He Leadeth Me

In Greek mythology, the hydra was a monster with 9 heads, and each time a warrior cut off one of its heads, two more grew in its place. In this episode, Fr. Kevin Dyer compares scrupulosity to the dreaded hydra. Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:

• What is scrupulosity?
• Fr. Kevin comments on a few "case studies" in scrupulosity that Jess offers him
• Fr. Kevin suggests several ways that listeners can overcome scrupulosity in their own lives

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.

How is your Lent going? Fr. Kevin Dyer joins Jessica in this episode to offer advice for your spiritual life during the middle of Lent. 

Fr. Kevin talks about the spiritual state most people find themselves in when they reach mid-Lent, and he also gives the following advice:

• Begin to notice the freedom your Lenten penances are bringing you
• In your meditations, turn your attention toward Christ, just like in the 3rd week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
• Focus less on yourself and your sinfulness and more on what Jesus is doing

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.

Would you like to get more out of spiritual direction? In this episode, Fr. John Ignatius and Jess discuss:

• Common reasons why directees don't get much out of spiritual direction
• Advice on how to go deeper in spiritual direction
• How to know if it's time to find a new director
• The common question: Should I pay for spiritual direction?

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

Any person who wants to grow in their spiritual life needs to practice frequent confession. In this episode, Fr. John Ezratty and Jess discuss:

• 8 reasons to receive confession frequently
• What if I don't feel as much sorrow as I wish I did for my sins?
• How to create an Examination of Conscience specific to you

Want to use the Examination of Conscience by St. Anthony  Mary Claret that Jess referenced? You can find it here: https://catholicexchange.com/examination-conscience-venial-sins/

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

During Lent, the Church calls us to conversion. During this episode, Jess and Fr. John Ignatius discuss the dynamics of conversion. Fr. John Ignatius' points out:

• The word conversion means "to turn around", but it can also be translated as "to change one's mind."
• The call to conversion involves thinking in a new way, especially about our attachments.
• Self-denial during Lent is not about how difficult a penance we can undertake, but how surrendered to the will of God we can be.

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

What are you giving up for Lent? In this episode, Fr. Kevin and Jess will help you make a plan for Lent! Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:

• Undertaking the Church's 3 traditional Lenten practices: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
• The idea of "giving something up" vs. adding additional practices
• Fasting from social media, music, and other mortifications
• Do Sundays "count"?

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.

The Examen Prayer can be a helpful prayer tool as you discern God's will for your life. In this episode, Fr. John Ignatius Ezratty returns to talk about the Examen Prayer. He and Jess discuss:

• How many people miss graces God wants to give them in the Examen Prayer by only focusing on the sins they commit
• How people can unlock graces in the Examen Prayer by not only reviewing what they did throughout the day, but how God moved their hearts throughout the day
• Ways to discern God's will in specific situations after becoming more aware of consolations through the Examen Prayer

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

Can reading fiction benefit your spiritual life? Fr. Kevin and Jess think so! In this episode, Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:

• Why reading fiction can be good for the spiritual life
• Fr. Kevin's top 3 book recommendations for 2023

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.

Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story is a documentary created by FOCUS on the life of FOCUS alumna and Servant of God Michelle Duppong. 

In this episode, Jessica sits down with FOCUS staff members Trevor Jin, the director of the documentary, and Stephany Anderson, who served as an interview assistant, about their experience creating the documentary. 

Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story is currently in the final stages of editing and is expected to be made available to the public in the fall of 2024.

To learn more about Servant of God Michelle Duppong, please see FOCUS' webpage about Michelle: https://www.focus.org/michelleduppong.

Trevor Jin serves FOCUS as a Formation Specialist and is responsible for FOCUS' formative media, including the YouTube page, blog, and e-newsletter The Torch. He is also the director of the documentary "Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story."

Stephany Anderson serves FOCUS as Senior Alumni Missionary and is responsible for outreach to FOCUS alumni on a diocesan level.

In this episode, Fr. Daniel Cardo joins Jessica to talk about the connection between the liturgy and evangelization. Fr. Cardo and Jessica discuss:

• St. John Paul II's statement that if efforts to promote the liturgy and promote evangelization don't go hand in hand, both will falter
• How the power for evangelization comes from offering our difficulties and joys to the Father in the Sacrifice of the Mass
• Fr. Daniel's advice for people who know the beautiful theology of the Mass but their experience attending Mass falls short of what they hope

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."