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The Open Door

By: WCAT Radio
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  • Summary

  • The Open Door with Dr. Jim Hanink and Friends

    Some history of the show: The Open Door, the longest running of the WCAT Radio shows, was established in October, 2016, by Lt. Colonel Albert E. Hughes (USAF Retired) holds an MS in Systems Management (with distinction) from the Air Force Institute of Technology, an MM in Pastoral Ministry from Seattle University (Jesuit). He is certified in Spiritual Direction by the Monastery of the Risen Christ in San Luis Obispo, CA. He is an accomplished retreat master and Catholic evangelist. A convert at mid-life from agnostic rationalism, he has taught scripture and conducted period retreats in parishes in Seattle, WA, Santa Maria, CA, and Corpus Christi, TX, for 25 years. Following Al's departure from the program, Jim Hanink and Matthew Bartko became the show hosts and continue the dialogue.
    Copyright WCAT Radio
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Episodes
  • Episode 283: Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur of Today's Catholic Homeschooling Website (May 1, 2024)

    Episode 283: Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur of Today's Catholic Homeschooling Website (May 1, 2024)
    May 2 2024
    Here at The Open Door, we are turning our attention to education for the next few episodes. This week (May 1) we will consider the growing trend of homeschooling. Our special guest is Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur. She is a lifelong Catholic who has been homeschooling her three children, two of whom are grown, for 17 years. In a welcome effort to provide both information and inspiration for homeschool families, she has managed, for over a decade, the Today's Catholic Homeschooling Website. From there folks can access her Homeschooling Resource Guide for free, along with a variety of helpful articles and book reviews. She herself has written a number of books, including The Crash Course Guide to Catholic Homeschooling. Patrice is a Member of the Catholic Writers' Guild and Catholic Library Association. She has a Master's Degree in Applied Theology and 20 years of experience working for the New Evangelization. Among the questions we’ll ask are the following. Please don’t hesitate to ask your own!

    1. Perhaps we should begin by defining our terms. What is homeschooling? Simply doing school at home? What makes it "official"?
    2. We are pretty sure homeschooling is on the rise, but do you have any stats that might help us understand the reality by the numbers?
    3. What are the reasons people most often choose to homeschool, in your experience?
    4. What are some common misconceptions about homeschooling?
    5. No doubt some criticisms of some homeschoolers are on the mark. Do any examples come to mind?
    6. Some families feel called to homeschool throughout high school, often with the support of local or online educational services to one degree or another. As more and more kids have become homeschool graduates, are there any notable, established outcomes we are seeing that reflect the positive potential of this educational path?
    7. We’ve all heard about teacher burnout. Is there homeschooling burnout? If so, what are the causes...and remedies?
    8. Homeschooling parents come from many backgrounds. Are there some conversations across different backgrounds that you think might be productive but perhaps do not yet see?
    9. Parents are the first educators of their children, and children are not the mere creatures of the State. Doesn’t it follow that the State’s role in education should be carefully limited?
    10. Any other food for thought you'd like to offer for our listeners?
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 282: John A. Di Camillo, PhD, BeL., an Ethicist and Personal Consultations Director at The NCBC (April 17, 2024)

    Episode 282: John A. Di Camillo, PhD, BeL., an Ethicist and Personal Consultations Director at The NCBC (April 17, 2024)
    Apr 18 2024
    On this episode of The Open Door (April 17th), panelists Jim Hanink, Mario Ramos-Reyes, and Valerie Niemeyer discuss medical ethics. Our focus will be the debate about the criteria for brain death. Our special guest is John A. Di Camillo, PhD, BeL. He is an Ethicist and the Personal Consultations Director at The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC). He manages its 24/7 free ethics consultation service as well as the Personal Consultations Fellows and Interns Program. He applies Catholic moral theology to science and medicine through research, writing, speaking, mentoring, and fielding hundreds of ethics questions every year. His areas of focus include cooperation with evil, sexual orientation and gender identity, reproductive technologies, and pregnancy complications. Among the questions we’ll ask are the following. Please feel free to suggest your own.

    1. What is Catholics United on Brain Death and Organ Donation about? What were the goals of writing it and seeking endorsements for it?
    2. Why is there no moral certainty of death when following the American Academy of Neurology guidelines for a determination of brain death?
    3. What is ongoing hypothalamic function? Is it compatible with brain death? What would be the effect of improved clinical guidelines that require cessation of hypothalamic function?
    4. Should patients expect that the existing American Academy of Neurology guidelines—or something even less rigorous—will be applied in practice? Is there a reasonable expectation that the existing guidelines will be improved in the near future?
    5. Does a person considering organ donation have good reason to expect that he or she will be truly dead at the time of vital organ procurement?
    6. Given that we must presume life until death is certain, and given the lack of moral certainty of death whenever the current brain death criteria are used, can we still assume that a majority of vital organ donors are deceased at the time of organ harvesting?
    7. Is it wise, at this time, to decline organ donor status at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) upon first receiving a driver’s license? To revoke organ donor status through the appropriate channel in one’s state?
    8. Should we advocate for the right of patients and health care professionals to conscientiously object to the use of the current brain death criteria for a determination of death?
    9. How can we best highlight the Church’s teaching on the need for moral certainty of death as a condition for vital organ procurement?
    10. What do you hope will happen next, now that Catholics United has been published?
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Episode 281: Peter Sonski the Politics of the Presidency and Vice Presidency (April 3, 2024)

    Episode 281: Peter Sonski the Politics of the Presidency and Vice Presidency (April 3, 2024)
    Apr 3 2024
    In this episode of The Open Door, panelists Jim Hanink, Mario Ramos-Reyes, and Valerie Niemeyer discuss the politics of the presidency and vice presidency. November, and with it the national election, is not so far off. The Biden vs. Trump rematch is officially scheduled. Here at The Open Door we want to think outside the duopoly’s binary box. That means checking in on the candidates of the American Solidarity Party. Our returning and welcome guest is Mr. Peter Sonski. A New England native, Peter and his wife have nine adult children. He has a Master of Science in Management (MSM) degree from The Catholic University of America. His professional experience is in journalism, public relations, and business administration. Peter is concluding his second term as an elected member of Connecticut’s Regional School District 17 board of education. He’ll have lots to tell us about his presidential campaign. Among the questions we will ask are the following.
    1. What does it mean to you to be “pro-life” as a candidate for the President of the United States?
    2. How has your experience in local politics informed your approach to this campaign?
    3. They say behind every good man is an even better woman. How has your wife made you a stronger man and better candidate?
    4. How does your running mate, Lauren Onak, bring strength to your campaign?
    5. Has your campaign experience changed your perspective on what it means to be a citizen?
    6. Have you any new insights into “the system” of politics in America?
    7. Which of your stances as a candidate are you finding the most support for? The most push-back against?
    8. Any thoughts on Christian Democracy and how it may or may not be finding a place in American politics?
    9. How has your faith life been impacted by this adventure, if it’s not too personal a question?
    10. How can folks support your campaign in an effort to bring light to the darkness of our political reality in America?
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    1 hr and 3 mins
Spirituality
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