We're talking about our Blessed Mother today! Having just celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God we get the Archbishop to give a crash course in how to have a relationship with Our Lord's mother. What does that look like? How is it possible? Are their limits? Click here to sign up for Upfront Updates to stay in the loop on upcoming podcast…

Join Archbishop Smith for our Christmas episode where we discuss the virtue of joy, the Christmas liturgies and the prophet Isaiah as the “5th Gospel,” Christmas-only Catholics and the ancient promises of God that he keeps to every one of us through the arrival of Jesus. Show notes: Christmas Mass times for the Archdiocese of Edmonton https://sites…

To prep for Advent we're sharing this previous episode on this great liturgical season: What have we forgotten about Advent? Join Archbishop Smith as he shares about Advent as a season of penitence, the purpose of the liturgical year vs. the secular year, Advent as a season of being shook out of our apathy and the irregularity of the fourth Sunday …

What is the mission of married couples? Join Archbishop Smith as he discusses the sacrament of marriage in Scripture, divorce and annulment, how marriage is meant to be a witness to communion in an era of division, and his thoughts on what a couple can do when their relationship is struggling. On September 14, the Archdiocese of Edmonton launched i…

Today, Archbishop Smith is talking about Catholic education and the urgent need to proclaim the Gospel in our Catholic schools, especially with the widespread presence of anxiety and depression among young people. In anticipation of Catholic Education Week (Oct. 19-25), the Archbishop also speaks about what it means for Catholic schools to be “auth…

What kind of missionary am I called to be? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about our second pastoral priority of “Forming Confident Witnesses,” the universal call to share the Gospel, what it means to be a missionary parish or diocese, Archbishop Smith’s favourite experiences in northern Canada and our covenant with the northern Canadian dio…

How do I know if I am in a state of grace? What do Catholics actually believe about receiving the Body of Christ in the Eucharist? Join Archbishop Smith for our first episode back after summer break, for a discussion about Eucharistic theology, reverence in the Mass, being in a state of grace and the launch of our three, brand-new pastoral prioriti…

Is The Chosen worth watching as a Catholic? Does it portray Jesus as he should be? Join Archbishop Smith for his review of Season 4 of The Chosen, as we discuss how Judas is portrayed, the bold soundtrack choices that the director made for the series, the difficultly of portraying Jesus has fully God and fully man, and how depictions of the discipl…

Will the Catholic Church change its teaching on marriage? On female priesthood? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about how to define, dogma, doctrine and the Magisterium, about whether the Church will change some of its most-discussed moral teachings, the gift of certainty and consistency that the Catholic Church offers, and how all of these …

Today’s episode is the 100th episode of Upfront with the Archbishop and we’re talking about themes from our most viewed episodes over the past two years: What is appropriate to wear to Mass, how to respond to division over Marian apparitions and the Catholic Church as the one, true religion. We are also speaking about the mysterious theology of the…

What is the mission of men? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about his advice for men, the fatherhood of St. Joseph, the suffering of having an absent father and the response of God the Father, and what it takes to be an excellent man. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the Archbishop is a week…

Maria Goretti was just 11 when she forgave her would-be rapist and the man who killed her. How does a person do that? How do we grow in our ability to have mercy and forgive? Join Archbishop Smith to hear his advice on growing in the virtue of radical forgiveness, the story of St. Maria Goretti, Pope Francis’ call for a “revolution of tenderness,” …

Did you know Archbishop Smith used to lead music (with his guitar!) at Mass as a young adult? Join Archbishop Smith as he tells the story of how he started to pray as a child, the challenges of being a Catholic “nerd” in high school, his experience with liturgy and the implementation of Vatican II as a young adult, the moment he realized he was cal…

Join Archbishop Smith for a conversation with Dr. Lauren Girard, a palliative care and family medicine doctor from Edmonton, Alberta as they discuss why palliative care is an answer to the rise in euthanasia and assisted suicide, the sophistication of modern pain management, experiences with accompanying people in the last moments of their life, ho…

As we near her feast day (April 17), join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about St. Kateri Tekakwitha and lesser-known facts about her life, including her Catholic formation in a Mohawk women’s community, her relationship with radical forms of penance, her vow of perpetual virginity, her love of the Eucharist and how her story can give hope to th…

Are we striving to be “good” people? Or virtuous people? Join Archbishop Smith and host Jenny Connelly for a discussion about virtue ethics, the virtues that Archbishop Smith learned from his parents, the cardinal virtues and what it means to be a “good person.” Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the…

Will our bodies rise again? Join Archbishop Smith and host Jenny Connelly for our Easter episode on evidence for Christ’s Resurrection, the theology of the resurrection of our bodies, the relationship between wisdom and doubt, and why Catholics venerate relics. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the …

What is happening in our nation? Join Archbishop Richard Smith, Deacon Larry Worthen and host Jenny Connelly for a discussion about the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada, how Christi calls us to respond to this culture of death, practical ways that people of good will can fight the expansion, and legality, of assisted suicide and e…

Join Archbishop Smith for his annual Lent episode! We discuss why we fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, the theology of sacrifice, why young men are committing to the Exodus 90 program, and why asceticism is part of our Catholic tradition. Shownotes Exodus 90 Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the Archb…

Join Archbishop Richard Smith for a discussion about what it means to be in crisis as a Church, why we must respond to crisis with obedience and repentance, the call to defend our family, the Church, and what it means that the Church has “lost her visibility.” Watch the trailer for Be Not Afraid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FPBgrrOP10 Benedict…

Join Archbishop Richard Smith for a discussion about private versus public revelation, Marion apparitions, how to discern whether a prophecy is legitimate or not, the origins of the Rosary and how Tradition relates to Revelation. Show Notes The Church's Current Position on Medjugorje Vatican principles for discerning “resumed apparitions or revelat…

Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about why the Catholic Church canonizes saints, the heroic story of St. Josephine Bakhita, how the grace of God can transform trauma and abuse into healing and forgiveness, and how we can bring heroic forgiveness into our own lives. Show Notes Book: Bakhita, From Slave to Saint https://www.amazon.ca/Bakhita-Sl…

How many priests does Canada need? Join Archbishop Smith and Dr. Ryan Topping (Benedict XVI Institute, Newman Theological College) for a discussion about the priestly “vocations crisis” in the Catholic Church, the brand-new study that Dr. Topping has published after surveying young priests from across Canada that explores the main reasons why young…

As we near the feasts of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12), join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about his own Marian devotion, his trips to Mexico in honor of our Lady of Guadalupe, the significance of Guadalupe to Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation and the theology of the Immaculate Conception. Show…

As November – the Month of Souls – comes to a close, Archbishop Smith speaks about the Church’s teaching on praying for the dead, indulgences, purgatory and the importance of the ministry that our Catholic cemeteries offer. On last week’s episode, Archbishop Smith spoke about Advent as a season of repentance, and this week we discuss how we can off…

“A great river of poverty is traversing our cities." Join Archbishop Smith as he talks about why Pope Francis instituted the annual World Day of the Poor, the (strange) Book of Tobit that Pope Francis wants us to reflect upon for this year’s World Day of the Poor, and what it means when Catholic social teaching talks about the “preferential option …

How does smudging and Indigenous culture integrate with the Mass? Join Archbishop Smith and Fr. Cristino Bouvette from the Diocese of Calgary as they discuss cultural appropriation and integration in the Mass, how much human culture is supposed to be seen in any liturgy, the Indigenous ritual of smudging, paganism vs. Christianity, the virtue of pa…

Join Archbishop Smith and Catholic school teacher Brett Fawcett (Elk Island Catholic School District, Chesterton Academy) for a discussion around defending our Catholic school system, what would be the repercussions if Alberta got rid of its publicly-funded Catholic school system, the vital role of teachers in proclaiming the Gospel, the role of pa…

Today, Archbishop Smith directly answers questions from YOU, our listeners! We talk about low Synod participation rates, whether or not the Archdiocese will restore the original order of the Sacraments of Initiation, whether all monotheistic religions worship the same God and whether preaching the Gospel with your actions is enough. Watch us on You…

Join Justice Kevin Feehan (Alberta Court of Appeal) and Archbishop Smith as they discuss whether human rights are man-made or God-given, collective versus individual rights, the history of religious freedom in Canada, the experience of being a Catholic judge in the Canadian judicial system and the difference between American and Canadian approaches…

Join Archbishop Smith as he directly addresses the concerns that many parishioners have brought up about the Synod, skepticism about the intentions of Pope Francis, the history of Synodality, the media's interpretation of the Synod and his personal experience as a delegate for the 2015 Synod on the Family. Archbishop Smith is also joined by Dr. Eug…

Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about moments in the Gospels where Jesus is asked a question and he gives an "evasive" answer, such as his conversation with Pontius Pilate or his pattern of using parables to explain different truths. We also explore when and if Christian leaders should follow the example of Jesus by giving indirect answers t…

Should we desire to die as martyrs? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about martyrdom, the portrayal of martyrdom in the Martin Scorsese film "Silence," the saints who died for Canadian Catholic Church, the moral dilemmas that come with facing death and religious persecution, the idea of "white martyrdom," and much more. Watch us on YouTube he…

Join Archbishop Richard Smith for a discussion about what the Catholic Church teaches about being the “one, true religion,” Christian dialogue, the idea of praying that all Christians would be “one,” and how religion stands in a pluralistic society. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the Archbishop i…

What does the Archbishop think of The Chosen? Join Archbishop Smith and our host Jenny for a conversation about Archbishop Smith’s first time watching Season 1 of the crowd-funded series, The Chosen, which depicts the life of Christ through intimate portrayals of his disciples and their families. Click here to watch this episode on YouTube! Links: …

Click here to subscribe to the Upfront with the Archbishop YouTube Channel! Join Archbishop Smith for a conversation about consumerism, finding our identity in comfort, the ideology of materialism and how to approach our relationship with the material world as followers of Jesus. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Update…

Why do followers of Jesus need a sense of wonder? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about “fear of the Lord,” the often misunderstood gift of the Holy Spirit that we receive with the Sacrament of Confirmation. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscribe to our email list: Upfront Updates Upfront with the Archbishop is a weekly podcast where our goal i…

What was it like to get a Ph.D., while also being a parish priest? This week our host Jenny has a fun conversation with Archbishop Smith about everything to do with his experience of doctoral studies (in Rome!): the topic of his dissertation, the stress of doing a Ph.D., his advice for young adults pursuing graduate and doctoral studies, and how to…

What is the Divine Office? If we are in a cultural “crisis of trust” how can this ancient prayer restore our faith? Today we speak with Archbishop Smith about the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours: what it is, the daily commitment of priests across the world to pray this ancient prayer of the Church, how praying the psalms can restore our d…

How do you keep your marriage from suffering when you work for the Church? Join Archbishop Smith and Deacon Lynn Pion for a conversation about the permanent diaconate, marriage, the experience of presiding over your own child’s wedding, the experience of coming to a vocation later in life, and the need for unity in the Church. Links: The Form of a …

Join Archbishop Smith live from Faro, Portugal, to hear all about the chaos, adventure, jetlag, and the joy of Catholicism to be found at World Youth Day. Over 220 young adults from the Archdiocese of Edmonton are joining hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for World Youth Day 2023. A group of pilgrims from the Edmonton Archdiocese have been in Faro,…

Did local communities disagree about whether it was a good thing that the Pope was coming to Canada? How has the Pope’s visit brought people closer to Jesus? What was it like for local communities to have security details that are as extreme as the security for the President of the United States? Anne Wildcat was one of the main, local Indigenous l…

Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion about his grandparents, the art of storytelling across generations, the troubling societal trend of neglecting our elders, how older Bishops have mentored him, the connection between World Youth Day and strengthening the relationship between different generations of Catholics and much more. Links: Pope Francis…

How can we have more reverent liturgies in our Archdiocese? What is liturgy meant to look like, according to the Second Vatican Council? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion on how St. Joseph’s Basilica is seeking to be a leader in beautiful liturgy that accurately follows the rubrics of the Church. We talk about what Sacrosanctum Concilium outli…

How does the break down of marriage connect to our lack of priests? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion on the vocations crisis in Canada, the state of marriage, stories about how his parents' marriage inspected his vocation to priesthood, and an electric live Q&A covering the Church's response to Covid-19 vaccines, transgender ideology in Catho…

What does it mean to offer up your suffering to God? In this week's episode Archbishop Smith takes a look at using our physical suffering, chronic pain, and mental anxiety as ways that we can be united more closely to Jesus Christ and His cross. How does it work? Can if be taken to an extreme? What do the saints have to say? All these questions and…

Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion on how leisure is an essential part of being a Christian, the difference between laziness and rest, the sinister results of placing our identity in our productivity, how to remember to pray even when we take vacations, and Archbishop Smith's own relationship with work and rest. Watch us on YouTube here! Subscr…

Join Archbishop Smith for this special episode as we discuss his father Donald James, and how his father accompanied him as a young man, the unique nature of friendships between priests and married men, the "ministry of presence" that all fathers are called, why we call priests "father," the meaning of the Aramaic word "Abba." Watch us on YouTube h…

When was the last time you sat with the Lord in adoration? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion on the meaning behind the different parts of Eucharistic adoration, the role of contemplation for followers of Jesus, why we sing “O saving victim” in adoration, and the return of 24/7 Eucharistic adoration to the Archdiocese of Edmonton. Links: Chapel…

How do we know if we are in mortal sin? What happens if we receive Our Lord in the Eucharist, when we are not in a state of grace? Join Archbishop Smith for a discussion on defining mortal sin, the criteria for identifying whether or not we are in a state of grace, the question of culpability and mortal sins, the false idea of moral “proportionalis…