The Inner Life

Father Bobby Blood joins Patrick to discuss Freedom from Sin

• What is Freedom?
• (10:26) If you fall into sin are you enslaved to it?
• Linda - My husband as dementia and I struggle with anger and frustration. So hard because it's hard for me to leave the house.
• (20:48) Mike - I am a sex addict and came to this conclusion in the past few years. It seems like it's everywhere. Hard to get over this.

(27:21) Break 1

• How do you keep yourself from falling back into sin after you are free?
• (36:47) Rick - I spent every second I could in front of the Blessed Sacrament and I was able to overcome drinking, a past relationship and so much more.
• Gabriel - I'm 24 and trying to grow spiritually. What tools would you use to battle a sin you keep committing?

(45:02) Break 2

• Janet - Back when I was struggling with sin, I read the biography of the Cure of Ars and the key for him was doing things joyfully.
• (48:50) How can people grow in holiness after being free from major sins?

Resources:

• Catholic Therapist

   

  • https://www.catholictherapists.com/

     

•  Integrity Restored

   

  • IntegrityRestored.com

     

•  Angelic Warfare Confraternity

   

  • https://www.angelicwarfareconfraternity.org/

Father Matthew Widder joins Patrick to discuss Living in the Present

• (3:30) Why is it important to live in the present?
• (10:36) How does the Sabbath help with staying in the present?
• ( 21:20) Thomas - I do scheduling, and mind could rest when he worries and obligations have a time and place to be processed, like scheduling adoration, schedule time to pray;  Also getting to the heart of intentionality.

(27:28) Break 1

• Patrick shares an email from Elizabeth who think that we’d learn to be more like Jesus if we learned to
• (38:15) Mary Lou - What helps me to stay in the present moment; Whenever I get out of my prayerfulness, the movie 'Bigger than Elvis' (Mother Delores Hart).  Another practical thing is to get enough sleep does not overcommit.

(43:24) Break 2

• (44:33) Christopher - By practicing little breathes, helps me to stay in present moment; I use this in my spiritual life, wherever I'm at; stay in my shoes and be present, whether at mass, conference.
• Brenda - There are two situations, where we live in present moment; The mother of a first child is always aware, and the 2nd moment is when you fall in love.   Maybe w/God, you look forward to mass/adoration, it's almost like going on a date.
• Book recommendations for living in the present.

Resources:

• The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
  • https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Presence-God-Brother-Lawrence/dp/1614279683
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• Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Jacques Philippe
  • https://scepterpublishers.org/products/searching-for-and-maintaining-peace

Father Michael Hurley joins Patrick to discuss Mary and the Rosary

• (7:59) Difference between how we honor Mary and how we honor God.
• Where does the rosary come from?
• (17:56) Dennis - How to stay focused during the rosary?   I try to do it regularly.

(21:45) Break 1

• Michael - It seems like there's an over emphasis of Mary in the rosary.  How 'bout Jesus?  I'm non-Catholic, but have been present in the rosary w/Catholic friends.  I even went to a Catholic Camp.
• (30:22) Meditating on the Mysteries of the rosary.
• Donna - About 7 years ago, while praying the rosary, and for each mystery,  imagined and saw each of my five sons in each sorrowful mystery.  I just felt like Mary had given me a gift, of actually seeing the suffering through her eyes, as I was seeing my sons.

(37:12) Break 2

• Can you make up mysteries of the rosary?
• (43:56) Deb - When my mom had a massive hemorrhage thought she was going to die.  She woke up was confused; I touched her feet started praying Hail Mary and finished the prayer and that was her first words she spoke.
• Mary Helen - The rosary, how instrumental it was in bringing me back to the Church;  And what I'm doing here in the Portland area with the Dominicans and the rosary.

Resources:

• Rosary Center and Confraternity
  • https://rosarycenter.org/

Father Carter Griffin joins Patrick to discuss Redemptive Suffering

• (5:48) When should we avoid suffering and when should we embrace suffering?
• How can Job and the Psalms teach us to suffer?
• (19:23) Lilly - I have a sister suffering from cancer, she is away from the Church.  As a part of the Body of Christ, could I place her suffering during communion time, for her suffering to be meritorious.

(22:04) Break 1

• Mary - I've been offering suffering for my son and grandchildren, anything I could do. Grandchildren taken away from our son.  She was given 80% custody, and now they're near 18 years old.  My suffering has been watching our son go through this.  Kids being turned against their father me.
• (26:38) How do we understand a God with suffering in our world?
• Lina - Praying for somebody and didn't think it was not working.  I saw an older brother berating a little kid.  I started praying for him for months.  So felt like my prayers worked for the little kid as he was doing better.
• Addie - I suffered from post pulmonary embolism; I'm in my 20s and I get down from that suffering.   When I was suffering a couple months ago, it's been hard for me to understand why this is happening.

(39:16) Break 2

• Jo - If you are suffering and pray and go to mass, but you don't say to God, 'I'm offering this up', does it still get offered.
• (43:11) Janet - How do we still pray for healing, and while we're praying, how to offer it up still?  Sounds like a dichotomy?
• Cecilia - In Latino culture, people say that if you are suffering, you committed a grave sin.  What could I say to someone who says that?

Father Dave Heney joins Patrick to discuss Identity as a Child of God

• (6:56) How was Jesus affirmed as a child of God.
• (14:12) How do the sacraments connect with our identity?

(21:20) Break 1

• Cody - Testimony of being children of God: holding up the promises in the bible and delivering, all the blessings I have received during my life.
• (37:50) Marybeth - I love hearing that we are children of God. When seeing someone in the street, I think what is unique about his person that God loves him so much. I wake up at 3 am without an alarm.

(42:03) Break 2

• Mariana - Wants to support the idea of telling our children how much God loves them. Has a testimony of her own experience growing up.
• (46:22) Sandra - How to talk to my older child 19 years old about being children of God... She is very angry with God and has many physical and mental issues.

IL – Father Matthew Spencer joins Patrick to discuss The Sacrament of Baptism

• (7:37) What takes place in the rite of baptism?
• Roy - protestant-is there a difference between immersion or sprinkling for Baptism?

(23:33) Break 1

• Lorna - niece not baptized baby- should the baby be baptized if they are not planning to raise the child catholic?
• (28:03) David - wasn't baptized as a baby but just came into the church this year. my mom said she wanted me to choose for myself. was that good?
• Charles - baptized in Montana near the Rockies. it has the largest statue of Mary in the world.

(38:55) Break 2

• Jean - my daughter wants her grandkids to choose for themselves-- waited on God and now I think she will finally allow it
• Tom - Daughter baptized and now getting married but away from the church - how should I pray for my daughter so I can help her get back
• (47:59) Michelle - Church is making my daughter jump through hoops. Should it be hard to get your baby baptized?

Father Marc Lenneman joins Patrick to discuss Keeping Close to God this Summer

• (6:19) what are challenges for a priest in the summer?
• Rebecca - When we lived in Montana, one of my great summer memories is having Fr. Mark in our parish early on in his priesthood.
• (15:17) How do you stay close to God through Summer Vacation?
• Tom - Catholic Family Land near Steubenville, Ohio is a great place to stay close to God while vacationing with the family during the summer.

(22:25) Break 1

• Fred Dionysius - Thinking of the summer: I am an Eastern Rite Catholic. We have an expression where the priest says 'Let us lay all earthly things aside.
• (34:44) Michelle - Vacation Bible School and praying the Rosary with the family at the beach.

(38:44) Break 2

• Good Catholic friendly summer reading material.
• (45:34) Modesty while enjoying summer activities.

Father Eric Nielsen joins Patrick to discuss Eucharistic Adoration

• (4:04) Where does Eucharistic Adoration come from?
• (11:41) Why is adoration good to have in your prayer routine?

(20:41) Break 1

• Dean - Chapter 24 of Matthew incredible moment when Jesus disappears.... Road to Emmaus, it is such a transformative moment, and such is adoration.
• (27:30) Luba - How do I know if it is God talking to me, or is it me saying it to myself?
• Linda - I believe in the Real Presence. For Lent I did adoration. It was challenging. I am looking for some ideas.
• (36:03) Bobbi - I am frequent Eucharistic adoration faithful. I get easily distracted. It is very hard for me to focus. I don’t know how to sit in silence without the distractions.

(40:38) Break 2

• (41:49) Nicole - I've been going to adoration for about a year. I have 3 kids; we took 3 hours a week and I took them all. She challenges people to go to adoration. Beautiful testimony of Eucharistic miracles and the Real Presence.
• April - I think it is valuable to children. I hosted a children adoration, and it was really good.
• Ramona - The effect of weekly adoration in our marriage.

Father Marcel Taillon joins Patrick to discuss Chastity

• (3:56) What does it mean to be chaste
• Steph - Integrating Mary in the commitment for chastity. Dating 5 years and both are committed to chastity.

(23:59) Break 1

• Patsi - How do we go about with 11-year-old girl. She recently kissed a boy. How do I approach it with her?
• (32:00) Janet - Can you give me advice. What would you say to someone who has been living together, encouraging to live apart until wedding day?

(40:23) Break 2

• Michael – Why doesn’t the Church allow for priests to get married?

Resources:

• Good News About Sex & Marriage by Christopher West
  • https://shop.corproject.com/products/good-news-about-sex-and-marriage
• For Your Marriage
  • https://www.foryourmarriage.org/.

Father Joseph Illo joins Patrick to discuss Living the Faith in the Workplace

• (3:30) What is the dignity of Work?

(18:11) Break 1

• Melissa - teacher-public environment. Bouquets representing blessed mother.
• (25:08) How do you not be overbearing when sharing your faith at work?
• James - how important the holy spirit is in the workplace.  Truth on how to share your faith, when, where how to say it.
• Email from listener who worked in a place with a Catholic chapel and met friends through it.
• L.J. - union iron worker.  tries to share faith as much as possible in the workplace.

(37:32) Break 2

• What do you do I your company is doing immoral things?
• (44:31) Jim - Is it immoral to have a job where the only purpose is to make money?
• Rudy - when people take Gods name in vain. He says when people say 'Jesus'...and he responds with my lord and then asks are you praising him?  If no, then he lets them know they're taking His name in vain.
• What saints can help with workers