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/ 

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 

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. 

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” 

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 

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  

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 

Lisa Hendey, Maria Johnson, Bayleigh Marquis, Allison Gingras and Barb Szyszkiewicz come together live for a special “Sound-seeing Pilgrimage” to the Father Peyton Center, the home of Holy Cross Family Ministries.

Join our entire Catholic Mom team for a special “Sound-seeing Pilgrimage” to the Father Peyton Center, the home of Holy Cross Family Ministries. Lisa Hendey, Maria Johnson, Bayleigh Marquis, Allison Gingras and Barb Szyszkiewicz visit the Chapel, the Museum of Family Prayer, and the Faith Gallery. We conclude our tour at the gravesite of Venerable Patrick Peyton, CSC. Father Peyton, pray for us! 

Show Notes Links: 

• Holy Cross Family Ministries 
• Museum of Family Prayer 
• Venerable Patrick Peyton, CSC  

Lisa Hendey welcomes Journey to Bethlehem Director and Writer Adam Anders and his wife and co-writer Nikki for a fun conversation about the feature film.  

Journey to Bethlehem—A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family, weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told, the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it. 

ADAM ANDERS is a four-time Grammy nominee and two-time People’s Choice Award winner. For many years, he served as the executive music producer of “Glee” and recently re-teamed with “Glee” co-creator Ryan Murphy to produce Netflix’s feature film “The Prom.” His company, Anders Media Inc., produces film and television content for global audiences. He has sold over 100 million records and worked with artists ranging from the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus to Andy Grammar and Ceelo Green.  His music has been heard in such film productions as High School Musical, The Wedding Planner, Captain Underpants, and Rock of Ages. His many other credits include executive producing the television shows “Perfect Harmony,” starring Bradley Whitford for NBC and the international hit teen musical “Kally’s Mashup,” which he created based on his own life; he is also credited with executive producing the faith-based FOX live television event “The Passion,” starring Tyler Perry, which generated the No. 1 soundtrack on Billboard. Anders is represented by John Frankenheimer and Scott Edel from Loeb & Loeb. 

NIKKI ANDERS is a singer and songwriter who was the founding member of the multi-platinum Christian group AVALON.  She previously has penned songs for film and TV, including Glee, Kally's Mashup, The Young Victoria, and High School Musical, as well as for artists ranging from Sheryl Crow to Selena Gomez.  She also starred in the reality show “The Glee Project” and served as its music mentor. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Official Website for Journey to Bethlehem - https://www.journeytobethlehemmovie.com/  
• Official Trailer for Journey to Bethlehem - https://youtu.be/EFXcEWalXBI?si=6OalO5qCfud6buLD 

Lisa Hendey and Barb Szyszkiewicz enjoy a conversation on the “spirituality of messiness” at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress with Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA, author of the forthcoming spiritual biography For Love of the Broken Body: A Spiritual Memoir (April 2024). 

Julia Walsh is a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and part of her congregation’s formation team, serving women who are discerning their vocation. She co-founded The Fireplace, an intentional community and house of hospitality on Chicago’s southside that offers spiritual support to seekers, artists, and activists. She has a MA in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union and is a spiritual director and secondary teacher. As a creative writer, educator, and retreat presenter she is passionate about exploring the intersection of creativity, spirituality, activism, and community life. Sister Julia’s work can be found in publications such as America, Living Faith Catholic Devotional, National Catholic Reporter, Living City, The Christian Century, Chicago Sun-Times, and St. Anthony Messenger. She hosts the Messy Jesus Business blog and podcast and is on Twitter and Instagram as @JuliaFSPA. A lover of the outdoors, she sometimes can be found studying wildflowers near Elgin, Iowa, her hometown. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Messy Jesus Business  
• Instagram and Twitter - @JuliaFSPA 
• For Love of the Broken Body: A Spiritual Memoir 

Lisa Hendey and Maria Morera Johnson welcome Catholic Mom Contributor Rebecca W. Martin for a conversation about her adorable new children’s book Meet Sister Mary Margaret. 

Lisa Hendey and Bayleigh Marquis are joined by Catholic Mom contributor Susan Ciancio for a conversation about how we can embrace and teach a culture of life in our homes and in society. 

The Culture of Life Studies Program is a pre-K-12 Catholic, pro-life education program that supplements regular school curricula and that teaches students the value and dignity of all people—born and preborn. We offer standalone lessons on topics such as the sanctity of life, marriage, euthanasia, the preborn baby, caring for others, and many lessons on saints that range from one day to four weeks and that are easily integrated into a school, a homeschool, or a CCE lesson plan. 

Susan Ciancio is a freelance editor who serves as the director and executive editor of American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program and is executive editor of ALL’s Celebrate Life Magazine. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Susan Ciancio at Catholic Mom: https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/susan-ciancio  
• CLSP website: all.org/clsp  
• CLSP essay contest page: prolifeessay.com 

Maria Johnson, Barb Szyszkiewicz, and Lisa Hendey chat about all things food in this fun episode about cooking as a chore, a hobby, a health tool, and a lifelong learning project.

CatholicMom team members Maria Johnson, Barb Szyszkiewicz, and Lisa Hendey share their adventures in the kitchen in this lively chat about all things food.  Listen to this fun episode about cooking as a chore, a hobby, a health tool, and a lifelong learning project. 

Show Notes Links: 

• Meatless Fridays at Catholic Mom  
• Plan to Eat
• Barb’s recipe website: CookAndCount

Lisa Hendey sits down with Fr. Tom Gibbons, CSP, at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress to chat about his work with Paulist Productions. 

In addition to his work as Vice President of Paulist Productions, Fr. Tom serves at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Los Angeles, California. 

Paulist Productions was founded over 50 years ago to create thought provoking entertainment that explores the human condition, and has produced award-winning documentaries, feature films, television, and TV movies addressing pressing social issues and important moral questions. Paulist has provided programming for Paramount, Warner Bros., CBS, ABC, A&E, the History Channel, Hallmark Hall of Fame, and UPtv. In a time of rapid change and declining options for family viewing, Paulist is dedicated to developing positive programming with meaningful content. The HUMANITAS Prize, one of screenwriting's most prestigious awards, was founded by Paulist Productions. 

Show Notes Link: 

Paulist Productions - https://www.paulistproductions.org/  

hollywoodpriest.com

serrastatues.com