Send us a text On March 13, 2013, the world watched as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, clothed simply in a white cassock and stole, setting aside much of the traditional papal regalia. In that moment, he was introduced to the world as Pope Francis. Over the past twelve years, our Bishop of Rome has guided us with a message rooted in joy, humility, and discipleship, teaching us what it means to live as the People of God. Join us as we reflect on our memo...
Apr 24, 2025•57 min•Ep. 41
Send us a text 2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope". The concept of a Jubilee Year comes from the very beginning of Sacred Scripture in the Book of Leviticus. In our examination of this ancient and new idea in our faith we will look at ideas like redemption, reconciliation, and how this revolutionary concept of a year of Sabbath rest, restoration of property, and liberation for those bound by slavery or poverty played out in the history of Israel and th...
Jan 31, 2025•46 min•Ep. 40
Send us a text Today we discuss our thoughts on the 1946 Christmas classic, It's a Wonderful Life. You've known George Bailey your entire life, but what can he teach you about responding to the movement of the Holy Spirit within you, duty, family, and angels that appear as talking galaxies? Join us as we once again try to force theology into a movie everyone was just trying to enjoy. Be sure to follow and review! Merry Christmas! Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Dec 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text "St. Paul preached and people rioted. I preach and they give me tea." -N.T. Wright We've all heard good homilies and we've heard bad homilies. Have you ever wondered what a priest is thinking while he's preaching? This week's episode of Wadi Cherith is a little different in tone. Instead of diving into a theological or cultural topic, we will be discussing our experience of preaching the Word of God. Join us as we use Aristotle's classic modes of persuasion (Ethos, Pathos, Logos) ...
Nov 29, 2024•53 min•Ep. 38
Send us a text The Psalms are more than mere words; they are a transformative force in our lives. From personal anguish to shared hope, these texts channel our raw emotions into prayer, offering a space for reflection and empathy. Enrich your understanding of how the Psalms, memorized and recited by Jesus, provide a bridge to a wider human experience and connect us to a rich spiritual tradition. We invite you to explore their poetic power and find comfort, unity, and a profound way to communicat...
Oct 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 37
Send us a text "Why did it have to be snakes?!" -Indiana Jones, Ph.D. From the Garden of Eden, to the desert, to first-century Jerusalem, serpents appear over and over again in scripture. While snakes are often considered a universally evil symbol, the reality is more ambiguous and complex. Join us as we discuss the use of symbolism in understanding the intricacies of our Faith. Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Aug 21, 2024•46 min•Ep. 36
Send us a text Learning a new language is one of the most challenging and rewarding endeavors a person can undertake. Join us as we discuss what the Bible says about language, what we can learn by studying a new language, and how ancient language plays a role in the way we understand our Faith. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Apr 24, 2024•48 min•Ep. 35
Send us a text This is not a podcast for the faint of heart. Song of Songs is a controversial, passionate, and "earthy" book of the Bible which explores both human and divine love. Join us as we walk with King Solomon, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Teresa of Avila, and some of your favorite popes in exploring romantic love in this beautiful corner of sacred scripture. Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Mar 05, 2024•48 min•Ep. 34
Send us a text The cultural phenomenon Barbenheimer took the movie world by storm during the summer of 2023. As both films gear up for the Oscars, we discuss surprisingly convergent theological themes like faith's intersection with physics, the reality of death, and the search for meaning and identity in these two hit movies. Warning-spoilers. This episode was recorded live for Theology on Tap in the Diocese of Scranton at Sabbatini's Bottle Shop in Exeter, PA on January 25, 2024. Intro music pr...
Jan 26, 2024•42 min•Ep. 33
Send us a text Two thousand years ago something happened in the night sky that inspired stargazers from the east to find a mighty king who had been born in Israel. For centuries astronomers and theologians alike have attempted to discover just what those wise men saw. Join us as we explore the meaning behind the Star of Bethlehem that led the Magi to the newborn Christ in Matthew's Gospel. For more information look up The Star of Bethlehem by Michael R. Molnar Have a Merry Christmas from your fr...
Dec 16, 2023•43 min•Ep. 32
Send us a text "Let nothing disturb you"-- That is St. Teresa of Avila's advice to anyone who desires to grow in their relationship with God. Join us today as we discuss this holy woman and doctor of the Church who pushed the boundaries of theology and spirituality during the height of the Spanish Inquisition. In this episode, we discuss some misconceptions about the Spanish Inquisition (it was still bad, but not for the reasons you think it was!), the great insights we can receive from St. Tere...
Nov 25, 2023•50 min•Ep. 31
Send us a text For this year's Halloween episode we are joined by guest host Fr. Pat Arensberg as we discuss the popular book and movie series, Harry Potter. Join us as we discuss the use of magic in literature, our sense of uniqueness in the spiritual life, sacrifice, and complex moral characters. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Oct 27, 2023•59 min•Ep. 30
Send us a text Fr. Alex Roche and Fr. Anthony Dill discuss and debate the creation stories in Genesis. Evolution, Creationism, God’s Providence, Enlightenment Deism, human agency, work, loneliness, selfishness, boundaries, and love will all be mentioned in this conversation. This episode is part of an 8-part series of educational and theological talks on our role as stewards of God’s Creation, provided by the Diocese of Harrisburg. It was recorded in front of a live audience at Holy Spirit Paris...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 29
Send us a text This podcast focuses on seeing God in unexpected places, but today we discuss an essential theological concept- "apophatic" or "negative theology". Following the thought of great theologians like St. Gregory of Nyssa, Pseudo-Dionysius, and St. Maximus the Confessor, we discuss God's transcendence and unknowability. Join us to discover what this ancient theology can teach us about prayer, discernment, and humility. Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Aug 26, 2023•49 min•Ep. 28
Send us a text Wadi Cherith is back, and we're here to discuss the Book of the Prophet Jonah. Join us as we discuss mercy and hypocrisy, death and resurrection, fish and mammals, all in this short but powerful book. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Jul 28, 2023•39 min•Ep. 27
Send us a text Join us to discuss our favorite decade. Stone Temple Pilots, girl altar servers, OJ Simpson, and more. "Don't have a cow, man" Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Feb 09, 2023•49 min•Ep. 26
Send us a text Scrooge, Marley, Tiny Tim, Fozzy the Bear, and Billy Murray! If you love Christmas, you'll join us for this special holiday episode as we discuss the theology of Charles Dickens' beloved story, A Christmas Carol . "Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!" Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Dec 16, 2022•46 min•Ep. 25
Send us a text Join us as we try a new Halloween tradition, trying to take turns creating and narrating a scary short story. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Oct 31, 2022•27 min
Send us a text Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of the very first book written in the New Testament, St. Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Oct 02, 2022•52 min•Ep. 24
Send us a text Join us for another trip to the 19th century to look at the vocation and work of the Father of Genetics, Gregor Mendel. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Aug 16, 2022•45 min•Ep. 23
Send us a text We live in a work-obsessed culture where time is only well-spent if it's spent getting something. Join us to discover why our down-time is much more closely related to our relationship with God than our work time. In particular we will discuss our own favorite hobby--motorcycles! Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Jun 19, 2022•46 min•Ep. 22
Send us a text As David's reign comes to an end his many sons begin to take center stage. What do the sins and successes of David's sons tell us? Intro music provided by Holly Serio
May 08, 2022•44 min•Ep. 21
Send us a text David takes the throne, conquers the city of Jerusalem, and demonstrates that even Israel's greatest king is deeply flawed. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Apr 06, 2022•50 min•Ep. 20
Send us a text From throwing rocks at a giant to the craziest wedding dowry of all time, the Biblical story of King David has something for everyone. Join us as we discuss the origin story of one of the most important figures in the Bible in the first part of a three-part series. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Feb 23, 2022•44 min•Ep. 19
Send us a text Martin Luther King, Jr. is the most influential American religious figure of all time. His speeches, most of which are sermons at the core, proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Join us as we discuss the theological contributions and insights of this American prophet. Theme song by Holly Serio Music www.wadicherith.com Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Jan 17, 2022•35 min•Ep. 18
Send us a text Today we discuss our thoughts on 1990s Christmas classic, Home Alone. You'll hear about, in descending order of importance: The Incarnation Our Lady of Guadalupe John Candy Micro Machines Join us as we try to force theology into a movie everyone was just trying to enjoy. Be sure to follow and review! Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Dec 18, 2021•37 min•Ep. 17
Send us a text You don't have to watch HBO to see top-notch political maneuvering, just break open the Book of Esther! Esther explores some fascinating ideas, including Exile, feminism, and revenge, all while never explicitly mentioning God (well, kind of). Join us as we discuss this underrated part of the Old Testament. Happy Purim (in March)! www.wadicherith.com https://www.facebook.com/HollySerioMusic/ Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Nov 17, 2021•40 min•Ep. 16
Send us a text Spooky. Join us for our Halloween special episode where we discuss werewolves, draculas, frankensteins, and the theological value of horror. Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Oct 20, 2021•43 min•Ep. 15
Send us a text In 1876 Milton Hershey had a dream to make a chocolate bar that every American could afford. He succeeded. The story of Milton Hershey includes terrible injustices, inspiring altruistic endeavors, and perhaps the most iconic American brand of them all. Join us as we discuss the story of one man's pursuit of his dream and what it tells us about the intersection of morality, industry, and the need for leisure. Intro music provided by Holly Serio...
Sep 24, 2021•40 min•Ep. 14
Send us a text Rapidly changing times. Outsiders taking the lead. The voice of God in unexpected places. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark All of our favorite themes connect in the story of the prophet Samuel. Join us this week as we talk about one of the Old Testament's most important figures...and Ewoks... Intro music provided by Holly Serio
Jul 14, 2021•42 min•Ep. 13
