December 13, 2014

In this episode:

"Blessed are They": Our Lady of Guadalupe and Mary's Spiritual Motherhood

"Among Women" Guest: Mary Matheus

This week we look at Mary's spiritual maternity, her spiritual motherhood of the Church and of us! In our Blessed Our They segment I share some of the magisterial teaching on Mary's spiritual maternity. In our Among Women segment, I speak with Mary Matheus, this year's Treasurer of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW). Together we talk about how the NCCW shines the light on the leadership of women in the Church and in the world.

The theme of spiritual motherhood is very dear to my heart, not only in terms of Mary's spiritual motherhood in my life, but the spiritual motherhood that we women can exercise spiritual maternity in example of Mary's role. She is the feminine genius par excellence, and I spend a few chapters on this subject in my book, Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious: Celebrating the Gift of Catholic Womanhood.

As a special additional feature of today's show, I'm sharing my keynote address to the NCCW's business meeting at their annual conventional from September 2013. Be sure to listen to that talk after the interview with Mary Matheus.

Links for this episode:

Vatican II's Lumen Gentium has a chapter on Mary

John Paul II's encyclical on Mary

St Pius X's encyclical on Mary

Fr Enrique Llamas' work on Mary that I quote is found in Mariology

National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW)

SQPN's Catholic Podcasts: Catholic Weekend, and The Break with Fr Roderick

Pat's book: Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious

Other resources on Our Lady of Guadalupe from my blog, The Back Porch:

Words from Pope Benedict's visit to Guadalupe

Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe – numerous links here.

Other shows of related interest:

AW 37: The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe's apparition to Juan Diego. This podcast also shares a lovely conversation about a Christmas miracle in a little boy's life in time for Christmas.

Reminders:

A drawing for Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious — Send your comments to Pat Gohn at [email protected], or to the Among Women podcast facebook page. This will be a random drawing for listeners with US mailing address. The contest will close on Dec 21, 2014.

This episode contains my best attempts at summarizing spiritual motherhood -- an aspect of the feminine genius that women are called to exercise in imitation of Mary, our spiritual mother. Also in this show, a conversation about the National Council of Catholic Women with Mary Matheus. Listen here.

November 24, 2014

This week's episode:

"Blessed are They": Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

"Among Women" Guest: Jean Heimann

This week we look at saints who can help us grow in specific virtues as told in the new book from Catholic Fire blogger Jean Heimann, Seven Saints for Seven Virtues. In this episode Jean Heimann and I will examine the lives of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta as a model of the virtue of charity, St John Paul II as a paragon of diligence, and St Augustine as an example of temperance. In our saint segment, I'll offer an excerpt from Heimann's book profiling Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's friendship with St. John Paul II.

Links for this episode:

Dates for the new liturgical year, starting with Advent

Jean Heimann's Catholic Fire blog

Jean Heimann's articles at New Evangelizers

Jean Heimann's book Seven Saints for Seven Virtues and Facebook page

Humanum – on the complementarity of man and woman. Great videos on marriage and the family.

Other shows of related interest:

AW 159: This show profiles some of the writings of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

AW 26: A bio of Mother Teresa, plus an interview with Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle, a friend of Mother Teresa

Reminders:

Send your comments to Pat Gohn at [email protected], or to the Among Women podcast facebook page.

Catholic Fire blogger and author Jean Heimann joins us for a look at how saints can inspire us toward virtue and away from vice. This show focuses on the lives of St John Paul II, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and St Augustine. Listen here.

October 30, 2014

This week's episode:

"Blessed are They": St Umilta (St Humility)

"Among Women" Guest: Leila Marie Lawler

This week we look at a keeping good company with Jesus in marriage and family life. After passing my 32nd wedding anniversary recently, I hope you don't mind if I opine at length on some of the wisdom I've gained from the graces found in the Sacrament of Matrimony. In keeping with the gift of the home and family life, I'm also thrilled to be sharing an extended conversation with author and blogger Leila Marie Lawler about the book she co-wrote with David Clayton, The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home. We discuss making prayer the center of your daily family life by establishing a home altar, or little oratory, as a place to start celebrating the gift of the liturgical year in our families.

This episode also introduces the inspirations from the little known mystic-saint, St Umilta (or St Humility).

Links for this episode:

Pat Gohn: "On Faith, Grace, Sex, Kids, and Love after Three Decades"

Incandescence: 365 Readings with Women Mystics by Carmen Butcher

The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler

Like Mother Like Daughter, blog with Leila Marie Lawler

The Way of Beauty, blog by David Clayton

Other shows of related interest:

AW 5: A very early episode that introduces ways mothers can join in prayer with other mothers

AW 54: Living the liturgical year

AW 77: A special edition on Prayer – listen as AW listeners talk about why prayer is important to them

AW 128: Praying with Times and Seasons – Daria Sockey introduces praying with the Liturgy of the Hours (the Divine Office)

Reminders:

Enter the drawing for to receive a signed copy of The Little Oratory! Send your name and comments to Pat Gohn at [email protected], or to the Among Women podcast facebook page. Or leave your feedback in the comment box below. All entries must be received by midnight EST, November 10, 2014.

Explore prayer as the heart of a marriage and the heart of the home with inspiration and tips from Pat Gohn and Leila Marie Lawler, co-author of The Little Oratory. Listen here.

October 6, 2014

This week's episode:

"Blessed are They": St Anna Schaffer

"Among Women" Guest: Mary Ellen Barrett

This week we look at the difficult subject of losing a child to death. My guest, blogger and Long Island Catholic columnist Mary Ellen Barrett, reflects on the fifth anniversary since the death of Ryan, her 14 year old son who died during a camping trip. The search for Ryan, who at first was thought to be lost, went on for many hours. Many, including myself, were glued to the internet for news of him during that time. Listeners familiar with this event will be encouraged by the musings and memories of Mary Ellen, his mother. Those uninitiated will be blessed by the faith of this Long Island family.

Mary Ellen and Ryan Barrett

Since this is Respect Life Month, Mary Ellen and I celebrate the life of Ryan — his Christian devotion even as a young boy with special needs — as well as the ups and downs that he faced in family life and elsewhere. We discuss the outpouring of support from near and far for this grieving family, plus offer tips for helping others facing a similar grief.

In our saint segment, I once again look at the life of St Anna Schaffer, whose life of prayer and acute physical suffering offers a witness to us for how to make our heartaches and pains a path of redemptive suffering.

Links for this episode:

Walk Humbly with Your God by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR

USCCB's Respect Life webpage

Magnificat magazine

Mary Ellen Barrett's blog: Tales from the Bonny Blue House

Best blog posts or articles about Ryan:

Ryan Barrett

The Only Gift I Can Give

The Triumph of the Cross

Yup, He's a Teenager

A Vocation for Ryan

Almost Twelve

Catholic Digest article on grief from Mary Ellen Barrett: "Grief: Does it Ever End?"

Seton Magazine article by Mary Ellen Barrett: "Life Gave Me A New Dream: My Autistic Son Ryan…"

LI Catholic articles from Mary Ellen Barrett

Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFRs)

The Art of Loving God by St Francis de Sales

Other shows of related interest:

AW 167: More on the life of St Anna Schaffer

AW 172: Grief educator Cheryl Amari with advice we call "Good Grief, God"

AW 129: Dealing with Miscarriage with author Karen Edmisten

AW 65: Talking with Catholic Chaplain Patti Harrison

Reminders:

Send your comments to Pat Gohn at [email protected], or to the Among Women podcast facebook page. Or find us on Twitter at @PatGohn or @among_women.

Kleenex alert: Listen to the profound grief and wisdom of a mother's heart as Catholic writer Mary Ellen Barrett opens her heart to offer thoughts and reflections five years after her son Ryan's death during a camp-out. This moving story will inspire hope and courage. Listen here.

September 26, 2014

This episode:

"Blessed are They": St Catherine of Siena

"Among Women" Guest: Michelle Ducker

This week, in our first segment, we look at a miraculous conversion story from the life of St Catherine of Siena wrought through the power of prayer. In a similar vein, in our second segment, we meet a modern woman with her own story of transformation.

Life with Jesus Christ has the power to change every aspect of our lives. University of Miami Campus Minister Michelle Ducker candidly shares her life and work in this extended interview. Michelle's story shows us that when we let Jesus do the heavy lifting, he'll heal our hearts and minds and bring us joy, truth, and true beauty — the kind that shines from the inside out! Michelle reflects on several years of her life, including her walking away from a modeling career, dealing with illness, and wrestling with body and self-image issues. Today she shares what she has overcome in and through Christ, and how she walks with others so that they may experience friendship in Christ, and discover true beauty and love.

Links for this episode:

Catherine of Siena by Singred Unsted

St Augustine Church and Catholic Student Center at University of Miami

Michelle Ducker suggests:

The Liturgy of the Hours

Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Newman Connection

Other shows of related interest:

AW 4: More on the biography of St Catherine (and here one of the early podcasts where I'm still a newbie in podcasting!)

AW 55: More on the biography of St Catherine

AW 144: A reading from the Dialogue of St Catherine

AW 125: yeah, St Catherine, again.

Reminders:

Send your comments to Pat Gohn at [email protected], or to the Among Women podcast facebook page. Follow @among_women and @PatGohn on Twitter, too! We love it when you leave a rating and a review of Among Women on iTunes.

This is a coming to Jesus story, bravely told by Michelle Ducker, a former model, now a campus minister from Florida, who shares how friendship with Jesus revealed her truest beauty -- inside and out! Plus a miraculous conversion wrought St Catherine of Siena. Listen here.