He Leadeth Me

In this episode, Formation Specialist Sarah de Silva joins Jessica to talk about Servant of God Takashi Nagai, a Japanese Catholic convert on his way to canonization. Sarah and Jess discuss:

• Takashi's Shinto upbringing and conversion to Catholicism
• His work as a doctor in radiology
• How he lived through the nuclear bomb being dropped on Nagasaki
• The last years of his life, when he preached forgiveness to the Japanese people

Sarah de Silva has served FOCUS for 5 years as a campus missionary, team director, and now Formation Specialist. She is married to Niru and they are expecting their first baby.

There's a lot of talk about healing in the Church today. Are we becoming too focused on healing? In this episode, Fr. James Brent, O.P., joins Jessica to talk about healing. Fr. James and Jess discuss:

• The culture's naturalistic understanding of healing vs. an understanding of healing from a Catholic worldview
• Jesus' healing ministry in the Scriptures and His desire to heal today
• Why doesn't Jesus heal everyone?
• How Jesus uses healing and every aspect of our lives as a formation for Heaven

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:
https://soundcloud.com/james-dominic-brent-o-p

A new school year is beginning! In this episode, Fr. Kevin Dyer and Jess challenge listeners to make the phrase "Conquer Yourself" their motto for the year. Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:

• One of the early biographers of St. Ignatius of Loyola stated that there was no phrase more commonly on the lips of St. Ignatius than "Conquer yourself!"
• God sometimes allows difficulties in our lives so that we have opportunities to conquer ourselves and grow in virtue.
• Practical ways to conquer yourself through the Examen prayer and other spiritual practices

To learn how to pray the Examen prayer, please listen to this episode from Season 1 of He Leadeth Me, The One Prayer You Shouldn't Neglect Praying: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-one-prayer-you-shouldnt-neglect-praying/id1634970581?i=1000570122175

Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

In this episode, FOCUS East Area Director Marcus Schoch joins Jessica to do a deep dive into fasting, penance, and mortification. Marcus and Jess discuss:

• The difference between fasting, penance, reparation, and mortification
• How fasting helps us recognize our dependence on God
• 3 reasons to fast according to St. Thomas Aquinas
• How to know what types of fasting are too extreme or too lenient
• And much more!

Marcus Schoch is in his 13th year with FOCUS and currently serves as the East Area Director. Marcus oversees 170 FOCUS missionaries serving at 42 campuses from Maine down to Virginia. He and his wife Kelsie live with their 6 children near Augusta, Georgia.

How can penance heal your soul?  Fr. James Brent joins Jessica to talk about St. Thomas Aquinas' teaching on penance. In this episode Fr. James explains:

• How penance is "medicine for the soul" and corrects the disorder of sin
• The effects of penance, which include: restoring right order in the soul, restoring order in relationships, eradicating bad inclinations, and conducing a person to receive a change of heart.
• How penance is a participation in the satisfaction that Jesus made on the Cross

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:
https://soundcloud.com/james-dominic-brent-o-p

FOCUS National Chaplain Fr. Gabriel Gillen joins Jessica to talk about suffering and the tremendous power it has when "offered up." Fr. Gabriel and Jess discuss:

• The most common questions people ask when they are suffering, such as, "Is my suffering my fault?" "Is God punishing me for my sin?" "If God is good, why isn't He putting an end to my suffering?"
• The most important question to ask when you are suffering: "What should I do with my suffering?"
• Fr. Gabriel tells the story of a young boy who was healed of a snakebite after receiving a blood transfusion from a man who had built up immunities to snakebites. He compares this to the healing power redemptive suffering can have for others when it is offered up.
• Fr. Gabriel gives advice on how to offer up your sufferings

Fr. Gabriel Gillen, O.P.- Dominican Friar in the Province of St. Joseph. He was ordained in the year 2000 in Subiaco, Italy. Fr. Gabriel resides at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington D.C. along with Fr. Gregory Pine and the Hillbilly Thomists. In 2022, Fr. Gabriel became a National Chaplain for FOCUS.

In this episode, Fr. James Brent joins Jessica to explain St. Thomas Aquinas' teaching on grace.  Fr. James explains:

• How grace enables us to participate in the very life of God
• St. Thomas Aquinas' teaching on the 3 things that happen when God dwells in a soul: he gives the soul illumination, divine help, and inclinations of the heart.
• 3 things we can do to grow in grace
• And much more!

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:
https://soundcloud.com/james-dominic-brent-o-p

In this episode, Angela Schnieders, a FOCUS alumna and Certified Strategist with The Wholeness School, joins Jessica to talk about the virtue of modesty. Jess and Angela discuss:

• How modesty is a virtue for both women and men
• Key questions to ask when considering modesty in clothing, such as, "What does my clothing communicate about my dignity and worth?"
• What principles should I use when evaluating modesty in clothing?

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/ 

In this episode, Hilary Draftz joins Jessica and Fr. Kevin to discuss the impact of movies on the spiritual life. Hilary, Jess, and Fr. Kevin discuss:

• The principles Hilary and Fr. Kevin use to decide if they should see a new movie
• The question: Should Christians watch horror films?
• Hilary and Fr. Kevin's top 4 recommendations for movies to watch with your disciples.

Hilary Draftz became a full-time FOCUS missionary in 2005 after earning a bachelor’s degree in Film Studies and English Literature from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Hilary is currently serving as director of the West Area, leading over 200 missionaries on more than 40 college campuses. Hilary and her husband Tim adopted five amazing kids in 2021.

Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

In this last episode in our beauty series, Katie Weiss returns to talk about the power of beauty in evangelization efforts. Katie and Jess discuss:

• Why beauty is an effective tool for evangelization
• Katie points out, “we are what we reflect on” and encourages listeners to engage with beauty so that they can share it with others
• Katie gives advice on how people who are unartistic can begin to evangelize through beauty

Katie Weiss is the Founder of Behold Visio Divina, a ministry that seeks to teach people how to pray with art. Katie lives in Washington D.C. with her husband and is expecting their first baby.

If you would like to learn more about Behold Visio Divina, check out there website here:  www.beholdvisiodivina.comor view their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/behold.visiodivina/?hl=en