Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Colleen, founder of The Little Apologist, via phone on November 12th, 2025. Some of the questions/answers have been rearranged, edited, and paraphrased to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
Your Early Start in Apologetics
You mention that you began studying Catholic apologetics around age twelve when you had to defend your faith in public school.Could you share one of those early “aha” or “uh-oh” moments from back then, and reflect on how that shaped your approach to faith and evangelization today?
I remember when I was in 7th grade there began to be certain books or content being taught in my public school classes that were directly contrary to Truth, especially from a moral standpoint. In that time, I learned how to stand up for purity and for what’s right in writing to and having conversations with my teachers. My parents helped me to frame the emails and conversations, and my formation in Confirmation classes, along with hours of listening to Catholic Answers Live helped me to be able to articulate the Truth. The conversations with my teachers led to pushback from my classmates about different belief systems, which presented the opportunity for further evangelization and thought-provoking conversations.
At my Confirmation when I was 13, I felt a physical warmth come over me as I was Confirmed,and truly felt set on fire for Jesus and His Church. After that I was able to share my faith in a more clear, loving manner than I ever had before. So that sacrament was definitely a turning point in my life and has inspired my work in apologetics.
Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Cameron Riecker via phone call on February 17th, 2025. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.
How did you get involved in Catholic apologetics?
Well, I supposed initially it started when I was dating a Protestant girl in college. We started talking about our future. Through that relationship and a real occasion to study (through Augustine’s work and other Church teachings). After that relationship ended with the girl, I developed a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I went into seminary in 2018 (eventually discerned out) and I am married now with two children. During these experiences I learned I had a knack for theology and explaining the faith to others.
Much of modern Catholic apologetics focuses on defending the faith against secular critiques. How do you balance addressing contemporary challenges while staying rooted in the Church’s traditional apologetic approaches from figures like Augustine and Aquinas?
It’s just an application of the same knowledge to different situations. The Church has already answered most of these questions. It’s a matter of presenting these questions and defenses of the faith in a way modern readers can understand but the main aspects of the answers are the same.
Your channel covers both theological depth and accessibility for seekers. Could you share how you approach making complex Catholic doctrines understandable without oversimplifying their richness?
You proceed to the unknown through the known. The knowledge of principles allows you to proceed to unknown conclusions. In order to be a good teacher you need to know what your students already know and where you want to guide them.
I think God has been able to give me the ability to use analogies to help teach the faith. In order for people to get the concept at a basic level I think these stories and analogies are helpful.
What has been the most surprising or transformative insight you’ve gained through your work in Catholic apologetics, from studying the tradition?
I think one of the more profound insights I got from studying Saint Thomas Aquinas is the imminent proximity that God exists. This notion that anything good I do or anything someone else does is that it is because of God. All that is evil comes from creatures. All that is good comes from God. Isaiah 26:12 refers to this. God is sustaining our being all the time. Having my eyes opened to this changed things for me.
Engaging with people’s questions/comments?
People are really fascinated with the Blessed Virgin Mary for good or ill. It is the most common objection related to this subject. The Devil realizes that at this point in human history Jesus has given a lot of influence to Mary. Satan can see the spiritual battlescape and he knows that once people receive Mary they are out of his grasp.
Many young Catholics today struggle with questions about faith and science. Which resources or approaches have you found most effective in demonstrating the harmony between Catholic teaching and scientific understanding?
I taught senior physics from 2020-2024. Studying physics is studying God’s creation. There is nothing for authentic religion to be concerned about science. The main principle is that God is the author of creation and the Scriptures go hand-in-hand.
When engaging with people from other faith traditions or non-believers, what do you find is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of Catholic teaching, and how do you address it?
It’s always Mary. I address that a little bit and why. The main distinction that Protestants struggle with is that you can venerate a saint without worshiping them. Not fully understanding the classical distinction between latria, hyperdulia, and dulia.
Your channel aims to serve both lifelong Catholics and seekers. Could you share a particular moment or conversation that exemplifies why you believe apologetics remains vital for the Church today?
Once again going back to the Mary thing, recommending the Rosary has been fruitful in my work. Saint Louis de Montfort said in his book True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Mary has produced, together with the Holy Ghost, the greatest thing which has been or ever will be— a God-Man; and she will consequently produce the greatest saints that there will be in the end of time.”
Looking ahead, what do you see as the most pressing challenges facing Catholic apologetics in the next decade, and how can we best prepare to address them?
I think sexual ethics is coming down the pipe. Additionally, the role of the Pope internationally. Many people have lived their life without knowing who the Pope is even now in the 21st century. We respond to this by making distinctions and defending the same faith the Church has taught for 2000 years and pray. That’s it!
About Cameron:
Cameron Riecker is a Catholic apologist, life coach, and speaker who lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife and two kids.
When he’s not working, he enjoys basketball, weightlifting, and going on hikes with his family.
