In my part of the world, this year’s early Lent means winter still has a grip on the landscape, and our Easter celebrations probably won’t be too spring-like. Nevertheless, we’re thinking “new life” as we complete the cycle of Lenten conversion and celebrate the Easter sacraments.

Our themes at this holiest time of the Church year are all about resurrection. Our American Catholic Radio (ACR) stories and interviews capture that central truth of our Catholic faith in dramatic human terms. Let me especially highlight the story of Jimmy Heath, whose personal journey from addiction to a new life of creativity and service is a modern tale of resurrection, told on ACR by Cincinnati Catholic radio personality Paul Smith. The scriptures proclaimed at the liturgies in these days are a powerful retelling of Christ’s triumph of life over death, and our biblical experts will bring alive these great stories of our faith.

Franciscan Radio’s Sunday Soundbites is another way to present your audience with a timely bit of inspiration based on the liturgical readings, and our Lenten Radio Retreat series wraps up another year of reflections by bishop-homilists from around the United States.

May your Easter be blessed with the knowledge that our shared radio and Web ministries are part of the living power of the gospel proclaimed today!

Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.

Use the links below to preview the shows or download them in MP3 format for broadcast.

Highlights from this episode include:

St. Teresa of Avila is another saint in our series of saintly writers of Christian spiritual classics. She is the first woman “doctor” of the Church—someone known for embodying both holiness and learning. Teresa was an outspoken reformer who combined wisdom with a deep spirituality. She bore many sufferings in her spiritual journey, and authored profound and mystical writings.

Paul Smith talks about Jimmy Heath, a man who overcame huge obstacles in his life, such as alcoholism and homelessness, to finally realize a peace in his death from liver failure this year.

Father Hilarion Kistner, O.F.M., responds to questions: Why did God test Abraham by commanding that he kill his only son? Is Daniel’s story called apocalyptic because it didn’t really happen? What do we learn from the Genesis account of Noah’s drunkenness?

Holy Week is just around the corner, and on Palm Sunday we’ll read from the Passion story in the Gospel of Matthew. There we’ll hear the last words of Jesus on the cross. His cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” comes from Psalm 22. What was Jesus really saying when he uttered these words? Jesuit Father Daniel Harrington explains why they’re words of hope, not despair.

Father Tom Richstatter, O.F.M., completes our series on the rite of scrutinies—the ritual of prayer and self-examination that takes place for those to be baptized on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. The final scrutiny centers on the story of the resurrection of Lazarus—highlighting Jesus as our resurrection and life.

Highlights from this episode include:

For many Catholics, Holy Week isn’t the only part of Catholic life being celebrated in these days. St. Patrick, whose feast comes in the midst of Lent and usually means a break in the Lenten discipline, is honored this week.

Hellena Taylor, a native of England who now lives in Santa Monica, Calif., tells us about her conversion to the Catholic Church.

ACR host Father Greg Friedman answers questions based on listener feedback about our Web page and the difference between “tradition” and the Bible as essentials of faith.

One of the most dramatic rituals of the Sacred Triduum—other than the celebration of Baptism on Holy Saturday—is the washing of the feet, performed on Holy Thursday. This ritual comes from the story we read in John’s Gospel. Sister Barbara Leonhard, O.S.F., gives the biblical background to the story, which in turn will help listeners better understand the meaning of this ritual.

Joanne Turpin, author of Twelve Apostolic Women and Catholic Traditions: Treasures New and Old (St. Anthony Messenger Press), highlights the roles of women in the greatest of all stories—the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus—as we hear during Holy Week.