Fr. John recently attended a prayer meeting with a reflection led by Fred Bunsa. In the midst of all of your holiday preparation this week, we offer a 20 minute practical guide to give the gift of hope to the people whom you spend time with at Thanksgiving and enter the Advent season.

People of Hope - https://www.peopleofhope.net/

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Jen interviews Paul Jarzembowski, author and Associate Director for the Laity, oversees USCCB engagement with lay ministry, ecclesial movements, youth, and young adults. Paul's book 'Hope for the Holidays' (Paulist Press 2023) offers practical advice for welcoming our holiday visitors back to church throughout Advent and into the Christmas season, using the secular narratives of the season to draw connections with the unchurched, and a personal and pastoral plan to work to accompany visitors to finding renewed hope in our Catholic church.

Paul Jarzembowski serves on staff for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington DC, overseeing the U.S. bishops' engagement with laity ministry, ecclesial movements, youth, and young adults. He is also the author of "Hope from the Ashes" (Paulist Press, 2021), on evangelization, pastoral care, and accompaniment of individuals through Catholic moments of return such as Lent. He was the lead staff for the USCCB engagement with the XV Synod of Bishops on "Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment," and its post-synodal exhortation, "Christus Vivit." Paul is also the United States' national coordinator for World Youth Day, and serves as an advisor to the Vatican on ministries with young people.

Hope for the Holidays: Finding Light at the Darkest time of the year -

Hope From the Ashes: https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/5575-0/hope-from-the-ashes.aspx

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Jen shares some thoughts about a year of conversations on the Heart of the Ark podcast, and the role of conversation and dialogue in Evangelization.

Jen speaks with Eric Hunter, pianist, teacher and composer, about the ways in which an artist's outlook and a disciple's outlook overlap. Eric is the composer of our theme song, which has been expanded to a full work and has marked a big change in his compositional voice.

Full version piano only: https://youtu.be/6AmXropGyI0?si=NWxa2wkHR23UVcs7

Meditation on

Eric Hunter website: https://www.erichuntermusic.com/

Jen is joined by Richard J. Clark, eclectic musician — composer, conductor, organist, pianist, and songwriter. He is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He previously served for twenty-eight years at St. Cecilia Parish, Boston. At the age of twenty-three, he was appointed Director of Music in 1992 after serving as Organist since 1989. He has also served as Chapel Organist (Saint Mary’s Chapel) at Boston College from 2004-2020.

Richard J. Clark - https://www.rjcceciliamusic.com/richard-j-clark/

Works Referenced:

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Jen is joined by Milissa Else, Assistant Coordinator for Parish Strategies, in discussing the importance of discernment when facing personal and interpersonal faith decisions. Milissa has been an invited speaker throughout the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Metuchen, leading parish communities, and small groups into a deepening of communal prayer and conversations regarding mission and ministry.

Pope Francis catechesis on discernment in general audiences beginning August 2022 - January 2023

Discernment: Theology and Practice, Personal and Communal by Ladislas Orsy, S.J. - https://tinyurl.com/59d6rdsc

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Fr. John and Jen discuss the upcoming School of Prayer classes beginning September 20 and continuing for seven sessions through May 2024 to offer fresh insight, experience and opportunities for growing in the spiritual life.

Information about the School of Prayer on episode 19: https://heartoftheark.fireside.fm/19

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Jen speaks with Very Rev. Charles Pinyan, Vicar for Clergy Personnel and Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at Immaculate Conception Seminary about the ways a priest is called to shape his heart to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, and in so doing open his heart to the people he is called to serve as shepherd and spiritual father.

Office for Clergy Personnel - https://www.rcan.org/offices-and-ministries/clergy-personnel/archdiocesan-priest-personnel

Immaculate Conception Seminary - https://www.shu.edu/theology/

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Jen travels to the only cloistered monastery in the Archdiocese of Newark, the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, to speak about Love as a vocation for life with novice extern Sr. Marie Paul of the Holy Spirit. Sr. Marie Paul gives us insight into her call to take up the contemplative life as a young woman. She will be making her first profession next month, please keep her in your prayers.

Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary - https://summitdominicans.org/

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com

Fr. John Gordon and Jen share insight into the great gift of God's Love in the Eucharist and its representation in the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

12 Promises of the Sacred Heart - https://welcomehisheart.com/12-promises

Enthronement of the Images of the Sacred Heart - https://welcomehisheart.com/

Conversation with Author Emily Jaminet - https://heartoftheark.fireside.fm/21

12 day novena to the Sacred Heart with prayers and scriptural references for all of the 12 Promises, plus intercultural images of the Sacred Heart, and some traditional hymnody for use in adoration. https://tinyurl.com/37rsej5b

Our original theme music is "Meditation" by Eric Hunter. - www.erichuntermusic.com