Aquinas, Philosophy, and Stuff w/ Fr. Gregory Pine 

I'm a simple man. I see Fr. Pine, I watch and like.

These are always the best conversations. Please have Fr. Pine in as often as possible.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:29 📚 Pursuing a doctorate involves classes, exams, candidacy, proposal, writing, and defense in the American system, while the European system often relies on proposing a project and personal motivation. 01:54 🏞️ Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York, is a beautiful retreat center with 240 acres of land and a diverse group of attendees from various locations. 03:02 🍻 A potential "Pints with Aquinas Retreat" idea involves gathering to discuss theology, smoke cigars, drink espresso, and enjoy lively conversations. 05:38 🏰 The retreat location, despite its quirks like old-fashioned light switches and window units, is charming, and it offers a simple, monastic-like atmosphere. 08:38 🕰️ Recovering tradition can sometimes lead to a sense of arbitrariness, but it's essential to understand the reasons for traditions and their historical context. 13:21 🔄 Tradition should be recovered in an organic way, aligning with a genuine sense of identity and community rather than arbitrary choices. 16:24 🏺 Reclaiming tradition can feel awkward initially, like choosing an antique to become a family heirloom, and that's a natural part of the process. 18:04 🤔 The reasons for embracing tradition may not always be expressible in clear arguments but can stem from a sense of belonging, family, and lived experience. 18:59 🙏 Baptism rituals have evolved over time, with some focusing on preparatory rights, including exorcisms, to cleanse individuals before baptism. 21:23 🛡️ Baptism rituals include elements like anointing with oil, clothing in a white garment, handing on of a candle, and blessings. 23:05 💭 Long prayers or rituals, like an extended Rosary, can become less accessible and meaningful to people and should be on a "human scale." 25:38 📜 Aquinas' perspective on prayer suggests that it should be continual but adapted to human attention spans. 31:12 🙌 The homily should propose God for contemplation, and some topics may be better addressed outside of the homily for pastoral reasons. 34:46 🌐 Start with God in preaching and avoid allowing theological concepts like "mercy" to be co-opted by political discourse. 38:02 🗣️ Reclaim the discourse and propose it in a coherent and loving way to foster conversations that embrace both right and left perspectives, despite differences. 39:00 💬 Reclaiming and redefining words like "God" and "Jesus" can be essential to reshape perceptions and move away from the punitive connotations associated with these terms. 43:08 🙏 Scrupulosity, an excessive fear of sin and obsession with confession, should be addressed by focusing on crowding out sin with a virtuous life rather than rooting it out completely. 56:12 😔 Wearing a religious habit can lead to mixed reactions, often making one feel like a "freak," but it's an opportunity to engage people in meaningful encounters and humanize oneself. 01:10:24 🧠 Saint Thomas Aquinas discussed the concept of instrumental causality, where an instrument used by the main cause remains unchanged, unlike how Jesus Christ's humanity was changed when used as an instrument by the Godhead. 01:16:30 🖼️ Saint Thomas explains that memorable images or illustrations, especially those somewhat unusual or unwanted, help enhance memory since they create stronger impressions in the mind and help tie simple and spiritual impressions to corporeal images, making them easier to remember. 01:17:23 🧠 St. Thomas Aquinas emphasizes the connection between sense and intellect, suggesting that intellectual knowledge often relies on recalling sense experiences. 01:18:20 🧠 Developing mnemonic associations, such as humorous or vivid imagery, aids in memory retention, making it easier to recall information. 01:19:31 🧠 Memory helps in being prudent by recalling past experiences and their consequences, guiding future actions and decisions. 01:21:35 🧠 To remember something, it's important to carefully consider and organize the information in an orderly fashion or through mnemonic devices. 01:28:38 🧠 Active engagement, repetition, and a desire to remember are essential for effective memory retention. 01:36:08 🧠 Frequent reflection on the things you wish to remember enhances recall, and custom becomes a kind of second nature in memory retention. 01:37:21 📖 Memory is an integral part of human life, and it plays a significant role in our relationship with God, especially in prayer and worship. 01:38:02 📚 Memory, prayer, and prudence are not distinct facets of human reality but distinct expressions of the exercise of the intellect, leading to its perfection in prayer and worship. 01:38:59 📱 Overreliance on smartphones to settle trivial disputes during conversations can diminish the delight of human interaction, and it's essential to take mindful decisions to limit phone distractions. 01:41:19 📵 Balancing the convenience of smartphones with the need for uninterrupted focus in certain situations can be challenging, but setting boundaries is crucial for personal well-being. 01:47:03 🔮 The problem of divine hiddenness is a significant topic in philosophy and theology, and various articles and discussions explore this concept, offering different perspectives on it. 01:48:12 🍷 The blood of Jesus Christ is redemptive primarily due to its association with the divine power and its role in the paschal mystery, where Christ's intellect and will play a central part in salvation. 01:51:01 🙏 Salvation comes through the divine efficacy and the human element of Jesus Christ's human nature, particularly his intellect and will, which are integral to the paschal mystery. 01:54:32 💔 Young Catholics today may be susceptible to vices like sexual sins and sloth, with distractions and overconsumption of passive content contributing to sloth. Addressing these vices requires self-awareness, effort, and balance. 01:56:54 🤔 Focus on being a protagonist in your life rather than a victim, even if circumstances aren't ideal. 01:57:22 🎥 The movie "Tenet" explores the concept of being a protagonist in one's life. 01:57:52 💪 Embrace natural virtues and ask yourself, "What can I do to make my life better?" 01:58:19 🤔 Before correcting others, consider if it matters and if they can change, following St. Thomas's principles. 01:59:15 📚 To learn more about Catholicism, start with books like "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. 02:00:12 😴 Set your alarm away from your phone to avoid late-night distractions that affect your sleep. 02:01:10 ☮️ Forgiving others is a daily decision, even if your feelings don't immediately align. 02:03:02 🕊️ Charismatic gifts are for the upbuilding of the church, but don't exclusively focus on them. 02:05:18 ❤️ Willing God's good is affirming His goodness, not giving Him something He lacks. 02:07:25 📖 Remember what you read by outlining, summarizing, and processing the material. 02:09:30 🙏 Assess your attraction to liturgy by examining whether it helps you love others and worship God. Made with HARPA AI

This. 👏🏽 Whole. 👏🏽Conversation. 👏🏽 The stuff on scrupulosity and crowding sin out with virtue is pure gold! 💛🙏🏽✝️

Outstanding video. It was educational and entertaining. I’m a big fan of the chemistry between Fr. Gregory and Matt. I want to share with you Matt that I was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church about a month ago. I had a great RCIA, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, your videos have taught me so much. God bless

This is the bomb! Wow! Love when Fr Pine waxes brilliant with Matt. Crowding out sin vs weeding it out…that is such a powerful action item and so true…upping your virtue game (reading Matt’s book) is a great way to start the over growth, allowing more space for Grace! 🌺🌸🌼🌻

39:00 - 46:00 was achingly beautiful. Thank you for spreading The Love and Truth that is God! My heart needed to hear this today.

I was just reading through Dr. Peter Kreeft's 'Summa of the Summa', so I've been jonesin' for more discourses on Aquinas and similar things (as if there can be any thing resembling the Idea that is St. Thomas). Then I saw (which reminded me) that I had this very video in my Watch Later playlist. It satisfied that desire and more. Not a bad way to end a week.

Danke!

Not related to this video, but Father Chris Alar of Divine Mercy gave Matt a shout out today on today's "explaining the faith " talk! So happy because I watch both of your shows often. I didn’t know where else to tell you this ! Very cool!

1:22:30 the mnemonic for the Ecumenical Councils…outstanding!

Thank you for the wonderful conversation. As a rule, most traditional prayers and liturgy is based on reason. For example, adding the luminous mysteries to the Holy Rosary distorts the natural flow of the weekly mysteries. Thursday should be Joyous to lead to the Sorrowful on Friday. It also breaks with the continuity of 150 psalms to 150 Hail Marys with the 3 mysteries. That is what is so astounding about the TLM and the allocation of the Feast Days, they are firmly set on reason. Love the show!

Matt and Father Pine - the very best - listening while cleaning my room✝️✝️💖💖💖🤍🤍💜💜 blessings x

Great show! Thank you very much and God bless.

"Their habits are more practical become they conceal stains." adorable

Sweet Father Gregory, man has a lot to say 😅🙏🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 Amen 🙂🙌🏼

So epic, I always get so fired up after listening. Thank you!

You guys are great. Thank you.

Thanks!

thank you Matt and Father Pine for the work you do!!!!!

Pine’s with Aquinas! Right on! Thank you Matt and Fr. Pine.

The mentality described between 1:19:20 and 1:22:30 is exactly what helped put sexual sin behind me. It could be a good clip to put on your Sips with Aquinas page. I am now able to focus on the joy of not having that sinful weight only because I first focused on the disparity that sin would bring me. Thank you for articulating this! I will be sharing with my fellow brothers and sisters who struggle.

Regarding the growing visibility of the Dominican Order in the public consciousness, Pints with Aquinas is super influential in reaching ordinary, non-academic people as well as academic. Thomas is still growing in popularity!!

Love Fr. Pine's talk about wearing the habit and how challenging it is these days, but his wardrobe consists if two white habits!!! Love it and how he carries himself. I have little respect for priests or religious that wear civilian clothes and simply blend into society rather than be an example for society. A great day in my region is seeing a small group of young happy Benedictine monks shopping at Lowes in their cassocks. So kudos Fr.Pine keep up the great witness for Our Lord and your order.

Only part way through and this conversation on reclaiming tradition is so so excellent. Thank you for these amazing discussions. And big thank you, Matt, for introducing me to the deep gift that is Fr. Gregory Pine!

Loved this. forgive. Awesome. Thankyou father

These are always my favorite. Don't get me wrong these guys are both great on their own, but they play so well off each other.

Great episode, struggle with memorization. Recommendation on family rosary. As a father of six. my wife and I would kneel setting the posture example and started alternating mysteries when resighting the rosary, We found that the kids as the grew would copy us and once they had the Our Father and Hail Mary memorizes they would announce a mystery and say a decade.The best example I found was them seeing my wife and I exhausted but still kneel and praying the Rosary. My wife by far has lead more of the family rosaries, which is a regret of mine, but she always encouraged me to lead the Rosary. I admire that you lead the family rosary every night, well done!!

This was great, thanks!

When it comes to scrupulosity, I think of it as somebody who is stuck in the first chapter of a book reading that chapter over and over again but never finishing the book and reading the happy ending. There is no salvation in Christ if we do not understand that we are Damned. So you must begin from that premise and work towards his everlasting life. A scrupulous mind if it is not grounded in a sort of warped narcissism, is someone just stuck on the presupposition of hell.

I feel like I'm late to the party -- but every Catholic elementary music teacher needs to turn NiCo EphCal CoCo NiCo LaLaLaLa LuLu ViCo FloLa Tre VaVa into a song for their second graders. They will have SO MUCH FUN!

So glad you mentioned how people disrupt the present moment with another by checking their phones during conversation. Hope Matt will take that on board! ; )

I used to live in Huntington. Never knew it was there.

As a native Huntingtonian, the Conklin family was an old-money family who donated the grounds to then Diocese of Brooklyn. The family themselves had the amphitheater on the grounds from way back when. When Rockville Centre separated from Brooklyn, RVC inherited the seminary. It stopped training priests for the diocese a few years ago. It is a beautiful place with 3 beautiful chapels.

I can't believe I missed this live! Too bad :(

Love the bit about modernism never thought about it like that.

Can't wait to watch :)

Really recommend Brideshead Revisited! It’s an incredible novel.

I also keep my phone on silent. I’m not a surgeon on call. I control my phone. My phone doesn’t control me.

¡Viva Cristo Rey y la Virgen de los ángeles!

God bless you father

Matt! Check out Sanctus Ranch as a place for your retreat center! It's in Texas ❤️ or any where in Texas not NY 😂

I think people should instead of saying "The TLM is superior because of X" they should try saying more "I feel at home in the TLM and it enriches my spiritual life". Great video guys!

Matt, Odd request or question. Why don't you use a higher resolution camera? If I'm podcasting you this is fine. But I'm not gonna put the matt frad show on in the living room because it looks super blurry on the BIG tv. God Bless your ministry.

The salt on the tongue is preparatory also for the Eucharist…….. All things that touch the Eucharist ought to be consecrated and prepared. Including the tongue. Don’t know where you’re getting the Pagan thing from, Fr. Pine.

When I was in England from SA.they thought that I was an Australia 🇦🇺

30:08- 30:28 I needed to hear this

Oh wow! Greenville, St. Mary’s, and Fr. Newman is where it all began for me! Lol.

My voicemail is full too, I don't know how to check it and refuse to make an effort to learn how.

Texas forever!

Religious are very common in New York, I used see Fransiscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, and of course Tibetan, Buddhists and etc.

"The Black Death" was the big one in the 1340s; while "The Black Plague" is the name given to a specific (and horrific) outbreak in London in 1655. The next year, London burned down.

To the point of long form narrative. I think its on average the lowest form of narrative because the writing incentive is to string along the reader/listener/viewer and not satiate them. There are exceptions to this. In fiction I can think of a few great "series" that are the vision of one author. Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, Dune, Narnia, etc.

Tradition is God! God does not change, men does! I believe that in our fallen nature, we are always trying to improve or replace continuesly what God does and establishes. But it is funny how God brings us back to all His beginnings though we do not consciously realize it! I don't think that people today wake up and decide out of the blue; "we have to retain a tradition that is being threaten." A tradition that they never grew up with nor know what is about. God gives men purpose and a brain. If it is functioning properly He communicates with us daily if we listen. Five years ago, I happened to walk into a church to pray; what I found was a mass being celebrated in Latin. I decided to stay, and to my surprise not only did I found myself in owe for an hour and a half but the mass has never being the same for me ever since! Was this a one in a billion chance? Or providence! We love to believe that God is done teaching us and that the saints figured it out in their time. Now we can rest assure that we got this? No, God still is teaching us and He is still reviling His mysteries. I believe it is Vatican II that truly needs to be looked at, challenged and reformed. If anything more people have left the Church now than any other time in its history. More confused and people more disengaged that ever etc. People are re encountering something old and beautiful, sacred and connecting with it. I believe is terrifying many in our Church today, because they know there is more corruption and live styles that the people will not stand for any longer. Prayer and Christ in the Eucharist is what will keep me here in Mother Church, NOT sinful men!

Real nigga talkin!

I'd say the reason we see traditions fade away is not because the tradition itself has lost usefulness, but rather because of simple entropy. Things of value require maintenance, tradition included, and younger generations are more interested in building something new than maintaining the traditions of the past, even if those traditions are manifestly beneficial. Take for example the tradition of the family dinner meal, which is unarguably beneficial to children and the family dynamic, yet is practiced less and less with each generation. That tradition was and is incredibly beneficial; it did not lose usefulness, but rather was not maintained, and perhaps more accurately, was actively destroyed (see the tv dinner phenomenon).

Justin? Oh yea yea, with the face? 😂

i see Fr Pine, i click play

the other habits: "They're killing it" wizard.... lol

Video request: How to Read

Great book title… The Death of Conversation by Google

What is the outro song called?

Kevin vost is his name

How do we know that God does not have passions, as Father Pine (via Aquinas, I assume) claims? Is it not possible that God has passions which are not subject to chemical changes in a body, but rather pure consequences of intellect and will? As our limited and derivative intellects are bare reflections of the Creator's, perhaps too our passions are reflective of some higher aspect of the Lord's immutable and uncreated nature.

I think a priest can do a 15 -16 minute homily, even a 18-20 minute one, with the right content and delivery, once in a while. People CAN be made to "hang on every word" and even "be on the edge of their seats. It takes a lot of preparation. But that's better than NEVER handling matters that need more than 8-10 minutes to cover.

This is more like the old days. Stopped being a patreon member when it seemed like PWA became like Catholic Answers 2.0, and after Matthew West came on decided to never share PWA with any friends or family again. Really disappointed after that episode. Could only listen for like 30 minutes and stopped. Kinda hoping PWA goes back to its roots now. Thanks for coming back Fr. Pine!

C o n t e n t G l u t t o n y! That’s a handy moniker!

The holy father lol

Faustyna had a vision of Hell and warned people about Hell.

Jesus said, "God knows what you need before you ask, so don't say long wordy prayers." This is when he taught us the Our Father prayer.

20:30 The TLM is superior to the NO in the same way that the Easter Vigil Candlelight NO Mass is superior to the ordinary Sunday NO Mass. I don't think anyone would disagree that the Easter Vigil Mass has more piety and reverence than a ordinary Sunday Mass, so if there exists a hierarchy within NO Masses, it stands to reason there can be a hierarchy between TLM and NO. It can be hard for NO goers to accept, but our own experience attests to this reality.

MUDSRFCC - Parts of Prudence

What a shame about Justin. =(

The current goddess movement thinks older is better, lol. Some are even singing chants in sanskrit lol - it’s a whole ‘nother type of relativism.

I think you can evangelize the Christian faith on its own merits. you don't need to compare because Hinduism doesn't compare itself to Christianity. Atheism and Islam make claims about Christianity as their foundation of their religions and that is why we address them directly. But the Hindu religion is not presupposed on any assumptions about Christianity. I'll say that you could address his Hindu faith as any Pagan religion (and I don't mean that derogatorily towards your friend). I would say one thing, understanding the nature of god is something Christians breeze over unless addressing atheist's but it may help you here.

Wow, it was abundantly clear that Father Pine did not agree with Matt about the Dominican habit, and yet he kept going on and on about how cool it is. Funny and painfully awkward. See “The Office” or “Curb your enthusiasm”

Don't go to a TLM but is the salt in the mouth of the baby at baptism symbolism of being the "salt of the earth?"

Muddy buddy? Chex doesn’t realize they’re called PUPPY CHOW!

Ooooo...so wonderfully esoteric. (LIP SMACK.) Which I'm actually okay with (God knows I put up with Bishop Barron for a LOOOOONG time before he showed his true colors, or maybe I finally caught on)...except for the condescending pompous attitude that bleeds through. THIS is why it is okay to bash and slash anyone who dares to be emotional about the complete lack of MANY bishops/clerics/heirarchy to faithfully and properly lead their flock. "Dear people, you can be upset that you are being sold down the river by your shepherds...just don't complain, and by all means...DON'T BE MEAN. Listen to your educated betters, who can name drop Scott Hahn, and be like us. There will be NO empathy or understanding for YOU." Separate the wheat and chaff, indeed.

is it just me or Fr. Pine looks like those medieval monk's hairstyle (tonsure)? or maybe just the lighting... if Fr. Pine is reading this, please cut your hair to be like tonsure. I bet many people (including atheists, and atheist children!!!) will talk to you

That's all we hear is 'God loves you'. Does he love what we do? Why not teach Genesis re: gender. It should be a no brainer. A lot of 'dodging' here.

Why does Father Pine dress like that? He honestly looks like he’s going to a fancy dress.

with all due respect father Gregory, the traditional mass and traditional practices were taken out in a very weird and non organic way. Your premise is not fully honest. Plus, people don't necessarely go to "the old" because of it being ancient, that I believe is a strawman and it's very unfair. Why don't we apply that same axiomatic way of thinking to the NO? Why is it that the new liturgy doesn't last at all? why is it that from its implementation it has been difficult to make it reverent yet in most places it became a circus? why is it that in one parish that same liturgy doesn't last when another priest arrives? I am sorry father, but this is very biased and not fully honest to the practices and development of the Church. What happened at VII is rare to say the least, more than 1000 years of a liturgy and you call that not lasting?

11:45 untill 13:00 noooooo..... mr. Pine, you dont have any idea how the culture works. Tradition is the manifestation of a need being fulfilled. When the tradition ceased to exists or abandoned, it simply means that it is not needed anymore. Your archaic rituals are not needed anymore because it does not capture the christian experiences as needed by the contemporary society. The christian experience addresses certain needs in the society in different times, thus the rituals are continually developing and different in every denomination. Adapt or die! God is not a matter please dont compare the experience of meeting god (theophany) to mouldy, falling apart church buildings.