Hearts+Minds

The second episode of our prayer series features a special guest, Jonna Schuster, founder of Catholic Revival Ministries. People have different attitudes toward and experiences of prayer—some negative, some positive. At times, prayer is seen as something we're supposed to do or only turn to in dire moments. Join us as we explore how prayer can be a life-giving experience and a source of joy....

Do you think prayer "is not for people like me"? In today’s podcast, we explore prayer as a must for someone who wants to get to know God. We discuss prayer as a conversation, where God has taken the first step. We explore prayer as a ”to do” and as a grace (God's part).  We discuss the impact prayer can have on a person's life and how I can pray as me.  Resources The way chapt...

We all struggle with conversations that require courage. We think that they will lead to unease in a relationship or lead to further misunderstandings. To top it off, the person at the receiving end may feel judged and unappreciated, ultimately only making things worse. Well, join us on Hearts+Minds with our Guest Maita Crowe as we unpack the great power of Courageous Conversations. We explore: Wh...

This episode is for you if you are about to get married and are afraid of married life, or starting a family, or going through difficulties in marriage right now.  Máire Cassidy and Cliona Somers delve deeper into the topic of marriage. Taking a realistic view of married life they explore its responsibilities and joys.  They discuss why fear shouldn't prevent you from taking the big step. And...

As we approach Valentine's Day on 14th February, we are rebroadcasting this episode with Cliona Somers on Waiting and Dating – what advice do you need?  Are you tired of scrolling dating apps and losing heart that you will ever discover your life partner? Join us as we dig into the top 10 tips for those waiting to date. And for those dating how to get the best out of dating - the pitfalls to...

This is the fourth podcast episode in our series on trust. In the previous three episodes, we shared simple tips and tools for building trust, focusing on the essential building blocks: understanding and motive. In today's episode, ''Can You Get the Job Done?'' , we explore the third essential building block of trust: ability. While we may be trustworthy in many areas of o...

Join us in this insightful episode as we explore the fascinating concept of psychological immunity and the key elements that contribute to it. We dive deep into the question, 'What is psychological immunity?' to understand its importance and impact on our well-being.  We explore the role of friendships in building psychological immunity. We share personal stories and examples, showcasing...

Advent can be a bit of a blur for most people. And yet, if you can give it a moment it can really make an impact on these last few weeks before Christmas. It is a time of opportunity - or grace as we would say in the Catholic tradition. God is coming and we cannot wait! But in the midst of the rushing, frenetic activities, how can we shift our focus? In this podcast episode, we discuss the attitud...

Today, we have a fascinating guest who will be sharing her insights on the courage to create. Emelia Silva is an artist and songwriter with a degree in Global Jazz Studies from UCLA. She has been singing across various genres for the past 18 years. In this conversation, Emelia opens up about her family background, life story, influences, and motivations. She reflects on the significance of growing...

This is the third episode in our series on trust, and today we will explore another essential building block: motive. We’ll dive into why motive is crucial, look at John Gottman's "index of betrayal"—a metric that signals when a marriage may be in trouble—and see how the right motives can actually help increase trust. We'll also explore motive in the workplace, reflecting on ho...

Chiara Degenfeld is joining us for part III of the Theology of the Body series, where we will explore why being engaged is so special. Today, we will talk about engagement, embracing the journey, and making the most of your engagement to grow as a couple. We will explore how a couple can build a strong foundation for their marriage during the engagement, the importance of discovering their fiancé&...

This is the second podcast in this series called "How Can I Build Trust", and in this podcast, we're going to dig into the first essential building block, which we touched on briefly in the last podcast, which is listening and understanding. We're going to explore what it looks like to be understood, dig into a bit of brain science and discover what hostage negotiators have to...

Chiara Degenfeld is joining us again today for part II of the Theology of the Body series.  Today's topic, we will address the difficult topic of porn and how it can affect your relationship. Chiara discusses some disturbing statistics about porn in men and women;  how porn leads to addictive behaviour and distortion of the perception of pleasure. She explores how porn addiction typically sta...

In this episode, we dive into the difference between self-development and holiness within the Catholic tradition. While self-development focuses on personal achievements and self-fulfilment, we discuss why this alone is not enough to truly satisfy someone's life. Instead, we explore the path of holiness - an invitation to grow in our unique personalities while striving to become more like Jes...

Your body expresses who you are. In today's podcast we discuss why desires are good. We explore how we can become addicted to our desires or reject them or we can practise virtuous desire.  We discuss how we all crave a state of peace in which your sexual desires and actions are aligned with your ideals. Chiara shares with us practical ways to make this a reality. This leads to joy and peace...

This episode is the first of a series of podcasts on the topic of trust. We need to be aware of the impact we make on others if we want to be trustworthy. Whether in our personal, professional, or spiritual lives, trust is the foundation of meaningful relationships and personal growth. In this episode, we will discuss how empathy, listening, boundaries, bringing out the best in each person and kno...

Do you ever listen to conversion stories and wish you could experience a similar transformation? Is our approach to belief too reductionist, where the Gospel is a biography and the psalms akin to inspirational quotes. In this week’s podcast, we discuss how we can learn from the early Christian communities and the role of Scripture in their lives. We explore why Scripture can be: - Like digesting o...

What does it take to live a happier life? In this episode, Dr. Marta Rocchi suggests the answer to this question addresses the very “why” of human existence.  How we often confuse happiness with comfort and pleasure but in fact, it is so much more. We explore why the Ancient Greeks had it so right and why gratitude, friendships, enjoyment, and acceptance of oneself as a work in progress are all pa...

"Is God Worth Getting to Know" is the first episode of a series inspired by listener feedback. In this episode, the Hearts+Minds team reflects on whether we really know Jesus. Inspired by the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as well as the teachings of Saint Josemaria and Saint Augustine, the team shares reflections and insights on how to truly get to know Jesus and experience a...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Erika Bachiochi - a distinguished legal scholar,  mother, wife, and feminist. Erika shares with us her experience of addiction as a teen, her intellectual search for truth and the healing power of relationships. She explains her spiritual awakening, the transformative power of prayer in her life and the kindness of strangers.  Erika also shares her thoughts on...

"Finding your passion and finding a profession in it" are some of the ways that describe Chris Parreno's job as a calligraphist. While it sounds like a dream, many women experience guilt when sensing the discontent that led Chris to seek something more and find her passion. In this episode, we will discuss why you should explore hobbies that can help you feel more fulfilled in life,...

Feeling overwhelmed is easy in a world that expects you to deliver high performance all the time. In this episode, we will explore why you need to be kind to yourself and how to deal with rejection and the feeling of failure by using them as tools for personal growth.  We will also explore how to manage professional, family and personal expectations and pressures by embracing a realistic approach...

When you struggle with the unbelief of friends and family, it can be hard to maintain your own conviction and help those around you. In this episode, we discuss the roots causes of unbelief in our society, the steps that can be taken to help someone who doesn't believe and the certainty of knowing that our love for them is key to helping them along the way to discovering God's love. Reso...

Are you tired of scrolling dating apps and losing heart that you will ever discover your life partner? Join us as we dig into the top 10 tips for those waiting to date. And for those dating how to get the best out of dating - the pitfalls to avoid and joys to experience.  ------------ Hearts + Minds Official website - hearts-minds.ie IG - @heartsandmindsire FB - Hearts+Minds | Facebook Email: hell...

While Easter weekend has passed, the reflections and meaning of this date must remain in our Hearts and Minds. Grace is God's life within us and we want to remind you of this. In this podcast episode, Maire and Siobhan discuss the credibility of Easter as seen in the early accounts of Easter in the Gospels and the disbelief of the early followers of Christ. We explore the craziness of our Cat...