- 17 minutes 16 secondsCatechism 101: The Universal Desire for God
“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” The Catechism of the Catholic Church, p 27
In this episode of Catechism 101, we discuss the universal desire for God. This desire is written in our hearts, and is made visible through our search for Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
22 June 2026, 9:00 am - 29 minutes 11 seconds117 - AI, Humanity, and the Church | Magnifica Humanitas Part 1
In this first episode of our series on Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, we explore what the Catholic Church has to say about artificial intelligence, the digital revolution, and what it means to be truly human.
Pope Leo argues that AI is not simply another technological innovation. It is reshaping the way we work, communicate, think, and even understand ourselves. Drawing on the biblical stories of the Tower of Babel and Nehemiah, he challenges us to build a future rooted not in pride or efficiency alone, but in human dignity, communion, and the common good.
This episode covers:
- Why Pope Leo compares aspects of the digital age to the Tower of Babel
- How AI is transforming society and human relationships
- The difference between unity and uniformity
- Why technology is neither inherently good nor inherently evil
- The Catholic understanding of AI and human dignity
- How Christians can remain deeply human in an increasingly digital world
This is Part 1 of our chapter-by-chapter journey through Magnifica Humanitas. Whether you're interested in Catholic social teaching, AI ethics, technology, philosophy, or theology, I hope these reflections encourage you to read the encyclical for yourself and join the conversation.
Question for listeners:
How can we remain “profoundly human” in the age of artificial intelligence?00:00 – Introduction
01:12 – Why We're Reading Magnifica Humanitas
03:15 – The Lay of the Land: AI and the Digital Revolution
06:48 – Big Tech Today Has More Power Than Governments
09:36 – We Must Act Now, Before a Crisis
10:31 – The Tower of Babel vs. Nehemiah
14:26 – Unity vs. Uniformity
18:07 – The “Babel Syndrome”
20:48 – The “Way of Nehemiah”
23:36 – We Are All Responsible for What Happens Next
25:15 – The Morality of AI Depends on How We Use It
26:33 – Remaining Profoundly Human
27:37 – What’s Coming in Part 2This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
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Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
15 June 2026, 9:00 am - 10 minutes 30 secondsCatechism 101: Signs of Faith
Faith is more than intellectual belief. If we think about it, even the devil technically *believes* in God. So what does true faith actually look like?
In this episode of Catechism 101, we talk through four key signs of faith from the Catechism: Faith is free, active, overflowing, and dynamic.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
8 June 2026, 6:35 am - 34 minutes 1 second116 - You Were Made for Love: Theology of the Body pt.2
What does it mean to be a human person? What does love actually look like? What does the body reveal to us about God and the meaning of life?
Theology of the Body isn't just about sex. It's about what it means to be human.
In this episode, we explore some of the foundational ideas that St. John Paul II returns to again and again in his catechesis. We introduce key themes including the dignity of the body, the meaning of love, JPII's famous claim that the opposite of love isn't hate: it's use.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
References and further reading/listening/viewing:
St. John Paul II:
Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae
Theology of the Body Institute
Christopher West:
- "What Is the Theology of the Body? | Introduction to Theology of the Body"
- Our Bodies Tell God's Story
- Good News About Sex and Marriage
- The Ask Christopher West Podcast
- "This is the Opposite of Love"
Fr Mike Schmitz,
The Thomistic Institute, "Theology of the Body: An Overview"
St Paul Centre, "What's the Point of Theology of the Body? Dr. Scott Hahn Explains"
2 June 2026, 5:30 pm - 14 minutes 35 secondsCatechism 101: How Faith Works
How does faith actually work?
There's a gap between logically knowing something is true and actually believing it. In this episode of Catechism 101, we unpack exactly what it takes to cross that gap.
This episode covers:
- The difference between knowing something is true and actually believing it
- Why faith is a gift from God
- The four things that have to happen to make an act of faith
- Why the will matters just as much as the intellect
- Why God is the most credible source there is.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — Introduction
2:11 — Why we can't force faith
3:39 — The ocean metaphor
4:44 — Breaking down an act of faith
7:56 — Why the information source matters
13:25 — What to do if you're struggling to believe
CRASH COURSE CATHOLICISM
A series on Catholic teaching and why it makes sense.
▶ Previous episode — What Is Faith?: https://youtu.be/dSs_AxrpiKE
▶ Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6henAD9rk0-RxLqLoqycLVftmfFo9-r
▶ Read the blog post: https://www.caitlinwest.com/post/how-faith-works
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
#HowFaithWorks #CatholicFaith #CatholicTeaching #Catechism #Catholicism
25 May 2026, 8:59 am - 25 minutes 9 seconds115 - History and Context: Theology of the Body Pt. 1
What is the Theology of the Body? Why was it developed, and why is it still relevant today?
In this episode, we begin our next deep dive (!) by telling the story of the development of ToB. From the fallout of the sexual revolution to Humanae Vitae and Pope St. John Paul II’s revolutionary vision of the human person, we ask why TOB remains one of the Church’s most important teachings today.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
References and further reading/listening/viewing:
Christopher West: "What Is the Theology of the Body? | Introduction to Theology of the Body"
Godsplaining, "Does Christian Marriage Really Have Two Ends?"
18 May 2026, 9:00 pm - 8 minutes 1 secondCatechism 101: What is Faith?
What is faith, really?
In this episode of Catechism 101, we unpack what faith actually means according to Catholic teaching. Spoiler: it's NOT blind faith.
This episode covers:
- Why "blind faith" (fideism) is something the Catholic Church actively rejects
- The story of Saint Augustine that explains exactly what faith is
- Why faith and reason aren't opposed to each other
- How to explore the mysteries of faith without switching your brain off
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 — Introduction
1:05 — The problem with blind faith
2:00 — Saint Augustine and the tiny angel
3:34 — What the story teaches us
6:38 — The mysteries are yours to exploreCRASH COURSE CATHOLICISM
A series on Catholic teaching and why it makes sense.
▶ Next episode — How Faith Works: https://youtu.be/bG9Ppx4Z2DM
▶ Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6henAD9rk0-RxLqLoqycLVftmfFo9-r
▶ Read the blog post: https://www.caitlinwest.com/post/what-is-faith-actuallySUPPORT THE PODCAST
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of viewers. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
#WhatIsFaith #CatholicFaith #CatholicTeaching #Catechism #Catholicism
11 May 2026, 10:59 am - 29 minutes 54 seconds114 - Mother Teresa: Love for the Poorest of the Poor
"At the hour of death we are going to be judged on what we have been to the poor, to the hungry, naked, the homeless."
Mother Teresa lived this truth with radical simplicity and unwavering love. From the streets of Calcutta, she dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor, restoring dignity to those the world had forgotten. Today, her legacy continues through the Missionaries of Charity, whose work reaches the most vulnerable across the globe.
In this episode, we explore the life and witness of Mother Teresa, reflecting on the foundations of her sanctity: deep prayer, devotion to the Eucharist, joy and cheerfulness, the embrace of suffering, and a life poured out in self-giving love.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
References and further reading/listening/viewing:
Come Be My Light: The private writings of the "Saint of Calcutta"
Something Beautiful for God (book)
Something Beautiful for God (documentary)
Mother Teresa's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Bishop Barron on Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)
Bishop Barron on Mother Teresa and Her Sisters
Ascension:
How Mother Teresa Set the World on Fire
4 May 2026, 9:00 pm - 3 minutes 42 secondsAnnouncing a new chapter...
Video mini-episodes are here!
In this introductory video, I explain an exciting new chapter for Crash Course Catholicism.
Thank you to all the Patrons and supporters who have made this work possible!
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
2 May 2026, 4:25 pm - 39 minutes 32 seconds113 - Social, Political, and Economic Rights
In this episode, we explore the human person's right to:
- Marriage and Family
- Meeting and association
- Work
- A just wage
- Private property
- Humane working conditions
- Migration
- Political activity and engagement.
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
References and further reading/listening/viewing:
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, pt 2241
Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris
Vatican II, Apostolicam Actuositatem
John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
Pope Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno
Trent Horn, Answering Catholics who claim "deportation is intrinsically evil".
If you're wanting to think *specifically* about immigration in the USA, here are some additional resources that might be useful:United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: https://www.usccb.org/topics/immigrationStrangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope: https://www.usccb.org/resources/strangers-no-longer
20 April 2026, 9:42 pm - 33 minutes 44 seconds112 - Fundamental Human Rights (Life, Dignity, Equality, Freedom)
In this episode, we explore every human person's right to:
- Life
- Bodily integrity
- Dignity
- Equality
- Freedom of speech
- Truth
- Transcendence
- Freedom of Religion
- Medical care
- Education
This podcast relies 100% on the generosity of listeners. If you have found these episodes helpful and would like to support the future of Crash Course Catholicism, please consider donating via the following links:
Donate via PayPal
Support us on Patreon!
Contact the podcast: www.caitlinwest.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/
References and further reading/listening/viewing:
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, pts 2259-83
Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris
Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio
Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes
USCCB, Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Pope Paul VI, Gravissimum Educationis
EWTN, How the Catholic view of human rights developed
Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologiae, II.ii.64
Catholic Answers, What About the Right to Die?
Catholic Answers, Is Deportation Immoral?
The International Theological Commission, The Dignity and Rights of the Human Person
6 April 2026, 4:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App