023 - Making Time Holy
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Release Date: 12/02/2025
027 - On Becoming Catholic
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Episode Title: 027 – On Becoming Roman Catholic Episode Summary: In this episode, Dr. Bickford shares the journey of writer Thomas Howard from being Protestant to becoming Anglican and then finally a Roman Catholic. Dr Bickford made a very similar journey and shares it. This episode explores the historical divide between Catholics and Protestants, the theological differences, and the challenges he faced during the transition. The goal of the episode is to help you make the change a one step process, instead of the two steps process both Howard and Bickford went through....
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026 - Christmas
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Episode Title: 026 - Christmas Description: In this episode, Dr. Bickford explores the historical, theological and cultural aspects of Christmas. We review the meaning of the Incarnation, prophesies of the birth of the Messiah, the birth of Jesus, and various cultural practices that have developed. Recommended Reading: The True Meaning of Christmas by Michael Patrick Barber. Key Points: Historical and Religious Context: Explanation of the origin and meaning of Christmas. Discussion on the existence of Jesus and the historical evidence supporting it. Reference to the...
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025 - Miracles
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Episode Title: 025 - Miracles Description: In this episode, Dr. Bickford delves into the fascinating topic of miracles. Whether you believe in miracles or not, this episode will challenge your perceptions and encourage you to listen with an open mind. We explore various types of miracles, their significance, and provide numerous examples from history and modern times. Recommended Reading: "The Catholic Guide to Miracles" by Adam Blai. Key Points: Historical Context: The episode discusses the influence of the Enlightenment on modern perceptions of miracles...
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024 - Prayer
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
024 – Prayer Understanding Prayer: The episode delves into the purpose of prayer, highlighting that it is not just about asking God for things but about building a relationship with Him. Principles of Prayer: The episode discusses the common mistake of treating prayer as a one-sided conversation where we only ask for things. Dr. Bickford emphasizes the importance of listening to God and not getting angry when our prayers are not answered as we wish. Main Character Syndrome: A significant part of the episode is dedicated to addressing the "Main Character Syndrome," where...
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023 - Making Time Holy
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Introduction to the Sanctification of Time: The importance of integrating faith into daily life calls for making time holy Daily Practices: Explanation of Catholic virtue ethics and the development of virtuous habits. Various daily prayers such as Novenas, the Rosary, and Lectio Divina. The significance of the Liturgy of the Hours (Daily Office) and its structure. Liturgical Seasons: Overview of the Liturgical Calendar and its significance in marking the life and death of Christ. Explanation of Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, and Easter. The role of colors in the Liturgical...
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022 - Creation and the Fall
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Where does everything come from, and if God created everything to be good, then why did we have “The Fall”? Here, we look at some creation stories from other religions and see how the Bible is so profoundly different. We also explain how the Big Bang theory addresses questions of “what” and “how”, but the Genesis story focuses on the question of “why”. We then look at “The Fall”. It is a part of human nature and we all suffer from it. It exists because our “yes” to...
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021 - Development of Doctrine
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Can Church doctrine develop over time? If it does, then does that mean it can change into something different as society changes? John Henry Newman wrote “A Essay On the Development of Christian Doctrine” and this book addresses those specific questions. True doctrine develops over time and brings us into a deeper understanding. A corruption of doctrine brings us to a different or changed belief. To show how this works, Newman developed 7 Notes (or point) to show how doctrine can legitimately develop. This is an complicated episode, but really worth the effort because this is...
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020 - Pilgrimages
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Pilgrimages are trips to places that are important to the Faith. They are different from vacations in that they seek to have a deeper encounter with God, experience a healing, or do penance for restoration. They have always been part of the Judeo-Christian experience. This episode explains what a pilgrimage is, why they are important, why it is a Catholic practice more than a Protestant one, and it talks about several pilgrimage destinations. The pilgrimage destinations discussed are Israel, Rome, the Camino, Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe, and the Basilica of the Immaculate...
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019 - Cardinal and Theological Virtues
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
The purpose of the Christian life is to develop holiness. Catholic Virtue Ethics is a big part of the process that helps get us there. There are 4 Cardinal and 3 Theological Virtues that are key. The 4 Cardinal Virtues are Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude. Cardinal means “hinge” like on a door and all virtues swing on the hinge of these four. We cultivate them through the development of intentional habits. The 3 Theological Virtues are Faith, Hope, and Charity. These are infused in our lives by God. St. Thomas Aquinas brought them together and the wide...
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018 - Virtue Ethics
All Roads Lead to Rome: On Becoming Roman Catholic (OCIA)
Virtue Ethics is the system of behaviors and actions that allow us to cultivate virtue and become holy. Ethics isn’t just about do’s and don’t’s … its about cultivation of a virtuous and holy life. Some history is given on how Plato and Aristotle wrestled with the questions, but the focus is on the First Part of the Second Part of Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologia If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know at: Please follow, subscribe, and leave a review! Also check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and X Tell A Catholic...
info_outline- Introduction to the Sanctification of Time:
- The importance of integrating faith into daily life calls for making time holy
- Daily Practices:
- Explanation of Catholic virtue ethics and the development of virtuous habits.
- Various daily prayers such as Novenas, the Rosary, and Lectio Divina.
- The significance of the Liturgy of the Hours (Daily Office) and its structure.
- Liturgical Seasons:
- Overview of the Liturgical Calendar and its significance in marking the life and death of Christ.
- Explanation of Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time, Lent, and Easter.
- The role of colors in the Liturgical Seasons and their meanings.
- Holy Days of Obligation:
- The six Holy Days of Obligation and their importance in the Catholic faith.
- The requirement for Catholics to attend Mass on these days.
- Conclusion:
- The overarching theme that God calls us to give everything, not just an hour a week.
- Encouragement to make each day holy through prayer and holy living.
- The journey to Rome as a metaphor for the journey to holiness.
If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know at: MSBickford@AllRoadsLeadToRome.net
Please follow, subscribe, and leave a review! Also check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and X
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