In this special Father’s Day episode, Fr. Steven sits down with Dad to reflect on his first full year of priesthood. They talk about the joys, challenges, and surprises of this past year—from parish life to school ministry—and share how it’s impacted both of them. They also discuss attending the recent Ordination Mass for Fr. Alex and Fr. Ivan, newly ordained for the Diocese of Gary. The episode wraps up with a shoutout to the upcoming Collars vs. Scholars Softball Game at Andrean’s softball fie...
Jun 15, 2025•27 min•Season 6Ep. 1
In this episode of Father and Dad , Fr. Steven shares the experience of his first Holy Week as a priest. He and his dad dive into the highs, the surprises, and the sacred moments of those unforgettable days. Fr. Steven recalls the profound experience of speaking the part of Jesus during the Palm Sunday Passion Gospel and the fraternity of the Chrism Mass where he reaffirmed his priestly promises. In an unexpected turn of events on Holy Thursday Fr. Steven needed to step in for his pastor, Fr. Te...
May 07, 2025•26 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Fr. Steven shares the incredible journey of writing The Bluff, a musical he and some friends have been working on for the past 10 years and is now set to be performed by a Catholic high school in Monroe, MI. He and Dad reflect on the creative process, how faith has shaped his storytelling, and the joy in surrendering all things to God. Join them for a thoughtful discussion on vocation, creativity and how priests - like everyone - are called to use their gifts for God's glory. Here is a link to t...
Feb 24, 2025•22 min•Season 5Ep. 10
The end of January brings with it Catholic Schools week. Fr. Steven’s home parish St. Thomas More traditionally holds and open house accompanied by a pancake breakfast on this Sunday. Fr. Steven has been assigned as the chaplain to two local catholic schools. The first is the grammar school associated with his parish. While pastor Fr. Ted serves more of an administrative role with the school Fr. Steven is able to serve as the “fun uncle”. Fr. Steven makes it a point to be there often during the ...
Jan 27, 2025•24 min•Season 5Ep. 9
This was Steven's first Christmas as a priest and it marked his first time attending Christmas mass at a parish other than his childhood parish. In recent history, midnight mass at our local parish has been a bit of a Caraher family affair with Steven and his brother serving at the altar and his mom playing music. Now that Steven is a priest, the challenge is to integrate that into our family life. Even during non-holiday times, Steven's time is not his own in that various emergency events may p...
Dec 30, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 8
The Prodigal Son has returned! Father Steven was invited to speak at St. Thomas More, his home parish. Pastor Father Mike of St. Thomas More invited Father Steven to speak during our annual 40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration. Though a parish priest's life is filled with many activities, priests must work to constantly strive for spiritual growth. Father Steven's talk preparation flowed out of this ongoing formational work. Work such as ongoing prayer, reading and reflection provided the root from...
Dec 07, 2024•25 min•Season 5Ep. 7
The past week Father Steven spent 4 days on a convocation of the priests of the Diocese of Gary. During these convocations Priests of the diocese come together. These convocations occur approximately every 2 years. One of the greatest blessings of these gatherings is the confraternity among brother priests. The group celebrated mass and prayed together during the gathering. In addition presentations were made by outside speakers. One of the outside speakers was a chaplain from Fr. Steven's colle...
Oct 27, 2024•24 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Father Steven learned that the life of a priest can often be unpredictable. Days that were once open can quickly fill up. Recently, Fr. Steven found that his open day was immediately filled. One of these items was a funeral. Fr. Steven discussed how he prepares for a funeral. The first part of preparation is getting himself ready; praying and deepening his understanding of death. The second part is preparing with the family member or members. First it is an opportunity to listen to them about th...
Sep 30, 2024•26 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Father Steven has been at his parish assignment for 2 months and has been settling in to the life of a parish priest. Along with parish life, Father Steven has been assigned as priest for both a pre-K through 8 grammar school and a local Catholic High School. Father Steven has been doing his best to be available and getting to know everyone. We discussed how these assignments came about and ultimately, it is the Bishop who makes these assignments. It is the Bishop's job to understand the needs o...
Sep 01, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Father Steven and Dad both attended the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress the past weekend and shared their experiences. The 2024 National Eucharistic Congress was the first held since 1976. This gathering was the culmination of several years of work in coordination with the National Eucharistic Revival. Eucharistic procession pilgrimages from the North, South, East and West all converged on Indianapolis for the start of the Congress. Dad had not originally planned on attending but on the Sunda...
Jul 21, 2024•37 min•Season 5Ep. 3
The day following his ordination, Steven celebrated his first mass at his home parish. Numerous brother priests and fellow seminarians celebrated this mass with Steven. Steven found the mass a mixture of both the surreal and natural. Natural in that he had prepared for this and surreal in the realization that this had all come to fruition. The homily for this first mass was given by Fr. Chris Stanish who served served as Steven's first Spiritual Director. Fr. Chris's homily focused on making cer...
Jul 01, 2024•31 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Ordination Day finally arrived! The day Steven has been preparing for these last 6 years - and even his last 28 years - came and with it a full cascade of moments, memories and emotions. Steven and Dad review the Ordination mass itself and various highlights of the day. Also discussed are particular moments that stuck out for each. Key among these were the anointing of Steven's hands with the Chrism oil, Steven being vested by Fr. Mike and then concelebrating his first mass. Another highlight wa...
Jun 11, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Steven graduated from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and with that, ended 23 consecutive years of schooling! Steven took this time to reflect back on his academic priestly formation which began in 2018 at Mundelein Seminary. The transition from college where he studied Mathematics to the seminary and Philosophy proved more challenging than expected. Figuring that the logic and mathematical thinking would easily segue into philosophy, Steven discovered things more challenging. Steven worked hard and...
Apr 28, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 10
[Production note: apologies for the imbalance of the sound on this episode.] Steven was in town for Easter and got to serve as a deacon during the Triduum at his home parish. Before the Easter break Steven partook in his final Scrutiny with the Bishop. This was a time to check in and make certain that there was no ambiguity at all. One last set of Final Exams await Steven as he wraps up his seminarian career. He has an upcoming 2 day comprehensive exam, the first day written and the second day o...
Mar 31, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Last month we discussed how during his final semester Steven has been practicing administering the various sacraments. Over the past month Steven was able to perform several "practice" confessions with his brother seminarians. Afterwards, Steven and his classmates were able to review each other's styles. We discuss the challenges that lay people face with the sacrament of Reconciliation. Regular confession helps aid the conscience and allows it to be better formed. We also chatted about Priests ...
Mar 04, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 8
With Priestly Ordination right around the corner, Steven started his final semester at school. This period of time is unique in that it offers the opportunity to prepare and pray through the mass and the sacraments. His "Mass Practicum" class during this final semester of formation involves practicing reciting the mass parts. It's been an edifying experience going through this with his brother seminarians. Steven and his brother seminarians have also practiced confessions. It has been an encoura...
Jan 28, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Steven is home for the Christmas Break. At the beginning of the break he went shopping for a chalice. For Steven it is important to choose a chalice that reveals the beauty of what is happening during consecration. The priests actions at the altar and the chalice gives a message. It can serve as a catechesis. When choosing, there are guidelines for chalices. These Guidelines can be found in General Instruction on the Roman Missal. At the start of the upcoming New Year, Steven will attend the See...
Dec 31, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 6
After a quick visit home during the Thanksgiving Break, Steven is back at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. Steven is in the middle of a Marian Consecration that he is SHARING with several fellow seminarians. This consecration is timed with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th. Steven first learned about the Marian Consecration while in college and was initially resistant to the idea. During the Summer after his first semester in seminary, Steven along with his Totus Tuus team ...
Nov 28, 2023•28 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Architecture matters. Last weekend, while visiting Detroit-area college friends, Mom & Dad were able to attend mass where Steven serves as a deacon and got to hear him preach. One of our friends is an adult student at Sacred Heart Seminary and so we took the opportunity to take a tour of the school. The design of Sacred Heart seminary reinforces its mission. Contained in a single building with several wings, the center of the structure is the chapel. Surrounded by courtyards, the whole build...
Oct 22, 2023•25 min•Season 4Ep. 4
At the end of the Summer, Steven was offered the chance to join a trip to Medugorje. While a visit to Medugorje was not on the top of his list of places to visit, Steven happily joined. On his first evening, a group of pilgrims shared that they were witnessing the miracle of the Sun. Steven was also blessed to be able to witness the miracle as well. Also, at the end of his trip Steven experienced the smell of roses when no one around him did. Moved, and energized by this generous gift, Steven wr...
Sep 17, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Steven has been enjoying his Deacon assignment this Summer. The opportunity to get more engaged with parish life has been a blessing and full of joy. One of the highlights has been preaching the homily at Sunday masses. Unlike his first homily for which he had several months to get ready, Steven enjoys the weekly cadence of reflecting on the next week's readings while preparing a homily. Steven has also been able to preside over the sacraments of baptism and last rites. Steven's favorite activit...
Jul 24, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 2
On June 3, 2023 at Holy Angels Cathedral by the power of the Most Reverend Robert J. McClory Bishop of Gary, Steven Caraher was ordained into the order of the Diaconate. I was a beautiful day both in weather and the ceremony. Though he did not sleep much the night before, Steven woke up full of energy. Seeing most of the priests of the diocese and many of the deacons participating in the ceremony, it felt part of the Mystical Body of Christ. During the Litany of the Saints, while Steven lay pros...
Jun 18, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 1
As Steven counts down the days until his ordination into the Transitional Diaconate, he has a couple of weeks of free time which raises the question; how do seminarians and priests spend their free time? First and foremost it is important to remember that time off is not a vacation from the vocation. The idea is not to escape, but more so to breath fresh air and gain fresh perspective The key is to not stop praying. Life in the seminary provides structure that ensures your day has room for parry...
May 10, 2023•22 min•Season 3Ep. 11
As a Seminarian and in the future as a Priest, Steven has set himself up to be a target of temptation. When he first announced his interest in the priesthood to Fr. Mike, Steven experienced the feeling that he did something wrong. Reflecting on that moment, Steven realized that this was a "word from the Enemy". One avenue of attack is what St Ignatius refers to as the "false lover". Someone who is not liked by the parents or society but you keep around and can't tell anyone about. Your feelings ...
Apr 08, 2023•21 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Being ordained to the diaconate is the first step towards Holy Orders. This step involves Steven make several promises; notably one of Obedience to the Bishop and a promise of celibacy. During the last 4 years of seminary, a seminarian goes through different evaluations. The process of priestly formation is not just the discernment of the seminarian but it also involves a series of evaluations. For Steven's formation, he just completed the final of three evaluations. Now that Steven has passed t...
Feb 26, 2023•25 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Steven recently took a trip to Washington DC to participate in the March for Life. This was his second time participating in the march. He found it important to be there with others, publicly witnessing. One aspect of the march was that Steven participated while wearing clerics. The first time that Steven had ever worn clerics was the prior time Steven had participated in the March. Steven shared how he felt a little awkward, not being an ordained priest, yet wearing clerics. Steven has found th...
Jan 29, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Steven is in town for the Christmas Break. Over the break he spoke at the local Holy Name Society and shared in a Bible class on Hebrews. The teacher of his class authored a book of Catholic Commentary on Hebrews. It was great that Steven could share what he had learned, but it brought up a bigger question for Dad, "How does the Bible fit it with seminary?" Steven mentioned the Four Pillars of the Program of Priestly Formation which are Spiritual, Intellectual, Pastoral and Human Formation. For ...
Jan 01, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Steven’s vocation has given our local community witness to the process of Discernment. People are able to see that discernment is not instant magic. Rather, it is a real process that involves time and work. Steven reviews several practical tools of discernment. First off is Commitment. You have to actively engage. It won’t come to you, you need to work to open yourself up. Also, building up a prayer life is a must. Ultimately you are looking to build a relationship. This takes time. Good spiritu...
Nov 27, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Mom and Dad visited Steven at Sacred Heart Major Seminary to witness his installation to the minor order of Acolyte. The minor order of Acolyte marks Steven’s progression on the road to ordination. There are many different descriptions of the minor order of Acolyte one of which is that he can officially serve at the altar. Part of Mom and Dad’s visit was a tour of Sacred Heart Major Seminary. In many ways, this seminary is like a monastery; a world within itself, order within the urban world tha...
Oct 30, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 5
We begin the episode reviewing Steven's daily routine at Seminary. Each week day does follow a pattern. Dad looked back on his college days and recalled how he would try to schedule as much activity as he could, even scheduling to do homework on Friday evenings - which never happened. We all need rest. Even God rested on the 7th day. Steven recalls how he sought rest from sources that paradoxically left him more tired. Fortunately, he met a priest in seminary who outlined 3 authentic restful act...
Sep 25, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 4
