The Jewish festival of Passover occurs in this season as we Catholics continue to celebrate Easter. Our sacred liturgies in this time have been filled with references to the Jewish Passover, which the gospels attest formed the backdrop of Christ’s own personal “Passover” to a new life. If we are to understand who Jesus was in his human origins, we must appreciate the faith which he lived, how he prayed and the customs which shaped his human life. The same may be said for our New Testament stories of faith such as the Feast of the Ascension, which we celebrate May 1. Our Franciscan Radio mission, in part, is to help listeners understand our roots as people of faith. These programs will help in that task!

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:

It was the sacred scripture which brought St. Hilary to the faith as an adult. Born into a fourth-century French family, he was steeped in the pagan culture of Greece and Rome. His biblical studies changed the course of his life.

During this week in which Jews celebrate Passover, we talk to Roy Schoeman, born a Jew and now a Catholic. He discusses this feast and how he views and lives out his Jewish heritage along with his Catholic faith.

Franciscan Father Dan Kroger responds to e-mailed questions: Should my husband and I renew our marriage vows now that he has become Catholic? May my rosary group recite our prayers aloud during adoration of the Blessed Sacrament?

Often, one of the honest points of difference between Catholics and other Christians is the relationship of the Bible to the Church. The Catechism tells us to “read the scripture within ‘the living tradition of the whole Church.’” How do we understand that directive? What is the relationship of the Church to the sacred scriptures? Jesuit Father Daniel Harrington offers answers.

Rabbi Kenneth Kantor, director of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses what Catholics should know about Passover—for Jesus and his disciples, for the Jewish people today and for us as a Catholic faith community. Rabbi Kantor has authored many books and holds a doctorate in Divinity from Hebrew Union.

Highlights from this episode include:

St. Ignatius of Antioch is another in our series of saints who came to believe in Jesus as an adult. He is one of the earliest martyrs of the Church, and left us seven letters to his fellow Christians, sharing his courage and faith in the face of his coming death.

Bill Schoessling is executive director of Love, Inc. This is a network of churches and individuals, working together to identify and assess the needs of families and individuals and helping direct them to the appropriate resources. Their goal is to help their clients help themselves.

Franciscan Father Don Miller answers e-mailed questions: How would Jesus have us handle betrayal? May a person who’s in treatment for mental illnesses receive the Eucharist?

One of Jesus’ best-known parables is that of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke’s Gospel. It challenges us: Do we have the humility of the tax collector, praying humbly in the temple? Or are we more like the Pharisee—caught up in his own boasting? Scripture scholar and Franciscan Sister Barbara Leonhard helps unlock the meaning of this parable.

Franciscan Father Jeremy Harrington, who directs the center in Washington, D.C., that promotes the work of the friars in the Holy Land, helps us appreciate the feast of the Ascension. For more than 700 years, the Franciscans have cared for the sacred places revered for their connection to Jesus and his earliest followers. Earlier this year, Father Jeremy visited the shrine in the Holy Land traditionally revered as the place where Jesus ascended into heaven.