The Jubilee Year stands as a powerful invitation to renewal, drawing us into the heart of God's extraordinary mercy. Father Don Wolfe unravels the rich tapestry of this sacred time, explaining how this celebration extends from Christmas 2023 through Epiphany 2026, offering unique opportunities for spiritual transformation at designated pilgrimage sites like the Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother.

Many pilgrims ask practical questions about this special time—wondering which doors they should enter or what makes this period different from ordinary time. Father Wolfe addresses these wonderings with wisdom and clarity, revealing that while symbols like holy doors matter, what's truly significant is the interior journey of the heart. A true pilgrimage isn't merely geographic but spiritual, preparing the soul through confession, Eucharist, prayer, and works of mercy.

The Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Francis invites Catholics to a time of extraordinary grace, offering spiritual renewal through pilgrimage, prayer, and sacraments. This celebration, rooted in biblical tradition, provides a sacred opportunity to encounter God's mercy in fresh and transformative ways.

In this episode: 

• Jubilee Year runs from Christmas 2023 through Epiphany 2026
• The Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother serves as an official pilgrimage site for the Archdiocese
• True pilgrimage involves interior preparation through confession, Eucharist, prayer, and works of mercy
• Plenary indulgences offer unlimited grace to those who fulfill spiritual requirements
• Setting apart sacred time helps us recognize God's ever-present grace amid our daily distractions
• The biblical Jubilee represented a reset—canceling debts and returning land to original owners
• This designated time invites us to trust in God's providence and abundance

Join us during this special time to experience the fullness of God's mercy and grace. Visit your local pilgrimage site and open your heart to the extraordinary spiritual gifts being offered.

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

In this episode, we explore how Lent prepares us to fully encounter the proclamation of Easter Sunday and the risen Christ. The 40 days of Lent tune our spiritual ears to hear what we might otherwise miss.

• The resurrection accounts in the New Testament show that even Jesus' closest followers needed help recognizing him
• Encountering the risen Christ always came after hearing the proclamation that he was risen
• Our experiences today connect directly to those first witnesses through the chain of testimony
• Doubt has been part of Christian experience from the beginning
• The three Lenten practices—fasting, prayer, and almsgiving—help us see the world differently
• Fasting interrupts our normal patterns and opens us to new awareness
• Prayer invites God's presence into the details of our lives
• Giving alms changes our relationship with the poor and reminds us of God's generosity

Join us in the weeks ahead as we continue exploring the profound power of the Lord's resurrection.

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

At the heart of this episode is the Gospel story of the paralyzed man, whose friends lowered him through a roof to reach Jesus. Christ's first words—"Your sins are forgiven"—reveal a profound connection between physical brokenness and spiritual restoration. When challenged, Jesus demonstrates his authority by commanding the man to stand, take his mat and go home. This wasn't merely healing; it was complete restoration to family, community and purpose.

While we rightfully avoid blaming the sick for their conditions, we've lost sight of how sin permeates our world, creating ripples of disorder that touch everyone. The paralyzed man's condition perfectly symbolizes what sin does to us spiritually—leaving us immobile, dependent, and disconnected from our true home.

The forgiveness Jesus offers isn't just erasing offenses from a divine ledger; it's breaking the chains of a broken world order that began with humanity's first disobedience. When we receive this healing gift, we must extend it to others, creating a cycle of restoration that gradually heals our fractured relationships and communities. 

As we journey through Lent, we're invited to both receive and give this transformative forgiveness that allows us all to "stand up, pick up our mats, and go home" to the lives God intends for us.

• The paralyzed man's story demonstrates Jesus connecting physical healing with spiritual forgiveness
• Modern culture often separates sin and sickness, unlike Jesus who saw them as interconnected 
• Jesus didn't just heal the man's body but commanded him to "stand up, pick up your mat and go home"—signifying complete restoration
• Sin resembles paralysis—leaving us frozen, dependent, and unable to move forward spiritually
• Our narrow understanding of sin as merely "breaking rules" misses the deeper reality of how sin infects our world
• Forgiveness must be both received and given—as we pray in the Our Father
• True healing happens when we extend Christ's forgiveness to others, completing the restoration cycle

Next week, we'll explore the sacrament of reconciliation and how we can build bridges of forgiveness according to Church teaching.

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

As the White House moves to make IVF more accessible and affordable, Catholics find themselves at a crossroads between compassion for those struggling with infertility and fidelity to Church teaching on human reproduction.

Join as Father Wolf explores why IVF—now responsible for approximately 2% of U.S. births—raises profound moral concerns despite its widespread acceptance.

Drawing a parallel to Pope Paul VI's once-ridiculed but ultimately prophetic warnings about contraception in Humanae Vitae, he challenges listeners to look beyond individual cases to consider the broader societal implications of reproductive technologies.

The episode provides a meaningful framework for understanding Catholic teaching on reproductive ethics while addressing profound questions about the commercialization of human life, the spiritual dimension of parenthood, and our responsibility to protect human dignity from conception. 

• IVF involves harvesting eggs, fertilizing them in a laboratory, and implanting the embryos in a womb
• About 2% of US births now result from IVF procedures
• The White House recently announced support and affordability measures for IVF
• Pope St. John Paul II categorized IVF as part of the "culture of death" in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae
• IVF separates the unitive act of marriage from procreation, similar to how contraception separates sex from procreation
• The procedure commercializes human reproduction, treating children and reproductive elements as commodities
• Many fertilized embryos are destroyed or stored indefinitely in the process
• The technology often exploits economically vulnerable people, particularly women
• Each child represents an immortal soul with unique DNA that will never exist again
• The Church affirms the natural desire for children while questioning technological means that compromise human dignity

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

Father Don Wolfe examines the troubling implications of Britain's recent legalization of assisted suicide, exploring how practices intended for "dignity in dying" inevitably expand beyond their original scope and transform healthcare from preservation of life to facilitation of death.

• Britain joining a growing list of countries legalizing assisted suicide for "legally competent terminally ill patients"
• Historical context including Robert Hugh Benson's prescient 1895 novel predicting euthanasia
• How the pursuit of "dying with dignity" transforms into "death without obstacles"
• Evidence from countries like Canada where medical assistance in dying rapidly expanded beyond terminal cases
• Connection between consumer culture's emphasis on choice and the normalization of chosen death
• Irony that Catholics, often criticized for focusing on the afterlife, now lead advocacy for earthly life's value
• Warning that doctors' roles may shift from preserving life to deciding which lives are worth treating

We must recognize that what we believe, celebrate, and value are truly matters of life and death, making our faith practice far more consequential than many realize.

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

A time for deep reflection and personal change invites listeners to explore the true meaning of the 40 days of Lent. We delve into the necessity for meaningful disciplines that cultivate growth and deepen faith and connection. 

In this episode:
• Significance of Lent and its call to introspection 
• Addressing distractions of the digital age 
• Steps to ensure chosen disciplines genuinely resonate with personal goals 
• The challenge of spiritual resistance during times of change 
• The call to actionable steps beyond simple intentions 
• Importance of preparing oneself for God’s presence and grace 

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

This episode delves into the intriguing intersection of faith and the supernatural, exploring personal anecdotes and cultural narratives surrounding ghost encounters. Father Wolf discusses the essence of fear associated with ghosts, the scriptural acknowledgment of the supernatural, and the importance of prayer in addressing these haunting experiences. 

• Personal stories about ghostly blessings 
• Common experiences of haunting and fear 
• The significance of ghost stories in human culture 
• Biblical references to ghosts and the supernatural 
• The role of prayer in healing and addressing spiritual distress 
• Balancing skepticism with spirituality 
• The hope for connection beyond death.

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

This episode dives into the significance of the Eucharist and our ongoing encounter with Christ, exploring how the bishops aim to reignite this awareness among Catholic believers. Through examining resurrection narratives and the role of women at the tomb, we reflect on the importance of testimony, baptism, and the invitation to reconnect with our faith heritage as we seek a transformative experience with the divine.

• Exploring the bishops' intention behind the Eucharistic revival 
• The role of women at the empty tomb and their initial reactions 
• Understanding the surprised disciples and their expectations 
• The significance of testimony in recognizing the presence of Christ 
• The connection between baptism and new life in Christ 
• The symbolic invitation to go home and reconnect with faith

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

What if the key to understanding your faith lies in the ancient stories and traditions that have been guiding believers for centuries? Discover how the dramatic conversion of St. Paul can serve as a blueprint for our own spiritual transformations, urging us to integrate both prayer and action into our daily lives. Through Paul's life-changing encounter with Christ, we're invited to see scripture not just as text but as a living invitation to deepen our faith journey.

This episode explores the concept of encountering God's real presence in our lives through the lens of St. Paul's conversion. Father Wolf emphasizes that true engagement with faith moves beyond attendance to active participation in the sacraments and community, leading to transformation.

• Discussion of the bishops' call for Eucharistic Revival 
• Connection between prayer and action in faith 
• The transformative encounter of St. Paul's conversion 
• Ananias’s significant role in Paul’s journey 
• The importance of recognizing Christ beyond mere presence 
• Reflection on the disciples’ experience on the road to Emmaus 
• Emphasis on community involvement and sacramental life 
• Call to deeper engagement with one's faith through personal encounters

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

The episode emphasizes the journey of encountering Christ through the Eucharist amidst doubt and uncertainty. Father Wolf explores how the real presence of Christ affects believers today, encouraging them to embrace community and shared faith experiences.

• Discussion on the urgency of Eucharistic revival 
• Exploring the apostles' doubt and their encounter with Christ 
• The significance of Jesus' greeting of peace 
• Understanding Christ's wounds as a connection to faith 
• Reflecting on Thomas’s criteria for true belief 
• The Church as the living body of Christ today 
• Encouragement for active participation in faith

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Father Don Wolf is a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Living Catholic also broadcasts on Oklahoma Catholic Radio several times per week, with new episodes airing every Sunday.