Made for Love Ep 34: Addiction and the Family

How do Catholic families navigate the waters of addiction to drugs or alcohol? How can the Church better support recovery efforts? On this episode, hear from two men in recovery, Dan Buckley and Brian Peck, who were interviewed by Zoey Maraist at the Arlington Catholic Herald, and Bishop Burbidge in the Diocese of Arlington who has many ideas for the Church’s ministry to families dealing with addiction. We also talk with Nina Marie Corona, who experienced the heartache of watching her daughter struggle with addiction and who is certified in alcohol and drug recovery and began the programs “We Thirst” and “Afire.”

Read Zoey Maraist’s story from the Arlington Catholic Herald, “The opioid crisis is ‘a family disease'” and meet Dan and Brian. Check out their podcast— that’s where this audio came from!

I also just realized– Sara, here– that I missed an opportunity to introduce y’all to the Venerable Matt Talbot in this episode! He struggled with alcoholism, and today people ask for his intercession to become sober. I was able to see his Shrine in Dublin when we attended the World Meeting of Families last summer. Outside the shrine, people had written in chalk their names and their lengths of sobriety.

On Podbean:

And Soundcloud:

Made for Love Ep 33: Momento Mori, Dying Well

Every one of us faces death; it is a door we think that we walk through alone. But Catholics know that there is Someone who is with us even in death: Jesus Christ. Today we’re talking about dying well. This episode features Sister Theresa Aletheia, of the Daughters of St. Paul and Fr. Paul Dressler, O.F.M. Cap.

Sr. Theresa Aletheia has some great resources for Lent about this theme! Check out her website Pursued By Truth for more information.

On Soundcloud:

And Podbean:

Made for Love Ep 31: The Joy of Pets

Pets can make a huge positive difference in the life of a family. They can bring out different sides of family members, provide an opportunity to learn responsibility, and provide surprises and entertainment. On this episode, we’ll hear from Bishop Vann (Orange), who is a dog-lover, Sarah Hinds, who grew up with horses and other pets, Fr. Brian Mahoney, who writes about his cats in his parish bulletin, and a few kids with pets!

Here’s a reflection by participant Sarah Coffey on her blog about how pets can be good for your soul!

or

Made for Love Ep 30: The Dating Podcast: Stories

This episode is full of stories from Catholics dating. Some are dating fails, some are successes.

Available on Podbean:

And Soundcloud:

Check out more from Jacqueline vonSchleppenbach in this article from Verily!

Made for Love Ep 29: The Dating Podcast: Healthy Habits

How can Catholics approach dating in a healthy way? Who should do the initiating? How do you break up with someone nicely? This episode includes Dr. Kerry Cronin, the professor from Boston College who is featured in the film, The Dating Project, Dr. Paul Gondreau from Providence College, and USCCB staff members.

On podbean:

And Soundcloud:

Made for Love Ep 28: The Dating Podcast: Young Adults

The Dating Podcast: Young Adults
There’s a lot of secular evidence that there isn’t a great dating culture in America right now. What about dating as a Catholic? Today we’re talking with Dr. Kerry Cronin, the professor from Boston College who is featured in the film, The Dating Project, Dr. Paul Gondreau from Providence College, and LMFLY interns Kelly Walsh and Elizabeth Plaza.

On Podbean:

And Soundcloud:

In the first week of January, we will post a review of the movie The Dating Project by Elizabeth Plaza. Stay tuned!

Made for Love Ep 27: The Holidays: Family Festivities

The first time Alice went to Christmas with Jeff’s family, things were a little different. How do you navigate the holiday season and juggle all the family traditions with grace? Hear a few stories that will get you ready for Christmas. Also features Bishop Ricken (Green Bay) and Aaron and Lindsay Weldon.

On Soundcloud:

Or Podbean:

Made for Love Ep 26: Big Catholic Families

SPECIAL NOTE: Made for Love is now available on iTunes under its own name! (Not only under “USCCB Clips”) So please subscribe and review and tell your friends!

God’s gifts are often abundant! Today we talk with three Catholic families who have big families (by today’s standards): Jerry and Kate Hadley, parents of 10 children, along with their 3^rd (Cecilia) and 8^th (Tim) children; Andrew and Vivian Nelson, who are expecting their 8^th child, and Sam Fatzinger, mother of 13+1 foster child.

The Fatzinger family was profiled by The Washington Post for their debt-free college plan. They also run the Large Family Resource website.

Soundcloud:

Podbean:

Made for Love Ep 25: Catholics and Pornography

“Porn Kills Love.” This slogan from “Fight the New Drug” resonates with Catholic teaching about pornography. This episode is about Catholics dealing with addiction to pornography. It includes DJ Hueneman, Jeff and Annette Kohn, Kevin and Krista Burridge, Patty Breen, and Perry West.

Soundcloud:

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The 2005 USCCB statement “Create in Me a Clean Heart” (Also in Spanish) addresses the crisis of pornography in today’s world. There’s an abridged version if you are pressed for time! The conference also publishes pamphlets to help particular groups:

• For Married Couples
• On Raising Children
• For Priests
• For Those Struggling with Addiction

The USCCB’s For Your Marriage website also has resources and help for people dealing with pornography.

The journal Humanum has a beautiful witness story: The Cleansing of the Temple: Casting Pornography Out of Marriage

Made for Love Ep 24: Young People in the Church

As the bishops of the Church discussed during last month’s synod in Rome, we here at home are discussing young people, the faith, and discernment with Bishop Caggiano of Bridgeport (also a delegate to the synod), Bishop Sis of San Angelo, Sr. Helena Burns, fsp, Anna Carter of the Eden Invitation, and 3 young people: Jeanne Marie Hathway, Kelly Walsh, and Elizabeth Plaza.

Listen on Soundcloud:

Or Podbean:

And here are a few resources about discernment (including consolation and desolation, as mentioned in the episode):

USCCB:

• Discernment Tools
• Resources for Parents on Vocations
• Vocation Videos
• Parish Vocation Resources
• Campus Ministry Vocation Resource

Other
(Not endorsed! Just Sara’s googling and a cursory check that it’s not crazy…)

• Introduction to Discernment of Spirits
• Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s Podcast and Website on Discernment of Spirits (Author of Discerning the Will of God and many other books on this topic.

Made for Love Ep 23: Catholic, Divorced

Catholics who are divorced go through a hard process, and can feel forgotten, marginalized, or unwanted at our parishes. How can we make sure that is not the case?  This episode features Rose Sweet of Divorce Healing and Surviving Divorce, Patty Breen, Brad Grey, and Fr. Steve Porter.

On Soundcloud:

And Podbean:

Patty Breen has written a few pieces on divorce for Blessed is She and Catholic Match Institute, such as: “3 Myths about Catholics and Divorce” and “How to Navigate the Worst Days After Divorce”

Made for Love Ep 22: Childbirth: Life-Giving Love

Catholics have a well of spiritual insight to dip into to prepare for the birth of a child. On today’s episode, you’ll hear from Mary Haseltine, author of Made for This: The Catholic Mom’s Guide to Birth, Haley Stewart (from the popular blog Carrots for Michaelmas) and birth stories from a few of Sara’s friends, including a baby who was born in the car in the driveway of the hospital: good catch, dad!

On Soundcloud:

Or Podbean:

Made for Love Episode 20: Families who Love Members with Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome is a part of many Catholic families’ stories. Children with Down Syndrome bring immense joy into their families, even as their intellectual disabilities and medical problems may bring crosses and hardships. Today we’ll hear from Archbishop Kurtz (Louisville), a family who have children with Down Syndrome (J.D. and Kate Flynn), a UK filmmaker (Randal Wright), and a reporter from Aleteia (Zoe Romanowsky).

And here’s a link to the story that Zoe talks about on the podcast: https://aleteia.org/2018/03/19/50-moms-join-in-car-pool-karaoke-with-their-kids-to-shed-light-on-down-syndrome-video/

On Podbean:

And Soundcloud:

Made for Love Ep 19: Cultural Differences in Marriage

Navigating cultural differences in marriage can be a challenge but brings great rewards. This episode features Dusan and Elizabeth Turcon, Christine and Ysias Martinez, Justin and Bernadette McClain, and Dunn and Mary Estacio.

Available on podbean:

Or soundcloud!

Made for Love Ep 17: NFP part one

Natural Family Planning, Part One!
Chastity doesn’t mean abstinence, but rather integrating one’s sexual impulses into love. That’s obviously important in marriage. Anticipating Natural Family Planning awareness week (July 22-28), we talk about NFP with Amy and Duston Stout, Mark and Leslie Wolf, and Rachel and Dax.

Tons of information on NFP is available at the USCCB website. 

For example, here’s a page with current medical research about fertility awareness.

If you are interested in finding a class, here’s a directory that includes programs with distance learning.

National NFP Awareness Week is July 22-28, 2018. This year’s theme is “Generations of Love.”

And since Rachel talked about a few books in the podcast, here are links to those:

Life-Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn and John Paul II’s letter Familiaris Consortio

Made for Love Ep 16: Humanae Vitae 50 Years Later: Part 2

On today’s Made for Love, we continue to look at Humanae Vitae fifty years later. What is the Church’s teaching on the “transmission of life”? This episode features Chris and Becky Wilson, Sister Helena Burns, fsp, Chris Reynolds from the Couple to Couple League, Dr. John Grabowski of CUA, and Dr. Theresa Notare of the USCCB’s NFP office.

Here are the Resolutions of the Lambeth Conference of 1930.

Made for Love Episode 15: Humanae Vitae Anniversary (Part 1)

Humanae Vitae Part 1
On today’s Made for Love, we look at Humanae Vitae from the perspective of fifty years of change. What is HV all about? Have Pope Paul VI’s predictions come true? This episode features Bishop Ricken (Green Bay), Bishop Rassas (Auxiliary in Chicago), Dr. John Grabowski of CUA, Sister Helena Burns, fsp, Dr. Theresa Notare of the USCCB’s NFP office, and Dr. Lionel and Janet Yaceczko.

Here’s the 1968 Encyclical Humanae Vitae that we are talking about today. That’s the Vatican translation, as Dr. Lionel Yaceczko reads it on the podcast. Here’s another translation, by Dr. Janet Smith (scroll down to find the encyclical).

The USCCB NFP office is keeping an up-to-date list of events and resources for the anniversary.

Here’s Dr. John Grabowski’s faculty page at the Catholic University of America.

Made for Love Ep 14 Fatherhood: the Masculine Genius

Fathers are a gift to their children. Fatherhood is also an immense task; a father is meant to give unconditional love and acceptance, along with protection and challenge. This episode features Bishop Sis (San Angelo), Bishop Paprocki (Springfield), Mark Hartfiel of That Man is You, Paul Jarzembowski and Andy Lichtenwalner from the USCCB, Katy Doran of CanaVox, Deborah Savage from the University of St. Thomas, and Joseph Capizzi from Catholic University.

Links to some of my guests’ organizations:
That Man Is You from Paradisus Dei
CanaVox

And as always, the episode is also on Soundcloud and iTunes (USCCB Clips)!

Made for Love Ep 12: Bishops have Moms, Too!

Bishops have Moms, too!
On this episode of Made for Love, bishops speak about their mothers and celebrate the gift that motherhood is for the Church and the world. Bishops Caggiano (Bridgeport), Mansour (Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn), Paprocki (Springfield, IL), Ricken (Green Bay), and Sis (San Angelo).

Made for Love Episode 11: Sports and the Family

Sports and the Family
He shoots… he scores! Did you know one of our bishops was a hockey player who has also run 23 marathons? Find out more on today’s Made for Love, as we discuss how sports can enrich family life. This episode features Steve Splonskowski, Bishop Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Sister M. Xavier Schulze, FSGM, and Jeanne and Veronica Canavan.