In this episode we break down line by line the prayer of the Hail Mary, and discuss the 4 dogmas of Mary.

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Opening Prayer

Hail Mary, full of grace. 

The Lord is with thee. 

Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

In this episode, we continue discussing the life of Jesus by going through some of the Parables.  To live according to his example, he calls on us, like it or not, to give up everything we have.  We go over why so many Christians fail to heed this call, and how important it is to do so.

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Opening prayer

You proclaimed the poor to be blessed, Lord Jesus, for the kingdom of heaven is given to them. 

Fill us generously with your gifts. 

Teach us to put our trust in the Father and to seek his kingdom first of all rather than imitate the powerful and envy of the rich.

In this episode, we consider the purpose of the "Our Father" - the prayer that Jesus taught us.  By mindfully praying this prayer, we can examine our lives to see if we are living up to a life of virtue.

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Our Father, Who art in heaven, 
Hallowed be Thy Name. 
Thy Kingdom come. 
Thy Will be done, 
on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our trespasses, 
as we forgive those who trespass against us. 
And lead us not into temptation, 
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

In this episode, we pick up the story of Jesus with his baptism and the temptations in the desert.  By understanding his mission and the mission he called the apostles to join, we can better understand how we can serve that mission today as Christians. --- Opening prayer Almighty ever-living God, who, when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him your beloved Son, grant that your children by adoption, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Here is our promised Q&A episode covering topics such as:

• What prayer is and is not
• Intrinsic dignity of the souls in Hell
• Transience of purgatory
• Types of indulgences
• Our call to sainthood
• What relics are
• Marian apparitions
• Setting the record straight about the veneration of Mary and Saints
• The Resurrection of the Dead
• The Second Coming

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Opening Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.

V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,
did instruct the hearts of the faithful,
grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise
and ever to rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Following up our Old Testament series, we move on to the New Testament and discuss the Incarnation.  

 

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Opening Prayer

Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. 

We conclude our 10 Commandments series with these 3:  7. Thou shalt not steal 8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor 10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods --  Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted,  have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you,  through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender mother and ours.

We conclude our Old Testament series with the story of David.  By understanding the history of the Old Testament, we can fully appreciate the longing and expectation for the fulfillment of the promise that there would be a Messiah to come.  --  Prayer for Advent In this Advent of expectation draw us together in unity, that our praise and worship might echo in these walls and also through our lives. In this Advent of expectation draw us together in mission, that the hope within might be the song we sing, and the melody of our lives. In this Advent of expectation draw us together in service, that the path we follow might lead us from a stable to a glimpse of eternity.

In this episode we discuss the 6th Commandment - "Thou shalt not commit adultery", the 9th Commandment - "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife" and present the case for chastity, a spiritual power that can be directed towards God.    --- Prayer for Purity Jesus, Lover of chastity, Mary, Mother most pure, and Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, to you I come at this hour, begging you to plead with God for me. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word and deed in imitation of your own holy purity.

In this episode, we continue going over the highlights of the Old Testament with learning more about Moses, the Exodus story, and how parts of Catholic worship originated.  

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Prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise to the Sacred Heart

Lord, you deserve all honor and praise,
because your love is perfect and your heart sublime.
My heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude
for the many blessings and graces you have bestowed upon me and those
whom I love.
Forever undeserving, may I always be attentive
and never take for granted the gifts of mercy and love
that flow so freely and generously from your Sacred Heart.
Heart of Jesus, I adore you.
Heart of Jesus, I praise you.
Heart of Jesus, I thank you.
Heart of Jesus, I love you forever and always.
Amen.

In this episode, we bring in a few ideas from moral philosophy to better understand this commandment.  We outline the Catholic position on abortion, end of life decisions, self-defense, and war, as well as discuss how we might face the more daily struggles with this commandment.   -- Prayer for Life O God, our Creator, all life is in your hands from conception until death. Help us to cherish our children and to reverence the awesome privilege of our share in creation. May all people live and die in dignity and love. Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn, the handicapped and the aged. Enlighten and be merciful toward those who fail to love, and give them peace. Let freedom be tempered by responsibility, integrity and morality.

Continuing our Old Testament series, in this episode we talk about the life of Moses and draw from it parallels to how we live out our faith today.  

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Three O'Clock Prayer

Dear Lord, remembering the hour when You experienced death
So that we might have Eternal Life,
May we appreciate in our hearts 
the necessity of Your sacrifice for us
And with Your help, Your guidance, and Your grace,
May we be made worthy of it.

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

We continue our 10 Commandments series with the 4th: Honor thy father and mother.  This commandment seems straightforward, but by examining the various roles we carry in our lives - within our family units and within society -  we can better understand what it means to fulfill this obligation.   -- Opening Prayer for Our Parents O Almighty God, you gave us the commandment to honor our father and mother.  In your loving kindness, hear my prayer for my parents.  Give them long lives and keep them well in body and spirit.  Bless their labors; keep them always in your care.  Bless them generously for their loving care for me.  Grant that, through your grace, I may always be their support and comfort, and that, after our life together on earth, we may experience the joy together praising you forever. Amen.

In this episode, we continue to highlight key stories of the Old Testament and show how they can connect to our faith today.  In Joseph's story (sometimes referred to as Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors), he undergoes many trials, but faces them with humility and faith.  We can see how his suffering foreshadows the later suffering of Christ.  

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Opening Prayer to St. Joseph 

Oh St. Joseph,

Do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; 

so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Amen.

We continue our series on the 10 Commandments with the third, "Keep holy the Lord's Day." How do we keep the day holy? Why is this so important?  Why don't we keep Sabbath? --- Opening Hymn  On this day, the first of days, God our maker's name we praise; Who, creation’s Lord and spring, Did the world from darkness bring. On this day the eternal Son Over death his triumph won; On this day the Spirit came With the gifts of living flame. God, the blessed Three in One,  May your holy will be done;  In your word our souls are free,  As we praise you, Trinity.

In this episode, we continue our reading of Genesis and discuss Abraham's various acts of faith and sacrifice.  By understanding the story of Abraham and Isaac, we can better understand Christ's sacrifice for us.

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A Student Prayer to Saint Anthony of Padua

O glorious St. Anthony divinely endowed with the learning of Saints. I desire to place my studies under Your protection. Guided by Your example I wish to draw all knowledge from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary.

With your assistance I will study to do my duty in a spirit of penance and with a pure intention. May the Father of light grant me through Your intercession a bright intellect, a sound judgment and a retentive memory.

Help me to study patiently, orderly and constantly to develop in me the gifts of God and always make good use of them according to His divine will.

O Dear St. Anthony, grant me to succeed in all my studies and examination if it be for the greater glory of God and the benefit of my soul. 

We discuss the first two commandments, and how honoring them is loving God both in thought and in word.

1. I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me. 

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 

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Opening Prayer from a Novena to St. Therese

Dearest Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. 

Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. 

Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. 

Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. 

Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. 

Loving God, you blessed St. Therese with a capacity for a great love. Help me to believe in your unconditional love for each of your children, especially for me. I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more! 

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  

Amen.

This is an extended episode about the first three chapters of Genesis.  Going through the text, we discuss the creation of Adam and Eve, their temptation, their sin and how that sin affects us today.  

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Opening prayer from Hail, Star of the Ocean (Ave Maris Stella)

Hail, O Star of the ocean, God's own Mother blest, ever sinless Virgin, gate of heav'nly rest.

Taking that sweet Ave, which from Gabriel came, peace confirm within us, changing Eve's name.

Break the sinners' fetters, make our blindness day, Chase all evils from us, for all blessings pray.

In this episode, we talk about the Bible.  Why read it?  How to read it?  How might Catholics interpret Scripture differently than other Christians? -- Prayer Before Reading the Bible O Lord Jesus Christ,  Open the eyes of my heart that I may hear the word, and understand and do your will, for I am a sojourner upon the Earth. Hide not your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of your Law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of your wisdom.   On you do I set my hope, O my God, that you shall enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of your knowledge; not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them.  

In this episode, we go over the basics of sin, including the types of sin, whom it hurts, and its effects.  To heal from the damage of sin, we have the sacrament of confession.  We talk about how to make a good confession and why is it so necessary to do on a regular basis.

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Prayer from Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, 

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.