St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

“Now is the day of salvation, now is an acceptable time… For what ?” As we begin the holy season of Lent, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the readings for Ash Wednesday which remind us once again that now is the time for conversion — Lent is a time for conversion. Our Lord gives us an entire season of the liturgical year to turn back to Him, to be reconciled to God, to purify ourselves, and to...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a historical reflection on the 80th anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s founding of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross on February 14, 1943.  Fifteen years after founding Opus Dei (October 2, 1928), St. Josemaria finally saw “a way, a canonical solution to have priests in Opus Dei.” St. Josemaria had realized early on that Opus Dei needed priests “w...

In this special podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the feast of Mary, Mother of Fairest Love (February 14th), and the significance of this Marian title in the life of the Church and the history of Opus Dei. Rooted in the Old Testament, Fr. Javier explains how “fair” in this title of Our Lady refers to “beauty” and “fairest love” means “the most beautiful love.” He also explains how St. J...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the meaning of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ and why “to be a follower of Christ, we have to love the Church.” In the Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul writes about the Church being “without stain or wrinkle.” Fr. Peter points out that, in today’s media, we often read about and see things that make this seem impossible. Yet the Church is l...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how Jesus’ example and teachings on humility are key to knowing ourselves and to knowing God. Reflecting on Scripture, specifically the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, Fr. Peter highlights how we can only know God, and give ourselves to Him, when we own ourselves and are not held back by our pride, resentments, self-absorption, or sinfulness...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio guides us to reflect upon the importance of loving God, being united to Him, and being a light in the world that extends and radiates His love to others. But how does God expect us to do this in our lives?  Drawing upon the Gospel story of the Rich Young Man, Fr. Peter points out the “three steps” that Jesus shares with the young man to be happy and attain eterna...

In this podcast, Msgr. Dolan reflects on how “our spiritual life is a school of happiness where we learn how to be happy, no matter what.” The Christian way of life involves great difficulty and sacrifice, yet as the Apostles understood, “nothing could compare with the joy of a life with Jesus.” Jesus teaches us what it means to be really and truly happy. Msgr. Dolan also explains that our life of...

In this podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina helps us realize that no matter how much we prepare, spiritually or materially, Christmas comes, and we never feel ready. There is always a contrast “between the purity and the beauty” of Christ’s coming and the “inadequacy” of our hearts to receive Him. Therefore, Fr. Leo invites us to adopt the humility and openness of the “broken figures” (or characters) who we...

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to reflect more deeply on the Nativity of Our Lord. “In the Incarnation,” he says, “God has come not only to unleash our power of loving and adoring God but also to give us a model on how to become more fully human." Recalling a famous short story from 1906, titled, “The Gift of the Magi,” Msgr. Dolan gives us the “antidote” to that attitude of com...

In this podcast for the Fourth Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio helps us continue our preparation to "be ready" for Christmas—the celebration of our transcendent God breaking into our own world in the fullness of time—by contemplating Jesus Christ as the true source of peace and joy. St. Paul preached not that Jesus is peaceful but that He is peace; Isaiah calls Him the Prince of Peace;...

In this podcast for the Third Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the readings for the Mass of the third Sunday of Advent also known as “Gaudete Sunday” or “Rejoice Sunday”. The very first description of Jesus in the Gospel is that he is "good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10). Great joy always surrounds Him and there is always a joyous reaction in the presence of Our Lord. Theref...

In this podcast for the Second Week of Advent, Fr. Peter Armenio directs our attention to the metaphors of conversion found in the gospel description of St. John the Baptist: "A voice of one crying in the desert, 'prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.'" We, too, want to be imitators of John the Baptist, "albeit in a flawed and imperfect way," as Fr. Pe...

In this podcast, Fr. Fred Dolan reminds us how this time of meditation and prayer is so important to preparing ourselves for the feast of Christmas, especially because Our Lord wants us to make the resolution "to have our eyes wide open in order to discover all the growth that must be taking place on the inside" during this season of Advent. Fr. Dolan explains how our interior growth gre...

In this podcast for the First Week of Advent, Fr. Fred Dolan helps us to reflect on this time that we are given to prepare for that central moment in history when God took on our flesh and began to walk among us. Advent is a time to ready ourselves for our eventual meeting with the very person whom we are awaiting and trying to imitate, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent, therefore, is a time for conve...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the fact that "we're not called to make it [to Heaven] by the skin of our teeth." We are called to make use of all of our time on earth to become saints. But, as St. Josemaria Escriva said, "Time is short, too short to love!" Therefore, Our Lord wants us always to have an overarching goal, which is holiness. This doesn't...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio explains an important aspect regarding the Communion of Saints: "the holier you are, the more you help the Church, the more you help the world; it's that simple, that challenging as well." If we want to help the Church, we need to become holier, so that by our deeds of love and charity we will draw many souls to Christ. St. Josemaria Escriva said,...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares the importance and conditions for transmitting our gift of faith, “especially to our loved ones and especially to our children.” Recognizing that faith is a gift that all Christians receive at baptism, the main thing that our children (and everyone around us) must see is whether we are willing to live and die for our faith. Fr. Javier explains that t...

In this podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai reminds us that praying the Way of the Cross can often be a moment of conversion for a soul that feels impelled by the realization that Jesus suffered out of love for us. It makes us want to undertake greater things in our life, and to open our heart to the call of God. He explains that, “for us to do something truly great, it must somehow be a response to God’s g...

In this podcast, Fr. Donncha helps us consider that the Christian vocation to holiness rests upon our ability to let God work in and through us. So often may believe that becoming saints is a matter of our own personal striving. Yet "holiness, to a great degree," he says, is "letting God work." He continues: "It's not a matter of gritting my teeth and straining my mus...

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan examines three critical players in our spiritual life: the intellect, will, and heart. He offers a view of our life as a “journey back home,” relating the perilous journey in Homer’s Odyssey as a way of understanding the dangers confronting the Christian life in the modern world. “What a shame it would be,” he says, “to allow our day, our life, to be shipwrecked b...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter commemorates the canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva as well as the background of the founding of Opus Dei. He talks about the light St. Josemaria received on that fateful 2nd of October, after a decade of constant prayer, and how that light came to illuminate the rest of his life. We are also privileged to hear about Fr. Peter's own experience at the canonization...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio speaks of the New Evangelization, a term coined by St. John Paul II, as the “original evangelization.” The early Christians did not go into far off lands to convert others to Christ, they started where they were: in their families, their workplace, their circle of friends. By sharing the Gospel with others, one by one, they eventually changed the culture and the...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares an insightful reflection on the Holy Archangels – St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael – in honor of their feast day on September 29. Fr. Javier explains how "the work of the Archangels is really one of service to God, adoring God, being messengers of God, and helping mankind reach its ultimate end of going back to God." As he reflects...

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan underscores the perennial importance of persevering in our ascetical or interior struggle for "going higher and higher, doing whatever it takes to aim high, and to reach Heaven." We know that the Christian life is not compatible with self-satisfied mediocrity, love of comfort, and lukewarmness. We need great moral strength to reach Heaven and that means...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo explores the meaning that our human suffering can assume when we offer it out of love to God. He explains that “the Lord has not come to get rid of suffering– we continue to suffer all the time –but he has come to give it meaning with his Cross; he has come to give it the meaning of love.” As we unite ourselves to the Cross of Christ, our hearts expand to a...