St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to remember how closely the Good Shepherd walks with us in our daily lives. He knows everything about us and is there at every moment, ever ready to guide, inspire, and support us as we aim to live out the particular vocation He has lovingly entrusted to us. God takes a risk with you. As St. John Henry Newman explains, “[God] has committed some work to...

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the standard of holiness which St. Josemaria characterizes by the following three points: holy intransigence, holy coercion, and holy shamelessness. He explains that we must form our heart and mind according to the gospel message so that we will have a firm foundation when confronted with opposition. We are encouraged to look to the example...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio sheds light on the mystery of redemption and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  In the life of every saint—and here he draws upon personal encounters with John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and Alvaro del Portillo—there is an intimate connection with Christ and His Eucharistic sacrifice.  “My professional work,” says Fr. Peter, “even if I make my bed out of love, could h...

As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the life of faith modeled by Our Lady and how we too can be filled with a trust and joy that is unable to be shaken by difficulties. Looking to her example, Msgr. Dolan explains that our life of faith can also prosper through contemplative prayer, docility to th...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the spirit of detachment and the freedom from material goods as we seek to live more fully in the presence of God. As St. Josemaria explains: "The ordinary Christian has to reconcile two aspects in his life that may at first seem contradictory. There is on the one hand, true poverty, which is obvious and tangible and made up of definite thi...

As we conclude our mini-series on St. Josemaria’s homily, Passionately Loving the World , Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the inestimable value of ordinary life and how it serves as a medium through which we encounter the presence of God. Drawing upon the hidden years of Christ’s life, Fr. Peter highlights the importance of being formed by the witness of our family and being nurtured by p...

Do you love your life and the world with passion? In this podcast, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha continues our mini-series on St. Josemaria’s homily Passionately Loving the World with a reflection on our call to profoundly love and serve the Lord in and through our ordinary circumstances, especially our work. Fr. Donncha shares that, although worldliness can receive a negative connotation, we are called to...

Continuing our mini-series, “Passionately Loving the World”:   In this podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai shares a reflection on the dangers of keeping our faith solely within the confines of our personal life rather than allowing it to permeate every aspect of our life–from the church, to the office, and among friends. Fr. Eric encourages us to cultivate authentic friendships through which we can carry ou...

In a homily given by St. Josemaria Escriva in the 1960’s, he called everyone gathered there to imitate Jesus’ love for humanity. But what does this call invite us to do today? As we begin a new four-part series on Passionately Loving the World , Fr. Peter Armenio enlightens us in this meditation by explaining that the call to passionately love the world invites us to leave our comfort zone, find n...

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by the simple question, can I truly become a saint?   In this week’s podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares practical tips to seek guidance in our spiritual life when access to a spiritual director may be limited or unavailable. Although it may sound impossible to us, the path to sainthood challenges us to persevere in our daily life as we seek to imitate the li...

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the heroic lives of these two great saints who accepted Christ’s invitation to repentance and fearlessly proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Their lives model for us a pathway of discipleship and illustrate the boundless love of God made known through the power of forgiveness. On this feast day, we...

As the Church concludes the year “Amoris Laetitia Family” on June 26, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection that challenges us to “launch out into the deep” and discover the Lord’s vision of the human family. Focusing on the relationship between parents and children, Msgr. Dolan suggests four essential values that should be instilled in each child raised in a Christian family: prayer, identity in C...

In this week’s podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina shares a reflection on the treasure of Christ, present in the Eucharist, and how we can become a living tabernacle in the world today. Fr. Leo draws our attention to the moments prior to the Ascension as Christ shares with his disciples the Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have comman...

In this podcast, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha shares a reflection on the Holy Trinity and how we are called to respond to God’s invitation of self-giving and love. He explains that “God, who is all perfect and self-sufficient, has no need of us. But, because he is love, he reaches out and draws us into his divine life, into the Trinity.” Our life, therefore, is transformed through the grace received in ba...

“Make friends with the Holy Spirit. Don’t speak to him; listen.” Drawing upon this simple direction given to St. Josemaria in regard to his devotion to the Holy Spirit, Msgr. Dolan prompts us in this week’s podcast to deepen our personal friendship with the Holy Spirit and encourages us to strengthen our conviction that the Holy Spirit is as active and as powerful as ever. We, therefore, must cult...

Are you attune to the work the Holy Spirit is doing in your life? Is it hard to tune in sometimes? In this podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai shares a reflection on the Risen Christ and his time with the disciples between the Ascension and Pentecost. During these days together, the disciples were learning everything they needed to know for their profound mission on Earth. Christ was entrusting them to “go...

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on embracing Mary as our spiritual Mother. He illustrates the idea that Mary is a great miracle worker through whom we can identify with our Lord and conquer the struggle to become holy by drawing inspiration from the Marian devotions of St. Josemaria Escriva, St. John Paul II, and Bl. Alvaro del Portillo. As St. Josemaria Escriva explains: “I...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo celebrates the Marian month of May and reflects on the importance of turning to Mary’s powerful intercession, especially through the Holy Rosary. He offers suggestions of how to honor Mary during this important month and reminds us to seek out the graces from Our Lord through the intercession of our Blessed Mother. Looking at the theology of intercessory pr...

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan brings our attention to the days between the Ascension and Pentecost where we join Mary, the holy women, and the Apostles in the Upper Room as they eagerly await the coming of the Holy Spirit.  As he explains, “Thinking of those in the Upper Room, there was nothing static about their daily life during those days between Easter and the Ascension. After all, they ha...

Is Christian life growing in and around you? Concluding our Easter Mini-Series: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a meditation on the relationship between contrition and our effectiveness as an evangelizer, in which both are dependent upon the other. Fr. Peter explains that contrition of our sinfulness propels us in a positive direction for we are admitting to the Lord we cannot go forward...

Continuing our Easter Mini-Series: In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio turns our attention to the Apostles’ encounter with the Risen Lord along the shore of Galilee in which Peter jumps out of the boat and swims to shore out of his urgent desire to be with Christ. Peter’s actions surrounding the events of the Paschal Mystery show us that we all have the capacity to fall from the grace of God. Howev...

Are you eager to run to Jesus this Easter season? In this podcast, the first in a three-part series on St. Peter and the Resurrected Christ, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the life of St. Peter and the circumstances surrounding his selection as the first Vicar of Christ. Leading up to the events of Good Friday, we encounter Peter in a moment of temptation as he denies his association with Christ. A...

"Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?" (John 8:4-5). Join the St. Josemaria Institute each week of Lent as we open our hearts to Jesus and wonder at His love, especially as we listen to His word in Scripture and reflect upon and live the Lenten practices: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Vi...

"Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours" (Luke 15:32). Join the St. Josemaria Institute each week of Lent as we open our hearts to Jesus and wonder at His love, especially as we listen to His word in Scripture and reflect upon and live the Lenten practices: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. View Resources: Lent 2022: Jesus is Passing By Meditation Transcript   THANK YO...

Hand in Hand with Mary: A Spiritual Retreat guides us in the season of Lent to prepare, “hand in hand with Mary”, for the glorious Resurrection of her Son, Jesus Christ. By her life and intercession, Mary brings us to an encounter with Jesus Christ to experience true sorrow and repentance of our sins, true abandonment to God’s will, and the humility and strength to accept His will always and in ev...