about four o'clock

We continue with our 'live' recording from the Midwest Catholic Family Conference.  Who will show up on this part of the episode?  Current seminarians, former seminarians and maybe some future seminarians?

This episode was recorded "live" at the Midwest Catholic Family Conference.  It actually was a lot of fun and drew a nice crowd, though it may not be our best recording.  Many guests with lots of good things to say.  

This week the three priests try some Lectio Divina with Matthew 19:16-22, the story of the Rich Young Man.  Enjoy.

The three priests have spoken often of their difficulties in seminary, which led one listener to ask, 'Why did you stay in?'  As the new school year begins to start, the priests look back at their reasons for staying the course.  Plus, they teach you some hip new slang to take back to school with you.  Say less.  (Am I using that right?)

A more somber episode.  The reality of the abuse scandal cannot, nor should it be ignored, when discussing the possibility of discerning the priesthood.  In this week's edition, the three priests talk about how it affected their discernment, their time in seminary and how they choose to live their priesthood.  

What are you enthusiastic about?  Not just what do you want to do, but what gives you life, animates your interrior, causes your heart to surge?  Being able to answer that, can be a way to help you discern your vocation.  Also, did you know Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati was a fan of the 4th of July?  Who knew?  Clearly, Fr. Chad did not.

A listener writes: "Diocesan priests all live so differently from one another!  They seem to all have very different spiritualities, different gifts and different talents which seem to shape the focus of their pastoral ministry.  In what ways can these different gifts/talents be lived out in diocesan priesthood and in what ways have these differences affected the focus of your individual lives in...

A call to the priesthood or religious life is a call to serve others.  One of the ways we can tune ourselves to that discernment is getting out of our own head and taking concrete actions to volunteer and serve--even if it is just pulling weeds at your local college catholic campus center.  

Summer is here.  Time for ice-cream, saints and sanctifying the ordinary parts of life.  The time for growing in holiness is not in the past or in the future, but right here in the moment.  In this episode the three priests discuss discernment as it relates to the holiness of everyday life and what that really looks like.

The final installment in our hosts sharing their vocation stories.  This one includes bad hair, bad poetry, bad life decisions and a rickshaw.  God's grace overcomes it all.  This is how a priest gets made.

What is it like to operate as an alter Christus, another Christ, in the confessional?  This was another espisode recorded early on as a practice episode, simply the priests talking about their experiences in the confessional.  However, we felt it was a good enough conversation, that it merited being shared.  We hope you enjoy.

Looking for juicy stories of the priests dating lives before seminary?  If so...you're going to be disappointed.  This week Fr. Garett, Fr. Drew and Fr. Chad discuss the connections between dating and discernment, the positive and the negative and their own personal experiences.

The three priests watch Mark Wahlberg's latest movie Fr. Stu and offer what they liked and disliked about the movie and specifically how it approached discernment.  Spolier alert, there are spoilers.  All over.  You've been warned.

Last week the three priests discussed the joys of spiritual consolation.  This week, they take a look at the other side of the coin, the difficulties and the importance of spiritual desolation.  This is an area that trips up many discerners in their spiritual journey.  In this episode learn how to understand it and how to pass through it.

Not all prayer leads to a surging of the heart.  But what do we do when it does?  Where do we go from there?  This week the three priests discuss the importance and purpose of consolation in prayer.

Okay, the title is a little misleading.  A more accurate title would be 'one of the most important things after establishing a regular sacramental life.'  But obviously that would make for a poor title.  Today the priests discuss consistency in prayer.  Also two corrections: St. John Vianney died in 1859 and the last Calvin and Hobbes appeared in newspapers in 1995, not 1994 (although the month is...

Most things in the natural world grow in silence.  A vocation is no different.  If we are to hear God speaking to us, we must make sure we are quieting our hearts to listen.  This week the priests talk about the importance of silence in discernment.

Many people think of the priesthood as a lonely life.  It is one of the more commonly expressed fears of young men discerning--that I will be lonely.  The three priests discuss their experience of loneliness and the priesthood.

The title is self-explanatory.  This episode is about Fr. Drew's vocation story.  It includes meat washing, KU, Totus Tuus and sleeping in adoration while one of your best friends has a life changing experience with God.  This is how a priest gets made.

For some people, the act of discerning can be an experience of deep anxiety.  Underneath this stress is a fear that they might choose the wrong vocation.  Then what?  In today's podcast, the priests tackle this question question head on.  What if I choose the wrong vocation? 

How old is a person when the idea of priesthood first enters their thought?  For many priests, this happens at a very young age.  This week the priests talk about when the notion of priesthood first entered their thinking.  In addition, they discuss how parents and grandparents can help foster vocations.

The Lord is certainly capable of making His will known through signs.  But does He typically do that when it comes to a vocation?  Whereas it is not unheard of, neither is it likely.  The three priests discuss the role of signs in a vocation as well as the dangers of looking for them before making a decision.

This was originally recorded as a practice episode, never meant to see the light of day.  However, as the three priests delved into how impactful the funeral rites of Fr. Emil Kapaun were, they decided the value of this conversation outweighed their shortcomes of their fledgling recording abilities.  They hope you agree.

Bishop Kemme continues his time in the podcasting studio where he discusses with the priests the difficulties and graces of changing assignments.  They get into what this looks like in his role as a Bishop, how all have experienced it as priests and how the lay faithful can experience it as well.

Our first guest ever on About Four O'Clock, Bishop Carl Kemme!  He decided to take time out of his busy schedule to sit down with the three priests and discuss what qualities he is looking for in a man aspiring to be a priest.