Ann,

Podcast 230 is among your finest work.

The local archdiocesan seminary offers masters in theology programs to lay people. There were orthodox rumblings at the time. Benedict was Pope. It was pre-Francis. I was in my early 50s.

A female theology professor (then married, since divorced) taught the class that married couples can do pretty much anything so long as they’re both on board with the given act and that the session… consummated in the customary way. I challenged her in class and was told that I exhibited “pre-Vatican II antiquarianism.”

In a not-so-unrelated episode, the seminary had an auction every year to raise money. Among the biggest draws at the auction was the “Scratch Ticket Tree” where students would buy lottery scratch tickets, donate them to the seminary, and the seminary ladies would clip the tickets to this big metal table top tree like thing. It became by far the most discussed auction item. Never mind Our Lord. “All ya need is a dollar and a dream.”

The head seminary lady came in to the beginning of a class one day to make announcements, including about the upcoming auction and, naturally, the Scratch Ticket Tree. Seeing my disapproving reaction, she singled me out exclaiming in front of the class, “So, Steve! Have you brought in YOUR scratch tickets?”

I replied, “Professor, I’m old enough to remember when that was a mortal sin.”

Thank you, Ann, for your great work and a particularly outstanding episode.

God bless you.

S