Best Cyprian Francis Podcasts (2025)

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Francis of Assisi – Praying with the Saints

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9h ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an Italian man who renounced military glory and devoted his life to serving others—a most ordinary saint, empowered to impact his generation with the Gospel.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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George Bell – Praying with the Saints

5d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a man from England who, after being appointed chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, was able forge relationships between the Church of England and other protestant churches.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Art, music and the ecologies that make and exceed us 54:05

6d ago54:05

54:05

Making art and music has been an endeavour for at least as long as humans have existed, and it has the power to connect us in all kinds of ways. From the mountains of the southern Philippines to urban Melbourne, people are creating things that connect us to each other — and the transcendent.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Wilson Carlile – Praying with the Saints

8d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an ambitious man from London who, in the midst of financial and physical suffering, was led to Christ and devoted his life to ministry.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Lancelot Andrewes – Praying with the Saints

13d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a bishop of Winchester whose leadership in the reformation of the Church of England led him to become one of the most important theologians in Anglican history.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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The ancients on life, death and the cosmos, with John Behr 54:04

12d ago54:04

54:04

What does it mean to live a good life? According to some of the earliest Christians, the answer has a lot to do with... death! Orthodox scholar John Behr tells the stories of some of these saints and martyrs, and unpacks what they are telling us today.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Sergius of Radonezh – Praying with the Saints

15d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a priest from Moscow whose monastic isolation led many others to live a life of solitude, forming forty monasteries across Russia.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Cyprian of Carthage – Praying with the Saints

21d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a bishop who escaped imprisonment and death during the reign of Emperor Decius, whose people were ordered to offer sacrifices as a sign of loyalty to Rome.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Peacebuilding in Jerusalem 54:04

19d ago54:04

54:04

Jerusalem is one of the most fraught cities on earth. It's a city that has broken the hearts, yet also inspired the hopes, of millions around the world. In the midst of conflict in and around a city that means so much to so many, how does one work for peace?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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John Henry Hobart – Praying with the Saints

22d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a man from Philadelphia who, following the revolutionary war, ministered at a critical moment for the Anglican church.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Alexander Crummell – Praying with the Saints

28d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an abolitionist from New York who, after facing discrimination and many barriers, embarked on a difficult journey to the priesthood.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint 54:04

26d ago54:04

54:04

The world is due to have its very first millennial saint — Carlo Acutis, the 'saint in sneakers' who died at the age of 15 in 2006. He's usually depicted holding a phone or laptop, and his cause for sainthood blends the medieval and mystical with the hyper modern.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Hannah More – Praying with the Saints

30d ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a woman from England who used her skills in writing to join Wilberforce and Newton, working together for social reform.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Mother Teresa – Praying with the Saints

1M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a woman who lived her life dedicated to ministry, following the call of God into the slums, to serve the poorest of the poor.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Big Questions in Books – The Mahabharata and its epic afterlives 54:04

1M ago54:04

54:04

In this fast-paced world where so much of our attention is focused on the now, why do complex ancient texts still speak to us? Soul Search explores the multigenerational epic, the Mahabharata.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Martyrs of Papua New Guinea – Praying with the Saints

1M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of the missionaries who sacrificed their lives for the gospel in Papua New Guinea.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Saint Augustine & Monica – Praying with the Saints

1M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an ordinary saint who became one of the greatest theologians in history all because his mother refused to stop praying.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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The surprising role of grass in shaping who we are 54:03

1M ago54:03

54:03

It’s a big thought — that our story as a species is partly to do with grass. But it turns out that grasses and grasslands can play a surprising role in moulding who we are. How do we restore our relationship with native grasses, and what are some of the threats from introduced grasses like buffel?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Jonathan Daniels – Praying with the Saints

1M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a martyr from New Hampshire who, with a passion for justice and racial reconciliation, died defending the people he fought to protect.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Bernard of Clairvaux – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an influential leader from France who devoted his life to discipleship after the death of his mother.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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A Palestinian doctor in Israel, on treating the human being 49:45

2M ago49:45

49:45

What does it take to be a good doctor in an us-and-them struggle? Dr Lina Qasem Hassan is a Palestinian doctor in Israel and head of the Israeli NGO, Physicians for Human Rights. What’s it like to be a Palestinian doctor in Israel, and what do health services even look like in Gaza right now?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Clare of Assisi – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an Italian woman who, after hearing Saint Francis preach, dedicated herself to a life of prayer and care for the poor.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Jeremy Taylor – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a priest and theologian whose poetic voice helped define Anglican worship in the seventeenth century.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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The science and spirituality of soil 54:04

2M ago54:04

54:04

The Biblical phrase “from dust to dust” tells us humans were made from soil and shall return to it. And care of soil is a shared teaching among the major religions. Science too, tells us we’re connected. Yet it’s being degraded across the world, and there are warnings that 90 per cent of the planet's soil could be seriously damaged by 2050. Can we …

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Mary Sumner – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a woman who dedicated her life to uniting and supporting mothers from all social classes, forming the Union of Mothers.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Bartolome de las Casas – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a priest who set himself to the task of defending Native Americans from Spanish violence and exploitation.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Death, ritual and what to expect when it’s your turn 54:05

2M ago54:05

54:05

Ancient societies had some very elaborate ideas about death – from how to treat the body, to what kind of afterlife to expect. How much do those ideas influence how we think about death and the afterlife? And what are some of the ways in which our attitudes are transforming in Australia today?By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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J.I. Packer – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an Anglican priest, theologian, author, professor, and mentor who inspired the lives of so many.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Seeking the wild: Alone Australia and connection to nature 54:05

2M ago54:05

54:05

Corinne Ooms was, a contestant in the most recent series of the reality show Alone Australia. She spent 70 days, by herself, in the remote west coast ranges of Lutruwita, Tasmania. And there, she had to navigate the psychological challenges of solitude and the physical challenges of survival in the wild. She experienced a profound change in how she…

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William Wilberforce – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an English parliamentarian who was called by God to abolish the slave trade.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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William Reed Huntington – Praying with the Saints

2M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a rector and reformer from Massachusetts who led the charge for revitalizing the vocational diaconate.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Thomas a Kempis – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a German priest who spent 65 years in a monastic community where he wrote one of the most beloved devotionals, The Imitation of Christ.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Astrology and tarot — telling the future, or connecting with the present? 54:04

3M ago54:04

54:04

Younger Australians are less religious than ever before, but that doesn't mean they don't engage with spiritual practices. Astrology and tarot card reading are especially on trend, but rather than telling the future, many practitioners say it connects them with the present.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Macrina the Younger – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a brilliant Turkish woman who, with a heart fixed on heaven, gave all she had to the poor and lived a life of service to others.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Bonaventure – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of an Italian theologian and bishop who followed in the footsteps of Saint Francis and is honored for his charity and humility.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Big questions in books — H.P. Lovecraft, cosmic horror and the ineffable 54:07

3M ago54:07

54:07

Cosmic horror is a genre that asks, what lurks in the in-between places? Who are we in the face of a vast and uncaring cosmos? H.P. Lovecraft's (rather mixed!) legacy is everywhere if you know where to look, but trying to put the ineffable into words has been a human obsession for thousands of years. What do we hope to find by courting the strange …

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Nathan Soderblom – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a Swedish archbishop who committed his life’s work to building unity between different Christian traditions.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Benedict of Nursia – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a fifth and sixth century abbot whose discipline, gentleness, and charity led to the Benedictine Rule, the cornerstone of western monasticism.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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NAIDOC 2025 – Strength, vision and legacy through prayer and art 54:04

3M ago54:04

54:04

This NAIDOC week, guest presenter Brooke Prentis has a yarn with two remarkable Aboriginal leaders to find out how they carry strength, vision and legacy through their ministry and art.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Sojourner Truth – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a nineteenth-century African-American woman whose faith in Christ led her to become a traveling evangelist, author, and an early voice for civil rights.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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John Hunter – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a Canadian evangelist whose revivals reached hundreds of thousands in a challenging political climate.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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The Dalai Lama's legacy for Tibetans in exile 54:04

3M ago54:04

54:04

The Dalai Lama is one of the world's most recognisable people and on July 6, he's turning 90 years old. Tibetans around the world are getting ready to celebrate, including Grammy-nominated musician Tenzin Choegyal.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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St. Peter and St. Paul – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of the two pillars of the church who found unity despite different viewpoints and who share a feast day in honor of their martyrdom.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Cyril of Alexandria – Praying with the Saints

3M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a bishop and teacher of the fifth century who championed the truth of the incarnation in a time of great debate and confusion.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Finding connection and community — reflections from listeners 54:01

3M ago54:01

54:01

What does community look like for you, and how does it shape your spiritual practice? As we reach the mid-year mark, Soul Search listeners and returning guests share their reflections on finding community in a busy — and sometimes isolating — world.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Alban – Praying with the Saints

4M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of the first martyr of Britain, a former Roman soldier who sacrificed himself to spare the life of the priest who led him to Christ.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Bernard Mizeki – Praying with the Saints

4M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a nineteenth century African martyr, a lay minister who refused to flee intense persecution for the sake of the early South African church.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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How museums hold — and provoke — questions of meaning 54:06

4M ago54:06

54:06

When you go to a museum, have you ever wondered who picked out the things you see, and why? Museums are places where we make and find meaning, and they're sites where intangible — often political — questions about history and national identity are documented with and without physical objects.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Basil the Great – Praying with the Saints

4M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a wealthy man who forsook a life of quiet contemplation to heed the call to serve the early church and found one of the first ancient hospitals.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison

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Dorothy Day – Praying with the Saints

4M ago

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Father Paul tells the story of a twentieth century woman who, through her actions and writing, helped the American church turn their hearts to the poor.By The Rt. Rev. Paul Donison