All Kinds of Catholic

Diego joins the podcast from Uruguay, where he lived next door to a basilica. Giving glimpses of Catholicism and the distinct theology of Uruguay and South America, he shares examples of practices that are important to his own faith. Diego sees devotion to Our Lady, being present with the poor, visiting those in prison and the elderly, ‘not as an obligation but as a joyful act of charity toward br...

Andy grew up in the west of Scotland, where sectarianism meant he never met a Catholic until university — and then he married one. He describes happy but sometimes difficult times for the family: ‘In the sacrament of marriage really what I signed up for, was to be there when things weren't so good.’ Hear about Andy’s journey into the Catholic Church in Edinburgh, his parish development work, and h...

Jim shares his plans to spend a year on mission, deepening his faith, building prayer into his daily life and spending time alone in the mountains ‘like the desert fathers.’ He reflects on the blessing of living in Walsingham and feeling that he is under Our Lady’s protection there. When asked, Jim says he believes there is a revival of our faith coming: ‘I know loads of really good young people w...

Alex shares how she felt called to return to Mass. When she did, still in her work uniform, she encountered the Lord there and met a community of young adults. She says, ‘That’s how life changed for me.’ Alex brings her imagination into her own prayer and scripture reflection. Hear how she shares her gifts, helping others encounter the Lord too, in particular through her scripture reflections podc...

A conversation with four people who belong to the thriving parish of St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs, now celebrating its centenary year. Virginia, Oscar, Patrick and Lesley share how their faith has been nourished and challenged and the ways in which they are inspired to contribute to the vibrant life of the parish and the wider community. They explain how the witness of the Winchester Martyr...

An outdoor, walking-talking episode! Joanna, who leads Catholic History Walks in London, leads us though some of the history that connects us with ‘the Catholic faith we share with our ancestors.’ In understanding something of our history and being able to talk to others about it, Joanna says that, ‘we may be opening up their hearts and minds to something much larger and more beautiful…that connec...

Jo Siedlecka is the founder of Independent Catholic News. She shares how she finally returned to her faith after observing the quiet witness of others in different parts of the world, caring for street children and refugees. She says, ‘They were people with a faith. They were motivated by something more than just altruism.’ Jo gives us a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work of curating a free d...

Sophie explains how as a teenager she made a decision to listen carefully to the Mass and decide if it was ‘something I want to be part of my life.’ For her, sharing faith with others is driven by wanting to share the love of God with them. Drawing on St John Paul II, Sophie points out that communicating about faith online is important but in the digital space ‘what we’re missing is that real, emb...

Claire grew up in the South Wales valleys in a family with no faith – although later she was able to see how God was already at work in her life. Her journey to the Catholic Church took a long time, beginning in the Anglican church, feeling called to ministry, then thirty years of being away from church altogether. But on becoming a Catholic in her fifties, Claire says, ‘I’ve never looked back.’ S...

Father Matthew tells us how it began: a closed church, a couple looking for a new spiritual home, a letter to the family at the Manor House, and a year-long experiment that is growing into a thriving Ordinariate congregation. Today St Mary's Catholic church has two Sunday Masses, many parish activities, and a 99-year lease on the church building. Five members of the parish community join the conve...

Graham describes how times of serious mental illness and a loss of his sense of self nevertheless helped him to discover his spiritual part that ‘I had been ignoring.’ After much questioning, he found a home in the Catholic Church. Graham shares what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God when mental health is fragile, the overlap he sees between mystical experience and psychiatric e...

Ali shares her unflinching account of life in addiction, rooted she says in 'an original lie in your soul'. In her most terrible darkness, her guardian angel intervened. Now with the help of a 'holy' 12-step fellowship, Ali explains that she is able to see that she was always loved by God and He is working in her life. She describes taking responsibility for her choices, making amends where she ca...

Paul explains how he came to be first a Catholic, then an altar server, and now Honorary Lay President of the Guild of St Stephen. He shares a feeling of 'being called to serve God in this way' and the gospel text, 'You did not choose me, I chose you,' speaks to him particularly. Based on Paul's early experience of going into a church for the first time 'out of sheer curiosity,' he challenges us t...

Christopher shares how he decided to become a Christian and then a Catholic as a teenager. He is a published poet and explains how his work is inspired by his faith and by the beautiful North Devon countryside. We talk about the ‘awkward’ experience of belonging to a thinly-spread Catholic community in a rural area where the opportunity for daily Mass is absent. But, in tune with the season of Eas...

Mollie and Christina share their experiences of Pilgrim Cross. Mollie joined this pilgrimage for the first time last year, arriving in Walsingham on Good Friday, joining Christian pilgrims from many parts of the country, to celebrate Easter. Christina explains the origins of this pilgrimage which began in France in 1946, when 30,000 people gathered, carrying wooden crosses, as an act of prayer, re...

This week’s episode was originally recorded live with an audience at our very first in-person event. Helena shares how she grew up, with Polish heritage in America, married a British man and moved to England with a young family. The world of theatre and particularly drama ministry is huge in Helena’s life. She describes ‘a pivotal moment’ when the Holy Spirit was at work, leading her to bring toge...

Peter shares his journey, via the Royal Navy and tax accounting, to running the brewery alongside Trappist monks and managing the abbey estate. He explains how he has adapted to working with the rhythm of monastic life, describing the monks as having a ‘more eternal concept of time’ than he was previously used to, especially at work. It’s fascinating to hear how commercial concerns and a life of p...

Bringing insights from Seventh-day Adventist childhood experiences, Hannah wants Catholic parishes to engage their young people more fully. She is making the effort herself, alongside prayer, to do just that. Hear how Hannah works at balancing personal faith and professional ethics too. She shares practical tools that help her to keep faith alive for herself and others between Sundays: youth testi...

Episode 92: Jaimin and Neena talk about becoming parents who want to ‘plant the seeds of faith’ in their child. Prayer, worship, the Word of God, and belonging to a faith-filled ministry community, all play a big part in their lives. Encountering the Lord has filled them with joy and purpose, and a sense of responsibility. They ask if they are doing enough to keep faith alive in Britain - and worr...

Episode 91: Caro became a Catholic at the age of 18. She shares her feeling of ‘a deep and grounded connection to God’ – and tells us about the dark time when that connection was lost for a while. Caro draws on the prophet Micah to illuminate her journey so far; acting justly, loving tenderly, and now, embarking on a new direction in her life, walking humbly with God.  All Kinds of Catholic: A Gat...

Episode 90 Today's guest is John Pontifex, Head of Press and Public Affairs at Aid to the Church in Need. John explains how he first heard about the charity in a talk at Sunday Mass more than 20 years ago and how inspired he was. He describes the charity's work keeping our relationship with Christ 'at the centre,' while actively supporting persecuted Christians. He describes being terrified on an...

Episode 89 : In Part 2 of the conversation with Mike, he explains how he decided to go from Liverpool to see the Holy Land for himself at a time when there were very few visitors. His experience is brought to life through his vivid descriptions, his reflections on the incarnation, and his reports of good conversations with Palestinian Christians, Jewish and Muslim people. Deciding not to 'look awa...

Episode 88 : Mike has wonderful memories of growing up Catholic in Liverpool, making friends for life in Catholic schools and becoming a doctor. But then, he says, ‘the cracks were showing,’ and ‘things became real.’ Here in Part 1 of this conversation, Mike speaks with raw honesty about his experience of overcoming mental ill health and finding maturity in his faith. Next week, in Part 2, we talk...

Send us a text Episode 87 John Patrick talks about the importance of his roots in a parish in Mossend, Scotland - and in his Irish and Lithuanian heritage. He describes how he and his cousin, Brian, 'fell into' setting up a media company to 'present the Church and the faith...the fullness of truth, faith and reason, but also the joy of being a Catholic.' Ten years on, John Patr...

Episode 86 Fr John shares how working as a prison chaplain 'can be emotionally draining, but at the same time, very uplifting,' because, he says, we meet Jesus in the men and women who are in prison. For Fr John, the best way to pray is like St Therese of Lisieux, to 'talk to God in my own words.' Hear why the Road to Emmaus gospel story is important for him too. Important  links: All Kinds of Cat...