Wednesday

Fascinating episode on EWTN Live earlier this month: "After suffering a spinal injury and praying for Cardinal Newman's intercession, Guest Deacon Jack Sullivan's healing on August 15, 2011 sparked calls for the Cardinal's beautification." Link to MP3.

Also recommended: Fr. Alessandro Borraccia of The Apostles of the Interior Life. It's an episode about a new group that trains laymen to give spiritual counsel. Pacwa notes that Catholics are clamoring for spiritual directors (as well they should, since, in my opinion, some of the Church's greatest lights have implied that a spiritual director is necessary) but priests are simply overwhelmed. This group is trying to come up with alternatives.

Also heard while listening to Pacwa: When Fulton Sheen passed Milton Berle in the early 1950s TV ratings, Berle asked him how he did it. Sheen said it was simple: "I have better writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."

Finally, according to Pacwa, 6-8 million Muslims have been converting to Christianity every year. That, according to Al-Jazeera. Given the context, I got the impression the bulk of the converts are to Catholicism.