Talking Catholic

For this week's episode, Mike and Pete went back to school... Paul VI High School in Haddonfield... for an all-day gathering of the more than 600 men and women teaching in the Diocese's elementary and secondary schools. Joining them on-location were Kara Hastings, Math teacher at Resurrection Catholic elementary school in Cherry Hill; Heather Crisci, Principal of Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill; Joe Williams, from Saint Michael the Archangel Regional Elementary School, Clayton; and Chris Materazzo, English teacher at Saint Joseph High School, Hammonton. Topics covered: the vocation of the Catholic school teacher, challenges in the classroom, mentors, and thoughts on the morning's keynote session with Dr. Saundra Kennedy, who works with Catholic schools in Louisiana and Mississippi.

We hope you'll enjoy our newest podcast, Talking Saints. In this first episode, our hosts Laurie Power and Pete Sanchez discuss Saint Patrick, the Roman Britain who arrived in Ireland in the 5th Century. For the next 40 years, he brought Christianity to the Irish and would later become it's most famous bishop and saint.

Saint Patrick's Prayer (abridged)

As I arise today,

may the strength of God pilot me,

the power of God uphold me,

the wisdom of God guide me.

May the eye of God look before me,

the ear of God hear me,

the word of God speak for me.

May the hand of God protect me,

the way of God lie before me,

the shield of God defend me,

the host of God save me.

May Christ shield me today.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,

Christ when I stand,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen

Who was Saint Joseph, the silent husband to Mary, and the foster father of Jesus? Laurie Power and Pete Sanchez discuss what is known about the carpenter on his feast day, and how Saint Joseph can still be an example for all today, in quietly allowing God to work in our own lives.

Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen

After more than a year of guests, hosts Mike and Pete intentionally go guest-less on this one. The duo talk about the newest podcast that will launch on St. Patrick's Day, a few high profile news items that took place within the Diocese of Camden, and then chat about Holy Week, Easter, and the best way to eat (or destroy)marshmallow peeps.

Nancy Denton, parishioner of Christ Our Light in Cherry Hill and assistant to Mike Jordan Laskey in the Office of Life and Justice, sits down with Mike and Pete this week to discuss the FaithFULL Food Drive and the Catholic Relief Services' Rice Bowl program. She shares sobering statistics about global food insecurity, the inspiring work of CRS, and how families can live out the Gospel call to help their brothers and sisters.

On March 1, Bishop Dennis Sullivan held a meeting with student leaders from the nine Catholic high schools located in the Diocese of Camden to discuss gun violence targeting schools nationwide. We have pulled together the audio from this unprecedented meeting and put it into podcast form. The meeting featured a brief prayer service (3:55 minute mark) and an hour-long discussion period (13:12 minute mark) where the 40+ students offered their feedback to Bishop Sullivan related to the gun violence, most recently in Parkland, FL. It’s a very powerful, spiritual and hopeful discussion that we think many of our listeners may appreciate hearing.

To learn more about the meeting, make sure you read the Catholic Star Herald recap: http://www.camdendiocese.org/catholic-high-school-student-leaders-from-across-diocese-meet-with-bishop-to-discuss-gun-violence-targeting-schools/

In the past 8 days, Bishop Dennis Sullivan and the Diocese of Camden have hosted two unprecedented meetings. One with 16 Dreamers facing an uncertain future as DACA remains in limbo and another with 40+ Catholic school student leaders in a poignant discussion about violence targeting schools around the nation, most recently in Parkland. In this podcast, Mike and Pete discuss how each meeting unfolded with people who were there to see it, Mr. Kevin Hickey from Catholic Charities, Camden; and Marianela Nunez and Mary Beth Peabody from the Diocese of Camden’s Office of Schools.

To read more about these amazing meetings, check out these links:

Dreamers:

http://www.camdendiocese.org/bishop-sullivan-meets-with-dreamers/

Catholic student leaders:

http://www.camdendiocese.org/catholic-high-school-student-leaders-from-across-diocese-meet-with-bishop-to-discuss-gun-violence-targeting-schools/

What is the Direction of Intention Prayer, and how can it help Catholics guide their lives to God? Father John Fisher, OSFS helps Mike and Pete understand this question on the latest episode of an enlightening Talking Catholic. As well, the Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception shares a bit on his journey to the Oblates, forming students in the classroom as a teacher, his work in Camden, and his Eagles fandom.

We kickoff our second year of the podcast with one of the best conversations we’ve ever had. For the first half of the discussion, Father Nicholas Dudo, Vicar for Clergy of the Diocese of Camden, chats with us about his visit to the Super Bowl as the Philadelphia Eagles' Catholic chaplain. Then in the second half, we talk about his fascinating journey from the culinary world to the priesthood. It’s a joy-filled discussion about the importance of patience and the the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

It's our one year anniversary and the beginning of Lent so we figured it was a great time to bring back our semi-regular co-host Father Robert Sinatra, pastor of Padre Pio Parish in Vineland, NJ. He stops by the vault and chats with Mike and Pete about the recent Eagles Super Bowl win (yesssssssssss!!!!!!!!! #flyeaglesfly)and the upcoming Lenten season, where he drops more than a few pearls of wisdom.