Our speaker for September 2025 was Fr. Daniel Seo of Our Lady of Peace Korean Catholic Center, and he spoke on the role of beauty and theology when it comes to Church Architecture.
Isn't beauty subjective? How can the Church justify expensive buildings in the midst of poverty? What is the role of church design in glorifying God? What should be the purpose of a church building? These are some of the questions Fr. Seo addressed in this talk.
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For August, we featured a conversation between Brandon Traut and Theology on Tap OC's director, Louie Calma, and on why people should bother becoming Catholic.
Brandon, coming from a non-denominational tradition, was received into the Catholic Church on Easter 2024. This conversation covered Brandon’s journey of faith, how his upbringing prepared or hinder his journey, the challenges he faced, and how did friendship played a role in his conversion.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUSto 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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July is the month dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus and our speaker was Steve Lovison, founder of Adoration Servants, an organization that provides a comprehensive Eucharistic Adoration System for use by any chapel such as SF Adoration and OC Adoration.
What has a private devotion such as Adoration have anything to do with a public action such as evangelization? How does the great mystery of the Eucharist help with bringing people into the Church? What are the challenges of making Adoration more accessible in parishes?
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUSto 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Theology on Tap's speaker for June was Alyssa Wills, founder of The Sparrow Initiative, a performance group that uses music to inspire hope and initiate change in the community by producing thought-provoking concerts and commissioning new works that enrich the human spirit.
She spoke about her experience working as a Catholic artist and the role Catholic art plays in evangelization. She also shared her new opera based on the life of St. Joan of Arc, and how Joan helped to deepen her love and understanding of her vocation. Alyssa also performed one of the pieces live.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Theology on Tap OC's speaker for May was Fr. Cole Buzon of San Francisco Solano Catholic Church in Rancho Santa Margarita.
God perfects all of our relationships. Whether they be romantic, familial, friendships, or work related, we can learn how to live in communion with everyone by being in communion with God.
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Theology on Tap OC's speaker for April was Deacon Tony Mercado on Redemptive Suffering.
Deacon Tony serves at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fullerton and as a chaplain for the Brea/Placentia/Fullerton Police Department and OC Sherriff.
He shared stories about loss and healing, and how should Christians, especially Catholics, approach suffering. What are the common mistakes when accompanying someone who is suffering? Is it possible to heal from suffering from a purely secular standpoint? And how does the Christian approach to suffering be an aid to evangelization?
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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The speaker for Theology on Tap OC for March is Mr. Mark Padilla, the headmaster of Santiago Catholic Trade School.
Mark covered the idea of labor or work in the context of the Catholic faith. How did the trade school come about? How do they form students at the trade school?
To financially support this apostolate, please consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Theology on Tap OC's kick-off talk for the year is always given by the apostolate's director, Louie Calma.
What did we learn from the talks of 2024? In what ways can those topics help in evangelization?
After that brief recap of 2024, Louie talked about the holy vocation of marriage. How is Christian marriage different? What does Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium, and the Saints teach on the roles of the husband and wife?
To financially support this apostolate, please consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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To close the year 2024, Louie interviewed Jean-Paul Afif, a father to 9 children and living in Orange County, California.
In the ever increasing cost of living in California, how can families manage to live in the Golden State? Is California worth fighting for? As division becomes the norm, in what ways can we foster real communities? These were just few of the questions JP addressed.
Also at the end of the interview, the event concluded with a shortened form of Compline derived from the Divine Worship: Daily Office.
To financially support this apostolate, please consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Our speaker for November 2024 was St. John Henry Newman's very own, Fr. Glenn Baaten, who is also the chaplain of the Santiago Retreat Center.
As Christians, shouldn't we be only devoted to Christ? Isn't devotion to Mary idolatry? And if Mary is such an important figure, won't the Bible say so? These are some of the questions Fr. Glenn addressed in his talk. And also, since he's a convert from Protestantism, how did Fr. Glenn come to terms with this belief and practice?
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUSto 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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The speaker for October 2024 was the newly ordained deacon serving at St. John Henry Newman Catholic Church Deacon Christopher Pagel.
In his talk, he shared his journey on becoming a deacon. What kind of obligations does the diaconate entail for the parish and at home? And as a husband, a father of five young children, and also a leader of several organizations, how does he keep everything in balance? His wife, Ashley, briefly shared her experience as well.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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What are the challenges Catholics encounter in office? How do Catholic politicians stay true to the Gospel while upholding their secular office duties? And what can Christian citizens who are not in office, do to promote the common good in our own communities?
Our speaker for September 2024 was Mayor Tara Campbell of Yorba Linda. She also answered several questions on how to get involved locally and shared how the sacramental life can aid our daily duties. The recording closes with a short exhortation from Theology on Tap OC's lead organizer, Louie Calma, and chaplain, Fr. Glenn Baaten.
Additional resources:
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Evangelization is something that can be difficult, even painful, because we are often called to share our Faith with those who are close to us. How can we look to the Holy Family as a model of evangelization?
Theology on Tap OC's speaker last August was Jose Pulido, founder of At The Service, an Evangelization Coaching Ministry. His goal is to teach how evangelization can be life-giving for those being evangelized and also the evangelist. He also shared some strategies on how the one receiving the Gospel can feel respected, affirmed, and supported. He also covered practical skills that are immediately actionable, as well as discuss great stories for inspiration.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Music used in between the break out sessions are by Aves (Coffee Shop, Joy Ride, and Traffic Jams), Tenderly by Phury, Tropical Nights by Yestalgia, others from Adobe Stock.
Clara Chung is a classical mezzo-soprano based in the Los Angeles area. In addition to singing with LA Opera, she has worked in church music for over a decade and leads Vox Ardens, a professional chamber ensemble focusing on high-quality liturgical music. In her talk, Clara shared what the Church means by Sacred Music and how it differs from religious music. What is its purpose in the liturgy? Are there different priority levels on what needs to be sung? Did Vatican 2 put Gregorian Chant aside? These were just few of the things Clara addressed in her talk.
Additional Resources:
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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What does the pro-life effort look like on the fathers’ end? And how does a support system for young men who has chosen to take up the mantle of fatherhood instead of running away from it?
Our speaker was John Fernandez, founder of Walking with Dads. A pro-life apostolate in joint effort with the Life Center of Santa Ana that aligns young dads with mentors and help them be the providers and leaders God is calling them to be.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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For the month of April in Theology on Tap OC 2024, our speaker was Minh Hoang, an on-fire street evangelist and President of CSUF's Pro-Life Club.
All Christians are called to share the Gospel both in action and in words. But what if you feel like you don't have the gift of preaching in public? How do you share the Good News of Jesus Christ without making people feel like a conversion project? In addition to an active prayer life, what preparatory steps should we take? These were just few of the questions Minh addressed and he also shared his experience in street evangelization.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Theology on Tap OC's speaker for March 2024 was Mark McElrath, the Executive Director of the Santiago Retreat Center.
Sign up for Santiago Retreat Center's email list via their website and follow them on Facebook.
In his talk, he explained the importance of retreats, whether they be preset programs or self-led. He also shared the best ways to apply the retreat experience in the "real world".
Other local retreats mentioned:
Additional resources:
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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The kickoff talk for Theology on Tap OC 2024 was given by the lead organizer of this apostolate, Louie Calma. What did we learn from previous year’s talks? How can each Theology on Tap topic (both past and future) serve as inroads to the Gospel? And how do we effectively share the Gospel in love and clarity?
Resources:
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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The A.I. voice overdubs were created from elevenlabs.io
A Motu Proprio promulgated by Pope Pius X on November 22, 1903
This English translation is from Adoremus.org
If you find these encyclical readings helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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Our speaker for December 2023 was Judge David Belz of the Superior Court of Orange County. He is also the co-founder of the St. Thomas More Society in OC.
Judge Dave presented about the Shroud of Turin and its overall significance to Christians. With all the so-called "historical" documentaries and many "scientists" doubling-down on the claim that the Shroud is a medieval art or forgery, how can Christians harmonize faith and reason?
Visit the Shroud Center of Southern California to learn more.
If you find Theology on Tap OC helpful, please prayerfully consider giving a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation to our apostolate by texting CHEERS2JESUS to 84576 or by visiting our donation page.
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