Welcome to Catholic Handshake, your helpful guide to minute—but never trivial—details of the faith. Join Fr. Joe Brodeur as he lays out the unobserved beauties of Catholicism in an engaging, meaningful way. From ambries to Mount Tabors to sedilias, these and many other topics aren’t just interesting facts—they are the details which can deepen and enrich our faith. So listen in as we discuss today’s Catholic handshake.
Can Sarah recite the twelve apostles based off the First Eucharistic Prayer? Whether she can or not, she and Father Joe talk about a selection of apostles today, focusing specifically on symbols associated with each.
7 Sept 2026
Episode 17: Snakes, Stags, and Sunbursts
On this week's edition of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe look at a few more symbols of the faith drawn from the animal world. Stags and snakes? Possums? Yes indeed. They also discuss Sarah's favorite symbol: the IHS sunburst.
24 Aug 2026
Episode 16: Symbolic Distinctions
On this week's episode of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe discuss the distinction between signs and symbols and break down the significance of three Eucharistic symbols.
27 Jul 2026
Episode 15: The Place of Sacrifice
Show Notes:
Bruce Marshall (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17786842-the-world-the-flesh-and-father-smith)
GIRM 296-308 (https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20030317_ordinamento-messale_en.html#II._ARRANGEMENT_OF_THE_SANCTUARY__FOR_THE_SACRED_SYNAXIS__(EUCHARISTIC_ASSEMBLY))
San Moisè, Venice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Mois%C3%A8,_Venice)
13 Jul 2026
Episode 14: The Battle Standard
Join Sarah and Father Joe as they discuss the various crucifixes you might see at your local parish, why they're placed in certain places, and what they represent for us. The book of Numbers, the Roman Empire, special garb for altar servers--all this and more enter the conversation on today's Catholic Handshake.
29 Jun 2026
Episode 13: The OG Sacramental
On today's episode of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Fr. Joe discuss holy water. You see it at the entrance of every Catholic church, but why do we use it? And is it superstitious to use it? Your hosts cover the everything from baptism to Good Friday practices to biblical understandings of water, all in an effort to understand the beauties of this wonderful sacramental.
15 Jun 2026
Episode 12: Shepherds, Sheep, and Pallia
On this episode of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe dive into the history and significance of the pallium, a liturgical vestment worn by the pope and bishops. Come for the symbolism, stay for the cute lambs.
1 Jun 2026
Episode 11: An 'O Antiphon' Explainer
Today on Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe discuss the ancient tradition of the 'O Antiphons,' a set of verses now found incorporated in the liturgy during the last few days leading up to Christmas. If you enjoy riddles, acrostics, and beautiful symbols, you'll find all of them and more in this week's episode.
18 May 2026
Episode 10: What on Earth Is a Liturgical Hodie?
Sarah and Father Joe, on today's edition of Catholic Handshake, discuss the concept of the liturgical Hodie--which might have something to do with the dating of Christmas, but you'll have to listen in to find out. And if you want to know how the birthday of John the Baptist factors into all of this, you've come to the right place.
4 May 2026
Episode 9: In Praise of Processions
On today's edition of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe discuss the origins of processions in church history, and Father points out all the places in the Mass where processions take place--tune in to see if you can guess them all!
20 Apr 2026
Episode 8: Sacred Vessels for a Sacred Meal
This week's Catholic Handshake explores the intricacies of the sacred vessels used at Mass, from the paten to the chalice to everything in between. Join Sarah and Fr. Joe as they look into the meaning behind the names, use, and cleansing of these precious items.
6 Apr 2026
Episode 7: Sanctuary Settings
On today's edition of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Fr. Joe are taking a tour of the sanctuary. Regardless of how your church's sanctuary is set up, most all of them contain the same basic elements, and Fr. Joe gives us some helpful names and definitions. And it wouldn't be a CH episode without a few definitions and distinctions!
23 Mar 2026
Episode 6: You Are What You Wear (Vestment Edition)
"It's not pink, it's rose!" Every Gaudete Sunday and Laetare Sunday, priests the world over will wear some form of pink (or rose) vestments. If you've ever wondered why, you're in the right place. Join Sarah and Fr. Joe as they discuss this popular question, and dive deep into the symbolism behind other vestment colors. But there's more to a priest's garb than just the colorful outer part. Listen in!
9 Mar 2026
Episode 5: Clearing Up the Candle Conundrums
We see them all over the place in church and years ago they were often as a primary light source, but since we have electric lights today, why do we still use candles at Mass? Answering Sarah's burning (literally) questions is, as always, Fr. Joe Brodeur, and they touch on everything from sanctuary lamps to unbleached candles.
23 Feb 2026
Episode 4: Profound Proclamations
If you've ever attended an Easter Vigil Mass, or wondered what your deacon was chanting on Epiphany, you're not the only one. Join Sarah and Fr. Joe as they discuss the three proclamations you might hear throughout the liturgical year.
10 Feb 2026
Episode 3: Veiling
Veiling can be a much-discussed topic in Catholic circles, but it often only focuses on the use, purpose, and symbolism of chapel veils. Join Sarah and Fr. Joe as they look at other types of veiling we often see in church and consider the beautiful reasoning behind this practice.
26 Jan 2026
Episode 2: Adoration
On this week's edition of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Father Joe take a look at adoration--what it is, where this practice came from, and even some tips for best participating in this rich part of our Catholic faith.
12 Jan 2026
Episode 1: Incense
On this inaugural episode of Catholic Handshake, Sarah and Fr. Joe discuss incense, and Sarah learns that there's a lot more than meets the eye (and nose) when it comes to this fascinating element of our faith.
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