Catholic Classics with Fr. Gregory Pine and Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk
Welcome to Catholic Classics! Each season we’ll read through a classic text in just 20-30 mins a day, providing insightful commentary and practical guidance along the way.
Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. and Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, O.P. as they read and explain The Confessions of St. Augustine. Learn more.
Welcome to Catholic Classics from Ascension! Each season we’ll read through a great Catholic spiritual writing providing insightful commentary and practical guidance along the way. Informative and enriching, these 20-30 mins episodes will allow you to learn from the Catholic Church’s most revered saints and teachers as you seek to cultivate your spiritual life.
This season, Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. and Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, O.P. will guide you through “Confessions of St. Augustine” by St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church. In 60 days, you’ll discover the powerful witness of St. Augustine’s spiritual journey that shows us that our weakness is not a barrier to holiness.
In this final episode, St. Augustine reflects on the height of creation: humanity. He ponders how men and women are oriented towards God because God has created them in his goodness and they are made to rest in him. Fr. Jacob-Bertrand Janczyk and Fr. Gregory Pine discuss what this means. They also address how God has healed humanity and why we are worthy of love. Today’s readings are Book 13, Chapters 31-38.
To get your copy of the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/catholicclassics or text ”CONFESSIONS” to 33-777.
Please note: The Confessions of St. Augustine contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children – parental discretion is advised.
Following along with the version read in the podcast!
This beautiful edition uses an easy-to-understand translation and includes expert commentary from the podcast hosts Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. and Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, O.P.
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Meet the Hosts
Fr. Gregory Pine
Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. is a Dominican friar (Order of Friars Preachers) of the Province of Saint Joseph, which is located in the Northeastern portion of the United States.
Crediting the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas in his discernment, Fr. Gregory joined the Order after graduating from Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he studied math as well as humanities and Catholic culture. After being ordained as a priest in 2016, he served as parochial vicar at St. Louis Bertrand Parish in Louisville, KY, where he also worked as an adjunct professor at Bellarmine University. He then served as the assistant director of campus outreach for the Thomistic Institute based in Washington, D.C.
Fr. Gregory is currently a doctoral candidate in dogmatic theology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, concentrating on the Christology of St. Thomas Aquinas. He has recently released a new book for Catholics on the virtue of prudence.
In addition to his role as one of the hosts of Ascension’s new podcast Catholic Classics, Fr. Gregory is also a regular contributor to the popular podcasts Pints with Aquinas, Godsplaining, and The Thomistic Institute and has traveled widely to preach and teach the Catholic Faith.
When he’s not reading medieval tomes or administering the sacraments, Fr. Gregory spends his time enjoying great works of fiction and hiking in the nearby mountains.
Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk
Fr. Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, O.P. is a Dominican friar of the Province of Saint Joseph, which ministers in the Dominican tradition to the Northeastern portion of the United States, and is also the pastor of St. Denis Catholic Church in Hanover, NH.
After graduating from Marist College with a degree in biomedical science, Fr. Jacob Bertrand joined the novitiate for the Dominicans and was ordained as a priest in the Dominican Order in 2017.
From there, he went on to work with college students at Dartmouth College, serving as assistant chaplain and then as director of vocations for the Province of Saint Joseph from 2018-2022.
In addition to co-hosting Ascension’s new podcast, Catholic Classics, Fr. Jacob Bertrand is also a host of the popular Dominican podcast, Godsplaining.