St. Josemaria Institute Podcast - podcast cover

St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

St. Josemaria Institute www.stjosemaria.org

Tune in to the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast to fuel your prayer and conversation with God. 

On our weekly podcast we share meditations given by priests who, in the spirit of St. Josemaria Escriva, offer points for reflection to guide you in your personal prayer and help you grow closer to God.

The meditations are typically under 30 minutes so that you can take advantage of them during your time of prayer, commute, walk, lunch, or any time you want to listen to something good.


The St. Josemaria Institute was established in 2006 in the United States to promote the life and teachings of St. Josemaria, priest and founder of Opus Dei, through prayer, devotions, digital and social media, and special programs and initiatives.

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Episodes

A Jubilee of Youth: The Cross and the Anchor

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Leo Austin reflects on the spirit of the Jubilee of Youth, inviting young people, and all who are young at heart, to rediscover the joyful call of Christ amidst the challenges of life. Drawing from the parable of the wheat and weeds (Matthew 13), Fr. Leo reminds us that the Christian journey is not about eradicating every difficulty or fixing every flaw immediately. Like the disciples who gathered around Jesus after their missions, we are called to walk with Ch...

Jul 22, 202524 min

Rooted in Truth: Elijah, Mount Carmel, and the Promise of Our Lady

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Fred Dolan reflects on the dramatic showdown between the prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), commemorated in the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Fr. Fred highlights Elijah’s courage in standing alone for the truth and explains how Catholics today are called to live with similar conviction in a world that often abandons its spiritual foundations. Listen now to reflect on: • Elijah’s bold witness on Mount Carmel in defense of the true God...

Jul 15, 202513 min

The Tower of the City

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Leo Austin reflects on the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary in every step of the way of our lives and vocation. Marking the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Shrine of Torreciudad (Spain), Fr. Leo draws from the Gospel of Luke, the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, and the Church’s mission to recall and praise Mary’s role in guiding us with strength, peace, and joy. Listen now to reflect on: • Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth as a model of divine initiati...

Jul 08, 202531 min

Reclaiming Childhood in the Digital Age

In our meditation of the week :Msgr. Fred Dolan explores the spiritual and societal impact of our growing dependence on digital devices, particularly among the young. Drawing on insights from Professor Jonathan Haidt’s "The Anxious Generation" and recent cultural trends, the meditation helps us bring to our prayer the devastating effects of our digital age on our attention, mental health, and spiritual life. Listen now to reflect on: • The transformation from play-based to phone-based childhood ...

Jul 01, 202520 min

“Born for Greater Things”: Celebrating the Feast of St. Josemaria Escriva

In our meditation of the week : On the 50th anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s entrance into heaven (June 26, 1975), we reflect on the enduring legacy of his life and message. Msgr. Dolan explores the central theme of divine filiation - the foundation of Opus Dei’s spirit, and how it empowers ordinary Christians to become contemplatives in the middle of the world. Listen now to reflect on: • The moment in 1931 when St. Josemaria grasped his identity as a beloved child of God • How divine fil...

Jun 24, 202512 min

The Mystery of Eternal Love: Contemplating the Holy Trinity

In our meditation of the week : On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Fr. Javier del Castillo leads us in a profound meditation on the central mystery of our faith: the Blessed Trinity. Through Scripture, Church teachings, and insights from St. Josemaria Escriva, we are invited to deepen our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Listen now to reflect on: • Why the Trinity created us out of a desire to share eternal love • How each Person of the Trinity is distinct yet insepara...

Jun 15, 202534 min

The Queen of Apostles: Her 'Yes' is Our Strength

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Apostles—our model of total self-giving and the one who brings us to Jesus through her “yes.” He highlights Mary’s quiet but powerful presence from Genesis to Revelation and the vital role she plays in our vocation to holiness and evangelization. Listen now to reflect on: • Why Mary’s “yes” is the model for every Christian apostolate • The connection between Mary and the Eucharist a...

Jun 10, 202531 min

Letting Go and Letting God: Following the Good Shepherd

In our meditation of the week: Msgr. Martin Schlag guides us to contemplate Jesus as the Good Shepherd who knows, loves, and leads each of us personally. Drawing from Scripture, as well as the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva, Fr. Martin explores the meaning of faithfulness in ordinary life, learning to recognize the voice of Christ the Good Shepherd, and surrendering our own plans in trust. Listen now to reflect on: • How to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in daily life • Why “letting go a...

Jun 03, 202529 min

The Visitation: A Sincere Gift of Self

In our meditation of the week : Drawing from St. Luke’s account of the Visitation, Msgr. Frederick Dolan invites us to contemplate Mary’s interior life—her overwhelming joy, her urgency to serve, and her radiant presence as she brings Christ to her cousin Elizabeth’s home. This encounter, filled with prayer and self-giving, offers us a model of what it means to make ourselves a sincere gift to others. Listen now to reflect on: • Mary’s interior life and spirit of joyful service • The meaning of ...

May 27, 202515 min

The Mother of the Fisherman

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on Mary as the model of discipleship. From the Annunciation to Cana, Mary shows us that God’s plan unfolds through human cooperation. Her presence and intercession at the Wedding Feast of Cana not only initiates Christ’s public ministry but also reveals how our trust and obedience allow God to act. Fr. Peter invites us to see how every saint who learned to say “Yes” to God did so with Mary at their side. Listen now to reflect on: • Mary’s...

May 20, 202530 min

On the Feast of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo (Rebroadcast)

In our meditation of the week for the feast of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the life and virtues of the faithful successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, whom he affectionately nicknamed Saxum or rock in Latin. Fr. Javier shares how the gift of fortitude, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, was powerfully present in Blessed Alvaro’s life and how we too are called to become “rocks”--dependable building blocks for the Church wherever God has placed us. Listen now to reflect ...

May 13, 202533 min

With Burning Hearts

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how the Risen Christ remained hidden from the disciples on the road to Emmaus so they would learn to recognize him with the eyes of faith. Drawing from St. Luke’s Gospel, Fr. Peter shares how we too are called to encounter Christ daily—especially in the Bread and the Word—through a life of prayer and faith. Listen now to reflect on: • Why Christ willed to remain hidden after the Resurrection • How Christ wants to be encountered today t...

May 06, 202529 min

Proclaiming the Resurrection in Daily Life

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the mystery of the Resurrection and our mission to proclaim the joy that Christ is alive. He explains that we are not called to announce that Jesus is risen through dramatic gestures or grand proclamations but through the example of our faith and our joy. Christ's resurrection is not only a past event but a living reality made present to us in the Eucharist and in the Word. Therefore, Fr. Peter reminds us that we can talk to Jesus and ...

Apr 29, 202525 min

Alleluia! He Is Risen and With Us Still

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha reflects on the overflowing joy and wonder of Christ’s Resurrection and the living presence of the Risen Lord in the Church, in creation, and in our daily lives. Fr. Donncha invites us to rediscover the Church as the living presence of Christ among us - a gift that is not the result of human effort, but the action of the Risen Lord in history. He reflects on how the Church, sustained by grace and alive through the sacraments, is not something w...

Apr 22, 202521 min

“He Loved Them to the End”: A Holy Thursday Meditation

In our meditation of the week for Holy Thursday : Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha offers a profound reflection on the enduring, limitless love of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist. Entering the Upper Room with the Apostles, we are invited to contemplate the eternal love of Christ, who “loved them to the end,” and who gives us not a symbol but his very self in the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Donncha reminds us that Holy Thursday draws us into the heart of divine cha...

Apr 15, 202519 min

Holy Week: Keep Watch & Pray

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the Gospel passage of the Passion of Christ (Luke 22:14-23:56) which is read on Palm Sunday. During this holiest time of the year, the Church invites her people to focus directly on the suffering of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The longer Gospel readings help us to honor Christ’s request to “keep watch and pray” with him as he asked the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. In this scene, we prayerfully rediscover God’s love fo...

Apr 11, 202530 min

Fifth Sunday & Week of Lent: The Gift of Mercy

In our meditation of the week : Reflecting on the Gospel of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11), Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to contemplate the gift of mercy—a central theme of the Christian life. In this powerful scene, Christ reveals the heart of the Father, not through condemnation, but through compassion and forgiveness. It is a call to each of us to examine how quickly we pass judgment, often without even realizing it. Msgr. Dolan reminds us that the devil seeks to divide—within fami...

Apr 08, 202524 min

Fourth Sunday & Week of Lent: Sharing in the Self-Emptying of Christ

Note: This meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. In our meditation for the Fourth Week of Lent, Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to renew our commitment to the three pillars of Lent: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. As we reach the midpoint of this penitential seson, he reminds us that Lent centers on Christ’s self-giving sacrifice on the Cross—the greatest expression of love. To follow Christ is to embrace the Cross and come to know him through our own acts of self-emptying. Fr. Arme...

Apr 01, 202531 min

A Genuine Priest: On the 100th Anniversary of St. Josemaria's Ordination

In our meditation of the week: Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on the 100th anniversary of St. Josemaria’s priestly ordination on March 28, 1925. He invites us to consider the extraordinary fruitfulness of St. Josemaria’s life and his desire to be a genuine priest with a genuine and serious concern for souls that led him to love everyone without distinction. Drawing from personal anecdotes and historical accounts, Msgr. Dolan highlights three defining traits of St. Josemaria’s priesthood: his passiona...

Mar 28, 202520 min

Third Sunday & Week of Lent: Beginning Again

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the readings for the Third Sunday of Lent and how they teach us to see that God approaches us first because he eminently wills our happiness-- a happiness that begins here on earth because of his liberation. Fr. Peter begins by recounting the familiar story of how Moses encountered God through the burning bush. We see God reveal himself as a liberator, seeking to free the Israelite people. God reveals himself to Moses by stating his na...

Mar 25, 202529 min

Second Sunday & Week of Lent: Transfigured by Silence

In our meditation of the week: Msgr. Dolan reflects on the Transfiguration of Christ and how this scene reminds us that a major goal of the Lenten season is to create an interior silence that allows us to enjoy God's presence. Msgr. Dolan shares how the scene of the Transfiguration echoes the words of the Psalms: "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps 46:11). The disciples who witnessed this moment "fell silent," understanding that words would have diminished its significance. Silence is essentia...

Mar 18, 202526 min

First Sunday & Week of Lent: Fortitude

In our meditation of the week: we reflect on the virtue of fortitude as the driving force to overcome temptation. St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us, "A task which presents no difficulties lacks human appeal – and supernatural appeal too. If you find no resistance when hammering a nail into a wall, what can you expect to hang on it?" (The Forge, no. 245). To win the prize, you cannot avoid the struggle—it is the very path to victory. Fortitude is essential for both the spiritual life and human dev...

Mar 11, 202524 min

Take Up Your Cross

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on self-denial as a path to deeper faith and freedom in Christ. As we begin Lent, we are reminded that to follow Our Lord, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. Self-denial strengthens our commitment to prayer, holiness, and living the Gospel with conviction. Fr. Peter reminds us that St. Josemaria Escriva said, "If you don’t deny yourself, you will never be a soul of prayer" (The Way, no. 6). In a world filled with temptati...

Mar 04, 202522 min

Come and See: Drawing Others to Christ

In our meditation of the week : Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the first evangelical words of Christ—"Come and see"—and the power of personal witness in evangelization. He highlights how spreading the Gospel does not require grand gestures but genuine relationship, as seen in the example of John the Baptist, who led his disciples to Jesus, and in the early Church, where ordinary laypeople shared the faith in their daily lives. Drawing from John 1:39, Fr. Peter emphasizes that evangelization start...

Feb 25, 202530 min

Realistic Optimism: A Call to Personal Sanctity

In our meditation of the week : Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on St. Josemaria Escriva's teaching on realistic optimism— omnia in bonum- the confidence that Christ has already conquered all on our behalf, and that by uniting ourselves to him through prayer, we can overcome any challenge and participate in his victory. Drawing from John 16:33, he reminds us of Christ’s words: “In the world you will have affliction. But take courage; I have overcome the world.” This triumph is not just a past event b...

Feb 18, 202530 min

The Inestimable Value of Ordinary Life

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the hidden years of Jesus' life and the profound sanctity found in the ordinary. He emphasizes how Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived lives of simplicity and work, demonstrating that holiness is not reserved for extraordinary deeds but is found in daily life, family, and labor. Fr. Peter highlights the Gospel's silence on Jesus' early years, noting that his hidden life in Nazareth was so ordinary that it became a stumbling block for those w...

Feb 11, 202529 min

Living as Children of God: On Divine Filiation

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. In this meditation, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the profound reality of God’s unconditional love for us as his sons and daughters. Drawing from the only prayer Jesus taught us —“Our Father”— Fr. Peter reminds us of its deeper meaning: a call to recognize God’s perfect love and his desire for our happiness. Fr. Peter emphasizes that our spiritual lives are rooted in the truth of our being children of God. Each of us is uniquely ...

Feb 04, 202526 min

Preserving the Light of Christ

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. In this meditation , Fr. Peter Armenio explores the parables of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) and the sower (Luke 8:4-15), illustrating how God’s grace transforms small beginnings into extraordinary outcomes. Through these parables, he highlights the importance of receptivity to the Holy Spirit. He also reflects on the "vertical" and "horizontal" dimensions of love, symbolized by the cross. Prayer, as the foundation (vertic...

Jan 28, 202526 min

The Beatitudes: Pathway to Happiness

In our meditation of the week; Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the call to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world,” as described in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:1-16). He explains that these images capture the transformative role of Christ’s disciples in the world. Drawing from the Beatitudes, Fr. Peter emphasizes that they are a blueprint for shaping a heart to be like Christ’s, and they are a pathway to happiness in the world. Through a practical examples of two young men whose faith...

Jan 21, 202529 min

A Disposition of Love: Our Baptismal Calling

The following meditation was recorded in front of a live audience. In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on how a disposition (or willingness) to love is required to fulfill our baptismal calling and common vocation to follow Jesus Christ. Drawing from the Gospel account of the rich young man (Matthew 19: 16-30), Fr. Peter explains that while the young man had lived by the commandments, he lacked the detachment and disposition necessary to fully surrender to Christ. Fr. Peter...

Jan 13, 202527 min
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