Draw Near

In this episode we are joined by the co-host of the Outcast Catholic podcast, Fr Travis Crotty. In this "testimony" episode, we root our discussion in one of the foundational questions for our show: How has your encounter with Christ in the Eucharist changed your life? Of course, this is not merely a once in a life time encounter, because the Lord is always seeking to encounter us and pour out his love into our hearts; and inviting us to go deeper in that same love.

This invitation, found in the Eucharist, celebrated at every Mass, is the very source of stability that helped Fr Travis to overcome difficulty and suffering during his teenage years.

So what was it then that made him take up the call to the priesthood? To dedicate his life to helping others to encounter Christ in the Eucharist? It all began with some Baptist friends challenging him for his Catholic faith. This pressure was actually a catalyst for conversion to a deeper faith rooted in, the Eucharist. So many can give in to the temptation to slip away from the Catholic faith when challenged. Fr Travis provides a great example of how to respond in these situations.

How does one maintain a fervor and love for the Eucharist? How should understanding the reality of the Christ being present in the Eucharist shape the way we live our lives and approach the world around us? Listen to find out!

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

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Father Behm, as always, speaks truth with love helping us to Draw Near to God and grow in Christian charity. We are meant to be "with Jesus" through others NOT just to those outside our community on the occasionaly mission trip, but every day with our community. Mother Teresa once said when asked how to serve the poor, "Go home and love your family."

3 characteristics of Authentic Christian service:

_We are blessed to have Fr. Patrick Behm, has joined us as a guest contributor! We will be posting some of his homilies as bonus content, confident that they will provide some great spiritual nourishment! Check out our website (under the blog tab) to find more of his homilies from week to week! We will also (after Thanksgiving) have small group questions available for each homily!

Read the readings for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe here!

Click here to become a patron! Patrons are essentially "sponsors" and co-producers or Draw Near as it could not happen without them.

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page.

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

*Fr Patrick Behm does not receive any compensation for his contributions to Draw Near. *

Special Guest: Father Patrick Behm.

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In this episode, we reflect on the words of Jesus in John 6:25 - 70, and build on the foundation of God's own example of humility demonstrated in the Person of Jesus Christ (discussed in the previous episode). St Paul reminds us, "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." With that, he roots this encouragement in the example of the Lord's own humility. What does humility have to do with the Eucharist? How do we become one with Christ in the Eucharist? How do we live a Eucharistic life of humility? What should this "Eucharistic life of humility" look like? Listen to find out!

Philippians 2:1-11

1 Corinthians 13:4 - 7

Stay With Me - Prayer of St Padre Pio

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life,

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light,

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is,

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes;

It is getting late and death approaches,

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all it’s dangers. I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You,

Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart,

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Support Draw Near

"Who am I that you are mindful of me?" These are the words of Scripture reflecting on the human experience in relationship to God and his great love for, and His mindfulness of, each one of us. His Love is what holds us together. He is Creator of all the universe and yet he chooses to come and dwell among us in the Incarnation. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he becomes present in the Eucharist. Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity: He further humbles Himself that he may dwell in us in the form of bread and wine.

What can we learn about God's humility in reflecting on the "kenosis" (self-emptying) of God found in Phillipians 2? What can we learn from the examples of humility we find in the life of Christ? And how about the examples of humility in His Passion, Death and Resurrection? What is "true humility?" Finally, what does all of this have to do with the Eucharist? Listen to find out!

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

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Back by popular demand, enjoy the "dad joke" challenge. We have a rematch between Fred Shellabarger and Phillip Grothus, with Kara as the judge. Who do you think will take the title this time?

Check out the first judged "dad joke challenge" here.

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Support Draw Near

We are blessed to share that our good friend and frequent guest, Fr Patrick Behm, has joined us as a guest contributor! We will be posting some of his homilies as bonus content, confident that they will provide some great spiritual nourishment! Check out our website (under the blog tab) to find more of his homilies from week to week! We will also (after Thanksgiving) have small group questions available for each homily!

This week, Fr Behm continues his series on the Four Last Things with a homily on Heaven!

Read the readings for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time here!

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

*Fr Patrick Behm does not receive any compensation for his contributions to Draw Near. *

Support Draw Near

We are back! (Again)! We are back in the studio TOGETHER with a new episode! Here we share some updates on our lives, where we are and what God has been doing in our hearts and in our lives over the last month and a half. Very much the fruit of prayer, in this episode, we return to our Lectio Divina series and reflect on Genesis 16, the story of Hagar, and what we can be sure of in our relationship with God during dark, difficult and dry seasons.

One thing we are sure of... We don't know who needs to hear this, but if you are finding yourself in a place of feeling like life has just happened to you, maybe right now circumstances have presented themselves that leave you feeling bruised and broken, maybe even through no fault of your own, feeling like it's hard to get up, maybe you are tired, things seem too hard to fix, you are losing hope... If that is you, take courage! Take comfort. THERE IS A GOD WHO SEES!

He sees. He is with you. You may think He is far, but He has never been closer. Call out to Him!

Pray this prayer with us:

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Support Draw Near

We are blessed to share that our good friend and frequent guest, Fr Patrick Behm, has joined us as a guest contributor! We will be posting some of his homilies as bonus content, confident that they will provide some great spiritual nourishment! Check out our website (under the blog tab) to find more of his homilies from week to week! We will also have small group questions available for each homily!

This week, Fr Behm continues his series on the Four Last Things with a homily on Purgatory.

Read the readings for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time here!

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook!

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

*Fr Patrick Behm does not receive any compensation for his contributions to Draw Near. *

Support Draw Near

Continuing the discussion from the previous episode on the often heard statement, "Mass is boring," we thought it would be good to hear from a priest who celebrates Mass daily. What is his experience of the Holy Mass? What is his perspective on this? What potential obstacles to our participation in the Mass does he see and how might they be overcome? How might we enter into the sacred mystery of the Mass more fully engaged? Hear from our good friend, Fr Patrick Behm on this most important topic.

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Support Draw Near

Catholic Mass is beautiful! Absolutely. Heaven meeting earth. The angels join us in offering praise to the Lord. God Himself, our savior and Lord Jesus Christ is fully present. In the Scriptures, in each one of us gathered together, and even more profoundly, in the Eucharist. But... as many of us have heard... or even thought... it can also be boring. Is there shame in admitting that? Have you ever had that thought? As humans, we experience the world through our senses. But what if what we see, hear, and smell at Mass bores us? How can we enter into the Mass more fully? This is the topic we take up in this first episode of a two part series on, "Is Mass Boring?" 

Who are "Fred and Kara?" Find out by visiting our home page. Join the Draw Near Community Space on Suscipe.co

Click here to become a supporter/patron! "Like" and follow us on Facebook! You can even find us on Twitter. Book Fred and/or Kara to speak by visiting the Draw Near "booking page."

Like our podcast? Hit that “subscribe” button AND the notification button/bell to know when new episodes are posted! Give us a rating! Leave a review! Tell your friends! Even more, pray for us!

Draw Near Theme © Fred Shellabarger & Kara Kardell

Support Draw Near