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And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Rev. 12:9). Notice that this verse does not say the demons were cast into hell, but rather to … Read moreWhere Demons Dwell

“You probably think Santa Claus is real. Or that the Earth is flat. Maybe your ancestors thought Thor caused lightning and thunderstorms. Or that praying to a statue would bring healing. We have moved past that. Now, we live in an age of science. If you still believe in God, you must be a superstitious … Read moreFive Foundational Principles to Use When Talking to Atheists

Just as the Church has official ritual books for Mass and the sacraments, for blessings and for exorcism, so there is also an official book called the Handbook of Indulgences. We will not take time here to explain Church teaching on indulgences; though it is important and woefully neglected, that would be the subject of … Read moreThe Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel

When people ask me why they need to go to see a priest in confession instead of going “directly to God,” I remind them that they already believe that you can’t “go directly to God” when it comes to another sacrament: baptism. Protestants believe that someone else (ideally, a Church minister) has to baptize you—you … Read moreMedicine for the Soul

The Catholic Church teaches us what actions are gravely sinful and must be avoided so we do not forsake our salvation. Once, I was talking with a poised young Protestant woman who was adept at citing the Bible. The topic of James 2 and its insistence that a man is not justified by “faith alone” … Read moreWhat’s Right, and What’s Wrong—Salvation Hangs In the Balance

No True Scotsman is a type of logical fallacy that involves making exceptions when a claim is contradicted in order to prevent the claim from being falsified. It’s called the No True Scotsman fallacy because it follows a pattern of reasoning along these lines: Person A: No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge. Person B: But my friend Donald is … Read moreHasty Generalizations and True Scotsmen

The Protestant Reformation was launched when a Catholic priest named Martin Luther thought he’d discovered something in the Bible that the Church had been missing for centuries. That discovery was salvation by faith alone—that is, apart from doing good works. This core Reformation doctrine of sola fide is a major dividing line between Catholics and Protestants. Just like sola … Read moreSaved By Faith Alone?

There are seven implications that baptism has for our lives as a Christian, each of which arises from a particular dimension of the sacrament. This is a great day to remember those! First, we must daily respond to God and his Word in faith. Baptism is “the sacrament of faith” (CCC 1253), which gives us … Read moreSeven Implications That Baptism Has for Our Lives as a Christian

We have returned to the Levant, we have returned apparently more as masters than ever we were during the struggle of the Crusades—but we have returned bankrupt in that spiritual wealth which was the glory of the Crusades. – Hilaire Belloc, The Crusades, 1937 In our age the Crusades are described as barbaric, wasteful, shameful, and even … Read moreReclaiming the True Catholic Narrative of the Crusades

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” Well, when I was a child, I thought you got to heaven by just being a nice person.  … Read moreSalvation—Is Believing in Jesus Enough?

When it comes to the practice of baptism, questions arise as to who can receive it. At first glance, such questions might seem a bit pedantic, something only for theological nerds. But as we’ll see, these questions are at the heart of many of the conversations that we Catholics have about baptism, whether we’re talking … Read moreWho Can Receive Baptism? Considering Special Cases

The Catholic Church teaches what we must believe in order to be saved. After college, I traveled the country with a pro-life organization whose staff were evenly divided between Catholics and Protestants. This made for interesting conversations around the trays of lasagna we ate in the evenings. (If you’ve ever had to feed thirty missionaries, … Read moreThe Three Rs of Salvation—Repent, Receive, and Remain

“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” This is how St. Basil, quoted in the Catechism (336), described the role of the guardian angels. Obviously, God does not need the assistance of the angels; he is capable of taking care of people without them. But in his wisdom … Read moreWhat is the Role of Guardian Angels?

God creates, we believe, ex caritate—out of love.  If we recall our image of Christianity as a reflection of the human heart, we can ask: what is the first thing love longs to do? What is the first impulse of a lover toward his or her beloved? Is it not the bestowal of gifts? We long … Read moreGod Creates Out of Love

When I was considering joining the Catholic Church, I sat down with some of my non-Catholic friends to see if they could talk me out of my decision. They were Christians, but they didn’t consider themselves to be “Protestants.” Instead, they called themselves Evangelicals or just “Christ-followers.” Regardless, their response to my decision to become … Read moreIf We Just Love Jesus, Does It Really Matter Which Church We Go To?

Preparation for the celebration of the holy Mass and reception of Holy Communion is an essential element of our share in this sacrament of sacraments. Here are five things we should do to make ourselves ready.  First of all, we approach the sacrament of love with the right intention. This means we come thoughtfully, intending … Read moreHow Can I Prepare Myself to Receive Holy Communion at Mass More Fruitfully?

Liturgical seasons are days and weeks set aside on the Church calendar for ongoing celebration of events in salvation history. The Church has these seasons to extend celebration of important events in the life of our Lord through time.   In General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, released after Vatican II by … Read moreWhy Does the Church Celebrate “Seasons”?

Most people have encountered logical fallacies. The average person could likely name a couple but would struggle to articulate a comprehensive definition or explanation. Regrettably, logical fallacies factor prominently in the ongoing debates between Catholics and Protestants, to the point where we might wonder if Protestants are exploiting Catholics’ lack of in-depth knowledge regarding this … Read moreInconsistency is the Sign of a Failed Argument

What do you do when your spouse’s past sins still frustrate your present? When forgiveness has been given, but you find yourself still losing your peace and thinking about it? In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt confront a painful and often-unspoken challenge in marriage, how to find peace, confidence, and love when your … Read moreDealing with your Spouse’s Sexual Past

“The anti-Catholic tradition could not be kept alive, would die of exhaustion, without a continual supply of fable.”  –    St. John Henry Newman Nearly a century ago, the Catholic author, historian, and politician Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) wrote an intriguing examination of the Church and the modern world in his 1929 book Survivals and New Arrivals. Belloc was … Read more“The Air That We Breathe is Anti-Catholic”

Every couple begins marriage with love, purpose, and seemingly endless dreams, but then the kids arrive…and everything changes. Sleepless nights, endless noise, and unrelenting schedules can slowly replace tenderness with tension. Before long, spouses who once felt inseparable find themselves living like teammates or strangers, wondering where the closeness went. In this episode of The … Read moreWhy Most Marriages Fall Apart After Kids

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) was a man whose life and virtues every Christian man should know and emulate. Even a cursory reading of his biography Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy gives one the sense that he achieved that fully human life that all men desire, but so few obtain.  Bonhoeffer was a genius theologian, an excellent musician, a … Read moreA Lesson in Obedience from Dietrich Bonhoeffer

True witness often means embracing sacrifice and offering our own suffering for the salvation of others We’ve been calling evangelization a battle, and it is. When you step out to evangelize, you’re not just starting a project, you’re stepping onto a battlefield. Evangelization is a direct assault against Satan’s kingdom of lies, sin, and death. … Read moreThree Enemies: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

Most couples believe love and faith are enough to build a marriage. But what if they aren’t? Too often, the real cracks appear after the vows because they never talked about what truly matters. In this episode of The Catholic Gentleman, John Heinen and Devin Schadt walk through the questions engaged or serious couples must … Read moreThe Exact Questions No One Asks Before Marriage (But Everyone Should)

In short, Catholics must believe everything that the Church professes about what God has revealed to be true: the articles of faith. There are also precepts—basic requirements of religious practice—that the Church instructs believers to observe. And then there is the long list of pious beliefs and practices that, though not exactly required, are part … Read moreWhat Am I Required to Do and Believe as a Catholic?

 Every loving husband wants his wife to be happy. But what happens when every attempt, every word, solution, silence, seems to push her further away? Why is it that more often than not, she does not want us to help her fix her problems? In this episode, John Heinen & Devin Schadt dig into … Read moreWhy You Can’t Fix Her

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Every man lives by a story, but what if the story you’ve been living isn’t true? We find ourselves, unknowingly, trapped in lies that define who we are and how we must act. In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt expose the hidden lies that quietly shape how men see themselves, their worth, and … Read more3 Lies Every Man Believes

The word “vocation” gets sort of abused by both the world and in Churchy-talk.  In the Church we use it to refer only in the sense of the objective states in life of marriage and the priesthood or religious life.  In the world, it usually refers just to a specific skill or job, usually one of humble … Read moreThe World Does Not Honor the Housewife, So We Must

According to Joseph Smith, in 1823, an angel named Moroni appeared to him and revealed the location of a set of gold plates inscribed in a language Smith called “reformed Egyptian.” Smith met with Moroni over a period of four years to prepare to translate the plates, which Smith allegedly accomplished by peering inside of … Read moreWhat is the Book of Mormon?

WARNING, this episode contains adult content. Few men realize how deeply silence about sex can wound intimacy. It’s not usually selfishness that causes distance, but fear of saying the wrong thing, being rejected, or exposing the ache for connection that runs deeper than words. Over time, unspoken needs harden into resentment, and what was meant … Read moreFLASHBACK: How to Discuss Sex with your Wife

Jehovah’s Witnesses emerged in the northeastern United States during the 1870s, though at the time they were known as “Bible Students.” Under the direction of founder Charles Taze Russell, the Bible Students believed they had restored the true doctrines of the Christian faith that were lost after the death of the apostles. In 1881, Russell … Read moreWhat is the History of the Jehovah’s Witnesses?

WARNING, this episode contains adult content. Most wives truly love their husbands, yet still feel confused by what he needs, what drives him, and what hurts him. Most husbands deeply love their wives, yet struggle to explain what’s really going on inside. In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt unpack the four deepest needs … Read moreWhat Women Don’t Understand about Men

What if someone has an active intention to receive baptism and yet still chooses to persist in or cling to a sin? Can such a person be baptized? The answer depends on what we mean by “can.”  If by “can” we mean, “Will the person be validly baptized?”, then the answer is yes. Aquinas teaches that such … Read moreCan the Persistent Sinner Be Baptized?

Grandparents often find themselves wondering if they are permitted to baptize their grandchild when his parent doesn’t want him baptized. And not just grandparents, but also caring individuals. I’ve had folks ask me this question countless times. It demands a thorough response. Let’s start with what we shouldn’t do: baptize the child in secret. The Code of Canon Law (CIC) states … Read moreCan a Grandparent Secretly Baptize a Grandchild?

Most men want to succeed in life, but could never explain how it’s truly done. We chase goals, work harder, and push ourselves, yet still feel like something is missing. The world promises success, comfort, and freedom, but delivers noise, confusion, emptiness, and disappointment. In this episode, John Heinen and Devin Schadt reveal 7 Rules … Read more7 Rules Only the Best Men Know