Faith Fondue

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Happy (belated) Laetare Sunday! Coming off of a very long week (for Haley) and only two more meatless Fridays until Easter, Anne and Haley discuss why Catholics abstain from meat during Lent. And what is there to laetare - aka rejoice - about in this week's Gospel (hint: it's a hard one!) With the anticipation of Holy Week approaching, we all know the tomb will...

In this episode we talk about the weekend's Gospel, known to most Christians as the Prodigal Son. But what does it mean to be "prodigal?" (Hint: I think we all are!) Tune in as Anne shares details of her upcoming presentation in Denver on Wisdom and Women, and Haley talks about her two day Lenten Retreat planning, emphasis on the "two" days. We are not quite halfway through Len...

Haley and Anne have plenty to share following a week that started with Super Bowl Sunday, followed by SuperSick Monday, Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday/Valentine’s Day and a birthday. Haley recalls the emotions and beauty of participation in a Senior Alumni Lenten Journey video and Anne commits to building others up, much in the way Bruce Springsteen does (as seen in The Greatest Night in Pop Music). L...

Amidst a big week, Haley finds ever more importance in keeping it real. Anne recalls the nostalgia and the blessing as revealed in the making of the 1985 hit song: We are the World. Knowing that we are the ones to make a brighter day, Anne and Haley discuss the value in time away for prayer and how to pray with intentions (and intention).

In Episode 2 of 24 for 2024, Anne and Haley unpack the NFL Divisional playoffs, a few examples of brothers in the game and this special time of year. Haley asks the listener to consider what we would think of Jesus in 2024. Anne reflects on Christ's first words according to Mark's Gospel. Together, we consider how that POV and that message affect us in the days and weeks to come.

It’s the LAST of the Christmas season. The Feast of the Epiphany–Little Christmas.  Anne and Haley have taken a break and I really missed it. We are excited to be back taping our podcast. Our goal is to complete 24 episodes in 2024.   This episode features Haley's motto for the year: Keeping it Real. Anne shares a little bit about the annual faculty retreat which featured a special speaker: Ir...

It’s the week of May 22, Season 3, Episode 13 - The 6th Sunday of Easter. Lots going on and lots of questions to answer. Here are but a few: In light of Preakness, is horse racing a sport? Do you have a favorite athlete? Favorite color? Is spiritual discipline a necessary or evil? What ought we do with our unrest? How might prayer and meditation help? Consider these questions and more as you liste...

The 5th Sunday of Easter. We are half-way through the month of May and in full-blown celebrate-my-senior mode: prom, senior projects, AP exams, baccalaureate, graduation, and graduation parties. And of course all graduations, have a grad speaker. Our intro question invites listeners to share: Have you heard any good ones yet this grad season? What makes for a good commencement address? Why are the...

It is already Week 3 of the Easter Season and it's May Day. May is traditionally a month to celebrate Mary, Our Mother and our own moms. It may also be a time to consider pilgrimage either locally or to a popular spiritual destination. Anne and Haley also discuss what it means to "read" a book, our experiences and insights from recent work travel and the power of connections in sports.

We are BACK after a long spring break and Easter hiatus. It is Divine Mercy Sunday, and we are in the midst of our 50 DAY celebration of Easter. Anne and Haley start with a debate held at the Easter brunch table, discuss spring break and the Doubting Thomas, not to mention all the messages that flow from this meaningful Gospel reading. Happy Easter!

It is the 4th week of Lent, and wow, March is almost over! A quarter of the year has almost passed, and we are reaching the half way point of Lent. Has this holy season been challenging? meaningful? fruitful? With the focus on NAVIGATE in the acronym CHANGE, Anne and Haley discuss what that means in their spiritual lives. Where we are called to go and who we want to be. None of this reflection is...

Lent calls us to give alms—to give to the poor. What an important spiritual discipline. Anne and Haley discuss another form of this discipline as they unpack what to do with cards and other mementos. This is also a season of saints and this week focuses on St. Joseph, a man of action and few words.

Love your enemies. How the Holy Spirit is at work. Creating space as part of the "Beautiful Game" and in the spiritual life are but a taste of what's cooking this week. Haley calls us to focus on Humility during this second week of Lent. Cleaning out her basement led her to discover some past medical records that were both humbling and well...sacramental. Anne shares her gratitude for...

During this first full week of Lent, Haley asks an important question as it relates to the Gospel and our Lenten practice. How do you speak about your Lenten sacrifice or commitments? This week brings International Women's Day, which allows Anne to celebrate 50 years of Title IX. Haley adds that this is a time for Spring Break and Retreats - two things that couldn’t be more different, but both...

Let us feast before the famine. Time to celebrate Mardi Gras and whether or not we eat pancakes and/or King Cake, Lent is upon us. Ash Wednesday marks the first day of this holy season—a time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving. And no better time for prayer than today. We remember the people of the Ukraine. Anne and Haley take a moment to call out this historic time and the suffering Body of Chris...

Time to celebrate the Year of the Tiger! Anne reflects upon celebrating her birthday and the fact she was born during the Year of the Tiger. Haley celebrates the completion of admissions season and as a panelist on 50 years of co-education, the significance of this milestone at Notre Dame. This weeks' Gospel message is so simple and yet so challenging: Do to others as you would have them do to...

Anne and Haley are ready for Super Bowl Sunday, even if it still feels and looks a little different. Anne celebrates a milestone of 1000 blog posts and is excited to share that milestones (and moments) will serve as a theme for a retreat on campus at Notre Dame—as the University prepares to honor 50 years of coeducation. Haley brings good questions to the table about women and leadership in the Ch...

A little self care and investing in oneself, isn't a bad way to emerge from a January funk. Nor is the busy season of admissions offices—work that so many people are affected by. Anne asks a question for sports fans about colors and team mascots in light of the Washington Commanders and Haley takes a deep dive into the life of Saint Scholastica. This episode provides plenty to chew on and pray...

We are back. Happy 2022. The joy and challenge of January and a new year. One tip to make it through the rest of winter: consider a little self care and/or butter cake!

Merry Christmas to all! We celebrate the Christmas season and all the joy and surprises of the holiday. Haley's family got a big one, in the form of COVID. Forced family fun took on social distance and quarantine. Meanwhile, Anne celebrates traditions of this time of year such as visits with long time friends and going to the movies! Anne and Haley discuss and debate their favorite Christmas c...

We celebrate the fourth and final week of Advent. The theme of this Sunday invites us to consider: What are the gifts that we can give? Hope to received? Appreciate and treasure? What a holy time. Anne and Haley discuss Forced Family Fun, the (unexpected) joy of celebration and being together and the example of Mary in the middle of it all.

We are now in the third week of Advent, which begins with Gaudete Sunday. The pink (or rose) colored candle, like the readings, remind us to Rejoice! We are called to be people of JOY and pray for it, as we await the birth of Our Lord. Anne and Haley reflect on the joy and the process of Christmas cards. Yay or nay?! Haley finds herself reflecting upon the college admissions process, for the secon...

As we light the second candle on the Advent wreath, we are called to reflect upon love. Scripture reveals that "God is love and we who abide in love, abide in God, and God in us." —1 John 4:8. What does this look like in our everyday lives? How does this play out in the busyness of the holiday season? Fortunately, Anne has one story (and without this podcast is not sure it would have happe...

Welcome to the holy season of Advent. As we light the first candle, known as the Prophecy Candle, we are called to live with HOPE and to give it to one another. Anne and Haley discuss what the Gospel reading harkens—so many live in fear and with fear. Thanks to Christ, Our Redeemer, we can and ought to live differently. Haley shares her family tradition of decorating for Christmas after the turkey...

In this episode we are reminded that the act of gratitude brings us back to the Lord. God is the creator and provider of all that is good. When we take a moment participate in acts of Thanksgiving, we return to Christ...in the same way one of the ten lepers did. Anne and Haley are grateful for the holiday, the break from work and time with family and friends.