The Open Door

On this episode of The Open Door, Jim Hanink discusses with Dr. George Mychaskiw and Rene Trabanino the ambitious plans for a greatly needed new Catholic Medical School. The Mission of the St. Padre Pio College of Osteopathic Medicine is to treat the sick, relieve suffering, and in doing so announce the Good News. Dr. Mychaskiw is the College’s founding president and chief executive officer. The questions we’ll be asking him include the following. Dr. Mychaskiw, George if we may, could you please tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be involved in the founding of a new Catholic Medical School?What is the history and distinctive character of osteopathic medicine? What sort of structure comes into play in teaching osteopathic medicine?How will St. Padre Pio College be connected with Benedictine College of Kansas? How will Benedictine benefit from this affiliation?How will this new medical school reflect its Catholic identity?Can you give us a primer on the logistics of launching a new medical college? When do you hope to begin admitting students?What sort of special hurdles does a faithful Catholic face in securing a medical education?Questions of conscience often arise in the practice of medicine. Just how do you understand conscience? What, on your view, are the rights of conscience?How should Catholics evaluate and respond to the current gender ideology?Can Catholics make a compelling case against euthanasia in the public forum without exploring the positive, and even redemptive, role of suffering?How can our audience help in the formation of St. Padre Pio College?

Welcome to The Open Door. Coming next, Wednesday (12/14), we discuss theology, history, and politics. Our welcome guest is Alan Fimister, Assistant Professor of Theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary. He read Modern History at Oxford University and took his PhD at the University of Aberdeen, writing on the influence of Thomistic political theory on early European integration. Dr. Fimister has taught Theology, History, Catholic Social Teaching, Church History and Patrology in Austria, Britain and the United States. He is the author of Robert Schuman: Neo-Scholastic Humanism and the Reunification of Europe and co-author, with Thomas Crean, OP, of Integralism: A Manual of Political Philosophy. Among the questions we’ll be asking are the following. Please feel free to suggest others!1. Dr. Fimister, Alan, if we may, could you begin by telling us a bit about yourself? As an Englishman how have you come to hold court, as it were, at a Connecticut College?2. How is Holy Apostles distinctive? Is it living up to its mission?3. You teach history. Henry Ford said that it was “bunk.” Others say that it’s written by the victors. Newman saw it as a field for the illative sense. How objective can you be?4. You write and speak about politics. Has it become war by a different means?5. You’ve written about integralism. Just what is it? Why is it receiving so much attention?6. Can you describe, or even imagine, a world in which people were all Catholics?7. Do you do theology on your knees?8. Is contemporary theology open to the ministrations of Dame Philosophy?9. Can the American Solidarity Party, given its commitment to solidarity, subsidiarity, and distributism, make its voice heard over the dismal din of American politics?10. Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

This week (November 23rd) on The Open Door we will introduce and explore the work of Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905–1988), widely considered one of the most significant theologians of the century. His major multi-volume theological works are The Glory of the Lord, Theo-Drama and Theo-Logic. Our welcome guest is the psychologist, Richard Clements. He is the author of The Meaning of the World Is Love: Selected Texts from Hans Urs von Balthasar with Commentary (Ignatius, 2022). Dr. Larry Chapp, an earlier guest of ours, calls the book "an absolute breath of fresh air and a bracing reminder of the true genius of Balthasar as both a theologian and a master of the spiritual life. The topics are varied and yet deeply united, since Clements deftly arranges them in order to draw out Balthasar's deep Trinitarian underpinnings. And the commentaries by Clements are insightful and often illuminating in surprising ways."To purchase the book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Meaning-World-Love-Balthasar-Commentary/dp/1621643514Among the questions we’ll ask are the following. Please feel free to suggest your own!1. Richard, could you begin by telling us a bit about yourself? How does a psychologist come to write about a master theologian?2. Could you give us a brief overview of von Balthasar’s life?3. What impact has Balthasar had on the Catholic Church?4. Literature, art, and music help shape his vision. What are some examples of how this works?5. How, for von Balthasar, is the gift of self the path of love?6. What role do the true and the good and the beautiful play in his thought? Would he agree, as some suggest, that they are the faces of being?7. Is integral human fulfillment possible for the skeptic?8. How would von Balthasar respond to the charge that the doctrine of hell is incompatible with the Christian’s vocation to love?9. Does von Balthasar’s relation to Adrienne von Speyer strike you as problematic?10. Balthasar was incredibly prolific. Which of his books would you recommend to someone just starting to read his work?

Today (November 9th) on The Open Door, panelists Jim Hanink and Mario Ramos-Reyes discuss an extraordinary murder mystery! Virgil Gheorghiu’s La Condottiera is the tale of a heinous crime set amid the terrible suffering of the Romanian people under Communism. Gheorghiu’s language is starkly poetic as he charts the circles of a modern hell. With her translation of this powerful work, Inez Fitzgerald Storck truly contributes to world literature. Two special guests will join her to offer us a “mini seminar.” Iuliu-Marius Morariu, a Romanian Orthodox priest, holds a PhD in Orthodox Theology from Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania (2019) and a PhD in Social Sciences from Rome’s Angelicum Pontifical University (2021). Thierry Gillyboeuf is Gheorghiu’s literary executor and the author Virgil Gheorghiu, l'écrivain calomnié. In 2014 the French Minister of Culture named Gillyboeuf a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in honor of his literary achievements.Among the questions we will ask our guests are the following. 1. Could you tell us about Virgil Gheorghiu's multifaceted life, especially its early influences? 2. Gheorghiu was deeply attached to Romania, yet left when the Soviets occupied it in 1944. What were the consequences of his self-imposed exile? 3. What led Gheorghiu to become a priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church?4. What were the various genres encompassed by Gheorghiu's literary work?5. What type of novels did he write?6. Can you situate La Condottiera among them? What are its main themes?7. What character or characters does Gheorghiu show most sympathy for in the novel? 8. What are Gheorghiu's stances towards communism and capitalism in the novel? Are they present in his other work?9. What makes La Condottiera profoundly religious? How does he integrate its Marian dimension into the novel’s narrative?10. What was Gheorghiu like as a human being? What does have to say to us today?

In this episode of The Open Door, Professor Callum Scott on being a Catholic Philosopher in South Africa (November 2, 2022)This week (November 2nd) on The Open Door we’ll discuss Thomism and…South Africa! Context counts, so we’ll also be talking about Catholicism in South Africa. We’re looking forward to our first virtual visit to this beautiful and fascinating country. Our welcome and special guest is Prof. Callum Scott. He teaches in the Department of Philosophy & Practical and Systematic Theology at the University of South Africa. Scott is a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Pretoria.Among the questions we’ll ask are the following. Please don’t hesitate to suggest others!1. Prof. Scott, Callum if we may, could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your background?2. How did you come to be a philosopher? You have a special interest in the philosophy of science. What led you to Thomism?3. You’ve recently returned from a major international Thomistic conference. Were you able to share a distinctive African perspective?4. Can you tell us about higher education in South Africa?5. How fares the Catholic Church in South Africa? Is there a synod in progress?6. How would you compare the Catholics of South Africa with the Catholics of Nigeria?7. Is the Dutch Reformed tradition still playing an active role in your country? Are its representatives open to a Catholic and Reformed dialogue?8. Political corruption, it seems, knows no borders. Can politically active Catholics challenge corruption in your country?9. Does Thomism have distinctive resources to offer contemporary politics?10. Where do you see yourself a decade from now?

This week on The Open Door (Oct. 19th) we explore two crises in higher education. The first is affordability for students. The second is federal interference in colleges and universities. But crises call for thoughtful responses. One such response is the development of Great Books colleges. Our special guest is Thomas M. Ward, a professor of philosophy at Baylor University. He is also the author of Divine Ideas (Cambridge, 2020) and John Duns Scotus on Parts, Wholes, and Hylomorphism (Brill, 2014). His most recent book is Ordered by Love: An Introduction to Duns Scotus (Angelico, 2022). Among the questions we’ll ask Professor Ward are the following. As always, we encourage you to suggest others.1. Prof. Ward, Tom if we may, could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your family?2. What led you to philosophy and, in due time, to Baylor University?3. What are the key factors that make higher education so expensive?4. Can you identify for us some of the pros and cons of President Biden’s debt forgiveness program? Is it equitable?5. How does an increasing federal subsidy of higher education pave the way to increasing federal control of what is taught? Why should both religious and secular institutions be alert to this connection?6. What is the Academic Freedom Alliance?7. Some mission-oriented institutions refuse federal aid and remain both free of government interference and simultaneously affordable. How have they managed to do so?8. How can families help resolve the crises caused by federal financing of higher education?9. How can students help resolve these same crises?10. Where do you see yourself, as a reformer and scholar, a decade from now?

This week (October 5th) on The Open Door we discuss parish management in light of theCatholic intellectual and spiritual tradition. Our welcome guest is Michael Brinda,successful entrepreneur and author of Parish Management and Operations: The BuckStops Here (En Route Books and Media, 2021). He founded New Horizons ComputerLearning Centers in 1982 and franchised New Horizons around the world. After sellinghis company in 1994, Brinda turned to studying, prison ministry, and then teaching atHoly Apostles College and Seminary. Today he is especially active in prison ministry.Michael and his wife, Kathy, are proud parents and grandparents.Among the questions we will ask are the following. Please feel free to add your own.Prof. Brinda may be reached at [email protected]. How did you come to have the calling to move from being an entrepreneur and teachingcomputer skills to teaching parish management? Were you “knocked off a horse” orwas the transition more gradual? (Note: this is a miraculous story that I will compress.)2. What is parish management and operations? Is the concept of “parish management”misunderstood?3. What is your book’s intended audience? Does it include bishops, pastors, andparishioners alike?4. Do our Catholic seminaries teach parish management today?5. Do you find seminary Rectors are willing to add parish management and operations totheir curriculum?6. Are seminarians receptive to learning the principles of parish management?7. What should be the top priorities of good parish management? Can you share anyparticular examples with us?8. The concept of a via negativa--- essentially the study of what not to do, crops up intheology and philosophy. What ought parish management not involve? Could you giveus some prime examples?9. How did you come to be involved in prison ministry?10. What is the general attitude of inmates towards religion and God?11. Do you have another book in the making?

Esta semana en THE OPEN DOOR (21 de septiembre) discutimos sobre la formación sacerdotal. Nuestra bienvenida e invitado especial Monseñor Felipe de Jesús Estévez, Obispo Emérito de la Diócesis de St. Augustine, Florida. Es el coautor con el obispo Andrew H. Cozzens del libro Esposos Espirituales – Padres Espirituales: Formación de Sacerdotes en el Siglo Veintiuno. (En Route Books and Media, 2022). ¡Nuestra entrevista será en español!Entre las preguntas que haremos están las siguientes. Por favor siéntase libre de agregar la suya1. ¿Podría contarnos, Monseñor, un poco cómo llegó a discernir su vocación? ¿Qué clase de formación tuvo en el seminario?2. ¿Cuáles son las directrices básicas de la Iglesia para la formación sacerdotal? ¿Dónde se proponen?3. Ud es coautor de un libro ambicioso. ¿Qué te llevó a emprender este proyecto?4. Muchos colaboradores han contribuido a este proyecto. ¿Podrías contarnos cómo fueron seleccionados? ¿Cuáles son algunos de los temas principales que han explorado?5. ¿Qué es exactamente la madurez afectiva? ¿Cómo pueden ayudar los líderes de seminario, es decir, los “formadores” a ese desarrollo en sus alumnos?6. ¿La dirección espiritual incorpora psicología? Si es así, ¿qué tipo de psicología es más útil?7. ¿Qué tan bien pueden los formadores del seminario evaluar si un seminarista es capaz de ejercer el sacerdocio?¿O guardar el celibato?8. ¿Es la vida célibe, bien entendida, una entrega de uno mismo?9. ¿Pueden ser complementarios el celibato sacerdotal y la vida conyugal, o son dos vocaciones diferentes?10. Hacer votos, y vivirlos, presupone una cierta comprensión de lo que es ser una persona. ¿Cómo podemos educar para esa comprensión?

This week (Sept. 12th) on The Open Door we discuss politics and…Texas, the Lone Star State. Our welcome and special guest is Jacqueline Abernathy. She’s the gubernatorial candidate of the American Solidarity Party in the November Texas election. Abernathy is a wife, mother, and grant specialist from San Antonio. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of North Texas. An accomplished advocate, Abernathy played a key role in the passage of HB 3074, a bill that prevents medical professionals from removing feeding tubes from patients without their consent. Among the questions we will ask are the following. Please don’t hesitate to suggest others!1. Dr. Abernathy, how can our faith inform and direct civic action?2. What are the dangers of conflating politics and religion?3. How did you come to join the American Solidarity Party?4. The ASP speaks of being “pro-life for the whole of life.” What does that mean?5. Does the Party lean towards capitalism or socialism or neither?6. What is an “ownership economy”? Does distributism come into play here?7. Can we promote the common good while upholding religious freedom for all?8. What’s wrong with Beto O’Rourke and Greg Abbott, the “big name” front runners in the gubernatorial race?9. Can we expect “the duopoly” to reflect an uncompromising ethics of the common good?10. What in your view will count as an “all things considered” campaign success?

This week (August 24th, 2022) on The Open Door we discuss marriage and the family. Our welcome guest is Perry J. Cahall of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. He is the Academic Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of Historical Theology. Dean Cahall is the author of Living the Mystery of Marriage: Building Your Sacramental Life Together (Hillenbrand Books, 2020), a book whose primary audience is engaged and newly married couples, and The Mystery of Marriage: A Theology of the Body and the Sacrament (Hillenbrand Books, 2016), a book written for use in seminaries and universities.Among the questions we will ask are the following. Please feel free to suggest others!1. Perry, if we may, could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your family?2. What is the history and mission of the Pontifical College Josephinum?3. How did you come to teach at the Josephinum and become a Dean?4. What led you to write about marriage?5. Is marriage a social construct? If not, just what is marriage?6. Is “homosexual marriage” a contradiction in terms?7. What explains the sharp decline in Catholic marriages over recent years? Is marriage fundamentally less attractive in Western culture?8. Why do the media present at most a token number of happily married people with children?9. How is marriage a call to holiness?10. Just what is responsible parenthood?11. Can marriage and celibacy be complementary?12. What counts as “family politics”? How might a political party foster family politics?For Dr. Cahall's book, see https://www.amazon.com/Living-Mystery-Marriage-Building-Sacramental/dp/159525045X/This unique book will assist those called to marriage to live out the wonderful, beautiful, and challenging mystery of married love by presenting a theology, spirituality, and morality of marriage at a widely accessible level. Dr. Perry Cahall encourages both engaged and married couples to understand the real nature and purpose of marriage as God has created it. He includes insightful Self-Discovery discussion questions to help couples process presented information. Questions That Might Be on Your Mind will also engage the reader through the real world issues couples confront today. This will also be a useful resource for priests, deacons or lay ministers engaged in marriage preparation; diocesan offices of marriage and family life; Pre-Cana instructors, and leaders of sponsoring couples programs. This book will also provide seminarians and those preparing for the permanent deaconate a foundation of the Church s teaching as well as an introduction to Pope St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body.