In The Midst

Frank and Jenifer discuss their talk at St. Bernard Catholic Church this past weekend as well as an inspiring story they were told by two grieving parents.  

It took 3 attempts but we finally recorded this episode! Podcasting with a family is not easy. LOL! But we were determined to sit down and discuss what it has been like the past year trying to grow an apostolate. We were prompted to have this discussion by a big milestone. We reached 1,000 likes on our Facebook page! 

We talk about how Maggie's witness is inextricably bound to our family life. We also talk about what it means to have a living witness; one not bound to a moment in time, but one that lives, grows and perseveres each day, week, month and year by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We also have a fairly in-depth conversation about how the gospel brings victory in the very relationships between Christians by making these relationships unbreakable and metaphysical. Christian relationships are not defined by or bound to the earthly and physical, but actually reach into heaven.

Elizabeth and I talk in more detail about Padre Pio's stigmata; specifically about the medical examinations he was subjected to as well as those done by church authorities sent by the pope. We also talk about the 10 year persecution Padre Pio faced by those within the Church, including within the Vatican, and the death of his sister Felicita and his mother. 

In this new series, my daughter Elizabeth and I discuss a few saints that we have been reading about, beginning with Padre Pio. Padre Pio was a Franciscan priest and monk from Italy who bore the stigmata (i.e., the physical wounds of Jesus Christ) for 50 years and performed many miracles. Both his stigmata and many of his miracles were subjected to scientific and medical scrutiny, and Padre Pio himself faced strong opposition from high-ranking members of the Catholic Church.

A letter from one wounded heart to another. The darkness of the cross and the hurricane of suffering, and the hope of a single brick. 

A letter from one wounded heart to another. The stillness, the quiet, the darkness - is this death or new birth?

A letter from one wounded heart to another. The birds sing their morning song while you sing your mourning song. 

A letter from one wounded heart to another. There is one who reaches out to you in the midst of your suffering who bears a wounded hand.

A letter from one wounded heart to another.  One day your avalanche of sorrow will melt and water your flower of hope.

In this episode, we discuss an article written by a father who lost his child and who lives with regret because he sacrificed too much time away from his family for his career, and who struggles with going back to work. We give our two cents based upon our own experience. We also talk about the challenge of having to rebuild yourself, even as people of faith, after such a devastating loss.