Some Poems of Shakespeare by SHAKESPEARE, William: Recent Episodes
Megan Schrieber and Becky Cart
Do you wrestle with the hot topic issues in our culture? Do have a hard time wrapping your own mind around them? Are you looking for ways to start having these conversations with your children of any age? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this is an episode we hope you will find very helpful. Leila Miller, our guest, considers this day and time an age of unreason. Far too many issues of the day are looked at and judged using human feelings in the name of mercy. We need to use our reason and most importantly, we need to teach our children to use theirs. The understanding of the objective truths in today’s tough moral issues will keep us rooted in Christ, our Catholic faith, and freed from the yoke of secular slavery.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Co-author of Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today’s Tough Moral Issues (with Trent Horn), Leila Miller worked in advertising before becoming a wife and stay-at-home mom. From home, she wrote a regular editorial column for The Arizona Republic before starting her blogs, Little Catholic Bubble and LeilaMiller.net. Leila is active on facebook and has been featured on Catholic television, radio, and in print. Her previous two books, Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak and Raising Chaste Catholic Men, address in simple terms the Church’s timeless teachings on marriage, family, and the moral education of children. She and her husband Dean have eight children and several grandchildren.
Show Notes:
Find more from co-author, Trent Horn
Modesty as an Act of Charity, Thriving in the Trenches Podcast
Call to Action – Let us start educating ourselves and forming our reason so that we will be able to tackle the issues of our current day. Then, we will be to start forming our children (according to their age) so that they might stand firm against the thoughts of the world.
Scripture – “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:1-2
Saint Quote – “It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.” – St. Pope John Paul ii
Becoming a parent typically takes one on a bit of a roller coaster ride. This journey of being a parent has many ups and downs and even some sharp turns and stomach losing drops that can really take us off guard. Motherhood has brought innumerable lessons to many of us including a few surprising twists. Raising our children is not just about them growing in faith but also our sanctification. Lindsay Schlegel shares some of the points from her new book that have begun to shape her as a mother and a child of God. The conversation was a very sweet opportunity to encourage all of us in our individual vocations.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Lindsay Schlegel is a daughter of God, wife, mother, author, and editor. She’s worked in basically every aspect of book publishing, from bookselling to marketing and publicity, from agency work to editorial. Since 2011, she’s worked as a freelance editor, and she contributes writing to a number of online sites, including Verily, Catholic Women Run, Natural Womanhood, and CatholicMom.com. She’s the author of the recently released Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God. She lives in New Jersey, in her husband’s childhood home with her husband (obviously!) and their four children–three boys and a girl. Another child awaits them, God willing, in Heaven.
You can connect with Lindsay at:
On Facebook, you can find me at https://www.facebook.com/LindsaySchlegelAuthor/ Instagram: @lindsayschlegs Twitter: @lindsayschlegel My website is www.lindsayschlegel.com
Show Notes:
Don’t Forget to Say Thank You: And Other Parenting Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God, by Lindsay Schlegel
CatholicMom.com
Call to Action – Can you reach out to atleast one friend this week who may need an extra dose of encouragement? Receiving a genuine phone call from a friend who just wants to know how you are can be a blessing that we can’t put a price tag on. Let’s reach out to eachother.
Scripture – “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence.” – Sirach 6:14-15
Saint Quote – ““Holiness is not in the feelings of in imagination, it is reality. One thing that helps me and will help you is this: works of love are works of holiness.” – St. Teresa of Calcutta
Do you ever wonder why you are so quick to anger? Do you ever stop and listen to what you are telling yourself in the way of self-talk? Colleen Duggan, wife and mother of 6, shares with all of us how she has worked to overcome this notion that she is supposed to be perfect, have a perfect spouse, perfect children, and be in control of everything in her life. Our life journey is our calling to walk out this path of sanctification while realizing that God loves us right where we are and that it is only by his grace and in his timing that we will overcome our sins.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Thank you to Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints for supporting this episode – Check out on her blog, on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy.
“Inspired by our own little space, I started designing cloths and prints for your home. I hope you enjoy them. The Family Litany of Saints is original to my shop, and one of the most popular items you’ll find listed here. Each one is custom-made for your family or loved one, with family name and favorite saints included.” Gina
Our Guest:
Colleen Duggan is a Catholic writer whose work has appeared in Catholic Digest, Creative Catechist, CatholicMom.com, Aleteia, and Integrated Catholic Life. She is a catechist, leads Bible Studies, and speaks on Catholicism and Catholic parenting. Duggan earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and psychology from St. Mary’s College and a master’s degree in education from the University of Notre Dame. She is a contributor to The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion and author of Good Enough Is Good Enough: Confessions Of An Imperfect Mom.
Show Notes:
Good Enough Is Good Enough Group Sudy Notes
Humanae Vitae – the Papal Encyclical on Sex and Marriage
Micromanaging Your Family’s Prayer Life Before Tending to Your Own, by Colleen Duggan at Aleteia
Good Enough Mom T-shirt
Call to Action – Ask the Lord what his expectations of you are and to also show you what false expectations you need to let go of. And, as always, the grace to follow Him.
Scripture – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,[a] 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” – Hebrews 12:1-3
Saint Quote – “It is a lesson we all need – to let alone the things that do not concern us. He has other ways for others to follow Him; all do not go by the same path. It is for each of us to learn the path by which He requires us to follow Him, and to follow Him in that path.” – St. Katharine Drexel
Living the lifestyle of an Atheist for many years on the west coast, then moving to New York and meeting a few joyfully married Catholics, Alana and her husband fell head over heels for the Catholic faith. The Catholic teachings on the human person, specifically, NFP, was a powerful driving force in their conversion. As a donor-conceived child, Alana knows first hand the implications of third-party reproduction. Through this episode, Alana shares more about The Sexual Revolution Movie, the history of the pill, the contribution of the Billings, and her own personal life with Christ.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Thank you to Gina Fensterer of Someday Saints for supporting this episode – Check out her blog on Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy.
“Inspired by our own little space, I started designing cloths and prints for your home. I hope you enjoy them. The Family Litany of Saints is original to my shop, and one of the most popular items you’ll find listed here. Each one is custom-made for your family or loved one, with family name and favorite saints included.” Gina
Our Guest:
Alana Newman is a Catholic convert, mother of 3, songwriter and recording artist and narrator of the new film Sexual Revolution: 50 Years Since Humanae Vitae. She is also an advocate for donor-conceived people and started the online story-collective The Anonymous Us Project. A big advocate for Natural Family Planning, Alana teaches the Billings Ovulation Method in Louisiana.
websites:
www.sexualrevolutionmovie.com www.anonymousus.org www.alananewman.com
We ladies at Thriving in the Trenches love to be able to inspire and encourage others in their Catholic faith. But even as much as we love to encourage others, we always appreciate being encouraged ourselves. The ladies over at the Abiding Together Podcast are a faithful Catholic voice full of encouragement and wisdom for all of us in the trenches. On this week’s episode we get to interview one of the three hosts, Heather Khym. It was such an uplifting conversation hearing the way the Lord has worked in Khym’s life and also through the lives of the other hostesses, Michelle Benzinger and Sr. Miriam James. You will want to make sure you are subscribed to this podcast, ladies. Enjoy the show.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Heather Khym – Heather has been serving in ministry since 1994 and passionately shares the Gospel through leading worship and speaking. She desires to help create environments for people to encounter God. She has ministered to a variety of audiences throughout North America with the desire for people to personally encounter God. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville where she studied theology with a concentration in catechetics. In 2005, Heather and her husband, Jake, founded Life Restoration, a ministry which seeks to help people become fully alive and experience freedom and restoration in Jesus. Currently, Heather lives in Abbotsford, BC with her husband Jake and their 3 children Maria, Judah, and Evangeline.
facebook | instagram | website
Show Notes:
The Abiding Together Podcast
Jake and Heather Khym’s Ministry, Life Restoration
Call to Action – Go follow and subscribe to this great podcast and be filled with the goodness the Lord does through these women!
We have gone through many emotions, likely the similar t0 many of you. In this episode, we just want to connect with you and share with you what has been on our hearts and in our minds during this most horrific time in our Church. This is by far not an exhaustive expression of our feelings, but we wanted to answer those who had reached out to hear from us. Maybe, hopefully, we can also share some words of encouragement during these very difficult times through this episode. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
**Photo Credentials: Nancy Ewing of @Emmanuel_studio You may also want to view:
A lovely reflection from Elizabeth Foss, titled Now What?
Powerful words, Enough Already, by Anthony Esolen at First Things
A priest’s response, The Pennsylvania Sex Abuse Scandal, by Fr Mike Schmitz at Ascension Press
24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations[c] but now made manifest to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.” Colossions 1:24-29
Don Johnson, our guest for our 50th episode of the podcast, also coincides with the month of the 50th anniversary of the culture – shocking papal encyclical titled, Humanae Vitae. This Catholic convert, author, and filmaker sees his calling to evangelize as a gift but also admits the struggle to always walk in faith. Don not only shares pieces of his conversion story with us but he also takes us behind the scenes of the film which further exposes the lies behind the sexual revolution, including the history of the iconic Cosmopolitan empire.
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Don Johnson is an author, speaker, radio show host, and filmmaker. After spending over 20 years in protestant evangelistic work, including extensive experience as an inner city youth worker and young adult pastor, he entered the Catholic Church in 2015. Don has a B.A. in Theology, Missions and Intercultural Studies from San Jose Christian College, an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and an M.A. in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has also done graduate work in the evangelism program at Multnomah Seminary and the philosophy of Religion program at Talbot School of Theology. Don is the producer and director of Unprotected and Convinced and the author of How to Talk to a Skeptic: An Easy to Follow Guide for Natural Conversations and Effective Apologetics. Don’s interests include hosting tours of the Holy Land. He and his wife have four children and enjoy hiking through National Parks.
Show Notes:
To purchase Unprotected, Convinced, or any other of Don’s publications, click here.
We are continuing our fun summer series with a fellow podcaster, Kristine Franklin of the Hello and Welcome Podcast. We had a most delightful time with this brilliant storyteller who is full of wit, wisdom, and a wealth of knowledge. Kristine is a woman after God’s own heart and she not only shares her journey to Catholicism but also shares about her 20 plus years in Catholic media ministry. You don’t want to miss this episode.
womenencouragingwomen
Please consider financially supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Kristine L. Franklin was raised in a fundamentalist evangelical church where she learned to love Jesus, read the Bible, and share her faith with anyone who would listen. She graduated from Biola University with a B.A. in Communications, a Minor in Biblical Studies and the deep desire to serve as a foreign missionary.
In 1991 Kristine and her husband Marty and their two children moved to Central America as lay missionaries. During this time they began to question many of the presuppositions of Protestantism as they saw its problems fully exposed in an international, multi-denominational setting. After several years of study, prayer and difficult inner struggle, Kristine and Marty knew that to live in obedience to Christ meant being fully united with His Church. The whole family was received into the Catholic Church in 1995.
Kristine is the award-winning author of a dozen children’s books. She has written for ENVOY, NEW COVENANT, and OUR SUNDAY VISITOR. Kristine was the co-host of the popular EWTN series, “Household of Faith,” and “Now That We’re Catholic!” and has been a guest on both “The Journey Home,” and “The Abundant Life” television programs. She is an occasional conference speaker.
Kristine has worked in Catholic Radio and now produces and hosts the podcast Hello and Welcome! She can be reached at helloandwelcomepodcast@gmail.com
Website www.helloandwelcomeshow.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hellowelcomeshow/
Instagram: hellowelcomeshow
Twitter name @hellowelcomerc
Show Notes:
Mercy Unwrapped, a Podcast, was recorded in the Extraordinary Year of Mercy. In this series you will hear remarkable stories of ordinary people, touched by the mercy and grace of God.
Powerful Radio, a book by Valerie Geller
Kristine Franklin’s episode on Journey Home
Podcast episode with Timothy O’Malley on Infertility from the Male Perspective
Please consider supporting our Podcast One thing we have come to love to do around here is get to know other women that have a postive online presence and/or are also giving of their time and talents for a Catholic ministry focused on encouraging women. This week we get to do just that with a lighthearted conversation with Noelle Mering. Noelle is a wife and mother, writer, and editor/social media manager for Helena Daily. Noelle shares her journey of faith to this point in her life. We think you will enjoy getting to know the faith-filled and fun woman behind the very popular Met Gala and Sex and City media pieces. One of those articles actually landed her on a Fox News Live radio segment. Listen in to hear the rest of the story.
Our Guest:
Noelle Mering Noelle Mering is the Arts and Culture editor and social media manager for helenadaily.com. She studied philosophy and theatre at Westmont College in California and did graduate work in philosophy at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Noelle and her husband live in Southern California with their six children.
You can connect with Noelle on FB, IG, Twitter
You can find all of her published work at NoelleMering.com
Show Notes:
Since Its Debut 20 Years Ago, ‘Sex And The City’s’ Profoundly Unrealistic View Of The World Has Hurt Women (The Federalist)
Takeaway Message from the Met Gala: The Sexual Revolution is Tired (National Catholic Register)
Many more articles can be found at NoelleMering.com
“Humanae Vitae made me embrace the Church again”. These words spoken by our guest, Mallory Smyth of ENDOW, are both gripping and also echo the hearts of many women whose hearts have been touched by the profound words of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae. Fifty years ago, July 25, The Church and the world received this church document and the words are just as important today:
“The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.
The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human beings.”
These are the treasures of wisdom gifted to us from Jesus through Mother Church.
Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:
Mallory Smyth speaks around the country on topics such as catholic worldview, inheritance of faith and the feminine genius. Mallory fell in love with Jesus during her junior year at Louisiana State University and entered into full-time ministry after working one year as an accountant. She served as a FOCUS missionary for five years and is currently the director of program growth for ENDOW, Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women. It is her dream to see Catholics fall deeply in love with the God who loved them first, fully living the joy of the Gospel. Mallory currently lives in Denver with her husband, Jared and their two daughters, Penelope and Eliza.
Show Notes:
ENDOWgroups.Org
What They Didn’t Teach You in Sex Ed, by Vicki Thorne
Humanae Vitae, 50 Years Later: Progress or Regress?, by Janet Smith at Christendom
Girl Genius I – Defining Dignity, by Endow Groups
Letter to Women, by Pope John Paul ii
The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins
Call to Action – Let us not be afraid to unearth the treasures of The Church, especially Humane Vitae. Know more, learn more, and share more with others.
Scripture – 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20
Saint Quote – “Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world’s understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.“ – St. John Paul ii
Wanna be inspired by the younger generation of Catholics? Would you like to be encouraged in your own journey and how you can connect with other Catholics in your own neck of the woods? This type of evangelization is far beyond what social media platforms can do. Richy Orozco of Catholic Connect has embarked on this remarkable journey of taking online connections and making them happen in real life. His passion to build community within our local communities is a huge task but he is using the uniqueness of his stage of life to build up the kingdom of God.
Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest: Richy Orozco is bilingual and in his last semester of college at C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. He’s most likely drinking coffee, hanging out with friends, learning new things about technology, or talking to his priest friends. Throughout his youth he was always involved in youth groups and after finishing high school he realized that there was a lack of resources to connect Catholics to their community. He founded Catholic Connect, a social media apostolate that reaches over five million people per week. His original goal was to help young fallen away Catholics reconnect with their faith although it quickly turned into an apostolate for all, young, old, and reaching people from all over the world. His largest audience are 25-34 year olds and his top countries include USA, Brazil, Indonesia, Phillipines, Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico. For the last two years Richy and his programmers have been working on a social media platform that will help everyday Catholics connect with their community. Connect more with Richy through his social media or emailh him at richyorozco@catholicconnect.co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richyorozco
Twitter: https://twitter.com/richyorozco2013 FB: facebook.com/richy.oro
Show Notes:
If you would like to support Catholic Connect, go to YouCaring
Call to Action – What desire has God planted in your heart to further the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ? Let us connect with one another not only in a social media way but also let us increase our face to face community impacts.
Scripture – “19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teachingthem to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28: 19-20
Saint Quote – “Your daily encounter with Christ takes place right where you work, where your aspirations and your affections are. There we must seek sanctity, in the midst of the most material things of the earth, serving God and all humankind.” -St. Josemaría Escrivá
Happy Mother’s Day to all those who have built up and nurtured others as either physical mothers or spiritual mothers.
On the heels of our 2 episodes about the occult and New Age, we decided that it was a good idea to go ahead and release this episode a week early. (We may take the whole month of June off, haha :)) We heard from so many of you telling us how those previous episodes had helped you and are now looking for the next step. Of course, as we have said so many times, Confession is your Sacrament of healing. But we also want to talk about a beautiful ministry that is an absolute jewel for us in the trenches of this world. This step is one to be used over and over in our daily lives and also is a valuable tool to use with children and friends.
UNBOUND Ministry is an approach to deliverance and healing prayer developed by Neal Lozano.
The focus of the UNBOUND model is on an individual as you deeply listen into their story and heart. UNBOUND is a safe, loving, effective prayer model that helps people to respond to the good news of the gospel.
UNBOUND applies the truth to our lives by using five basic responses called the Five Keys .The Five Keys are: Repentance and Faith, Forgiveness, Renunciation, Authority, and The Father’s Blessing
Our Guest:
Matthew Lozano serves as Director of Leadership Development for Heart of the Father Ministries. He has twelve years of teaching experience and holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Villanova University and a Master’s Degree in Theology from the Augustine Institute. He and his wife Jennifer have four children and live in the Philadelphia area. He is the coauthor of the Unbound Ministry Guidebook and Abba’s Heart.
Show Notes:
What is Unbound?
Unbound the book
Call to Action – Is there an area of your life that is making you feel a little more irritated or angry and reacting in harsher ways than normal? Let us all consider what area or areas in our life that may be bound by the lies of the evil one. Let us all pursue freedom in Christ.
Scripture – “10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:10-11
Saint Quote – “Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn’t seek the glory of Christ.” – St. John of the Cross
Have you started to feel this strange lack of desire for your faith or not really wanting to pray your rosary? Have you started to actually question and disagree with some of the Church’s teachings? Have you noticed an inability to focus or an irritability while trying to pray or read the Scriptures? We finish the rest of the conversation with Sue Brinkmann where we share and unpack some more of the false notions and downright lies we have been sold about personality tests, enneagrams, witchcraft, and other New Age practices. Referring to St. Teresa of Avila’s writings, Sue shares that even if we are close to a transforming union with the Lord we are still capable of falling. Most importantly we must remember we can be deceived at all times. May you be blessed in this final installment on New Age.
Our Guest:
Susan Brinkmann, OCDS, author and journalist, has joined Living His Life Abundantly & Women of Grace as Staff Writer. Susan is a member of the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites and comes to us from The Catholic Standard and Times, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where she served for six years as a Correspondent. She has won numerous national awards for her work and has published several books, including two historical fiction novels, a book on Carmelite prayer entitled, “Lord Teach us to Pray” and a book on the fraudulent research of Alfred C. Kinsey entitled, “The Kinsey Corruption,” published by Ascension Press. She has devoted her life and talents to building up the Church and tearing down the culture of death, and is pleased that the Lord has called her to LHLA/Women of Grace to continue this vocation. Susan is single and writes for us from her home in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Look for Sue’s articles on websites www.womenofgrace.com and in future issues of Canticle. You can reach Sue at sbrinkmann@womenofgrace.com.
Show Notes:
Pontifical Document, Jesus Christ The Bearer of the Water of Life, A Christian reflection on the “New Age”
Sue’s articles at Women of Grace
New Age Blog from Women of Grace
The Enneagram, by Sue Brinkmann
What’s Missing from the Mindful Catholic?
The Catholic Guide to Mindfulness, by Sue Brinkmann
We Need to Talk: God Speaks to a Modern Girl, by Sue Brinkmann
Catholics and the New Age, Father Mitch Pacwa
Yoga: A Cautionary Tale by Jenny Uebbing
SoulCore – A great workout that you could try in place of yoga
The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett
Learn to Discern a Compendium by Sue Brinkkmann
Call to Action –
When we start having weird levels of anger, let us be honest with ourselves and ask the Lord what is it that is actually agitating us. If you feel like you may have opened the door to any negative spiritual influences, please find your way to the confessional. Confession is the Sacrament of Healing that can release you from bondage. Come Home.
Scripture – “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. ” – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Saint Quote – “If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” -St. Mother Teresa
Yoga, Enneagram, New Age, Mindfulness. Every time these topics came up as one to address, it always came with a huge hesitation. The New Age movement within Christendom is quickly becoming an undeniably divisive and dangerous issue. We knew that if we were to do this well, we needed someone to help us wade through these waters by giving solid statistics and years of experience. Sue Brinkmann was our first choice. Sue reminds us so beautifully that when people get caught up in the New Age or Occult they are typically just searching. As one who used to be entrenched in The New Age practices herself, Sue has become one of the leading researchers for the Catholic Church. Most people who participate in New Age have no substantial knowledge of what it is they are getting into. Our desire in this two-part series is to inform and to encourage our listeners to know how to better choose solely a Christ-centered spirituality.
Our Guest:
Susan Brinkmann, OCDS, author and journalist, has joined Living His Life Abundantly & Women of Grace as Staff Writer. Susan is a member of the Third Order of Discalced Carmelites and comes to us from The Catholic Standard and Times, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where she served for six years as a Correspondent. She has won numerous national awards for her work and has published several books, including two historical fiction novels, a book on Carmelite prayer entitled, “Lord Teach us to Pray” and a book on the fraudulent research of Alfred C. Kinsey entitled, “The Kinsey Corruption,” published by Ascension Press. She has devoted her life and talents to building up the Church and tearing down the culture of death, and is pleased that the Lord has called her to LHLA/Women of Grace to continue this vocation. Susan is single and writes for us from her home in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Look for Sue’s articles on websites www.womenofgrace.com and in future issues of Canticle. You can reach Sue at sbrinkmann@womenofgrace.com.
Show Notes:
Pontifical Document, Jesus Christ The Bearer of the Water of Life, A Christian reflection on the “New Age”
Sue’s articles at Women of Grace
New Age Blog from Women of Grace
What’s Missing from the Mindful Catholic?
The Catholic Guide to Mindfulness, by Sue Brinkmann
We Need to Talk: God Speaks to a Modern Girl, by Sue Brinkmann
Catholics and the New Age, Father Mitch Pacwa
Yoga: A Cautionary Tale by Jenny Uebbing
SoulCore – A great workout that you could try in place of yoga
Call to Action – Let us all take a moment and ask us what we have made an idol in our lives. Is there something that we have allowed to take the place of Christ in our lives? If so, let us go to the Sacrament of Healing, Reconciliation. We must be open to receive God’s Mercy and Healing and make Jesus Christ the only Lord of our lives.
Scripture – “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. ” – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Saint Quote – “If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” -St. Mother Teresa
We are created for relationships: parents and children, siblings, best friends, spousal relationships, work place friendships, and neighborhood communities. We are fed and encouraged and supported through others. Christians refer to this beauty as the mystical Body of Christ; we are His hands and feet. Have you ever been intentional with another woman in matters of spiritual growth or just day to day life? Has another woman ever poured this life giving energy into you? Megan and Becky have both been blessed by other women in this way and they have tried to gift that to others also. This week we want to encourage all of our listeners to ask God to help you seek out women who can intentionally pour into their lives. Or, ask the Lord if it is your calling to pour into another. Is there a woman in the pew every Sunday morning that continues to move your heart? And by all means ladies, just living a faithful life and keeping our tongues from gossip and slander will go a very long way in building up the women around us. Evangelization is not only a right but also an obligation.
Show Notes:
Johnette Benkovic of Women of Grace has plenty of great resources
Mary Healy’s book, Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World
Amy Thomas article about being called and gifted
Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell
Called and Gifted from the Catherine of Siena Institute
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle
Vatican II document
“The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church”: it must be preceded by evangelization, faith, and conversion. It can then produce its fruits in the lives of the faithful: new life in the Spirit, involvement in the mission of the Church, and service to her unity.” CCC 1072
“The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.” CCC 1131
Call to Action – Let us focus on hearing from the Lord more and hearing when He has asked us to encourage another. God wants to love on us through other persons.
Scripture – “Bid the older women likewise to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited.” – Titus 2:3-4
Saint Quote – “It is not enough to love the young, they must know that they are loved” – St. John Bosco
HAPPY EASTER FRIENDS! “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” -1John 3:1a Listener: “Hi! I just started listening to your podcast and am so excited to listen thru them all! I was wondering if you could have an episode about what it means to be a “daughter of God” or “child of God” and how you know that and recognize that yourself. This topic of defining myself and my value with just being a “child of God” – not my work, my mothering, but just as a child of God – has come up lately for me and I just really don’t know what that means and how to get started with growing in that. I think this would be an awesome topic for your podcast and would be eager to hear your thoughts and guidance on this. Thanks so much!!!!”
Our beautiful guest, Megan Hjelmstad, agrees with us and our listener that this understanding of who we are as children of God can be a tough truth to understand. Knowing that Baptism make us God’s children; receiving an unrevokable adoption; this vital point is the foundation. Once we accept this truth, how do we truly live like a daughter of God? This is not about being a perfect child, but about pursuing and being pursued by the love of the Father. May we all be blessed with a more love filled and secure walk with God the Father so that we might go out and preach the Good News to others.
Our Guest:
Megan Hjelmstad writes from the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, where she’s a wife and mom 24/7 and an Army Reservist in her “spare” time. Megan shares her uncontainable love for faith and the written word as a writer and speaker for Blessed is She, and feels especially called to encourage women in the areas of suffering, fertility issues, self-worth, and discernment. When not writing, Megan is happily indulging her hobbies as a bibliophile, tea drinker, sleep lover, and avid admirer of Colorado’s great outdoors. Aside from Blessed is She, you can find her writing in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Radiant Magazine, or on her personal blog, www.positivelyimperfect.com. Connect more with Megan through her email, megan@positivelyimperfect.com.
Show Notes:
Reject the lies and stand on Truth as the Scriptures exhort us in Phillipians 4: 8-9: “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. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.”
CCC 270 God is the Father Almighty, whose fatherhood and power shed light on one another: God reveals his fatherly omnipotence by the way he takes care of our needs; by the filial adoption that he gives us (“I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”):109 finally by his infinite mercy, for he displays his power at its height by freely forgiving sins.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.” 1Peter 3:21-22
“Therefore come out from them,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch nothing unclean;
then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” -2 Cor 6:17-18
Call to Action – Open yourself to the love of The Father. Ask Him to show you how to know that Truth even more intimately. Read the Scriptures listed and mentioned during the podcast and really meditate upon them daily, asking God to give you the Graces He has in store for you. Accept your inheritance and then share the Good News with others.
Scripture – “15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” – Romans 8:15-16
Saint Quote – “The glory of God is man fully alive”- St. Irenaeus
Thriving in the Trenches Podcast turns ONE!!! Megan and Becky end up spending the time laughing about the past year, the goof ups, the bloopers, and the behind the scenes unexpected fun. Looking back and also looking forward at all the growth and blessings that God has bestowed and will bestow upon us all; we are happy to share this journey with you in the trenches of life. Thank you so much for supporting and encouraging and listening this past year. Let us continue to pilgrimage together by following the cloud by day and fire by night, the Catholic Church. And might we press forward in encouragement for each other as sisters in Christ. #womenencouragingwomen
Show Notes:
Episode 18 with Dwija Barobia
Episode 9 with Helen Alvare
Episode 7 with Gloria Purvis
Episode 13 with Susan Husband: Modesty as an Act of Charity
Episodes 36 and 37 with Christopher West to follow up on Modesty
Episode 4 – Friendship and Laughter (Take 2)
Episode 11 with Timothy O’Malley
Episode 25 with LMFT Candice Ruttner-Duryea
Episode 21 with Carrie Gress
Sweet friend, Sonja Corbitt, the Bible Study Evangelista
Blessed is She top favorite podcasts
Call to Action – Celebrate! Invite your friends to join us all in the trenches!
Scripture – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Saint Quote – “Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort me and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.” – St. Patrick
God loves us with a reckless love and He call us to be holy and to be perfect as the father in heaven is perfect. The commands are repeated in Scripture, old and new. How do we balance all these Truths? “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation;[a] the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;” (2 Cor 5: 17-18a). Last week we shared about the Church’s teachings on confession and why this is such a beautiful and joful gift of healing, mercy, joy, and freedom. This week we wanted to be more clear about sin. Who doesn’t like to talk about sin, right? Admitting we have fallen short, though the Scriptures tell us in Romans 3 that ALL have fallen short of the glory of God, is a difficult act of humility. Calling a sin a sin, especially in today’s relativistic culture, is a very important key to growing in holiness and breaking free from the binds of the evil one. Original sin, actual sin, sanctifying grace versus actual grace… what does it all mean? Let’s get started.
Show Notes:
Becky referenced much of the No. 2 Baltimore Catechism This is an excellent resource for teaching your kids and inadvertantly yourself the faith in a more concise way. Reference Catechism is from Lesson 5, Lesson 6, and Lesson 9
Scripture References:
Ephesians 4: 17 and 24-25; Romans 6: 1-6
Heart of the Father – Unbound, A ministry of spiritual deliverance
Podcast Episode on Father Wound with John Finch
Podcast Episode on Healing the Father Wound with Sonja Corbitt
Podcast Episode on self medicating our triggers and Healing the Father Wound with Candice Ruttner-Duryear
For Love and Marriage – Lighthouse Catholic Media CD with Johnette Benkovic
Cory Asbury, Reckless Love – youTube video from song played in clips during this episode.
“This also do we believe, in accordance with the Catholic faith, that after grace received through baptism, all the baptized are able and ought, with the aid and co-operation of Christ, to fulfill all duties needful for salvation, provided they are willing to labor faithfully. But that some men have been predestined to evil by divine power, we not only do not believe, but if there be those who are willing to believe so evil a thing, we say to them with all abhorrence anathema. This also do we profess and believe to our soul’s health, that in every good work, it is not we who begin, and are afterward assisted by Divine mercy, but that God Himself, with no preceding merits on our part, first inspires within us faith and love.” Council of Orange, 531AD
Call to Action – Take everything, even your failures, to the Lord and ask Him to redeem it ALL. Give it all back to Jesus and allow Him to heal you.
Scripture – “22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24 Reference
Saint Quote – “Repentance is the returning from the unnatural into the natural state, from the devil to God, through discipline and effort.” – St. John Damascene
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn 1:9) This week Megan and Becky explore the beauty and necessity of the Sacrament of Healing we call, Confession. With a heavy emphasis on the Catechism, the gals discuss many of the reasons why we need the Sacrament while also sharing personal experiences and reader questions and comments. Reconciliation seems be one of the most misunderstood and the least sought out Sacrament in the Church. Why? Are we being exhorted to go? Do we understand the great power of absolution and the Mercy and Grace that is poured out on us? Do you want to grow in holiness and reject sin? Then the confessional should be a regular stop in your journey.
Show Notes:
“According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.”56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58″ CCC 1457
“It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus’ call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father5 from whom one has strayed by sin.
It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner’s personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. CCC1423
It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a “confession” – acknowledgment and praise – of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man. CCC1424
It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God grants the penitent “pardon and peace.”6
It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: “Be reconciled to God.”7 He who lives by God’s merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord’s call: “Go; first be reconciled to your brother.”8CCC 1423 and 1424
“Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance: “All mortal sins of which penitents after a diligent self-examination are conscious must be recounted by them in confession, even if they are most secret and have been committed against the last two precepts of the Decalogue; for these sins sometimes wound the soul more grievously and are more dangerous than those which are committed openly.”54 CCC 1456
When Christ’s faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon. But those who fail to do so and knowingly withhold some, place nothing before the divine goodness for remission through the mediation of the priest, “for if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know.”55 (Council of Trent)
An example of a Daily Examen by Ignatian Spirituality
Laudate App for iPhone and Android – this app includes many awesome resources such as daily examen, examination of conscious for confession, an interactive Rosary, Daily Readings, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Roman Missal changes, and the NAB and Douay-Rheims versions of the Bible
Purple Leaflet by Catholic Leaflet Missal Company
“14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.[c] 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” Per the Ignatius Study Bible commentary, This command to confess to one another must be interpreted within the context of the anointing rite, where the elders (i.e. oriests) presumably hear the confession of the sick person before his sins are remitted through the sacrament.
Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51: 3-4,12-13,18-19; Joel 2:12-13; Luke 11:29-32 (Readings referred to during podcast from Wed 2/21)
“And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” Matthew 9:1-2 (the paralytic was healed through the faith of his friends who took him to Jesus when he couldn’t take himself. A beautiful act of intercessory prayer)
Call to Action – Let us encourage one another to make regular confession more regular and therefore gird ourselves with the Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ. Ask God to help us grow in charity through the act of fasting for another in this ministry of healing we are being called to participate.
Scripture – “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” How could they forgive sins if they were not confessed? They could not. This authority comes through the gift of the Holy Spirit which precedes it.” – John 20:21-23
Saint Quote – St. Ambrose says of the two conversions that, in the Church, “there are water and tears: the water of Baptism and the tears of repentance.”
This sin of objectification is truly hurting us all, men and women alike. Women have been taught they can use their body to manipulate others and men have been sold the lie that they are just naturally lustful and are hopeless to change. But, the Christ – centered, good news message St. John Paul II delivered during his Wednesday addresses tells us something very different. In Part 2 of our conversation with Christopher West, we go deeper into the meaning of Theology of the Body and how “we must rediscover the lost fullness of our humanity and long to regain it.” (JPII)
Part 2 of 2 – Make sure you start with Part 1 (last week) for the beginning of the story.
Our Guest: Christopher West is a proud husband and father of five. His global lecturing, best-selling books and multiple audio and video programs have made him the world’s most recognized teacher of John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” – a bold, biblical vision of love and sexuality that takes us to the “cor” of what it means to be human.
As founder and president of The Cor Project, Christopher leads an international outreach devoted to spreading this liberating teaching and empowering others to learn, live, and share it. His work has been featured in The New York Times, on ABC News, Fox News, MSNBC, and countless Catholic and Evangelical media outlets.
Beyond his work as a popularizer of the Theology of the Body, Christopher has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on the subject since the late 1990s, having served on the faculties of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, and as a visiting professor of the John Paul II Institute in Melbourne, Australia. In 2004, he helped establish the Theology of the Body Institute near Philadelphia, Pa., and serves today as Senior Lecturer of Theology and Christian Anthropology. His weeklong courses there continue to draw students from around the world.
Among Christopher’s best-selling books are Theology of the Body for Beginners, Good News About Sex & Marriage, At the Heart of the Gospel, Fill These Hearts and Pope Francis To Go: Bite-Sized Morsels from The Joy of the Gospel. His latest release is a free eBook Theology of the Body at the Movies, which can be downloaded at corproject.com/movies.
You can stay in touch with Christopher at corproject.com and by following Christopher West (cwestofficial) on Facebook and Twitter (@cwestTOB) and on his new YouTube Channel: The Cor Project. You can also learn more about becoming a Cor Member and the many exclusive benefits you receive at cormembership.com.
Show Notes:
The Cry of the Heart Video by Christopher West
Registration is open for Christopher’s TOB Pilgrimage to Italy. Click here for details.
Make sure you check out Christopher’s new program for Made for More
Find all of Christopher’s many books on Amazon.com
Love and Responsibility by John Paul ii
Beyond the Birds and the Bees by Gregory and Lisa Popcak
The Truth and Meaning of Sexuality by the Pontifical Council of the Family
Beyond the Talk – Educating Our Children About Sexuality by Christopher West
Healing the Reformation’s Wounds with the Theology of the Body by Christopher West
Matt Fradd Podcast with Christoper West Episode 56
Thriving in the Trenches Podcast Episode on Modesty with Susan Husband
Call to Action – Let us rebuke and reject the lie that our bodies are bad. For some this may be very difficult to do but it is only in this light that we can truly give Jesus our heart so that we might be healed.
Scripture – 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5: 8
Quote – “What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Jesus everything else is secondary. And without the love of Jesus everything is useless.” St. John Paul II
“The deepest desire of every human heart is to see another and be seen by that other’s loving look .” – St. Augustine