Crown and Crozier

Our guest for this episode is a member of one of Europe’s most famous Catholic families and dynasties.For 800 years, the Habsburgs have done and seen it all - occupying the highest offices of the land, both civil and religious; ruling over kingdoms stretching across the continent and the ocean; and serving as last men standing in the defense of Christendom and Western civilization against outside aggressors.In this conversation, Ambassador Eduard Habsburg highlights the rich legacy and stories of the Habsburgs, drawing upon his recently published book The Habsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times.  Although their political empire may have faded into the history books, this fascinating family still has a lot to teach men and women of faith and goodwill in the 21st century.We also discuss what it’s like having a front row seat as a diplomat in the corridors of the Vatican.  To cap things off, we talk about the Ambassador’s boss, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - who’s described by his critics as a threat to democracy and European unity, and by his supporters as one of the Western world’s few remaining defenders of fundamental freedoms.Eduard Habsburg has served as Hungary’s Ambassador to the Holy See and Sovereign Order of Malta since 2015.  Prior to joining the foreign service, he wrote screenplays for zombie movies and novels, and also produced cartoons.Websites / resources referenced@EduardHabsburg (Twitter)Eduard Habsburg, The Habsburg Way: Seven Rules for Turbulent Times (2023)Jason Horowitz, “Hungary’s Ambassador to the Pope, With an Offbeat Resumé”, The New York Times (August 27, 2023)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Pop quiz!Out of all the violence and persecution in the world that is religiously-motivated, 75% of victims belong to which religion?Sadly, if you guessed Christianity, you would be right.In this episode, we speak with Dr. Thomas Williams, author of the recently published book The Coming Christian Persecution: Why Things are Getting Worse and How to Prepare for What is to Come. Williams highlights how the persecution of Christians is not just an artifact of history - it’s happening right now, in ways and at a scale that believers and non-believers alike fail to fully grasp.We discuss how systematic persecution of the followers of Christ persists in countries like North Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan and China; how “soft” persecution against Christians - as well as instances of violence - are on the rise in the West; how those who profess Jesus as Lord are called to both prepare for suffering and resist oppression; and how combating persecution ultimately begins and ends with cultivating the proper disposition of heart and mind.Dr. Williams currently serves as Rome Bureau Chief for Breitbart News and is the author of 17 books in the fields of theology, philosophy, ethics and spirituality. He teaches theology at the Rome campus of St. John’s University and has served as a media commentator on faith, ethics and religion for such networks as NBC, CBS and Sky News. He was appointed by the Holy See as spokesman for two Synods of Bishops (1997 and 2001).Websites / resources referencedDr. Thomas Williams official website@tdwilliamsrome (Twitter)Dr. Thomas Williams, The Coming Christian Persecution: Why Things are Getting Worse and How to Prepare for What is to Come (2023)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

God Save the King and Rule Britannia!To mark the occasion of the crowning of Britain's new king and Canada's new head of state, this episode features a special guest from the other side of the Atlantic.Ann Widdecombe served as a Conservative Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons from 1987-2010.  During that time, she held several Cabinet portfolios, and early on in her tenure, converted to the Catholic faith.  She also held a seat in the European Parliament as a representative of the Brexit Party from 2019-2020.A well-known political commentator and public personality, Widdecombe makes the case for why Britain's withdrawal from the European Union was necessary (and why it was fully in line with Catholic social teaching on subsidiarity). She also reflects on her conversion, the future of the Anglican Church, the present state of conservatism in the United Kingdom, and the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years.Websites / resources referencedAnn Widdecombe official websiteAnn Widdecombe, “Conservatives are not conservative - it's why I can't back the Tories,” The Daily Express (March 21, 2023)Ann Widdecombe: Brexit, Trade, and the European Union“The King’s coronation oath: an explainer for Catholics,” Catholic Herald (May 2, 2023)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

“If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative.”Like most of the words that escaped from his mouth or his pen, Hilaire Belloc’s famous speech to British voters was fiery, forceful and fueled by his faith.It’s a great tragedy of history that Belloc has been pushed into the shadow of his friend and collaborator, G.K. Chesterton. Whether in prose or Parliament, Belloc was a force of nature. His life was one extended adventure, from escaping death as an infant to achieving fame as Oxford’s top debater to challenging the anti-Catholic prejudices of the British establishment.And although he lived from 1870-1953, the alarm bells which he rang against elitist assaults on the Christian foundations of Western civilization are as prophetic and resonant today as they were in his time.Our guest for this episode is Belloc biographer and internationally acclaimed writer, scholar and speaker, Joseph Pearce. Pearce is the author of over a dozen books. Alongside Old Thunder, his biography of Hilaire Belloc, his works include best-selling volumes on G. K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Shakespeare. Pearce currently serves as St. John Henry Newman Chair in Catholic Studies at Thomas More College, Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute, editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions and the St. Austin Review, and senior contributor at The Imaginative Conservative.Websites / resources referencedJoseph Pearce official websiteJoseph Pearce, Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire BellocHilaire Belloc (Encyclopedia Britannica)Hilaire Belloc, The Path to Rome (1902)Hilaire Belloc, The Servile State (1912)Joseph Pearce, “What is Distributism?” The Imaginative Conservative (June 12, 2014)Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum (1891)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Since his death in December 2022, there have been countless tributes paid to Pope Benedict XVI, extolling his legacy as one of the greatest minds and shepherds of the contemporary Church.In this episode, we aim to offer our own tribute, by focusing on the late Holy Father’s contributions to Catholicism’s understanding of the relationship between the Church and the State.In particular, we turn attention to speeches which Benedict delivered within the walls of some of the most iconic halls of power in Europe - namely, Westminster Hall in London, England in 2010 and the German Parliament in 2011.These speeches addressed essential questions around how we organize our life in common; what constitutes the foundation of Western civilization; what the role of truth and justice is in public life; how natural law can anchor public discourse; and what a true ecology of man looks like. Our guest is Fr. Raymond de Souza, one of North America’s leading Catholic commentators, whose columns appear regularly in the National Post and National Catholic Register.  Fr. de Souza serves as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario.ReferencesFr. Raymond de Souza official websiteFr. Raymond de Souza, “Sea to Sea”, Convivium  [reflections on Pope Benedict’s September Speeches]Fr. Raymond de Souza, “Benedict XVI’s lifelong friendship with God”, National Post (January 5, 2023)George Weigel, “Parting Reflections” (January 6, 2023) [fourth installment of “Letters from Rome” series on the death of Pope Benedict XVI]www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Against the backdrop of numerous economic and social crises, there’s a lot of chatter in Canadian public policy circles about the need to “meet the moment.”In this episode, we examine the broad canvass of challenges facing the Great White North; whether the conservative movement in Canada is well-equipped to tackle them; and the need for a renewed discovery and embrace of the transcendent, immutable truths and traditions which serve as the foundation of the country’s political and social architecture.Our guest is Stockwell Day, one of the leading emeritus statesmen of Canadian conservatism.From 1986-2000, he served in the Alberta legislature, holding multiple portfolios in the provincial Cabinet.  From 2000-2001, he was leader of the Canadian Alliance and Her Majesty’s Official Opposition in the House of Commons.  Following the merger of Canada’s two major conservative parties in 2003, he remained as a Member of Parliament, and held several Cabinet roles in the government of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.Day’s long tenure in politics came to a close in 2011, when he declined to run in that year’s federal election.  Since then, he’s served in numerous Board and fellowship positions, and has run his own strategic consulting firm, Stockwell Day Connex.ReferencesStockwell Day (official website)@Stockwell_Day (Twitter)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

2023 started on a sombre, bittersweet note, with the death of two heavyweights in the Church hierarchy: Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal George Pell.In this episode, we seek to pay tribute to this pair of monumental figures who exerted enormous influence on the life of the Church, and who served the members of the Mystical Body of Christ for a combined total of 125 years in the priesthood.We also discuss a topic that occupied a pre-eminent place in the ministries of both men - namely, what Vatican II was really all about and what authentic interpretation and implementation of the Council really looks like.Our guest is George Weigel, Distinguished Senior Fellow and William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC. One of the most prominent and distinguished voices in the Church today, Weigel is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including the authoritative biography of St. John Paul II, Witness to Hope, as well as his recent history and commentary To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.ReferencesGeorge Weigel, “Parting Reflections” (January 6, 2023) [fourth installment of “Letters from Rome” series on the death of Pope Benedict XVI]George Weigel, “On the Death and Requiem of Cardinal George Pell” (January 16, 2023)Cardinal George Pell, “The Catholic Church must free itself from this ‘toxic nightmare’”, The Spectator (January 11, 2023)George Weigel, To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II  (2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

I know for certain, dear listener, that there’s at least one thing you and I have in common - each of us is going to die.In this episode, we turn attention to that uncomfortable, sometimes distressing topic of death.Our guest is Dr. Randall Smith, author of From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality and the Resurrection of the Body.Dr. Smith reminds us that a proper understanding of death and the next world makes for a life that is more full of truth, goodness and beauty in this world.  We also talk about what it means for the Church and the State to “do death well” - which includes rejecting the allures peddled by the transhumanist school of thought.Dr. Smith is a Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, the author of numerous books, and a regular contributor to The Catholic Thing, an online Catholic news and commentary forum.ReferencesDr. Randall Smith (University of St. Thomas webpage)Dr. Randall Smith’s columns at The Catholic ThingDr. Randall Smith, From Here to Eternity: Reflections on Death, Immortality and the Resurrection of the Body(2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Goodbye 2022, hello 2023!In this episode, we do a double take - not only glancing back at the biggest stories from 2022 in the world of Church, State and faithful citizenship, but also casting our gaze forward to what 2023 may have in store.We touch on the lifting of COVID restrictions; Pope Francis’ visit to Canada and the legacy of Indian residential schools; the recent passing of Pope Benedict XVI; the wave of attacks against Catholic churches across North America; Eucharistic revival in America; the Synodal Way in Germany; and more!Our guest is popular Catholic commentator, speaker and writer, Brian Holdsworth.  Through his YouTube channel, Brian provides regular reflections on major challenges in the life of the Church, as well as the beauty of Church tradition and history.  For more info on Brian and his online community of “Reinforcements”, be sure to check out his website: https://brianholdsworth.ca/ReferencesBrian Holdsworth’s official website@briankeepsworth (Twitter)@BrianHoldsworth (YouTube) www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

In Fall 2021, it was revealed that Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, among the most senior and high profile leaders within the Anglican Church, had converted to Catholicism.In this episode, we sit down with (now) Monsignor Nazir-Ali as he reflects on his first year of membership in the Catholic Church. We explore moments from his life which served as major waypoints in his journey of faith, including his embrace of Christianity during his youth in Pakistan, his hasty departure from his homeland after crossing swords with militant Islamist authorities, and his ultimate conclusion that both the deposit of faith and its authentic ministry dwell most fully within Catholicism.We also discuss pivotal issues in the contemporary life of the Church, including the need for sacred tradition and magisterial authority to guide the transmission of the faith, especially in any exercise such as the Synod on Synodality.  To top it all off, we touch on St. John Henry Newman, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the legacy of the early Church as a persecuted minority which ended up changing the course of human history.Monsignor Nazir-Ali is a priest within the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, and serves as the Director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue.ReferencesDr. Michael Nazir-Ali official website@michaelnaziraliDr. Michael Nazir-Ali, “There can be no moral renewal of public life without respect for God and Man”, The Catholic Herald (July 29, 2022)“Ex Anglican Bishop Michael Nazir Ali converts to Catholicism”, The Spectator (October 14, 2021)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

U.S. President Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that the First Amendment to the Constitution was intended to erect “a wall of separation between church and state.”It’s commonly asserted that the intellectual architecture underpinning Church-State separation and the First Amendment’s codification of religious freedom rested on a foundation of Protestant liberalism, coloured by the rationalist philosophy of the Enlightenment period.But what if there’s more to the story?  If we hold the magnifying glass a little closer, is it possible to examine the arc of religious freedom in colonial America and discover Catholic fingerprints?In this episode, we aim to give a fair hearing to this idea.Our guest is Dr. Michael Breidenbach, Associate Professor and Chair of History at Ave Maria University, and Senior Affiliate for Legal Humanities at the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania.  Author of Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America, Dr. Breidenbach is an historian of politics, religion, law and culture in early America and the Atlantic World.Websites / resources referencedDr. Michael Breidenbach biographyMichael Breidenbach, Our Dear-Bought Liberty: Catholics and Religious Toleration in Early America (2021)“Conciliarism” (definition courtesy of Catholic Culture)George Calvert, 1st Baron BaltimoreInter Caetera (Pope Alexander VI, 1493)Constitution of the United States, First Amendmentwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Pope St. John Paul II once said: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.”What’s the state of marriage and family these days?  Is public policy effectively safeguarding these fundamental human institutions?  When it comes to things like government action on childcare, is the work of the home even being properly valued?Our guest for this episode is Andrea Mrozek, Senior Fellow at Cardus Family.  Cardus Family is an initiative of the Christian think tank, Cardus, based in Canada and dedicated to strengthening the ways in which society’s institutions can work together for the common good.Andrea was previously Executive Director at the Institute of Marriage and Family Canada, and is widely recognized as a leading voice in Canada on marriage, child care and women’s issues.Documents/Websites ReferencedAndrea Mrozek biography (Cardus) Andrea Mrozek, “Child care solutions vital in post-Roe era” Catholic Register (July 2022)Andrea Mrozek, Peter Jon Mitchell, Brian Dijkema, “Look Before You Leap: The Real Costs and Complexities of National Daycare” (2021)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in fire.  The conflagration was eventually extinguished - but it wasn’t long before flames were once again being fanned.Plans for re-building the church have ignited controversy, with some critics arguing that the proposals are tantamount to the “Disney-fication” of the 900-year-old monument to Our Lady.The debate is made all the more complex by the fact that the cathedral isn’t actually owned by the local Archdiocese.  Like tens of thousands of churches in Europe, it’s owned by the State.Our guest for this episode is one of the most well-known expatriate art historians in Europe.  Dr. Elizabeth Lev has lived and worked as a tour guide in Rome for over 20 years.  She teaches at Duquesne University’s Italian campus as well as the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.  Dr. Lev is the author of multiple books, the most recent of which traces the history of St. Joseph’s depiction in art.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Elizabeth Lev’s official websiteDr. Elizabeth Lev, “Sorry, Internet: Notre Dame is not being ‘wreckovated’”, The Washington Post (December 8, 2021)“France Approves Controversial Plan to Renovate Notre-Dame Cathedral”, Smithsonian Magazine (December 14, 2021)“What is Notre Dame Cathedral for?” The Pillar (November 30, 2021)“Notre Damned”, The Catholic Herald (January 27, 2022)History of Notre-Dame de Paris, Britannica.comwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Should pastors be political?Before we instinctively leap to the answer “NO!”...What if we examine that question in the light of what the Church teaches are a pastor’s three primary responsibilities - teaching, sanctifying and governing?  And what if by “political” we simply mean the many things relating to our life in common in the body politic, as opposed to the political vocation or mere partisanship?Joining us to help tackle these questions is Dr. Ben Dunson, author of “Should pastors be political?”, published by First Things in August 2022.  Dr. Dunson is editor-in-chief of American Reformer and visiting professor of New Testament at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Ben Dunson biographyBen Dunson, “Should Pastors Be Political?” First Things (August 26, 2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Long before Joe Biden, John Kerry and JFK threw their hats in the ring for President, Alfred E. Smith blazed the trail in 1928 as the first Catholic nominee for the White House.Smith’s story is the stuff of legend.  The son of a poor Irish immigrant, Smith grew up in Lower Manhattan, laboured in the local fish market, served in the New York assembly for over 10 years, and won four elections for Governor.   During the 1928 presidential election, he encountered an avalanche of anti-Catholic bigotry, much of it spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan.Join us as we examine the life and legacy of a good man who lived and defended the faith in public office, and whose witness can help shape our vision of what to look for in any politician, let alone a Catholic one.  Our guest is Dr. Robert Slayton, Professor Emeritus of History at Chapman University and author of Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith.Documents/Websites ReferencedDr. Robert Slayton biographyRobert Slayton, “Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith”Alfred E. Smith, “Catholic and Patriot”, The Atlantic (May 1927)“How Al Smith and FDR countered the KKK and anti-Catholic prejudice in politics”“The Knights vs. The Klan”“Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

We take advantage of the Canadian House of Commons’ summer recess to sit down with Garnett Genuis, Member of Parliament for Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan in Alberta.We shoot the summer breeze getting to know Garnett better: how his political discernment was partly inspired by a Holocaust survivor in his family and a German bishop who resisted the Nazis; how he juggles his obligations as parliamentarian and father of five; and how the Christian faith is practiced, shared, interpreted and sometimes maligned on Parliament Hill.Our discussion also features a lively mix of current events: Pope Francis’ recent trip to Canada and the legacy of Indian residential schools; religious freedom at home and abroad; the state of the national pro-life movement; and the outlook for upstart political parties seeking to challenge the conservative establishment.Oh, and there’s that whole Conservative Party of Canada leadership race to talk about too.Garnett was first elected to federal office in 2015 and was likewise victorious in the 2019 and 2021 elections.  At 35 years of age, he’s spent nearly 20% of his life representing his constituents.  He’s the host of his own political podcast, Resuming Debate.  Garnett and his wife, Rebecca, live outside Edmonton, Alberta and have five children.Documents/Websites ReferencedGarnett Genuis biography (official website)“Resuming Debate” podcast hosted by Garnett Genuis “What the bishop who resisted the Nazis can teach us today,” Catholic News Agency (December 17, 2017)“Pope Francis in Canada” (official webpage for the July 2022 papal visit)“‘Terrible and tragic’: Century-old Catholic Church in Morinville, Alta., destroyed by fire,” CBC News (June 30, 2021)Garnett Genuis tweets #1 and #2 endorsements in 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race“Canada election: Did the PPC split the Conservative vote? Maybe - but it’s not that simple,” Global News (September 22, 2021)“Alberta MP among those calling for re-opening of national Office of Religious Freedom,” Grandin Media (March 10, 2021) www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

From July 24-29, 2022, Pope Francis will be visiting Canada. During the trip, the Pope is set to deliver an apology on Canadian soil for the involvement of Catholic dioceses and religious orders in the operation of residential schools from the 1870s through the 1990s.Residential schools were established under a federal government program which was intended to assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture, and equip them with the education and skills deemed necessary to participate in Canada’s economic and social life.In anticipation of the Holy Father’s visit, this episode explores Indigenous reconciliation and ministry, major themes and challenges from Pope Francis’ pontificate, and whether Canada has a unique contribution to make to the Church’s mission in the 21st century.Along the way, we take some scenic detours, including reminiscing about the last time a pope visited Canada for the occasion of World Youth Day in 2002, and reminding ourselves of the importance of continuously building communities of faith.Our guest is John Paul Meenan, Assistant Professor of Theology at Seat of Wisdom College in Barry’s Bay, Ontario. John Paul was the co-founder of the small academic community which eventually became Seat of Wisdom College.  He's also the Editor in Chief of the online magazine Catholic Insight.Documents/Websites referenced John Paul Meenan biography (Seat of Wisdom College): https://www.seatofwisdom.ca/academics/faculty-2/jpmeenan/ “Pope Francis in Canada” (official webpage for the papal visit): https://www.papalvisit.caCanadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Brief History of Indian Residential Schools”: https://www.cccb.ca/indigenous-peoples/resources/indian-residential-schools-truth-reconciliation-commission/Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Statement of Apology by the Catholic Bishops of Canada to the Indigenous Peoples of This Land” (September 24, 2021): https://www.cccb.ca/letter/statement-of-apology-by-the-catholic-bishops-of-canada-to-the-indigenous-peoples-of-this-land/Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Visit 2002”: https://www.cccb.ca/the-catholic-church-in-canada/papal-visits-canada/john-paul-iis-third-visit-canada-july-2002/Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes (July 16, 2021): https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/20210716-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes.htmlCatholic Insight magazine: https://catholicinsight.com/www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Canada’s bill of rights, or what is formally known as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Against that backdrop, in this episode we examine the present-day landscape in Canada for freedom of religion – the first fundamental freedom listed in the Charter. We talk about the implications of COVID restrictions; why recent federal legislation banning conversion therapy may be the greatest threat to religious freedom at this moment; and what the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on abortion may or may not mean for Canada.We also discuss a unique type of “trial” for members of today’s legal profession – namely, the ability to practice one’s faith while practicing law.Joining us is Albertos Polizogopoulos, one of the most prominent legal practitioners in Canada when it comes to cases and questions involving freedom of religion.  On behalf of his broad range of clients – churches, charities, dioceses, schools, universities, hospitals – Albertos has appeared numerous times in front of the Supreme Court of Canada.Albertos is a partner and founder at his Ottawa-based law firm, The Acacia Group.Documents/Websites referenced Albertos Polizogopoulos’ biography (The Acacia Group)Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsBill C-4, An act to amend the criminal code (conversion therapy)U.S. Supreme Court - Dobbs vs. JacksonSupreme Court of Canada - R. v. MorgentalerSupreme Court of Canada - Trinity Western University v. Law Society of Upper CanadaPaul Schratz, “Department of National Defence panel addresses racism with more racism”, Catholic Register (May 5, 2022)Legal Leaders for Diversity and Inclusionwww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

From January 29 - February 20, 2022, the eyes of the world were upon Ottawa, Canada as hundreds of truck drivers and thousands of their supporters engaged in the self-styled “Freedom Convoy” protest against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.In this episode of Crown and Crozier, we examine the Freedom Convoy through the lens of key tenets of the Catholic Church’s teaching – especially St. Thomas Aquinas’ formula for what constitutes just law and the principles that underlie when civil disobedience is permissible.In particular, we pose the following questions:According to the Catholic Church, what constitutes authentic human freedom?Was the Freedom Convoy justified in protesting against COVID restrictions which may not have fulfilled the criteria for just laws?  Could a Catholic participate in the Freedom Convoy in good conscience?Our guest is Dr. Mary Catherine Sommers, Professor Emerita of Philosophy and past director of the Center for Thomistic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.Documents/Websites referenced St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, 1st part of the 2nd part: Q90Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2242 (refusing obedience to civil authorities)Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae - Encyclical on Christians as Citizens (1890)Mark R. MacGuigan, “Civil Disobedience and Natural Law”, The Catholic Lawyer (1965) [quotation of St. Alphonsus Liguori - “when it is doubtful, the law is presumed to be just”]Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision granting injunction on use of air horns and train horns by Freedom Convoy participants (February 7, 2022)Quinton Amundson, “Ottawa basilica cancels Masses due to Freedom Convoy protest”, The Catholic Register (February 9, 2022)Rachel Parent, “‘We’re not lawyers’: Ottawa protest organizer says MOU not meant to endorse toppling the Canadian government”, Saltwire (February 10, 2022)“‘Blurred lines’ - Ottawa archdiocese says there’s no easy take on trucker protests”, The Pillar (February 11, 2022)www.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Chances are that you’ve heard about the political forces and players involved in the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  But what may be less familiar is the complex, centuries-long religious and historical backdrop against which the war is unfolding.Joining us to help unpackage these dimensions of the conflict is Dr. Anatolii Babynskyi.  Dr. Babynskyi is a research fellow at the Institute of Church History at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine.  He is also the Ukrainian correspondent for the American online Catholic news service, The Pillar.Our conversation touches on numerous topics: the rich tapestry of ecclesiological and liturgical traditions that underpin the Christian character of Ukraine; the historical relationships and tensions between those traditions and Russian Orthodoxy; whether Ukrainian national identity is actually a thing; the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; and the outlook for Ukraine’s future amidst the fog of war.Documents/Websites referenced Dr. Anatolii Babynskyi (LinkedIn)@MrAnatoliusAnatolii Babynskyi, “‘Russkiy mir’ - The ‘Russian World’ meets Ukrainian politics and Vatican diplomacy”, The Pillar (March 3, 2022)Anatolii Babynskyi, “Split from Kirill is coming, say Ukrainian Orthodox priests”, The Pillar (March 9, 2022)Anatolii Babynskyi, “‘I have never seen such fear’ - Ukraine’s refugees, and the Catholics helping them survive”, The Pillar (March 24, 2022)Union of BrestEcumenical Council of FlorenceCaritas Internationaliswww.crownandcrozier.comtwitter.com/crownandcrozierfacebook.com/crownandcrozierhttps://www.instagram.com/crownandcrozier/Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.