I AM HERE

When Serenity and her husband got married, they were eager to welcome children into their family, before discovering they would carry the cross of infertility for three years. In this episode, hear how Serenity found restoration and supernatural hope by coming to depend on the Eucharist Sunday after Sunday, and be encouraged by the remarkable story of eventually conceiving a son, after several doctors expressed doing so naturally would be impossible.

(00:50) We meet Serenity Quesnelle, parishioner at St. Margaret of Scotland in St. Clair Shores and wife and mother, who works at an infertility ministry, serving couples carrying the cross of infertility. Serenity shares a bit about her marriage and how she and her husband desired children shortly after getting married. 

(03:16) Serenity shares about her own experience of infertility over the course of three years and what it was like to eventually conceive a son, contrary to the predictions of several doctors. 

(05:24) Serenity shares a bit about her conversion to Catholicism, which took place prior to getting married, and her own struggle with faith over the years. 

(07:31) She unpacks her experience of infertility a bit further, highlighting the grief and sorrow she experienced and feelings of being forgotten by God. She shares how difficult, at times, it would be to attend Mass with these feelings. She describes how, in spite of that reality, the Eucharist would restore her week after week. 

(11:47) Serenity shares about the moment she discovered she and her husband had conceived a child and what it was like to go to Mass immediately following that discovery, and the deep gratitude that followed. 

(15:17) Serenity shares about her son Zachariah and her hopes for the role that the Eucharist will play in his life as he grows up. 

(18:20) Serenity offers the word of hope and how she approaches her work with The Fruitful Hollow, an infertility ministry. She describes meeting couples in the midst of this cross, helping them recognize they’re not alone, and entering into that cross with an openness to be fruitful now.  

Sometimes Jesus breaks through when we find ourselves in a place of emptiness. This was Alejandra Correa Miller’s experience when she found herself disengaged from her Catholic faith and desperately searching for meaning. Hear how her life changed when she returned to Confession and, immediately after, encountered Jesus in a powerful way in the Blessed Sacrament. Listen to her unpack the beauty of her conversion and the adventure her life has become ever since she’s committed to living life for the glory of God.

(01:37) We meet Alejandra Correa Miller, wife, mother, and co-founder of Chesterton Academy Our Lady of Guadalupe, a classical high school in Detroit. 

(02:21) Alejandra shares about her upbringing in a Hispanic family and how her faith was incorporated into her family life since childhood. She shares specifically how her parents formed her in the practice of the faith and the strong role that her father played in that. 

(08:34) Fr. Mario comments on how, in so many of these Eucharistic testimonies, people highlight the role their families, parents, and specifically fathers played in laying the groundwork for their eventual deep and convicted faith.

(10:15) Alejandra shares how as she entered young adulthood she began to disengage from her faith and experienced deep emptiness. She goes on to describe an unexpected powerful moment of conversion in which she was prompted by the Spirit to go to her parish, go to Confession, go into the adoration chapel, and encountered Jesus in a renewed way in the Blessed Sacrament. 

(12:25) She goes on to describe how her devotion to the Eucharist developed over time, becoming her place of refuge. But she highlights how her initial return to the chapel was a powerful moment in which she recognized fully that Jesus is present in the Blessed Sacrament.

(15:48) Since Confession was so instrumental in her story, Fr. Mario asks Alejandra to share encouragement to any listeners who may be hesitant to approach the sacrament and she offers insights based on her own experiences. 

(21:26) Alejandra begins to unpack the adventure of life that began to unfold following her experience of transformation, sharing about her love for theology, Italy, and the time she spent living in Italy and eventually meeting her husband. 

(23:40) Alejandra describes how she and her husband incorporate prayer into their daily lives and how she encourages her children to approach Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. 

For Max Cormier, a parishioner at Fr. Mario’s parish, St. Aloysius, faith wasn’t always part of his life. Hear how he grew to adopt an agnostic worldview, which developed into atheism, as a young person, and listen to him describe the life-changing moment before the Blessed Sacrament where he found the missing piece, which brought him to a place of passionate faith and love for the Eucharist.

(00:34) We meet our guest, Max, a teacher at a Detroit public high school and a parishioner at St. Aloysius in Detroit, where Fr. Mario serves as pastor. Max shares how he came to be a parishioner at St. Aloysius and his love for the parish community. 

(03:00) Max shares some of his background and relationship with his faith as a young person. He describes his experience of beginning to doubt God’s existence as a high schooler and how he came to adopt an agnostic worldview. 

(09:34) Fr. Mario comments on how God used the gift of Max’s intellect to bring him, eventually, to a point of conversion. He highlights the Church’s teaching on faith and reason, emphasizing that they are not at odds with one another, but that reason leads us to a point to make an ascent of faith. 

(09:57) Max shares what it was like to begin college with an angry atheistic perspective. He goes on to describe how his roommate — one of his best friends —was involved with the Catholic student center on campus and how he began to engage with and genuinely enjoy the community found there. Eventually, to get out of a weekend playing baseball, Max and his roommate decided to go on a retreat held by the group. 

(14:28) Max shares what his retreat experience was like and describes a life changing encounter he had with Jesus in the Eucharist, where he found the missing piece to the worldview he had previously held in Jesus’ presence. 

(17:22) Max describes how that experience began his adult faith journey and shares how his life changed from then on and Fr. Mario comments on how God will work in small moments of grace — like in the many small moments that led to Max arriving at the retreat — in order to enter into our lives in more dramatic ways — as he did during adoration. 

(21:28) Max shares how surprised his parents were by his reversion and how happy they were to know that he had found community and, most importantly, arrived at a place of faith. 

(25:36) Max shares what the Eucharist means to him today, how he brings every major life decision to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and the unconditional love he experiences in Jesus’ presence.

(28:54) Fr. Mario asks Max what he might tell his younger self, having experienced this reversion and Max emphasizes the role that friendship, community, and invitation had in his powerful faith journey.

Although he grew up in a Catholic home and knew well the “motions” of his Catholic faith, it was an unexpected prompting from the Holy Spirit and encounter with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that led Fr. Jim Lowe to be set on fire with love for Jesus. In this episode, meet a man who, through the Eucharist, has come to deeply love Jesus and live to share that love with others; hear how his love for the Eucharist led him to hear and respond to his call to the priesthood.

(00:34) We meet Fr. Jim Lowe, a member of the Companions of the Cross, currently serving at St. Scholastica Church in Detroit. Fr. Jim shares about his community and his love for leading people into encounters with Jesus. 

(02:32) Fr. Jim shares a moment in his childhood which hinted at his eventual vocation as a priest and describes his upbringing in a faithfully Catholic home. He goes on to describe what his faith looked like as a college student and young adult, as he found himself going through the motions, and living a life inconsistent with what the Gospel calls us to. 

(05:35) Fr. Mario comments on how the role of parents and even even going through the motions, at times, can be a reality that God uses to draw us in, little by little, to surrender to him, 

(06:38) Fr. Jim shares an experience that moved him from going through the motions into a deep devotion to Jesus. He describes following a prompting of the Holy Spirit to go to Mass at National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica, and encountering Jesus in the Eucharist in a renewed way. He shares how this experience led him to begin serving in youth ministry, growing in his own faith, and cultivating a deep relationship with Jesus. 

(10:48) Fr. Jim describes how adoration of the Blessed Sacrament became a true experience of closeness with Jesus and shares a particular experience of adoration that assured him of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist during Holy Thursday. Fr. Mario asks what it’s like for Fr. Jim to experience God and he shares what it’s like. 

(13:42) Fr. Jim shares how essential encountering Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament was to his hearing and responding to the call to the priesthood. 

(19:49) Having embraced his vocation to the priesthood, Fr. Jim describes what his experience is like, getting to share the gift of the Eucharist through the celebration of the Mass and in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Mario echoes Fr. Jim’s sentiments and the two reflect on how humbling it is to be caught up in the mystery of the Blessed Sacrament.

(23:00) Fr. Jim describes how he spends his personal time before the Blessed Sacrament is like each day. 

Bethane begrudgingly began the RCIA process when she fell in love with a Catholic man and the two had planned to get married. While she resisted some of the activities of RCIA, she unexpectedly experienced exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and received a sign she’d been asking God for, ever since she was a little girl.

(01:07) We welcome our guest, Bethane Cabrera, a wife and a mom of four, parishioner at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Clawson, MI, and administrative assistant at Camp Sancta Maria.

(02:56) Bethane shares a bit about her upbringing in the faith and describes her teen and young adult years as she experienced a crisis of faith after losing her father. She shares how meeting her husband in her early twenties initiated a return to faith, as he was a practicing Catholic and shared his faith with her while they were dating.

(06:33) As their relationship got more serious and they started to think about marriage and raising kids, Bethane determined that she would become Catholic, but she wasn’t  necessarily happy about it.

(09:40) Bethane describes her experience in RCIA and how she didn’t particularly enjoy the process or engage with her peers during it. She shares a frustrating interaction she had with a priest, who was encouraging her to enter in more fully or delay entering the Church and how she regretted some of the things she said to him.

(17:53) Bethane intended to apologize to that priest and had set up a time to meet with him following a daily Mass. Unbeknownst to her, she arrived just as exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was taking place and found herself undeniably drawn to the Eucharist on the altar, without knowing or understanding what it was.

(20:23) After crying in the presence of the Eucharist and being stunned by her reaction to it, Bethane tried to collect herself to meet with the priest and shares something he said that struck her to the core.

(23:14) Bethane shares how, as a young child, she would go into the empty church she grew up in and ask God for a sign that it was his house. She explains how her conversation with the priest that day was the sign she had asked for. She describes how her approach to RCIA shifted and how that priest walked with her through her conversion, as her devotion to the Eucharist grew.

(29:28) Bethane describes what it was like to enter the Church, receive the Eucharist for the first time, and to go to Confession. She shares what her devotion to the Blessed Sacrament has looked like, from going to adoration daily, to adjusting her prayer according to her state of life as a wife and a mother.

After drifting from faith as a teen, Patrick somewhat unexpectedly found himself drawn to the beauty of the Catholic faith through his appreciation for Gregorian chant and liturgical music as a young adult. Although he was not a practicing Catholic, he sang with a Catholic choir and, during Mass one day, in a powerful way, began to recognize Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. This experience initiated a journey home to the Catholic Church and dramatically changed Patrick’s faith. 

(00:53) We meet our guest, Patrick Braga, a parishioner at St. Mary’s in Royal Oak, an urban planner, and a classical composer. 

(2:53) Patrick shares how a professor introduced him to Gregorian chant, which eventually led him to discover the Institute of Christ the King website, where Gregorian chants are shared regularly. Though agnostic at the time, Patrick describes being drawn to St. Joseph Shrine in Detroit for the music shortly after moving to Detroit. Patrick describes how he ended up singing regularly with the choir at St. Joseph and a remarkable experience he had during Mass one time, when the priest elevated the host and he recalled a quote from St. Thomas Merton.  

(06:27) Patrick shares how, despite receiving Baptism and First Communion, he eventually drifted from faith. He talks about his respect for the gospel, but his struggle to wrap mind around faith in the supernatural.

(09:12) Describing more of his experience of singing at the choir at St. Joseph, Patrick goes on to share how he learned to appreciate the richness of liturgy through the beauty of liturgical music and highlights what attracted him to the life of the Church. 

(12:19) Following his experience during Mass and being exposed to the life of the Church, Patrick began to read the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch and he shares how those affected him on his journey. 

(16:29) Patrick shares the words of Thomas Merton that he recalled when the priest elevated the host at Mass, and describes how this helped him understand the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He talks about how this moment initiated a reversion to the Catholic faith and his eventual Confirmation. 

(21:35) Patrick talks about what he loves about Eucharistic adoration and shares an experience he had during Mass that highlights his immense gratitude and love for the Eucharist. 

(27:18) Patrick shares how his faith is not incompatible with reason, but is a choice to trust Christ, who is always faithful. 

When his non-denominational girlfriend, Madison, questioned how he would want to raise future children, Nick realized he had to get to the bottom of his Catholic faith and determine if it was, in fact, set apart from other beliefs. After asking questions and seeking truth, Nick had a powerful encounter with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that assured him of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. 

Shownotes: 

(00:47) We meet our guest, Nick Switzer, who currently serves multiple parishes in Detroit, following a career in the corporate world. He shares about his wife, Madison, and their three children. 

(02:19) Nick shares about his Catholic upbringing and always knowing God’s love. He also describes a difficulty to recognize Jesus’ true presence in the Blessed Sacrament. He describes his relationship with his wife as the initial catalyst for him learning more about his Catholic faith since, when they first met and dated, she was a non-denominational Protestant. 

(07:24) Nick shares how during this time of seeking and questioning, he asked God to give him a sign of his presence in the Catholic Church. While receiving Communion one day, he had an experience that assured him of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist. 

(12:14) Nick shares how Madison, his girlfriend at the time, reacted to him sharing this life-changing experience. As it turns out, she had her own experience, similar to Nick’s, of receiving a sign from God, while discerning the truth of the Catholic faith. He describes an exchange the two of them shared with a priest that changed the course of their relationship and their lives. 

(16:01) Nick shares what his and Madison’s life of devotion and prayer looks like today. He describes the impact of Madison entering the Catholic Church, attending Mass together throughout their engagement, and getting to receive the Eucharist, together, as a couple, on their wedding day. 

(22:47) Nick shares how the Eucharist he receives at Mass on Sundays sustains him and strengthens him for what he faces from week to week. He also describes how he shares his devotion to the Eucharist with his children. He offers insights into the sacrifice asked of parents, who have to regularly participate in Mass while parenting little ones. 

(28:49) Fr. Mario echoes Nick’s insights and unpacks what it means to unite ourselves to the sacrifice of Christ at each Mass. 

(29:55) Nick reiterates how God has blessed him and we thank him for, once again, sharing his story.

A life of pain and hardship could not keep Valerie away from the presence of Jesus. Although she was given the gift of catechesis as a young child, her family didn’t foster devotion to Jesus, and, after being abused as a young girl, Valerie turned to drugs and a life of the occult to maintain some sense of control over her life. She returned to the Church once, but left again, after experiencing great challenges and losses with her loved ones. Yet, in the midst of COVID, she returned again and fully encountered the love that is now the source of her strength every day, in the Blessed Sacrament.

Show notes: 

(00:39) We meet guest Valerie Powell, a caregiver and devoted parishioner at Assumption Grotto. She shares a bit about her upbringing and her childhood devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. She goes on to share that she was abused as a child and carried that burden with her for a very long time. As a result, she turned to drugs and the occult during her teen years. 

(03:46) Valerie shares her first experience of returning to the Catholic faith, when she encountered a priest who helped her get off drugs, leave an unhealthy work environment, and have her marriage blessed. She goes on to share that she continued to struggle and, again, left the Church many years later.  

(07:57) Following her father’s death and her husband’s several strokes, Valerie describes herself becoming very angry with God and returning to bad habits and diving deeper into the occult. 

(11:32) Valerie shares how during COVID, after losing her brother and then quitting her job to become the caretaker of her mother, she started going back to church and sitting in the parking lot, since the doors to the church were locked. Again, an encounter with a priest reminded her that Jesus loved her. 

(14:46) Following the invitation of that priest, Valerie began attending adoration regularly and telling Jesus in the Eucharist everything. Valerie describes her deep devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist, and the ways he loves her intimately, in spite of her past. 

(17:59) Valerie shares the practical steps she took to move away from a life of sin, noting in particular the power of daily Mass, adoration, Reconciliation, the Blessed Mother, holy priests, community, and therapy.

(25:54) Valerie describes her extraordinary devotion to the Eucharist, describing it as the source of her strength every day. She shares how she spends her time (usually two hours, daily) in adoration, and encourages listeners to go and encounter Jesus’ love in his real presence. 

After a mental health diagnosis that helped to shed light on much of the darkness Tori experienced throughout her life, she was trying to determine where she was headed and considered the possibility of pursuing a life of ministry. When she committed to spending time in adoration during Lent when she was 19, she ended up having a powerful encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist that transformed her discernment and gave her confidence in her next steps.

Show notes:  

00:39 Leah and Fr. Mario welcome Tori Polhill, the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at St. Peter’s in Mt. Clemens, who shares a bit about the work she does with young people. She describes how when she was 19 years old, she had resolved to go to adoration for Lent and during one of her visits to the adoration chapel, she received a message from Jesus, assuring her of her worthiness. 

03:50 Fr. Mario asks Tori about her experience with bipolar disorder and depression, which she described in her story published on iamhere.org. and Tori shares candidly about the experience of having a mental illness and trying to seek the Lord in the midst of the darkness she was experiencing. Tori recalls when she started to express a desire to work in ministry to her youth minister, who encouraged her to work on herself, which prompted her to dive deeper into her faith and understand her diagnosis more fully.

08:47 Tori shares about the mentor she had in her youth minister, and the way she challenged her as a young person, when Tori was struggling to believe Jesus was fully present in the Eucharist. Tori shares  that reading Scripture, learning about the saints, and reading John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert was particularly helpful for her on her faith journey, during a time when she was doing mission work and discerning serving in youth ministry. 

14:12 Tori shares how she speaks to young people who are struggling to believe in Jesus’ Eucharistic presence and what she says to them to prepare them for adoration. 

19:06 Tori shares how her faith and mental health journeys intersect and describes what a difference it makes to spend time in prayer, with the Blessed Sacrament, in addition to seeking help in things like therapy, medication, relationships, etc.

24:08 Fr. Mario comments on the temptation, when one works in ministry, to fail to pray because they work for Jesus, and Tori echoes his sentiment and shares some habits that have helped her to fight that temptation.  

Growing up, Fred Morath struggled to feel seen and known and, by the time he was in college, he was in a very dark place. Heeding his father’s advice one day, he prayed a prayer of desperation and encountered God in a transformative way. This led him to pursue his faith and eventually seek God’s guidance by praying Blessed Sacrament. In this episode, Fred describes two instances of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament during which Jesus called him to serve him in very distinct ways, and shares how responding to those calls has allowed him to live a life of authentic joy, in service of the Lord. 

Show Notes: 

00:34 Fr. Mario and Leah introduce Fred Morath, husband, father to five children, and grandfather to ten grandchildren, who currently serves as the Business Manager at St. John Neumann Parish in Canton, MI. Fred shares about his role at the parish and the work he does for the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan.

02:31 Fred shares about his upbringing, feeling forgotten as one of ten children in his family, and going  to college and experiencing deep emotional pain. He recalls his father’s reminder to him to pray during his freshman year of college and shares how God began to change his life when he heeded his advice and found himself at a Christian charismatic prayer meeting.

07:47 Fr. Mario notes the impact of Fred’s father on his faith journey and Fred describes how his father’s  journey to faith prepared him to be this powerful influence in his life. 

11:20 Fred describes going to the Blessed Sacrament in his late twenties to ask God what to do with his life, knowing he wanted to start a business; which he ended up doing, despite hearing God call him to “be a watchman.” He shares how many years later, during a silent retreat, he prayed a similar prayer and  he sensed the call, once again, to “be a watchman,” and to help  a friend of his who was trying to launch  a Biblical school. After trying to ignore this invitation from God for a few weeks, Fred shares that he eventually approached his friend and took steps to support his endeavor with the Biblical school — something he remains involved in to this day.

15:52 Fred explains how, through Scripture, he also came to understand more fully what God was asking of him when he heard the call to “be a watchman” and explains what that means to him. 

18:00 Fr. Mario comments on the grace present in Fred’s life and Fred explains how much he leans on the Lord’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament throughout the various needs that come up in his life. He describes what his time spent before the Blessed Sacrament is like, in spite of distractions. He talks about his preference for praying the Rosary, with the saints, or with Scripture.

26:22  Fred offers an encouragement to listeners, to approach the Blessed Sacrament in the midst of difficulties, problems, difficulty, and anger, and reminds us that time is never wasted with the Lord.