On Mission

Prayer can certainly seem overwhelming and overly complicated. However, prayer is simply a conversation with God and raising our minds to the things of Heaven. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. share how simple prayer can be and how to grow more fruit from prayer.

Prayer is the basis of our relationship with God and it’s important to remember the basics. Remembering the basics keeps prayer as simple as a conversation between two friends, God and yourself. We can look to more formal prayers like the Our Father and Hail Mary as a basis for how our prayer can be, but there’s no replacement from speaking from the heart and allowing our Lord to respond. We can use the acronym ACTS to help model our prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.

Related On Mission episodes:

Maintain Prayer Routines During Summer Vacation

Prayerful Parenthood

Year of Prayer

Lectio Divina

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

The Fruit of Prayer

More posts about Prayer

Year of Prayer Resources

Prayer Resources

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Confession, known as the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, allows us to be forgiven of our sins and bestows on us graces to grow in our spiritual life. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss ways that you can prepare and participate in the Sacrament.

If you’ve been away from the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation for some time, embrace Jesus’ invitation to draw closer to him through this Sacrament--be not afraid. When preparing to go to Confession, it is customary for the person to examine their conscience, reflecting on the sins they committed since their last confession. The participant asks for the grace to make a good confession and resolves to amend their lives. Once in the confessional, the person can ask for help confessing their sins or follow the standard rubric. Next comes the act of contrition, absolution, and sometimes to do the assigned penance.

Related On Mission episodes:

Baptism

Spiritual Direction

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Spiritual Decluttering

Conscience Reclaimed

More posts about Confession

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Lent quickly approaches and many Catholics pick up penances of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, but what exactly should we do? In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss ways that Catholics can choose what Lenten penances to undertake and what to do when we inevitably fail.

Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, the three pillars to Lent, guide us through the 40 days so that we can be ready to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus at Easter. In Scripture, we read that Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the desert as a preparation for his public ministry. Likewise, Christians around the world ‘enter the desert’, so to speak, during Lent as a means of growing closer to Christ and neighbor.

Related On Mission episodes:

Ash Wednesday

The Easter Vigil and Easter Traditions

On Lent

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Am I Ready for Lent?

More posts about Lent

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Ash Wednesday and other holy days like Christmas and Easter are popular days in the liturgical calendar where parishes see an increase in the number of people attending Mass. Many may be there for the first time or for the first time in a long time. How can parishes create a welcoming environment that helps bring these individuals closer to Christ? In this episode of On Mission, Paul Jarzembowski joins Chris Pierno and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to discuss what times of the year parishes can expect an increase in attendance and how best to accommodate and welcome the newcomers.

Many parishes offer extra Masses and times for Confession close to Ash Wednesday, Christmas, and Easter expecting a large number of new people to attend these services. With proper preparation and consideration, parishes can turn who would be one time attendees into active and involved members of the community. Paul Jarzembowski, author of Hope for the Holidays and Hope from the Ashes, shares tips and strategies for parishes who experience an influx in attendance around key moments in the liturgical year.

Related On Mission episodes:

Ash Wednesday

The Easter Vigil and Easter Traditions

On Lent

Webinars with Paul Jarzembowski:

Sparks from Ashes: Lent and Ash Wednesday as Moments of Evangelization

Hope For the Holidays: Finding Light at the Darkest Times of the Year

Hope from the Ashes: Preparing for an Evangelizing Lent

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Accompanying Others Throughout Lent

More posts about Lent

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

On February 3rd every year, Christians flock to their local parish churches to receive a blessing of throats with blessed candles in honor of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss who St. Blaise was, what blessings are, and why we receive blessings on his feast day.

St. Blaise was Bishop of Sebaste, modern day Turkey, in the beginning of the 4th century before his martyrdom in 316. He was a physician who was known for his miraculous healings, particularly healings involving the throat. This lead to the tradition of blessing throats on his feast day. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, being invoked against throat illnesses. “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

A blessing is an extension of the sacramental grace offered to us through the Sacraments. When we receive a blessing or get an object blessed, God’s graces are bestowed on us through the blessing as a medium. When we receive the blessing of the throat on St. Blaise’s feast day, we receive graces from God through the the blessing from the merit of the Sacraments that aid us in our infirmities.

Related On Mission episodes:

The 14 Holy Helpers

All Saints and All Souls Days

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Christmas Season

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

The 14 Holy Helpers

More posts about the Saints

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Every year, many make resolutions to guide their new year plans. For Catholics, we can make resolutions to help guide our spiritual growth and inform our daily tasks. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss ways that Catholics can take advantage of the New Year, 2026.

With the dawn of a New Year we have fresh opportunities and a new hope for what we can expect in the months ahead. A key for success is having a plan and managing expectations. If we bite off more than we can chew, we get overwhelmed and don’t make any progress. If we don’t have any idea of how we will accomplish our goals, then we are not any more likely to accomplish them. Some New Year’s resolutions for Catholics may include: attending daily Mass, going to Confession more regularly, daily prayer, and partaking in charity work, to name a few. Listen to this podcast episode to learn more!

Related On Mission episodes:

Promoting the Good on Social Media

Maintain Prayer Routines During Summer Vacation

Corporal Works of Mercy

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Incorporating Liturgical Living into New Year's Resolutions

Ring in the Year with Mary

More posts about the New Year

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Have you ever wondered where the Christmas Tree comes from? Or are you wondering what the tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes is? In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss the traditions in our homes that we can so easily take for granted and shares the context and religious symbolism behind the traditions.

Every year, we set up Christmas trees, we put up lights, we wrap gifts, and we put out a nativity scene, but do we ever consider where these practices come from? For example, the Christmas tree’s origin comes from St. Boniface who said the tree reminds us of eternal life, the Trinity, and our orientation to live for eternity. These and other traditions have been handed on to us, like the crèche. The crèche is said to have been developed by St. Francis and now finds its way into our living rooms each year. Even St. Peter’s Square in Rome sets up a nativity scene and a Christmas tree. It was Pope St. John Paul II who started the tradition of placing a nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square. And a nativity scene commissioned by St. Vincent Pallotti was in use for a number of years. Listen to this podcast episode to learn more!

View our Advent Resources page

Related On Mission episodes:

Christmas Peace

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Christmas Season

Christmas

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Look Up, Set Out, and Give

The Great Light of Christmas

More posts about Christmas

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Christmas comes with a lot of expectations and obligations. Without managing these expectations and setting some sort of boundaries or limits, we can easily get enveloped in stress. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss what we can do to manage the busiest and most joyful time of year: Christmas.

There’s a lot for families to do between Thanksgiving and Christmas to prepare to celebrate Christmas in addition to their typical routines. We know that the time of Advent should be one of peaceful waiting, but that still leaves the practical elements of Christmas preparation to take care of. How do we practice self-care to prepare and celebrate Christmas without allowing the stress to overwhelm us? Firstly, we can manage our expectations for what the season will be like and not allow unexpected events to get us upset. Secondly, with all the gift-giving, we can set a reasonable budget and plan to whom we will give gifts for. Third, while all the “to-dos” need to be done, it is, more importantly meant to be enjoyed. You can find Christ in the midst of our to-dos and offer up the duties to him and find more spiritual fulfillment in the midst of Christmas. Listen to this podcast episode to learn more!

View our Advent Resources page

Self-Care Resources page

Related On Mission episodes:

Christmas Peace

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Christmas Season

Christmas

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Look Up, Set Out, and Give

The Great Light of Christmas

More posts about Christmas

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

With Advent upcoming, we can make the most of the liturgical season as a means to prepare for the celebrations of Christmas. In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss how we can use Advent as a means to spiritually and practically prepare for Christmas.

Christmas quickly approaches and with it Advent. With the fast-paced nature of the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Advent can simply pass by. But if we intentionally use the four weeks of Advent, we can find more spiritual fulfillment when Christmas arrives. Advent is often considered the little Lent. What Lent like practices can we incorporate into our Advent observances? For example, we can emphasize more charitable works within our communities, we can fast, and we can take up certain prayer practices to help us pave the way for the Lord.

View our Advent Resources page

Related On Mission episodes:

Feasts of Advent

Advent Resources

Advent

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

A Light in Darkness

Beyond a Twinkle

More posts about the Advent

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Thanksgiving quickly approaches and many look to engage in more acts of charity, like working in a food panty or visiting sick families members. What are some concrete ways we can live the Catholic works of mercy this Thanksgiving? In this episode of On Mission, Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discuss how we can live out the works of mercy at the Thanksgiving table and beyond.

Over Thanksgiving, we have particular opportunities to put the works of mercy into practice. For example, we can engage in ministries that help feed the hungry, visit the sick, or prison ministry. Even around the dinner table we can accompany others by counseling the doubtful, praying for the living and the dead, and forgiving injuries that other family members or friends may have caused us.

​The Catechism tells us that “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice" (CCC 2446). As Catholics, we are called by the Church to exercise the virtue of justice and give others what they are due through works of mercy. This is lived out through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Mercy is the unmerited, unwarranted love which is poured out regardless of whether or not it is accepted. This love is perfected and continuously given to humanity through God, who is love. All of salvation history is the story of God showering mercy on humanity even in the face of rejection, and showing that there are no limits to the mercy offered–to the point of sending His only begotten Son to die on the cross for us. This mercy which is “endless” and “inexhaustible”, as St. Faustina describes, invites us to not only receive the fullness of it, but to allow mercy to overflow out of us and into others. When we receive God’s mercy, the only response we can have is to share it with others, and this is done through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

Related On Mission episodes:

Thanksgiving and Faith

Spiritual Works of Mercy

Corporal Works of Mercy

From the Ad Infinitum blog:

Women of Faith

Living Divine Mercy

More posts about the Works of Mercy

Check out the main Saints and Feast Days website

Download the App on the App Store or Google Play

Follow us:

• The Catholic Apostolate Center
• The Center's podcast website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank’s weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.