The Inner Life

Father Eric Nielsen  joins IL to discuss friendship with the saints. Topics included (7:58), how we're united with the saints (16:50), the danger of mediums (22:45), what is a patron saint (28:44), saints on earth and in heaven (31:20), story about a caller's spiritual director (33:55), how we grow in friendship with saints (40:26), diversity of saints in the Church (42:08), which saints should we...

Father Brian O’Brien  joins IL to discuss resisting temptation. The topics included temptation vs sin (6:28), Christ's temptation in the desert (11:20), when we're tempted (13:38), Jesus' second temptation (22:34), struggles with fasting (24:57), planning ahead (29:38), caller shares struggle with sexual temptation (32:59), overcoming sexual temptation (36:52), growing in virtue (41:33), and avoid...

Father Rob Kroll, SJ joins IL to discuss dealing with grief and loss. Topics included types of loss (8:22), attachments (12:17), why we push death away (14:47), stages of grief (22:30), how the Divine Mercy Chapel helped a caller heal (32:26), Josh asks Father about a relative who died in a traffic accident (34:47), grief and suicide (41:46), a caller shares his experience (46:05)

Father Michael Hurley, OP  joins IL to discuss the power of forgiveness. The topics included why forigeness was important to Christ (7:30), forgiveness stretches us (10:59), F-E-A-R (18:51), forgiveness as love (28:22), difficulty of forgetting a hurt (32:31), if we should forgive and forget (42:09). 

Father Ethan Southard joins IL to discuss Eucharistic adoration. The topics included why the Eucharist is necessary (7:20), why adoration is a distinct form of prayer (19:20), a caller's question about divorce and Communion (28:27), spiritual communion prayers (34:52), and what we should do during adoration (42:25). 

  Fr. Matthew Spencer, OSJ  joins IL to discuss tips for finding a good spiritual director. Topics included what spiritual direction is (5:57), why a priest is a good spiritual director (17:33), do we need spiritual direction (21:51), how one can find a spiritual director (31:47), what the best way to prepare for confession is (42:27), and what if our spiritual progress is slow (46:45). 

Fr. Kubicki, SJ, joined Josh for a conversation on the Assumption of Mary. Topics included what the Assumption is (5:52), the Assumption vs. the Ascension (17:10), Original Sin (29:28), where Mary was buried (32:44), how we should celebrate the Assumption (43:11), and how we foster devotion to Mary (45:23).

Fr. Dave Heney joins IL to discuss going back to school and teaching kids the faith. The topics included passing on the faith (7:39), Jesus' upbringing (11:20), Fr. Dave's upbringing (16:11), difficulty of not having all the answers (18:35), how to balance personal prayers with educating family (26:34), resources for teaching the faith (36:11), Fr. Dave's new book (42:07), parents as educators of...

IL –  Fr. Sam Martin  joined IL to discuss Christian obedience. The topics included the importance of obedience (7:46), why God loves obedience (11:56), how Father Martin lives out obedience (16:42), St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians (26:04), how spouses can serve each other (30:12), raising obedient children (38:23), obedience when we're asked to act immorally (44:11). 

Father Bobby Blood joins IL to discuss optimism, hope and joy. The topics include what optimism is (7:03), pessimism and the news (8:16), how we avoid despair (10:55), St. Lawrence (13:51), the virtue of hope (22:18), divorce (32:23), therapy (36:01), mental health (40:59), and a prayer for hope (49:28). 

Fr. Joseph Johnson  joins IL to discuss fear of death and the four last things. They discussed fear of death (8:03), how to help families preparing for death (12:33), what will God judge (17:16), our reliance on Christ (26:19), what accompanies the soul when we die (34:25), what the different types of judgement are (36:37), what we know about heaven and hell (41:13), what to do if we're overwhelme...

Fr. Joseph Illo  joins IL to discuss silence in the spiritual life. The topics included why silence is important (7:19), Jesus and silence (8:38), adapting silence to our lives (13:18), distractions (20:25), isolation (26:17), remote work (29:49), smartphones (32:56), how we can fight distractions (39:37), prayer (44:25), and silent retreats (47:21). 

Fr. Ed Broom joins the Inner Life to talk about the Transfiguration and also how we could incorporate the transfiguration in our own lives. 

Fr. Sam Kabucha joins the Inner Life to talk about the life of St. John Mary Vianney, the Patron Saint of Parish Priests and the Sacrament of Holy Orders

Father Jay Mello joined the Inner Life to discuss conscience formation and spiritual freedom. 

Father Scott Bailey joined IL to discuss how to deal with distractions during prayer

Father Tom Wilson joins the Inner Life to discuss overcoming scrupulosity. Father Wilson and Josh Raymond discuss the dangers of scrupulosity and concrete ways to avoid and overcome it.

Father   Matthew Widder  joins IL to discuss Christian friendship. The topics included friendship and Genesis (8:10), cutting ourselves off from friendship (10:06), the feast of Martha, Mary and Lazarus (15:12), Jesus' emotions (17:00), how Jesus loved his friends (18:46), how we develop friendship with Jesus (23:56), a young mom shares her story of finding friendship at Church (30:11), Jean share...

Father   Jim Goins  joins IL to discuss the new atheism. Topics included what the new atheism is (7:33), their tactics against Christians (11:59), different types of atheism (14:47), those that are angry with God (17:47),  The Problem of Pain  (23:11), Aquinas' 5 Proofs (26:02), Pascal's Wager (30:40), a caller's atheist brother (34:13), the power of witness (38:04), faith and science (41:18), a c...

Father   Eric Nielsen  joins IL to discuss selfishness vs. generosity. The topics included why greed is problematic (8:02), greed vs coveting (11:02), how much money is enough (12:45), tithing (22:02), how a caller has become more generous (26:01), relationships and greed (28:28), contraception (32:17), paying for Catholic school (36:25), St. Augustine (44:34), and generosity with a daughter with...

IL –  Father   Chris Walsh  joins IL to discuss spiritual works of mercy. The topics included the history of the spiritual works of mercy (8:14), instructing the ignorant (10:36), why the spiritual works of mercy are difficult (12:19), counseling the doubtful (18:58), a caller, Al recommending the book ' Tactics  (30:33), bearing wrongs patiently (34:39), forgiving offenses willingly (36:26), comf...

Father   James Kubicki, SJ joins IL to discuss praying for our enemies. The topics included the Sermon on the Mount (6:59), turning the other cheek (9:38), praying for conversion (17:43), The Our Father (21:02), how a caller can forgive her son's murderer (26:22), if we feel there's no end in sight to a difficult situation (33:20), how a caller can forgive her abusive husband (37:19), if we can pr...

Fr. Craig DeYoung joined IL to discuss the praying for the souls in purgatory. The topics included what purgatory is (8:15), the reality of sin (11:19), if purgatory is a physical location (14:26), sanctification (17:47), purgatory in Scripture (21:35), why we pray for the souls in purgatory (27:12), the focus of our prayer (30:10), if it's too late to pray for someone (33:47), if we can know some...

Fr. Ethan Southard joined josh to discuss Lectio Divina. Topics include Fr. Ethan's favorite Scripture passages (6:26), what prayer is (8:32), God's love for us (12:45), what lectio divina is (16:11), how we prepare for lectio divina (19:55), the Beatles and lectio divina (24:00), steps of lectio divina (29:19), guided meditation (35:49), struggles in prayer (43:38), caller reflection on lectio di...

Father Rob Kroll, SJ joined josh to discuss St. Ignatius and detachment. The topics included what detachment is (7:49), our relationship with created goods (10:53), Ignatian detachment (14:41), how we can be owners of good while also being detached (26:24), Kathleen's call about being loved by God before detaching (31:35), the relationship between the spiritual and psychological (37:38), the Rich...