Fr. John Riccardo's Podcasts

On Wednesday, November 4th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Mr. George Weigel as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Mr. Weigel, a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is a Catholic theologian and a renowned author. Mr. Weigel spoke on the topic The Catholic Citizen in America Today: Why Bother...Does My Voice Really Matter?. Additional biographical information on Mr. Weigel is available on the Ethics and Public Policy Center website.

On Wednesday, September 9th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Professor Robert George as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Professor George is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and the Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. Dr. George spoke on the topic Conscience, Justice, and Human Life: A Discussion of Morality, Ethics, Law, and Catholic Response. This talk was broadcast on the radio program Putting on the Mind of Christ, which airs on the Ave Maria Radio Network.

On Wednesday, May 27th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Dr. Janet Smith as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Professor Smith holds the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. She is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later and editor of Why Humanae Vitae Was Right: A Reader. With Christopher Kaczor she also authored Life Issues, Medical Choices, Questions and Answers for Catholics. She has published many articles on ethical and bioethical issues and over a million copies of her talk, Contraception: Why Not have been distributed. A Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow of this talk, Homosexuality: Why Not, is available for download from the My Catholic Faith website. A number of Professor Smith's talks will be found on her resource page of the site.

On Wednesday, April 29th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Sr. Mary Ellen Dougherty, SSND, as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Sr. Mary Ellen served as Coordinator of Education and Outreach in the Anti-Human Trafficking Department at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C. She is a regular speaker and writer on the topic of the trafficking of foreign nationals in the U.S.

On Saturday, March 28th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Immaculée Ilibagiza as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Immaculée, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide of 1994, shared the story of her miraculous transition to forgiveness, her profound relationship with God, and her devotion to the Blessed Mother. For additional information about Immaculée, the Left to Tell Charitable Fund, and her devotion to Our Lady of Kibeho, please visit her website.

On Wednesday, March 25th, the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish hosted Mr. Gerry Straub as part of the Dignity of Life Speaker Series. Mr. Straub is a documentary filmmaker and an award-winning author who abandoned the secular world and a distinguished career as a network television producer in New York and Hollywood to use his talents in service of the poor. As founder and president of The San Damiano Foundation, he explores how film transforms people's hearts and can be used to serve the poor. For additional information, please visit The San Damiano Foundation website.

On November 19th, Mrs. Patricia McDonald presented a talk titled Life is Christ, Death is Gain: A Journey into the Arms of Christ for the Dignity of Life Speaker Series sponsored by the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish. Mrs. McDonald is a former President and CEO of the Michigan Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Pat's address for this series describes her personal journey that began with her cancer diagnosis in 2005.

Dr. Peter Kreeft discusses The Catholic Vote in this address for the Dignity of Life Speaker Series sponsored by the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish. Dr. Kreeft is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and a respected author. For additional information, please visit Dr. Kreeft's website. Dr. Kreeft's talk will be broadcast on the Ave Maria Radio Network (WDEO AM-990 in southeast Michigan) on the program Putting on the Mind of Christ on:

Saturday, October 18th, at 6 PM
Sunday, October 19th, at 3 PM
Saturday, October 25th, at 6 PM.

Fr. Riccardo discusses The Most Urgent Crisis of Our Day in this inaugural address for the Dignity of Life Speaker Series sponsored by the Gospel of Life Group at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish.