By Father Michael O'Loughlin and Mother Natalia
A Byzantine Catholic Podcast about Divine Mystery [email protected]
On today's episode, Fr. Michael reflects on his recent trip to the Holy Land. He talks about community found in our faith and seeking the truth. Fr. Michael talks about the different ways we can be led to the faith,...
On today's episode Fr. Michael talks about seeing good in the midst of negative interactions with people. He talks about how God created everything good and how when we sin we're still seeking the good. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on...
Today Mother Natalia reflects on Pentecost, the return of praying the Heavenly King prayer, and kneeling and penance that is reintroduced after the celebration of Pentecost. Plus we’ve got a mini-topic on angels! Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and...
This week Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia talk about prayer. Mother Natalia talks a little bit about what the term "spousal prayer" means at her monastery. We talk about the "outcome" of prayer and advancing in prayer. References: Beginning to Pray by...
This week Mother Natalia talks about healing, living in the present moment, and allowing Our Lord to work in the present reality. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads Group Fr. Michael's Twitter Christ the Bridegroom...
This week Father Michael links the story of the loaves and the fishes to the story of the Samaritan woman. He talks about how we can see God working in our lives and differentiating that from the "work that we're...
Today we're joined by special guest, Barry Alvord, father of Beth from our media team. Barry talks about a time in his life when he experienced three big crises, how he realized he was struggling with negative thoughts, and how...
Today's episode was inspired by a talk on Fellowship that Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia gave for God with Us Online. Fr. Michael uses today's episode to talk about all the stuff they didn't have time for in that talk....
Today's episode is a recording of the talk Mother Natalia gave at the SoCal Byzantine Retreat Day in March. Mother Natalia talks about the promises God makes to us and that He fulfills His promises. She uses the scripture of...
Today Fr. Michael talks about shame, the causes of it and what we can do to prevent it. We talk about how Jesus approaches us in our sin, looking to cover our shame but not hide our sin, and how...
This week Fr. Michael talks about how we're all called to live authentic Catholic lives, striving for salvation of souls and not necessarily "checking the Catholic boxes". He specifically talks about how parish priests and monastics can help the laity...
Father Michael and Mother Natalia recorded this episode live in California! On today’s episode they talk about the longing Israel had for God to fulfill His promises, and how we also have desires God longs to fulfill. Our aches and...
This week Mother Natalia continues with her topic of goodness from her last episode, and uses a homily as a jumping off point to talk about gifts. The homily followed the reading about Noah and the flood, and talked about...
This week Fr. Michael is joined by special guest, Fr. Nathan Symeon. Fr. Nathan and Fr. Michael walk through the readings for that Sunday and talk about the themes they're hearing in the readings which they use for a homily....
This week Mother Natalia reflects on goodness and our inherit goodness given to us from God. She talks about the ways in which we are less than human when we do not choose the good and the ways that our...
Today we're joined by special guest Pauline Meert. Pauline is the co-founder of Sophia Montessori Academy in Denver, Colorado. Pauline gives some practical suggestions of engaging kids in church, how our expectations should change for the children based on their...
This week Mother Natalia talks about ways she's encountered God and His joy, despite going through a very hard time in her life. She talks about her grandmother's funeral and how that impacted her and her family, and she vulnerably...
In today's episode Father Michael reflects on homilies for our pre-Lenten gospels, Zacchaeus Sunday and the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. The homilies are ones he's given as well as homilies given by other priests. References: Byzantine Gospel Reflections Searching for...
Today we're joined by special guest, Hannah Crane. Hannah is one of Mother Natalia's spiritual daughters. Hannah talks with honesty about the reality of living a holy marriage and what it's like to raise children. Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on...
Today's episode was recorded at SEEK23. This week we're joined by special guest, Cameron Fradd, from the Among the Lilies podcast. Fr. Michael and Cameron discuss how Cameron continues to learn what it means to be “child-like” through the raising...
On today's episode Mother Natalia takes a listener question on Ecumenism. We talk about some practicalities around ecumenism and the good desire for unity with others outside the Catholic faith. Mother Natalia also talks about the need for compassion as...
In today's episode Mother Natalia walks through two questions she's been reflecting on and challenges us to think about these same questions. At the very end she gives us homework - a third question to consider! References: John 1:34 John 4:1-42 (the woman...
This week we’re back with another episode recorded at SEEK23! This week Fr. Michael is joined by special guests Joseph and Cesca O’Loughlin. They talk about truth and beauty found in the church and Jesus, and how it is our job...
This week we're joined by special guest, Fr. Travis Crotty. Fr. Travis was recently named vocational director for the Diocese of Sioux City, as well as the chaplain of Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City. Fr. Travis joined Fr....
This week Mother Natalia talks about neediness and how it's necessary to be needy in our relationship with God. Mother Natalia talks about areas we can be needy, imitating children in their neediness, and how our need for fulfillment is...
This week Fr. Michael talks about miracles, and the daily miracles that happen in our lives. He talks about the ways in which we should seek out miracles, how we can ask for them, and then how to surrender even...
This week we're joined by special guest, James Parisi. James is a seminarian in the diocese of Cleveland. He offers a personal reflection he's had on Matthew 25, which includes how do we see and love Jesus in the people...
This week we're joined by special guest Shaylee O'Loughlin, Fr. Michael's niece! Shaylee talks about her experience as a new college student, the importance of making friends and getting a bit outside of your comfort zone, her love of music,...
This week we're joined by special guest Sister Onuphria, then Olivia. She talks about one of her favorite topics, naked saints! More specifically she talks about how their nakedness can remind us of the interior stripping we should do with...
This week Mother Natalia talks about surrender and surrendering to God's will. She talks about the need for direct surrender instead of passive surrender, and the reality of how hard it is to surrender to His will. References Arise O God: The...
This week Father Michael reflects on the call from Isaiah to expand the tent, which is reflected in the Church's Synod on Synodality. We talk about how it is important to be in relationship with people, even those who are...
We're so excited to have been invited by FOCUS to record an episode ahead of SEEK23! On today's episode, Mother Natalia walks through St. John Paul II’s apostolic letter, Orientale Lumen, The Light of the East. This apostolic letter is...
We're back with part 2 of the eight evil thoughts. This week Mother Natalia covers anger, dejection/sloth, listlessness/acedia, vainglory, and pride. References: Part One: Three of Eight Evil Thoughts The Philokalia Antirrhetikos (or Talking Back) by Evagrius Time and Despondency by Nicole Roccas Follow and Contact...
This week we talk about three of the eight evil thoughts: gluttony, lust, and avarice. Mother Natalia gives some background on how the eight evil thoughts came into the common understanding and how they relate to the seven deadly sins....
Today we're joined by special guest, Fr. Boniface Hicks! Fr. Boniface is a Benedictine monk from St. Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania. In today's episode we talk about humility, both what it is and what it isn't. We talk about some...
This week Father Michael talks about the wrestling and grappling with God that we must undertake daily as part of our Christian life. References: For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann Gen 32: 22 - 32 Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on...
This week Fr. Michael reflects on four saints that inspire him to holiness and persistence despite the perceived dangers or negative perceptions from the world. Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia reflect on the inspiration these saints bring and how we...
This week we're joined by special guest Matt Fradd of Pints with Aquinas. Mother Natalia talks about our online interactions and the way we perceive and interact with people online vs in-person. This topic is an extension of some of...
This week’s episode starts as a mini topic and then becomes a full blown topic! This week Father Michael takes a listener question on vocations and talks about how we can each live out our call within the church. Father...
On this week’s episode Mother Natalia talks about running and how different experiences of a run can equate to experiences in our spiritual life. References Into Great Silence (Trailer) Follow and Contact Us! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook We're on YouTube! Join our Goodreads...
This week we have another in-person, live episode, this time with many guests! Father Michael talks about feasting and fasting, and how they're both intertwined. We have a few guests talk about memories of their favorite feasts. References Live IG Recording For the...
This week Mother Natalia talks about her retreat and the fruits of her retreat. She talks about how this retreat helped her learn or relearn to “just be” with Jesus, not necessarily learning anything, or having a divine revelation, but...
This week we're joined by special guests Fr. Nathan Symeon and his wife Ali. Fr. Nathan Symeon and Ali talk about married priesthood from their own perspective and experience. They talk about the joys and struggles, and ultimately how this...
This week we're joined by several special guests who participated in an escape room with Mother Natalia and Father Michael. Mother Natalia reflects on how they each reacted within the escape room (one of those haunted house type ones), and...
This week Mother Natalia and Father Michael are joined by two special guests, Mother Gabriella from Christ the Bridegroom Monastery and Natalie Bishay, a Coptic Orthodox since birth. Natalie shares some of the beauties of Coptic Orthodoxy, including their mentality...
This week Fr. Michael and Mother Natalia do a "reaction audio" of the canon for the Dormition of the Theotokos. They talk about the links back to the stories of the Old Testament, the paradox of Christian life that's talked...
This week Fr. Michael uses Aristotle's writings to talk about the three types of friend in preparation for an article he's writing on friendship. He talks about the three types of friends, examples of how those friendships can be seen...
This week we're joined by special guest, Fr. Travis! In today's episode, Mother Natalia reflects on Romans 12 where St. Paul describes the marks of a true Christian. Mother Natalia talks about some practicalities in interacting with others, those that...
This week Fr. Michael recaps his recent time in the Holy Land where he was the chaplain for a 10 day pilgrimage. He talks about the areas they traveled, where the Lord spoke to him in prayer, and being inspired...
This week Father Michael talks about the difference between men and women, the wholistic beauty of the human person, and how Mary epitomizes everything which is good and beautiful about women. It's an interesting one! References The Final Homily Gates of Fire by...