Talk Descriptions
God, The Universe, And Everything
Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? Everyone wants answers to these questions. Some people have found their answers in God; others are still on the path of discovery. And some have grown discouraged—and stopped looking. In this intellectually stimulating yet entertaining presentation Matt shares his own story of being shaken out of the agnostic apathy he suffered as a young adult. Challenged to find reasons to believe that life has meaning—no matter how messy or senseless or full of pain it may get—his long search finally led him to belief in the God of Christianity, and in his Church.
The Man Talk (male audience)
In the first part of this powerful talk, Matt doesn’t explicitly “teach” the men anything. Rather, he invites the men to listen to powerful, moving, and often-times hilarious stories. Then, he poses questions to show the men, or perhaps even to convince them, that who they desire to be, and who God commands them to be, is in fact the same man. In the second part of his talk, Matthew lays out five rules that every man must break if he wants to fulfill his deepest desires and follow God’s commands.
Porn: 7 Myths Exposed
“It’s just harmless entertainment,” “She’s willing to do it,” “It’s not like I’m supporting the industry.” These and many other myths prevent many of us from seeing pornography for what it truly is: a diabolical counterfeit for love. In this entertaining presentation, Matt exposes what he believes are 7 of the most common myths about porn. Then, Matt untwists the lies, shines light on the darkness, and offers hope to those who are ready to reject the counterfeit and embrace the truth. He backs up his arguments with startling statistics, real life stories, and the rock solid wisdom of the Church’s teachings on human sexuality.
Parenting the Internet Generation
Pornography is a pervasive problem today for people of all ages, especially teens. However, many parents aren’t sure how to protect their families, beyond using traditional internet filters. In this presentation, Matt Fradd offers parents a detailed look at the way pornography harms us and offers practical strategies that parents need to implement if they are to protect their children from the lies of an over-sexualized culture.
How to Win an Argument Without Losing a Soul: Defending the Faith
If we as Catholics are to heed the instruction of our first pope, which is to “always be ready to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15), we must have a basic understanding of argumentation. We must know what constitutes a strong argument and what constitutes a weak one. Furthermore, we must understand how to detect common fallacies. In this interactive and intellectually stimulating talk, Matt explains these things and lays out five indispensable tips for conversing with non-Catholics.
My Mother is a Virgin
“Why do Catholics pay such special attention to Mary?”, “On what basis to Catholics claim that Mary was immaculately conceived or assumed into heaven?”, “How do I begin to develop a devotion to Mary?” These and many other sincere questions are asked by Catholics and non- Catholics alike. In this presentation Matt explains from the pages of Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers the importance of Marian devotion in a compelling way which is as informative as it is humorous.
7 Reasons The World Needs Thomas Aquinas
Pope John XXII, speaking about St. Thomas, said, “By the use of his works a man could profit more in one year than if he studies the doctrine of others for his whole life.” In this presentation, Matt shares 7 reasons he loves Thomas Aquinas and why you should too. This presentation will help introduce people to the figure of Thomas Aquinas and his writings and will inspire them to begin reading him on their own.
The Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, & Hell
Does it matter how we live if we know that we are going to die? Death comes for all of us, but what is death? Where does it lead us? It’s natural to be curious about whether the stories of heaven and hell are true. If they are, that means a lot for how we ought to live. If they aren’t, then how we live is really all we have. In this engaging presentation, Matt shares what he has learned about the four last things, the key to which is the Judgment. If life has meaning at all, then every choice we make contributes to the meaning our life has.
How To Develop Your Prayer Life
Have you ever asked for anything or said sorry for or expressed thanks for something? If you have, then you know what prayer is like. It’s an acknowledgement that there is something outside of yourself that you want to take in. In this heartfelt presentation, Matt draws from the Christian sources of prayer, from what God has revealed and from how the saints have used it, to spiritually stimulate those who feel they are too busy to pray and to affirm those who see everything they do as an act of prayer.