Grettelyn and Joe celebrate the coming New Year with their colleague, Tyler Blanski, chatting about paradox, resolutions, hope, fear, and the pronunciation of words!

Make a special year-end gift to the Society: https://give.chesterton.org/campaign/hope-for-the-year-ahead/c650439

Check out our whole Advent & Christmastide series playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm8wkRUR11ar3uer8l1EJ0S9hgAR1Ddz1

All music used is in the public domain. Closing track credit: We Wish you a Merry Christmas Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/; adapted for use.

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Grettelyn and Joe speak about ... Christmas! And how the Chestertons celebrated it. They also share some of their favorite Chestertonian Christmas poetry.

Hear Mark Nowakowski's Chesterton Carol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1USODh49NU

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestertonsociety
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChestertonSociety
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Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn and Joe speak with Kendra Tierney Norton of Catholic All Year ( @KendraTierneyCAY ) about keeping Advent and Christmas well and some of the traditions and customs you can try in your own home!

Kendra's website: https://catholicallyear.com/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrx2W0qQhrHCYY4NNMn1Ltg

 To sign up for the Society's daily Advent quotations from Chesterton, along with reflections and Scriptures on which to meditate, visit https://www.chesterton.org/advent

FOLLOW US
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestertonsociety
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChestertonSociety
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Consider making a donation: https://www.chesterton.org/give/
Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn and Joe speak about some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding Christmas, and how we can respond to them (with Chesterton's help)!

To sign up for the Society's daily Advent quotations from Chesterton, along with reflections and Scriptures on which to meditate, visit https://www.chesterton.org/advent

OTHER LINKS:

G.K. Chesterton, "The History of Christmas":
PART 1: https://library.chesterton.org/the-history-of-christmas-55156/
PART 2: https://library.chesterton.org/the-history-of-christmas-cont-35676/

Who Were The Magi? (Dave Armstrong) - https://www.ncregister.com/blog/who-were-the-magi
The Dating of Christmas (Jimmy Akin) - https://jimmyakin.com/2014/11/the-dating-of-christmas.html
Christmas is Pagan REBUTTED (Joe Heschmeyer) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KBFfWe1KcQ
Christmas and Pagan Roots (U.S. Catholic) - https://uscatholic.org/articles/202312/glad-you-asked-does-christmas-have-pagan-roots/
Christmas, Pagan Romans and Frodo Baggins (Father Dwight Longenecker) - https://dwightlongenecker.com/christmas-pagan-romans-and-frodo-baggins/

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Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn and Joe speak with their colleague, Tyler Blanski, about Saint Nicholas, why Father Christmas shows up in Narnia, what Jupiter has to do with it, and more!

To sign up for the Society's daily Advent quotations from Chesterton, along with reflections and Scriptures on which to meditate, visit https://www.chesterton.org/advent

FOLLOW US

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestertonsociety
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChestertonSociety
X: https://twitter.com/chestertonsoc

SUPPORT

Consider making a donation: https://www.chesterton.org/give/
Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn and Joe speak with Father Spencer Howe, Chaplain and Vice-Chair of the Society of G.K. Chesterton, about how to prepare for Advent and Christmas!

To sign up for the Society's daily Advent quotations from Chesterton, along with reflections and Scriptures on which to meditate, visit https://www.chesterton.org/advent

FOLLOW US
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestertonsociety 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChestertonSociety
X: https://twitter.com/chestertonsoc

SUPPORT
Consider making a donation: https://www.chesterton.org/give/
Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn speaks with Laurie Walsh about service, motherhood, Chesterton, and the Theology of the Body!

FOLLOW US

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SUPPORT

Consider making a donation: https://www.chesterton.org/give/
Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

Grettelyn is joined by Society photographer, Jen Finke, who talks about seeing Chesterton conferences through her unique lens and shares some of her favorite Chesterton poems!

FOLLOW US

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chestertonsociety
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChestertonSociety
X: https://twitter.com/chestertonsoc

SUPPORT

Consider making a donation: https://www.chesterton.org/give/
Visit our Shop at https://www.chesterton.org/shop/

In light of US Election Day, there is no new episode of Uncommon Sense this week.

Tune in next week for a new episode, and in the meantime feel free to check out the archive at chesterton.org/uncommonsense!

In this episode, Grettelyn and Joe continue their conversation on the Church season of All Hallows' Tide, looking at Prayers for the Dead and the Church's discipline of Indulgences. Then, they wrap up with a brief chat about Halloween and how Christians can celebrate it, even some of the "spooky" bits like skeletons!

For the document Joe references in the episode, see https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_01011967_indulgentiarum-doctrina.html

For Chesterton's "A Defense of Skeletons" see https://library.chesterton.org/the-defendant-66905/#a-defence-of-skeletons

With the approach of All Souls' Day (November 2nd), Joe and Grettelyn chat about the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory, sharing a bit about Chesterton's views and trying to explain this very misunderstood and oft-maligned teaching to those unfamiliar.

For the document Joe references in the episode, see https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_01011967_indulgentiarum-doctrina.html

In this episode, Joe talks with Deacon Nathan Allen, who annotated ACS Books' version of Hilaire Belloc's delightful novelette, "The Four Men."

Learn more about Belloc, his poetry, and the Four Men Feast!

To buy ACS Book's "The Four Men" visit https://www.chesterton.org/store/product/four-men/

To learn more about The Four Men Feast, visit https://www.fourmenfeast.com/

Celebrating yesterday's memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, Joe and Grettelyn look at some of Chesterton's Marian poems celebrating the "Queen of Victory."

To join the Knights of the Apostolate, visit https://chesterton.org/knights.

Joe chats with Kerry McDonald ( @liberatedpodcast ) about the wave of interest in alternative options for education, including the Chesterton Schools Network (https://chestertonschoolsnetwork.org) and the current state of school choice throughout the country.

For more about Kerry: 
https://fee.org/people/kerry-mcdonald/ 
https://twitter.com/kerry_edu

To join the Knights of the Apostolate of Common Sense:
https://chesterton.org/knights

Grettelyn chats with Ben Hatke about his books and illustrations, his connection to Chesterton, and his circumnavigation of the globe!

To learn more about Ben and his work, visit his website: https://benhatke.com/

Greg Pyne joins Grettelyn and Joe to talk about enjoying Chesterton's writings and passing that joy on to students.

Grettelyn speaks with Ryan Whitaker, filmmaker and author. 

For more about Ryan, visit his website: https://www.ryanwhitakerfilm.com/

For his books:

http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/authors/ryan-whitaker-smith/3539

https://www.moodypublishers.com/winter-fire/

Joe and Grettelyn talk to Mike Creavey of The Gracious Guest about appreciation for creation and how to bring Chesterton into students' lives.

For more from Mike, visit https://www.thegraciousguest.org/

Grettelyn and Joe speak to Father Michael Rennier about his work, writing, and the importance of beauty.

Links:

https://www.dappledthings.org/

https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-forgotten-language/

Joe and Grettelyn talk with Dr. Alex Plato of Franciscan University about Chesterton and Belloc's socio-economic thought and how it is more relevant today than ever before.

To learn more about Alex, visit https://spt.franciscan.edu/faculty/plato-alex/.

To learn more about New Polity, visit https://newpolity.com/

In this episode, Grettelyn and Joe speak with Mark Adderley, author of the McCracken adventure series of books.

To learn more about Mark, visit https://mark-adderley.com

Grettelyn speaks with Lee and Valiree Sondeno about their conversion influenced by the reading of G.K. Chesterton and by the Apostolate of Common Sense!

Help support our work bringing people closer to Christ and His Church. Visit https://chesterton.org/give to give today.

We just wrapped up a very successful 43rd Annual Chesterton Conference! We will be back with a new episode next week.

Grettelyn speaks with Fabiola Garza, author of Princesses of Heaven from Word on Fire books (https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/princesses-of-heaven).

To see Fabiola, join us at the 43rd Annual Chesterton Conference! Visit https://www.chesterton.org/43rd-annual-chesterton-conference/ today.

Grettelyn speaks with Dan Kerr, President of Saint Martin's Academy and one of the Troubadours. Come see Dan at the Chesterton Conference!

Saint Martin's: https://saintmartinsacademy.org/

Tuesdays with the Troubadours: https://saintmartinsacademy.org/troubadours/

43rd Annual Chesterton Conference: https://www.chesterton.org/43rd-annual-chesterton-conference/

Joe speaks to Jason Craig of Fraternus (https://fraternus.net) and Sword and Spade magazine(https://swordandspade.mykajabi.com/).

Jason is also author of Leaving Boyhood Behind (https://www.osvcatholicbookstore.com/product/leaving-boyhood-behind-reclaiming-catholic-brotherhood) from OSV and a contributor to the new volume on Localism from Sophia Press co-edited by Dale Ahlquist (https://www.chesterton.org/store/product/localism-coming-home-to-catholic-social-teaching/)! 

Come see Jason and other speakers at the Chesterton Conference! https://www.chesterton.org/43rd-annual-chesterton-conference/ 

This is a special presentation of a recent bonus episode from our Everlasting Man Online Book Club!

To sign up for the Book Club and see future live streams, visit https://chesterton.org/everlastingman

To buy Nancy's book, visit https://www.chesterton.org/store/product/frances-chesterton/

In this episode, Grettelyn speaks with Brady Stiller, author of "Your Life is a Story" from Word on Fire publishing, and a speaker at this summer's Chesterton conference!

For Brady's book, visit https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/your-life-is-a-story 

For the Chesterton conference visit https://www.chesterton.org/43rd-annual-chesterton-conference/

In this episode, Grettelyn speaks with Carrie Gress, author and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

To learn more about Carrie, visit her website: https://www.carriegress.com/

For the Chesterton conference this summer, visit https://www.chesterton.org/conference

Chris Check of Catholic Answers (https://catholic.com) joins Joe and Grettelyn to talk about his talk at this summer's Chesterton Conference (https://chesterton.org/conference) about Saint Gregory the Great and his tremendous influence on the history of Christianity.

Popular Catholic YouTuber and speaker Brian Holdsworth joins Grettelyn and Joe to talk about evangelizing online, good literature and culture, and more!

To learn more about Brian, visit his website: https://brianholdsworth.ca/

To register for this summer's Chesterton conference, visit https://www.chesterton.org/conference.

In this episode, Joe Grabowski chats with Joseph Pearce about the dynamic friendship between G. K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc, which will be the topic of Joseph's talk at this summer's Chesterton Conference!

To learn more about Joseph, visit jpearce.co.

To register for this summer's Chesterton Conference, visit chesterton.org/conference.

In this special episode, Joe and Grettelyn talk about the Society of G.K. Chesterton's ambitious goal of recruiting 150 new members to the Knights and Ladies of the Apostolate of Common Sense, a special group of supporters who by their prayers and financial support help us bring Chesterton's wit and wisdom to a world direly in need of his joyful witness to the Gospel.

To learn more visit https://chesterton.org/knights.

To sign up for this year's Chesterton conference, visit https://www.chesterton.org/conference.

To join our Everlasting Man Online Book Club visit https://www.chesterton.org/everlastingman.

Thank you for your support, and may God bless you!

In this episode, Dale Ahlquist joins Grettelyn and Joe to remember the great Chestertonian, Aidan Mackey, who passed away on May 4th at the age of 101. Please join the Society in praying for the happy repose of Aidan's soul, and the comfort of his loved ones and friends.

We also chat about the upcoming 43rd Annual Chesterton Conference and preview some of the great talks you'll hear if you join us, either in-person or online! To learn more, visit chesterton.org/conference.

For this week's episode, we have a special re-presentation of the kickoff meeting of our Everlasting Man Online Book Club! Don't miss out on this great opportunity to tackle one of Chesterton's greatest works with friends old and new!

To sign up and join us for future weeks' live events, visit https://www.chesterton.org/everlastingman/ today!

In this episode, Joe and Grettelyn get a preview of one of the upcoming talks at this year's Chesterton conference from speaker Joe Walsh, who will be looking at commonalities between G. K. Chesterton and Whittaker Chambers!

To register for the conference, visit https://www.chesterton.org/43rd-annual-chesterton-conference/ today!

Grettelyn and Joe speak with Amber Knorr, a sacred and fine artist whose portraiture work includes a painting of G. K. Chesterton. To learn more about Amber or to see or buy prints of her work, visit her website: amberknorrart.com/

In this episode, Joe and Grettelyn chat briefly about some news from the Society and an exciting new online Book Club that YOU can join.

To learn more or to sign up, visit chesterton.org/everlastingman.

In this episode, Joe talks with James Matthew Wilson - poet, author and scholar - about G.K. Chesterton, T.S. Eliot, modern poetry, and more. Plus, James shares some of his own work from his upcoming publication, "Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds." Don't miss it!

To get James's book or to learn more, visit jamesmatthewwilson.com.

To sign up for this year's Chesterton conference, visit chesterton.org/conference.

In this episode, Joe and Grettelyn speak with Noelle Mering about her book, "Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology," as well as the "Theology of Home" initiative.

To buy the book or learn more, visit https://theologyofhome.com/.

IN THIS VIDEO:

0:00 Introduction

1:39 What is Wokeism?

3:25 The Mechanisms of Manipulation

6:31 Chesterton and the Breakdown of Society

10:15 Confusion and Compassion

12:38 "The Capture of the Institutions"

15:55 Needing a "Manalive" Moment

17:46 Chesterton a Helpful Antidote

19:48 The Absence of Teleology & The Problem of Progress

23:19 A Movement of Destruction

27:43 The Curse of Babel

29:28 The Theology of Home

36:58 The Importance of Reconciliation 45:40 Wrapping Up

In this episode, Joe and Grettelyn speak with Chris Stefanick about spreading the love of Christ, helping people live holier lives and marriages, and more!

Chris is the founder and president of Real Life Catholic. Real Life Catholic is an organization that shares the love of Jesus and helps others do the same. Go check out their life-changing courses today coaching.reallifecatholic.com.

For the new marriage course mentioned in the video, visit reallifecatholic.com/marriage.

For Dale Ahlquist's book, The Story of the Family, visit chesterton.org/store/product/the-story-of-the-family.

For the Annual Chesterton Conference, visit chesterton.org/conference.

For the Chesterton Schools Network: chestertonschoolsnetwork.org.

# # # # #

IN THIS EPISODE:

0:00 Introduction
1:20 Focusing on the local
3:09 What is Real Life Catholic?
4:09 Back to basics
6:38 The transforming love of Christ
8:25 Quoting Chesterton!
10:57 Chris's experience of the Chesterton Schools Network
12:29 The mystery of the Incarnation (and no heresy)
14:25 Renewed: Real Life Catholic's new marriage initiative
17:36 The gift of marriage
19:09 The importance of renewing marriage commitments
21:37 How God forms us in marriage
25:20 Signing off

In this first "Conference Preview" episode of the season, Grettelyn and Joe discuss this summer's event, and in particular Joe's talk about the changing state of friendship. Don't miss it!

\To register today visit chesterton.org/conference.

In this episode Grettelyn and Joe speak with Father Ryan, a former Chesterton Schools Network headmaster and a Chesterton enthusiast, about how Chesterton's insights and spirituality can impact anyone, at any stage of life!

Grettelyn and Joe interview Katie (a.k.a. "Mrs. Ruvi"), the founder of The Good Egg Fund. Learn about this fascinating and inspiring initiative, and chip in if you want to help. Visit goodeggfund.org today.

In this episode, Grettelyn interviews Thomas Banks of the Literary Life podcast about Chesterton and Dickens.

https://www.theliterary.life/

Joe and Grettelyn talk about this year's Lenten reflections (chesterton.org/lent) and how Chesterton's appreciation for paradox can assist in a more meaningful approach to the season.

In today's episode, Grettelyn speaks with Jeanette Flood, a freelance writer who worked as an editor for Ignatius Press on several of the volumes of the Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton!

Jeanette's book: https://ignatius.com/eight-ways-of-loving-god-ewlgp/

In this episode, Grettelyn speaks with Thomas Finke, a Latin teacher for Chesterton Academy of the Twin Cities and the Latin curriculum author for the Chesterton Schools Network.

Grettelyn talks to Susan Sucher, the Local Societies Coordinator for the Society of G.K. Chesterton, about the great gift of our local societies and how she's helping people form and sustain ones of their own. 

To learn more, to find a local society near you, or to inquire into getting one started in your area, visit https://www.chesterton.org/local-societies/.

To learn about the Frances Chesterton Rosary League, visit https://www.chesterton.org/frances-chesterton-rosary-league/.

For the essay discussed in today's episode, visit https://library.chesterton.org/the-extension-of-the-family-33027/. 

This week on Uncommon Sense, we are proud to present a recording of a talk given last year to the Chesterton School's Network conference by our president, Dale Ahlquist, entitled "Why G. K. Chesterton is Classical... and Why Classical Education is Chestertonian."

Joe talks with Dr. Robert L. Jackson, an expert in classical education and the new Senior Fellow for the Chesterton Schools Network (CSN). Hear about the new renaissance in classical education, the origins of the movement, and the difference that Chesterton makes.

Links:

https://chestertonschoolsnetwork.org/careers

https://chesterton.org/give

IN THIS VIDEO:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:17 Rob's background
• 3:57 Joining the CSN
• 4:52 What is a classical education?
• 5:46 The liberal arts
• 8:30 What we mean by classical
• 10:12 G.K. Chesterton's education
• 11:50 What changed in education?
• 12:35 The rise of Pragmatism
• 17:27 The recovery of classical
• 22:20 Rob's work with CSN
• 30:36 Importance of this work
• 33:42 The CSN is hiring!
• 38:21 We need your help
• 41:13 The Chesterton difference
• 47:20 Closing thoughts

This week, we are proud to air an encore presentation of a Virtual Open House for the Chesterton Schools Network hosted by Dale Ahlquist and featuring Andrew Youngblood, author of the new book from Word on Fire "Know Thyself." We hope you enjoy!

In this episode, Grettelyn speaks with Ted Janiszewski of St. Irenaeus Ministries about Saint Irenaeus Ministries and about how to winsomely present Catholic truth in its full historical and joyful dimensions.

https://siministries.org/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzV2YYCue4QaJNhm7uoYnZg