Homeward by BigAppleCatholic

We're so happy to be back and on the wonder journey home!

This season we are slowing down to focus our minds on two things near to our us: Advent and Hope.

Katie and I are really pumped for this next chapter. We think you'll enjoy :)

Follow our IG: Instagram.com/homeward.pod

Email us: [email protected]

In this episode Katie and I reflect on this last season and all we have learned from eachother, from our guests, and from you!

We will be going on break but will se you back in November!

Key Topic

The importance of seasons in life and faith

Reflections on community and relationships

The beauty of reality and seeing with faith

Upcoming break and future plans for the podcast

The significance of wonder, gratitude, and presence

In this episode, we sit down with licensed professional counselor Jeff Mazzone, who shares insights on the transformative power of affirmation, its roots in spiritual and psychological growth, and practical ways to cultivate authentic affirmation in daily life and relationships.

• The connection between affirmation and emotional maturity
• The role of nature and beauty in fostering affirmation
• The importance of relationship and community in healing
• The distinction between true affirmation and pseudo-affirmation
• Practical steps to cultivate rest, wonder, and affirmation in daily life

Jeff Mazzone on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/discalced_counselor

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

03:06 The Importance of Affirmation

05:57 Understanding Affirmation vs. Self-Affirmation

09:09 The Role of Relationships in Affirmation

12:01 The Impact of Unaffirmation

14:54 Navigating Emotional Maturity

18:01 The Challenges of Modern Life

20:55 Finding Beauty and Wonder

24:05 The Healing Power of Relationships

27:09 Practical Applications for Parents

30:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

45:06 Affirming Emotions in Parenting

48:16 Delighting in Our Children

50:23 The Journey of Affirmation

53:40 The Power of Intergenerational Relationships

56:06 The Importance of Community and Connection

01:01:23 The Gift of Self in Relationships

01:06:21 Slowing Down to Find Community

01:10:01 Practical Steps to Self-Affirmation

01:12:58 Resources for Further Exploration

• Born Only Once by Conrad Baars – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Born+Only+Once+Conrad+Baars
• Jeff Mazzone on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/discalced_counselor
• Healing the Unaffirmed by Conrad Baars and Anna Terruwe – https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Healing+the+Unaffirmed+Conrad+Baars+Anna+Terruwe

Most of us live in a state of obsession with certainty — but within faith and life itself, mystery reigns supreme. This week, we explore why embracing uncertainty isn’t just a choice, but a vital part of our spiritual journey

Join us as we walk through the story of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, highlighting how their experience of loss and resurrection embodies the core of Christian hope amid unanswered questions.

Key Topics

• The story of Lazarus and its spiritual significance
• The concept of divine mystery and wonder in faith
• How saints exemplify trust in God's plan amidst suffering
• The importance of embracing the unknown in spiritual life
• The role of faith and hope in difficult trials

Chapters

• 00:00 Embracing the Mystery
• 10:28 The Story of Lazarus
• 30:25 The Saints and Their Trials
• 40:48 Embracing the Mystery
• 46:46 The Witness of the Saints
• 53:13 The Interior Perfection
• 01:04:55 The Human Person as a Mystery

If Homeward is ultimately about learning how to live with our eyes fixed on heaven, then few people have taught Katie and I more than Enrico and Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo. Their story reminds us that we were born for eternity, and that even in the deepest suffering, the road home remains open.

Key Topics:

• Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo's life story
• Faith and resilience in suffering
• The power of hope and love Trust in God's plan during suffering
• The resurrection as the foundation of hope

Resources:

Enrico Petrillo - Sharing their story (short video we mentioned) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXX

Born to Never Die | Enrico Petrillo and Angelo Carfi | New York Encounter 2019 (long video of their full story that we also mentioned) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_PEXQyhik

A Witness to Joy (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Witness+to+Joy

Letter from Chiara and Enrico to Francesco -

https://www.chiaracorbellapetrillo.org/en/chiaras-writings/

Let's Connect!

As always, we would love to hear from you. You can follow along with us and stay in touch at @homeward.podcast and @bigapplecatholic.

You can also visit bigapplecatholic.com for more!

What is the importance of wonder in the human experience? And what may be the obstacles to wonder in our present age?

For this episode Katie and I are joined by the wonder-full Bill Donaghy who helps us wrestle through these questions and more.

“If you are wise, you will understand that life is more like a pool than a channel. A channel immediately releases what it receives. The pool is gradually filled until it naturally overflows without diminishing itself. 

There are many Christians who behave like channels. Deep pools are the exception. We become eager to let the Spirit flow through us. We begin to pour it out before we are filled. We speak when we should be listening. We try to teach lessons we have not yet learned. We would direct others when we are not sure where we are going ourselves... 

There needs to be a careful balance here. Outflow follows inflow. We must be filled to overflowing before what we pass on to others will have any substance. Otherwise, it is vacuous yawning. Take care that you do not embarrass yourself while assisting others. Be sure you are full.” 

- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Homily 18, Song of Songs. (b. 1090 AD- d. 1153 AD)

Takeaways

• Reenchantment as a Path to Wonder
• The Neuroscience of Wonder Re-enchantment of life through wonder and beauty
• The battle for re-enchantment is a matter of life and death

Resources

• The Evidential Power of Beauty by Father Thomas Dubay
• Leisure, The Basis of Culture by Joseph Pieper
• Mark Twain's Joan of Arc

Connect with Bill Donaghy:

• Theology of the Body Institute
• Word Made Fresh Podcast
• The Way of Beauty Course July 12-17, 2026 - Join Bill Donaghy at his course this summer!

As always, we would love to hear from you. You can follow along with us and stay in touch at   / homeward.pod   and   / bigapplecatholic  

In this conversation, Katie and I sit down with Dr. Sarah Maple to explore one of the most foundational questions we can ask: what does it mean to be human?

Together, we talk about the nature of being human, beauty, and the artistic vocation rooted in divine love. We delves into how beauty reveals our origin, purpose, and ultimate destiny, inviting all of us into a deeper wonder of life and creation.

We also reflect on original solitude and unity, the gift of the human heart, the role of wonder, and the quiet ways Christ calls us back to Himself through beauty, suffering, and love.

Dr. Maple’s work as a painter, theologian, and professor shines throughout this conversation, especially in the way she speaks about artists, beauty, and the human person with both intellectual depth and real tenderness. More than anything, we were struck by her attentiveness, wisdom, and the sense that these are questions she has truly lived with herself.

You can learn more about Dr. Maple, her upcoming book The Resurrection of Beauty (Saint Augustine Press), as well as her work through her Instagram at @dr.sarahmaple and her emerging project at lagiardina.org.

Takeaways

• The meaning of being human in a disenchanted world
• The role of beauty in revealing our divine origin and purpose
• The artistic vocation as a response to divine love and creation

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Journey of Humanity
• 05:10 Exploring the Essence of Being Human
• 09:07 The Role of Beauty in Human Existence
• 14:00 Understanding Desire and Its Implications
• 18:58 The Transcendentals: Beauty, Truth, and Goodness
• 23:05 The Importance of Community and Dependency
• 27:22 The Garden of Eden: A Blueprint for Humanity
• 33:33 The Call to Love and Response
• 37:06 Awakening to Enchantment
• 39:44 Re-enchantment and Vulnerability
• 43:34 The Art of Hospitality
• 47:38 Experiencing Life's Enchantment
• 53:18 The Journey of Being Human

As always, we would love to hear from you. You can follow along with us and stay in touch at @homeward.podcast and @bigapplecatholic.

You can also visit bigapplecatholic.com for more!

The day has finally come! We are so eager to start this new chapter with you and embark on the Homeward journey together. In this episode we give a glimpse of our heart behind this project, why we felt like we needed it for ourselves, and our hopes for everyone that will join us.

Thank you for being here. It is a privilege to walk this with you

xo

Mariana and Katie

Episode Guiding Quote:

"The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing — to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from — my country, the place where I ought to have been born. Do you think it all meant nothing, all the longing? The longing for home? For indeed it now feels not like going, but like going back."

— C. S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces

Major Points:

• The significance of longing and wonder in faith
• Building a community centered on beauty and truth
• The journey of living with an open heart amidst pain
• The role of art, story, and community in spiritual growth
• Hope and vulnerability in the Christian life

Links Mentioned:

• Mariana and Katie's infamous Irish Farms Vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldjBfJqS9Uo
• Go To The Limits of Your Longing Poem: https://onbeing.org/poetry/go-to-the-limits-of-your-longing/

The best way to keep us with us right now is on Instagram! @homeward.pod

Otherwise feel free to reach out via bigapplecatholic.com we'd love to hear from you! <3