Our Fathers Catholic Podcast: Recent Episodes
Father Joshua Link and Father Joseph Sevcik
Hello listeners! With the upcoming transition for Fr. Joseph to his new assignment, we will be taking a bit of a break from the podcast for a month or two. We look forward to joining you again before too long. Thanks!
A Blast from the Past - This week, we look back at Episode 6 on Confirmation and the Holy Spirit.
Today we sit down with Father Andy Upah from Nativity Parish in Dubuque and discuss the growth of healing ministry in his priesthood.
What is the relationship between humility and concern for a good reputation? Do the two go together? Today, we take a look at some interesting passages from Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales.
What does a Marian Spirituality look like? In this episode, we discuss consecration to Jesus through Mary. Fr. Jake also shares some reflection on praying the rosary more fruitfully.
This week we are again joined by Father Jake Dunne to continue our discussion on the Four Marian Dogmas. In this episode, we focus on the Immaculate Conception and Mary's Bodily Assumption. We hope you find it enlightening!
Check out the University of Dayton's Online Encyclopedia about Mary: https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/archive.php?tags=Spirituality%20and%20Devotion
Questions?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
We are once again joined by Father Jake Dunne. As it is the month of May, we take a look at the Blessed Mother Mary. Today, we discuss the idea of dogma and the first two Marian dogmas. Not sure what that means? Have a listen and find out!
Questions?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The discussion continues!
What does it mean to believe in God? Faith is a gift from God. But, is there a human component to it as well? Is faith reasonable, or unreasonable? Does it go beyond reason? How is faith connected to understanding and certainty? How are faith and baptism related?
Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 153-165, 846-848, 1257-1261, and 2088-2089.
https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church
Questions?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
What does it mean to believe in God? Faith is a gift from God. But, is there a human component to it as well? Is faith reasonable, or unreasonable? Does it go beyond reason? How is faith connected to understanding and certainty? How are faith and baptism related? In our episode today and next week we open up this discussion.
Check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 153-165, 846-848, 1257-1261, and 2088-2089.
https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church
Questions?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Happy Easter! Today, we discuss the last rule from the first set of the Rules for the Discernment of Spirits from Saint Ignatius of Loyola. This rule focuses on understanding how the enemy might attack us. What are your weaknesses? What are your vulnerabilities? How can you be fortified in those areas?
Interested in the second set of rules? Check out:
Spiritual Consolation: An Ignatian Guide for the Greater Discernment of Spirits by Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V.
Also, see:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher, O.M.V.
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
One more episode to go! Today, we deal with another tactic of the enemy. In temptation, we often keep our struggles to ourselves. Ignatius counsels us against this. Authentic spiritual friendships and regular confession are important for helping us to deal well with temptation. We also look at what the Catechism teaches about Christian Holiness (CCC 2012-2016).
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
We are blessed by the presence of Father Jake Dunne for this episode. What do Catholics believe about Mary? How does she fit into the life of a disciple?
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
How does the enemy attack us? How should we effectively respond to temptation? Rules 12, 13, and 14 give us strategies to avoid being unsettled by attacks in the spiritual life. The enemy is strong when faced with weakness, but weak when faced with strength. Therefore, be strong, be bold!
2 Corinthians 5:17- "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come."
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Jesus, I trust in you! Today we explore Ignatius' Eleventh Rule. In times of consolation, we are called to humble ourselves lest we fall to pride. In times of desolation, we are called to remember how powerful God can be through us with his grace. Rule 11 helps us to have mature stability in our life of faith.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The last few rules have focused on how to act in times of spiritual desolation. Today, we flip the script and talk about preparing during a time of consolation. How can we not be caught off guard in the future? Plus, Father Josh gets a little worked up today with a tangential question about the love of God. We hope you enjoy!
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Welcome to Lent! Today we take a look at the account of the temptation of Jesus in the desert. What does this mean for temptation in the Christian life? Also, we talk about Saint John Paul II's work Love and Responsibility in helping us grow in the virtue of chastity.
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today we welcome a special guest onto the show, Father Andrew Marr. He has been reading through Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life. We take a look at the first three rules from a Catholic perspective.
12 Rules for Life-
https://www.amazon.com/12-Rules-Life-Antidote-Chaos/dp/0345816021
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Why do I experience spiritual desolation? Is it my fault? Ever wondered this? Today, St. Ignatius gives us three different reasons for why we undergo times of spiritual desolation.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today we cover two rules. Rule 7 deals with the sufficient grace that God gives us in times of desolation. Rule 8 gives us a tool for how we are to think in times of spiritual desolation.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Mundelein Seminary (where we went) is celebrating 100 years of forming parish priests. As part of this celebration, we look back at our experience. What was it like at seminary? Are good things happening at seminaries today?
Check it out: https://100.usml.edu/
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
What does one do when experiencing spiritual desolation? Today, we examine Rule Six from St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Make sure to listen to last week's episode first. Today, we continue our interview, getting more into their experience as Catholic missionaries on campus. What are some signs of hope? What is working?
For more info on FOCUS, click the link:
https://www.focus.org/
We love to hear personal testimonies of how God has worked in the lives of his people. Today, we sit down with Joel and Brenna Bittner to do just that. In this interview, we talk about life at college, growing in faith, dating, and their journey to becoming FOCUS missionaries.
For more on FOCUS, check out the link:
https://www.focus.org/
Our last episode explored the topic of spiritual consolation. St. Ignatius next describes its opposite, spiritual desolation. Being able to identify spiritual consolation and desolation is key in understanding our spiritual experience and knowing what to do next in discerning the will of God.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
How do we know the will of God? A popular, practical, and fruitful method for discernment comes from the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Today, we talk about the third rule for the discernment of spirits which focuses on understanding spiritual consolation. What is spiritual consolation? What's the difference between physical consolation and spiritual consolation?
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Merry Christmas to all! There are four different Masses that are celebrated for Christmas: the Vigil Mass, Mass at Night (Midnight Mass), Mass at Dawn, and Mass during the Day. Each of these Masses has different readings which illuminate the mystery that we are celebrating. Today we take a look at a few of the Christmas readings and see what the Lord is speaking to us.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
How do we know the will of God? A popular, practical, and fruitful method for discernment comes from the spiritual teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In this new series, we will work through fourteen rules for the discernment of spirits as presented by Fr. Timothy Gallagher in his teaching on St. Ignatius. Today, we cover the first two rules.
Check it out:
The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living by Timothy M. Gallagher
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today, Father Josh shares some of the stories of his life. What was influential from his family life in earlier years? How did he hear the call to the priesthood? How has God continued to work on his soul?
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
How can the Church effectively engage today's culture? This episode examines a recent book by Monsignor James P. Shea entitled, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age. Monsignor Shea offers some helpful observations about contemporary culture and how we might effectively respond as a Church.
This week we were unable to get together to record a new episode. Therefore, we decided to share a previous episode that people seemed to find helpful. Here is a REPOST of our episode on how to become better at going to confession!
What are the new tools that we use to study the bible? These methods try to improve our understanding of the text's literal meaning, which is the first horizon for interpreting scripture. Three popular methods are Source Criticism, Form Criticism, and Redaction Criticism. They are valuable tools but also have limits of which we should be aware. Today we discuss their possible benefits and dangers.
Check these sources out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The inspiration of scripture allows for multiple layers of interpretation. One way of describing this is the four senses of scripture: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. The literal sense comes first. Then, the three spiritual senses build upon the initial literal sense.
Check these sources out:
Scott Hahn, ed., Catholic Bible Dictionary. New York; London; Toronto; Sydney; Auckland: Doubleday, 2009.
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today, we finish out the discussion on purgatory. We hope that you have enjoyed this mini-series. If you find this podcast helpful for your spiritual life, please share it with a friend!
For the talk by John Paul II on purgatory:
https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_04081999.html
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The discussion continues today! If you missed our episode last week, make sure to check that out before starting this one!
For the talk by John Paul II on purgatory:
https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_04081999.html
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
What's the deal with purgatory? What is it? What is it not? Does it make sense? Is it biblical? What do you mean by biblical? Check out the episode for answers to these questions and more!
For the talk by John Paul II on purgatory:
https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_04081999.html
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today, we elaborate on three ways to link the Old and New Testaments by understanding Covenant, Typology, and Recapitulation. Oh my. The one great story of salvation culminates in Jesus. Covenant, typology, and recapitulation help us to appreciate the story in its fullness.
For a more thorough treatment, check out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Today we look at the fourth principle for Catholic Biblical Interpretation from Dr. Smith's book. This principle focuses on the unity of the Old and New Testaments with Jesus being the climax of the great narrative of salvation. Further, we see examples from Jesus himself of how to read the scriptures.
For a more thorough treatment, check out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Also, check out:
The Case for Jesus by Brant Pitre
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Does scripture interpret itself by itself? What is the role of the Christian community in regard to interpreting the bible? In today's episode, we explore the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, trying to take seriously the Holy Spirit's abiding presence in the Church in all ages.
For a more thorough treatment, check out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Is history important to the Bible? Is all of the Bible historical? What's the relationship? In today's episode, we examine these critical questions. We also look at some different tools for interpreting the Bible, looking at both what the methods can offer and their limitations.
For a more thorough treatment, check out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The week ended up being busier than we expected so we did not have time to prepare adequately for our biblical series. Therefore, we decided to share some of the story about how Father Joseph ended up becoming a priest.
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
The word of God is living and effective! It continues to speak to the living faith of believers. The weekend homily is a regular avenue for this encounter. Therefore, today's episode shows an example of how we prepare for homilies. How do we process the weekend readings? How do we look for connections? What are some of the questions we wrestle through when prepping a homily? Hopefully, today's discussion helps you process the weekend readings more fruitfully as well as be more primed for the weekend homily.
Questions? Ideas for future shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
How do Catholics read the bible? It might sound simple at first, but there is actually quite a bit to keep in mind when reading the Holy Scriptures. For example, what do we actually mean when we say that the bible is inspired by God? What specifically is inspiration? Today, we begin to explore some of these interesting questions.
For a more thorough treatment, check out:
Smith, Steven C. The Word of the Lord: 7 Essential Principles for Catholic Scripture Study. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Have you ever heard of spiritual reading? Spiritual reading can be very enriching for your life of prayer. Today we discuss some important influences in our lives and some of the fruit we have received from recent spiritual reading.
Here is the book we discuss today-
Sober Intoxication of the Spirit: Filled With the Fullness of God
By Raniero Cantalamessa O.F.M. Cap.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Thanks for joining us again this week! We continue the story by discussing the reaction of Francis' father and mother. We also read through a memorable part of his story (we will leave it as a surprise) and his encounter with lepers. Enjoy and have a read yourself!
Here is a link to a version of the text:
https://dmdhist.sitehost.iu.edu/francis.htm
How much do we know about the real St. Francis? What is legendary versus historical? Two years after St. Francis' death, his friend, Thomas of Celano, compiled the earliest account of his life. It is quite an interesting read! In the next few weeks, we will read snippets from the work and see what we can learn from his life.
Here is a link to a version of the text:
https://dmdhist.sitehost.iu.edu/francis.htm
Our series on soteriology ends today. What a journey it has been! In this episode, we discuss the implications of what God has accomplished for the rest of creation. There are some important passages from both the Old and New Testaments on the new heavens and the new earth that God is bringing about. What does this mean? Thanks for listening! We hope you are excited for a new series to begin next week!
Salvation is a rich theme. How does Jesus save us? Today we look at a few more themes of soteriology from the Patristic time period. The next episode is our last soteriology episode!
For more reading, check out:
Jesus Christ, Fundamentals of Christology
Roch A Kereszty, O. Cist.
Jesus Christ has won the definitive victory. How? Over who? Today we explore the victory of God and our deliverance from captivity.
Questions? Ideas for Future Shows?
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
This week we continue our discussion of salvation. The Admirable Commercium (Marvelous Exchange) was one of the major themes of the Fathers of the Early Church. The Incarnation allows for a great exchange between humanity and divinity. What does it mean to partake in God's nature?
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9, RSV2CE)
Contact us at:
j.link@dbqarch.org
j.sevcik@dbqarch.org
Formation is a really helpful topic when thinking about growth as human beings. How can we be better formed disciples of our Lord Jesus? Lord, do with us as you will.
Sorry for the poor audio quality today! But, the content remains the same. In this episode we continue to discuss how Jesus saves us by looking at St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians where he talks about the Ascension and our Hope as Christians.
As with all of our Soteriology episodes, we follow the presentation in Roch Kereszty's Christology Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Christ-Fundamentals-Roch-Kereszty/dp/081890917X
Today we continue our discussion on how Jesus saves us, focusing especially on what it means for Jesus to be the mediator between God and man.
Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
Soteriology is a great lead-in to Christology. Soteriology is the study of our salvation. Jesus died on a cross. How does this save us? What does salvation even mean? We'll begin to explore this in the next several episodes.
“Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11, RSV2CE)
The world is created good. However, sometimes we need moderation in our use of the goods of this world in order to seek higher goods. The virtue of temperance helps us with this.
Run so as to win.
Jesus tells us, “I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”” (John 16:33, RSV2CE)
Life is difficult at times. We face evils both great and small. How do we respond? Are we conquered by them? Or, do we face these difficulties well? Fortitude is the virtue which helps us to remain steadfast in pursuit of the good.
The virtue of justice keeps us in right relation with both God and neighbor. It helps to order society. According to CCC 1807, "Justice is the moral virtue that consists in
the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor." Do I will to give others their due in my relationships with them? What is my role to play in society in regard to justice?
Micah 6:8 (RSV2CE)
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Prudence is known as the charioteer of the virtues. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1835 states that "prudence disposes the practical reason to discern, in every circumstance, our true good and to choose the right means for achieving it." It is a virtue that deals with both thinking and acting. What is the greatest good? How can I best achieve it?
We continue our focus on the life of virtue. Now that we have treated the Theological Virtues, it's time to look at the Cardinal Virtues, which are the hinge of our moral life. These include prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude. The Cardinal Virtues help us greatly in our pursuit of the Good Life!
Philippians 4:8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
In today's episode we finish our discussion of the Theological Virtues. Charity is the virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. There are many dimensions to this virtue. We also discuss how it is related to the passions as well as its relation to the other virtues.
A huge thanks to Renovo Media for their help with our podcast!
Check them out- https://odbfilms.com/podcasts
Thessalonians 2:8 - So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Today we take a look at the virtue of hope. Hope is the theological virtue that helps us to desire Heaven, place our trust in the promise of Christ, and grow in union with the Holy Spirit. Hope relies on a promise that is trustworthy. It moves us forward.
In today's episode we begin a discussion about the Theological Virtues. Initially, we meant to introduce all of them, but we ended up just treating faith. What we mean by faith is a lot more interesting than one might initially think. How are faith and reason related? We hope you enjoy!
In this episode we continue our introduction to virtue and its relation to authentic human freedom and flourishing. Though we find ourselves 'undetermined' in many ways, the exercise of our freedom towards virtue allows for greater potential and deeper joy in our future. Virtue gives a freedom not merely of brute choice, but a freedom for excellence.
For a great introduction to virtue and the moral Life check out:
Introducing Moral Theology - True Happiness and the Virtues by William C. Mattison III
St. Paul tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). In today's episode we lift up the important idea of virtue in the Christian life. What is virtue? How should we think about the moral life?
The bible is fairly complicated. It contains 73 books that were written over the course of more than 1000 years. So how should we read it? Are there some preliminary ideas that are important for us to know so that we approach it in a responsible way? In today's episode we look at five thoughts for approaching the bible that Bishop Robert Barron presents in his introductory essay to the Word on Fire Bible. Check it out at the link below! We highly recommend it.
https://www.wordonfire.org/bible/
Last week we all enjoyed celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Therefore, this week we thought it would be interesting to take a look at his life and see what we can learn from him. One of his historical works that exists today is known as his confessions. It isn't super long, but has some interesting things to teach us. Have a read!
Here's a link-
http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/p01.html
This week we continue our conversation from last week. We now focus on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit following the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas. Are there 12? Are there 9? How do they relate to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
We received them at Confirmation, but what are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit? How do they differ from the fruit of the Holy Spirit? In short, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Next week we will look at the Fruit of the Holy Spirit and compare and contrast the two!
Do you want to be better at going to Confession? Do you need some ideas about examining your conscience? In today's episode we walk through the Rite of Reconciliation giving tips along the way and introducing some lesser known but awesome options. Enjoy, and confess better today! The Lord is with you. You can do it!
People love the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Or, they are terrified of it. We think it is pretty great. It also has a very interesting history! In today's episode we look at the biblical roots of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We also talk about the history of how it has been practiced throughout the centuries.
Today we have a witness episode where we chat with Kaye and Taylor about their faith journey as young Catholic women and about where God has been leading them in life. How did their faith develop in their youth? How was it in college? How has it changed post-college? Kaye and Taylor also talk about how they are striving to grow in authentic friendship with other Catholic women helping each other along the way.
After examining the biblical roots of Anointing of the Sick, today we look at its development in history and theology. We also discuss the richness of the sacrament in both its healing aspect as well as its preparation for eternal life. Finally, we look at some practical questions. When should you call the priest?
Today we segue into the Sacraments of Healing. We begin by looking at the biblical roots of Anointing of the Sick. How is this rooted in salvation history? How has God revealed Himself as a Healer, a Savior? We also discuss the significance of Jesus' ministry of healing.
How does one discern the priesthood? Father Jon Seda is the Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Today we talk about the process of priestly discernment as well as what qualities Father Seda looks for in a candidate for the priesthood. What if I feel unworthy? What if I am afraid of celibacy? Will I be lonely? We also discuss how parents might react to their child desiring to be a priest (or religious) as well as how to help parents think through and understand this. Might there be joy in the priesthood?
https://dbqarch.org/vocations
Seminary is the school where you go to become a priest. Therefore, what is life like in the seminary? Do you just pray all the time? Can you have any fun? In this episode we are happy to talk with Louis and Deacon Martin, two seminarians for the Archdiocese of Dubuque to discuss life in the seminary.
Also check out this video on the Minor Seminary in Dubuque:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwJ53Rr3H50
Meet Our Dubuque Seminarians:
https://dbqarch.org/meet-the-seminarians
Continuing our series on the Sacraments at the Service of Communion, today we look at the Doctrine of Holy Orders. What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders? What is the difference between the priesthood in the Old Testament and the priesthood in the New Testament? How do priests participate in the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ? What does it mean for the priesthood to have an ontological dimension rather than just a functional dimension? Finally, we answer a question concerning Holy Orders and women by focusing on mutual upbuilding and the goal of the Christian Life being oriented toward becoming a saint.
For more information check out:
The Sacramental Mystery by Paul Haffner
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Open Wide the Doors to Christ: Discovering Catholicism by Lucas Pollice
Last week we looked at the doctrine concerning marriage. This week we look at the example of a couple who are striving to live out their marriage. How do they see marriage as a vocation? What does a prayer life look like for a couple? We are grateful to be joined by Kellen and Abigail for this episode!
Today we talk about marriage as a sacrament. How is marriage discussed in the Bible? What are the emphases of the Church Fathers? What does it mean that the already good natural relationship between a man and a woman has been elevated to the dignity of a sacrament? We also discuss the importance of the vows and how they point to essential aspects of marriage. Finally, for those who find themselves in a broken relationship or have a difficult past in terms of marriage, we encourage you to not lose heart. What's the next right step that we can take to move forward?
In this episode we introduce a new little series on the Sacraments of Vocation (technically called the Sacraments at the Service of Communion). These two sacraments deal with our state of life in the world. What has God called me to be? In order to come to know God's plan for my life I must pray about it. Discernment is the process by which we come to know our vocation.
A special thanks to some of the sources we used:
From the Archdiocese of Dubuque:
https://dbqarch.org/resources-1
Questions for Discernment from the Diocese of Lansing:
From https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/sites/default/files/vocationsbook.pdf
Here's another Bible Study building off a few weeks back when we talked about Matthew 8:1-4. In this passage Jesus and a Centurion discuss healing, faith, and authority. Break open the Word and join us as we jump in!
In this episode we continue our discussion on God and angels, focusing particularly on angels. What are some qualities of angels? How are they both similar and different from humans? Why are they depicted in art as they are? If angels don't have a body, how are they present to us? Can they read our minds?
At the end we answer a question about our favorite bible passages.
Can we reasonably speak about angels? What do we actually believe about them and how do we know it? In this episode and a future one, we look into this topic. Today, we begin by looking at what we believe about God in order to see where angels fit in along with the rest of the created order.
Today we unveil a new type of episode that we will do occasionally! Every once-in-a-while we will do a mini study on a passage from scripture. Grab your Bible, pray with the passage, and see what the Lord speaks to you!
How did the early church talk about the Eucharist? In this episode we look at several different passages from St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus of Lyon, and more. We also talk about the development in theology about the Eucharist and the history of the word transubstantiation in the tradition.
Today we discuss the Eucharist, and the logic of it in the light of both the Old and New Testaments. We also talk about how our belief in the Eucharist naturally flows from the Principle of the Incarnation. Finally, we comment on the fitting eloquence of the Eucharist.
What is God calling you to do with your life?
This week we have a special guest, Fr. Jeff Dole, illustrious Pastor of St. Francis of Barclay and St. Athanasius of Jesup, joining us to talk about his vocation to priesthood as we kick off Vocations Awareness Week.
Today, we keep the discussion going by talking about what Confirmation looks like in the liturgy both in the East and the West, as well as in Christian antiquity. Also, why do we celebrate the sacrament at different ages?
Our Newman Question focuses on the difficulty of practicing our faith during the pandemic. Thanks for listening and feel free to reach out to us with your own questions:
https://epiphanyparish.org/
https://www.archangelscc.org/
As Pentecost is to Easter, so is Confirmation to Baptism. In this episode we discuss the question of what is Confirmation? We discuss the sacrament as well as some of the relevant scriptural background. Where in the Bible is it? Also, we answer a Newman Question asking if Christianity is just based off of a book. Enjoy!
In this episode we get a little more practical into what discipleship actually looks like. What are some different spiritual practices that I should think about in my life as a disciple?
We also talk about a Newman student question that asks about God's causality in the world and how that relates to the problem of evil.
Mark 3:14 - “And he created twelve that they might be with him...”
Discipleship is an intimate invitation to being with Jesus. The disciple learns from Jesus through spending time with and following the master. However, the master also invites us into friendship with Him. In this episode we discuss the Old Testament background to discipleship as well as discipleship from various New Testament passages. It is only in contemplation on the fullness of the Gospel, however, that we see discipleship in its totality. We also answer a Newman Student question on our relationship with God before becoming priests.
In this episode we talk about baptism. What's the biblical background? What does it look like? What are the effects of baptism?
2 Corinthians 5:17- "Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come."
God is not a distant God, but a God who wants to be close to us. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works through the Sacraments bringing about an intensification of God’s Presence in the world. So what are they? Give it a listen!
Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
-Romans 5:5