Arts

LifeCraft Read-Alouds

by John

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Latest episodes

[Essays] Autumn and the Fall of Leaves by Hilaire Belloc

September 30, 2026 · 9 min

This essay is a cornerstone of our observance of the changing of the leaves in autumn. You might just discover something about yourself, and realize more deeply what your heart has been saying to you, each fall.
[Philosophy] St. Thomas Aquinas: The Natural World as God's Art

June 19, 2026 · 4 min
[Excerpt from a Classic] Bishop Laval and Jacques, from Willa Cather's Shadows on the Rock

May 15, 2026 · 22 min

This is a powerful sketch of an early Bishop in French Canada (he was declared a saint in 2014) and his interaction with an illegitimate boy he encounters on the streets of Quebec. (Cather's portrayal is historical fiction about a real…
[Short Story] The Currach Race by Walter Macken

May 1, 2026 · 33 min

An exciting and moving tale set in western Ireland of a unlikely canoe race involving a father and his daughter’s suitor trying to win his approval. Suitable for all ages (though perhaps a little beyond younger children).
[Meditation] The Good Thief by Alban Goodier, SJ

April 3, 2026 · 12 min

In this heart-stopping sketch, a spiritual master retells one of the most dramatic moments of the Passion of the Lord: the interchange with the good thief. It offers a unique angle into the Divine Mercy and will emblazon on your heart the…

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[Essays] The Honor of Work by Charles Péguy

March 20, 2026 · 19 min

This essay has no soft edges. Peguy is controversial and minces no words. “Today, an artisan is no longer an artisan.” “Those bygone workers… had an absolute honor.” Writing at the dawn of the twentieth century, Peguy is a Frenchman…
[Essay] The Idea of a Pilgrimage by Hilaire Belloc

February 27, 2026 · 12 min

In this provocative essay Belloc offers a conception of pilgrimage as a unique kind of journey that speaks to the deep desires of the heart. And though pilgrimages have become rarer today, what Belloc describes remains very much within our…
[Excerpt] Mowing by Hand: Levin in Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

February 13, 2026 · 28 min

This famous excerpt from the novel Dostoevsky called “a flawless work of art” is a stunning account of the beauty and power of real manual labor.
[Poetry Excerpt] The Father from The Portal of the Mystery of Hope by Charles Peguy

January 30, 2026 · 3 min

Just a few unforgettable lines from Peguy's great poem on hope The Portal of the Mystery of Hope, reflecting on a father's work in his home.
[Short Story] Where Love is, There God is Also by Leo Tolstoy

January 23, 2026 · 32 min

This is a classic and inspiring story that illustrates how the Gospel message of serving others applies in everyday life. Suitable for the whole family.
[Short Story] Homesick at Home by GK Chesterton

January 16, 2026 · 13 min
[Christmas Stories] Schnitzl, Schnotzle, and Schootzle by Ruth Sawyer

January 2, 2026 · 19 min

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

LifeCraft presents you stories and essays that inform and challenge the mind, feed the soul, and warm the heart. We uncover little known treasures and bring back neglected classics to offer you a variety of joyful and life-changing perspectives. Presented with clarity and passion, these recordings are perfect for your morning commute or a fireside family gathering. Keep checking back for new offerings.