It's almost a given that at some point during our lives we will question "Who am I?" What is our purpose and why are we here, usually follow. Joe Heschmeyer joins me this week to answer that question within the context of society today. Deep question indeed! You will definitely want to check out his book Who Am I, Lord? Finding Your Identity in Christ here.

 This week on Off the Shelf I am joined by guest Jared Staudt. We take a look at how the Catholic faith can renew our fractured society. Lots of good stuff in this episode. Be sure to check out Jared's book Restoring Humanity: Essays on the Evangelization of Culture here.

 This week Becky Eldredge joins me to talk about our prayer lives and establishing a solid relationship with God can help us navigate through today's troubled waters. You don't want to miss this episode as we pull back the curtains on Contemplative Prayer in the spirit of Saint Ignatius! get your copy of Beckys' book The Inner Chapel" Embracing the Promises of God here. 

How do we bring people back to Church and at the same time how do we return the Church to her former glory? For decades Church teachings and traditions have been watered down by modern society. This week Brandon McGinley and I discuss this very real problem and what solutions are available to us. Get your copy of Brandon's book The Prodigal Church: Restoring Catholic Tradition in an Age of Deception here. 

If there is one thing each of us could use right now it's a little hope. From our personal lives to the life of the Church an interjection of hope would be a truly wonderful thing. Join Kris Frank and I as we discuss the many areas in life where can can play a role in bringing hope to others. Grab a copy of Kris' book Hope. Always. Our Anchor in Life's Storms here. 

This week Tim Glemkowski stopped by to discuss parish renewal. We took a particularly hard look at how this has morphed since the covid pandemic. Grab your copy of Made for Mission: Renewing Your Parish Culture here. 

This week John DeRosa joins me to discuss his book   One Less God Than You: How to Answer the Slogans, Clichès, and Fallacies That Atheists Use to Challenge Your Faith. Upon reading this book my initial reaction is this book serves as a field manual for engaging atheists. We cover John's 5-step approach when defending the faith and take a look at a few of the twenty slogans atheists commonly use and how we can work our way through them.

This week Father John Bartunek joins me to discuss how to incorporate scripture into a daily prayer routine. We look at how to be effective pray-ers and why the scriptures are so important to us particularly in today's climate. We also take a look at Father's new four-volume edition of my personal favorite The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer. Get your own copy here. 

We are feeling our way through some very unprecedented times. Many struggle with job loss and the loss of friends and family due to illness. The recent lockdowns have led to isolation and many are feeling "off". In her book Surviving Depression: A Catholic Approach Sister Kathryn Hermes  lays out a roadmap to recovery. Tune in as we discuss ways to overcome depression and anxiety and realize a brighter tomorrow. Get your  copy of her book here.  

Evangelizing the faith can be a tricky thing. Many Catholics are simply not comfortable with spreading the faith. Thankfully we have some folks who ARE comfortable and are willing to us how. This week Brandon Vogt joins me to discuss ways we can answer the tough questions we may encounter about atheism, the gospel, same-sex marriage, transgenderism and more. Check out Brandon's latest book What to Say and How to Say it: Discuss Your Catholic Faith with Clarity and Confidence here.