augustine’s surprise at Ambrose reading silently becomes a window into the rise of interior privacy—and how modern habits can fence faith indoors. We talk about monasteries that formed charity by sharing work, prayer, and even sleep; seminaries that reintroduced roommates to recover the muscle of common life; and processions and Holy Week traditions that knit strangers into a people. We also face the pitfalls. Public religion can turn hollow, just as private piety can grow stale. The remedy is union. Lent invites us to bring our bodies into the story: to read the Passion and then walk it, to pray with our hands as much as our minds, to place acts of mercy where the city can see, and to let shared practices at home—meals, prayers, apologies—turn interiors into common ground.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we rethink sin not as a list of wrongs but as a power that shapes habits, culture and the heart, and we frame Lent as training in freedom through grace. Stories, theology and poetry converge to show how confession, prayer and the sacraments move us from bondage to hope.• why images of sin as simple stains fall short• Lent as a reset for deeper truth and renewal• Feynman’s maps and how pictures both help and hinder• the slow schooling of compromise and conscience• sin as occupying power and infectious force• confession as rescue and victory, not mere bookkeeping• shared bondage and shared grace in the Church• practical courage to begin again and recalibrate************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Forgiveness can feel simple when we’re kids and impossibly heavy when life grows complicated. We open the door to the confessional and suddenly see the darkness of our own uncertainty staring back. In this conversation, we walk from childhood ritual to adult conversion, exploring why confession can become harder over time and how the sacrament still offers a direct encounter with Christ’s mercy—clear, personal, and spoken into our actual lives.We talk about the hidden cost of carrying a child’s moral vocabulary into adult decisions, the discouragement of “same old sins,” and the slow, relational pace of real change. Along the way, we unpack the sacramental heart of confession: how “I absolve you” bridges twenty centuries and places us at the foot of the Cross, not as spectators but as people being restored. We also share practical ways to prepare well, using precise language for motives and patterns, and adopting a fearless moral inventory that names both faults and graces. Gratitude becomes part of repentance, protecting us from despair and teaching us how to cooperate with what God is already growing.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What if healing isn’t a narrow medical fix but a return to wholeness that touches body, soul, and community? We sit down to rethink the Anointing of the Sick as a living encounter with Christ’s presence—one that forgives, restores, and draws scattered lives back into order. Anchored in James 5 and the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ healing, we explore how the Church keeps that same hope alive at hospital beds, in family circles, and in moments when courage feels thin.We walk through the misconceptions that reduce anointing to “Last Rites,” tracing how Vatican II renewed the sacrament’s breadth. Along the way, we talk about the many ways healing can appear: sometimes instantaneous and astonishing; often gradual, working with medicine and the body’s resilience; and, at times, integrative, where someone learns to live whole with lasting limits like disability or addiction. We also open the door to a wider circle of grace—how anointing can reconcile families, reset priorities, and make room for mercy when fear crowds the room. And we speak plainly about death as the final healing, when the promise of resurrection reframes loss with hope.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What happens when the culture that once supported everyday faith turns indifferent—or even hostile—to belief? We take an unflinching look at that question and map a path forward that blends sturdy community with courageous truth-telling. Drawing on Rod Dreher’s ideas, we explore how the Benedict Option can look beyond cloistered walls: neighborhood prayer groups, classical academies that form souls, guilds that dignify work, and friendships that keep hope alive when headlines don’t. This isn’t about hiding from the world; it’s about building centers of gravity where love of God and neighbor can breathe.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What happens to a country when the value of life is negotiated instead of protected? In this episode, we take a hard, honest look at how abortion has reshaped law, culture, and conscience from Roe to Dobbs, and why the arguments on both sides have stayed fixed even as methods and numbers shift. With clinics declining and chemical abortions rising, the data reveal a sobering reality: legality moves, but the practice persists, and the ripple effects stretch across families, faith, and the fabric of public life.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we trace how Scripture, history, and lived experience confront modern corruption, then map a practical path toward honesty built on guardrails, subsidiarity, and courage. The call is clear: design for integrity, tell the truth out loud, and hold hope steady in Christ.• warnings in the Bible against bribes and favoritism• original sin as a reason for guardrails and audits• the parish audit story and structural reform• history’s long record of graft shaping outcomes• subsidiarity as right-sized decision making• culture change through truth-telling over image• Challenger hearings as a model of plain accountability• active resistance to corruption, not mere avoidance• hope rooted in Christ as the anchor for reform************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we trace Christmas beyond the manger to Epiphany, where the Magi reveal a Messiah meant for every nation and not just one people. From creation’s scope to early Church debates, we show why inclusion is baked into the Gospel and how to watch for God in nature and culture.• Epiphany as culmination of Christmas • Gift giving rooted in the Magi’s homage • Creation narratives showing God for all nations • Prophetic vision of peoples streaming to God • Tension of chosen status and universal mission • Natural revelation guiding the Magi by a star • Early Church debates on Gentile inclusion • Reading God’s work in science and the cosmos • Seekers moving while insiders hesitate • Call to openness, pilgrimage, and welcome************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

The year handed us a headline few expected: an American chosen as Pope. From the first moments of white smoke and Latin announcements to the weight of global expectations, we explore what this means for a church that must listen beyond its borders. I share why international experience matters in a leader who represents the message of Jesus to the world, and how the name Leo XIV quietly nods to the legacy of Catholic social teaching and the dignity of work.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What does Christmas look like when you’re 15 million miles from home with no space for gifts and no time for tinsel?************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

A forgotten herald stands at the water’s edge, and his voice still changes how we hear the Gospel. In this episode, we revisit John the Baptist not as a narrative warm-up but as a towering witness whose movement endured for centuries, whose courage confronted power, and whose finger pointed a generation to the Lamb of God. Along the way, we wrestle with why modern preaching sidelined him, how an overreliance on slogans and proofs shrank our imagination, and why a sacramental way of seeing helps us meet Christ with our whole selves.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

A cloak without brushstrokes. Roses blooming out of season. A bishop on the brink of giving up. In this episode, we follow the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the hill of Tepeyac into the charged world of 16th‑century New Spain, where evangelization faltered, questions about human dignity raged, and a simple message—build the church—carried a meaning far larger than a construction site. Along the way, we examine why the tilma’s image refuses easy explanations, what the Church actually teaches about private revelation, and how humility makes room for both rigorous inquiry and genuine wonder.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Advent begins where few expect it: not with soft lights and carols, but with an unveiling. In this episode, we open the new liturgical year by facing the word apocalypse in its original sense—revelation—and asking what it discloses about our time, our communities, and our hearts. From a journalist who tried to expose church hypocrisy and instead found ordinary generosity, to a parish in Soweto that read Revelation while apartheid pressed hard on their doors, we trace how faith shows up when the world feels like it’s unraveling.If this speaks to you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find these reflections. What stable are you preparing this week?************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Start with the paradox that changes everything: the same Jesus who hangs condemned on a cross is the one who reigns as King of the universe. In this episode, Monsignor Wolf traces how that tension—cross and crown—does not dilute faith but sharpens it, turning the liturgical year into a slow, bright unveiling of love that actually orders a chaotic world. From Advent’s apocalyptic readings to the steady rhythm of Sunday Mass, he connects the dots toward a single revelation: Jesus is all in all.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Monsignor Wolf reflects on his 70th birthday and uses small annoyances to open a larger reflection on civility, hidden suffering, and the danger of loose talk about civil war. History, media literacy, and prayer guide us toward mercy, truth, and peace, with a closing poem on the gifts of age.• loud noise and fraying civility as signals of respect• hats in church as a cultural practice of reverence• grades and metrics failing to measure real life• living with an unseen disability and fear• choosing charity because most pain is hidden• historical lessons on civil war rhetoric and cost• media bias, sincere belief, and critical listening• prayer for enemies as the only way forward• poem “An Odd Plus” on the strange gifts of age************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

A minute of silence on November 11, 1918 did not end the world’s turmoil—it exposed it. In this episode, Monsignor Wolf opens with the Armistice and follow the shockwaves: empires dissolving, borders reshaped in Central Europe and the Middle East, and a fragile “peace” that many leaders privately admitted would last only twenty years. From Austria-Hungary’s collapse to the reassembling of the Ottoman lands, from Germany’s chaotic republic to Japan’s strategic rise, the map changed faster than the moral reckoning that should have guided it.He also examines how the United States stepped from hesitant observer to decisive actor. Wilson’s ideals, the politics at home, and the raw numbers of American troops turned the tide, yet conflict persisted far beyond the armistice. Civil war in Russia, shifting lines in Ukraine and Poland, and fighting between Greece and Turkey all underscored a hard truth: ceasing fire is not the same as making peace. The Versailles settlement left most parties convinced they had sacrificed more than they gained, sowing grievances that would erupt again by 1939.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Monsignor Don Wolf explores All Souls Day through the lens of communion across time and the hope of purgatory as purifying love. A hospital story, Scripture, and the saints help illustrate why praying for the dead is not empty sentiment but solidarity in Christ.• one Church that includes the living and the dead• universality of grace from Adam to the apostles and to us• communion with saints and ordinary faithful across centuries• why prayer for the dead matters and how it helps• purgatory as the experience of cleansing love, not a place• forgiveness in Christ and the truth of our lives held together• time and presence rethought in light of eternity• practical invitation to remember and pray for specific souls************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Monsignor Wolf pushes past the noise around Halloween and returns to its heart: All Hallows’ Eve as preparation for All Saints. He explores the communion of saints, how their lives shape ours, and how holiness takes root in real times and places.• reclaiming Halloween as the vigil of All Saints• communion with the saints as living friendship• Stephen’s witness and Paul’s awakening in Acts• saints formed by history, office and duty• Miguel Pro, Thomas More and Oscar Romero as concrete models• one Church across parishes, dioceses and centuries• Rome’s stones as a sign of living continuity• the saints’ intercession and patronage today• becoming holy in our own time, not theirs************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Monsignor Wolf explores why original sin remains a clear, useful lens for understanding human rivalry and broken freedom, and how grace in Christ offers a real path of rescue. Along the way, he tests rival answers, from detachment to law to social engineering, and find their limits.• asking better questions in faith as in science• defining original sin as foundational disorder• Genesis reframed through mimetic desire• the teddy bear image and rivalrous wanting• freedom’s gift and how desire traps us• limits of law, detachment, and optimism• critique of denial and utopian fixes• Christ reorders desire and heals freedom• slow growth in grace, steady hopeTo learn more, visit okr.org************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we mourn two Oklahoma priests and reckon with what brotherhood, death, and the promise of resurrection demand of our vocation. We reflect on last rites, family grief, priestly identity, and the quiet discipline of presence at the edge of life.• priestly life lived near death and dying• last rites as reconciliation, anointing, commendation• stories of peaceful deaths and hard departures• families navigating acceptance, anger and fear• presence over performance in pastoral care• missed anointing and the cost of denial• shared priesthood as one cloth across parishes• imago Christi and the weight of the collar• respect and reverence beyond Catholic spaces• mourning as a way back to hope and footing• catholic as universal, many seats, one aisle• cemetery as memory, legacy and promise************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

A single question can bend the arc of a life: Will many be saved—or only a few? In this episode, Msgr. Wolf explores how generations shifted from “heaven is promised but not presumed” to “heaven is assumed if we’re decent,” and why both comfort and terror can miss the heart of grace. We unpack the old struggle over predestination and assurance, and how Sunday worship takes shape from those assumptions: is the goal a moving experience that signals chosenness, or the steady sacramental life that Christ entrusted to the Church? We argue for a both/and spirituality—feelings welcomed, sacraments central—anchored in a God whose mercy calls for a real response.To bring Jesus’ “narrow gate” to life, we contrast Broadway’s bright promise with the quiet courage of daily fidelity. Drama can awaken us; only the cross can change us. The narrow way is the kitchen table, the hospital corridor, the patient choice to forgive without applause, the freedom that comes from dying to self early so fear loses its grip. Blessed Stanley Rother’s witness ties it all together: he did not become a martyr in a moment; he became ready through thousands of hidden yeses. That is the shape of salvation lived now—focused love, steady hope, and a cross that promises all is gained in what is given away.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode Father Wolf reflects on Erica Kirk's public forgiveness of her husband's murderer and explores how this fundamental Christian teaching continues to surprise our culture despite being central to our faith. We examine why such a basic element of Christianity stunned observers and what it reveals about our disconnect between religious teaching and practice.• The memorial rally for Charlie Kirk drew 60,000 people and approximately 100 million streaming views• Erica Kirk's unexpected declaration of forgiveness for her husband's killer shocked onlookers• Catholics pray "forgive us as we forgive" regularly, yet public displays of forgiveness are treated as extraordinary• Forgiveness is not a one-time event but a process that may take years to fully realize• When we forgive, we free ourselves from the burden of resentment and vengeance• Father Wolf shares his personal struggle with forgiving someone over a $10,000 grievance that troubled him for decades• The journey of forgiveness begins with simply saying the words "I forgive," even when emotions don't align• Our own freedom is the gift we receive when we choose to forgiveBegin with the words "I forgive" in your prayer. Don't worry if you don't feel anything except anger or frustration. It's a beginning. Keep saying, keep repeating this central part of the life of faith. It will matter.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode Father Wolf examines recent high-profile killings and their spiritual implications, providing historical context and theological insight into how Christians should respond to cultural violence. He explores how ordinary people can be drawn to commit horrific acts and how faith offers protection against the pervasive evil of our time.• Recent school shootings and assassinations capture headlines because they capture our interests and fears• Historical perspective shows similar waves of political violence have occurred throughout history• The demonic manifests not just supernaturally but through ideologies and movements that dehumanize• Baptism serves as spiritual protection against pervasive evil, not merely a cultural tradition• Violence can be attractive because it creates false unity and purpose in society• Ordinary people can gradually accept and perpetrate atrocities when influenced by cultural currents• Self-examination and repentance are essential first steps in countering cultural violence"Our work always is to be present to and be responsive to the work of God in the world. That means that we cast our minds, our hearts and our souls into the hands of God to know his will and to do it, which is, after all, the passport to happiness and the pathway to heaven."************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf takes us on a fascinating journey through the missionary work of Oklahoma priests in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala, revealing profound lessons about faith, culture, and effective evangelization.The story begins with a penetrating question about how missionaries addressed the syncretistic blend of Catholic and Mayan beliefs among the Tzʼutujil people. This launches an exploration of Guatemala's complicated religious history, where post-independence anti-clerical policies severely restricted Catholic ministry for over a century. With Spanish priests expelled and only two dozen clergy remaining for the entire country, isolated communities like Santiago Atitlan were essentially abandoned, forcing the indigenous people to maintain their faith with minimal guidance.Without consistent pastoral leadership, the Tzʼutujil naturally integrated Catholic practices with their pre-existing Mayan worldview. Even the American culture blends Christian elements with contradictory values, demonstrating that no society perfectly embodies gospel teachings.What makes the Oklahoma missionaries' approach remarkable was their pastoral sensitivity. Rather than condemning local practices outright, they invested time understanding Tzʼutujil culture and beliefs. They recognized, as early Church fathers did, that indigenous cultures often contain "seeds of faith" that provide natural bridges to Christian understanding. Building on existing foundations – celebrations of Christmas and Easter, familiarity with baptism and Eucharist – they gradually guided people toward orthodox practice while respecting cultural identity.This "make haste slowly" approach acknowledges that cultural transformation requires patience, love, and acceptance. By meeting people where they were while lovingly leading them toward fuller faith expression, these missionaries embodied Christ's own method of transformation. Their example challenges us to examine how we might bridge cultural divides in our own evangelization efforts today.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf explores Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" to uncover spiritual truths about life's meaning and the emptiness of immortality without God. Through this unexpected vacation read, he examines how even horror literature reveals our deepest spiritual hungers and the universal quest for salvation.• Reading Anne Rice's vampire novel after her conversion memoir "Called Out of Darkness"• Rice's brief return to Catholicism followed by her departure from the faith• The vampire mythology as metaphor for life without transcendent meaning• Horror literature as reflection of comfortable societies with existential questions• The vampire's immortality becoming a curse rather than blessing• Suicide as the ultimate end for vampires facing eternal emptiness• The contrast between CS Lewis's Ransom character and Rice's vampires• Modern parallels: how we seek meaning in extended time rather than divine purposeWe must recognize that salvation is more than immortality—it's finding meaning and purpose in life both now and eternally.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What happens when magnificent churches become beautiful but empty shells? In this episode, Father Wolf takes us on a personal journey through Germany, weaving together family history, cultural observations, and spiritual reflections that resonate far beyond European borders.Father Wolf recently took a vacation to Germany and shares his thoughts and experiences in a changing country. The heart of Father Wolf's reflection emerges during his visit to St. Michael's Church, a stunning baroque masterpiece built by Jesuits. Despite its architectural splendor and perfect acoustics, the church feels spiritually hollow - "cold and dead," attracting tourists but offering little to inspire genuine faith. This observation becomes a powerful metaphor for European Christianity's modern crisis, where magnificent churches stand as historical monuments rather than vibrant centers of worship.His observations extend beyond religion to cultural symbolism, noting how Munich's town hall now displays pride flags where Nazi banners once hung, and how sunbathing habits along the river have dramatically changed since his visit forty years ago. These observations challenge simplistic narratives about cultural evolution, suggesting that social norms can reverse course in unexpected ways.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf continues his "Tales from the Rectory" series, offering rare insights into the unique living arrangements of Catholic priests. Drawing inspiration from Bishop Francis Clement Kelly's work, he shares personal stories revealing how priests navigate sharing their homes with colleagues they didn't choose.• Priest rectories in the US typically house multiple clergy who must learn to live together without any formal training• Unlike other professions, priests have no say in who they'll share living quarters with—an arrangement that's simply presumed and accepted• These living situations create both challenges and opportunities for unlikely but enriching friendships• Formal interactions between Father Gallatin and Father Boeckman reveal how even priests who lived together for years maintain complex relationships• Priest personalities are shaped differently than others, formed by the "frictions of their lives" rather than family relationships• Pastoral ministry includes managing unexpected interruptions and unreasonable demands with patience and grace• The poem "In the Land of Abundance" reflects on finding gratitude amid scarcity rather than comfortJoin us as we continue exploring the human side of priesthood and the deeper dimensions of living our Catholic faith.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf takes listeners on a profound journey through the life and martyrdom of Blessed Stanley Rother as the 44th anniversary of his death approaches. The Oklahoma farm boy turned Guatemalan missionary exemplifies how ordinary faithfulness can lead to extraordinary holiness.When Father Ramon Carlin recruited Stanley Rother to join the Guatemala mission in 1968, he recognized something special in the young priest from Okarche. Stanley's mechanical aptitude—his ability to fix vehicles, maintain buildings, and work with his hands—made him uniquely valuable to the mission. Yet what began as practical service soon blossomed into something deeper as Stanley immersed himself in the community of Santiago Atitlan. Despite earlier academic struggles, he mastered the complex T'zutujil language, allowing him to celebrate Mass and eventually translate the New Testament for his parishioners.Rother's missionary journey wasn't without significant challenges. He watched as the Oklahoma mission team gradually disbanded, eventually leaving him as the sole Oklahoman serving there. His agricultural projects failed, teaching him humility and respect for indigenous knowledge. The mission's approach was questioned, with some team members moving into the village to live among the people. Throughout these difficulties, Stanley maintained his commitment to the people he served, understanding their struggles in ways many other Americans couldn't comprehend.Though often described as "apolitical," Stanley recognized the injustices his parishioners faced during Guatemala's violent civil war. His powerful statement that "to shake the hand of an Indian is a political act" revealed his understanding that simple human dignity was revolutionary in that context. When his name appeared on a death list in early 1981, Stanley briefly returned to Oklahoma before making the fateful decision to return to his flock. "The shepherd cannot run," he explained. His presence in the rectory on July 28, 1981, when three masked men took his life, wasn't naivety—it was the culmination of a life dedicated to sacrificial love.Visit the Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City to learn more about this remarkable American martyr whose witness continues to inspire believers to authentic discipleship and courageous faith.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf shares memorable encounters from parish ministry, reflecting on how these experiences taught him valuable lessons about pastoral care. Following in the tradition of Bishop Francis Clement Kelly's "Tales from the Rectory," these stories reveal the complex nature of living Catholic faith in today's world.• A couple returning to the Church after 20 years abruptly leaves when Father Don explains that inability to attend Mass removes obligation• The husband's insistence on rigid, black-and-white rules despite his own 20-year absence from Mass reveals how some need absolute certainty• This encounter taught Father Don to provide deeper context when answering moral questions rather than simple yes/no responses• Professional beggars targeting church-goers are discovered loading their signs into a new Mercedes after being asked to leave• Pastoral wisdom requires balancing sincere charity with protection of parishioners from exploitation• Experience brings necessary wisdom in ministry that seminary education alone cannot provide************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What does a pope actually do? Beyond the ceremonial trappings and media spotlight, how should we measure the effectiveness of the Church's supreme leader? In this episode, Father Wolf takes us on a thought-provoking journey into the heart of papal leadership, offering seven essential dimensions that define authentic spiritual governance.The pope must first be a genuine Christian whose life conforms to Christ's example. The demanding responsibilities of institutional leadership can easily overwhelm spiritual priorities, making this seemingly simple requirement a profound challenge. "The more pressing the decisions about sustaining the church, the easier it is to give up the harder work of listening faithfully to Christ's presence," Father Wolf explains.Moving beyond personal spirituality, the pope must effectively listen to the Church's diverse voices while contextualizing what he hears within salvation history. This storytelling function helps believers understand current challenges as chapters in God's ongoing work rather than unprecedented crises. Perhaps most courageously, authentic papal leadership requires admitting failure when it occurs. While papal infallibility applies narrowly to teaching on faith and morals, the broader workings of Church administration remain subject to human error.Father Wolf concludes that the pope's attentiveness to the Spirit's movement constitutes his greatest gift – balancing the Church's essential continuity with openness to divine innovation. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf explores how the Catholic Church is both universal and completely present in each local parish community, challenging us to reclaim our missionary identity for spiritual renewal and growth.• The Church isn't just a compilation of individual churches functioning like organs in a body• Each local parish is the complete Church in itself while simultaneously being part of the whole• Our challenges in Oklahoma mirror those faced by the Church globally• The Cursillo movement demonstrates how authentic enthusiasm can spread the faith naturally• Every diocese should identify specific missionary focuses both locally and globally• We shouldn't wait until we have "enough" resources to begin missionary outreach• Father Wolf suggests prison ministry locally and supporting international parishes like Qatar'sIf there's a world dying outside our windows, wouldn't it be great to be the ones to give it life?************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf explores the rich history and profound meaning behind the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, explaining how this spiritual practice emerged during the Scientific Revolution as a counterbalance to an increasingly mechanical view of God and the universe.• The Sacred Heart devotion originated in northern Europe during the mid-17th century when scientific advancement was beginning to change how people viewed God and creation• Throughout Christian history, believers have created new spiritual expressions when existing forms failed to nourish their souls• As science portrayed the universe as mechanical and governed by immutable laws, theological understanding often followed suit, creating an image of God bound by rigid justice• The Sacred Heart devotion emphasized Christ's human compassion against the cold intellectualism of the age• For modern Catholics, this devotion invites us to recognize that God works in the depths of our hearts, beyond both cold rationality and shallow emotionalism• Jesus meets us wherever we are in our spiritual journey, offering divine mercy that flows from love rather than obligationJoin us in exploring how this "old-fashioned" devotion still offers profound wisdom for contemporary spiritual seekers.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Imagine going to confession, only to discover that what you whisper through that screen might be reported to the authorities. That's the reality Catholic priests and penitents now face in Washington State, which recently passed legislation requiring priests to report confessions of child abuse to police.In this episode, Father Wolf examines Washington State's recently passed bill requiring priests to report confessions of child abuse to authorities, explaining why this law threatens an essential Catholic sacrament and represents government overreach into religious practice.• The seal of confession is absolute, with priests who violate it facing automatic excommunication • Human beings have a universal desire to confess and be known, as evidenced by phenomena from podcasts to support groups• Confession provides a protected space allowing people to reveal their deepest truths without fear of exposure• The Washington law is practically unenforceable and won't effectively address child abuse• The legislation represents a clash between the Catholic understanding of forgiveness and the state's belief that certain sins are unforgivable• When government attempts to regulate sacramental practice, it overreaches its legitimate authority• No priest will comply with this law, as it contradicts fundamental promises made at ordination************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf examines fatherhood from both theological and cultural perspectives.The title "Father" for God has become controversial in contemporary religious discourse. Yet when Jesus exclusively addressed God as Father, he wasn't attributing maleness to the divine but invoking a specific understanding of love that illuminates our relationship with God. The distinction between maternal and paternal love reveals something profound: a mother's connection to her child is visible, physical, and undeniable, while a father's love fundamentally involves choice and faith. Before modern DNA testing, no man could prove his paternity beyond doubt. When a father claims a child as his own, he makes an existential choice—a deliberate act of commitment that mirrors God's chosen love for humanity.Our society increasingly treats commitments as disposable rather than binding. Previous generations understood that when a man said "I do," he shouldered lifelong responsibilities regardless of personal fulfillment. As Father Richard Rohr discovered in conversation with his father, earlier generations didn't question whether they liked their work; they simply performed their duty to provide for those they loved. In this context, true "godly leadership" isn't about dominance but self-sacrifice—saying yes as God does, with forbearance and determination despite obstacles.Faithfulness remains largely invisible until absent, like oxygen we only notice when it's gone. This Father's Day, we celebrate those men who silently carry their families through life's confusions and anxieties, often without recognition. Their willingness to sustain loved ones at personal cost reflects divine fatherhood—a living testimony to God's enduring presence in our lives and the true meaning of paternal love. Join us as we explore this profound spiritual dimension that remains at the heart of our faith.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

The feast of Pentecost deserves our renewed attention. While most Catholics readily celebrate Christmas and Easter with appropriate fervor, Pentecost—one of Christianity's most ancient celebrations with direct scriptural roots—often passes with minimal recognition. Unlike many Christian observances that were established after the New Testament era, Pentecost existed as a significant Jewish festival (Shavuot) long before it became associated with the descent of the Holy Spirit.Originally marking the grain harvest approximately fifty days after Passover, it evolved to commemorate Moses receiving the Law on Mount Sinai. This dual significance of thanksgiving for both physical and spiritual sustenance made it a major pilgrimage feast that drew Jews from throughout the Roman Empire to Jerusalem.Against this rich backdrop, the dramatic events in Acts 2 take on deeper significance. The "driving wind," "tongues as of fire," and miraculous speaking in different languages weren't random supernatural phenomena but deeply meaningful symbols connecting God's past actions with this new chapter in salvation history. The wind echoes creation and exodus narratives where God's breath brings life and freedom. The fire recalls divine manifestations from Abraham to Moses. The transcending of language barriers reverses Babel's confusion and proclaims the gospel's universal nature.In this episode, Father Wolf offers a refreshing perspective on speaking in tongues, distinguishing it from pure ecstasy and describing it as "a door being opened in a person's personality." He also highlights Bishop Barron's intriguing observation that the disciples' proclamation of "Christos Kyrios" (Christ is Lord) directly challenged the prevailing "Caesar Kyrios" (Caesar is Lord) of Roman society—a subtle pronunciation change with revolutionary implications.The Pentecostal experience remains available today, not merely as extraordinary manifestations but as an empowerment to proclaim fundamental truth. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf unpacks resurrection narratives to reveal a fascinating pattern: those who knew Jesus best consistently failed to recognize him after his resurrection. Whether on the Emmaus road or in the locked upper room, his followers struggled to perceive who stood before them. What prevented recognition, and when did clarity finally arrive? The answer provides a profound insight into our own spiritual lives.The breaking of bread emerges as the crucial moment of recognition throughout these stories. This isn't coincidental—it points directly to the Eucharist as the privileged place where Christ becomes known to believers. ************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we explore the forgotten meaning of Memorial Day and our collective responsibility to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. What began as "Decoration Day" to honor Civil War dead has transformed into something far less meaningful for many Americans today.• Memorial Day originally honored those who died in the Civil War—America's deadliest conflict• Human societies throughout history have created monuments to honor their fallen warriors• We possess a remarkable capacity to forget even the most profound events• The Oklahoma City bombing example shows how quickly even life-changing events fade from memory• War veterans often find more in common with former enemies than with civilians• Memorial Day evolved to honor fallen soldiers from both Union and Confederate sides• As Catholics, we believe the dead remain part of our fellowship in Christ• The faithful practice of remembrance connects us to those who sacrificed for our freedomThis Memorial Day, let us pause to remember those who gave their lives and find a place for them in our hearts and prayers.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

The unexpected election of the first American Pope has sent shockwaves through the Catholic world, leaving many wondering what this historic shift means for the Church's future. In this episode, Father Wolf cuts through the political noise to offer a thoughtful, nuanced perspective on Pope Leo XIV's election and what his leadership might bring.Rather than falling into the trap of labeling the new pontiff as liberal or conservative, consider the whole person - his background, education and life experiences that will shape his papacy. Having spent years as a missionary in Peru, Pope Leo brings firsthand knowledge of Latin America's complex relationship with global superpowers and the realities of extreme poverty. His American cultural identity likely instills a problem-solving mentality and action-oriented approach to challenges. Additionally, his academic background in mathematics and canon law suggests a mind attuned to systematic thinking and ordered reasoning.For Catholics in Oklahoma, Pope Leo's election brings renewed hope for Blessed Stanley Rother's canonization process. Given the Pope's missionary experience during times of political unrest in Latin America, he likely has a profound understanding of Father Rother's ministry and martyrdom. His choice of the papal name "Leo" - connecting to Leo XIII who authored groundbreaking Catholic social teaching - provides insight into his vision for navigating modern challenges while preserving essential Church teachings.************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Wolf unpacks the widely misunderstood doctrine of papal infallibility, explaining its actual meaning, historical context and importance in preserving Catholic teaching through generations.• Papal infallibility is a relatively new doctrine formally defined at the First Vatican Council (1869-1870)• The doctrine only applies when the Pope officially teaches on matters of faith and morals• Infallibility does not mean whatever the Pope says becomes true; rather, he teaches what is already true• We all operate with "infallible" certainties in our daily lives – from family relationships to scientific truths• Historical context matters: the doctrine emerged during a period of intense skepticism about religious truths• The teaching function is central to the Church's mission – from the Pope to every faithful Catholic• Infallibility serves as a protection against relativism while maintaining the core teachings of the faith************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, Father Don Wolf reflects on the nature of papal conclaves and how cardinals discern who will lead the Church forward, acknowledging both the human limitations and divine guidance in this process. He also shares his own humbling experience of incorrectly predicting that Cardinal Ratzinger would not become pope after John Paul II's death.• The cardinals who elect the pope are ordinary men with human strengths and weaknesses through whom the Holy Spirit works• Consumer society has disconnected various aspects of life, making it difficult for many to see how faith connects to daily choices• The Church needs a leader who can both proclaim the gospel and manage effectively, beyond simplistic "liberal vs conservative" framings• Different leadership styles (decisive command vs. consensus building) serve different needs, like Colonel Chamberlain at Gettysburg versus General Eisenhower leading the Allied forces• The true significance of a papal election often becomes clear only centuries later, as few could have predicted how John Paul II's Polish background would impact the Cold War• Our role is to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and prepare ourselves to follow where the new pope leads************Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.