A disturbing trend is sweeping Gen Z—and it’s making headlines in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Time Magazine, and NPR. It’s called No Contact: young people aren’t just disagreeing with their parents—they’re cutting them off entirely.

In an age where ideological conformity is demanded, even a hint of dissent can be grounds for exile. Radical acceptance is the new litmus test—and conservative parents are failing by default. Instead of sticking with the families who raised them, many are replacing them with “chosen family” that affirms every belief and lifestyle.

Author Noelle Mering is sounding the alarm in her upcoming book, exposing how authoritarian ideas are driving a wedge through families—and how parents can fight back with truth, boundaries and love.

Theology of Home website: https://theologyofhome.com/

Noelle's website: https://www.noellemering.com/

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Nimi Skincare: The best skincare—and it aligns with your values. Use code FREEDOM for 15% off! https://www.nimiskincare.com/discount/LILA?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-products

-We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.

-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!

In today's episode my dear friend Stephanie Gray Connors—renowned pro-life apologist and global speaker—joins me to share the behind-the-scenes story of how she found love at 40 (yes, I played matchmaker!).

Stephanie gets real about the heartache of waiting, the tension between her calling and her longing for marriage, and the unexpected ways God showed up—through deep friendship, purpose-driven work, and eventually, a saintly husband.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late for your dreams, this conversation will remind you: God’s timing is perfect.

Stephanie’s website: https://loveunleasheslife.com/about

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of wagyu burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings, or bacon for life! Use code LILA for $40 off!

-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!

-Cozy Earth: Better Sleep, Brighter Days - Get the highest quality sleep essentials for 40% OFF at https://cozyearth.com/lila!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:37 - Stephanie’s background

00:10:48 - Cozy Earth

00:11:44 - Career vs Family

00:22:15 - Good Ranchers

00:23:30 - Career vs Family Pt II

00:27:30 - I would cry myself to sleep

00:34:39 - EveryLife

00:35:49 - Friendship and the best moments in my life

00:42:00 - Common Needs

00:44:08 - Being loved vs being recognized

00:45:49 - Singleness in 30s

00:51:01 - 50 y/o who got married

00:55:17 - We idolize many things

01:01:00 - Mad at God

01:03:00 - Holy people get overlooked

01:19:05 - Would you go through it again?

01:20:48 - Are women too picky?

01:22:57 - Stephanie’s book on IVF

Josh Hammer—lawyer, foreign policy expert, and editor-at-large at Newsweek—joins the show to break down the latest escalation in the Middle East, including the U.S. striking Iranian nuclear sites with bunker-busting bombs.

We get into it: U.S. foreign policy, non-interventionism, and the bigger picture Americans need to understand right now. Josh pushes back on the isolationist take—and his arguments are worth hearing.

He also shares a personal account of fleeing Israel with his family as tensions exploded on the ground.

We can't afford to stay uninformed—let’s keep the conversation going.

Josh’s X: https://x.com/josh_hammer?lang=en

Check Out Our Sponsors:

-We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.

-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!

-Crowd Health: https://www.joincrowdhealth.com/ The new alternative to health insurance - sign up and use the code "LILA" for a special deal of $99 for your first 3 months!

When Jesus introduced the new blueprint for marriage—no divorce, total monogamy—it stunned the Apostles. His vision was bold, uncompromising, and utterly countercultural. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, it’s not only possible—it’s transformational.

Enter Father Josiah Trenham: Orthodox pastor, husband of 37 years, and father of ten. In this episode, he unpacks the divine design for marriage—why it’s essential for civilization and for sanctifying your soul. You’ll walk away challenged, inspired, and ready to see marriage as a holy mission with eternal impact.

Marriage Conference: https://www.themarriageconference.com/

Patristic Nectar Website/App: https://patristicnectar.org/

Patristic Nectar YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatristicNectarFilmsNEW:

Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!

-We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.

-Hallow: https://www.hallow.com/lila Enter into prayer more deeply this season with the Hallow App, get 3 months free by using this link to sign up!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:40 - Why Focus on Love and Marriage?

00:09:57 - Seven Weeks Coffee

00:10:40 - What is St John Chrysostom’s vision of marriage?

00:18:43 - Jesus establishing the importance of marriage

00:21:55 - Marriage got completely mangled

00:22:48 - Hallow

00:23:38 - (‘No such thing as Judeo-Christian ethic’

00:30:45 - What did early Christians think about marriage?

00:32:25 - Why was sexual revolution so ‘effective’?

00:42:14 - What about single people?

00:47:39 - The role of contraception in demise of sexual morality

00:52:18 - No Fault Divorce

00:55:06 - Pastoring LGBT people

00:59:03 - Theological understanding of marriage

01:07:44 - Honoring Children

01:09:11 - Eros and Sexual Attraction

01:10:07 - Why should couples have children?

01:22:00 - Be fruitful and multiply

01:24:14 - Natural Family Planning

01:28:40 - Sexual Fasting

What should you really be looking for in a partner—and what’s keeping so many from meeting and marrying the right one? Are we too picky? Can chemistry grow over time? And does early physical contact cloud judgment more than we realize?

Joining Lila for this unfiltered dating roundtable are:

-Alessandra Conti, celebrity matchmaker and co-founder of Matchmakers in the City: https://instagram.com/matchmakeralessandraconti/

-Ryan Bethea, host and producer of The Exorcist Files podcast: https://www.instagram.com/thebethea

-Franco Fernandez, Catholic influencer and editor: https://instagram.com/thefrancotv

Together, they tackle the biggest dating pitfalls, what men and women often get wrong, and how faith, personality, and even physical touch play into it all. Plus, Lila shares a glimpse into her own love story—was there instant chemistry, or something deeper?

If you're single—or know someone who is (so, everyone)—this episode is full of insight, laughter, and hard truths you won’t want to miss.

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Nimi Skincare: The best skincare—and it aligns with your values. Use code LILA for 15% off! https://www.nimiskincare.com/discount/LILA?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-products

-We Heart Nutrition: https://www.weheartnutrition.com/ Get high quality vitamin supplements for 20% off using the code LILA.

-Cozy Earth: Better Sleep, Brighter Days - Get the highest quality sleep essentials for 40% OFF at https://cozyearth.com/lila!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:07:49 - The Problems with Dating: Ryan’s Perspective

00:10:04 - Nimi Skincare

00:11:11 - Effects of P*rnography

00:14:30 - Paradox of choice

00:16:41 - People are self-sabotaging

00:19:09 - What professions do women want?

00:21:58 - Cozy Earth

00:22:55 - Culture worships youth

00:23:42 - Dating someone different than you

00:32:57 - We Heart Nutrition

00:33:55 - Roles of men and women in dating

00:39:40 - Dating apps…traumatic

00:44:05 - Probably wouldn’t have swiped…

00:48:27 - Lila’s first impressions of her husband

00:53:49 - Chaste dating

00:55:31 - Waiting til marriage to kiss

00:58:44 - Oxytocin

01:04:31 - Boundaries

01:16:28 - Pros/Cons of Cuddling

01:23:40 - Enemy hates marriage

01:28:29 - We follow a single, celibate man

You’ve seen Read Choi’s viral videos—over 10M on TikTok and Instagram—calling out the Devil, breaking down suffering, and making us laugh through it all. But behind the boldness is a story he’s never told—until now.

For the first time, Read reveals the abuse he survived as a child—including nights spent sleeping on the street as punishment—and how pain shaped his faith, humor, and message.

He also shares the wild moment God told him to adopt a schizophrenic homeless woman—and the backlash that followed.

This episode is raw, honest, and full of hope. Read is redefining what faith looks like in the digital age—and paving the way for a new kind of witness.

Read's website: https://readchoi.com

Read’s IG: https://instagram.com/readchoi

Read’s TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@readchoiNEW:

Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!

-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, or salmon! Use code LILA for $40 off!

-Cozy Earth: Better Sleep, Brighter Days - Get the highest quality sleep essentials for 40% OFF at https://cozyearth.com/lila!

00:00:00 - Intro

00:05:58 - UC Berkley and Writing

00:09:45 - Seven Weeks Coffee

00:10:27 - Did you have faith growing up?

00:11:39 - Homelessness

00:17:59 Have you talked to your parents about this?

00:20:32 - Good Ranchers

00:21:47 - How did you come to faith?

00:30:37 - CozyEarth

00:31:35 - Darkness and Comedy

00:34:16 - Helping the homeless woman

00:40:17 - Angelic encounters

00:46:56 - When did you decide to start TikTok?

00:50:02 - How do you decide what to create?

00:54:02 - Watching Read’s TikToks

01:00:55 - Current Christian content community:

01:04:06 - What to say or not to say online?

01:05:56 - What things does Lila keep private?

01:08:45 - Advice for young women on internet

01:12:32 - Future of content and media

01:15:52 - Gen Alpha

Naomi Best enrolled in Santa Clara University’s Counseling Psychology MA to help people. But when she began the required Human Sexuality course, she was stunned: graphic BDSM videos, public discussions of intimate sexual history, and an 8-page paper detailing her own experiences—including masturbation.

Naomi refused to complete the coursework on moral and religious grounds. Despite requesting a religious exemption—granted to Muslim women—the university denied her appeal.

In this episode, we uncover the radical ideology behind this curriculum and how critical theory is being used to hijack psychology—reshaping therapy into a tool for social reengineering and tearing down the moral foundations of society.

This isn’t education—it’s ideological coercion that borders on sexual harassment. Watch the full episode to hear Naomi’s courageous stand—and learn how you can speak up against this disturbing trend infecting universities across the country.

Naomi’s Substack: http://clinicallyincorrect.substack.com

--

NEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.

A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world’s leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/

Check out our Sponsors:

-Nimi Skincare: The best skincare—and it aligns with your values. Use code LILA for 15% off! https://www.nimiskincare.com/discount/LILA?redirect=%2Fcollections%2Fall-products

-EveryLife: https://www.everylife.com Buy diapers from an amazing pro-life diaper company and use code LILA and get 10% off!

-Covenant Eyes: http://covenanteyes.sjv.io/Kjngb9 Sign up to grow in purity and gain traction over sexual addiction: use code “LILA” for a free month!