Practicing Catholic Show

Caring for our retired Archdiocesan priests is a ministry that we don’t often get to see, let alone participate in. For the men who’ve dedicated their lives to serving us in our parish communities, the Byrne Residence - a retirement home for clergy in St. Paul - is a place to rest and live in community with other retired priests. But what does it take to keep this space at its best? How might we s...

Hey, what do you know about Our Lady of Fatima? The anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima was May 13, and is known as the day where Our Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal all the way back in 1917. We sure can learn a lot from these children and the words Our Lady spoke to them. Joining us this past weekend to share more about this unique apparition...

Mother’s Day wasn't the only eventful happening this past weekend! Sunday, May 8 was also World Day of Prayer for Vocations, an opportunity to pray for and create a culture of vocations. So, what does that look like in 2022? Fr. David Blume, Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Vocations joined us to help answer those questions and more. https://www.10000vocations.org/

If you thought being a mom on Mother’s Day was great, many grandmothers would probably tell you it’s even sweeter for them. Joining us to talk about that and grandparent ministry in general, are Joanne and Alan Foley – founders of Early Catholic Family Life for Grandparents, as well as grandparents themselves who have a heart for cultivating relationships between grandparents, grandchildren, and t...

This Mother’s Day weekend, we were joined by our new auxiliary bishop, Bishop Joseph Williams! What a treat to speak with His Excellency on this weekend dedicated to mothers; especially as Bishop Williams has made it well-known of his devotion to Our Lady, our universal Mother. Bishop Williams was appointed and ordained auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese just this past January and served as pasto...

Hopefully you and your loved ones have never experienced physical or spiritual neglect, trauma, or abuse in any form. But there are many survivors who have come forward (and many who haven’t yet for reasons they’ve discerned), and it is always our job to believe them and walk with them in their journeys toward healing. This weekend we’re joined by Deacon Martin Meyer and Marty Montgomery...

It’s spring! Are you thinking about planting a garden? Care of God’s creation is something he entrusted to us humans from the very beginning—even if you have a “brown thumb!” Jim Ennis, from Catholic Rural Life, is with us to share some ideas about creation care. https://catholicrurallife.org/ https://thecatholicspirit.com/commentary/the-local-church/caring-creation-act-mercy/

First up, a very special treat! If you’re a regular listener to Relevant Radio, “Father Rocky” is a very familiar name and voice. A priest of Opus Dei, he serves as Executive Director & CEO of Relevant Radio, and we are pleased and privileged to have him on with us to share his unique perspective on bringing Christ to the world through the media! www.relevantradio.com  Listen to their ful...

For those of you keeping score at home, we'll learn about life in an all-Brothers order. Next, we move-on to consecrated religious life. What’s the difference and why does it matter? What’s it like to serve as Brother among Fathers? Joining us this weekend are Brother Ken Homan, a Jesuit doctoral student at Georgetown University, and Brother Joe Trout, a Dominican Friar from Oak Park, Illinois.

One of the many beautiful perks of living in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is that our local cities are teeming with religious life! If you visit 10000vocations.org, you can find an extensive listing of the many men's and women's religious orders serving here.  So, what is religious life actually like? What is it like to devote one’s life to Christ in this way? Well lucky for us...

Our friends Allison Spies of the Archdiocesan Archives and Maria Wiering of The Catholic Spirit cover a complicated and tragic chapter of our American history, that is the legacy of Indian boarding schools. Both Maria and Allison have been knee-deep in helping to uncover the truths about Minnesotan boarding schools , as a comprehensive review titled the “Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative”...

Come Easter Sunday, we shout, "Christ is risen!" We're looking forward to continuing our celebration of the Easter season for the next 50 or so days, right up to Pentecost. When we hear “Pentecost,” maybe we think of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, or in the form of fire. But what exactly happens at Pentecost, and how might we prepare our hearts for this important day in the Church? Fr. Mic...

Did you know there is an Archdiocesan ministry that focuses on empowering Catholic women in their pursuits of education, spiritual growth, and service to the Church? It just may be the best-kept secret for women in the Archdiocese! We're talking about the ACCW, or Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, which ministers to women of all ages—young and old—from one end of the Archdiocese to the other...

Our beloved Archbishop Hebda is back to chat all-things Easter! We'll delve into His Excellency's favorite Easter traditions, while learning how to fully participate in this most holy season. His Excellency also addresses the recent Native American boarding schools reports, and how our local Church is involved.

“Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jesus’ journey into Jerusalem began in celebration, but the tenor of the week ahead of him would change severely. How might we, as Practicing Catholics, walk more closely with him throughout Holy Week this year? Fr. Tom Margevicius, Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Worship, is back with us with a different way of look...

Raise your hand if you’re looking forward to breaking your Lenten fast after the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. That’s pretty natural, right? But before we do that, we need to double-down on our prayer and sacrifices for a special group of our sisters and brothers. They’re RCIA candidates and catechumens – those who will be welcomed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil through the Sacramen...

If someone were to ask you, “What’s the role of the Holy Spirit in your life?”, what would you say? The Holy Spirit’s work in you and me didn’t end with receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation! He is always drawing us into a deeper relationship with himself, the Father, and the Son. Here to reflect more on the power and action of the Holy Spirit within us is Alicia Hartle, Executive Director of Pe...

When talking about hospice care, we may all know a loved one who has experienced end-of-life care in this way, or maybe we’ve just heard the term before. Either way, thinking about death can be painful and unsettling, and honestly a bit confusing when we’re in the position to make those tough decisions for a family member. Here to explain a bit about hospice care and the dignity of life is Judith...

As we continue to watch the devastating events in Ukraine unfold, the call to stand in solidarity with those suffering the ravages of war comes to all the faithful. As we joined with the whole Church in consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as we offer prayers and Masses for an end to the violence, as we give of our financial resources to help those in need, we strengthen our tie...

Although Catholics are always meant to be practicing the corporal works of mercy, during Lent, we pay special attention to our almsgiving. If you’re like us, often times you may feel like you should be doing more for the poor and vulnerable, but you’re not sure exactly how. Thankfully, joining us this weekend is Mike Rios-Keating, the Social Justice Education Manager at Catholic Charities with loo...

Do you struggle to speak the truth in love to a fellow sister in Christ? Does it seem easier to just ignore a brother’s sin than to confront him on it? Fr. Jonathan Kelly, rector of the Saint John Vianney College Seminary, is with us to give us some thoughts and pointers on fraternal correction.

Mental health. It’s a big – and important issue – and one that has received more attention over the past few years. When it comes to mental health, or mental health afflictions, we know that it’s important to have a healthy balance between prayer and the pursuit of professional diagnoses and treatment. But how might mental health professionals further develop the skills needed to compassionat...

On the heels of Catholic Sisters Week, hopefully we’re left with a greater appreciation for the women around our Archdiocese (and frankly world) who care for our local Church by offering their love to those in need. Joining us this weekend to unveil the history of the many religious sisters around our Archdiocese are Sr. Carolyn Puccio, CSJ, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and our good frien...

The days of just popping in to visit with someone seems like a dream of the past. Even casual conversations with good friends are often scheduled these days. All of this is hard enough for your typical practicing Catholic, but what’s it like for an Archbishop? His Excellency, Archbishop Hebda is with us to talk about some of his efforts to stay connected with the priests of our Archdiocese.

We’ve been exploring some themes of Catholic social teaching here on Practicing Catholic, as they’re principles we should certainly strive for in our care for others. This weekend we’re chatting about the teaching on “rights and responsibilities” - that is, the right to basic human needs and the responsibilities to care for those who are lacking these things. In a culture of abundance, how do we c...