Episode 91: Pope Leo and Leadership
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to serve in this ministry, is role modeling a kind of leadership and masculinity that is desperately needed.
May 14, 2025•6 min
Growing in Faith, Hope, and Love
Healthy psychology and healthy spirituality go hand in hand. We explore issues and questions that touch on the journey to self-knowledge and our ever deepening friendship with God.
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Episodes
Episode 90: Creating an Ethical Will
An ethical will, also known as a legacy letter, is an opportunity to share values, blessings, and/or family history with our heirs and future generations. A legal will outlines what will happen with your material wealth; an ethical bequeaths the wealth of your wisdom.
Jan 15, 2025•7 min
Episode 89: An Advent Spirituality of Animal Companions
St. Francis of Assisi used his Christmas creche - with a live ox and donkey - to teach the radical truth of how God chose to become incarnate among creatures. Advent invites us to rediscover our creatureliness, and in the process celebrate our animal companions - fellow creatures who have much to teach us about being human.
Dec 17, 2024•5 min
Episode 88: A Collage of Saints
A brief reflection for the month of All Souls, 2024: how our relationships with those on the other side of life and death can continue and deepen through the Communion of Saints.
Nov 06, 2024•5 min
Episode 87: Jesus, Role Model for Men Part 2
We explore how Jesus offers an alternative paradigm for masculinity, with a focus on leadership, dealing with adversity, and ordering one's priorities.
Aug 30, 2024•7 min
Episode 86: Jesus, Role Model for Men Part 1
In this episode, I invite us to consider Jesus as role model and mentor for men, as a portrait of authentic masculinity. He shows us the importance of having a mentor, of solitude and self-care, of expressing emotion and vulnerability.
May 05, 2024•6 min
Episode 85: A Spirituality of Dignity, Decorum & Decency
We briefly explore 10 biblically rooted principles that might lead us collectively toward being a more dignified, decent, decorous people.
Apr 28, 2024•9 min
Episode 84 : American Meanness
Why has America become so mean? We explore some possible roots of this culture crisis, and how our religious traditions can serve to re-introduce the skills of how to be a good neighbor and a moral person.
Apr 02, 2024•7 min
Episode 83 : Healing the Broken Heart at Xmas
Jesus was born in a the least expected of places - a stable, surrounded by animals and their dung! This deeply compassionate action of God shows us that the healing Divine Light seeks to be birthed in the smelly stables within each of us. Where is that place for you this Christmas?
Dec 27, 2023•3 min
Episode 82 : God Writes Straight With Crooked Lines
Jesus' ancestors were quite a crew! Among them we find liars, murderers, prostitutes, and overall rogues, yet God choose to work with these people and was able to bring something glorious out of their many flaws.
Dec 09, 2023•9 min
Episode 81: Praying with the Communion of Saints
This is a meditation/prayer that invites you to pray with the Communion of Saints - our loved ones and soul friends who now pray with and for us from their heavenly place. As you listen to the meditation, feel welcome to pause after the prompts so you can spend as much time in quiet prayer as you need. I originally wrote this for my students at Fordham Prep. We prayed it together in our little chapel at school and I was overwhelmed by their heartfelt, deeply touching reflections. I hope you will...
Nov 09, 2023•8 min
Episode 80: An Ignatian Spirituality of Self-Care
St. Ignatius did not want his Jesuits to burn out in a fit of what he called "zeal without knowledge." He wanted their ministries to be fruitful over the long haul. We know this as cura personalis - care for the person. Our podcast explores the the roots of this spiritual principle and how can can apply its wisdom to our lives.
Sep 04, 2023•7 min
Episode 79: Ignatian Spirituality - The Magis
St. Ignatius affirmed that our choices should be oriented toward "the greater glory of God", that is, we should dedicate our time and energy to those things that will do the greatest good for the greatest number, the most "universal good." This goal is expressed in a principle called "magis." We explore the meaning and some misunderstandings of this key term.
Jun 29, 2023•8 min
Episode 78: The Ascension - Grace in Parting
The ascension is both a sacred event in the history of the church and a symbol of a paradox of the human condition - we can only give our presence more deeply by going away so that others can receive the full blessing of our spirits.
May 20, 2023•5 min
Episode 77: What does the resurrection mean for us today?
Easter is more than a commemoration of something that happened 2000 years ago. The resurrection of Jesus empowers us to live transformed lives now. Moreover we are invited to welcome this power into those places within and without that are most in need of light and new life.
Apr 08, 2023•5 min
Episode 76: Practicing Hope in Holy Week
As Jesus journeyed through his final days to his death, he role-modeled what it means to practice hope. We explore the difference between hope and optimism, and how hope invites us to tend God's work, no matter the circumstances.
Apr 07, 2023•6 min
Episode 75: Going to the desert within
Lent is modeled on the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, 40 days of facing the chaos that sought to tear him apart. We are called to follow his example. In this episode we highlight some reflection questions which might serve us as we do our lenten spiritual work.
Feb 28, 2023•4 min
Episode 74: Bless More and Curse Less
A great commandment of the spiritual life is to bless others more and curse them less. We explore how to bless, what "cursing" looks like and what it means to be a blessing.
Jan 17, 2023•9 min
Episode 73: Joseph, Symbol of Discernment
Joseph role-models for us what it means to listen for the guidance of God and act on it; he teaches us that the loudest, most demanding, aggressive voices are not always voices of truth.
Dec 19, 2022•6 min
Episode 72 - Reflections on Non-Violence
My Fordham Prep students and I recently concluded a study of Hinduism with a focus on this great tradition's teaching about non-violence. This podcast summarizes foundational Hindu teaching that invites one to peaceful and non-violent living, with a focus on the example of Gandhi.
Dec 03, 2022•8 min
Episode 71 - Reflections on Purgatory
Purgatory is not a place of punishment, but a stage of loving; a time and space where we do the work of forgiving, reconciling, letting go.
Nov 10, 2022•7 min
Episode 70 - Tending Our Mental Health as Spiritual Practice
Much like our physical health, our mental health needs care and tending. We explore a few avenues of mental health self-care and how this work promotes spiritual vitality.
Oct 12, 2022•9 min
Episode 69 -A Jesuit Spirituality of Joie De Vivre!
What makes for a full, fruitful, meaningful joyful life? We explore a centuries-old Jesuit approach to making the most of one's day, a way packed with wisdom for joie de vivre!
Sep 18, 2022•8 min
Episode 68 - In The Footsteps of Peace : On Resolving Conflicts
Though we profess to be a "peaceful" people, we are not taught the ways of peace-making nor do we know its role models. Our reflections explore a step-by-step process for resolving conflicts.
Sep 04, 2022•7 min
Episode 67 - Healing the Shame
Shame is a powerful, malevolent, oppressive energy that feels like an endless downward push, leaving one without the capacity to feel God's mercy. Liberation from shame is part of what it means to be saved, to be redeemed. We explore how we can journey from shame to healing with the help of God’s grace.
Jul 25, 2022•11 min
Episode 66 - Escaping the Victim Trap
"Victim trap" thinking seduces us into identifying with a wound and living in a cycle of rehearsing old hurts, retelling painful stories, and living in the past. But this is not God's desire and hope for us. We explore how the resources of our spiritual tradition can help us move toward healing and wholeness.
Jul 18, 2022•8 min
Episode 65 - How To Talk With Your Teen About Sex
We explore how we can talk with teens about a some important topics around sex - values, communication, boundaries, and consent. Above all, we can help them to understand that sexuality is part of our spirituality and is a gift from God meant to be used properly.
Jun 30, 2022•7 min
Episode 64 - The Art of Apology
Our culture tends to see apologizing as weakness. The way of Christ, alternatively, is a way of self-knowledge, accountability, healing, reconciliation, and rectification. We explore a spirituality of apology through a practical five-step approach.
Jun 11, 2022•6 min
Episode 63 - The Jesuit Tradition of Gentleness
The first Jesuits were very intentional about bringing a spirit of gentleness to their schools. In this episode we explore the characteristics of a gentle approach to life, both inside and outside the classroom.
Apr 30, 2022•10 min
Episode 62 - Holy Week 2022
Among the most significant spiritual tasks we face is how to make the time of our ultimate parting abundantly fruitful. As we walk with Jesus through Holy Week, he role models how in word and deed we can make our dying a gift of peace, forgiveness, and love.
Apr 14, 2022•5 min
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