The Catholic Herald Podcast: Merely Catholic with Gavin Ashenden

105: Inside the Vatican, with Diane Montagna

Now on her third pope, Diane Montagna is one of the most respected Vaticanologists of our time. Known for her contributions to periodicals such as the National Catholic Register and Humanitas: Christian Anthropological Review, as well as the Catholic Herald, she has also worked as Rome correspondent for LifeSiteNews and the English edition of Aleteia. In this episode of Merely Catholic, she discusses her varied career and the challenges facing the new pontificate. She also gives an in-depth account of her groundbreaking research, which suggested a false narrative behind the motivations of Traditionis custodes. This episode was recorded on 21.08.2025.

104: Sacred Voices, with Alessandro Biciocci and Justin Kurian

Sacred Voices is a choir made up of members who were originally part of the Sistine Chapel Choir and now constitute a touring ambassadorial choir, dedicated in part to sustaining the vision of Domenico Bartolucci, who was for decades the Sistine Chapel Choir’s conductor and director. Alessandro Biciocci is the Secretary General of the Bartolucci Foundation. Originally a boy treble in the Sistine Chapel Choir, he is now the Secretary General of the foundation that plans and oversees the work of Sacred Voices. This other face – or other voice – of the Sistine Chapel Choir has become famous for its interpretations of Gregorian chant, Palestrina, and the Catholic liturgical repertoire. They perform not only in Rome but across the world, and are singing in New York this August. The New York tour has been organised by Justin Kurian, founder of Reclaiming Christendom, a lawyer and popular novelist. Reclaiming Christendom works for the renewal of Catholic faith and culture. In this episode, they join Gavin Ashenden to reflect on the work of the Sistine Chapel Choir, Sacred Voices, and their upcoming tour. https://sacredvoicesnytour.com/ [https://sacredvoicesnytour.com/] Ask ChatGPT

103: Forging an alliance for life, with Lord Alton of Liverpool

David Alton, the Catholic crossbench peer and former MP, joins Dr Gavin Ashenden to discuss the recent vote for abortion up to and during birth. They reflect on the hijacking by MPs of the Crime and Policing Bill to decriminalise abortion for any reason and at any stage in pregnancy, and also the passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) through the House of Commons. In this 103rd episode of Merely Catholic, the podcast series for The Catholic Herald, they talk about what might be done to counter the “culture of death” both in the Houses of Parliament and in society generally. https://thomasmorecollege.edu/ [https://thomasmorecollege.edu/]

102: When police appease the mob, with Lois McLatchie Miller

Lois McLatchie Miller, a Christian activist, was arrested in Brussel for wearing a billboard which read: “Children are never born in the wrong body.” She was detained alongside Canadian child protection advocate Chris Elston, known as “Billboard Chris” (@BillboardChris), after they were surrounded by an angry mob. In spite of the pair’s peaceful conduct, police arrested Ms McLatchie Miller and Billboard Chris rather than address the aggression of the crowd. Lois talks about her ordeal to Dr Gavin Ashenden in this 102nd episode of Merely Catholic, the podcast for the Catholic Herald.

101: Into the reign of Pope Leo, with Edward Pentin

Edward Pentin, the distinguished English Catholic journalist and veteran Rome correspondent, returns to Merely Catholic to discuss the conclusion of the pontificate of Pope Francis and the new reign of Pope Leo XIV. An acknowledged media expert on the workings of the papacy and of the Vatican in general, in 2015 he authored The Rigging of a Vatican Synod? An Investigation into Alleged Manipulation at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, which was published by Ignatius Press, and five years later brought out The Next Pope — The Leading Cardinal Candidates, thanks to Sophia Institute Press. Mr Pentin serves today as a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Register and is also a regular contributor to EWTN, the Catholic television network. https://thomasmorecollege.edu/ [https://thomasmorecollege.edu/]