The Catholic Cafe

Why are Catholics always using candles in the Church, in the Liturgy, in our homes? What do they mean? Are they simply a source of light when the power goes out? Join Deacon Jeff in the The FRENCH Catholic Cafe as he welcomes Father Richard Mullins to the Luxurious Corner Booth to discuss the beauty, the meaning and the symbolism of the cadle in our Catholic faith.

So, what does the Order of Malta actually DO to alleviate the suffering of the poor and disenfranchised? Join Deacon Jeff in the Luxurious Corner Booth of the FRENCH Catholic Cafe in Lourdes, France as he welcomes his guest, Barbara Laughlin, a Dame of the Order of Malta. Together, they discuss the many corporal works that the Order does to assist the ministries and agencies that bring hope to those in physical need.

We have all heard that prayer can be powerful, but, how is this accomplished? What are the ways in which we can significantly enhance our prayer life? Join Deacon Jeff and Fra Tom in the Luxurious Corner Booth of the FRENCH Catholic Cafe in Lourdes, France as they welcome their guest, His Most Eminent Highness Fra Matthew Festing, the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Together, they discuss the many types of prayer available to us, as well as how to get the most out of our prayer.

It's sometimes so easy to forget about those who are incarcerated...especially those who are serving life sentences or sitting on Death Row. We say, Justice has been served or They got what they asked for or TWe can't help them anymore. But, what did Jesus say? It is quite challenging and very counter-cultural. Join Deacon Jeff and Fra Tom in the Luxurious Corner Booth of the FRENCH Catholic Cafe in Lourdes, France as they welcome their guests, Collins Whitfield and Mike McGarry, Knights of Malta who are involved with prison ministry, to the show.

The world is full of skeptics and it's hard to believe in miracles sometimes. But, do unexplainable medical outcomes really exist? And are these really a journey into the miraculous? Join Deacon Jeff and Fra Tom in the Luxurious Corner Booth of the French Catholic Cafe as they welcome their guest, Dr. Bob Springer, a radiologist from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Dr. Bob describes not only his time as a malade (sick person) on pilgrimage last year to Lourdes, but his time as a doctor on pilgrimage this year and his personal testimony of studying the x-rays of many of the scientifically unexplainable cures that have been attributed to Lourdes.

Have you ever been on pilgrimage? Did you know why a pilgrimage differs from a tour or vacation? Join Deacon Jeff and Fra Tom Mulligan, a religious brother in the Order of Malta, as they open up their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, France by discussing the meaning and significance of spiritual pilgrimages. They welcome as their guest Abbot Placid Solari, Abbot of Belmont Abbey and Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina.

Parenting is definitely tough these days, especially if you want your kids to grow up Catholic. There are so many challenges to raising kids in a traditional, holy family. So, Deacon Jeff and Tom, themselves having 14 kids between their 2 families, offer their thoughts on the matter, and send some advice your way on the methods of modern Catholic parenting that have worked in their families.

Have you ever started praying a traditional Catholic prayer, but found that you were just rattling off words from memory without really paying attention to their meaning? When we do this (and we all do this at times), sometimes it's good to slow down and study the words of the prayer. Take, for example, the Act of Contrition, a beautiful prayer of penance we pray in the confessional. Join Deacon Jeff and Tom in the Luxurious Corner Booth as they delve into the Act of Contrition phrase by phrase.

A lot of folks have had painful and difficult encounters with cancer. It's a horrible, insidious disease. But, many people don't realize that EVERYONE has to deal with the cancer of sin in their lives. Just like cancer, if we don't deal with our sin, it can overtake our life...and eventually take our life. Join Deacon Jeff and Tom in the Luxurious Corner Booth as they discuss the timely and important topic of staying away from the confessional for far too long.

Are you wondering how to get that fire back into your day to day existence? So many Catholics struggle to live a life of vibrancy and joy. Perhaps you need a dose of the Holy Spirit! Do you want to increase the Holy Spirit's presence in your life, but you don't know how? Then, you've come to the right place! Join Deacon Jeff and Tom as they walk you through ten EASY ways to increase the effectiveness and impact of the Holy Spirit in anyone's life.