My Interview with an Atheist
This is a long-form interview with a friend of mine named Dan about his faith journey from growing up in a nominal Catholic family, to priestly formation, to marriage and now an "almost complete de-conversion from Catholicism." He shares his story & the things that led to where he is now.
This is a long-form interview with a friend of mine named Dan about his faith journey from growing up in a nominal Catholic family, to priestly formation, to marriage and now an "almost complete de-conversion from Catholicism." He shares his story & the things that led to where he is now.
I was fascinated with the interview because while our stories have taken different paths, I see a lot of similarities between Dan and I in some of the struggles with faith and Church(and personality). It is my hope that in having this conversation and you listening to it, that we will hear the things that he struggles with and other issues that led to where he is now and begin to think about how we address them in our own lives and how we as the Church can be a supportive and loving community.
While Dan and I may disagree on issues throughout the convo, I truly appreciated my time with him & his honesty. He gave me a lot to think about and I hope it sparks thought & conversation with you. If you have any questions or comments about the episode, send it my way on social media or send me an email to taylor@fortecatholic.com.
Appearance on The Cordial Catholic Podcast
Keith over at The Cordial Catholic invited me on to his show to discuss RCIA. This is the process that non-Catholics go through in order to become Catholic. Unfortunately, at many of our parishes, the process doesn’t turn out as good as we would like. Keith and I share our thoughts on how we can follow the Church’s guidelines for forming new Catholics a little better and be more welcoming to those coming into the Church.
Keith over at The Cordial Catholic invited me on to his show to discuss RCIA. This is the process that non-Catholics go through in order to become Catholic. Unfortunately, at many of our parishes, the process doesn’t turn out as good as we would like. Keith and I share our thoughts on how we can follow the Church’s guidelines for forming new Catholics a little better and be more welcoming to those coming into the Church.
Appearance on CatholicTV's "This is the Day"
I was thrilled to be invited on CatholicTV’s morning show “This is the Day.” They gave me an opportunity to speak about our mission here at Forte Catholic and I’m very appreciative of that.
I was thrilled to be invited on CatholicTV’s morning show “This is the Day.” They gave me an opportunity to speak about our mission here at Forte Catholic and I’m very appreciative of that.
Check out my CatholicTV debut below
Our Show Aired Globally on EWTN...AGAIN! :)
Our friends at EWTN aired Episode 349 of our show on their airwaves across the world on Sunday August 20th! They started a new show recently highlighting the best Catholic podcasts called “Catholics Coast to Coast.” We are grateful to them for sharing our show with their worldwide audience!
Our friends at EWTN aired Episode 349 of our show on their airwaves across the world on Sunday August 20th! They started a new show recently highlighting the best Catholic podcasts called “Catholics Coast to Coast.” We are grateful to them for sharing our show with their worldwide audience!
Check out the replay below starting at the 29:56 mark.
Our Show Aired Globally on EWTN!
Our friends at EWTN aired Episode 335 of our show on their airwaves across the world on Sunday April 30th! They started a new show recently highlighting the best Catholic podcasts called “Catholics Coast to Coast.” We are grateful to them for sharing our show with their worldwide audience!
Our friends at EWTN aired Episode 335 of our show on their airwaves across the world on Sunday April 30th! They started a new show recently highlighting the best Catholic podcasts called “Catholics Coast to Coast.” We are grateful to them for sharing our show with their worldwide audience!
Check out the replay below
Aaron Weber on humor & a hilarious moral quandary | Catholic Comedians
Stand-up comic Aaron Weber, Father Anthony and Taylor unite for their annual Christmas episode! They debate a theory about comedy that Father Anthony has and Aaron shares the funniest moral dilemma he found himself in that we've ever heard!
We've always had a love for Catholic comedians here at Forte Catholic. We like to think of ourselves as amateur comedians but every now and then we bring in the big guns: professional standup comedians.
Stand-up comic Aaron Weber, Father Anthony and Taylor unite for their annual Christmas episode! They debate a theory about comedy that Father Anthony has and Aaron shares the funniest moral dilemma he found himself in that we've ever heard!
Over the past few years, we've had three professional comedians who are Catholic on the show: Aaron Weber(thrice), Jeremy McLellan(twice) & David Studebaker. We're re-releasing these conversations periodically so be sure to subscribe so you don't miss our next Catholic comedian.
This conversation originally aired on Forte Catholic Ep 320. Full episode here.
Catholic Foundations | The Church | Session 1
In this session we discuss how the Catholic Church was instituted by Christ, exists to make saints and is God's love in action in today's world. We look through the Gospels to see the Church's origin, trace it's lineage back through the old testament and discover how it has lasted for 2000 years. If you've ever asked what Catholics believe about the Church, why we have a Pope, why we have priests or what it means to be a Catholic, then this is the video for you.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism. In week 1, Taylor shares about the Church: it's origins and purpose.
In this session we discuss how the Catholic Church was instituted by Christ, exists to make saints and is God's love in action in today's world. We look through the Gospels to see the Church's origin, trace it's lineage back through the old testament and discover how it has lasted for 2000 years. If you've ever asked what Catholics believe about the Church, why we have a Pope, why we have priests or what it means to be a Catholic, then this is the video for you.
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here.
Spirited | A Catholic Perspective
Our review of Spirited, the Apple TV+ hit Christmas movie. Such a joy-filled musical comedy with a beautiful story of redemption!
Our review of Spirited, the Apple TV+ hit Christmas movie. Such a joy-filled musical comedy with a beautiful story of redemption.
Spirited released on Apple's streaming service just in time for Christmas. I watched it with my wife and we both throughly enjoyed it. Hilarious! Had no idea it was a musical and was surprised by the depth of the redemption story and the angle they took on internet vitriol. Enjoy this video with my recap and thoughts on this new Christmas hit.
Find more of our Catholic Perspective series here
Forte Catholic Advent Event | Prepare Him Room w/Allison Sullivan & Taylor Schroll
A message on the themes of Advent from Allison and some Advent/Christmas Music from Taylor. Enjoy! :)
A message on the themes of Advent from Allison and some Advent/Christmas Music from Taylor.
Advent is a time of waiting and hope and preparing Him room. When we look around and see nothing but stumps, a sprout is coming— a promise of what is to come, a thrill of hope. As we wait, accept, journey and make room, may we know that God came to be with us, is with us now, and is coming again to set all things right. Enjoy! :)
Willow (1988) | A Catholic Perspective
With the new Willow tv series coming to Disney+, I decided to finally watch the classic movie from before I was born. This movie is so much fun and was surprisingly hilarious! While the effects may not hold up after almost 30 years, the story, humor and characters stand the test of time.
With the new tv series coming to Disney+, I decided to finally watch the classic movie from before I was born. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, so it's a bit surprising that I had never seen this other creation of George Lucas. I honestly hadn't ever heard of it until the trailer for the new series on Disney Plus released.
This movie is so much fun and was surprisingly hilarious. While the effects may not hold up after almost 30 years, the story, humor and characters stand the test of time. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this movie.
Find more of our Catholic Perspective series here
Andor | A Catholic Perspective
The big Star Wars release this fall was "Andor" on Disney+. In today's video, I share my favorite parts about the Andor series, my least favorite parts and my two biggest takeaways for it's connections to our faith.
The big Star Wars release this fall was "Andor" on Disney+. This is the prequel to "Rogue One" which was a prequel to the original Star Wars movie. I wasn't a huge fan of Rogue One when it came out in theaters (Find out why here) but this show combined with Rogue One definitely made it a better experience.
In today's video, I share my favorite parts about the Andor series, my least favorite parts and my two biggest takeaways for it's connections to our faith.
Find more of our Catholic Perspective series here
Rogue One | A Catholic Perspective
With the Andor show's finale next week, I did a rewatch of Rogue One and I feel way different about it than I did when it first came out! Check out this video where I share why it was better on rewatch and the great lessons this movie has for us.
With the Andor show's finale next week, I did a rewatch of Rogue One and I feel way different about it than I did when it first came out!
I've always said that Rogue One is the worst and most pointless Star Wars movie. But after six years since I saw it in theaters, I finally rewatched it. My mind is changed and I definitely appreciate it more now after watching the Andor series on Disney+.
Check out the video below where I share some of my favorite themes from Rogue One and how they connect to our Catholic faith. And make sure you hit subscribe for next week's video on Andor after the finale releases!
Find more of our Catholic Perspective series here
Catholic Foundations | On Mission | Session 10
The Church exists in order to evangelize and make disciples. We all have a role to play in that mission! We can often be nervous about having conversations about faith but Taylor shares his best tips for how to evangelize our friends, family, coworkers, etc. We simply share our story of encountering God. So check out this week's video to hear about God's call for you to join His mission and be equipped to do just that!
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism. This week Taylor shares how we can join the Church's mission!
The Church exists in order to evangelize and make disciples. We all have a role to play in that mission! We can often be nervous about having conversations about faith but Taylor shares his best tips for how to evangelize our friends, family, coworkers, etc. We simply share our story of encountering God. So check out this week's video to hear about God's call for you to join His mission and be equipped to do just that!
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here.
Catholic Foundations | Universal Call to Holiness | Session 9
In week 9 of our Catholic Foundations series, Sam Schoenfelder shares about answering the universal call to holiness. We can too often think that holiness is just for the priests or chosen few, but all of us are called to sainthood. How we respond is of the utmost importance.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism.
In week 9 of our Catholic Foundations series, Sam Schoenfelder shares about answering the universal call to holiness. We can too often think that holiness is just for the priests or chosen few, but all of us are called to sainthood. How we respond is of the utmost importance.
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here.
Catholic Foundations | Mary, Mother of God | Session 8
In week 8 of our Catholic Foundations series, Jennifer Stavinoha explains why the Catholic Church shows honor to Mary and how she helps us through prayer and example as the first disciple of Christ. She also walks through the Marian Dogmas and shares her personal experiences of building a relationship with our Lady.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism.
This week we discuss Mary and her role in the Church and our lives.
In week 8, Jennifer Stavinoha explains why the Catholic Church shows honor to Mary and how she helps us through prayer and example as the first disciple of Christ. She also walks through the Marian Dogmas and shares her personal experiences of building a relationship with our Lady.
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here.
Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | A Catholic Perspective
My thoughts on the Marvel's multiverse story about Dr. Strange vs. The Scarlet Witch. Just in time for Spooky Season :)
My thoughts on the Marvel's multiverse story about Dr. Strange vs. The Scarlet Witch. Just in time for Spooky Season :)
I saw Dr. Strange in theaters on opening weekend and walked out pretty frustrated with how they handled Wanda's story arc and it really put a bad taste in my mouth. Now that it's out on Disney+ and I needed a good movie for spooky season (Happy Halloween!) I revisited it, and while some of my issues with the movie still stand, I was able to appreciate some of the storytelling choices on rewatch.
I hope you enjoy my review and thoughts on the two primary themes of moral decision making and our bad choices not defining us. Enjoy!
Catholic Foundations | Virtues & Christian Living | Session 7
In week 7, Taylor Schroll shares about what the virtues are and how we can grow in a life of virtue. We discuss the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues, the things that hold us back from virtue and how to grow in all of them, especially the ones where we find ourselves lacking.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism.
This week we focus on the virtues and how we can live a virtuous life.
In week 7, Taylor Schroll shares about what the virtues are and how we can grow in a life of virtue. We discuss the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues, the things that hold us back from virtue and how to grow in all of them, especially the ones where we find ourselves lacking.
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLigPxe25_UYdnx-T3FY8QKYYaYS5TBB61
Morbius | A Catholic Perspective
Boy was this movie bad! But it definitely has a couple themes I wanted to pull out and discuss from a Catholic lens. Just in time for spooky season! I hope you enjoy my recap, review and then deep dive into two themes that are actually kinda intriguing from this terrible movie.
Boy was this movie bad! But it definitely has a couple themes I wanted to pull out and discuss from a Catholic lens. Just in time for spooky season! I heard all the bad pub that Morbius was getting and watched the movie become a meme as Sony floundered and got confused by the public reaction. They re-released it in theaters and I STILL chose not to go see it. I waited until it became free to watch on streaming, grabbed some snacks, sat down with my wife and we laughed AT this movie, yelled at the parts that don't make sense(most of it) and wasted our time lol.
I hope you enjoy my recap, review and then deep dive into two themes that are actually kinda intriguing from this terrible movie.
Catholic Foundations | Temptation & Sin | Session 6
In week 6, Taylor takes a deep dive into the topic of sin: what it is, why we do it and how to limit it. He shares what we need to do in order to fight temptation as best we can so that we can grow in holiness.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism. This week we focus on and fighting sin & temptation.
In week 6, Taylor takes a deep dive into the topic of sin: what it is, why we do it and how to limit it. He shares what we need to do in order to fight temptation as best we can so that we can grow in holiness.
We hope you enjoy this week's session! If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLigPxe25_UYdnx-T3FY8QKYYaYS5TBB61
Catholic Foundations | Salvation History | Session 5
In week 5, Taylor Schroll shares the story of salvation. We look at how all of the stories we may have heard dozens of times growing up actually all connect into one narrative about God's love for His people. We look to the great stories of the Old Testament and how they prepare us for the coming Christ and set up the 2000 year history of His Church of which we are now a part. The greatest story ever told.
Foundations is our 10 week course on the basic teachings of Catholicism This week we focus on the story of salvation and our role in it.
In week 5, Taylor Schroll shares the story of salvation. We look at how all of the stories we may have heard dozens of times growing up actually all connect into one narrative about God's love for His people. We look to the great stories of the Old Testament and how they prepare us for the coming Christ and set up the 2000 year history of His Church of which we are now a part. The greatest story ever told.
If you're new to the series, check out the full playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLigPxe25_UYdnx-T3FY8QKYYaYS5TBB61