How can the wives of our brave soldiers cope with the stresses of life as their husbands leave to defend our great nation? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they speak with Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle to discuss the difficulties that accompany being a military wife and the hope that is offered through Our Lord and His Church.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What inspired Donna-Marie to write this book for military wives?
• What kind of struggles do military wives face?
• What is survivor's guilt?
• How do the stories of military wives who have gone through these struggles help others in their time of need?
• How does the book offer hope to those suffering from war wounds, whether physical, emotional or mental?
• How is prayer integrated into this book?
• What is the Military Council for Catholic Women?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Sophia Institute Press
• By Dawn's Early Light by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
• www.donnamariecooperoboyle.com - Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle's website
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they answer questions from listeners about the sacrament of reconciliation.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What differentiates the purgative, illuminative, and unitive stages of the interior life?
• Why must one go to confession if he or she is detached from habitual mortal and venial sin?
• What is the purpose or benefit of confessing venial sins frequently?
• What argument does Venerable Pope Pius XII make in favor of frequently confessing venial sins in his encyclical, Mystici Corporis Christi?
• When one reaches the "active night of the senses," is he or she free from habitual venial sin?
• Is is possible to be truly free from attachment to habitual mortal and venial sin?
• What should one do if he or she leaves the confessional feeling attacked, judged, or neglected?
• Should we go to a regular confessor to benefit most from confession?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
• Mystici Corporis Christi - Encyclical of Venerable Pope Pius XII on the Mystical Body of Christ
• Deliverance Prayers: For Use by the Laity by Fr. Chad Ripperger, PhD
• Text "get" to 38470 for an Examination of Conscience
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

What's wrong with leaving Mass after communion? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they speak with Christopher Carstens to discuss the best response to the dismissal.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What is the significance of the dismissal at Mass?
• To what degree will we be changed spiritually if we open our hearts and minds to Jesus as we receive Him in the Eucharist?
• What is the benefit of preparing for the different parts of the Mass and truly understanding the meaning behind each word and action of the priest and the faithful?
• How can we experience the riches of the Mass more fully on a week-to-week basis?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Sophia Institute Press
• A Devotional Journey into the Mass by Christopher Carstens
• Adoremus Bulletin
• The Liturgy Guys - podcast
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they answer questions from listeners about infused contemplation, recollection and desolation.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What is contemplation?
• What is the difference between natural and infused contemplation?
• What is the difference between acquired recollection and infused recollection?
• What do you do when spiritual reading is no longer joyful?
• Should the realization of one's sinfulness cause desolation?
• Once we receive the gift of infused contemplation, where do we go from there? How do we share this complete and consuming love?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila
• "The Avila Summit" Information and Registration
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

How can we receive the Eucharist in the most holy way? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they speak with Christopher Carstens to discuss the humility necessary to receive the precious Body and Blood of our Lord during Mass.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• When receiving the Holy Eucharist, what is the best virtue to exhibit in order to become saintly?
• How does humility bring us into a more full participation in the Eucharist?
• Why is the prayer of the centurion the response of the faithful during the Liturgy of the Eucharist?
• Why do we fast before receiving the Eucharist? Should we begin fasting an hour before Mass begins or an hour before receiving our Lord?
• What does it mean for Jesus to "wonder" at the centurion's faith?
• How should we respond to Jesus longing to share his precious Body and Blood with us?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Sophia Institute Press
• A Devotional Journey into the Mass by Christopher Carstens
• Adoremus Bulletin
• The Liturgy Guys - podcast
• 1Corinthians 11:27 
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

How is it that the Holy Trinity dwells within each individual soul? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they discuss Divine Intimacy, Meditation #222 about why God chooses to dwell within the souls of His beloved creation.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• "Jesus not only came to reveal the mystery of the Blessed Trinity, but also to establish the ties of closest friendship between our souls and the three divine persons." ~ Divine Intimacy, Meditation #222.
• How can the Trinity dwell within us?
• What spiritual conditions open our hearts to the Triune God?
• Why does St. Teresa of Avila describe the soul as a garden?
• What makes the soul of each individual so beautiful to God?
• Why does Fr. Gabriel emphasize the virtue of charity as a crucial step to allowing God access to the soul?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
• Into the Deep: Finding Peace through Prayer by Dan Burke
• The Better Part by Fr. John Bartunek
• Elizabeth of the Trinity: A Life of Praise to God by Sr. Giovanna della Croce
• "The Avila Summit" Information and Registration
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Why is the Eucharistic Prayer one of the most active times during the liturgy? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they speak with Christopher Carstens to discuss how the faithful become bridge builders along with the priest to offer up our sacrifices during the Mass.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What do the faithful misunderstand most about participating in the Eucharistic Prayer?
• How is the congregation called to participate during the Eucharistic Prayer?
• Does praying in the vernacular assist the faithful in their participation in the Eucharistic prayer?
• What is the meaning of the term, "pontifex"?
• Why are the faithful considered "ponifex minimus"?
• Why does the priest ask God to "accept" his sacrifice and ours rather than to "take" it? 
• What can we do on a practical level to implement this participation in the Mass in a more meaningful way?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Sophia Institute Press
• A Devotional Journey into the Mass by Christopher Carstens
• Adoremus Bulletin
• The Liturgy Guys - podcast
• Presentation on Sacred Music by Fr. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B.
• "The Avila Summit" Information and Registration
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Join Melissa Elson as she speaks with Connie Rossini about Fr. Jacques Philippe's book, Time for God focusing on ways that we can enter into and sustain a deep and meaningful prayer life.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• How important is perseverance in prayer and why?
• What role does the Holy Spirit play in one's prayer life?
• What should meditation look like according to Fr. Philippe?
• Should we only read Sacred Scripture during our mental prayer time or can we use other spiritual reading?
• If our hearts are moved by a particular reading during our prayer time, but we must end our prayer time before we have finished reflecting on the reading, should we return to that same reading during our next mental prayer time?
• What does St. John of the Cross have to say about the cause of "dryness" in prayer?
• What is the Jesus prayer and why does Fr. Philippe mention it?
• How can the rosary act as a great tool for meditation?
• At what age should one introduce children to mental prayer?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Time for God by Fr. Jacques Philippe
• Authentic Contemplative Prayer - Connie Rossini's Facebook Group
• The Contemplative Rosary by Dan Burke and Connie Rossini
• Is Centering Prayer Catholic? by Connie Rossini
• "The Avila Summit" Information and Registration
• Text "summit2018" to 38470 to save $50 on registration to The Avila Summit.
• The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Why are youth ministry programs failing to make lifelong disciples of our young people? Join Melissa Elson as she speaks with Everett Fritz about his book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples, to discover how we can change our youth programs to effectively impact the next generation of Catholics.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• What was the motivation to write this book?
• What are some current approaches to youth ministry?
• Specifically, what is the "Sermon on the Mount" approach? 
• What are the five basic needs of teenagers today?
• Why are Catholic schools failing in their formation of young people?
• What should youth programs look like in our parishes?
• Why is the need for guidance so important for teenagers?
• How difficult is it to start small group ministry at our parishes?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• Sophia Institute Press
• The Art of Forming Young Disciples by Everett Fritz
• Text "summit2018" to 38470 for $50 off registration to The Summit Event, July 13 - 15, 2018 in Hanceville, Alabama.
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

Where should we pray and how much time should we spend in prayer? Join Dan Burke and Melissa Elson as they speak with Connie Rossini about Fr. Jacques Philippe's book, Time for God and how to determine the best circumstances for your daily prayer experience.

Topics/Questions Covered in the Show:

• How can one benefit from having a designated prayer space in his or her home?
• How can icons or spiritual objects help us during our mental prayer time?
• Should children use the same prayer space as their parents, or should they have their own space?
• How can we establish a prayer time if our vocational obligations are unpredictable?
• Why do we need to be consistent in prayer?
• How much time should we allot for prayer each day?
• How can mothers specifically incorporate prayer time into their busy schedules?
• Can our time in prayer vary from week to week or should we remain consistent?

Resources:

• Spiritualdirection.com - website
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Religious Catalogue - online
• Time for God by Fr. Jacques Philippe
• Authentic Contemplative Prayer - Connie Rossini's Facebook Group
• The Contemplative Rosary by Dan Burke and Connie Rossini
• Is Centering Prayer Catholic? by Connie Rossini
• "The Avila Summit" Information and Registration
• Text "summit2018" to 38470 to save $50 on registration to The Avila Summit.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 - USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).