The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

This weekend we share a letter from Archbishop Zinkula about the Journey in Faith initiative now taking place in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.  For more information, please visit the website: www.dbqjourneyinfaith.org .

All good parents implement some discipline with their children.  But discipline isn't intended to inflict pain or torture, even though kids might think so!  Discipline is a teaching tool, much like rules, to guide us toward that which is better.  We encounter discipline at school, work, and home, so we shouldn't be surprised when we see Jesus using it too.  If our ultimate goal is to enter God's k...

Sometimes, like Jeremiah, we're called out of our comfort zone.  And we usually don't like it!  But as disciples, we're still called to be like Jeremiah, to leave the familiar places and feelings and travel new and different ways.  But there's a sweet comfort: Jesus is there every step of the way!

The Catholic Church has undergone multiple stages over the centuries.  Today, we've returned to an apostolic age in which people don't participate in worship and parish activities out of habit as they have for the last several decades.  The majority of people who participate today do so because they have been personally invited.  This applies especially to the men and women entering the priesthood...

Having stuff is OK, but there's ultimately no point to our stuff if we don't live a self-giving lifestyle.  Let's ask ourselves if what we have is worth having just to claim possession of it.  Or is there a larger use for my stuff?  Perhaps our focus needs to shift from ourselves to others.

How can we get to know Jesus unless we listen?  When we come to Mass, do we really listen to what we're hearing?  The scriptures, prayers, and even music have so much to tell us, but it doesn't matter much if we don't listen.  True, sometimes we need to take action and do certain things, just like Martha was busy serving her guests.  But we also need to remember to listen and pay attention, just l...

This weekend, the Emmaus Pastorate welcomes its new pastor, Fr. Paul Baldwin!  In his first homily, he explains his background and roots.  Everyone is our neighbor and deserves our care, love and support.  As Fr. Paul begins his ministry here, he's counting on that from us.  The greatest thing a priest can do is care for others in both the good times and bad.  So, let us be there for him as he is...

Have you ever seen God as a mother?  God wants to nurture, nourish, and grow us!  But that requires us to be docile enough to accept such an intimate relationship.  And how does God nurture us?  Through other people!  We are called to be both the nurtured and the nurturer!  We are our brothers' keepers and our neighbors' caretakers.  We belong to each other and are here to serve each other.  Let u...

With belief comes persecution, but all of us have a part to play.  This is especially true in the 21st century and as the Archdiocese of Dubuque embarks on a long-range initiative titled Journey in Faith that will help shape the future of our parishes in northeast Iowa.  Today's Mass also marks Fr. John's farewell at St. Joseph Parish in Elkader, IA.  He will certainly be missed, and we wish him w...

In this bonus episode of the Emmaus Pastorate's Podcast, we are very happy to share the content of another great Catholic podcast, Catholic History Trek.  Their hosts, Kevin Schmiesing and Scott Schulze, retell parts of Catholic history that relate to current practices and issues.  One thread of their show is to showcase the Cradle of Catholicism in each of the United States. For the last several...

"Pray.  Serve.  Belong."  That's the mission of St. Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center in Cedar Falls, IA.  As Chaplain Fr. Mark Murphy explains, St. Stephen serves the spiritual needs of college students from the University of Northern Iowa, Hawkeye Community College, Allen College, and Wartburg College, all of which are in the Waterloo and Waverly areas of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.  B...

The Trinity is a hard concept to understand.  But that's alright.  We mere mortals don't need to understand it.  But as followers of Jesus, we do need to live the Trinity!