What do we do when we don’t know what will happen next? In today's episode, we reflect on how to step into the unknown with faith, trust and surrender.   A special thanks to Mark, our producer, and Elizabeth Slaten, the Director of Communications for the Diocese of Tyler, for all of your hard work in making this podcast possible.  

Fr. Steven Chabarria (priest of the Diocese of Tyler) joins us for a discussion on the Holy Father’s newest encyclical, Dilexit Nos (He Loved Us). Father Chabarria gives us a basic overview of the purpose of this document and then guides us through a brief discussion on each chapter. 

Sister Josephine Garrett joins us for a conversation about the Epidemic of Loneliness and how healthy communities can offer a solution. She offers practical suggestions for how families can build community in their parishes, and discusses the difference between healthy and unhealthy communities.   Show Notes:  Listen to Sister Josephine’s podcast: Hope Stories  For more information about the Diocesan Women’s Retreat on March 29, 2025 please visit www.dioceseoftyler.org/womensretreat. Early Bird Registration ends January 14th!   

The 2025 Jubilee Year will begin in Rome on December 24, 2024, and in local dioceses on Sunday, December 28th. Jubilee Years are significant moments in the life of the Church, but what does it mean for our families? In today’s episode we talk about practical ways to celebrate the Jubilee Year within our families and what this year could mean for you personally.      Show Notes:  Information about the Jubilee Year & Handouts for Families for the Diocese of Tyler: https://www.dioceseoftyler.org/jubilee/  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Jubilee Celebration Calendar 

Fr. Justin Braun (Pastor of Sacred Heart in Texarkana and Vocations Director) joins us for a conversation about family missionary discipleship. Father helps us understand what missionary discipleship is, what it looks like for families and very practical ways we can live this out within our homes and parishes. We also how parishes can support families in their mission to go out into the world.     Show Notes:  Other episodes with Fr. Braun:  What is a Marriage Catechumenate? (Part 2)  How to Have a Happy Death  How I Fell in Love with the Eucharist  Vatican document referenced by Fr. Braun: The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church  Join us for the 2025 Diocesan Women’s Retreat on March 29th! Learn more about this event by visiting www.dioceseoftyler.org/womensretreat. 

We had so much fun talking with Katie Sciba about Catholic Minimalism that we invited her back for a "Part 2"! Today we talk with Katie about Holy Simplicity—we review what that means regarding our homes, and then we do a deep dive on Holy Simplicity at the spiritual level.    Show Notes:  Previous Episode with Katie: Catholic Minimalism & Holy Simplicity   Learn more about Katie Sciba at www.katiesciba.com   Listen to her podcast: Two Coins Culture  Katie’s YouTube Channel: @katiescibaspeaker 

Fr. Bowlin joins us for Part 2 of our conversation about spiritual healing. We discuss practical ways of getting started on this journey, and things to keep in mind along the way.     Show Notes:  Podcasts mentioned: Restore the Glory Podcast; Every Knee Shall Bow (Spiritual Warfare Series)  Books mentioned: The Liber Christo Method; The Lord of the Rings   Other episodes with Fr. Bowlin:  Spiritual Healing (Part 1)  Families & The Spiritual Battle  Introduction to the Domestic Monastery  St. Joseph: Husband, Father, Worker, Saint    Is there a topic you’d like us to discuss before the podcast ends this year? Let us know in the comments or email us at djohnston@dioceseoftyler.org. 

Katie Weiss is the founder and Executive Director of Behold, a program built to give women the skills needed to pray using Visio Divina. We spoke with Katie about what Visio Divina is and how to use this method of prayer. We also discussed Behold’s newest book “Grieving with Hope,” a prayer book for mothers who have experienced miscarriage.     Show Notes:  Website: https://www.beholdvisiodivina.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behold.visiodivina/   Resources from Behold: Steps to Visio Divina  Pre-order the book Grieving with Hope: Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss here: https://www.beholdvisiodivina.com/product-page/grieving-with-hope-a-companion-for-mothers-pre-order  The Given Institute  

Father Bowlin of the Diocese of Tyler joins us to talk about spiritual healing and the practical tools needed when dealing with our wounds.      Show Notes:  Podcast mentioned: Restore the Glory Podcast   Book mentioned: The Temperament God Gave You    Other episodes with Father Bowlin:  Families & The Spiritual Battle  Introduction to the Domestic Monastery  St. Joseph: Husband, Father, Worker, Saint    Do you have questions or something you would like us to cover in Part 2? Email Deanna at djohnston@dioceseoftyler.org! 

In today’s episode we talk with Katie Sciba about “Catholic Minimalism” and how this idea of holy simplicity can transform our homes as well as our spiritual lives. She offers very practical suggestions on how to get started make space for the gifts God wants us to receive.     Show Notes:  Learn more about Katie Sciba at www.katiesciba.com. Listen to her podcast: Two Coins Culture  

Our parting conversation with Dr. Luke Arredondo about the Eucharistic Revival through the lens of Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen.     Show Notes:  The Hour That Makes My Day (chapter from Sheen’s autobiography).  Watch keynote talks from the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress here. Learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival here.  

Did you know a Eucharistic Revival is happening in the United States? In today’s episode we discuss the recent National Eucharistic Congress, what it means to have a “Eucharistic Revival” moment in the USA and practically speaking what this means for us as individuals and as families.     Learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival by visiting eucharisticrevival.org.   Learn more about the 4 Routes of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage     More Episodes on the Eucharist and Eucharistic Devotion:  Eucharist: Heart of the Domestic Church  A Practical Guide to Bringing Your Kids to Mass  How I Fell In Love with the Eucharist (with Fr. Justin Braun)  From the St. Philip Institute Podcast:  What does the Catechism Teach About the Eucharist?  How is Christ Present in the Eucharist?  The Structure and Parts of the Mass 

Emily Frase from Total W(h)ine joins us in the studio to talk about discernment, vocation, motherhood, and everything in between! This was a fun conversation, and encourages us to reflect on the question: “What makes you come alive?”    Emily’s Websites: totalwhine.com; fabmbase.org  Listen to Emily’s Podcast: The Total Whine Podcast  Follow Emily on Instagram: @totalwhine_ ; @fabmbase    Other Episodes with Emily Frase: “Reframing the Conversation on NFP” “Not Your Grandma’s NFP” 

In today’s episode we are sharing Heather Khym’s powerful keynote talk from our "They That Wait" Women’s Retreat, which was held on March 23, 2024 here in the Diocese of Tyler.  Save the date for next year’s event: March 29, 2025! To see pictures from this year’s retreat, go here.  Go here to learn more about Heather’s ministry:  liferestoration.ca abidingtogetherpodcast.com Twitter: @abidingpodcast Instagram: @heatherkhym YouTube: Abiding Together Podcast 

In today’s episode we are sharing Regina Boyd’s talk from our "They That Wait" Women’s Retreat, which was held on March 23, 2024 here in the Diocese of Tyler.  Save the date for next year’s event: March 29, 2025! To see pictures from this year’s retreat, go here.  Buy Regina’s book: Leaving Loneliness Behind: 5 Keys to Experiencing God's Love and Building Healthy Connections with Others  Follow Regina on Instagram (@boydcounselingservices)! 

In today's episode we are sharing Rachel Bulman’s talk from our "They That Wait" Women’s Retreat which was held on March 23, 2024 here in the Diocese of Tyler.  Save the date for next year’s event: March 29, 2025! To see pictures from this year’s retreat, go here.  Rachel Bulman is a wife, mother of six, speaker, and author. She enjoys seeking truth, finding beauty, rediscovering the goodness in all things; and answering the call to holiness through her life as a beloved daughter of God. She served as the editor for With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life (Word on Fire, 2022) and Becoming Wife: Saying Yes to More Than the Dress (Our Sunday Visitor, 2023). Find more of her work at RachelBulman.com.  Follow Rachel on Instagram (@rachelbulman)!  

What does it mean to totally surrender to the will of God? In today’s episode we discuss passages from the book Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence and the practical ways we can live this out.    Show Notes:  Book: Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness by Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint Jure, S.J. & Saint Claude de la Colombiere, S.J.  Surrender Novena: https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-surrender-novena/. 

We’re launching Season 5 of the podcast with a conversation on “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:11). What does it mean to “be still” and enter into prayer with the Lord when life is busy? We discuss common obstacles to prayer (especially as moms) and how we can still have fruitful and intimate prayer lives with the Lord in different seasons of our vocation.   Scripture:  “Be still and know that I am God.”- Psalm 46:11 “The Lord himself will fight for you, you need only to be still.”- Exodus 14:14 The Calming of the Storm at Sea- Mark 4:35-41  From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  Prayer as God's gift (par. 2559): "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought" are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer.     Save the Date: Diocese of Tyler Women’s Retreat Saturday March 29, 2025

On our final episode of 2023 we spend time discussing chapters 6-8 of “Hope: An Invitation” by Sister Josephine Garrett.  We discuss Mary’s role in our walk with Christ, revisit the theme of the “Slow Work of God” and how this call to hope in the Lord helps us especially now in the Advent season.     Show Notes:  You can get your copy of Hope: An Invitation at OSV or Amazon.  Download the free reflection guide here. Also: An Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  

We are continuing our Fall Book Series of “Hope: An Invitation” by Sister Josephine Garrett. This week we are discussing chapters 3-5 which focus on types of discernment, the importance of community, and the role of the Saints in our lives.     Show Notes:  You can get your copy of Hope: An Invitation at OSV or Amazon.  Download the free reflection guide and reading schedule here.