The Based Catholic

Episode 28 Special Guests: Owner & Founder of Hull Millwork and Hull Homes, Brent Hull & Author Jack Cashill.How much did America change after World War II? The short answer: a lot. For starters, we accelerated our standard of "cheap and fast" to the utmost degree in our architectural design and building. Mr. Hull comes on to share his passion for craftsmanship in architectural millwork, residential construction, and historic restoration as well as explain the history of how we got to the ugliness we see today. Turns out, Catholic university architecture schools are the only remaining hold out on beauty, and might be our only hope in the restoration of it. Then Mr. Cashill comes on to discuss his book, "Untenable: The True Story of White Ethnic Flight From America's Cities." We discuss how the urban ethnic Catholic parishes were the center of community for immigrants and how that was just never recreated in the suburbs. He also made the connection that while our cities were crumbling due to crime (the fallout of the sexual revolution in the black community), our Church also decided to reimagine itself. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 27 Special Guest: Tim Carney, author of the book, "Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Having Kids Much Harder Than It Needs To Be."Civilization is in crisis. The birth decline continues to drop as marriage rates plummet and suffer from further delay. But how responsible is our culture for this? Does it play a role in family formation, making it intentionally harder to have kids? Would a more religious culture that encourages married couples to have more babies catch on? Listen to my discussion with Tim where we address all this and more!Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 26 Special Guests: Franciscan University Professor of Theology, Dr. John Bergsma & the Diocese of Arlington’s Father David.Are we willing to suffer for our beloved? If we liken the analogy of marriage to our relationship with God, how many of us simply think we love God enough, but are seldom willing to suffer for Him? In this episode I get into the different perspectives on suffering between protestants and Catholics with fellow Catholic convert, Dr. Bergsma. We discuss why we must suffer, why Catholics "offer up" their sufferings, why it seems the wicked prosper and the just are punished, and what we can learn about enduring faith from Joseph in the Old Testament. Then I talk with Fr. David about spiritual discernment, if suffering is sent from God or the devil, and I learn something about the book of Job that I didn’t know!Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 25 Special Guest: Diocese of Cleveland’s Father Patrick Schultz. I'm sure you've heard that famous Dr. Peter Kreeft quote: "Abortion is the Antichrist’s demonic parody of the eucharist. That’s why it uses the same holy words, “This is my body,” with the blasphemous opposite meaning." You could say that secular liberalism's sacramental substitute for the eucharist is a body *not* given up for another. In the same way, consider our culture's obsession with therapy. Is it a cope for a lack of sacramental confession and/or spiritual direction? Is meditation and manifesting alternative replacements for prayer? I pose all these questions to Father Pat, one of my favorite young priests! We also discuss the sacrament of confirmation and the need to bring back reverence and beauty in the liturgy, something that was suppose to remain in the mass post-Vatican II, but has unfortunately been obliterated by cringe suburban Catholicism. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 24 Special Guests: Them Before Us' Katy Faust & The Spectator's Teresa Mull.Issues related to marriage and family within liberalism's structure have long been decided based on what's best for the individual (i.e. the parent, the adult), never considering or in favor of what's best for the child. Katy goes child-centric in our conversation surrounding why biology matters, the agendas of adoption agencies, and how a regime that allows for reproductive technology like IVF to exist makes Ishmaels (like millions of frozen embryos). Then I talk with Teresa about why moving to small town America might be the answer to our prevailing woes of wokeness! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 23 Special Guests: Writer and Author, Declan Leary & Media Research Center's Brent Bozell III.If one of the founding fathers of the modern conservative movement, Brent Bozell Jr. were alive today (and still living in America), he'd probably be on the FBI's Catholic Extremist watch list. I interview Declan and his son Brent to discuss this lost piece of conservative media history and the Catholic giant that he was, his disenchantment with conservative politics after returning to the States from Catholic Spain, and his legacy with Triumph Magazine...and ask, could a *new* Triumph be the answer to the growing dissatisfaction with conservative media many on the Right are experiencing? Episode 23 Segments: Krames KornerSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 22 Special Guest: Diocese of Arlington’s Father David.In a post-Christian culture, with the trend of reception-based ceremonies, what weddings can a Catholic go to in good conscience? I ask Father David. Then I give my take on what I consider the missing rhetoric surrounding the two-parent household discussions and how they benefit children. Are the roles of mother and father interchangeable? Are two parents in the home all that matter, or do children deserve a married mother and father? Then lastly, I ask Catholic millennial women their thoughts on motherhood! Episode 22 Segments: Father Knows Best, Call Her Traddy, Krames KornerSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 21 Special Guest: Professor James Wilson.They say divorce is down but that's only because marriage rates are too. In a post-marriage culture, how do we defend marriage if we don't even know what it is? I speak with Professor Wilson and we break down the three acts of the profound play written by Pope Saint John Paul II, "The Jeweler's Shop," a meditation on marriage. Each of the three acts dives into a couple's marriage and teaches us something about love. You won't want to miss this one! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 20 Special Guests: Christopher Chapman & Jacob Beckwith. Do fools rush in or do men "know?" Ever heard of a decade-long friendship getting out of the friend-zone? After this episode, you will have! Meet the man behind the legend that is Emily Stimpson Chapman. Her husband Chris tells me his vocation story and his perspective in their shared love story. Then I discuss the growing trend of Gen Z ditching their smartphone for a dumbphone with Jacob. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 19 Special Guests: Patricia Patnode & J.P. De Gance.Writer and repentant former member of the Daddy Gang, Patricia comes on to discuss the social impact of Call Her Daddy (the #1 female podcast in the world). We ponder if Alex Cooper's Catholic education really screwed her up her views on sex (pssst..she must have never read Pope Saint John Paul II's defense of the female orgasm).Then I interview J.P. on his son's high school homeschool football league and if this could be a budding alternative for Catholic student-athletes who want the varsity sports experience without the less-than-stellar Catholic formation received in a lot of Catholic schools. Episode 19 Segments: Call Her Traddy Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 18 Special Guests: Dr. R.J. Snell & Dr. Kathleen Sullivan.We know what they took from us...beauty, Catholic culture, dancing, erotic weddings, and good storytelling. Dr. Snell presents a whimsical case. Then Dr. Sullivan tries to sell me on Jane Austen...I may be persuaded by Persuasion. You'll have to listen to find out! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 17 Special Guests: Ivana Greco & EPPC's Patrick Brown.What is the childcare blob? Similar to the Washington, D.C. "foreign policy blob," Ivana dives into what the mainstream consensus is when it comes to child care policy.Then I go back and forth with Patrick over whether an agnostic or "neutral" policy (if such a thing exists) is the best approach to take when it comes to what's in the best interest of children. Episode 17 Segments: I'm Listening Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 16 Special Guests: Kelsie Long & Carrie Kaczmarek Bland.Research shows that the first three years of a child's life are critically important in developing healthy attachment to their primary caregiver, their mother. Instinctively at three, I knew daycares were metaphorical orphanages, but what about private nannies? Better ratio, right? I decided to talk with two nannies about their experiences in stepping in for Mom.Episode 16 Segments: Call Her Traddy Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 15 Special Guests: Verily Editor-in-Chief Mary Rose Somarriba & Maria Perrone. I interview the current Editor-in-Chief of Verily Magazine, Mary Rose (who is practically my neighbor) about what sets Verily, the first publication in alternative women's media apart from her competitors. Then I discuss the Roseto Effect with my friend Maria and how millennials can implement their own version of it and form community again. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 14 Special Guests: The American Conservative's Emile Doak & Maria Perrone. Should a Catholic stay in their hometown, move to modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, or one of these Catholic Meccas? I discuss with Emile, long-time defender of staying in your hometown who is on the verge of moving his family to one of these thriving Catholic communities. Then I talk with my newlywed friend Maria about what she's learned in her first few months of marriage and why it's so important to marry the right person who feels like home. And finally, I pop off about Trad Larpers (they must be stopped!)Episode 14 Segments: I'm Listening, Call Her Traddy Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 13 Special Guests: New Polity's Jacob Imam & Julia Beatty.Are we more American or Catholic with how we think about money? Jacob comes on for a fun exchange on why usury, investing in the market (and understanding investing as pure speculation) goes against Church Tradition, and points out that our desire for big bank accounts in retirement (401Ks) currently fund the exact companies trying to steal the very assets we want to buy now. Then my married mom friend calls in to chat about previous episode discussions regarding men and women and gives her take on what's wrong with guys and girls in the Catholic dating scene!Episode 13 Segments: I'm Listening Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 12 Special Guests: Former Director of Nursing (Elisa Huelskamp), Former NICU Nurse (Christina Vescera), Former Oncology Nurse (Julia Beatty).Nursing was once the most trusted profession, but would you still consider that to be true based on today's standards? I talk with the three closest nurses in my life about what they think of the medical field, their experiences during Covid, and when they have felt morally or otherwise compromised in their former jobs. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 11 Special Guests: Catholic Writer & Speaker, Leah Libresco Sargeant, Americans United for Life's Senior Fellow, Zak Slayback, and Hillsdale Graduate, Matthias Rhein.What is the Catholic approach and ethic to end of life issues? I discuss that with Leah!Then I talk with Zak about the industrialization of healthcare and what's going on in the pro-euthanasia movement. I ask him if there's a connection between the pro-bodily autonomy movement of the sexual revolution and the pro-bodily autonomy movement of "the right to die" movement, and how it's sadly turning into the "duty to die" movement. Then Matthias brings to my attention a new stat that just came out on the rise of body cremation over traditional burials and the implications that will have on younger generations. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 10 Special Guests: A lot of Thompson's...AKA my Mom’s side. Watching Venmo transactions got me thinking....Who should pay during the course of a romantic relationship? What does it look like for the man to be the provider in marriage and does that start in dating? (There's an obvious answer here, but in our culture, people want to act like there's not...)Episode 10 Segments: Call Her Traddy & Krames KornerSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 9 Special Guests: Catholic wife, mother, & writer, Emily Stimpson Chapman. This episode was made in response to the growing trend of mostly male conservative commentators placing worldly pressure (mostly on women) to get married young in an effort to solve the country's fertility crisis. But is marriage something you can control outside of God's will, or is it a gift and miracle? And is the marriage decline really due to feminism, or are we instead in the midst of an invisible WWIII with spiritually dead men lost to the sexual revolution? Episode 9 Segments: Krames Korner & Call Her TraddySound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 8 Special Guests: Communio's J.P. DeGance.There's a strong case to be made that the decline in faith is directly related to the decline in marriage, and specifically the decline in resident fatherhood. J.P. is the President & Founder of Communio, an organization formed out of a desire to serve the Church in combating the decline in the sacrament of marriage. I ask J.P. what's being done to help the loneliest cohort of mass attendees (thirty-something singles) and why men are the key in passing down the faith, yet with the Church being an inverted nightclub, there aren’t many single men attending.Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 7 Special Guests: ISI National Director of Student Programs & Freelance Food and Culture Writer, Marlo Slayback.An episode dedicated on turning {thirty} "...That period in which a person must discover his limitations without losing faith in his possibilities...It is a time freighted with immeasurable potentiality and yet with imminent peril."How you react to the milestone of 30 is a direct reflection on how you feel about where your life is at. 30 is also a great time to go back home if that's something you've been thinking about...I discuss the concept of going back home a bit with Marlo and why she thinks DC feels like an extended college campus. (I should know, I spent the last decade/my twenties in Virginia).Episode 7 Segments: Krames Korner & I'm ListeningSound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 6 Special Guests: Mattison Brooks & Peachy Keenan.At the Young Republicans National Convention, in a room of 200 people, only 1 raised their hand when asked if they think they'll be able to own a home one day. I decided to speak with fellow millennial and new homeowner, Mattison Brooks about that sad reality and what he thinks is contributing to the housing crisis.Then I had a discussion with author Peachy Keenan about her new book, "Domestic Extremism: A Practical Guide to Winning the Culture War."Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 5 Special Guests: New Polity's Marc Barnes & Americans United for Life's Tom Shakely.I spoke with Marc about New Polity's aversion toward liberalism, how it's inherently at war with Catholicism, and how their version of 'integralism' differs from another group (an opposing faction of fellow integralist intellectuals). Then I spoke with Tom about why groups and folks on the Right are constantly speaking in liberal terms with liberalism's presuppositions when it comes to the life issue. Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 4 Special Guests: Chastity Project's Jason Evert.Red-Pill content creators are taking over "conservative" social media platforms and infiltrating dating discussions, continuing to fuel the war between the sexes. In my attempt to counter act this degenerate form of masculinity, I decided to bring on Jason Evert to give a Catholic man's perspective on all this. And let me tell ya...he went OFF in the most 'based' way! Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 3 Special Guests: Maria Perrone & Franciscan University Professor of Theology, Dr. Deborah Savage.It doesn't seem like the sexes like each other much these days. And one of the reasons you can tell that the gender divide is widening is that it's showing up in our cinema. In this episode, I give my initial thoughts on "Barbie" with my friend, Maria who claims that Greta Gerwig did a spin on Adam and Eve and the fall in her summer blockbuster.Then I bring on Dr. Savage to tell us what the genius of Genesis says about the male-female dynamic, the effects of the fall and original sin, and how we can get back to God's original plan for men and women. (You'll also want to hear her love story and how it involved dumping Eddie!)Episode 2 Segments: Call Her Traddy Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 2 Special Guests: ISI National Director of Student Programs & Freelance Food and Culture Writer, Marlo Slayback. Being that home birth is making a comeback and trending in crunchy, conservative, Catholic circles, I decided to ask my friend about her home birth experience. We spoke about the reality of pregnancy and whether she wants a hospital birth (aka "the drugs") next time! Episode 2 Segments: Krames Korner Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

Episode 1 Special Guests: "Anti-Woke Sports Guy" Jon Root & New Polity's Marc Barnes.I discuss what is going on in the woke world of sports with Jon and argue that sports are not out of the domain of politics and subsequently religion. Then I get Marc's brainy take on dating apps and ask him whether Catholics should be social media influencers.Episode 1 Segments: Call Her Traddy & Krames Korner Sound Engineer: Mark Coming

I am not your mother's church lady, I am Jessica Kramer, host of "The Based Catholic" here to give you a based and Catholic perspective on all the things.