He Leadeth Me

In this episode, Fr. Richard McNeillie joins Jessica to talk about "The Art of Loving," a series of conferences given by Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare movement. 

Fr. Richard and Jessica discuss 4 key principles from Chiara's teaching on how to love others the way God loves us, including:

• Love everyone- not just those who are similar to you
• Be the first to love
• Make yourself one with others
• See Jesus in others

Listen to this episode and learn how to fulfill Jesus' command to "love one another as I have loved you."

Fr. Richard McNeillie was ordained in 2015 and currently serves the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as Director of Vocations.

In this episode, liturgical expert Chris Carstens joins Jessica to unpack the theology of the wedding Mass. 

Jess and Chris discuss:

• The first thing a couple should remember when planning their wedding Mass is that it's not about them!
• Should the dad walk the bride down the aisle or should the couple walk down the aisle together?
• Why Catholics get married in a Church rather than on the beach
• Understanding vows and consent
• And much more!

Chris Carstens is the Director of Worship in the Diocese of La Crosse, a visiting faculty member of the Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL, and the Editor of Adoremus Bulletin. Chris lives in Soldiers Grove, WI, with his wife and children.

In this second episode of our series on engagement, Angela Schnieders joins Jessica to talk about the theological symbolism and practicals of shopping for a wedding dress. Angela and Jess discuss:

• The symbolism of the wedding dress as clothing for liturgy
• Standards for modesty
• Practicals for wedding dress shopping

Angela Schnieders is a wife, mother, FOCUS alumna, and Certified Strategist with The Wholeness School, a human formation program for women. She is also an internationally recognized speaker and Co-Founder of New Eden Strategies. Angela resides with her husband and children in Montana. You can check out her website here: https://billandangela.com/

Angela Schnieders was also a guest on He Leadeth Me for an episode on the virtue of modesty. You can check out that episode here: Modesty Matters: Communicating Inner Grace and Dignity

In this first episode of our engagement series, John and Katelyn Bishop join Jessica to offer some spiritual advice for engaged couples. 

John, Katelyn, and Jess discuss:

• How a dating couple can know when they are ready to get engaged
• What to do if one person in the couple is ready to get engaged and the other is uncertain
• How to have positive interactions with parish staff when planning for the wedding ceremony
• Advice for spiritual growth during engagement

John Bishop currently serves FOCUS as Director of Formation. He has been with FOCUS for 9 years, serving on the Missions Team and Formation Team. John holds a doctorate in Moral and Systemic Theology from the Catholic University of America. John recently founded a new ministry called Forge, an organization that fights for the family. Forge conducts research and offers education and discipleship. John serves as Forge's Executive Director.

Katelyn Bishop worked for FOCUS for 3 years and now serves as a spiritual director for FOCUS missionaries. Katelyn is the Executive Director of the Bishop household and is expecting their 3rd baby.

FOCUS Director of Formation Travis Todd joins Jessica today to talk about his discernment to transition from being a campus missionary to working at the FOCUS Headquarters (DSC). Travis and Jess discuss:

• How do you know when it's time to leave campus?
• Ways to experience divine intimacy and live mission in an office setting
• Advice for those transitioning from being a student or a campus missionary into the workforce

Travis Todd is a convert to Catholicism and has worked for FOCUS for 17 years. Travis served 9 years as a campus missionary and team director before accepting a role at the FOCUS Denver Support Center. He currently serves as Director of Formation. Travis resides in Arvada, Colorado, with his wife, Rebecca, and 7 children.

As part of our series on sanctifying daily work, Jess sits down with FOCUS alum and small business owner Joe Henkels to talk about the spiritual lessons God has taught him through entrepreneurship. 

Joe and Jess discuss:

• How fundraising as a FOCUS missionary increased his trust in God's providence and prepared him to take the risk of starting a small business
• The 4 benefits of business activity according to Pope Pius XII
• The moral qualities necessary for an entrepreneur
• And much more!

Joe Henkels is a former FOCUS missionary and owner of Lady Blue Coffee, a retail and wholesale coffee company. You can check out Lady Blue's website here: Lady Blue Coffee

In this episode, Nathan Stanley, Senior Director of Talent and Leadership Development, joins Jessica to talk about sanctifying your daily work. Jess and Nathan discuss:

• How the early Christians evangelized through their work
• Why you should always have a plan for your workday
• How to overcome temptations from "the noonday devil"
• The contemporary debate about the 40 hour work week

Nathan Stanley serves FOCUS as Senior Director of Talent and Leadership Development. He resides in Denver with his wife, Lauren, and their three energetic children.

Want to revitalize your spiritual life? Try going on a mission trip! In this episode, Elizabeth Phillips and Ryan Noll, missionaries who serve FOCUS on the Missions team, join Jessica to talk about mission trips. Jess, Elizabeth, and Ryan discuss:

• How encountering Christ in the poor can transform your daily prayer
• How the adventure of a mission trip can be a catalyst for growth in virtue and trust in God
• Common objections to mission trips, including the question: Shouldn't I just send money?

Want to see where FOCUS is sending students and missionaries on mission trips to in this school year? Check out the Missions website here: FOCUS Missions

ELizabeth Philipps is an eighth- year missionary with FOCUS. She served 5 years on campus at Omaha- Nebraska, Wayne State College, and Franciscan University and is now starting her third year with FOCUS missions. She started serving on mission trips while in college at Franciscan University and had a transformative experience serving in New York her junior year. It was this trip that led her to discern a call to serve as a full time missionary after she graduated. Since joining staff with FOCUS, Elizabeth has served on 10 different trips. The most recent of these was a mission to Tanzania this past summer. Outside of her job with missions, Elizabeth enjoys baking, ice skating, reading the classics, and making Rosaries.

Ryan Noll is a tenth-year missionary with FOCUS, beginning his 3rd year on the missions team. Ryan fell in love with missions after his first trip to Nicaragua in 2015. Since then, he has been on 13 trips with FOCUS to various locations around the world. As a campus missionary, he served on the Digital Outreach team, at NYU, where he was a team director for 4 years, and he led the expansion effort at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. In his spare time, he’s been leaning into his artistic talents by getting involved in community theatre, where he’s recently been cast in productions of Disney’s Newsies, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and Shakespeare’s Love’s Labours Lost. 

In this episode, Fr. James Brent shares about the mystic revelations of Blessed Conchita Cabrera Arias de Armida, one of the great mystics of the 20th century. Fr. James and Jess discuss:

• Blessed Conchita's daily life as a wife and mother of 9 children
• Her writings, which exceed the volume of the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas
• Key themes in her revelations, including the mystical incarnation in individual believers and worldwide renewal of the priesthood

You can find the book that Fr. James referenced about Blessed Conchita here

Fr. James Brent, O.P., is a priest in the St. Joseph Province Dominican Friars. He is a professor at the Dominican House of Studies and a popular retreat master and preacher.

You can listen to Fr. Brent’s homilies at his Soundcloud site here: Fr. James Brent on Soundcloud

How does church architecture assist us in deepening and celebrating our faith? In this episode, architect Adam Hermanson joins Jessica to discuss church architecture. Adam and Jess discuss:

• The 5 hallmarks of Catholic church architecture: verticality, permanence, transcendence, iconography, and orientation
• The significance of the altar as a table of sacrifice
• The symbolism of the center isle as a microcosm of the Christian journey to Heaven
• Traditional ways for architecture to depict the nuptial mystery of the Mass
• How the interior of the church should be formative to the faithful and the exterior should be evangelical
• And much more!

Adam Hermanson is the founder of Integration Design Group, an architecture firm in Denver, Colorado, which focuses on churches and other ministries with an emphasis on the renewal of beauty in liturgical design. Adam has been an architect for 17 years. He resides in Denver with his wife, Nicole, and their 6 children.