Episode 281: Joan Elizabeth Bauer on her novel The Bicycle Messenger (June 1, 2026)

Episode 282: Fr. Sebastian White, OP, on his Life and Ministry (June 1, 2026)

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Sebastian White, OP, on his Life and Ministry.

Episode 281: Joan Elizabeth Bauer on her novel The Bicycle Messenger (June 1, 2026)

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Joan Elizabeth Bauer on her novel The Bicycle Messenger. (June 1, 2026) In the 1970s, when a distant cousin dies unexpectedly, Mary Ellen and Charles Hawley agree to take his seven-year-old son Steven into their home. Steven’s birth mother, a Polish immigrant, has schizophrenia and can’t assume custody. But in a last traumatic visit, she convinces her son that a mysterious presence called the bicycle messenger has followed him into his new life. Years later, Steven, a recovering alcoholic with a history of bipolar disorder, is working as a short-order cook. To Megan Helmsworth, a college student waiting tables, he is a sweet, doting boyfriend. But Steven becomes more and more preoccupied with his lost family of origin, and when a manic swing sends him on a quixotic journey to Poland, Megan seizes her chance to escape. In a well-meaning attempt to shelter her fragile son, Mary Ellen agrees to harbor a secret no mother should ever keep.  Told through the eyes of the three women who love Steven best—Mary Ellen, Megan, and his adoptive sister Margaret—The Bicycle Messenger is a story of generational trauma that stretches from the last days of the Kraków ghetto in 1942 all the way to 2016. But it is also a story of unexpected grace. https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Messenger-Joan-Elizabeth-Bauer/dp/B0FGGLDMDQ/

Episode 280: Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book My Journey’s End (May 26, 2026)

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book My Journey’s End (May 26, 2026) This volume offers a contemplative collection of spiritual reflections and poetic meditations, tracing the human journey toward meaning, surrender, and hope. Written with simplicity and depth, these brief pieces invite readers to pause, listen, and walk honestly through longing, doubt, faith, and grace. Rooted in Christian spirituality yet universally human, this book accompanies readers as they take life one step at a time toward rest in God. My Journey’s End by Fr. Dennis J. Billy, CSsR | En Route Books and Media [https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/myjourneysend/]

Episode 279: Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Going Forth: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Mission (May 26, 2026)

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Going Forth: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Mission (May 26, 2026) This book completes Fr. Dennis J. Billy’s acclaimed trilogy on Alphonsian spirituality. Drawing on theology, history, and pastoral insight, Fr. Billy explores how mission flows from God’s own life of love and finds concrete expression in preaching, sacrament, community, and service to the poor and most abandoned. Rooted in tradition yet attentive to today’s Church, this work invites readers to rediscover missionary discipleship as a lived spirituality for our time. Going Forth: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Mission by Rev. Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R. | En Route Books and Media [https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/goingforth/]

Episode 278: Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Paradise for God: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Heart (May 25, 2026)

In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Fr. Dennis Billy, CSsR, on his book Paradise for God: St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Spirituality of Heart.  Paradise for God explores St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s “spirituality of heart,” examining his vision of conversion, prayer, and intimate friendship with God. Focusing on the human heart as the dwelling place of God, the book unpacks Alphonsian practices like mental prayer and the Way of the Cross, offering readers a path to deep personal transformation, grace-filled discipleship, and union with Christ’s heart in a life of mission and love. https://enroutebooksandmedia.com/paradiseforgod/