CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

In our first episode since Easter Sunday, and in light of the extraordinary number of new Catholic converts this year, we cover the amazing (and very familiar sounding!) conversion account of the first early American Puritan Pastor to the Catholic Faith. His name was John Thayer. He was known to Benjamin Franklin, and even challenged John Adams on Luther and Calvin. He converted in 1783, the same year the United States won its independence from Great Britain, and later became a priest dedicated to evangelizing his beloved America.

Christ is King! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

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DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

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CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

03:58 - Roadmap

05:16 - Historical Context

11:58 - Conversion: Intro

13:32 - Family Background

15:18 - Traveling to Rome, Prejudice Against Catholics Melting

17:35 - Inspiring Thought at the Pantheon

19:59 - Desiring to Learn the Catholic Faith to Shed Prejudice

25:05 - Catholic Unity of Faith + Diversity of Opinions

28:17 - The Instability of Protestantism

30:38 - Inquiring into the Catholic Faith + Respecting Guardian Angel

32:38 - The Miracles of St. Benedict Joseph Labre

35:50 - Surrounded by Catholic Truth, But Still Unwilling to Convert

37:23 - Discovering "Manifesto of a Christian Knight Converted to the Catholic Religion"

40:40 - Deciding to Become Catholic

41:50 - Final Obstacle: Veneration of Mary and the Saints

45:23 - Greatly Changed Upon Becoming Catholic

48:52 - Conclusion of the Conversion Story

49:42 - Concluding Reflections

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CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this Holy Week 2026, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Good Friday Sermon 70, delivered on April 2, 443, 1,583 years ago! This is the final sermon in our 2026 series "The Mystery of Lent with the Church Fathers," and in it, St. Pope Leo the Great reminds us that for Christians, taking up the cross is not an option. If we refuse, we will be damned. If we accept and endure to the end by God's grace, we will be saved.

May we join Our Lord on His Cross as we anticipate the joy of His Resurrection!

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

https://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

04:43 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 70 (April 2, 443)

17:29 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM

For this final week of Lent before Holy week, we read St. Pope Leo the Great's Lenten Sermon 40, delivered on March 1, 442, 1,584 years ago! Once more, this great Pope and Church Father presents us with powerful Lenten themes of sacrifice and penance being the marks of true Christians. Lent is what proves we are Christians. If yours has not gone as well as you hoped: it's not over! You still have time to offer generous sacrifices for Our Lord in preparation for the Passover.

You can purchase the CUA volume with St. Pope Leo the Great's sermon here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813228297/sermons/

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

https://eternalchristendom.com/

BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITION

As a non-profit, you can support our mission with a tax-deductible gift. Help us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free: https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/

CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

X: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/

DIVE DEEPER

Check out our “Becoming Catholic” resources, where you’ll find 1 million+ words of free content (bigger than the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic: https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/

SUBSTACK

Subscribe to our Substack to get regular updates on our content, and other premium content: https://eternalchristendom.substack.com/

EXCLUSIVE BOOKSTORE DISCOUNTS

https://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Introduction

10:59 - St. Pope Leo the Great, Sermon 40 (March 1, 442)

19:50 - Reflections and Commentary

This podcast can also be heard on Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.