We’ve been down a long road, you and I… With Morning Glory launching in August of 2015, it’s been a sheer pleasure waking up with you, our dear listener, and shedding light on some of the stories affecting our lives everyday. On this New Year’s Eve, we look back at some of the BIG moments of 2018–and what’s in store for 2019!

It’s been a BIG year for religious liberty! In May, President Trump celebrated the ‘National Day of Prayer’ by signing and recognizing an executive order launching an initiative recognizing the vital role religion plays within the US. The Department of Justice also created a ‘Religious Liberty Task Force’ to address some of the issues facing those persecuted for their faith or beliefs. We also have seen protection for many Catholic faith-based adoption agencies who want to help place vibrant foster youth into loving homes with mommies and daddies.

Within the Vatican–we’ve seen big news today with the resignation of Holy See Press Secretary Greg Burke–along with his deputy. In April, The Holy Father appointed three women as consultors to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It marked the first time women and laypersons were named as active contributors, not support staff. This past summer, Pope Francis elevated 14 bishops and archbishops from 11 nations to the College of Cardinals at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. A few months later, carrying Pope Paul VI’s pastoral staff and wearing the blood-stained belt of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, Pope Francis formally recognized them, and five others, as saints of the Catholic Church at a Mass at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Over 70 thousand faithful were in attendance.

Looking ahead to February of 2019, His Holiness hosts every leader of each Catholic Bishop’s Conference across the globe at the Vatican to address the issue of clergy sex abuse. First erupting in Chile, then within the US with the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report, and elsewhere–we will be following this global summit and discussing it with our veteran Godly Counsel including Monsignor Charles Pope–and our newest member–the Dynamic Deacon! Deacon Harold Burke Sivers will be with us daily to share his thoughts as a Deacon, a father, a husband, and a friend.

A new era of Morning Glory begins January 14th! The show will integrate feedback and questions/thoughts from listeners. I currently cover Catholic Chatter–i.e. Cat Chat–but this will take on a whole new dimension within 2019. We want to hear from you–your thoughts on the issues facing you…as Catholics, as mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, and husband and wife. We’ll be rolling out a listener comment line – where you can leave direct questions and comments–and we’ll be integrating your own voice within the program–we hope you’ll join us at the breakfast table!

Praying for you on the New Year’s Eve! May God bless you and keep you!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

With President Trump just last week signing a new bill aimed at assisting ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria, we’ll be speaking with Supreme Knight Carl Anderson of the Knights of Columbus about this historic legislation–and how it will help the thousands of persecuted Christians, and other religious minorities, in the Middle East. Supreme Knight Anderson was instrumental in getting this bill passed, given his powerful congressional testimony in 2016. The Knights of Columbus have worked steadfastly with the Catholic leaders of Iraq and Syria, inspired by the fearless leadership of Archbishop Warda of Erbil. If you missed Anderson’s compelling speech, find it here.

We’ll also have Mark DeYoung of Catholic Men Unite with us. They are releasing a new letter to the Holy Father and US Bishops. This is a new response, and a recommitment from the men for prayer, fasting, and repentance in 2019, as well as Eucharistic processions around the country. The new letter will be posted to http://www.CatholicMenUnited.com by Monday midday. We’ll have a sneak peek from Mark before the letter is published so make sure to tune in!

Monsignor Charles Pope will be with us as we enter into the 3rd week of Advent. We’ll be discussing Gaudete Sunday and Monsignor’s 5 steps for better mental health–a rule book for Advent–along with his latest blog, A Humorous Call to Confession.

Our conversation is a two-way street–so please feel free to leave a comment here and write directly to us: MorningGlory@EWTN.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

We kick off the weekend early tomorrow with a look at some holiday movies with our favorite film critic! Steven Greydanus will join us with a look at The Grinch currently in theaters now–being so thus inspired by the film, Steven tries speaking ‘Seussian’:

‘So I’m happy to state, though my praise may be faint-ish,
My critical heart is more pleased than complaint-ish.
The Tinsels have managed to Seuss out this one
And it’s decent, good-hearted, forgettable fun.’

Make sure to check out all of his great movie reviews at http://www.decentfilms.com

We also round out the last day of November tomorrow with a look at the season of Advent with Father Tom Ferguson. Joining us from the Arlington Diocese, Father Tom is the pastor of Good Shepherd Catholic Church near Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia.

This month is also National Foster Care Month–we talk with Andrea Picciotti-Bayer about the fate of faith-based adoption as Catholic Services of Philadelphia are still under attack. Andrea shares stories of real Catholic laity making a difference for children in need. She says restrictions targeting Catholic entities like Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia not only violate their right to religious freedom, but are a dangerous disservice to needy youth. Follow all of Andrea’s great work at TheCatholicAssociation.org

We love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment here!

Thanks for being part of the Morning Glory family!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

Morning Glory was happy to welcome Father Vincent De Rosa back with us in-studio discussing his busy parish life in the heart of Washington DC! We also talk with National Review Board chairman Dr. Francesco Cesareo about his reform ideas given the current abuse crisis within our Church. On Tuesday during the US Bishops’ Fall Assembly in Baltimore, Missouri Bishop McKnight asked the head of the National Review Board what one thing he wants bishops to do. “Decisively act on this issue,” responded Dr. Cesareo. “If that does not happen, I fear for the future of the church.” The chairman saying: “How many souls have been lost because of this crisis? Today the faithful and the clergy do not trust many of you. They are angry and frustrated. No longer satisfied with words or even with prayer.” Read the the board’s full report by visiting here

Senator Marco Rubio will be taking part in the Heritage Foundation’s AntiPoverty Forum tomorrow in Washington, DC. Jennifer Marshall of Heritage has been sponsoring the event for years–she joins with an interesting relationship between poverty and religious freedom. This year’s program will dive into the latest efforts to provide better health care options for the poor, highlight why it’s critical to preserve the freedom of faith-based practitioners to serve those in need, and discuss how Catholics can come together to advance the common good. Listeners can take part by watching the livestream at http://www.Heritage.org.

And last but not least–we are blessed to have Irish singer Dana Scallon with us sharing her memories of Mother Angelica and the fate of Ireland given the recent referendum–she is optimistic about the pro-life movement but urges all of us to play a role in sharing the truth regarding life in the womb. Dana has a new CD out featuring songs with a pro-life message. Visit her website here

As we head into our Thursday show, the U.S. bishops took the first steps toward approving a pastoral letter against racism with the document’s introduction. The proposed pastoral letter, “The Enduring Call to Love: A Pastoral Letter Against Racism,” has been in the works for four years, although its issuance was put on the front burner following the September 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, said all standing committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops collaborated on the document.

Our conversation is a two way street–feel free to leave a comment here or write directly: morningglory@ewtn.com

Thanks for being part of the Morning Glory family!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

Join us this morning for a packed show on EWTN radio! We’ll discuss all the breaking news of the day including the call to be digital missionaries from a Bishop of Iceland speaking at the ongoing youth synod!

Guests include Catherine Glenn Foster of Americans United for Life on the new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh–and his rich Catholic Faith. We’ll also talk to Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney David Cortman about an important big win for religious liberty in Atlanta, Georgia–all on a fun Thursday edition of Morning Glory!

It’s not too late to join the Dominicans leading the Angelic Warfare Confraternity in the Spirit of Truth Novena! Father James Brent, OP, who joined us on EWTN radio this morning said The Novena for the Spirit of Truth goes from the Feast of the Archangels (September 29th) through the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7th)–but it’s never too late to begin! For more information, check out the Confraternity here

We also checked in with our friend Ever Johnson in Leesburg Virginia–on faith, fellowship… and food at Trinity House Cafe! Ever and her husband Soren are the visionaries behind the only Catholic cafe in the DC area. At the intersection of faith and culture, the cafe provide warm hospitality and a delicious, moderately-priced menu of coffee, sandwiches, salads, soups, baked goods, wine and beer.

Besides serving top-quality food and drinks, the café also hosts a variety of community and cultural events such as art classes, talks, concerts, theatrical performances, book clubs, craft circles, and children’s programs. Learn more information at http://www.TrinityHouseCafe.com.

Looking ahead, the Youth Synod kicks off in Rome tomorrow. We’ll be talking with Patrick J. Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society about what we might expect from this gathering–given the current state of the clergy sex abuse scandal–and some bishops calling for the event to be postponed or cancelled. Check out Patrick’s recent piece on the Synod at http://www.CardinalNewmanSociety.org.

‘See’ you bright and early for Morning Glory on EWTN radio at 7am ET!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

Morning Glory kicks off with some breaking news on your Thursday morning with the Holy Father accepting a Bishop’s resignation amidst sexual abuse allegations. Hannah Brockhaus of CNA joins with her report and the latest from Rome where US Bishops have met with Pope Francis this morning. Read her recent work here.

We also look at Planned Parenthood’s new leadership with Tom McClusky and the impact it might have on China’s one-child policy. He also gives us his take on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the most recent attacks against this Catholic judge by pro-abortion supporters. McClusky most recently published his thoughts in The Hill. Read his latest piece

And 48 pro-life leaders sign on to ask HHS Secretary Alex Azar to stop funding research using aborted baby body parts. Dr. David Prentice of the Charlotte Lozier Institute joins with their efforts to make sure the Food and Drug Administration is not funding this gruesome research. You can learn more about the letter–and make your voice heard by visiting http://www.SBA-List.org.

We love to hear from you! Leave a comment here and we’ll share it on-air!

Thanks for being part of the Morning Glory family!

Blessings,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

Morning Glory kicks off your Wednesday morning with Father Vincent De Rosa with a beautiful reflection on the human heart as we celebrate the Queenship of our Blessed Virgin Mary! We talk with Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review Online about a thoughtful correlation she made between our dear Bishops and birth mothers who give up their child for adoption. Kathryn writes:

“In the Catholic Church, we call priests “Father.” We believe that a father has devoted his life to God, to be literally another Christ. It’s not Father So-and-So you go to for Confession, it’s Christ who hears it through his ministry. And so, he is expected to gaze into the eyes of the faithful as God would, as those children He so loves. When a child is harmed in the most intimate and heinous ways by a priest, it is an incestuous evil. In the case of the man formally known as Cardinal McCarrick, he allegedly preyed on the first child who was ever baptized by his hand. And that does not even begin to touch on the heinous sacrileges described in the grand jury report.”

You can read her full work here

We end the show talking with actor Jim Coleman and a beautiful live theatre production of the life of now Servant of God, Father Augustus Tolton! Created by St. Luke Productions, Coleman is excited and honored to be playing the role of Father Tolton. Prior to his acting career, he served in the US Army as a medic. Having appeared in more than 50 national commercials, Jim is best known for his role of Roger Parker in the hit Nickelodeon show My Brother and Me.

“Father Tolton’s story needs to be told,” says Jim. “As a black man, this very important part of history is something that I want the world to hear about. I truly feel blessed to be the one to share Father Augustus Tolton with all who will listen!”

Find out more about the production by visiting http://www.stlukeproductions.com

Make sure to join us every weekday for Morning Glory on your local EWTN radio affiliate–and on our Sirius Channel 130!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

On a fun Monday edition of Morning Glory, we’re joined by Monsignor Charles Pope discussing this new crazy phenomenon of teenagers going to extremes to achieve a ‘perfect look’ – fueled by this fascination with Snapchat! A new phenomenon, dubbed ‘Snapchat dysmorphia,’ has patients seeking out cosmetic surgery to look like filtered versions of themselves…with fuller lips, bigger eyes, or a thinner nose. Among Snapchat’s more popular features are its facial filters, which change users’ appearance in a phone camera. New filters are offered regularly. Some change a person’s face to look like animals, superheroes, or inanimate objects. Others create a more subtle, modified version of the users themselves – smoothing their skin, whitening their teeth, narrowing their face, enhancing their lips and eyes.

We also get a sneak peek of The Apparition, a new movie coming out in September. Miracle Hunter Michael O’Neill joins to discuss the French film.  Check out the trailer here

Make sure to find us tune in tomorrow as we talk with Bill Donaghy all about a new 30 day challenge for men called RISE.

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                                                 @alyssamurphy

Morning Glory discussed the breaking news out of the Vatican–with Cardinal McCarrick resigning amidst allegations of sexual abuse with Dr. Matthew Bunson of the National Catholic Register. Monsignor Charles Pope gave us his Godly Counsel on what we can do as Catholics to discuss these issues that are hitting our church and homes.. Monsignor also shared this beautiful ‘Love Letter to the Church’ by Carlo Carretto:

“How much I must criticize you, my church, and yet how much I love you!

You have made me suffer more than anyone and yet I owe more to you than to anyone. I should like to see you destroyed and yet I need your presence. You have given me much scandal and yet you alone have made me understand holiness.

Never in this world have I seen anything more compromised, more false, yet never have I touched anything more pure, more generous or more beautiful. Countless times I have felt like slamming the door of my soul in your face – and yet, every night, I have prayed that I might die in your sure arms!

No, I cannot be free of you, for I am one with you, even if not completely you. Then to where would I go? To build another church? But I could not build one without the same defects, for they are my defects. And again, if I were to build another church, it would be my church, not Christ’s church. No, I am old enough, I know better.”

—Carlo Carretto

The team also looked at the problem of Loneliness and our Catholic response with Dr. Kevin Vost. A 2018 Cigna study of 20,000 Americans found that most people consider themselves “lonely,” based on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a widely adopted academic measure used to gauge loneliness. Nearly half of those people reported feeling alone or left out, while more than 40 percent of said they feel as though they lack companionship, that their relationships are not meaningful, and that they’re isolated from others. Dr. Vost shares a great deal of wisdom drawing on our Catholic faith in his new book: The Catholic Guide To Loneliness.. Check out more info here.

Our good friend ‘surfer-priest’ Father Donald Calloway talks the importance of pilgrimage with guest co-host Elizabeth Ficocelli! He’s planning a pilgrimage to Rome and Malta early next year–and plans on sharing our most powerful spiritual weapon–the ROSARY–with everyone he travels with–and meets. Father is also leading a Holy Land pilgrimage next Spring with Catholic actor Jim Caviezel, known for his powerful portrayal of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion. Find out more information about Father’s conversion to Catholicism and his upcoming pilgrimages, by visiting this site.

Make sure to join us tomorrow morning as we visit with Father Edward Looney LIVE from the Catholic Marketing Network Conference in Philadelphia! We’ll be celebrating Saint Ignatius looking at a new Ignatian Prayer Series with Carol Weiler! Find us on your local EWTN radio affiliate or Sirius channel 130!..

Feel free to leave a comment here–we love to hear from you!

Pax,

Alyssa Murphy                                                                                                   @alyssamurphy