The Springs in the Desert Podcast: Catholic Accompaniment Through Infertility

This month Cassi and Allie continue our discussion on spiritual motherhood with two very special guests: Sister Anna Rose and Sister Mary Gemma, Franciscan Sisters Third Order Regular of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother! They share from the heart about their experiences of spiritual maternity and the very real desire for physical motherhood, and they provide encouragement for women walking the difficult path of infertility to embrace their own call to spiritually mother – that is, to love, nurture and raise others up to God in a way that is uniquely feminine. We hope you’ll join us to be blessed and uplifted by these beautiful sisters!

Resources:

Nuns and Babies: Part One, Blog Post from Cassi (https://www.springsinthedesert.org/nuns-and-babies-part-1/)

Franciscan Sisters TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother (https://www.franciscansisterstor.org/)

Franciscan Sisters TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother, Life of Intercessory Prayer: Spiritual Motherhood (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwLTNxeplUg)

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week, and we warmly welcome Katie and Alissa to the podcast to chat with Allie about times we’ve felt supported by others through the experience of primary or secondary infertility. We share examples of how family, friends, clergy, and others have prayed, loved, and cared for us through the difficulties and grief we’ve faced. Through this support, we’ve received the tremendous gifts of increased intimacy, growth in prayer, and an expanded understanding of fruitfulness.

Resources:

Blog Post from Sydnee for NIAW (https://www.springsinthedesert.org/how-to-overcome-the-isolation-of-infertility-part-one/)

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

This month, James welcomes Fr. Paul Varchola West to the podcast to chat about the man of the year, St. Joseph! The life of St. Joseph is profoundly inspiring for those of us experiencing infertility and loss. Listen in as James and Fr. Paul discuss what we know about St. Joseph from the Bible, how we can relate to him through the experience of infertility, and how we can better devote ourselves to his intercession. St. Joseph, pray to God for us!

Show Notes/Resources:

“My Plans are Not Your Plans”: The Calling of St. Joseph by Michael Dominic Taylor (https://springsinthedesert.org/under-the-patronage-of-st-joseph/)

Patris Corde, Apostolic Letter by Pope Francis (http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20201208_patris-corde.html)

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

This month we warmly welcome Cassi to the podcast to chat with Stacey and Allie about the truth that God made each and every woman – regardless of whether she bears biological children – to be a mother; that is, to love, nurture, and raise others up to God in a way that is uniquely feminine.  We call this “spiritual motherhood”. We chat about our own misconceptions about spiritual motherhood, what this motherhood looks like lived out in examples from our own lives, what we can learn from priests and religious, and how truly beautiful it is that all women, including those of us carrying the cross of infertility, are called to mother right now, just as we are.

“The body, and it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible, the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the invisible mystery hidden in God from time immemorial, and thus to be a sign of it.” (Pope St. John Paul II).

Show Notes/Resources:

Blog Post from Cassi (https://springsinthedesert.org/2021/01/28/living-in-holland/)

Spiritual Motherhood: Every Woman’s Calling (Alice vonHildebrand) (https://www.plough.com/en/topics/life/parenting/spiritual-motherhood)

Spiritual Maternity Sodality (https://spiritualmaternity.org/the-essence-of-spiritual-motherhood/)

Undone by Carrie Schuchts Daunt (https://www.avemariapress.com/products/undone)

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

We begin the New Year welcoming Cassandra Taylor to the podcast to tell her story of romance, marriage, travel – and a cancer diagnosis that dashed her hopes of ever bearing a child. Allie, Ann and Cassandra talk about how our hopes and dreams for marriage and the expectations we bring into that relationship can be turned upside down, either breaking us or becoming an opportunity to build a stronger marriage that holds unexpected possibilities for fruitfulness.

Read more about Cassandra’s story on our blog (https://springsinthedesert.org/author/cassandrataylor16/). We talked about St. Teresa of Calcutta – a superstar saint and intercessor who had “great expectations” in following the Lord, yet lived for decades in “spiritual darkness.” Nevertheless, she continually surrendered herself to Jesus’ mercy. We recommend a collection of her letters, Come Be My Light. Here’s the money quote assuring us that no matter how we feel, Jesus is suffering with us, transforming us, loving us: “In you today - He wants to relive His submission to His Father – allow Him to do so. Does not matter what you feel-as long as He feels alright in you. Take away your eyes from your self and rejoice that you have nothing - that you are nothing - that you can do nothing. Give Jesus a big smile – each time your nothingness frightens you.”

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

We begin the New Year welcoming Cassandra Taylor to the podcast to tell her story of romance, marriage, travel – and a cancer diagnosis that dashed her hopes of ever bearing a child. Allie, Ann and Cassandra talk about how our hopes and dreams for marriage and the expectations we bring into that relationship can be turned upside down, either breaking us or becoming an opportunity to build a stronger marriage that holds unexpected possibilities for fruitfulness.

Read more about Cassandra’s story on our blog (https://springsinthedesert.org/author/cassandrataylor16/). We talked about St. Teresa of Calcutta – a superstar saint and intercessor who had “great expectations” in following the Lord, yet lived for decades in “spiritual darkness.” Nevertheless, she continually surrendered herself to Jesus’ mercy. We recommend a collection of her letters, Come Be My Light. Here’s the money quote assuring us that no matter how we feel, Jesus is suffering with us, loving us - and transforming us: “In you today - He wants to relive His submission to His Father – allow Him to do so. Does not matter what you feel-as long as He feels alright in you. Take away your eyes from your self and rejoice that you have nothing - that you are nothing - that you can do nothing. Give Jesus a big smile – each time your nothingness frightens you.”

Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode! Join our community by following us on Facebook and Instagram.  And if you need prayers, someone to listen, or you want to tell your story on our blog, email us at [email protected].

This special episode of the Springs in the Desert Podcast was recorded as part of our Advent virtual mini-retreat, "Praying Through Infertility." Several members of our team got together to talk about their experiences with prayer and their relationship with God as individuals, and in marriage. They shared struggles and challenges, as well as the good fruits of prayer for their marriages, and in carrying the burden of infertility.

Special thanks for this episode to Andrea Mahoney, Phil and Stacey Huneck, Kimberly Henkel, Fr. Paul and Alissa West, and Keith and Ann Koshute. This podcast would not be possible without the skill and dedication of our Producer, Kathryn Wood.

Like us on Facebook - and join our private group for discussion, inspiration and prayer requests. Follow us on Instagram @springs_if, subscribe to, rate and review the podcast, read the blog and find other resources at http://www.springsinthedesert.org. Email us with questions, prayer requests or if you want to get involved in our ministry: [email protected].

Thank you for listening and have a blessed and joy-filled Christmas Season and a Happy New Year!!

This book, Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna by Nicole M. Roccas, has so much wisdom to offer anyone suffering with infertility! Join Ann, Allie, and Stacey as they discuss thanksgiving in infertility: how we can actively choose to be grateful for God's blessings even in the midst of pain, uncertainty, and fear of the future. They share how the marriage of Saints Anna and Joachim provides hope that God's glory can be revealed in us, no matter how our infertility journey ends.

Resources:

Under the Laurel Tree book by Nicole M. Roccas

https://store.ancientfaith.com/under-the-laurel-tree/

The Protoevangelium of James

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm

Remember Your Death: Memento Mori Journal by Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP

https://www.amazon.com/Remember-Your-Death-Journal-Memento/dp/0819865214

Connect with us on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/SpringsintheDesert/)

Or Instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/springs_if/)

This book, Under the Laurel Tree, Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna by Nicole M. Roccas, has so much wisdom to offer anyone suffering with infertility! Join Ann, Allie, and Stacey as they discuss some of the "tough stuff" of infertility, including challenges in prayer and strong emotions like anger and despair. They share how wisdom from the book provides hope for moving from their personal experiences of the dark parts of infertility toward greater intimacy with God.

Resources:

Under the Laurel Tree book by Nicole M. Roccas

https://store.ancientfaith.com/under-the-laurel-tree/

The Protoevangelium of James

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm

Grieving Together: A Couple's Journey Through Miscarriage

https://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Together-Couples-Journey-Miscarriage/dp/1681921863

In God's Hands Miscarriage and Bereavement Ministry

https://www.stthomasofvillanova.org/in-gods-hands.html

Songs of Praise: A Psalter for Orthodox Women

https://store.ancientfaith.com/songs-of-praise-a-psalter-devotional-for-orthodox-women/

Connect with us on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/SpringsintheDesert/)

Or Instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/springs_if/)

This book, Under the Laurel Tree, Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna by Nicole M. Roccas, has so much wisdom to offer anyone suffering with infertility! Join Ann, Allie, and Stacey as they discuss the theme of grief and infertility. They share moving wisdom from the book and quotes that speak to and affirm the difficult experience of infertility grief, and they discuss insights and personal examples from their lives about how men and women grieve differently.

Resources:

Under the Laurel Tree book by Nicole M. Roccas

https://store.ancientfaith.com/under-the-laurel-tree/

The Protoevangelium of James

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm

Springs in the Desert "A Man's Take" Episode on Grief and Counseling

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0AaiktW7RJsM7wSwHdyJ2b

The Traditional Stages of Grief (Kubler-Ross Model)

https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-grief#denial

Connect with us on Facebook! (https://www.facebook.com/SpringsintheDesert/)

Or Instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/springs_if/)