Catholic Momcast

Join author Kelsey Gillespy for the third session of our 4-week Book Club and nurture your spiritual life amid the chaos and beauty of raising littles.

We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy for our Winter 2024 Book Club!

This week, we hosted the second session of our Winter 2024 Book Club! We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy. 

In our Book Club discussion, Kelsey and her editor Courtney Saponaro joined us to talk about part 3 of this book, "Who Are You?" Beginning by focusing on moms' tendency to focus so deeply on others that their sense of self disappears, Kelsey affirms that God wants us to continue, as mothers, to live as the person He has made us to be.

Lisa Hendey and Maria Johnson sit down with Celeste Behe to discuss the St. Monica Ministry, an apostolate of prayer and support for families of those no longer practicing the faith.

Lisa Hendey and Maria Johnson sit down with Celeste Behe to discuss the St. Monica Ministry, a dedicated community and prayer network offering support to the families and friends of fallen-away Catholics. It is a rapidly-growing apostolate, with subscribers in forty U.S. states, as well as in Spain, South Africa, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, the Philippines, Nova Scotia, Ireland, Australia, and Canada. 

Show Notes Links: 

• CelesteBehe.com  
• www.instagram.com/stmonicaministry/  
• www.facebook.com/stmonicaministry/ 

Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson welcome Marge Steinhage Fenelon, author of Behold Your Mother: Marian Stations of the Cross (OSV)

Marge Steinhage Fenelon is an award-winning and best-selling author, international speaker, certified spiritual mentor, and Professional Life Coach. She has written several books on Marian devotion and Catholic spirituality. As a life coach, she is passionate about helping others grow personally and spiritually. Her podcast, Simply Holy, airs on many popular podcast platforms.

Links in Show:Behold Your Mother: Marian Stations of the Cross (OSV)
Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: A Living Novena (Ave Maria Press)

Join author Kelsey Gillespy for the second session of our 4-week Book Club and nurture your spiritual life amid the chaos and beauty of raising littles.

We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy for our Winter 2024 Book Club!

This week, we hosted the second session of our Winter 2024 Book Club! We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy. 

In our Book Club discussion, Kelsey and her editor Courtney Saponaro joined us to talk about the way God is parenting us through our parenting journey. (Courtney confided that this is probably her favorite section of the book! Do you agree?) They also answered questions about spiritual reading, getting to know God as both Father and Bridegroom, and how moms can heal spiritually after miscarriage.

Rob Kaczmark is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, producer, and the proud father of two young sons. He's also the CEO and President of Spirit Juice Studios, a company leading the way in the high-quality production of multimedia content for Catholic dioceses, schools, non-profit organizations, religious orders, and other clients across the country and around the world. 

Juice Box is an online children’s show and YouTube channel designed to entertain kids and grown-ups while teaching the Catholic faith. We introduce faith-based topics on a level that young children will understand, engage with, enjoy, and (most importantly) remember. 

Show Notes Links: 

• https://www.spiritjuicekids.com/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/@SpiritJuiceKids 
• https://www.instagram.com/spiritjuicekids/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/spiritjuicekids 

CatholicMom Prayercast hosts Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson discuss Lenten practices on this upcoming Ash Wednesday.

Heidi and Maria discuss the Lenten practice of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Links for Show: 

The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers edited by Heidi Hess Saxton

• Heidi's author page
• Maria's author page

Lisa Hendey and Maria Morera Johnson share a conversation with Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on the upcoming Global Rosary for World Peace. 

Br. Paul Bednarczyk, C.S.C., the Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, invites the Catholic Mom community and their families to join Holy Cross ministry centers around the world on five continents in 18 countries, to pray for world peace on the First Friday in Lent, February 16. 

Links in Show:

Holy Cross Family Ministries Pray for Peace

A World at Prayer Is a World at Peace By Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C.

We're reading In the Trenches: Finding God Through Parenting Littles by Kelsey Gillespy for our Winter 2024 Book Club!

In our Book Club discussion, Kelsey and her editor Courtney Saponaro joined us to talk about how, just by being moms, we get to live the call of Jesus. We get to put flesh and bone onto the works that He's called us to do. 

Kelsey reminded us that our kids are not there to distract us from God, but to bring us closer to God.

We chatted about why the book begins with the topic of loneliness, the influence of social media on moms, and the works of mercy. And we talked quite a bit about sleep, because sometimes that's what a mom needs most!

Join the CatholicMom Team, Lisa Hendey, Maria Johnson, Barb Szyszkiewicz, and Allison Gingras to celebrate a virtual baby shower for Bayleigh Marquis and all expectant mothers.

This week, we gather our entire Catholic Mom team to talk about babies, advice for new mothers, and of course, to celebrate with Bayleigh and precious Baby M. We’ll offer some sage advice from our Catholic Mom contributors and give Bayleigh an opportunity to share a little bit of her journey to motherhood. 

Hosts Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton welcome Margaret H. (Peggy) Hartshorn, Ph.D., currently Chairman of the Board of Heartbeat International,

Margaret H. (Peggy) Hartshorn, Ph.D., currently Chairman of the Board of Heartbeat International, has served on the Board for 30 years, and served as Heartbeat’s President for 23 years (1993-2015). She is the author of The Love Approach: 4 Proven Steps to Transforming Relationships in Your Family, Church, and Community.

In August 2023, Dr. Hartshorn was recognized by the USCCB, and presented with the “People of Life” Award. Today, Peggy travels and speaks extensively, sharing her hands-on experience with pregnancy help ministries as they develop programs on abortion recovery and alternatives, sexual integrity, and adoption. She has been married to Michael Hartshorn for 47 years. They have two adopted children and five grandchildren.

Links in Show

• Heartbeat International
• The Love Approach: 4 Proven Steps to Transforming Relationships in Your Family, Church, and Community

Join Lisa Hendey and Barb Szyszkiewicz for a spirit-filled conversation with Catholic Mom contributor Maria Gallagher as we discover her new book Mercy's Power: Inspiration to Serve the Gospel of Life. Mercy’s Power is a down-to-earth guide for living out the Gospel of Life, as popularized by Pope St. John Paul II.  

Maria Gallagher is the author of two books published by Marian Press, Joyful Encounters with Mary and Mercy's Power. She is also an advocate for women, children, and families and makes her home in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Valley. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Maria Gallagher on Facebook 
• Twitter: @mariaevitale 
• Instagram: @mariavgallagher 
• Website: www.MariaVGallagher.com 
• Maria Gallagher at Catholic Mom 
• Chevrolet “A Holiday to Remember” 

Show Note Links: 

• Family Rosary -- A Family Novena Celebrating Venerable Patrick Peyton's Birth
• Praying with Families Around the World
• International Try Prayer! It Works! Contest
• CatholicMom Prayercast with Fr. David Marcham #2

Join us as we welcome in the new year! This week, we gather our entire Catholic Mom team for a look at our prayers, hopes, and dreams for 2024. From discussing New Year’s resolutions to sharing why we do or don’t set goals at this time of the year, we invite you to consider what you hope for the future in your spiritual, personal, and family lives. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Daily Gospel Reflections at Catholic Mom 
• Surrender Novena 

Sam Fatzinger is the author of A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More, (Ave Maria Press), and for the Mothers Prayer Book she contributed "When Money is Tight: Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague". 

Show Note Links: 

• Ave Maria Press link to The Ave Prayerbook for Catholic Mothers
• Ave Maria Press link to A Catholic Guide to Spending Less and Living More,
• Link to EWTN.com’s “Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague.”

Lisa Hendey and Maria Johnson enjoy a conversation about storytelling with Anthony Barone Kolenc, the author of Murder at Penwood Manor. In this fifth book in The Harwood Mysteries, Xan, Christina, and Lucy must solve a murder and make life-changing decisions of their own before an innocent man is executed for the crime. 

Antony Barone Kolenc is the author of The Harwood Mysteries, an inspirational medieval fiction series for youth that has won more than a dozen book awards. He is also the host of the radio show and podcast, The Shepherd’s Pie. He is a retired Air Force officer, and he currently teaches at Ave Maria School of Law. 

Show Notes Links: 

• http://www.antonykolenc.com/   
• https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-shepherds-pie 
• CatholicTeenBooks.com  

It's the season for all the Christmas movies and specials. In this episode of Prayercast, Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson welcome Fr. Randy Mattox, a priest from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and quite an active presence for evangelization for the Great American Community.

Fr. Randy shares his conversion story and his devotion to the Blessed Mother. He also shares about his fun experience doing a cameo in a Christmas movie, and the wonderful work he does with evangelization on his social media as well as video spots for the Great American Community.

Links in Show:

Fr. Randy Mattox -- Instagram

The Engagement Plot

Great American Community

Lisa Hendey and Allison Gingras interview Scott Weeman, founder of Catholic in Recovery; recorded live at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

Scott Weeman is a marriage and family therapist and founder/executive director of Catholic in Recovery, a nonprofit organization that serves individuals and families impacted by addiction. He is the author of, "The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments" and recently the editor and compiler of, "The Catholic in Recovery Workbook". He received a Masters in Clinical Counseling and has appeared on EWTN's The Journey Home and Women of Grace and is a regular guest on Catholic Answers Live. His work has been featured on Aleteia and Patheos. Scott lives in San Diego, California, with his family. 

Show Note Links:  

• https://catholicinrecovery.com/ 
• The Catholic in Recovery Workbook 

Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson welcome CatholicMom.com founder, Lisa Hendey, for an engaging conversation on praying through the season of Advent. We share our experiences trying to slow down and "do Advent right" but we realize the idyllic and the reality are rarely the same. Lisa gives the best advice: be you.

You can also read about Janky Advent in Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s: A Black Catholic Celebration of Faith, Tradition, and Diversity by Marcia Lane-McGee and Shannon Wimp Schmidt.

Pray with us as Lisa leads us in a prayer from O Radiant Dawn. God bless you as we enter this beautiful season of Advent. 

Links in this Episode:

• LisaHendey.com
• O Radiant Dawn: 5-Minute Prayers Around the Advent Wreath