VOX SFX

It is time once again for the Novena of Grace here at St. Francis Xavier Parish.  This year's presenter is Dr. Katherine Greiner, an Associate Professor of Theology at Carroll College in Helena, MT.  Her topic is the Poverty of Spirit spoken of in Matthew 25, specifically the need for God's presence and support in our lives.  Nicholas sits down with Dr. Greiner to discuss this commonly misunderstood teaching of Jesus.

In this episode we cultivate a deeper understanding of gratitude, patience, temperance, and diligence.  Fr Cochran joins Nicholas for the second half of our discussion regarding the Seven Heavenly Virtues.  

When deciding how to engage with others, we take as inspiration the virtues laid out for us by our faith.  Virtue is integral to the practice of the Christian faith, and it is our responsibility to cultivate it through moral discernment.  We do so not only to practice good deeds, but to avoid falling into sin.  Father Cochran joins us to explore the first of our Heavenly Virtues, and the roots of the mortal sins they help us overcome.

A Jubilee Year are special times in the calendar of the Catholic Church.  With its origins in the celebration prescribed by God in the Old Testament book of Leviticus, it invites us to contemplate God's love and grace, seek redemption from our sins, and be a sign of God's mercy to those around us.   Shai Hill joins us to talk about the opportunities we can take to deepen our faith during the 2025 Jubilee Year. 

We continue our exploration of the seven Sacraments of the Catholic faith by looking into the Sacraments of Service: Reconciliation, Anointing, and the vocations of holy orders and marriage.  These sacraments invite us to open our hearts to the will of God by intimately sharing with one another our inmost frailty and strength.  They represent our continuing and evolving relationship with the Church, God, and each other.  Fr. Hightower is back to bring home the message of the Sacraments of Service.

Rituals and rites define all faith communities, and Catholics have seven specific Sacraments which we experience throughout our faith journey.  These Sacraments are designed to bring us closer to God and each other, to live out Christ's mission and vision for us, and to renew our dedication to the ideals of Holy Mother Church.  Fr Hightower joins us to introduce the first set of these Sacraments that shape and inform Catholic life.

It is National Catholic Schools Week! Our Catholic schools offer a unique and essential educational paradigm in today's increasingly secular society.  As well as instilling our young people with Christian values, Catholic schools seek to create productive and educated citizens who are able to carry out the Gospel message in a practical and tangible way.  Dr Tom Noonan joins us for this special episode celebrating Missoula Catholic Schools and the values they aim to impart.

God calls all of us into his service, for his glory and for our wellbeing.  Sometimes it can be hard to know what we are called to do.  Are we called to participate in religious life?  Do we best serve by entering into the sacrament of marriage and raising a family?  These questions must be answered with a sober and purposeful mind.  Fr Daniel Nevares helps us to understand the process of vocational discernment.

Baptism is one of the fundamental Christian rituals, honored and held in high esteem by all Trinitarian faiths.  But what is baptism?  Is it simply the act of immersion in water, or is it something more?  And why did Christ, God incarnate in the world, undergo this process at the hands of his cousin John who, in his own words, was "unfit to kneel down and untie His sandals" (Mk 1:7-8)?  Father Cochran joins Nicholas to further enlighten us on the baptism of our Lord.

For Catholics, one of the most powerful elements of the season of Advent is the music that draws us together.  Whether they be old hymns that are near and dear to our hearts, or joyful tunes we hear when shopping for our families, the songs of this season speak to us of the magnitude of our Savior's coming.  St Francis Xavier Parish's music director, Robert Harsch, is in the studio to speak to this ministry and its importance to us.  Join Nicholas and Robert as we explore this season through the lens of sacred music.