Heart to Heart: Faith Seasons Podcast

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 16:16-20 is by Deacon Ron Yurcus. Deacon Ron, ordained a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Joliet, follows in the footsteps of St. Stephen and Francis of Assisi. In addition to ministering at St. Petronille Church, Ron was employed as hospice chaplain, volunteer state police chaplain and occasionally served as a parish mission and retreat director. ...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 16:12-15 is by Sr. Mary Ann Barnhorn, SND. Sr. Mary Ann most recently served as Director of Development for the Ohio Province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Prior to that, she was provincial leader and coordinated her Congregation's International Policy making meeting. She was Program Director at the National Pastoral Life Center in New Yo...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 16:22-34 is by Sister Marcelline Koch, OP. Sister Marcelline, a Dominican Sister of Springfield, IL, directs her congregation’s Office of Justice. Her ministry includes education and advocacy around antiracism, immigration, socially responsible investing, and many other justice issues. She believes in networking with others and grounding the work in pr...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 16:11-15 is by ValLimar Jansen. ValLimar was a university professor, who by popular demand became a national speaker, a composer, and recording artist. For over 25 years, she has served as a keynote speaker, workshop presenter, catechist, and evangelizer. ValLimar developed a signature blend of dramatic art, music, Scripture proclamation, prayer and in...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 14:15-21 is by Most Reverend Jeffrey S. Grob. Bishop Grob was reared on a dairy farm just outside Cross Plains, WI and ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1992 and an auxiliary bishop in 2020. Over the years, he has been blessed by God to serve in various positions from associate pastor and pastor to Chancellor and Judicial Vic...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 15:18-21 is by Eric T. Styles. Since 2016, Eric has served as the Rector of Carroll Hall at the University of Notre Dame. He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Loyola University Chicago, and has worked at Saint Benedict the African Catholic Church, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, as well as the Theatre School of DePaul Unive...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 15:12-17 is by Rev. Howard Storm. Rev. Howard was ordained in 1992. He served at Zion United Church of Christ and United Church of Christ of Covington, both in Ohio, and was the pastor at Saint Mark United Church of Christ in Kentucky. He’s made over 30 mission trips to a village in Belize — building a church, schools, and homes, and sending hundreds o...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 15:9-11 & Acts 15:7-21 is by Laurie Roche. A retired journalist and public relations executive, Laurie now devotes herself to environmental conservation and education, community gardening, and habitat restoration. She chairs the Healthy Earth Team at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Cincinnati and is active in its community gardening initiatives in...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 15:1-8 is by Geralyn Hoxsey Sparough. Geralyn is the Director and curator of classes at The Hive: Center for Contemplation, Art, and Action in Cincinnati. She is also a fabric artist and creator of the Social Fabric DNA Experience. Geralyn and her husband, proud parents and grandparents, offer marriage enrichment retreats across the country. from John...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 14:19-28 is by Deacon Mark Duffey. Deacon Mark is a husband, father, and grandfather who has served in ministry for 40 years in three cities, 24 years as a Deacon in suburban Chicago. He serves in various of parish ministries, his retreat ministry Deacon Speakin’, Catholic Relief Services, and currently as Business Manager for Heart to Heart. from Acts...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 14:21-26 is by Erin Maiorca. Erin and her husband Tom have two sons and live in Glenview, Illinois. She served at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House since 2012, and as the Executive Director since 2019. She’s on the Board of Directors for the Ignatian Spirituality Project, holds a BA from University of Illinois, as well as a Culinary Arts Degree and enjoy...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 6:1-7 is by Peggy Arizzi. Peggy has served her entire career with Catholic Charities agencies in four different American dioceses. She is currently Vice President of Programs & Services with Catholic Charities USA. She is also a Spiritual Director trained in the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. She grew up in Wauconda, Illinois.  from Acts 6:1-7 As th...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 14:7-14 is by Fr. Roc O'Connor, SJ. Roc became a member of the Jesuit staff at the Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, IL in October 2022, gratefully so, and still continues his ministry to the church as a composer of liturgical music and an author of books on spirituality.  from John 14:7-14 Jesus said to his disciples: "If you kn...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 14:1-6 is by Bill Damato. Bill was a religious Brother from 1961 to 1996. He served as Director of Formation & Recruitment, Educator, Secondary President, and Director of Institutional Advancement. Bill has provided mental health services in underserved regions in Appalachia; he was the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources in Long Island &a...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 13:16-20 is by Tom Sparough. Tom is an inspirational and humorous speaker who mixes the arts of juggling and storytelling. Tom authored this year's Heart to Heart series More Seeds of Hope, Stories for Lent . And he is the author of The Spiritual Exercises of the Coffee Filter , among other books. Tom is a spiritual director. Learn more at  https:...

Today's Season of Joy Reflection on 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 is by Fr. Bob Sherry. Father Bob, a Rockford Diocese Priest, serving for 57 years, asks God to tell him whose feet he should wash these days. In retirement he leads pilgrimages for Dynamic Catholic, raises funds for the poor with Cross Catholic Outreach and helps in parishes and Cursillo retreats. from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 I am remindin...

Today’s Season of Joy reflection on John 10:22-30 is by Fr. Radmar Jao, SJ. Fr. Radmar is the Vocation Director for the Jesuits West Province, based in Los Angeles, CA. Before joining the Jesuits in 2001, Radmar was a professional film, TV, and stage actor. He's also a spiritual director, retreat leader, and travels to give presentations on Ignatian Spirituality and discernment. from John 10:...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 11:1-18 is by Mark Huddy. Mark serves the Catholic Diocese of Columbus as Director of Catholic Charities and Social Concerns and is a member of the senior executive team. Mark and his wife Beth have four children and four grandchildren. They are members of St. Matthew the Apostle parish in Gahanna, Ohio. from Acts 11:1-18 As I began to speak, the Holy...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 10:1-10 is by Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ. Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ is National Director of the Apostleship of Prayer [the Pope's Prayer Network], a 175-year-old ministry uniting hearts to the Heart of Jesus. He is a National Eucharistic Preacher for the Eucharistic Revival. He is the author of two books on the Sacred Heart and Ignatian spirituality.  from Joh...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 9:31-42 is by Heather M. Swiger. Heather is a Non-Profit Director with extensive public and private sector experience including more than 30 years in leadership roles in the homeless system and insurance industry. Heather has thirteen years of experience working within the community that she serves. She is also a wife and mother of four. from Acts 9:31...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 9:1-20 is by Terry O'Connell. Terry has been happily married to his wife Cindy for 44 years. They have 3 children and 3 grand children. He’s a retired senior executive who worked for Time Warner Cable for 30 years. His hobbies include golf (which he enjoys most often), fishing (which he seldom does) and reading. He and his wife are blessed with no...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 8:26-40 is by Fr. Michael Rossman, SJ. Fr. Michael is a Jesuit priest currently working on a doctorate at the Gregorian University in Rome. He is a native of Iowa and a graduate of Notre Dame, Loyola Chicago, and Boston College. He shares a video each week at amdg.substack.com. from Acts 8:26-40 Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, “I beg you, abou...

Today’s Season of Joy reflection on John 6:35-40 is by Neal Tew. Neal Tew is a husband and father living in Cincinnati, OH. He has a BA in English from Harvard College and a Masters in Philosophy from Catholic University. He spent three years living in a monastery and wrote a book about the experience. Today he runs Brandstrength, a communications firm. from John 6:35-40 Jesus said to the crowds,...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on 1 Peter 5:5b-14 is by Fr. Jim Strzok, SJ.  Fr. James is an 82-year-old Jesuit, born in north central Wisconsin when the world was, in the words of poet E. E. Cummings, “Muddy luscious and puddle wonderful.” By training he is a chemist and physicist with higher degrees in earth sciences and ascetical theology. Most of his life he has been a teacher and missi...

Today's Season of Joy reflection on John 6:22-29 is by Terri Davis-Hayden. Terri Davis-Hayden is a vocalist, teacher, writer, and producer, with a career spanning over thirty years. As owner of Cincinnati-based Respected Artists International (RAI), Terri creates and performs live, musical events, coaches career-bound singers, and produces meditation podcasts for Advent and Lent for her RAI Y...