What is "Catholic mindfulness"? Is it a new age add-on to Christian spirituality, or is it compatible with Catholic tradition and orthodoxy?  "Mindfulness" can refer to the natural ability to focus our attention fully on the present moment. Defined thus, mindfulness can be understood as essential for meditative prayer and active recollection, and for the contemplative life in general.

Strongly influenced by Dr. Greg Bottaro's book, The Mindful Catholic, this episode explores the topic of mindfulness: what it is (and is not), the fruits of practicing mindfulness, basic practicals, and reasons why mindfulness is especially critical for Catholics in our anxious and distracted age.

Dr. Greg Bottaro's website:

https://catholicpsych.com

At the end of the day, we are never our own masters: we are either children of God and "slaves of righteousness", or slaves of sin and the Devil. While many of us in the Church are preaching an important message of God's mercy and seeking to address issues of unhealthy shame and guilt, we sometimes overlook or play down this simple reality of our sins and their power to enslave us. Mary Bielski rejoins our hosts in this episode of our Inner Healing Series to talk about the detrimental impact of sin in our lives and God's call for us to repent. Even faithful Catholics can remain bound in certain habits of sin (resulting in stagnation, emptiness and mediocrity); but God's power frees us, for it is "God's kindness [that] leads you to repentence" (Romans 2:4).

While many Catholics are distressed at the division and strife within the Church in recent years, the reality is that the Holy Spirit is offering us an extraordinary grace and opportunity for evangelization. In this episode, Fr. Matthias Thelen joins our hosts to share his testimony, as well as his insights on how the Holy Spirit is working to bring unity to the Church today. Fr. Mathias is the president and co-founder of Encounter Ministries, an international ministry that is dedicated to teaching and equipping the faithful (both priests and laity) to fully exercise the supernatural gifts they have received, within their spheres of influence.

The Encounter Ministries website: https://encounterministries.us

Within Catholic circles in recent years, a new psychological approach has gained traction: Internal Family Systems (IFS). Our hosts believe this approach offers a deeply insightful way of understanding our complex inner world, that synchronizes well with a Christian anthropology. While not professing to be experts, our hosts offer their own understanding and experience of IFS as a way of introducing listeners to the topic, and of encouraging them to explore it for themselves. Questions addressed include: Why does IFS claim that we have "parts" within ourselves? What is the "inmost self", and why is this concept so important? What are some practical applications from IFS for our own inner healing journey?

*We apologize for technical errors in the initial release. This is the fixed version.

Litanies of Heart, book by Dr. Gerry Ken Crete

https://a.co/d/8zVODuZ

Continuing our series on inner healing, Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris team up to introduce the topic of deliverance, and its vital importance within the Christian life. Points addressed include:

• The real need for spiritual warfare and deliverance in the lives of most people

Unbound Ministries Website:

https://heartofthefather.com/about-us/what-is-unbound/

Today's world doesn't put a high premium on forgiveness. But Jesus has given his followers, both by word and by example, a clear mandate of unconditional forgiveness. In this series on inner healing, Miriam Johll returns to join the discussion with Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris. Topics addressed include: the effects of unforgiveness, what forgiveness is (and IS NOT), the role of the emotions, the steps of forgiving, and more!

Laura Shoulders joins our hosts again to discuss true and false beliefs, and their fundamental importance in our healing journey. In this episode, they discuss:

• How Satan uses lies as his primary weapon

Links:

Inner Healing Doc by Fr. Michael Trummer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UQnv091K3rZXtoPIl8HanncRpo83Je1hSE7Wb1lfUP8/edit?usp=drivesdk

"Inheritance" recording by Graham Cooke: https://youtu.be/FgzXXKjaPZA?si=OAlKZ4SkG0HIr9p_

According to Pope St. John Paul II, human formation is the most foundational of all the types of formation required by seminarians. But human formation is not just essential for seminarians - the laity need it as well! "Human formation" refers to the integration of the bodily, emotional, psychological aspects of our humanity; and since "grace perfects nature", according to St. Thomas Aquinas, we need to have a holistic approach to our relationship with God, in order for that relationship to be authentic -- and authentically human.

Joe returns to discuss with Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris various aspects of human formation, including:

• Over-spiritualization of human formation issues

For over 40 years now, the alleged apparitions of Mary in Medjugorje (Bosnia and Herzegovina) have been polarizing topic for many Catholics. For some, the apparitions of Mary and the messages are hailed as an extraordinary visitation of grace for our time, with an overabundance of fruits to prove it; while others dismiss the Medjugorje phenomenon as a hoax and a hotbed of division.

In this episode, Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris are joined by Mike Nolan for a conversation about Medjugorje: its history and spirituality, the approval process, some misunderstandings surrounding it, and positive fruits that pilgrimage there has born in their personal lives.

While the events at Medjugorje are not yet officially approved by the Church, they are inarguably significant, and all listeners can benefit from learning more about them. They could benefit as well from the commentary on Mary's role in our lives, the spirituality of pilgrimage, the ecclesiastical approval process, and more!

For those interested in Mike Nolan's pilgrimages, listeners are encouraged to visit https://shadowonthewater.com/

Miriam Johll is a friend of our hosts. Hailing from Iowa, she has a heart for evangelization and healing ministry. Before diving into our main topic, Miriam shares some of her life testimony of personal healing through encounters with God the Father, and her subsequent launch into ministry.

While virtually every Catholic is familiar with Mary - her particular devotions (i.e., the Rosary), her statues, her feast days - it is not uncommon for Catholics, and other Christians, to feel distant from her as a person. Mary is the mother of Jesus, but Jesus has entrusted Mary to each and every Christian from the cross, to be our mother too. How do we know Mary as our mother, and the concrete role she plays in our lives - on a spiritual, but also human and emotional level? Join Frs. Michael and Chris and Miriam as they seek to answer this question for listeners.