Catholic Momcast

This week, Fr. Willy Raymond, CSC, joins us for an inspiring conversation about Holy Cross Family Ministries founder, Venerable Patrick Peyton and his dedication to family prayer and especially the Rosary.

We talk about Fr. Peyton's cause for sainthood, his famous Rosary Rallies, and the global work he did to promote families praying together.

Fr. Willy also shares about PRAY, a newly-released documentary about the life of Fr. Patrick Peyton and the hopes we have for it to inspire families to pray together.

Join us for this fun conversation!

This week our guest is author and speaker and fellow podcaster Pat Gohn. Pat sits down with Danielle Bean to talk about some of her favorite saints and how the Rosary has become a peace-inspiring habit for her in her life.

Pat also shares some ideas for ways to make the Rosary real for kids, teaching them about the mysteries of the Rosary and about the power of intercessory prayer. Pat inspires us all to grow closer to Jesus through Mary, our heavenly mother.

Thanks for being part of today's show! Please share your questions and feedback with us any time. Connect on social media or send us an email at [email protected]

Our guest this week is Gretchen Crowe. Gretchen is editorial director for periodicals at OSV, where she oversees the publication of Our Sunday Visitor, the only national Catholic weekly newspaper in the United States. Her books are Why the Rosary, Why Now? and Praying the Rosary with St. John Paul II.

Gretchen sits down with Danielle Bean to discuss St. John  Paul II's approach to the Rosary and what we can learn from it. She also shares ideas for making the daily Rosary a habit and for introducing young children to praying the Rosary. Join us for an enlightening discussion!

All through the month of October, the month of the Rosary, we will be featuring stories about saints and the Rosary here on the Catholic Momcast.

On this week's show, Fr. Jim Phalan, CSC, returns to the podcast with Danielle Bean. Together, they discuss the story of St. Bernadette and how Mary helped prepare Bernadette for her FirstCommunion, and how she "homeschools" us through the Rosary.

Look for more stories from saints and more Rosary inspiration in the coming weeks!

This week, Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean walk through some of the CatholicMom content they have been enjoying lately. From the Sunday Gospel Activities to the Daily Gospel Reflections, from the blog posts on parenting, marriage, spirituality, work, and friendship, there are so many new and old things at CatholicMom that are designed to encourage and support you in your vocation to motherhood.

CatholicMom also offers many daily and weekly resources through social media, especially on our Facebook page with weekly hangouts and webinars and on Instagram. We would love to connect with you there!

Please also send us your feedback for this episode and let us know what topics you would like to see in future podcasts. You can email us at [email protected]. Thanks for being part of today's show!

Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean take on the topic of making prayer a daily habit. Do you struggle with this? What can help us establish good prayer habits and stick with them?

Finding time for personal prayer can be challenging for a busy mom. How can we set ourselves up for success, and what tools help to make daily prayer a reality?

Danielle recommends some books she has been enjoying recently:
The Better Part by Fr. John Bartunek and many books from Fr. Jacques Philippe. Allison shares about ways she likes to use the Hallow app as a support for daily prayer.

How about you? How has your personal prayer life changed over the years, or since becoming a mom? what challenges do you face when trying to make prayer a daily habit? Send us your feedback at [email protected] or connect with us on social media!

This week, Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean talk about why getting a good night's sleep is important -- and how you can go about getting the rest you need. 

We all know about staying up too late watching Netflix or reading a good book, only to regret it the next morning when the alarm rings. We also know about using cups of coffee or Diet Cokes to get us through our busy and stressful days. But is there a better way? Is there a way to better prioritize getting the rest you need -- even if you are a busy mom with little kids who need you day and night?

Allison and Danielle share their experiences with sleep, napping , staying up late, and going to bed early. They share ideas for getting the rest you need along with encouragement that we can and should prioritize caring for ourselves in this very basic way.

How about you? Do you have a bedtime? What helps you relax and get the rest you need? Send us an email or voicemail with your feedback on this topic, or others we have taken up here on the Catholic Momcast. We would love to hear from you!

Join Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean for a fun conversation about meal planning from two people who are NOT expert meal planners in any way. Let's talk about what meal planning looks like in the real world!

Together, they share ideas for budget-friendly, time-saving nutritious meals that your family will actually eat. 

One of many resources mentioned is the recipe blog of CatholicMom Barb Szyszkiewicz, FranciscanMom.com

And Danielle shares a Google doc with links to many recipes she enjoys: Everyday Dinners

How about you? Do you like to plan meals for your family, or is this a challenge for you? We would love to hear your perspectives in the comments. Let us know what you think!

This week, Allison shares the story of how she came to adopt her daughter, Faith, from China years ago. She walks us through the moment when she and her husband first considered the idea of adoption, to the years of prayer and research that ultimately led them to find an agency that matched them with Faith, the little girl they were waiting for and who was waiting for them!

There were many trials and struggles along the way, but each step brought them closer to God and taught them to grow in trust. 

The inspiring quotation Allison shares from St. Faustina is from this passage in her diary:

January 14, 1937. Today, Jesus entered my room wearing a bright robe and girded with a golden belt, His whole figure resplendent with great majesty. He said, My daughter, why are you giving in to thoughts of fear? I answered, "O Lord, You know why." And He said, Why? "This work frightens me. You know that I am incapable of carrying it out." And He said, Why? "You see very well that I am not in good health, that I have no education, that I have no money, that I am an abyss of misery, that I fear contacts with people. Jesus, I desire only You. You can release me from this." And the Lord said to me, My daughter, what you have said is true. You are very miserable, and it pleased Me to carry out this work of mercy precisely through you who are nothing but misery itself. Do not fear; I will not leave you alone. Do whatever you can in this matter; I will accomplish everything that is lacking in you. You know what is within your power to do; do that. The Lord looked into the depth of my being with great kindness; I thought I would die for joy under that gaze. The Lord disappeared, and joy, strength and power to act remained in my soul. But I was surprised that the Lord did not want to release me and that He is not changing anything He has once said. And despite all these joys, there is always a shadow of sorrow. I see that love and sorrow go hand in hand.  (Diary, 881) 

Thank you for being part of today's show. We love to hear from you! Please send us your feedback at [email protected] or connect with us through social media.

Are you struggling to say goodbye to a big kid who is leaving for college, starting a new job, getting married, or otherwise beginning a life of their own?

Allison Gingras and Danielle Bean talk about the "Goodbye Season" that many parents go through this time of year.

This year is extra challenging for some, and maybe not a "goodbye" at all, because of complications of Covid. Allison shares how her oldest sons are still at home these days, but she is still being called to "let go" of control in their lives in various ways.

Danielle shares how some of her kids are going back to school and the ways that shifts in the family dynamic present new challenges, blessings, and opportunities. 

Both women discuss their approach to a new stage of family life where we may find ourselves called to new work and new ways to live out our vocations as Catholic mothers.

Join us for this enlightening conversation! Let us know what this season looks like in your home and family. What unique joys and challenges are you facing these days? We love to hear from you! Send us an email at [email protected] or connect with us on Instagram or Facebook.