The Gathering Place, a Podcast from Blessed is She

How do we bring our Catholic faith into our everyday relationships? 💜

In this episode of Catholicism for Catholics, Dr. MaryRuth Hackett shares how our friendships, workplaces, schools, and homes can become places of mission. Our faith isn’t meant to stay within the walls of a church, it’s meant to transform the way we love, serve, forgive, and encounter the people around us.

Together, we’ll explore how living a life rooted in Christ and virtue can become a quiet but powerful witness to others. From small conversations to inviting someone into community, evangelization often begins with simply loving the person right in front of us.

✨ In this episode:

• How our prayer life should shape the way we live
• The connection between virtue and evangelization
• How to share our faith with humility and confidence
• Why authentic relationships can open doors to Christ
• Simple ways to invite others into the beauty of Catholic life

Our faith is not just something we practice, it’s something we live. When Christ transforms our hearts, others begin to see that love through us.

Subscribe to Catholicism for Catholics for more conversations about growing deeper in faith and living out the Catholic life with joy.

🖥️ Learn more about Blessed Is She: https://blessedisshe.net

As we close out the month, Jenna and Beth are slowing down for a conversation about rest, abiding, and remaining close to Jesus in every season. So many of us live exhausted spiritually, emotionally, and physically - and yet the Heart of Christ continues to invite us into peace, trust, and communion with Him.

We’ll also share a vision for Abide and where Blessed is She is heading in this next season of formation and community. Come ready to exhale, pray, and remember that you do not have to carry everything alone.

Reflection Questions:

• What keeps me from truly resting with God?

• What might change if I believed Jesus was already holding what I’m trying to control?

Real love almost always requires sacrifice. In this vulnerable conversation, Jenna and Beth will talk about the cost of loving well: forgiving when it’s hard, staying when it’s uncomfortable, serving when we’re tired, and choosing charity when resentment feels easier. Together, we’ll look at the example of Jesus and remember that love becomes fruitful when it’s rooted in Him rather than our own limited capacity.

If you’ve been carrying the heaviness that sometimes comes with loving others faithfully, this week is meant to encourage and strengthen you.

Reflection Questions:

• Where has loving someone felt costly for me lately?

• Am I allowing Jesus to sustain me, or trying to love from my own strength alone?

Love is easy to talk about but much harder to live. This week, Jenna and Beth are reflecting on how Jesus teaches us to love through Scripture, prayer, sacrifice, and daily encounters with others. We’ll discuss how staying close to the Word of God softens and forms our hearts over time, especially when we feel impatient, disconnected, or spiritually dry.

We’ll also be featuring our Compact Bible and talking about the beauty of keeping Scripture close in the middle of busy life—whether in the carpool line, at your desk, or during quiet morning prayer.

Reflection Questions:

• Who is God asking me to love more intentionally right now?

• How can I make more space for Scripture in my everyday life?

Join us LIVE on Tuesdays at 1pm ET for The Weekly Visit in the ⁠BIS Member Community⁠.

In this episode, Beth and Jenna talk more about the burning love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We are called to love like Jesus loves, but we can't do that if we don't first receive His love.

Whether it be how we respond to those who hurt us, how we love our neighbors, how we talk about people, or what we consume, it all comes down to Love.

Check out our 21 day ebook: https://blessedisshe.net/products/in-his-heart-ebook-by-blessed-is-sheTo watch the full conversation and get started on our 7 Day Heart Speaks to Heart challenge, head to our member community: https://connect.blessedisshe.net/New here? We're SO glad you're here! Hit that *subscribe* button and the bell to be notified when we upload!SUBSCRIBE to our free daily devotions: https://blessedisshe.net/subscribe/Check our our FREE RESOURCES for you: https://blessedisshe.net/free-resources/Catholic Resources + How To Guides: https://blessedisshe.net/catholic-resources-how-to-guides/Download our FREE study guide: https://blessedisshe.net/study-guide/Find out more: https://blessedisshe.net/about/Check out our Shop: https://blessedisshe.net/shopShop our Amazon favs: https://www.amazon.com/shop/blessedissheBlessed is She exists for any woman who wants to radically follow Jesus through a vibrantly Catholic life every single day. We create beautiful and accessible resources, products, and experiences to foster community and deepen faith, both online and in person. We invite you into this community, no matter where you are on your walk with Christ.You belong here.

What does it actually look like to live the Catholic faith in marriage and family life? 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

In this episode of Catholicism for Catholics, Dr. MaryRuth Hackett shares honestly about her journey from Protestantism to Catholicism, raising children in the faith, navigating spiritual differences in marriage, and learning how to evangelize first through love and example. 🫶🏽

Together, we explore:

• What makes Catholic family life different
• How to share the faith without forcing it
• Raising children with wonder, not just rules
• What to do when a spouse or child struggles with the faith
• The importance of living the faith before preaching it
• Trusting God with the people we love most

“If you don’t love being Catholic, don’t expect your family to love it either.”

Whether you’re married, parenting, praying for loved ones, or simply trying to live your faith more authentically, this conversation is full of wisdom, encouragement, and practical insight.

We’re so grateful you’re here. Subscribe to our ⁠YouTube channel⁠ and join us for more episodes of Catholicism for Catholics from Blessed is She. 🤍

In this episode of Catholicism for Catholics, Dr. Mary Ruth Hackett reflects on how our Catholic faith shapes our relationships, especially with our families of origin.

Sharing from her own experience as a Protestant convert to Catholicism, Dr. Hackett opens up about the challenges, misunderstandings, and grace that can come when faith journeys look different within a family. Her story reminds us that evangelization doesn’t begin with arguments, it begins with living a joyful, authentic Catholic life.

In this conversation, she highlights three important ways we can integrate our faith into our relationships:

• Live your faith — Let your life reflect the joy and grace of the sacraments.

• Be well-formed — Grow in your understanding of what the Church teaches and why.

• Act with courage — When others ask about your faith, respond with charity and confidence.

Whether your family shares your faith or not, this episode offers encouragement to love well, witness authentically, and trust the Holy Spirit at work in every conversation.

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate faith conversations with family members or how to live your Catholic faith more fully in everyday relationships, this episode is for you.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more episodes in the Catholicism for Catholics series from Blessed is She.

In the spiritual life, following Jesus often means walking the narrow way. It's the path of humility, surrender, and obedience.

In this conversation, Jenna and Beth reflect on what it means to lay down our lives with Christ, not only in big moments, but in the small, daily “deaths” that shape our hearts to become more like Him.

They talk about how God lovingly reveals our weaknesses, not to shame us, but to invite us into deeper transformation. When we begin to see our sins, limitations, and struggles more clearly, it can actually be a sign that the Lord is working in our hearts.

Jenna and Beth also reflect on the beauty of obedience: how choosing God’s will over our own can feel costly, but ultimately leads to freedom, healing, and new life. Jesus shows us that the path to resurrection always passes through surrender.

If you’ve ever struggled with vanity, pride, weakness, forgiveness, or the call to surrender more deeply to God, this conversation is for you. The Lord meets us exactly where we are and gently leads us forward on the path that leads to life. ✨

Are you wondering, “How do I become Catholic?” You’re not alone and you’re in the right place! In this episode of Catholicism for Catholics, Alison Oertle walks through the beautiful invitation of the Catholic Church and explains the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), the process through which adults are welcomed into the fullness of the faith.

Becoming Catholic isn’t just about joining a church, it’s saying yes to a lifelong relationship with the God of the universe. Through baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist, we receive His grace, live in communion with the Church, and grow closer to Jesus every day.

Alison compares the OCIA process to a love story with God, starting with inquiry (getting to know Him), moving through the catechumenate (falling in love and learning about the faith), and preparing for initiation at the sacraments. Whether you’re a new Christian or already walking with Him, OCIA is a chance to encounter Jesus and experience His love in a profound way. 💜

“The future depends on love.” What you fall in love with shapes your life. Let this invitation into the Church transform your heart, your daily life, and your understanding of God’s grace.

If you’re ready to explore the Catholic faith, consider contacting a local parish to attend an inquiry session, the first step in your journey with Jesus and His Church. ⛪️

Head over to our YouTube channel to watch our Catholicism for Catholics series.