Just One Small Thing Podcast for Catholic Parents

All of Christ's faithful are called to the virtue of chastity. Chastity allows us to love in an appropriate way everyone that we encounter. Chastity is how we honor God's plan for our own sexuality and the sexuality of others.   Chastity is not just abstinence. In order to be chaste we must make sure that everything we do is pure, from the way we dress to our thoughts and our speech.   All people...

Today we are taking on what is likely the most controversial and emotional topic of our time: Transgenderism. Much has been said about transgenderism and it needs to be noted that they Church has yet to issue an official teaching on this topic. However, using what the Church has already said, let's explore a Catholic response to this issue, both on the societal level and when it comes up in our pe...

Today's episode of the Just One Small Thing Podcast explores pornography. Pornography is a big deal (despite what society might claim) and it violates the dignity of three different groups of human beings: The actors/models used as objects for the lustful desires of others. The consumer who is settling for a counterfeit of love, when they were made for so much more. The spouse (or future spouse) o...

In this episode of the Just One Small Thing Podcast we are exploring slavery and human trafficking and why treating a person as an object and denying the freedom to direct their own life is a sin against the dignity of that human person.   A few important points made in this episode: Slavery still exists in the world today. It is more often called human trafficking. Today millions of people are tr...

Let's continue our exploration of Catholic Social Teaching as we await the launch of our new book, CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING FOR YOUTH, which will be available sometime in May. Stay tuned!   Today's episode explores the BIG topic of Medical Ethics. Basically, how do catholics decide if a specific medical procedure or treatment is ethical? To this end, the Church has outlined for criteria which we c...

Suicide is, unfortunately, something that has touched each of our lives. Whether it was a family member, friend, classmate or just someone in our community, we have all felt the deep sadness when someone chooses to take their own lives.   Speaking about suicide in the context of Catholic Social Teaching is a bit different than other topics. Where we need to argue that Abortion or the Death Penalty...

Although most of us will not have to deal directly with the issues of Euthanaisa or Doctor Assisted Suicide, other issues that are closely related, like the topics of death, chornic illness and suffering are things we will have to deal with. And, even more importantly, we will have to teach our children about these topics in a way that is life-giving and true to the Catholic Faith.   In this episo...

In this episode we continue on in our series on Catholic Social Teaching. Today we discuss the 2nd (of 31 topics), the Death Penalty   The Death Penalty is interesting because Catholic Social Teaching on this topic has changed! As the world advances and in most places societies have the ability to keep a violent, dangerous person away from the population, the Church no longer sees the use of the d...

Today we are starting on a 31 episode long series that explores ALL of Catholic Social Teaching. We are kicking things off with Abortion. It is my hope that the stories I share here will help you recall and share your own stories as you discuss this important topic with your children.   I have no memory of my parents first telling me about abortion. It is just something we always spoke about. I al...

Ready to hear about the BIG project we have been working on the past 2 years?!?!?!? Catholic Social Teaching for Youth is a massive book (with an IMPRIMATUR from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis) that covers ALL of the sticky moral and social issues we are navigating today. From transgender to abortion to death penalty to workers rights, animal rights, health care, immigration, war, con...

This is the fifth episode in a row where I have been talking about the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All of the episodes leading up to this one have been important, but this one tops them all. Today we will be discussing the incredible way that Jesus loves us.   Afterall, at the most basic level, a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is an exploration in the love of Jesus Christ. We fall deeper and dee...

There is still work to do once we leave the confessional. This is a hard truth that I have been learning as I dig deeper into a devotion to Jesus and His Heart. There are actually a lot of things we need to clear away before we can be open to receiving the love of Jesus Christ. In this episode we investigate 5 obstacles that will keep us from being fully united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Thes...

Let's dive deep into the five key parts of a devotion to Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart. As outlined in this episode, these parts are: Rejection of Sin Faith in Jesus Desire to Love Jesus Development of the Interior Life Total (even Reckless) Trust in God In this episode I look at each of these parts and investigate my own need to be more fully converted. Do I protect myself from even the possibi...

Explore with me a few key areas of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And, please remember, that most of this has grown out of my own prayer and relationship with Jesus. I hope that you find it helpful, but please don't be limited by what I share. I'm sure there are many depths which I have not reached.   The Eucharist is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This has been proven through several Eucharis...

My relationship with the Sacred Heart of Jesus has developed a lot in recent years. For much of my life I didn't think much of the Sacred Heart. I associated it mostly with what felt like an out-dated devotion and strange Italian-looking versions of Jesus in art.    This started to change after I read a biography of Blessed Charles of Austria ( https://a.co/d/cWu4ny1 ). From there I dove head firs...

Happy New Year, Friends!  Today we're tackling a fascinating topic, and one that could possibly help you achieve some New Year's Goals: Praying for Your Temperament.  This episode started as a conversation pre-recording a few months ago... sharing how novenas appeal to some people but for others they are impossible to stick with.  "I wonder if that's a temperament thing..." lead us to Google which...

Hey Friends! Happy Fourth Week of Advent!  Today we are wrapping up our book study on Interior Freedom, and sticking with the theme of 'we can only control what is within ourselves,' Nancy is without a voice this week so it's just me, Katie.  This episode focuses on the last third of the book (that first section was so huge!!).  And for me, the two words that kept popping out were HOPE and IDENTIT...

Following the theme of 'we can't control things outside ourselves,' we're needing to take a week off from the Advent Book Study of Interior Freedom and instead, we're sharing something else... The 12 Days of Christmas!  Hoping that sharing this week gives you time to prepare a few 'liturgical living' activities but also gets you excited for the days following December 25th.    As Catholics, the Ch...

Welcome back from our Thanksgiving break and welcome into Advent!  We hope you had a beautiful "Turkey Day" and that the first week of Advent has been somewhat peaceful and prayerful.   During Advent, we will be doing a three part series on the tiny but powerful book, Interior Freedom , by Fr. Jacques Philippe.  If you don't have it yet, you can grab it here and join in on the fun. For this episod...

Hey Friends! Before we dive into this week's topic, two quick announcements! One: We will NOT be releasing a new episode next weekend. We're taking a week off for Thanksgiving.  BUT (two), we will be back the First Sunday of ADVENT with the first episode of our book study series!  The book we're reading is Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe.  You can snag it right here !  This week, we're di...

** Before we jump into this week's episode, we want to let you know that we'll be doing a book study this upcoming Advent!!!  The book is Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacques Philippe. Have you read anything by Fr. Philippe yet? He is AMAZING. Such a gentle, yet wise voice… our hope is this study will help us all stay centered this Advent on what (or WHO!) truly matters.  You can snag a copy here . Fir...

Welcome back!  Today, we start a two part series on relics... What are they? Are there different kinds? Why do Catholics hang on to pieces of dead people?   It might surprise you to find out that the practice of keeping relics is not something that started with the early martyrs, or even with Christ.  No! The first example of relics we found in scripture is in the second book of Kings (13:20-21). ...

Welcome back to another week of the Just One Small Thing Podcast!!   Continuing on our 'Fall Triduum' theme, we're discussing All Soul's Day today.  Although the last day of this great Triduum of our Faith, it seems to be the 'middle child' in some ways... It's not an eve.  It's not a Holy Day of Obligation. It's also kind of sad.  We all have people we have known and loved and they've passed on a...

Hi There! We're getting seasonal today and tackling Halloween... If you're like us, you probably remember the annual struggle to narrow down your costume ideas to a single CHOICE and then the excitement of running door to door to get candy (FOR FREE) from strangers.  Halloween was quite different as we went on college and post-graduation life.  Halloween seemed like nothing more than an invitation...

Hi Friends! Happy Feast Day of Fatima (if you're checking this out Sunday evening).  October 13th, 1917 is " The Day the Sun Danced ." It's a great day to pray the rosary! Speaking of roses .... It's October and we'd be remiss if we didn't share about one of our favorite saints, St. Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower.  Before St. Therese died, she declared "I will send down a shower of roses fr...