On the Son Rise Morning Show, Sheila Dumford, school counselor and school counseling supervisor for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Covington, and Jessica Gangwish, CARES coordinator and facilitator, join us to discuss how Catholic Charities is expanding mental health and emotional support for students in diocesan schools.

Sheila explains how the school-based counseling program provides counselors who work directly with students while also partnering with parents, teachers, and families. The goal is to offer a holistic approach to student well-being while keeping services free of cost whenever possible, removing financial barriers for families.

Jessica introduces CARES — the Catholic Approach to Resilience, Engagement, and Support. The program expands beyond one-on-one counseling by bringing resilience and life-skills education directly into classrooms, small groups, and individualized sessions. The program currently serves students in grades one through eight at eight diocesan schools.

One of the distinctive elements of CARES is its Catholic and spiritual foundation, allowing students to develop emotional and interpersonal skills within the context of their Catholic faith.

Sheila and Jessica also discuss why this expanded approach is so important. Counselors may only be present at some schools one or a few days each week, making it difficult to reach every student who could benefit from additional support. CARES helps fill that gap by providing another supportive presence within the school community and by helping identify students who may need additional assistance.

The program has already received encouraging feedback from teachers, parents, principals, and students, including examples of students showing significant growth after receiving both individualized support and classroom-based CARES lessons.

The conversation also highlights how listeners can support Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Covington and help ensure that students and families continue to have access to these important services.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, Mike Aquilina of FathersoftheChurch.com joins us to reflect on the back-to-back feast days of St. Monica and St. Augustine, celebrated on August 27 and 28.

Mike recounts the complicated relationship between mother and son. Augustine was exceptionally gifted, but as a young man he rebelled against the faith Monica had taught him. He pursued worldly ambitions, became involved in an immoral relationship, fathered a child outside of marriage, and explored religious ideas that led him away from Christianity. For Monica, watching her son abandon the faith was heartbreaking.

Yet Monica never stopped praying.

Augustine would later immortalize his mother in his classic work Confessions, describing her influence on his life and even referring to himself as her disciple. Mike explains why Augustine's portrait of Monica is so remarkable: this brilliant philosopher and theologian recognized that much of what ultimately brought him back to God had been planted through his mother's faith, persistence, and prayers.

The conversation also explores Monica's remarkable journey to Italy, where she eventually found her way to Milan and encountered St. Ambrose, the bishop whose preaching and intellectual gifts helped Augustine overcome many of his objections to Christianity. Through Ambrose, Monica's prayers began to bear fruit in a way she could not have accomplished herself.

Mike also highlights the beauty of the final chapter of Monica and Augustine's relationship. After years of separation and struggle, mother and son were ultimately reunited in faith. Augustine came to recognize Monica not simply as his mother, but as one of his greatest teachers.

Their story is a powerful reminder for parents who are praying for children who have wandered from the faith: God can work through years of perseverance, prayer, and patient love—even when the answer seems impossibly far away.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, Courtney Brown, executive director of the Ruah Woods Institute, joins us on the feast of St. Monica to reflect on the extraordinary power of a mother’s prayers—and especially her tears.

St. Monica prayed for years for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine, who would eventually become one of the Church’s greatest saints, theologians, and Doctors. Courtney draws on Augustine’s own Confessions and a reflection from Pope Benedict XVI to explore how deeply Monica grieved over her son’s spiritual condition. Her sorrow over his separation from God was even greater than the grief she would have experienced over his physical death.

The conversation turns to the encouragement this gives parents today, especially those praying for children who have fallen away from the faith. Courtney reflects on the reminder that some walls can be built that only heaven can climb—and that parents ultimately have to entrust their children to God's grace.

The Gospel traditionally associated with St. Monica’s feast, the raising of the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11–17), provides an especially beautiful backdrop. Jesus sees a grieving mother, is moved with compassion, and gives her son back to her. Courtney and the hosts reflect on the profound connection between this Gospel, St. Monica's tears, and God's special tenderness toward mothers.

The discussion also draws on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, particularly the connection between motherhood, the feminine vocation, self-gift, and participation in God's life-giving love.

Above all, St. Monica's witness reminds parents that God has not forgotten a child who has wandered from Him. We are called to love, pray, persevere, and entrust our children completely to the Lord.

Learn more about the Ruah Woods Institute and its K–12 Theology of the Body curriculum through the link in the show notes at SonRiseMorningShow.com.

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The Son Rise Morning Show continues its journey through the Old Testament with Gary Michuta, author of Messiah: Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Christ, exploring Psalm 40 and its profound connection to Jesus Christ.

Psalm 40 presents what initially seems like a contradiction: God commanded Israel to offer sacrifices, yet the Psalm says that God does not ultimately desire sacrifice. Gary explains that the issue is not the sacrificial system itself, but the heart and obedience behind the sacrifice. As Scripture repeatedly teaches, obedience to God is greater than merely performing an external religious obligation.

The discussion turns to the fascinating wording of Psalm 40. The Hebrew speaks of God opening the speaker's ear, while the Greek Septuagint uses the striking phrase, “a body you prepared for me.” The Psalm then speaks of one who comes to do God's will and whose obedience is written in the scroll of the book.

Gary explains how this points toward the Messiah as the obedient sacrifice—one who doesn't merely offer an animal, but offers His own body in perfect obedience to the Father. The connection becomes especially clear in the Letter to the Hebrews, which applies Psalm 40 directly to Jesus and His sacrifice on the Cross.

The conversation also connects Psalm 40 with Isaiah's suffering servant, Christ's obedience “even to death on a cross” in Philippians 2, and the Christian calling described by St. Paul in Romans 12: to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice.

Finally, Gary connects Psalm 40 with Malachi 1:11, where God foretells a pure offering being made among the nations “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” This points beyond the Old Testament animal sacrifices offered in Jerusalem toward the universal sacrifice of the Holy Mass, offered throughout the world.

A fascinating look at how obedience, sacrifice, the Messiah, the Cross, and the Mass come together in the Old Testament—and what Psalm 40 means for every Christian today.

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It’s time for Bible Foods on the Son Rise Morning Show with Rita Heikenfeld of AboutEating.com! Rita joins Anna and Matt to explore a fascinating food reference from Job 10, where Job describes God pouring him out like milk and curdling him like cheese.

Rita explains the biblical significance of milk and cheese while also pointing out an important distinction: the corn we know today is a New World food and was not part of the biblical diet. That leads into this week’s recipe—a delicious and easy slow-cooker Mexican street corn dip that’s perfect for sharing.

The recipe combines corn, cream cheese, sour cream, red onion, jalapeño, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, hot sauce, shredded Mexican-blend cheese, lime juice, and cilantro. Rita also shares a simple trick for adding even more flavor by blistering the corn in a skillet before putting it into the slow cooker.

Anna and Matt discuss ways to customize the recipe for different levels of heat, and Matt suggests it as a perfect dish for football season, game day, or a Sunday gathering. They also consider a particularly Catholic way to spend football Sunday: invite your parish priest over for some food and fellowship!

As always, Rita connects Scripture, food history, and practical cooking in a fun and accessible way.

Find Rita’s full recipe in the show notes at SonRiseMorningShow.com.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, Dr. John Bergsma joins Anna Mitchell to reflect on the Passion of St. John the Baptist, whose feast is celebrated on August 29.

Dr. Bergsma walks us through the complicated circumstances surrounding John the Baptist's imprisonment and execution by Herod Antipas, including John's courageous condemnation of Herod's unlawful relationship with Herodias. John refused to remain silent in the face of sin—even when confronting a powerful political ruler ultimately cost him his life.

But the story of John's martyrdom is about much more than the scandal surrounding Herod's household. Dr. Bergsma places the Passion of John the Baptist within the larger biblical story of salvation, explaining why the Gospel writers deliberately connect John's death with the growing questions surrounding the identity of Jesus.

The prophets had foretold that a herald would come to prepare the way of the Lord, and John fulfills that role. His appearance, including his distinctive clothing, recalls the prophet Elijah and points to Malachi's prophecy that Elijah would return before the great and awesome day of the Lord.

John's death therefore marks a profound passing of the torch. The great prophetic voice who prepared the way now gives way to Jesus, the Son of God and Son of David, whose own Passion is approaching.

Dr. Bergsma also explains the political dimension of Herod's opposition to Jesus and why the Gospel accounts make clear that Jesus was not John the Baptist resurrected, as some rumors claimed. John and Jesus are distinct persons, but they are intimately connected in God's plan of salvation: John is the herald; Christ is the Lord whose coming John announces.

A fascinating biblical reflection on St. John the Baptist, Herod Antipas, Elijah, prophecy, martyrdom, and the transition from the Old Testament prophets to the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, pastoral counselor Kevin Prendergast joins Matt Swaim on the feast of St. Monica, reflecting on the lessons her life offers parents, spouses, and anyone praying for a loved one who has lost their way.

St. Monica is traditionally invoked as a patron for parents of wayward children, those experiencing difficult marriages, and people struggling with alcoholism. Kevin points out that her own life was filled with profound struggles: her son Augustine embraced the Manichean heresy and lived for years with a mistress, while Monica also endured a difficult and unfaithful marriage.

Yet Monica's story is ultimately one of persistence in prayer and learning to surrender control to God. Kevin discusses how her desire to change and protect the people she loved could sometimes become anxious or controlling—and how her encounter with St. Ambrose helped her recognize that she needed to stop trying to fix Augustine herself and entrust him to God.

The conversation offers practical wisdom for parents and spouses dealing with addiction, moral struggles, strained relationships, or children who have walked away from the faith. Kevin emphasizes the importance of recognizing what we can and cannot control, avoiding destructive power struggles, and trusting that God can place the right people in our loved ones' lives at the right time.

Most importantly, St. Monica reminds us that our prayers and example are never wasted. Her husband eventually converted and was baptized, and her persistent prayers for Augustine ultimately bore extraordinary fruit.

A hopeful reflection on St. Monica, surrender, persistent prayer, family struggles, addiction, and trusting God with the people we love most.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, Greg Willits joins us to continue our discussion of his book, God Doesn't Hate Me After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom.

This week, Greg explores the challenging spiritual practice of universal mortification and what St. Louis de Montfort teaches about its role in helping us possess Eternal Wisdom—Jesus Christ—in our lives.

De Montfort identifies four ways to possess Eternal Wisdom: an ardent desire, continuous prayer, universal mortification, and a true and tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Greg explains that while the word “mortification” can sound intimidating, it ultimately means surrendering ourselves and our attachments completely to God.

The conversation looks at what it means to live simply, detach ourselves from worldly pleasures, and die to the desires that keep us from giving ourselves fully to Christ. Greg shares personal experiences of fasting and giving up things such as alcohol, coffee, and other comforts, explaining how these small sacrifices became training grounds for embracing larger crosses later in life.

As Greg points out, little mortifications prepare us for bigger ones. Learning to surrender small things voluntarily can help us develop the spiritual strength to embrace the crosses we don't choose when they come our way.

A practical and challenging conversation about fasting, self-denial, detachment, sacrifice, and growing closer to Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom.

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On the Son Rise Morning Show, Anna Mitchell welcomes back Benedictine Father Robert Nixon of New Norcia, Australia, translator of the Tan Resurrection series, to continue their discussion of Thomas à Kempis' Solitude and Silence: The Cloister of the Heart.

Father Nixon explains Thomas à Kempis' practical advice for overcoming excessive talking, beginning with the importance of renewing our good intentions each day and asking Christ for the grace to persevere.

The conversation explores the importance of avoiding occasions of sin, especially situations that can lead us into gossip, idle chatter, complaining, and murmuring. Anna also shares a practical approach to recognizing when a conversation is heading in an unhealthy direction and honestly stepping away without unnecessarily offending the other person.

Father Nixon emphasizes that taming the tongue is a difficult spiritual discipline. Drawing on the Letter of James and the wisdom of Thomas à Kempis, he explains why, when we're uncertain whether something should be said, it can often be wiser to remain silent.

A practical conversation about prayer, prudence, self-discipline, gossip, and the spiritual power of silence.

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Happy feast of St. Monica! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome pastoral counselor Kevin Prendergast to discuss her intercession for loved ones who may be on a wayward path. Other guests include Dr. John Bergsma on St. John the Baptist, Rita Heikenfeld with Bible Foods, and Gary Michuta with more Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Plus news, weather, sports, and more…

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St. Monica Sodality Prayer for Fallen Away Catholics

“Eternal and merciful Father, I give You thanks for the gift of Your Divine Son Who suffered, died and rose for all mankind. I thank You also for my Catholic Faith and ask Your help that I may grow in fidelity by prayer, by works of charity and penance, by reflection on Your Word, and by regular participation in the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist.

You gave Saint Monica a spirit of selfless love manifested in her constant prayer for the conversion of her son Augustine. Inspired by boundless confidence in Your power to move hearts, and by the success of her prayer. I ask the grace to imitate her constancy in my prayer for [name(s)] who no longer share(s) in the intimate life of Your Catholic family. Grant through my prayer and witness that (he/she/they) may be open to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit, and return to loving union with Your Church. Grant also that my prayer be ever hopeful and that I may never judge another, for You alone can read hearts. I ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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RECIPES FROM RITA: SLOW COOKER MEXICAN STREET CORN DIP

For the Dip

•  5-6 Cups Corn 7-8 Ears or 30 Ounces Frozen (Thawed and Drained)
•  12 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened
•  ½ Cup Sour Cream Full Fat
•  ½ Red Onion Diced
•  1 Jalapeno Diced
•  1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
•  1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
•  ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 3/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Hot Sauce To Taste
•  2 Cups Shredded Cheese – can use Mexican blend or a block of Monterrey Jack or really your favorite 

For Topping

•  1 Lime Juiced
•  ¾ Cup Cotija Cheese
•  Cilantro – optional but good

Instructions

1. Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. 
2. Optional but highly recommended: Heat oil in a large skillet until hot. Add corn and cook until slightly charred on all sides.
3. Add all ingredients except lime juice, cotija cheese, and cilantro to the crock pot.
4. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, stirring once about halfway through. Cook until cheese is fully melted. 
5. Stir in half of the cotija cheese. Then top with remaining cotija, cilantro, and lime juice. 

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covingtoncharities.org

Full list of guests

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