The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns

Most people say, “Just follow your conscience.” But what if your conscience is wrong? In this episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat dives into one of the most misunderstood teachings of our faith—how conscience works, how it can be misled, and why it must be formed in truth. This might challenge you… but it could also change everything.

He couldn’t forgive himself… and it was destroying him. In this powerful episode of The Catholic Journey, we enter the heart of a man carrying a burden many of us know too well—the weight of past sin, regret, and the quiet belief that “God may forgive… but I can’t forgive myself.” But what happens when mercy is real… and we refuse to receive it? This story will take you into a deeply human struggl...

“Do not let your hearts be troubled…” In a world filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and questions about the future, Jesus offers us something deeper than answers—He offers us Himself. In this homily for the 5th Sunday of Easter, we reflect on one of the most powerful truths in Scripture: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) If you’ve ever felt unsure about where life is heading… If...

Some losses are carried quietly… A child you never got to hold. A goodbye you never got to say. A love that had nowhere to go. If you’ve ever walked through miscarriage… or love someone who has… this reflection was made with you in mind. Not as an answer… but as a gentle reminder of hope. That your child is known. That your love matters. And that in God… nothing is ever lost. 🎧 The Catholic Journ...

They thought it was just a game… Ten minutes. Two teams. Build the tallest snow tower. But when the whistle blew… everything changed. At the top of each tower… something no one could explain appeared. One… Christ the King. The other… Our Lady. No one had carved them. No one had time. And yet… they were there. What happened on that mountain didn’t just surprise these men… It transformed them. This...

He went to Mount Shasta searching for clarity… But what he found… was something far deeper. Blake was strong. Disciplined. A former military man who knew how to push through anything. But on that frozen climb—crampons biting into ice, wind cutting through him—he came face to face with something he couldn’t outwork… The weight he had been carrying for years. Halfway up the mountain… he broke. Not p...

What if the greatest miracle… wasn’t healing in an instant— but healing that happens step by step? A father and daughter… years of distance between them… set out on an ancient pilgrimage from Florence to Rome. They don’t talk much. They don’t know how. But somewhere along the road… through silence, struggle, and unexpected grace… everything begins to change. This is a powerful story of: • Broken r...

What if the deepest confusion in our lives… isn’t the truth about who we are— but the result of wounds we’ve never healed? In this powerful episode of The Catholic Journey, I share a story that has stayed with me for years… A young boy… lost in pain, rejection, and identity confusion… searching for peace in all the wrong places. Until one moment—alone, broken, and ready to give up— he encountered...

She was 25… and already felt like her life was over. Broken family. Painful choices. Addiction. Life on the streets… And a quiet belief that she was no longer worth saving. But one night… in the silence… everything changed. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I share a powerful story inspired by real lives— a story of brokenness, encounter, and radical transformation. 👉 A reminder that no pa...

There’s often someone in our family… Someone we just can’t seem to get along with. Over time, the tension becomes distance… The distance becomes normal… And before we know it, years have passed. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I explore a difficult—but freeing—question: 👉 What if I’m part of the problem? Not in a way that brings blame… But in a way that opens the door to healing. Because...

I wasn’t planning on finding anyone that day… I was just hiking alone in the mountains of Northern California—trying to clear my head. But something told me to step off the trail. And that’s when I found him. A man lying in the forest… barely alive… who had come there to die after losing his wife and two daughters just weeks before. What followed was a conversation I will never forget. A moment of...

Do I need counseling… or do I need spiritual direction? It’s a question more people are asking—especially in a world that tells us to “fix how we feel” but rarely asks why we feel the way we do. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I speak not only as a Deacon… but as someone who has spent over 40 years working in mental health. Here’s what I’ve seen: 👉 Some struggles are emotional—and need r...

What if happiness isn’t something you have to chase… but something you can begin creating today? In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I reflect on a simple but powerful truth: 👉 The way we see changes everything. How we see the world… How we see others… And maybe most importantly—how we see ourselves. So many of us spend our lives focusing on what’s wrong— with the world, with other people, a...

There are moments in life when words feel too small… and yet, they are all we have. In this deeply personal episode of The Catholic Journey, I share a graveside committal service offered in Montana for my mother-in-law, Kathy, and her brother, Camilo. This is more than a homily. It is a reflection on love, loss, and the quiet hope that remains when we say goodbye. At the graveside, we are reminded...

Not Republican. Not Democrat. Catholic. In a world that demands we pick a side, the Gospel calls us higher. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat explores why a faithful Catholic can never be fully aligned with any political party—and why that tension is not a weakness, but a sign of a well-formed conscience. This isn’t about rejecting politics. It’s about putting Christ above it. 👉...

Not all journeys are joyful. Some take us to places of goodbye… In this deeply personal episode, Deacon Pat reflects on traveling with his wife to lay her mother and uncle to rest—exploring what happens in our minds, hearts, emotions, and spirit when we lose someone we love. A powerful reflection on grief, love, and the hope we carry as people of faith.

You don’t always have to ask if someone is Catholic… sometimes, you just know. 😄 From blessing themselves while driving… to refusing to eat before grace… to laughing at “offer it up”… This lighthearted episode dives into 10 hilarious (and very real) ways the Catholic faith shows up in everyday life—plus a funny story and a classic Catholic joke you won’t forget. 👉 You might recognize yourself in...

War is not just politics—it’s a moral question. As tensions rise between the United States and Iran, how should Catholics respond? What does the Church really teach about Just War… and could this conflict meet those conditions? In this powerful episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat—Navy veteran who served alongside Marines—walks through the reality of war, the weight of conscience, and the t...

Have you ever felt like God went quiet? Like you used to feel His presence… in the small moments… in the stillness… but now… it just feels empty? In this powerful story, we follow a woman who slowly drifted—not away from belief, but away from listening. What she discovers in the silence… will hit closer to home than you expect. This episode is for anyone who feels distant, distracted, or spiritual...

Why does life never feel like enough… even when things are going well? Because your heart was made for something more. That restlessness you feel… may actually be God calling you deeper.

When God feels distant… it doesn’t mean He’s gone. It may mean He’s drawing you into a deeper, stronger faith. Don’t walk away from the silence— it may be where God is doing His greatest work.

Two disciples walked away from everything they believed in… Their hope was gone. Their hearts were heavy. But what they didn’t realize… was that Jesus Christ was walking beside them the whole time. On the road to Emmaus, we discover something deeply personal: Christ is closest… not when life is clear— but when we are confused, disappointed, and searching. He speaks through Scripture. He stirs some...

What happened to the family? In this powerful episode, we explore the shift from the family-centered culture of the 1960s to today’s world of independence, choice, and delayed commitment. Why are fewer people getting married? Why are children often seen as optional—or even avoided? More importantly… what has this done to us? This reflection goes beyond culture and into the human heart—revealing ho...

You’re not just raising a child… you’re forming a soul. In this deeply moving episode, discover how to help your child truly know God—not just follow rules—and how that relationship shapes their entire life.

What makes a Catholic marriage different? In this powerful episode, we explore the truth about sacramental marriage—what it is, what it does, and why it transforms ordinary love into something eternal. This will change how you see your marriage.