At Pentecost, we celebrate the birth of the Church. That beginning happened when the Holy Spirit came as tongues of fire and rested on the heads of the disciples and they were motivated to spread the good news of the gospel to the whole world. Awesome. (I know, I said Pentecost...and we just started the season of Lent, right? Trust me, this is a perfect way to begin Lent.) Yet many of us don’t know much about the Holy Spirit and what the Church teaches about the third person of the Trinity. The series I review today is a crash course in the Holy Spirit from the perspective of the modern Catholic’s experience of the Holy Spirit. Why is it called “The Wild Goose”? You’ll have to watch to find out. Note Bene: This is one of my absolute favorite video series. When I told my wife, Beth, that I was reviewing it for today, she said, “Ohhh, I really liked that one. So good. Tell people to at least try it.” ...Oh yeah The author, Fr. Dave Pivonka the Franciscan priest is an old friend of mine. We were born on the the same day of the same year.
During this time [especially as Lent 2021 has begun] when our regular routines have vastly changed, we may be asking ourselves why we do what we do? Maybe the question of “Why?” has even crept into your faith life. Seriously seeking an answer to the question of “Why am I Catholic?” can be a profound experience. In this talk, Jason Evert examines this very question and explains to his audience, and to us, why he is and remains Catholic. In fact, he goes a step beyond this and beautifully witnesses to the joy of our faith through engaging storytelling.
Today I am reviewing a MUCH shorter treatment of the subject of prayer. It is insightful book on prayer called Prayer for Beginners written by Dr. Peter Kreeft, renowned philosopher and writer. In the introduction, Kreeft explains that while there are thousands of books on how to pray, there are very few for those who are busy, distracted and, frankly, not very good at praying. That what this book is. It is a book for those who want to pray, but struggle. I believe this short-in-stature little gem would aid just about anyone in their prayer life.
If you have kids in the house, you already know that for as much fun as they have had outside all summer & fall, that winter can be a challenging time to parent and to find new things to do with your children. For younger kids, I watched and reviewed Brother Francis, a kid’s animated show on FORMED.org. If your younger kids are looking for something new to watch, this show just might be the thing.
This past Sunday we celebrated, "Sunday of the Word of God". Over the weekend this made me think while I was reading scripture. If you’ve ever tried to start reading the Bible for the first time, it can be intimidating. “Where do I start?” I’ve heard many people ask. In addition, we may have some ideas about reading Scripture that do not really line up with how Catholics read the Bible. If you are looking for a succinct overview of the entire Bible and short but punchy introductions to how Catholics read Scripture, then you may want to check out “Our Story: A Basic Introduction to the Bible for Catholics.” With clear, fast-paced, five minute episodes, this may just be the thing you are looking for to jump-start reading your Bible.
Recently someone accused me of being “so judgmental.” It wasn’t meant to be a compliment. Yet when we think someone is wise we might say that they have “good judgement.” What’s the difference? Are both true? In a world where being judgmental is a high cultural crime, how do Catholics understand right and wrong? In this talk, Dr. Ed Sri talks about judging, right and wrong, faith and love. Read my review below to see if this talk would be good for you to hear (spoiler, I think it would be good for all of us to give a listen).
If all you know about St. Francis is that he likes animals then you might want to see why millions have revered this great Saint for the last 800 years. By examining Francis’ life, this film helps the viewer to look inward to their own life of faith. St. Francis is one of the most loved saints in all the world, but do we really know him? Cities, schools, hospitals, and churches around the globe are dedicated to him, but why? He can be found in gardens across the country, but he must be more than just a birdbath. Check it out...
As St. Joseph plans to celebrate Christmas this year in the midst of a global pandemic, I want to encourage everyone to make this Advent a time to prepare our hearts and homes. I think this video is worth the time to view as Christmas draws near. The story of the birth of Jesus is a familiar one. We’ve heard it many times. The temptation is to zone out when we start to hear it because we think we fully understand. In this talk on Advent and Christmas Dr. Scott Hahn shows us new ways to understand the birth of Jesus Christ. This new understand could certainly add depth to one’s celebration of Christmas. Check out the review of Prepare the Way of the King for yourself.
2020 has been a trying time to get the faithful to the sacraments. St. Joseph has made great effort to offer the Holy Mass and to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation safely. One way we can better prepare ourselves for Christmas in this Advent season is to crate peace in our hearts through 'letting go' of all the sins we are holding onto. Confession is the gift to give to yourself this season to set yourself free again. If you need a little motivation to return to Confession, then read my review of Dr. Scott Hahn’s talk The Healing Power of Confession. You may just need to hear what he has to say about this beautiful Sacrament. Also, Dr. Hahn is pretty entertaining if you’ve never heard him speak.
A couple days off from school, even if it is school at home, means the kids are going to start to get squirrelly. If you are anything like my wife and I, you may get tired of the endless loop of meaningless children’s media they consume. You might want to try this show on Formed called, “The Wonderful World of Benjamin Cello.” The show reminds us of some of the greats in children’s programming like Mister Rogers or Captain Kangaroo (though not at their status of course). We felt like you could tell a lot of thought went into the content and style of the show. It might just be the kind of show to start a conversation in your house. Check out my review to see if it is right for you.
This week across this great land we will celebrate Thanksgiving. While some may find it difficult to find things to be grateful for, I do believe there is much for which we can give thanks. And it’s true that this year may look different than every other year. We may not get to celebrate in the way we are accustomed. How are going to give thanks this year? What does this seemingly secular holiday off our faith?
On October 31st 2020, Fr. Michael McGivney was named Blessed by Pope Francis. This means that a miracle was attributed to his intercession and Fr. McGivney is one step closer to becoming a recognized Catholic Saint. Fr. McGivney is most known as the founder of the Knight of Columbus a fraternal organization of Catholic men. There is more to Fr. McGivney’s story than the Knights and there is more to the Knights than pancake breakfasts.
Why are we here? Why does anything exist? Does God exist? These are some big questions. These questions and many more are tackled in The Search on formed.org. At the beginning the pandemic I reviewed Episode 1 of The Search. I’m back to review Episodes 2 & 3. You don’t want to miss this review or this incredible study. (SERIOUSLY, just go watch Episode 3 right now. Worth it.)
Every single time I’ve learned something new about the Mass, the next time I attended I had a more profound experience of prayer. Knowing about what we are about when we gather together for Mass is so helpful in growing in our love for the Mass. The Catholic Mass has so many hidden gems that help us to worship well and by learning about them we can see how the Mass really is the source and summit of our faith life. One easy and convenient way to learn about the various aspects of the Mass is to watch this series of brief videos (really 2-5 minutes each!) called The Elements of the Catholic Mass. Check out my review below.
At the visitation for one of my friend’s grandfathers a group of about 15 men came in, gathered around the casket, and began to pray the Rosary. The crowd that was gathered was moved and amazed at the faith of these great men. Later we looked into the casket and saw the rosary of my grandfather-in-law. The beads were worn, the metal was discolored. This was a rosary that was prayed often. This beautiful witness to the power of the Rosary has always stuck with me. Dr. Ed Sri gives the talk reviewed below all about the Rosary and why it matters to Catholics. Title Praying the Rosary Like Never Before
I don’t know about you, but I grew up at a time when the role and importance of angels were down played in my Sunday School classes. Most of what I learned about angels I learned from movies (Angels in the Outfield, Wonderful Life, Michael). I thought angels were for grandmas and babies. I was wrong and found out I have a lot to understand about angels. In a culture that has devalued spirituality and the supernatural, ignoring the angels makes sense. All the more reason to grow in our understanding of the angels and how they aid God in his mission in the world. You can see if this brief video is the right introduction for you about angels by checking out my review.
Publication Review date Sep. 25, 2020 In times of great difficulty God raises up saints to meet the challenge and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. In the 1500s the city of Rome and the Church were facing a time of great difficulty. The Protestant Reformation was challenging the Church and Rome had recently been sacked by Charles V. Who did God send? Among others, St. Phillip Neri came to Rome and sought to do the will of God in sharing with young homeless and unemployed people the gospel. St. Phillip Neri’s story is an example of a saint using unconventional methods to teach the ageless gospel message. Read my review of this video below.
I remember when my oldest child was 2 1/2-year-old. Her favorite word is “Why?” If it wasn’t so cute how she says it, it might be annoying (okay, sometimes it is annoying). But in reality, she is asking the right question. Sometimes at Church we do a good job explaining the what or the who and don’t do as good job explaining the why. The talk I reviewed on Formed today answers the simple question, “Why Jesus?” You will get a load of material as to why you, and everyone in your life, can and should believe in Jesus Christ.
In a time of great uncertainty, it can be easy to lose hope. However, this is just the time to focus on each next step to move forward with a boldness that accomplishes the mission we’ve always been on - to make Jesus known and loved in the world. In that spirit, Dr. Tim Gray has interviewed George Weigel about his new book The Next Pope. As Mr. Weigel explains, this book isn’t about personalities or a list of top candidates, but is a vision for what the next pope needs to be. Consequently, this is a vision for how the Church must be in the world and how we must embrace our call as missionary disciples of Jesus Christ. This interview is fascinating for those of us who love the Church and want the world to know the joy of being Catholic. This interview might just be fascinating for you too. Check out my review.
I don’t know about you, but pressing pause on what had been my normal life has led to more introspection and questioning than I would have ever done in a normal month. Sometimes that thinking as been difficult. By no coincidence, formed.org has released the first episode of a new series called The Search. This series is all about our search for meaning and happiness. It seems to me to be a good time to consider the big questions of life.