The Family Room

Inspired fiction writer, Robert W. Ross, comes into The Family Room with his wife, Rachel, and his daughter, Autumn, both of whom support his writing in unique ways. Robert left behind a lucrative career in information technology to answer God’s call to write. His family forms a creative team with him to bring these marvelous books into being. Fans around the world receive connection and inspirati...

In a special live broadcast of The Family Room, co-hosts Mari Cleveland from Saint Jude the Apostle and John Gordon and Craig Wesemeyer from St. Peter Chanel are joined by guest Judy Guilfoil from Good Shepherd whose love for prayer brings forth a lively conversation.

Christopher West returns to The Family Room to discuss the first book from the Theology of the Body Institute Press, God is Beauty: A Retreat on the Gospel and Art . In 1962, Karol Wojtyla (St. Pope John Paul II) delivered this retreat to a group of artists. It is now available to us for the first time in English. When we open our hearts in faith, we allow God’s beauty to flow through us. The huma...

Married for nearly 20 years and parents of three children ranging in age from 8 to 15, Becky and Chris Eldredge know the challenges facing families trying to find time to pray and discern God’s will amid busy lives. In this episode, Becky, an Ignatian-trained spiritual director and retreat leader, reflects on her own journey of faith, including how and when a “lived practice” of the Catholic faith...

Sara Sullivan and Kristine Bruce met by phone one day in 2021 to discuss Kristine’s apostolic initiative called “Praying for Our Prodigals.” In the conversation, they shared their love of prayer, especially praying the holy rosary for special intentions. This episode is about how efficacious our prayers and redemptive sufferings are for those we love who are away in some way from the Faith. Sara i...

Christopher and Wendy West, parents to five children, have been called to a special mission within the Church. They share the gift of St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body . Christopher West shares how the Theology of the Body radically changed his life in the early 1990s. The deepest hungers and desires of our hearts are placed in us by God to lead us to Him now and to an eternal wedding feast....

Ordained in 2001, Father Martin Connor, L.C., has turned his attention to having life-giving (not death-dealing) conversations with young adults about the total and unconditional gift of self that is true love. In his books and podcasts, Father Martin interviews young people who yearn for the deeper, lasting relationships that truly satisfy our hearts. He does not shy away from the troubling water...

There is a sense that all Christians are called to consecrate every aspect family, work, leisure) of their lives to Christ and be conduits of grace, love, and mercy in a world both fallen and redeemed. Heather Triggs, a consecrated woman of the DeSales Secular Institute, gives testimony to the providential love and care of God the Father in her life, as she has come to discern, over a number of ye...

Whether you have been married for decades or want to find the husband or wife who will fulfill the desires of your heart, you will find hope and encouragement about marriage as well as vocational discernment in this episode. Our co-hosts, Mari, Craig, and John, each share stories about courtship and dating, the wedding day, the role of marriage prep, and the challenges faced by both individuals an...

Business consultant and coach, Randy Hain, has us on the edge of our seats sharing his journey into the Catholic Church. The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist comes to life in Randy’s story. God, family, and work (and in that order!) are sources of grace and wisdom for this husband, father, successful businessman, and author of eight books. Randy and Sandra Hain have two sons, Alex and Ryan...

Thomas Clements shares how God’s hand showed itself in his healing, sobriety, and ongoing recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. The experience of the love of God brought Thomas to found a healing ministry, Zenith Ministries, to serve men and women, ages 18-45, in a mission “to build community, help the hurting find healing, and accompany each other to living life to the full.” God wants to hea...

Mike and Laurie Carlton, parishioners at St. Peter Chanel in Roswell, Georgia, share with us over a decade of experience in parish-based support for marriage. The Carltons know what it means to hit a wall in your marriage. Helping couples who may have become hopeless is a passion for Mike and Laurie. They each give personal witness to the sources of inspiration that brought them to focus on meetin...

Dan and Stephanie Burke testify to the real and ongoing spiritual warfare involved in living a Christian marriage. Their apostolate involves marriage retreats and other live and online resources that explore what it means to live a vibrant spiritual life in Christ. In this episode of The Family Room, we open ourselves, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, to cast our ne...

Our guests this week share their vocation stories, their musical gifts, and their love of the Lord. Father John Klein, LC, is a songwriter and began his musical apostolate as a street evangelist. Making music is a means for Emily Roman, CRC, to live a vibrant, consecrated religious life. Both Father John and Emily serve youth and families and record music and music videos with the Regnum Christi M...

Co-hosts Craig, John, and Mari personally reflect on two previous fall episodes with guests Dr. Edward Sri (September 8, 2021) and Dr. Bob Schuchts (October 20, 2021). In this week’s episode, our co-hosts speak in a down-to-earth way about how they take to heart the wisdom and truth presented by our guests. The journey of faith is personal and relational: Pull up a chair in The Family Room to re-v...

Dr. Ralph Martin discusses his book, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward , his journey of faith, and how the Word of God in Sacred Scripture enlivens his life, vocations, and works of mission and evangelization. Dr. Martin shares about his personal relationship with Christ and leads us to want to spend more time with our Lord who, in Word and Sacrament, helps us through troublesome times. We also...

For Dr. Bill Thierfelder, the warmth, affection, and love of his family of 12 bears fruit for God’s Kingdom here and now. We learn about the founding of the only Catholic college between Virginia and Florida, Belmont Abbey College (near Charlotte, North Carolina), and Dr. Thierfelder recounts how the Holy Spirit called him to become President of the college. He also reveals his personal love for t...

Join us in The Family Room for a quick-witted and energetic conversation about apologetics that will likely change your ideas about how to defend the Catholic faith. John Martignoni’s broadcasts and new book, Blue Collar Apologetics , give us four strategies and simple rules of engagement to help bring our loved ones back to the faith, to engage “Bible-only” Christians, and to evangelize in friend...

The daily walk of faith with her husband and children is what matters most to Catholic author and speaker, Katie Warner. Katie shares how the Holy Spirit has surprised her, guided her, and taught her the value of living an intentional faith. One of her favorite quotes, from St. Francis de Sales, is, “God takes pleasure to see you take your little steps.” Start today with a new spiritual motto or s...

In this episode, our hosts explore a topic close to each of their hearts: men as the spiritual leaders of the family. We fight a spiritual battle, with spiritual resources, knowing our Triune God goes before us. Mari, Craig, and John revisit chapter 3 of Genesis highlighting man’s unique role as defender of the Faith. Resources Key Scripture: Ephesians , chapters 5 and 6. Chapter 3 of Genesis : ht...

Dr. Bob Schuchts, Founder of the John Paul II Healing Center in Tallahassee, Florida, comes in to The Family Room to share his personal journey through early family tragedy, trauma, and divorce to a powerful encounter with Christ, marital healing, and true devotion. Dr. Schuchts gives us practical ways to pray with, and for, our spouses, including a couples’ meditation on the “Our Father.” He give...

The Family Room co-hosts Mari Cleveland from Saint Jude the Apostle and John Gordon and Craig Wesemeyer from St. Peter Chanel discuss favorite saints and more in a special pledge drive episode.

Melissa Foley, founder of the healing ministry Loved Already, shares some conversation tools in a lively discussion about how we can speak life, healing, and restoration in Christ into our relationships. Part two of a two-part series. Resources All are welcome to attend the Virtual Catholic Conference on Healing and Forgiveness, October 8-10. https://go.virtualcatholicconference.com/Healing2021 Me...

Melissa Foley, founder of the healing ministry Loved Already, joins us in The Family Room in a lively conversation that inspires us to consider our identity in Christ as beloved sons and daughters of a providing Father. Part one of a two-part series. Resources: All are welcome to attend the Virtual Catholic Conference on Healing and Forgiveness, October 8-10.

In this episode, our hosts explore a topic close to each of their hearts: men as the spiritual leaders of the family. We fight a spiritual battle, with spiritual resources, knowing our Triune God goes before us. Mari, Craig, and John revisit chapter 3 of Genesis highlighting man’s unique role as defender of the Faith. Resources: Key Scripture: Ephesians, chapters 5 and 6. Chapter 3 of Genesis: htt...