The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns

Episode 17 – Ephesus: The Church That Lost Its First Love What happens when a church is faithful in doctrine but begins to lose its love for Christ? In this episode of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, we travel to the magnificent city of Ephesus—the first of the Seven Churches addressed by Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Once home to the Apostle Paul, Saint John, and a thriving Christian com...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 14 Saint Benedict: The Father of Western Monasticism What happens when one man says "yes" to God so completely that he changes the course of history? In this episode of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, Deacon Pat Kearns explores the remarkable life of Saint Benedict of Nursia, the humble monk whose search for holiness transformed not only the Chu...

Saint Patrick: The Real Story Behind the Legends When most people think of Saint Patrick, they picture shamrocks, parades, and legends. But the real story is far more inspiring. In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we uncover the remarkable life of the young man who was kidnapped at sixteen, sold into slavery in Ireland, and found Christ in the midst of suffering. After...

The Shepherd of Hermas was one of the most widely read Christian writings of the early Church, even considered by some believers for inclusion in the New Testament. But what is this mysterious book, who wrote it, and why did it have such a profound influence on the first generations of Christians? In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the remarkable story behin...

The Early Church and the Eucharist | Hidden Treasures of the Early Church Did the first Christians really believe the Eucharist was the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we journey back to the earliest generations of the Church to discover what the first Christians actually taught and believed. Drawing from the writings of the Apos...

How Did the Bible Come to Be? Have you ever wondered who decided which books belong in the Bible—or how the Scriptures we hold today were preserved through the centuries? In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the remarkable story behind the Bible's formation. From the writings of the Apostles and the early Christian communities to the guidance of the Church and...

Saint Augustine: From Restless Heart to Great Saint What happens when one of history's greatest sinners becomes one of Christianity's greatest saints? In this inspiring episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the remarkable life of Saint Augustine of Hippo—a brilliant young man who spent years pursuing pleasure, ambition, and worldly success before discovering that only...

Saint Monica: A Mother's Tears That Changed History In this inspiring episode, we journey into the remarkable life of Saint Monica, one of the Church's greatest examples of faithful perseverance. Despite years of heartache, family struggles, and watching her beloved son wander far from God, Monica never stopped praying, hoping, or trusting in the Lord. Discover how the tears and prayers of one fai...

In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the extraordinary life of Saint Athanasius, the courageous bishop who stood firm in defense of the truth of Jesus Christ during one of the greatest crises in Church history. Known as "Athanasius Against the World," he refused to compromise the faith, even when emperors, bishops, and much of the Christian world opposed him....

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🏛️ The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns – Hidden Treasures of the Early Church: The Council of Nicaea What happened when the early Church faced one of its greatest crises? In this episode of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, we journey back to A.D. 325 and explore the historic Council of Nicaea—the gathering that helped define what Christians believe about Jesus Christ. Discover how cou...

In this powerful episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we journey back to the early Church to discover the extraordinary witness of Saints Perpetua and Felicity. One was a young noblewoman and new mother; the other, an enslaved woman expecting her first child. Though separated by social status, they were united by something far greater—their unwavering love for Jesus Christ. Faci...

🌟 NEW RELEASE! 🌟 Expecting a baby changes everything. The excitement. The questions. The joy. The uncertainty. What if there was a Catholic companion to walk with you through every week of pregnancy? I'm excited to introduce my newest book: 📖 Pregnant... Now What? A Catholic Journey for Mothers and Fathers Awaiting New Life Written from the heart of a Catholic deacon, father, grandfather, nurse...

🌵 The Desert Fathers: Wisdom from the Wilderness 🌵 What can Christians living in today's busy, distracted world learn from men who lived alone in the deserts of Egypt nearly 1,700 years ago? In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we journey into the lives of the early Christian monks known as the Desert Fathers—holy men who left behind comfort, wealth, and worldly distra...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 5 The Catacombs of Rome: The Underground Church Beneath the bustling streets of Rome lies a hidden world that tells the story of the earliest Christians—a world of faith, courage, sacrifice, and hope. In this fascinating episode of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, Deacon Pat Kearns takes listeners deep into the ancient Catacombs of Rome, where ea...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 4 Saint Irenaeus: How We Know Christianity Didn't Change How do we know that the Christian faith preached today is the same faith taught by Jesus and the Apostles? In this fascinating episode of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, Deacon Pat explores the life and legacy of Saint Irenaeus, one of the greatest defenders of the early Church. As a disci...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 3: The Martyrdom of Polycarp What does unwavering faith look like? In Episode 3 of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, Deacon Pat Kearns explores the inspiring story of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna and a direct disciple of the Apostle John. Living during a time of fierce persecution, Polycarp faced a choice that every Christian eventually encounters i...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 2: Justin Martyr What if one of the greatest defenders of Christianity began his journey as a philosopher searching for truth? In Episode 2 of Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, Deacon Pat Kearns explores the remarkable life of Justin Martyr—a second-century convert, philosopher, and saint who courageously defended the Christian faith before empero...

Hidden Treasures of the Early Church – Episode 1 St. Ignatius of Antioch: The Man Who Knew the Apostles What if you could sit down with someone who learned the Christian faith directly from an Apostle? In this powerful first episode of our new series, Hidden Treasures of the Early Church, we explore the remarkable life of St. Ignatius of Antioch—a disciple of St. John, bishop, martyr, and one of t...

Father's Day Through God's Eyes Father's Day can bring a mix of emotions. For some, it is a day of gratitude and celebration. For others, it may stir memories of loss, disappointment, or longing. Yet through God's eyes, fatherhood is one of the most powerful and sacred callings a man can receive. In this special Father's Day episode, Deacon Pat reflects on the vocation of fatherhood, the quiet sac...

What does Father's Day mean to me? In this deeply personal episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, I share the story of the man who shaped my life more than anyone else—my father. A devoted husband, father of six boys, faithful Catholic, teacher, mentor, and daily prayer warrior, my dad lived a life of quiet sacrifice. Through family struggles, financial pressures, and personal har...

When Someone You Love Goes to Jail What do you do when someone you love is arrested, convicted, and sentenced to prison? In this heartfelt episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges families face when a loved one goes to jail. Feelings of shock, anger, shame, grief, confusion, and even guilt are common—but no family has to...

Tough Love – Loving Someone Without Losing Yourself What do you do when someone you love is trapped in addiction, destructive behavior, or a cycle of poor choices? How do you help without enabling? How do you set boundaries without feeling guilty? In this heartfelt episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the difficult but necessary balance between compassion and accounta...

Most of us have heard of Juneteenth, but many of us were never taught its history or why it matters. In this special episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore Juneteenth through the lens of the Catholic faith—not through politics, but through the timeless principles of human dignity, freedom, justice, and redemption. Drawing from Scripture, Catholic teaching, American hist...

As our parents grow older, their needs often change—but their desire to feel loved, valued, and remembered never does. In this heartfelt episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the often-overlooked season of aging and what our parents may be experiencing as they enter their sixties, seventies, and beyond. Discover the thoughts many aging parents carry in their hearts, th...