Modern Catholic Family

Ordering Love

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What would change in your family if every relationship were ordered toward God first? Jim and Meghan welcome Sarah McKenzie, a registered therapeutic counselor and mother of eight from British Columbia, Canada, to explore the Augustinian concept of "ordering love" and its surprising power for modern families. Drawing from St. Thomas Aquinas and her own clinical practice, Sarah offers a grace-filled look at how disordered relationships quietly undermine our homes and how faith-integrated healing can restore them. This conversation speaks directly to every Catholic family longing for clarity, connection, and Christ at the center. What’s in this episode: * The concept of ordering love and what it means for every family * Why faith-integrated counseling addresses what secular approaches often miss * The bullseye exercise Sarah uses to reveal disordered relationships * How barriers to receiving love show up in marriages and families * Clearly defined roles and responsibilities as essential to family life * Structure and freedom as two sides of the same gift in marriage * Older siblings serving younger ones as an invitation, not a burden * The damage disordered counseling can do to the family unit * What today's couples are missing and why it matters for the Church * Tech boundaries and how to navigate them imperfectly but intentionally * The practice of delight and its power in family life and faith * One resource every Catholic family should know: Word on Fire Institute [https://institute.wordonfire.org/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=wordonfire.org&utm_campaign=homepage&_gl=1*flda67*_gcl_au*MTYxNjA5NTQxNi4xNzc4NTk5MTEx*_ga*MjUyNTc0ODE1LjE3Nzg1OTkxMTE.*_ga_4081DYV3TL*czE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkajYwJGwwJGgzNzQ3OTI2MjY.] * Book she is currently reading: Imitation of Christ, With All Her Mind edited by Rachel Bowman (Word on Fire), How Emotions Are Made, Litanies of the Heart [https://www.amazon.com/Litanies-Heart-Gerry-Ken-Crete/dp/B0CGH3PC7Z] by Gerry Ken Crete, The Anxious Generation [https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036] by Jonathan Haidt * Advice to her younger self: Live in front of your eyes and less in your own head; spend more time outward-facing * Final wisdom for listeners: Practice delight. Learn to let the Lord delight in you and let that overflow into the people around you. Resources Mentioned: Mountain View Therapy [https://www.mountainviewtherapy.ca/] – Sarah's website with services, digital courses, and links Word on Fire Institute [https://institute.wordonfire.org/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=wordonfire.org&utm_campaign=homepage&_gl=1*flda67*_gcl_au*MTYxNjA5NTQxNi4xNzc4NTk5MTEx*_ga*MjUyNTc0ODE1LjE3Nzg1OTkxMTE.*_ga_4081DYV3TL*czE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzg1OTkxMDkkajYwJGwwJGgzNzQ3OTI2MjY.] – Catholic courses, quarterly journal, and faith formation resources Godsplaining [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/godsplaining/id1476326650] – Short, humorous podcast on faith and culture hosted by Father Gregory Pine Litanies of the Heart [https://www.amazon.com/Litanies-Heart-Gerry-Ken-Crete/dp/B0CGH3PC7Z] by Gerry Ken Crete – A Catholic guide to healing and trauma with guided spiritual exercises The Anxious Generation [https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036] by Jonathan Haidt – Insights on technology's impact on young people Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Keeping Your Kids Catholic

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What if the key to keeping your kids Catholic isn't found in a better curriculum, but in the quality of the soil? Stacy Halbach, Catholic author, speaker, and mother of six, joins Jim and Meghan with a hope-filled recipe for raising children who hold fast to Christ. Drawing from the Parable of the Sower, years of personal research, and her own family's beautiful struggles, Stacy reveals what parents can do right now to cultivate a home where faith takes deep root and lasts a lifetime. What’s in this episode: * The Parable of the Sower and why family soil matters more than the seed * Why a strong marriage is the foundation of secure, faith-filled kids * "Tuck in time" and the simple weekly practice that builds real connection * Compost parenting and the life-giving power of rupture and repair * The love languages quiz and how it transforms the way you love your children * The origin of Bloom [https://www.amazon.com/Bloom-Unfolding-Femininity-Catholic-Daughters/dp/B0DSKX2SN2], a Catholic puberty guidebook for moms and daughters ages 8-13 * Level Up [https://www.amazon.com/Level-Up-Catholic-Virtuous-Conversations/dp/B0DNV4FCM8], a faith guide designed to help moms connect with sons ages 13 and up * The freeing truth that your children's choices do not define your parenting * Stories of vulnerability, sanctification, and surrender in family life * One resource every Catholic family should know: Five Love Languages Quiz [https://5lovelanguages.com/] * Book she is currently reading: In the School of the Holy Spirit [https://www.amazon.com/School-Holy-Spirit-Jacques-Philippe/dp/1594170533] by FR. Jacques Philippe * Advice to her younger self: "You have no idea what God has planned for you. Put what you want aside." She also referenced this meme [https://drive.google.com/file/d/11QpyUyg5iPh951wqVGoKSBovRfOjWHMj/view?usp=sharing] about trusting what God has waiting on the other side * Final wisdom for listeners: Jump into the river of the Holy Spirit; control is overrated Resources Mentioned: Full of Grace Femininity Workshop [https://www.jumpincatholic.com/full-of-grace] – Use code MODERNCATHOLIC to make the parish program free Jump In Catholic [https://www.jumpincatholic.com/] – Books, podcasts, workshops, and free resources for Catholic families (85% free) Bloom [https://www.amazon.com/Bloom-Unfolding-Femininity-Catholic-Daughters/dp/B0DSKX2SN2] by Stacy Halbach – Catholic puberty guidebook for moms and daughters to read together Level Up [https://www.amazon.com/Level-Up-Catholic-Virtuous-Conversations/dp/B0DNV4FCM8]by Stacy Halbach – Catholic faith guide for moms and sons ages 13 and up In the School of the Holy Spirit [https://www.amazon.com/School-Holy-Spirit-Jacques-Philippe/dp/1594170533] by FR. Jacques Philippe - Guide to recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit in daily life Five Love Languages Quiz [https://5lovelanguages.com/] – Tool for discovering how each family member gives and receives love Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Family Pilgrimage: The Practicals and Spiritual Fruit

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What if the most powerful pilgrimage your family could take this year started just a few hours down the road? Jason Spoolstra, creator of the Light and Heavy Pilgrimages YouTube channel, joins Jim and Meghan to make the case that every Catholic family is called to pilgrimage, and that it is far more accessible than most people think. Drawing from nearly two decades of Catholic ministry and years of personal experience leading pilgrimages around the world, Jason unpacks both the spiritual depth and the practical steps that can turn any journey into a sacred act of faith. What’s in this episode: * Pilgrimages as accessible, affordable, and doable for every Catholic family * Tying a pilgrimage into your next road trip or family vacation * The spiritual warfare and sacrifice woven into every pilgrimage journey * The American Saints tour: finding blesseds, venerables, and saints near you * Adapting pilgrimages to your children's ages, temperaments, and interests * A moving story of consecration to Our Lady and answered prayer in Brazil * Practical steps: devotions, budget, timeframe, and choosing your destination * The difference between a pilgrimage and a regular vacation * Using AI tools to discover Catholic shrines along your travel route * One resource every Catholic family should know: Handbook of Prayers [https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Prayers-James-Socias-ebook/dp/B008B105D2/ref=sr_1_5?adgrpid=144673988823&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pX5FKJ1SHgI8Dvrt9Z3hcJWFawe5UFiTu06YPNo5bViHFT0QNHwtFAbA-VrDE_oWpB3Yd94p2AddLuqDDHNle-xeOyjqR-AmralZ-_ffBtojes7UK7xoVs7kMjJNNo-8yIKv-Uq-nxrzOmvycNScWkXyYlc8kouVdl1UKMiunbNSHMJxAMIE2hlGrwN6yQNVO8ssPsz94oYIoK8Vu3G7p_Hft-Cwzea4kZ2It3kvj3g.YHM9wXMUuY3ZqBgIOSTvT4Ffh1EdH17yoveQdxCIMFI&dib_tag=se&hvadid=647953651335&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1011157&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7324441913877746892&hvtargid=kwd-309204247676&hydadcr=21689_13447951&keywords=handbook+of+prayers&mcid=2d1dec38c6063424822073337336c30b&qid=1778263294&sr=8-5] & Catechism of the Catholic Church [https://www.amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church/dp/1574551094/ref=sr_1_7?crid=KJ7QLH57DOGU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CNPTvXWGGQ9Jq7Psd-TMdvxjgXcI32CdcSDkzB4ekWzVxLexDExrYw4pqTnn0PirZ8CTYretAC9D5sgTyXTZ676ju8lDU0UmYBkgHVezmI9lwfR1Qoe0pAPuYHduS_YrcKSsT0Iv7hwoHA-4BVM3fzUbfb0k5i5ob3Pih063-kD2rPQKt5hcYmn_X-PF7LIWyQMyiwyvC1xj5tfHwSEgIUpZZcIIeGgXMknQsSN7gb0.tiiDWaOSL0gd3ftJS-bGyfzK0G5C_5IqVS7In3xbz-k&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Catechism+of+the+Catholic+Church&qid=1778263522&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C48&sr=1-7] * Book he is currently reading: The Theology of the Body  [https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Human-Divine-Parish-Resources/dp/0819873942] * Advice to his younger self: Learn to pray more and trust in the Lord more * Final wisdom for listeners: In the words of JP2, do not be afraid to go on pilgrimage Resources Mentioned: National Association of Shrine and Pilgrimage Apostolate (NASPA) [https://www.catholicshrines.org/] Catholic Pilgrimage Sites [https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/sites-by-state-2/] The Faithful Traveler - Map of US Shrines [https://thefaithfultraveler.com/us_shrine_map/] The Little Pilgrim [https://thelittlepilgrim.com/]  Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Humility, Silence, and the Art of Really Listening

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What if the most radical thing a Catholic family can practice is simply learning to shut up and listen? Father Augustine Wetta joins Jim and Meghan for an episode packed with laughter, vivid storytelling, and hard-won monastic wisdom. Drawing from encounters that range from classroom rap battles to an unexpected night with LA gang members, Father Wetta reveals what genuine humility looks like when it is lived out in the messiest corners of real life. What’s in this episode: * The Kendrick Lamar lyric that echoes Father Wetta's first piece of monastic advice * Silence as the hidden key to real humility and genuine human connection * Father Wetta's creative approach to teaching Theology of the Body with humor and AI * A rugby teammate whose quiet attention made the girls think he had beautiful eyes * Why a monk ended up drinking Coronas with LA gang members until sunrise * The Black Lives Matter protest encounter that launched an unlikely friendship and podcast * Chesterton's invitation to present Catholicism as an exotic near-Eastern religion * The crisis of beauty in modern culture and how art can heal the imagination * One resource every Catholic family should know: The Rule of St. Benedict * Book he is currently reading: The Hidden Hindenburg [https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Hindenburg-Untold-Tragedy-Secrets/dp/1493053701] by Michael McCarthy, A Short History of Nearly Everything [https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly-Everything/dp/076790818X] by Bill Bryson, and Why I Am Not an Atheist [https://www.amazon.com/Why-Not-Atheist-Confessions-Skeptical/dp/0593490479] by Christopher Beha * Advice to his younger self: Don't bother trying to be popular * Final wisdom for listeners: Spend five minutes a day in complete silence and listen with the ear of your heart Resources Mentioned: jaugustinewetta.com [https://www.augustinewetta.com/] – Father Wetta's website and books Disagreement Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disagreement/id1588841002] – Father Wetta's podcast with Umar Lee, where unexpected common ground unfolds The Hidden Hindenburg [https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Hindenburg-Untold-Tragedy-Secrets/dp/1493053701] by Michael McCarthy – A New York Times bestseller written by a St. Louis Abbey alumnus with a Catholic lens A Short History of Nearly Everything [https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly-Everything/dp/076790818X] by Bill Bryson – A witty and wide-ranging guide to science and the world Why I Am Not an Atheist [https://www.amazon.com/Why-Not-Atheist-Confessions-Skeptical/dp/0593490479] by Christopher Beha – A philosopher's honest account of his journey from atheism to faith Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.

Overcoming Anxiety for a Radically Free Life in Christ

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2324580/fan_mail/new] What if the anxiety you carry every day is not who you are but a temptation you were never created to bear alone?  Jim and Meghan sit down with Dr. Jillian Hawks to explore what it truly means to move from managing anxiety to healing from it. Drawing from her personal journey through breast cancer, burnout, and a renewed encounter with God, Jillian shares how surrendering her work to Christ transformed her practice and her own heart. With honesty and hope, she points every family toward the radical peace that is fully available through daily relationship with the Lord. What’s in this episode: * The difference between managing anxiety and truly healing from it * Jillian's story of burnout, breast cancer, and being called back to God * The dangers of becoming a "checklist Catholic" and losing depth in faith * Why anxiety is a temptation to resist, not an identity to accept * The surrender prayer and how to personalize it throughout your day * Anxiety as an invitation to run to the Lord rather than carry it alone * The light bulb moment when clients discover they were not created to be anxious * The distinction between shame and guilt in the healing process * Simple strategies: surrender prayer, daily walks, good nutrition, and rest * The Little Way of St. Therese as a foundation for spiritual and mental wellness * One resource every Catholic family should know: Catholictherapists.com [https://catholictherapists.com/] * Book she is currently reading: I Believe in Love [https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Love-Personal-Retreat-Teaching/dp/1928832288] by Jean C. J. d'Elbée * Advice to her younger self: Discover and embrace the concept of surrender * Final wisdom for listeners: Embrace the little way and trust that God is in control Resources Mentioned: Catholictherapists.com [https://catholictherapists.com/] – Directory to find Catholic therapists searchable by state Catholic Familyland [https://afc.org/catholic-familyland/?srsltid=AfmBOoomy6OT6p80e_tZc0p3mJudLSaaJ-VXX2TcliWkIHIyAI3EiTCx] – Faith-based family camp and retreat center near Steubenville, Ohio I Believe in Love [https://www.amazon.com/Believe-Love-Personal-Retreat-Teaching/dp/1928832288] by Jean C. J. d'Elbée – A personal retreat based on the Little Way of St. Therese @thecatholictherapist [https://www.instagram.com/the.catholic.therapist/] on Instagram – Jillian's platform for Catholic mental wellness Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.