A New York Catholic Conversation Podcast

THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE. Saint Paul says that love is patient, love is kind; it endures all things; and love never fails. But to "will the good of another" is a constant challenge,  and a very difficult thing to do. It requires us to break free from the ego and self-absorption, so that we can really see the heart and needs of others.  Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

WINDOWS OF THE SOUL. It is with our eyes that we perceive all of the beauty of creation, but it is also with our eyes that we see temptation. We are greatly blessed with our ability to see, so we must take custody of our eyes and fix them on Christ, who guides us from darkness into the light.  Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

HOW THE DEVIL DECEIVES US. The Devil is more alive today than ever, and has worked his way into every aspect of our lives, without us realizing it. How do we ward off the enemy's blows and defend ourselves in this ongoing spiritual battle?   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR ORDER IN YOUR LIFE.  There are numerous self-help guides online and in books that offer ways to improve any and all aspects of one's life. We check in with St. Francis de Sales, who provides some practical ways to help us strengthen our own personal commitment to our faith and to discipleship.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

REDEMPTION AND SALVATION.  Redemption is understood as "deliverance from sin," but Salvation requires our cooperation and participation. For eternal salvation we need grace from God, and we must make our Redeemer the center of our lives.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

A LETTER FROM BEYOND.  We pray for the souls in Purgatory because we believe that one day they will be joined with God in Heaven. But what of those souls who have turned away from God and who now exist in eternal damnation?  Listen to the voice of one who calls out from a place in which there is no love, no faith, and no hope. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

DIFFICULTY & HOLINESS.  We all strive to be good Christians, but the path to holiness seems filled with obstacles and difficulties.  When we accept these challenges as God's will for us, we are able to accept the grace that feeds us and enables us to overcome, and give glory to God. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

MEDITATIVE PRAYER.  Our greatest prayer as Catholics is the Mass itself, in which we express our thoughts and beliefs externally, through words proclaimed aloud. The other kind of prayer is Meditative, which is a quest to listen and talk to God.  Through silence and stillness, we go deeper into our heart and soul, which is the dwelling place of Our Lord. Practiced faithfully, meditative prayer pro...

AM I WASTING THE GIFT OF TIME?  Many of us are obsessed with time, and yet we don't seem ready, or prepare ourselves for the time when we will be held to account for our lives. Jesus warns us that the day will come, and we must use this gift of time on earth to be prepared.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

DEVOTION TO THE HOLY FACE.  When we gaze into the Holy Face of Jesus in prayer, we enter into His passion and humbly align ourselves with the suffering Christ. And Jesus Himself told Sister Mary of St. Peter, "Those on earth who contemplate the wounds of My Face, shall in Heaven behold it radiant with glory, and they themselves shall shine with particular splendor in Heaven." Join the conversation...

MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY.  Jesus uses the word "meek" in the Beatitudes  - it represents a quality of the heart with which a person is willing to accept and submit to the will and desire of someone else - so necessary in marriage.  And by embracing the virtue of humility, we can more readily love God above all things, and love our neighbor as ourselves. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@...

GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, & THE JOY OF GOD.  We are called to be saints, and we must keep striving for growth and transformation in our spiritual lives.  A Benedictine nun, Sister Mary David, offers reflections on spirituality that are steeped in simple wisdom and practical advice. Her collected writings are in a book called The Joy of God.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail....

GRUMBLING. It's been called "faithless complaining." It's moaning and growling about everything and everyone around us, but it is dangerous because it can easily turn to bitterness and harden our hearts.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

TURNING BACK TO WORLDLINESS. Many of us make only a tepid effort at practicing our faith, and grow frustrated when the going gets tough. In our frustration, we turn back to the things of the world. Worldliness seems the easier path. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

THE 7 SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY. Are you looking for ways to enrich and strengthen your prayer life this Lent? Consider practicing the Spiritual Works of Mercy. They draw us into a deeper relationship with God and make us instruments of God's peace. Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

REFUSALS. It is God's will to enter into our lives, and abide in us.  He does not force us, He calls us.  But we ourselves often block this from happening. We sometimes intentionally stand in the way of a fuller life with God. Let's talk about these impediments, these "refusals" to make room for God in our hearts.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

RELICS. We preserve and venerate these bones and fragments because they give a connectedness to the sacred, to the holy people of God – the Saints!  Relics are not magic, but they prayerfully draw us closer to God, and they can be a channel through which God answers our prayers.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

INDULGENCES. Yes, they still exist, and they are a wonderful incentive to pray!  Any act of prayer expressed devoutly provides a way to reduce the amount of punishment one must undergo for sins that have already been forgiven. God is merciful! Not only does He offer us freedom from eternal punishment, but also from the consequence or punishment required in this world, or in Purgatory. Join the con...

ARE YOU PLEASING TO GOD? As Catholics, our ultimate objective and goal is to join in everlasting life with God, by loving God above all things, and loving neighbor as ourselves.  But are we doing our best to become more pleasing to God? Do we pursue the natural desires of this world, or the interior joy that Jesus promises us?  Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

WHAT THE SOULS IN PURGATORY TELL US. We don't talk about it much these days, but it's real -- a state of purification "so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." Many Saints have heard from the souls in Purgatory, and have shared with us their requests. So, what is Purgatory like, and how can we benefit from what these souls have to say?   Join the conversation: anycathol...

A WALK THROUGH A CATHOLIC CHURCH. When you enter a Catholic Church, you are met with a variety of symbolic and real expressions of our faith. Everything that we touch and see is there to help us give honor and praise to God. Let's walk in and remind ourselves of the beauty and wonder that surround us.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY. When we say the Rosary, we ask our Blessed Mother to "pray for us, now and at the hour of our death." In the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, we are invited through prayer to console her sorrowful heart and unite our suffering to hers, and by doing so receive beautiful graces of peace, consolation, and strength.    Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com...

THE PARTICULAR GOOD. The Evil One is at work when we are encouraged to become attached to our Particular Goods, even if they are not what is best for us.  Whatever we desire is most important, not what God wants for us.  Then the attachments that are particular to each one of us, lead us away from God.    Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

GOSSIP. It's something we all know we should not do, yet it seems to appear in so many of our conversations. It's harmful to ourselves, to those we talk about, and even to those who hear it.  Let's discuss how we can identify gossip, and how we can stop doing it.   Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com  

SMALL SACRIFICES. The greatest penances most of us must deal with come in the small obstacles and frustrations of everyday life. If we can confront them and turn them into small sacrifices, we will achieve small victories which will strengthen our will, and draw us closer to God.    Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com