The Electric Waffle

This episode is a bit different than other episodes of The Electric Waffle. There are no clips from shows, there are no jokes making light of the current culture or things happening in the Church. This is a conversation between two people who have found themselves stunned, angered, hurt, and confused by the scandal involving Archbishop McCarrick and the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report outlining the sexual abuse of over a thousand children over decades.

There aren't any "hot takes" concerning this crisis in this episode. It's just an honest look at how Katie & Tommy feel about what they've heard and read, and more importantly, how the woundedness we all face matters when brought to Jesus on the Cross.

After 30,000 miles traveled, 14 ministry events spoken at, the writing of one book of Lenten reflections, and weekly Bible studies at their parish, Katie and Tommy take a few minutes (58 to be precise) to reflect on the ministry in Summer 2018, unpacking how a lot of times we can become attached to the "highs" of a ministry event or conference and never want to return back to the normal ordinariness of a daily faith life. When an event is over, re-entry into daily life can be difficult, and re-integrating into life with this new zeal for the faith can become nothing more than a nice idea instead of an actual transformation.

How do we "come down the mountain" and "walk through the valley" after a moving conference, powerful retreat, life-changing camp, or even just a weeknight Bible study at the parish?

What must we do to walk through the valley of normal life and walk with Jesus day by day?

Also, why is saying Michael Cain's name repeatedly so darn fun?

This week, contribute to an ongoing discussion about ways to re-integrate after a profound faith experience by chatting with other "Electric Wafflers" (what we affectionally call our listeners) here.

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute.

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: Dr. James Pauley, Professor of Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University, is offering a conference on September 14, 2018 that explores how to Re-Imagining Sacramental Preparation, answering how Catechists, Pastors, and Parents Can Turn the Tide of Sacramental Indifference. Go to liturgical institutes.org/conferences for more info.

Mary, the Mother of God, is the most dynamic, engaging, and important person in the Church (other than Jesus, of course), and paying attention to her is...well...kind of necessary.

We're meant to listen to her, which means we need to know what she's said.

We're meant to go to her with our petitions, which means we need to know what she's said.

We're meant to imitate her, which means we need to know what she's said.

We're meant to honor her, which means we need to know...well, you get it...

Devotion to Mary, and honoring her, is a surefire way to get to know Jesus, and isn't that what we all want? To know the Lord, intimately? Well who better to help us know Him, than the woman who raised Him?

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: Dr. James Pauley, Professor of Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University, is offering a conference on September 14, 2018 that explores how to Re-Imagining Sacramental Preparation, answering how Catechists, Pastors, and Parents Can Turn the Tide of Sacramental Indifference. Go to liturgical institutes.org/conferences for more info.

Links:

• Wholly Mary: Mother of God — A book by our good friend, Chris Padgett, that is well worth your time.
• A heart like Mary's: 31 daily meditations to help you live and love as She does — A stellar book by Fr. Edward Looney on devotion to Mary.
• Praying the Angelus: Find Joy, Peace, and Purpose in Everyday Life — Wonderfully simple, straightforward book on a powerful daily prayer honoring Mary, by our friend Jared Dees

There's an anecdote on friendship commonly attributed to C.S. Lewis: one knows they have found and made a friend when they see the other and think, "Ah! You too! I thought it was just me..."

Companionship with others is critically important and necessary to both survive and thrive in life - even the shyest, most introverted people want people they can trust, rely on, suffer with, and take delight in. Even the most extroverted people long for deep, intentional, purposeful connections with trustworthy individuals.

Katie and Tommy unpack the virtues of friendship, share stories from their own experiences with good (and bad) friends, and outline ways to find friends, keep friends, and ultimately be a good friend yourself.

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: Dr. James Pauley, Professor of Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University, is offering a conference on September 14, 2018 that explores how to Re-Imagining Sacramental Preparation, answering how Catechists, Pastors, and Parents Can Turn the Tide of Sacramental Indifference. Go to liturgical institutes.org/conferences for more info.

After a literal week of total and complete chaos, both in traveling and on the homefront, Katie and Tommy unpack the culprit of their woes: asking for the virtue of humility and an increase in the virtue of patience.

This week's episode unpacks precisely why we should be asking the Lord to give us humble hearts, ways that we can remain humble in the midst of doing good things for the Kingdom, and looks at practical things attendees of summer conferences, retreats, service camps, and programs can do on the homefront to truly make that "life changing" commitment that will make them who they're meant to be.

Also, Katie tells the story of popping at tire at 1:30 in the morning and Tommy explains how he defeated a possum hiding under the house.

(If you liked the music at the end of this episode, it's a piece composed by Jimmy Mitchell, entitled "Solitude" off his album, Love (an epic). You can find all his great work over at LOVE GOOD)

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute, offering the Treasures of the Liturgy Conference, 9/14/18

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: Dr. James Pauley, Professor of Theology and Catechetics at Franciscan University, is offering a conference on September 14, 2018 that explores how to Re-Imagining Sacramental Preparation, answering how Catechists, Pastors, and Parents Can Turn the Tide of Sacramental Indifference. Go to liturgical institutes.org/conferences for more info.

Dating is daunting, and kind of, it seems, dying. Men aren't asking women out. Ladies aren't necessarily saying yes even if they are. There's this backwards attitude that a woman can't necessarily pursue a man, and if she does, that makes her a raging feminist or somehow emasculates the guy, who isn't taking initiative in the first place for whatever reason.

Katie and Tommy aren't necessarily relationship experts, but they did date one another (successfully) and are now happily married with a child, so they've got a few thoughts on how to date, why people should go out on casual dates, and big questions to ask when pursuing a relationship with someone.

Whether you're already married, already in a relationship, happily dating around, or single (including the priests and religious out there), the 10 Principles of Good Dating & Healthy Relationships are useful to know, if for no other reason than they're ultimately about being a good person.

*10 Principles of Good Dating & Healthy Relationships *

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

Links:

• Geico Gassy Commercial
• Notre Dame Vision

Having more to do does not make you more successful. Being over-extended does not mean you are actually contributing anything valuable. Frenzied, over-full, chaotic lives don't leave room for Jesus, and when we confuse busyness for holiness, no one, least of all ourselves, win.

How can we make time for what's most important?

How do we seek, and maintain, balance?

What do we need to do to actually incorporate times to "treat yo self" and enjoy life?

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

Links:

• Getting Things Done by David Allen — This book was hugely significant in helping Katie find balance, along with using Evernote and Omnifocus for to-do lists, note-taking, and organization.

Taking a detour from their previously planned episode, Katie & Tommy discuss the evils, pitfalls, and detriments of social media, but don't entirely swear it off either. How can we use social media not just for good in the world, but for good within our own lives?

Do we need to detox?

Do we need to baptize it?

Do we need to burn it all down and blow it all up?

The Internet isn't a fad, so it's probably some combination of all three...

What can we do to actually make social media, with all its twists and turns, a place of decency, authentic human connection, and good in this culture and world?

Also, Katie imitates Larry David and Tommy does an impression of John Madden, so you really don't want to miss it.

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

In a world that says "be this" and "do that" we all look to fit ourselves into boxes and annoint ourselves with titles. But really - who are you? And what really makes you YOU? This episode unpacks the struggles millenials & generation Z face when it comes to identifying who they are, and points out ways to journey through life with Christ by your side, making this "search for identity" not only easier, but fruitful and lifegiving. Also, they laugh about their daughter wanting to ride the dog like a horse.

Sponsored by the Liturgical Institute: where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

Links:

• The Liturgical Institute — The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.

With a 9 month old daughter who just learned to crawl and stand, 3 jobs between them, a chaotic travel schedule, and a new book manuscript due at the end of the month, Katie & Tommy decided "Now is the perfect time to start a podcast!" This quick intro. episode shares the reasons this podcast exists, the goals of these conversations, and quotes two of the greatest shows to ever grace the television airwaves: The Office and Parks and Rec.

Sponsored by The Liturgical Institute

Sponsored By:

• The Liturgical Institute: The Liturgical Institute: Where fidelity and joy meet in prayer and study.