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The Institute on Religious Life’s Podcast, Ever Ancient, Ever New, marks our golden anniversary, 50 years of serving religious and consecrated life in the Catholic Church! This podcast features talks and interviews with consecrated religious men and women from many different religious communities throughout the United States and the world. Thus, giving people access to the rich and varied archives of IRL seminars, classes, talks, and interviews, while also giving those in religious life the opportunity to tell their vocation stories and share insights into their apostolates. Today, religious life is not only surviving, but thriving. It is ever ancient, ever new, ever beautiful, and ever necessary for our church today.
Ever Ancient, Ever New
The Institute on Religious Life’s Podcast, Ever Ancient, Ever New, marks our golden anniversary, 50 years of serving religious and consecrated life in the Catholic Church! This podcast features talks and interviews with consecrated religious men and women from many different religious communities throughout the United States and the world. Thus, giving people access to the rich and varied archives of IRL seminars, classes, talks, and interviews, while also giving those in religious life the opportunity to tell their vocation stories and share insights into their apostolates. Today, religious life is not only surviving, but thriving. It is ever ancient, ever new, ever beautiful, and ever necessary for our church today.
Episodes
Monday Jul 28, 2025
Monday Jul 28, 2025
On today’s episode, we will be featuring a talk from our 2009 National Meeting by Dr. Scott Hahn.
Dr. Hahn received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a triple-major in Theology, Philosophy and Economics from Grove City College, PA, his Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Biblical Theology from Marquette University. He was ordained in 1982 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, VA, but resigned his ministry to enter the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 1986.
He began teaching at Franciscan University of Steubenville in 1990, where he now holds the Father Michael Scanlan, T.O.R., Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization. An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has spoken nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and Catholic theology. His talks have been effective in helping thousands embrace the faith.
Dr. Scott’s talk is titled, " The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth". Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jul 21, 2025
Monday Jul 21, 2025
On this week's episode, we're listening to a Facebook Live interview on “How to Pray the Mass” with IRL board member, Jesse Weiler, and Fr. Ken Geraci, CPM of The Congregation of the Fathers of Mercy in Auburn, Kentucky.
Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jul 14, 2025
Monday Jul 14, 2025
On today's episode, we're listening to an interview with Sr. Susanna Arpidone, PSGM, of The Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary in Theriot, Louisiana.
the Little Friars and Little Nuns is composed of two celibate branches of brothers and sisters, who through the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, consecrate all of their life to the Lord, at the service of the Catholic Church and of their neighbor. The brothers and sisters work together, although living in completely separate houses. They have a "dual spirituality" drawing both from the contemplative silence and prayer of the early Carmelites and from the active poverty and evangelization of the early Franciscans.
Please check out these amazing groups that help support the Little Friars and Nuns!
If you would like to donate to support their mission you can donate HERE!
Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Started in 1986, the Pro Fidelitate et Virtue Award is conferred each year at the Institute on Religious Life’s National Meeting to someone who has been outstanding in the support and promotion of authentic religious life.
Today's episode is honoring our 2012 award recipient, Fr. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B. Fr. Cassian is from Lynn, Massachusetts and is a scholar of sacred music and liturgy, and studied music before joining the monastic community of Saint Meinrad in 1979. He founded a renewed Benedictine monastic community in Rome in 1998 and transferred it to Norcia Italy in the year 2000. Over the last 25 years, the Monastery di San Benedetto has grown, attracting new vocations and pilgrims from around the world. He recently retired as prior but continues to serve the community and teaches liturgy at the "Pontifical Liturgical Institute" at the Benedictine University of Sant'Anselmo in Rome.
The Monastery of San Benedetto in Monte is a community of Benedictine monks in Norcia, Italy, the birthplace of St. Benedict, founder of western monasticism. The monks' goal is to prefer nothing to the love of Christ. They pray the full monastic office as laid out in the Rule of St. Benedict, observe the monastic fast and have retained the patrimony of Gregorian chant and the traditional form of the Latin liturgy (extraordinary form).
Today, we will be listening to a talk Fr Cassian gave at the 2012 National Meeting titled, “Sacred Signs and Active Participation at Mass”. Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
On today’s episode, we will be featuring a talk from our 2025 National Meeting by Fr. John Burns.
Fr. John Burns is a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He studied business marketing at the University of Notre Dame, but later realized a deeper call to preach the infinite love of God with his whole life. Ordained a priest in 2010, he has served in parish ministry and taught moral theology in the seminary. Father John also works extensively with religious communities of women and has provided retreats and conferences for Sisters in Africa, Europe, and the United States. Father John recently completed his doctoral studies on the theology of healing through forgiveness. He is founder of Friends of the Bridegroom, an apostolate dedicated to the renewal of the Church through the renewal of the priesthood and women’s religious life. Fr. John currently serves as a member of the IRL Board of Directors.
Fr. John’s talk is titled, "Horizon Harmony: The Lovesong of Creation and the Restoration of Order". Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jun 23, 2025
Monday Jun 23, 2025
On this week's episode, we're listening to a Facebook Live interview on “The Pitfalls of Vocational Discernment” with IRL board member, Jesse Weiler, and Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM of The Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George in Alton, IL.
Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jun 16, 2025
Monday Jun 16, 2025
Started in 1986, the Pro Fidelitate et Virtue Award is conferred each year at the Institute on Religious Life’s National Meeting to someone who has been outstanding in the support and promotion of authentic religious life.
Today's episode is honoring our 2025 award recipient, Fr. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem. Fr. Thomas is a Norbertine priest of St. Michael's Abbey in Silverado, California, a community of Norbertine Canons. After his studies of philosophy and theology, Fr. Thomas has served since 1981 as spiritual director, novice master, director of formation and pastoral caregiver of victims of physical, psychological and spiritual abuse. Since 2000 he has been the National Director of the Institute on Religious Life. He is also Professor and Director of the Vita Consecrata Institute at Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College." Father Nelson was also instrumental in bringing the Congregation of Norbertine Sisters from Slovakia to California, the only active Norbertine women’s community in the US.
Today, we will be listening to Father Thomas’ banquet address at the 2025 National Meeting. Thank you for listening! May God bless you and enjoy!
Monday Jun 09, 2025
Monday Jun 09, 2025
On today's episode, we're listening to an interview with Sr. Alicia Torres, O.S.F. of The Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago.
The Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago have branches for men and women who live and serve in Chicago’s West Humboldt Park neighborhood. Following Christ in the footsteps of Saint Francis, their lives centers upon their relationship with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, including Daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. Out of their life of prayer and community flow their apostolates: Service to the Poor, Evangelization and Teaching. Through the hard work and outreach of the community, every month, 3,000 families are assisted with food and other basic needs, hundreds of youth and seniors are supported through programs to help them flourish. Currently the sisters teach religion in three poor inner-city Catholic schools.
Please visit their site and learn how you can help support the renovation of the St. Hyacinth convent as the Franciscans' new formation house!
God bless you and thank you for listening!