Saint In Progress

With summer so close, it’s a good time to plan how to continue to grow in your spiritual life. In this episode, Mike talks about the Church’s special devotions in the months of June, July, and August. He also takes on the dangers of the “my parish is my club” mentality, and wraps up with a discussion on religious orders: what they are, how they’re different from diocesan priests, and a thing calle...

In this episode, Mike starts off talking about an episode of The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd that not just gets its facts horrendously wrong, but does so in a way that makes the Catholic Church look bad (in a subtle, passive-agressive sort of way.) Then after talking about a statement that then-Fr. Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) made back in 2012 about how we can’t allow the liturgy to become...

This week, Mike talks about being stalked by advertisers… and by saints. Listen as he tells how it seems like the current saint that’s stalking him is St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Also, as recording was wrapping up Mike’s phone and computer started going crazy with the news that “Habemum Papem”… we have a pope! Our work here on Substack is made available at no charge, but that doesn’t mean that it’s fr...

This week Mike starts off by talking about how coaching softball he’s able to weave in elements of the faith. Then he digs into an article he read about why and how you should write in your books (the horror!), his revelatory experience when he accidentally found the Catechism of the Catholic Church while attending a Protestant Bible study, and the importance of why the infallible text of the Bibl...

Links: * For prayers for the dead, see the section “Prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory​” at catholictreehouse.com/prayers * The Saint Challenge * Isaiah 22:15-25 : Shebna, Eli′akim, and the keys * Matthew 16:13-19 : Jesus, Peter, and the keys * Numbers 13:1-16 : Spies sent to Canaan, Hoshea’s name changed to Joshua * Epistle of Pope Clement I to the Church at Corinth * What is Divine Mercy Su...

from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

The Seven Sorrows of Mary, from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

The Seven Sorrows of Mary, The First Sorrow: Simeon’s Prophecy in the Temple—from “Mary, Help of Christians,” by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer O.F.M. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

Lent is less than a week away, and Mike goes over some suggestions: * Almsgiving: where to give, and where to avoid * Prayer: lifetime devotions often start during Lent * Fasting: St. Basil the Great returns to give us encouragement for the benefits of a good fast Resources The Lepanto Institute charity reports Find out why Fr. John Riccardo says, “Please read this and give it to every married man...

With Lent only 2 weeks away, Mike brings in a tour guide from the 4th Century—St. Basil the Great, bishop and Doctor of the Church—to help us in our preparation for this penitential season. Resources De Spiritu Sancto by St. Basil the Great (the excerpt in the show comes from Chapter 15, paragraph Find out why Fr. John Riccardo says, “Please read this and give it to every married man you know!” Ge...

This week Mike goes back to something written by a Catholic priest in the 1800’s to help us understand why our faith life can sometimes seem like Phil Conners in Groundhog Day. The bad news: piety is monotonous. The good news: there’s something to do about it. This Week’s Resources & Recommended Reading * The Spiritual Conferences of Frederick William Faber * The Mass in Sacred Scripture by Deacon...

In this wide-ranging episode, Mike discusses: * The responsibility we have to spouses and children * Spiritual warfare * The direction of society towards occultism * Blessed Karl of Austria, Blessed Elisabetta Canori Mora, and Blessed Bishop von Galen * The cult and the code of the household Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

This episode, Mike talks about a men’s faith group before getting into the practical aspects of how to use the virtue of Prudence in everyday life. Go beyond the cold and clinical definitions (with apologies to the beloved Dominicans) and come learn about an easy-to-remember method from St. Augustine that is powerful in its simplicity. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.sub...

NOTE: This post has the corrected audio. The last post (with the same title) linked to last week’s podcast. Sorry for the mix-up! Grab your road snacks and a beverage! After talking a bit about the polar vortex and the football national championships, Mike begins to diverge from the format a bit and get more conversational, which will be the direction for future episodes. He reminisces a bit about...

Back after a break for the Christmas Octave and New Year’s, St. Augustine’s City of God is the starting point for the next leg of our journey. Mike quotes a lot from St. Augustine and once again talks about the importance of virtues, especially humility. Then he invites two other tour guides—Bl. Abbot Columba Marmion OSB and St. Catherine of Siena—to help light the way home. Get full access to Cat...

In this last episode before Christmas break, Mike talks about the evolution of maps, and what the most accurate map is for our spiritual journey. He also talks about the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt, and gets into the importance of tour guides (and their spiritual equivalent), the crazy way Pittsburghers give directions, and the Pez museum. Need a last-minute Christmas gift? Give them a Catholi...

Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No, it’s the cardinal virtues! This week Mike channels his inner Dominican nature and talks about the cardinal virtues. (They’re also called the moral virtues, but Mike likes “cardinal virtues” better.) What are they? Why are they important? What role do they play in our journey home? And how can we begin to discern how to “grow in virtue”? Listen in to find out! Get f...

This week Mike takes a look at some obvious—and some not-so-obvious—violations of the 1st Commandment. You might be surprised what is weighing you down on your spiritual journey! Also a quick talk about the proper use of sacramentals, and the importance of a good examination of conscience. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse.substack.com/subscribe

For 500 years, baptism has been a topic of controversy. There are many questions about it, many misunderstandings, and many people who just baptize their children to keep grandma happy. How important is it, really? And where does it come from? Mike went digging into a stack of resources, and gets very excited about the Jewish roots of baptism as he shares what he found. He also covers: * covenant...

Want to get really serious about being a saint? You need to get to the Roots. This week, a lesson from nature helps us understand an important lesson in growing in holiness. Mike talks about how the devil tempts people to sin, what Root Sin is, and common violets in his mulch. He also stresses the importance of having a spiritual director. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse...

Original Sin is our birth defect, but what are our handicaps resulting from it? How do we deal with them? And which one is the most important one to overcome? In this episode, Mike talks about all the ways Original Sin handicaps us, zeros in on which one to address first, and shares a powerful prayer that many people have found effective. Get full access to Catholic Treehouse at catholictreehouse....