The Inner Life

Father Ryan Brady joins Patrick in studio to discuss The Gift of Giving and an encounter with Pope Leo

• (3:12)Father Brady meets the pope and gives a good gift from the heart.
• (9:15) the sacrificial effect of giving
• (12:46) How does giving make us better people?

(20:31) Break 1

• (21:36)  Christina - At what point is the stuff you have a problem? I had a dream of St. Therese of Avila and I think she wants me to give away my wardrobe. Trying to find peace in that.
• Prudence in giving.
• Email from listener about giving a rosary as  gift

(36:17) Break 2

• Amy - I don't struggle with giving away or helping.  my gifts God gave me...giving and pure love is being who they need to be. I don't know how to give people their space sometimes.
• (42:23) Father Brady’s Gift in Rome.
• Dale - Giving someone dignity by the way they dress. Read an article about picking up homeless and cleaning them up. Gave such an improved impression of what's possible with dignity in their appearance.

IL – Father Tom McCarthy joins Patrick to discuss Listening During Lent 

• As an Augustinian what was Pope Leo trying to say with his letter?
• (5:10) What prevents us from listening to God during Lent?
• How can we combat temptations to distractions when trying to listen to God?
• (13:41) what does it mean that Pope Leo says Docility is at the core of conversion?
•  (17:02) Carol - I didn't have a way of listening, but I have one now...with Fr. McCarthy. I'm listening to him and he is phenomenal. He's humble, sort of quiet, and he's just phenomenal. So blessed in my spirit right now. Just want to say thanks for being there.

(20:08) Break 1

• Judy - I'm 83. Got married a long time ago. We got back from our honeymoon, and I said, 'Let's go to church.' He said we weren't going to do that. Felt cut off for the longest time. Needed a spiritual meeting and went to a Quaker meeting which is silent. Had liturgical dreams...would be in the church and dreamed in procession. Couldn't make the dream go away. Went back to episcopal church for a while and husband said we should go to Catholic church. It's been wonderful.
• (27:55) Leo - Listening now and my whole life. 81 and don't know what to do with the rest of my life. Talked to priests and they tell me to pray, and don't seem to get anything from it.
• (31:12) How does Fasting help us listen to God?

(35:48) Break 2

• (40:09) Fasting from Gossip?
• (42:32) Beth - Discerning God's will. Something I've always struggled with and felt I never got an answer. Sometimes no answer is THE answer and we expect something specific. Maybe God doesn't have that planned for us.
• Why doesn’t God always speak to us more clearly?

Resources

• Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion
  • https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2026/02/13/260213d.html

Check out this great show from March 11, 2025

Father Rob Kroll joins Patrick to discuss Mortification

• Where does the word mortification come from?
• (5:21) what does mortification include?
• How do we find the happy medium in mortification?
• (19:03) Laurie - A long time ago, my kids were going away from the faith. Stopped putting sugar in coffee.  Would it be efficacious to cut out the cream too? Is it better to intensify it?

(23:12) Break 1

• Deb - Question about if a person has struggles when trying to do mortification and trouble with self-denial. Any advice?
• What are ways we can do mortification?
• (32:55) Chris - To what extent does trying to define holiness differ from by what you deny yourself instead of what you do for others?  Is there a risk of denying yourself vs. becoming more active in our faith?

(39:15) Break 2

• What are dangers of Mortification?
• (45:15) How to discern what to do for mortification?

Check out this Encore show from March 10, 2025

Father Bobby Blood joins Patrick to discuss Simplicity in the Spiritual Life

• What is simplicity?
• (7:58) What are traps that interfere with our relationship with Jesus?
• How do we know if we are needing to change something in our prayer life?
• Albert - We go through life with battles and also the spirit world. Our Lord gives us gifts on his children.  That's the mystery. Our spiritual life is uniting each and every one of us to the Lord.

(20:06) Break 1

• (21:48) Jonathan - When my conversion happened in 2016, had a spiritual director. Had a lot of zeal. My advisor suggested 1 or 2 devotions and try them for 6 months. if fruitful, continue, if not, try something else. Doing liturgy of the hours and the Jesus prayer. I have a lot of devotions if I need to make a change.
• What is the difference between reciting prayers and praying?
• What is contemplation and why does it matter?

(36:17) Break 2

• Shelly - I have some devotions including divine mercy, Rosary. God's will...what devotion do I do to get closer to God's will?
• (41:25) Walt - When I walk into church for Mass, I switch from seeing Him to listening. Then, I can live the words. This should be emphasized to all of us. You can't get a lot without listening.
• George - Cradle Catholic. I wanted to become a priest when I was young. Retired now. Now, I have a set of prayers I do every morning. Go to daily Mass. They always speak to me, doesn't have to be the same prayer. I always get something from them and hear God speak to me. Study scripture throughout the day and journal.

IL – Fr. James Kubicki joins Patrick for the second of a special Lenten Series on the 7 Last Words of Jesus – today’s topic: Repentance

• Who was St. Dismas?
• (7:53) where does the word repentance come from?
• (17:31) Deacon Shawn - I think the comment about conversion vs repentance is tied together. Reading a book . Repentance is a big part of it. Self reliance on God vs. Surrender. Deeper conversion helps navigate.

(20:58) Break 1

• (22:12) Gene - I was in a car accident 15 years ago. Someone was killed in the accident. I was convicted of vehicular homicide. Incarcerated for it. I felt and rationalized that if they weren't in the middle of the highway, this wouldn't have happened. Last 5 years, I've been in repentance in the dark night of the soul. Mourning and not rationalizing now.
• What is the meaning of the word “today” you will be with me in paradise?

(36:22) Break 2

• Bonnie - Repentance and conviction of the Holy Spirit. Adult children have cut me off. I'm focusing on my part. I can't fix it or fix anybody. The goodness of the holy spirit and that can bring us repentance and help us to surrender to the will of God. Accepting the consequences.
• (42:09) John - My problem was I felt I couldn't be forgiven for the sins I committed. When I repented, it was very difficult. I still struggle.
• Nicole - Question - speaking about what I've been pondering. I told my friend I don't hold on to any past sins, and I know it's a sin to not accept God's mercy. In my dream last night, I feel something was being revealed from a past sin. Had desire to go to confession. How do I go to priest about it? Wondering if I confessed it.

Fr. Allen Hoffa joins Patrick to discuss Sacramentals

• What is the goal of Sacramentals?
• (16:03) Karen - My brother when he was in his late teens was involved in drugs. My mom had placed a scapular inside his pillowcase. He didn't know it. The next morning, she looked at the scapular and it was all knotted up. She believes something happened. Brother didn't do it. How would one explain that?

(20:06) Break 1

• (21:10) Joshua - Is incense a sacramental?
• The difference between to

(33:14) Break 2

• (35:06) Jim - At my parish, they have removed the holy water from the fonts and wanted to find out your opinion. It appears to be against canon law.
• (38:59) Bella Donna - I was a witch for 40 years and was brought to the church through the Rosary.

Fr. John Eckert joins Patrick for the start of a special Lenten Series on the 7 Last Words of Jesus – today’s topic, Forgiveness

• What was he scene of the Crucifixion?
• How is trust in God the Father shown in this word?
• (16:20) Jason - I grew up in a tough household. Joined military at 17. Mom had mental illness, dad was a military man and constantly gone. Haven't seen them for years. Fighting with forgiveness and it's a battle on a daily basis. Interested if there's specific scripture or guidance to help.

(25:20) Break 1

• Who put Jesus on the Cross?
• (31:21) Linda - Why is it that a parent can forgive their children, but children are unable to forgive and hold onto things and not easily forgive us?
• (35:58) Jim - I'm at a point where there are family members that have been disrespectful to me and children. Children are older now, but family member favors one over the other because they are the godparent. Prayed about forgiving, confession, adoration, etc. I'm at a point where I don't want anything bad to happen, but don't want to be around them. Is that holding on to a grudge?

(40:27) Break 2

• (42:04)  How is Forgiveness something we can strive for in our lives?
• Yolie – Is it mandatory to forgive others?

• (2:10) If you found yourself procrastinating on deciding what your Lenten practices will be, we are here to help you make a decision on today's podcast. Fr. Michael-Joseph Paris of the Discalced Carmelites joins to discuss how we can better prepare ourselves for Lent.

• (11:12) Fragility reminds us how much we need the Lord. We shouldn’t look at our Lent as a failure if we slip up. We are weak and we need to rely on God every day.

• (12:18) Nick - I woke up this morning and told my wife, I'm still praying about what to give up for Lent. 

• (20:20) Break 1
  • (20:24) Tyler - I am stumped on what I should do. Did you have any suggestions?

• (35:52) Break 2
  • (37:09) Felipe - Maybe a good thing to do is to keep in our hearts whatever practice that we take up.

Prayer Fasting and Almsgiving 

Fr. Dave Heney joins Patrick to discuss Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving 

• (2:57) - Biblical foundations of Lenten practices 
• (14:15) - Lenten practices as pillars of Catholic devotion

(22:07) Break 1

• (23:02) - Mary  - I'm praying for my mom; will fasting help? 
• (29:49) - Jordan - Giving up social media for Lent

(38:51) Break 2

• (39:46) - Connie - I'm converting soon! What should I do for lent. 
• (46:24) - practical tips for almsgiving 

https://lent2026.com/

Fr. Tom Wilson joins Patrick to discuss Adoration

• (3:07) what is Eucharistic Adoration?
• What makes Eucharistic Adoration different from other forms of prayer?
• (15:52) Linda - I've been doing adoration over 15 years. I started when God hit me on the side of the head and had me change my attitude about it. We have 24/7 adoration. I always said I was too busy. Started as sub. God said how bout you start fitting your life into mine. It's the highlight of my life now.

(20:30) Break 1

• Rick - Question - Whether doing adoration on the internet is the same as doing it in church.
• (25:10) Kristle - When I was starting with adoration, I took early morning, late hours, etc. It's easier because when you'd be sleeping, instead, you're spending an hour with Jesus.
• (32:47) Mary - I used to go to adoration and I loved it. Now, when you go in, they give you a pamphlet and you have to follow their routine. I'm not comfortable with that. Is that legitimate?

(36:54) Break 2

• Deacon Gerald - I have a grandson who is a priest with Opus Angelorum. They promote prayer with your angel....one thing they do is adoration from 9p-12a. They're imitating the angels who consoled Christ when he was in the garden. They pray for priests who are spiritually asleep. They also do this at their retreats.
• (42:05) Jan - As a cradle Catholic, I have difficulties. I don't know whether to have a Bible or prayer book with me, or do I just sit in silence and wait to the Lord to speak to me? I haven't gotten that perfect solution. What do I do?
• How does Adoration strengthen families, marriages and vocations?