He Leadeth Me

In the second episode of our beauty series, Katie Weiss returns to explain how to pray Visio Divina. Visio Divina is an ancient prayer method that incorporates art and Sacred Scripture into meditation. Katie explains:

• The steps of Visio Divina
• How to find good images to pray with during your holy hour
• How praying with images can heal the memory and imagination

If you are interested in praying with art during your personal prayer time, Katie recommends the following websites to find beautiful art: 

Museums:

• The Met in NYC - https://www.metmuseum.org/
• Philadelphia Museum - https://philamuseum.org/
• The National Gallery of Art - https://www.nga.gov/

Modern Catholic Artists:

• Sofia Novelli- https://www.sofianovelli.com/en/sacred-art
• Dony McManus- https://donymacmanus.com/
• Kate Copato- https://www.visualgrace.org/
• Blair Barlow - https://www.blairbarlowart.com/

Classic Artists:

• Caravaggio
• James Tissot
• Fra Angelico
• Van Eyck

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

In this first episode of our series on beauty, Katie Weiss, Founder of Behold Visio Divina joins Jessica to talk about why beauty is important for the spiritual life. Jess and Katie discuss:

• The 3 transcendentals: truth, goodness, and beauty
• Is beauty “in the eye of the beholder” or is beauty objective?
• St. Thomas Aquinas’ teaching on the 3 aspects of beauty: integrity, proportion, and clarity.

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 their website here:  www.beholdvisiodivina.com or view their Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/behold.visiodivina/?hl=en

If you would like to see artwork by some of the Catholic artists Katie mentioned, you can view their artwork at the links below:

Sofia Novelli- https://www.sofianovelli.com/en/sacred-art

Dony McManus- https://donymacmanus.com/

Kate Copato- https://www.visualgrace.org/

Blair Barlow - https://www.blairbarlowart.com/

How can God free you from addiction? In this episode, FOCUS missionaries Leah Nielson and James Hare join Jessica to talk about their work with the Freedom Project. Jess, Leah, and James discuss:

• What is the Freedom Project and how does it help missionaries receive freedom from addiction?
• Why do you prefer the term "addiction" as opposed to "habitual sin" for porn and alcohol addictions?
• How do addictions impact the spiritual life?
• What advice do you have for someone currently struggling with an addiction?

Leah Nielson serves FOCUS in the Freedom Project and on the Talent and Leadership Development Team. James Hare serves FOCUS full time in the Freedom Project helping men to grow in character and virtue.

Spiritual direction is a game-changer for growing in the spiritual life, yet it can be very challenging to find a director. Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., seeks to answer that problem by raising up new directors in his Spiritual Direction Training Program through the Institute of Ministry Formation. In this episode, Fr. Boniface and Jessica discuss:

• How do you know when someone is ready to be a spiritual director?
• What are the most important qualities a spiritual director should have?
• How do you train spiritual directors in your program?

Fr. Boniface's program includes a special track for FOCUS Alumni. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please see their website: https://imf.saintvincentseminary.edu/academics/degree-programs/

Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., has been a Benedictine monk at Saint Vincent Archabbey since 1998. He has been involved with We Are One Body radio station since 2010, and presently serves as program director. He is the author of "Through the Heart of St. Joseph", and co-author of "Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father's Love", and "Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love." You can buy Fr. Boniface's books at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology here: https://stpaulcenter.com/product/through-the-heart-of-st-joseph/
https://stpaulcenter.com/product/spiritual-direction-a-guide-for-sharing-the-fathers-love/
https://stpaulcenter.com/product/personal-prayer-a-guide-for-receiving-the-fathers-love/

The Bishops have sounded a call in the Church for Eucharistic revival! 

Fr. Doug Grandon, FOCUS national chaplain and one of the Revival's 55 Eucharistic Preachers, joins Jessica to talk about the Revival and how you can be part of it. Jess and Fr. Doug discuss:

• Why the Bishops are calling for a Eucharistic Revival
• Fr. Doug's journey of coming to belief in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic while he was an Episcopal clergyman
• The 3 years of Eucharistic Revival
• How you can be part of the Eucharistic Revival

To learn more about the Eucharistic Revival, visit the website here: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/

To listen to Fr. Doug's amazing conversion story, check out our two podcast episodes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-of-an-undercover-missionary-in/id1634970581?i=1000571147045

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-married-catholic-priest/id1634970581?i=1000574664781

Fr. Doug Grandon is a priest of the Archdiocese of Denver and a FOCUS National Chaplain. He is also one of 55 Eucharistic Preachers for the Eucharistic Revival.

A former slave is now on the road to becoming a saint! In this episode, Jessica is joined by David Uebbing, the Vice-Postulator for Julia Greeley's Cause for Canonization. 

Julia Greeley was born into slavery around the year 1833 and freed during the American Civil War. She later converted to Catholicism and became known for her charity to the poor and love of the Sacred Heart.

David shares with Jess 3 spiritual lessons from Julia's life, including:

• Courage in the face of opposition
• Julia's recipe for relationships: Humility spiced with humor
• Letting your heart be conformed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

David Uebbing is the Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Denver and the Vice-Postulator for Julia Greeley's Cause. Prior to working at the archdiocese, he was the Editor-in-Chief of Catholic News Agency and a FOCUS missionary at Montana State and Troy universities. Dave was born in South Bend, Indiana, and now calls Denver his home. He and his wife Jenny have seven children.

In this episode, Fr. John Ignatius Ezratty joins Jessica to discuss the dangers of perfectionism in our spiritual lives and how to overcome it. Fr. John Ignatius and Jess discuss:

• How Jesus' command, "Be you perfect" (Mt 5:48) is different than perfectionism
• Signs that someone is suffering from perfectionism vs. striving for excellence
• How we can overcome perfectionism

Fr. John Ignatius is a priest of the Miles Christi religious order and a FOCUS National Chaplain.

Christ is Risen! Fr. John Ignatius Ezratty joins Jessica in this episode to talk about 3 themes Christians should pray with during the 50-day Easter Season. Fr. John Ignatius suggests praying with:

• The resurrection narratives in Scripture and asking for the grace of spiritual joy
• Our own resurrection and the glories of Heaven
• How your own baptism has radically changed your life

Fr. John Ignatius is a priest of the Miles Christi religious order and a FOCUS National Chaplain.

The Easter Vigil is one of the most stunningly beautiful liturgies of the year. Fr. Daniel Cardo joins Jessica in this episode to dive deep into the symbols and various parts of this liturgy. Fr. Daniel and Jess discuss:

• The 3 symbols of the Easter Vigil liturgy: light, water, and sung alleluia's
• Fr. Daniel explains how the sung alleluia's are a "musical resurrection"
• Fr. Daniel breaks down the Collect and Offeratory prayers of the Vigil

Fr. Daniel Cardo is the pastor of Holy Name Parish in Denver and the Benedict XVI Chair for Liturgical Studies at St. John Vianney Seminary. He is a visiting professor at the Augustine Institute and the author of several books, including "The Cross and the Eucharist in Early Christianity: A Theological and Liturgical Investigation."

Holy Week has arrived! Fr. John Ezratty joins Jessica to talk about each day of the Triduum and how you can enter into the Church's prayer more deeply. Fr. John and Jess discuss:

• Monastic traditions related to Holy Thursday
• Why the Church strips the altars and covers statues
• How the Church intercedes for the world on Good Friday
• The silence of Holy Saturday

If you would like to read the "Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday" that Fr. John referenced in this episode, you can find it here: http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Catholic/loh/lent/holysaturdayor.htm

Fr. John Ignatius Ezratty is a priest in the Miles Christi religious order and a FOCUS national chaplain.