Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane Salonen

In this episode, Emmy-award-winning journalist Monica Hannan, who is readying soon to complete a 45-year career as a television news anchor—37 of which happened at KFYR-TV in Bismarck, North Dakota—explores the topic of "surrender" in anticipation of her forthcoming book, "Surrender to Lead," which follows the journeys of 11 individuals who learned what surrendering their lives to God truly means and requires.

SHOW NOTES:

• The Dream Maker by Monica Hannan: https://www.atkinsoncenter.org/the-dream-maker-by-monica-hannan/

• Gift of Death: A Message of Comfort and Hope by Monica Hannan: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Death-Message-Comfort-Hope/dp/0692745610

• "When life doesn't go as planned" article about the retreat Monica will help lead Oct. 3 to 5, 2025, at the Maryvale Retreat Center in Valley City, North Dakota: https://fargodiocese.net/news/when-life-doesnt-go-as-planned

• To register for the "iSurrender: When Life Doesn't Go As Planned" retreat mentioned above: https://maryvalend.org/10-5-25-i-surrender

• Roxane's article on the Surrender Novena, "The beautiful truth of how I became a prayer snob": https://roxanesalonen.com/2019/06/20/the-beautiful-truth-of-how-i-became-a-prayer-snob-with-the-surrender-novena/

Rose Sweet has been studying and teaching the temperament for decades now, and has finally brought her collected knowledge into a book delving into how our ascent to holiness can be affected by our temperament—for good or ill. Even if you've already assessed your personality type, you might not have given much thought to what this has to do with your personal sanctity, but for the serious seeker of the Kingdom, your very life—and death—could depend on how well you capitalize on your innate strengths for God's glory. Rose, a self-proclaimed Choleric-Sanguine, will lead us through this discussion in a fun, direct yet gentle way with plenty of hope for all personality types.

SHOW NOTES:

• Rose Sweet's recently released, My Type of Holiness: Striving for Sainthood with the Temperament God Gave Me: https://www.amazon.com/My-Type-Holiness-Sainthood-Temperament/dp/1639662332

• Website for Rose Sweet, Catholic author and coach: https://rosesweet.com/

• Temperament quiz: https://www.temperamentquiz.com

Today's guest, Todd Mickelson, is in his 13th year working with the Friends of Chimbote ministry, a faith-based organization dedicated to the men, women, and children living in the barrios of Chimbote, Peru, in extreme poverty.

Currently the development director for the ministry, Todd will share about his brief encounter with Bishop Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo, while in Chimbote in December 2015, but even more, he'll lead us into the hearts of the Peruvian people he's met and come to appreciate, connecting us with our new pontiff's second homeland in South America and our local tie.

SHOW NOTES:

• Friends of Chimbote website: https://www.friendsofchimbote.org/

• Roxane's article on Fargo connections to Pope Leo: https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/locals-share-their-encounters-with-pope-leo-xiv

• Roxane's article on our interconnectedness to Pope Leo: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/pope-leo-kevin-bacon-and-you

• Todd's article on Bishop Folda's trip to Chimbote in February 2025: https://fargodiocese.net/news/mission-of-mercy

• Article on the three European priest martyrs who were beatified in December 2015 in Chimbote: https://www.ncregister.com/news/beatified-chimbote-martyrs

Camille Harvey, my only sibling and near-Irish twin, has been my shadow buddy most of my life, either guiding me or supporting me in various ways.

A trained musician and teacher, she gave up the classroom some years ago to start Bluebird Companion Care, a small business and ministry through which she connects with those in the west-central part of North Dakota who need a little assistance in their daily lives.

When I think of Camille, the word "compassion" comes to mind. What is the source of the compassion she has displayed so well throughout her life, and what has been the main well-spring that keeps it fed?

SHOW NOTES:

• Camille Harvey's website: https://www.bluebirdcompanioncare.com/
• Roxane Salonen's email for feedback: [email protected]
• Roxane's article on Monsignor Richter's keynote from 2014 event: https://roxanesalonen.com/2014/05/02/faith-family-fridays-cum-pati-and-st-giannas/

Melissa Perez and her husband, Mark, are presenters for marriage retreats under the auspices of a ministry, Adventures in Marriage, which pairs with Live the Life, an educational outreach that focuses on helping cultivate healthy relationships. Societies rise and fall with the family. When marriages are not strong, neither is society. But life is messy, and our stories complicate things. We bring baggage into marriage as fallen human beings. Today, Melissa will be with us to share her story and offer hope on how to turn a good marriage into an excellent one or help a failing marriage find new life.

SHOW NOTES:

• Live the Life organization for healthy relationships: https://www.livethelife.org/

• Adventures in Marriage retreats: https://www.livethelife.org/adventuresinmarriage

• John Paul II Healing Center: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/

• Four animals personality test: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/4-animals-personality-test/

• Undone Women's Retreat in Fargo, North Dakota (Nov. 20-22, 2025): https://jpiihealingcenter.org/event/undone-womens-retreat-2025-fargo-nd/

Cecile Smith was looking for signs of God's presence in so many places before she realized, to her great surprise, that he was exceedingly near—in her very garden! This season, in which we in the northern hemisphere, especially, are spending more time in our gardens or just enjoying the nature around us, can help put us in touch with the divine in a very palpable way.

Today, Cecile Smith will help us discover, or rediscover, God's love through his creation, including in our own backyards or wherever we find natural beauty.

SHOW NOTES:

• Cecile Smith's website: https://www.cecilesmith.com/

• Cecile's email address to sign up for weekly inspirations: [email protected]

• Cecile on Facebook (search "Cecile Smith"): https://www.facebook.com/cecile.smith.77736

• Etty Hillesum's book, "Interrupted Life," detailing her thoughts before and during her days at Auschwitz: https://www.amazon.com/Etty-Hillesum-Interrupted-1941-1943-Westerbork/dp/0805050876

In 2018, Dottie Borowski traveled a road that most married people—nearly half—will face eventually when she became a widow. But rather than being met with only silence in the months and years following, Dottie experienced a series of spiritual events that convinced her of the reality of life after death.

In today's episode, this faithful woman, whose vocation is prayer and service work, will step out into the deep, sharing of the experiences that convinced her that the idea of life beyond this one is not just myth, but reality.

SHOW NOTES:

• Fr. Joel Sember's website with a link for Oriens Advent adventure, through which Dottie and I met: https://pilgrimpriest.us/

• Information on the Rosary here: https://www.rosary.com/blogs/blog/mysteries-of-the-rosary

• Catholic Answers article on the Church's teaching about private revelation: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/twelve-things-to-know-about-private-revelations

Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy, a Lutheran pastor, husband and father, tends his flock through preaching, spiritual direction and counseling. In recent years, he's also been called to address whether our genders are fixed or malleable, and has come away with a determined answer on the topic based in both science and theology. With a doctorate in marriage and family counseling, Lovejoy will lead us through the facts and fiction of this modern dilemma in a way that should inspire people of faith and goodwill to meet the critical needs of those who struggle with gender identity with compassion and truth.

SHOW NOTES:

• Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy's full presentation, "Unapologetically Female: Reclaiming what it means to be a woman"

• Debra Soh's book, The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society

• John Colapinto's book detailing the tragic story of David Reimer: As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl

• Roxane's "Living Faith" article, "Has trans ideology silenced our intuitions?

• New York Post article on detransitioner Prish Mosley, who was mentioned but not by name within the episode: "Detransitioner describes agony of pregnancy after changing gender as a teen: 'Makes me feel like a monster'"

• Video (11 mins.): "Prisha Mosley: A Detransitioner's Pregnancy" Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY6s_wIDUaU

• Post on X mentioned within podcast: https://x.com/ppc4liberty/status/1929720809402388938?s=46

What is fidelity? Going with the simplest dictionary definition, it is "faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances." Dr. Robert P. George, a professor at Princeton University, will add depth to that definition while sharing why he initiated a movement a couple years ago designating the month of June as Fidelity Month.

Among his qualifications, Dr. George holds Princeton's celebrated McCormick Professorship of Jurisprudence, is the founder and director of the university's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, and serves on several boards related to civil rights and religious freedom.

SHOW NOTES:

• Fidelity Month website: https://fidelitymonth.com/

• Dr. Robert P. George's website: https://robertpgeorge.com/

• Dr. George's latest co-authored book, "Truth Matters: A Dialogue on Fruitful Disagreement in an Age of Division," with Cornel West: https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Matters-Dialogue-Fruitful-Disagreement/dp/B0DBR1PYWL

• More of Dr. George's work: https://contemporarythinkers.org/robert-george/

Patrick Lehe, a cradle Catholic and screenwriter from rural Indiana, currently living in Los Angeles, will share his struggles with same-sex attraction as a man of faith, focusing on living counter-culturally with a zeal for reviving God's truth in American society.

SHOW NOTES:

• Patrick's article in Busted Halo, "How I found my vocation to the single life as a gay man": https://bustedhalo.com/life-culture/how-i-found-my-vocation-to-the-single-life-as-a-gay-man

• "Desire of the Everlasting Hills" documentary: https://everlastinghills.org/

• "The Third Way" documentary: https://everlastinghills.org/

• "Catechism of the Catholic Church" on homosexuality and chastity: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/catechism/index.cfm?recnum=6181

• Michael Gasparro, a marriage and family therapist and friend of Patrick's, discusses, "The Cause Of Same-Sex Attraction" with Live Action's Lila Rose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C103HB8jfdY

• Journalists Patrick mentioned who helped normalize the words "homosexual" and "heterosexual": Karl Ulrichs and Karl-Marie Kertbeny

• Patrick's "Witness" blog post: https://www.patrickjlehe.com/witness