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Crash Course Catholicism

Dr Caitlin West
Crash Course Catholicism
Latest episode

124 episodes

  • Crash Course Catholicism

    116 - You Were Made for Love: Theology of the Body pt.2

    2026/06/02 | 34 mins.
    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:
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    References and further reading/listening/viewing:
    St. John Paul II:
    Theology of the Body
    Love and Responsibility
    Redemptor Hominis
    Theology of the Body in Simple Language
    ⁠Gaudium et Spes
    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,
    Theology of the Body Crash Course (pdf)
    Theology of the Body Crash Course (video)
    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"
  • Crash Course Catholicism

    Catechism 101: How Faith Works

    2026/05/25 | 14 mins.
    What does it look like to make an act of Faith?

    In this episode, we discuss how Faith actually works in action. We discuss the role of the mind, the will, and the grace of God, and how all these things need to work together for us to make an act of Faith.

    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
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  • Crash Course Catholicism

    115 - History and Context: Theology of the Body Pt. 1

    2026/05/18 | 25 mins.
    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:
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    Contact the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.caitlinwest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    References and further reading/listening/viewing:
    Humanae Vitae
    Christopher West: "What Is the Theology of the Body? | Introduction to Theology of the Body"
    Godsplaining, "Does Christian Marriage Really Have Two Ends?"
  • Crash Course Catholicism

    Catechism 101: What is Faith?

    2026/05/11 | 8 mins.
    "Faith" is possibly one of the most misunderstood terms in religion.

    True Faith isn't blind belief or surrender to something incoherent. In this video, we unpack the true meaning of one of the most fundamental concepts of Christianity.

    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
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    Contact the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.caitlinwest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/crashcoursecatholicism/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Crash Course Catholicism

    114 - Mother Teresa: Love for the Poorest of the Poor

    2026/05/04 | 29 mins.
    "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
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    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
    Acceptance Speech VIDEO
    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
    3 Life-Changing Lessons We Learn from Mother Teresa
    Mother Teresa’s Special Message for Mothers Everywhere
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About Crash Course Catholicism
A summary of the teachings of the Catholic Church, given to you in short, easy-to-digest episodes, uploaded fortnightly. Find out more: https://www.caitlinwest.com
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