Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast - podcast cover

Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast

Welcome to the pew. The place where everyday catholic guys, talk about everyday catholic things, in front of the one person that can do something about it. Jesus Christ
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Episodes

A Spirit Of Power

BECOME A PARTNER IN THE PEW AND GET A FREE ROSARY 📿 https://donorbox.org/free-rosary-may-24 Today, we’re celebrating Pentecost – the birth of the Church and the powerful movement of the Holy Spirit. 🕊️ We’re diving into why Pentecost feels like celebrating everyone’s birthday at Mass. We’ll also explore the boldness of the apostles in Acts. This isn’t just a story – it's real. The Holy Spirit has been with us for 2000 years, helping us live without fear and with grace. We're here for a purpose...

May 20, 202448 min

I Just Want To Feel Better

This week, John and Victor are unpacking a topic that hits home for a lot of us. Ever found yourself thinking, "If only I could feel a bit better, everything would be okay"? John dives into this headfirst, sharing some raw stories about the quick fixes he sought in confession and men's groups, recalling moments in his life after getting out of prison where he found himself missing the grace he felt in the jail cell. But here’s the real talk—feeling better isn’t the same as being better. John and...

May 13, 202440 min

Death By Isolation

Dive into this episode with John and Victor, where they chat about the ups and downs of supporting their loved ones through major life milestones. This time around, they're celebrating the big wins of Lily and Angela, and they don't shy away from sharing just how tough it's been to get here. In a candid discussion, John opens up about his journey with ten men who are finding their way out of some really tough times, weaving in the powerful image of the vine and branches from John 15:1-8. They ta...

May 07, 202443 min

Will Work For Sanctity

Whether your job feels monotonous or mundane, this conversation reveals how it can still serve as a profound act of worship and transformation. Join us as we unpack how even the simplest tasks can glorify God and change our lives, making every day an opportunity to live out a testament of faith and purpose. He leadeth me by Fr. Walter J. Ciszek S.J. provides a pathway to discovering how we can live and work within God's will, turning every workday into a step towards spiritual fulfillment. Get F...

Apr 29, 202442 min

Stop Settling For Less

This week John and Victor discuss the true purpose of life . . . and it isn't anything the world offers us. Many men today are wrapped up in a materialist culture, putting their careers and possessions above everything else, only to realize later in life that they missed out on some of the most important things in their lives. Others think that it's enough just to show up to church on Sundays and go about their business. Maybe for some they fear that what they would get if they gave everything u...

Apr 22, 202441 min

You Can't Stay There!

This episode brings you an in-depth exploration of men's ministry and personal development, filmed against the backdrop of our recent leadership summit in Columbus, Ohio. Join John and Victor as they unpack the transformative experiences of the summit, where men gathered to deepen their faith and leadership skills. The duo shares stories of reconnection and inspiration, reflecting on the powerful moments of community building and spiritual renewal. They delve into the importance of maintaining m...

Apr 16, 202443 min

I'm Going Fishing

In this week's episode, John and Victor take a look at the journey and life of Peter in the 40 Days after the Resurrection. As they reflect on the Scripture readings from the first Friday of the Easter season, John and Victor draw parallels between the biblical stories of Peter's denial and his subsequent redemption, exploring themes of vulnerability, forgiveness, and the endless capacity for personal growth and healing in the light of Christ's mercy. This episode is a raw look at the moments of...

Apr 09, 202446 min

Love Of The Scriptures With Hector Molina

This week John is joined by one of his favorite brothers in Christ, fellow evangelist Hector Molina. John and Hector have been friends for many years now and are finally getting a chance to meet in studio to talk about their mutual love of the Scriptures. Hector is a brilliant evangelist with a story, just like the rest of us, that led him to a relationship with Christ and a deep love of Scripture. Listen in this week as Hector shares his journey to the faith, his love of biblical typology, and ...

Apr 02, 20241 hr 10 min

Lenten Series - Your Whole Heart Pt. 7 Pride

A Blessed Holy Week to you. Join John and Victor as we conclude the Lenten journey with the 7th Deadly Sin: Pride, the root of all sin. "In that sin man preferred himself to God...He chose himself over and against God, against the requirements of his creaturely status and therefore against his own good" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 398). How do we return to God? Humility. "Humility is truth or the recognition of gifts as gifts, faults as faults. Humility is dependence on God, as ...

Mar 26, 202449 min

Lenten Series - Your Whole Heart Pt. 6 - Lust

The journey continues as John and Victor dive deeper into the 7 Deadly Sins. This week's focus is Lust, the "disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure" (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], paragraph 2351). According to Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the key word is inordinate. God Himself associated pleasure with the flesh. Pleasure becomes sinful when we use it as a means instead of an end. Lust distorts the gift of sexuality and causes us to gaze only upon ourselves and ou...

Mar 19, 202450 min

Lenten Series - Your Whole Heart Pt 5- Gluttony

Join John and Victor as the Lenten journey continues on the 7 Deadly Sins. This week's focus is Gluttony, or overindulgence of food and drink. How we live and the way we treat ourselves matters. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Scripture passages to pray with: - Romans 12:1 - Romans 13:14 - 1 Corinth...

Mar 12, 202442 min

Lenten Series- Your Whole Heart Pt.4 - Greed

"Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Matthew 6:21 Join John and Victor in the Lenten journey on the 7 Deadly Sins this week as they discuss the sin of Greed. Our possessions, time, and talents are gifts from the Lord and how often we allow our attachments to these things to control us and rob us of our joy and living a life of freedom with the Lord. Hoard not the things of the world, but virtue, prayer, time with Him. How do we combat greed? Charity. Generosity. Seeing everyt...

Mar 05, 202439 min

Lenten Series - Your Whole Heart Pt. 3: Sloth

“Run as to Win” - 1 Corinthians 9:24 John and Vic continue their Lenten Series on the 7 Deadly Sins this week by focusing on Sloth. All of us struggle with sloth both physically and spiritually at times in our lives. If we aren’t careful though, giving into comfort and putting down our crosses can lead us far away from the Lord. It doesn’t take long either. Listen in this week as John and Vic discuss the dangers of becoming slothful and share tips on how to run the race as to win. In this Episod...

Feb 27, 202446 min

Lenten Series: Your Whole Heart Pt. 2 - Anger

“In your anger do not sin” - Ephesians 4:26 This week John and Victor continue their Lenten Series on the seven deadly sins and how they impede us from being able to "return to God with our whole hearts" ( Joel 2:12). The sin of the week is Anger. Many of us struggle almost daily with anger. Sometimes our anger is just and sometimes it is unjust. So how do you know the difference and if your anger is actually a sin? If your anger is festering and is bad for you then how do you rid yourself of it...

Feb 20, 202438 min

Lenten Series: Your Whole Heart Pt. 1-Envy

"Envy is the assassination of brotherly love." - Archbishop Fulton Sheen A blessed Lent to you all! This week kicks off a new Lenten Series on the 7 deadly sins from John and Victor. In this week's episode we begin our Lenten journey as John and Victor discuss envy, one of the seven deadly sins that goes unnoticed but can undermine our spiritual health. The guys share their own personal battles with envy, revealing how it has manifested in their lives and the struggles they've faced in overcomin...

Feb 12, 202439 min

It's Time To Get Uncomfortable

"The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." - Pope Benedict XVI You don't have to look around long to see that the world needs Catholics that are willing to boldly live their faith. Unfortunately, many of us can often find ourselves retreating back into the comfort and safety of those like us. While there is nothing wrong with surrounding ourselves with like minded people, we must never close the door to those in need or become uninviting to th...

Feb 06, 202440 min

You Just Never Know

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about" We all have had confrontations with strangers, co-workers, and even family and friends that haven't always gone the way we would like. Oftentimes, these interactions can leave us upset and we can move quickly to anger, premature judgments, and resentment towards the other person. As Christians, we are called to be better than that. We are called to love others, to forgive, and to turn the other cheek. While these are not easy things...

Jan 30, 202438 min

Following the Footsteps of Christ

Join us for a special episode this week as John welcomes his friend Hani for an interview about living as a Christian in the Holy Land. Experiencing the kindness of a pilgrim as a young child, he now devotes his life to leading pilgrims to encounter the person of Jesus Christ and the land in which he lived and ministered. With a passion for connecting the New and Old Testaments, Hani invites us into life in the Holy Land and the gift of leading others to the Lord.

Jan 16, 202456 min

Trial Or Opportunity?

All is gift! Join John and Victor this week as they discuss the power of receiving everything-trials and sufferings included- as a gift from the Lord. As St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). The Lord desires to use every moment of our lives to draw us back into union with Him. Nothing is wasted! May this year be an opportunity of greater trust, surrender, and freedom in ...

Jan 09, 202440 min

Forgetting What Lies Behind

Happy New Year! At least that's what we all want it to be. Many of us, though, fail in our resolutions and quit before we even get started. Ever wonder why? We listen to the wrong voice, that's why. The one that shows up to convict you of your mistakes and throws your past failures in your face. That voice is the voice of the Evil One. So how do we move past it and start moving forward? By "forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead." ( Phil 3:13) Listen in this week as...

Jan 02, 202443 min

There's No Distance He Won't Go

See what love (1 John 3:1) "The one who holds the world in being was lying in a manger...The heavens cannot contain him, but a woman carried him in her bosom...May he make us into children of God, since for our sake he was willing to be made a child of man" (St. Augustine). This is our God. This is the God who reveals His power through humility, love, and mercy. Join John and Victor as they share the hope and freedom Jesus' birth brings into our lives. "See what love the Father has bestowed on u...

Dec 19, 202333 min

Advent- Remember Your Blessings

Remembrance is at the heart of the Christian life. When we forget who we are and Whose we are, we often fail to see the great gift of our lives and the abundant blessings we have received. Join John and Victor as they challenge us to focus not simply on the material gifts of Christmas, but on The Gift of Christ and his saving power in our lives. Found in this episode: -the necessity and simplicity of gratitude -the joy of giving -Allowing our hearts to be needy and poor before the Lord www.donor...

Dec 12, 202335 min

Don't Sleep On Advent

The great mystery of Christmas is commemorating the historical event of the birth of the Messiah and simultaneously the preparation of the second coming of Christ. As St. John Paul II said, "Our whole life should be an 'advent', in vigilant expectation of Christ's final coming." Preparation and expectation. How we live our everyday lives matters. Join John and Victor as they address the temptation to get caught up in the busyness of Christmas and reject the gift of the Advent season. In this epi...

Dec 05, 202335 min

Division And Disunity With Fr. Malachy CFR

Where are your eyes? In the midst of the storms of life, we are often focused on the winds, the waves, and the darkness, tempted to cling to someone or something other than the Lord. Join John and his dear friend, Fr. Malachy, CFR, as they follow the example of St. Francis in focusing not on the confusion and disunity of the world, but on Jesus alone. Because Francis allowed himself to be changed by Jesus, he changed the world around him. Will we, too, allow our hearts to be the place where the ...

Nov 28, 202341 min

The Father's Delight with Fr Malachy Joseph Napier, CFR

In this special episode, John welcomes back to the pew his close friend Fr. Malachy Joseph Napier, CFR. In recent weeks, both Fr Malachy and John have struggled with the same issue: believing that they have to do it all themselves. Listen in this week to hear how on two separate journeys, both men were brought back to the truth of who God is and what he wants for us. God delights in us and desires for us to slow down, rest in Him, and to remember that we don't have to have it all figured out. So...

Nov 21, 202339 min

Come Out Of Hiding

"God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy." ~ Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel Join John and Victor this week as they discuss the great power of the sacrament of Confession. "The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God's grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1468). Intimate and life-giving friendship is what the Lord desires for each one of us. Listen as the men share moment...

Nov 14, 202341 min

The Need For Real Friendship

"If we don't have a relationship with one another, then we're missing out on the greatest gifts of life, which is friendship." On this week's episode John welcomes David Hall, one of his closest friends, to discuss the importance of authentic friendship. The two of them discuss the need for genuine connections and the impact it can have on a man's life and his faith. They share personal stories of their friendship and how it has made them better men. John and David encourage us to be open and wi...

Nov 07, 202343 min

Joyful Ever After with Damon Owens

"Be a Gift." John is joined this week by his friend, Damon Owens, international speaker and founder of Joyful Ever After, a nonprofit to help you get the marriage you want from the marriage you have. The men discuss Damon's work of speaking, teaching, and living a life formed by St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, a masterpiece that unveils the answers to our deepest questions of life, love, and sexuality. Join John and Damon as they share how they are living this out in their marriages and...

Oct 24, 20231 hr 1 min

Handling Rejection

"If your life depends on the affirmation of others, then it can be easily destroyed by the rejection of others." On this week's episode John and Victor talk about the pain of rejection and the choice we have in how to handle it. We all have, or will face the rejection of others at some point in our lives. We are not alone in experiencing rejection though. Jesus experienced it more than anyone in history and we can look to Him to see the proper way to handle it. Listen in this week as the guys ta...

Oct 17, 202334 min

Learning From Your Mistakes

"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination." - St. Augustine This week on the show, John and Victor discuss how important it is to own up to your sins. They dive into the impact of blame, guilt and shame and how it can become overbearing. They also discuss how God does not want us to wallow in our pity or our sins. Finally, they talk about how you can later prevent your sins once you understand why you are committing them. How will ...

Oct 10, 202334 min
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