St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares a meditation inspired by the phrase, “an hour of study, for a modern apostle, is an hour of prayer” (St. Josemaria Escriva; The Way, no. 335). Approaching academic learning as a form of prayer is not a way of life designed solely for students. Rather, it is a way of life that all Christians should adopt as it helps us develop a stronger worldview.Fr. Javier discusses how to approach Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the writings of the Church Fathers as a form of prayer. He also explains how to overcome three common obstacles –– lust, curiosity, and falsehood –– that inhibit our desire to study.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessib

Do you have the desire and goal to love others well?In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on sharing the love of Christ with those we encounter each day: among our family, friends, and colleagues. He explains that to love others well, we must first deny ourself by embracing our daily struggles and sacrificing for the good of others. As we transform our disposition toward our challenges, we can become more receptive to the grace attained through charity.St. Josemaria explains: “Charity is not something we ourselves build up. It invades us along with God’s grace. We would do well to fill, to saturate ourselves with this most beautiful truth: ‘If we are able to love God, it is because we have been loved by God.’ You and I are able to lavish affection upon those around us, because we have been born to the Faith, through the Father’s love for us” (Friends of God, no. 229).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and le

In this podcast, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Javier del Castillo revisits the dogma of the Assumption, discusses St. Josemaria’s devotion to Our Lady, and explains how we too can participate in the mystery of the Assumption.St. Josemaria explains: “As we meditate on these truths, we come to understand better the logic of God. We come to realize that the Supernatural value of our life does not depend on accomplishing great undertakings suggested to us by our overactive imagination. Rather it is to be found in the faithful acceptance of God’s will, in welcoming generously the opportunities for small, daily sacrifice” (Christ is Passing By, no. 172).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please cons

In this podcast, Fr. Justin Gillespie shares some considerations on ways that we can speak to our Lord in the stillness, in the silence, of being present in his presence in the Eucharist. He also reminds us to call upon the Blessed Virgin Mary for help and guidance as we make efforts to improve our relationship with God and in turn improve our lives.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

What is the vocation of a priest, and how can we as the lay faithful support them in their path of life?In this podcast, as we celebrate the feast of St. John Vianney, Fr. Javier del Castillo explains why priests need our prayers and reflects on the four characteristics of a priestly soul according to St. Josemaria Escriva.St. Josemaria explains: “The Church needs priests, and always will. Ask the Blessed Trinity for them each day, through Holy Mary. And pray that they may be cheerful, hard-working, effective; that they may be well trained: and that they may sacrifice themselves joyfully for their brothers, without feeling that they are victims” (The Forge, no. 910).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episode

Has anyone ever told you to let go and let God?In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares a reflection on the Gospel scene in which Martha welcomes Christ into her home (Luke 10:38-42) and reveals to us the meaning of letting go and letting God into our lives.In the Gospel passage, we notice Martha become caught up in the activity and details of serving Christ which inhibit her from fully enjoying the presence of Christ in her home. This theme is echoed in society today with a strong push for perfectionism in our work and at home. To contradict this vice, Fr. Javier reminds us to identify the intention behind our work so that we may continue to glorify God in all that we do. Working with intention allows us to be receptive to the grace of the Holy Spirit and helps us to recognize the presence of Christ in the ordinary moments of everyday life.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review.

Why is marriage important to society today? And, what distinguishes a healthy marriage from one that is in serious trouble?On this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on the Sacrament of Marriage and how it is the cornerstone to society and the image of the eternal love between Christ and his Church.Marriage is the pathway for spouses to lead one another to heaven. For a marriage to flourish, it must be grounded so that each spouse is able to see the other as God sees him or her. Spouses must seek out genuine admiration for the gifts of the other, realizing that two lives become one as they build the foundation upon which they can strive for sanctity.Marriage is hard work. We marry imperfect people, yet are called to love them with their defects and limitations. Men and women are very different. We may not understand each other, but we are called to accept and love one another. Marriage is like a pearl of great price – it is worth fighting for it.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our pod

Amid the challenges of your day, do you find God there with you as a Loving Father?In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the fatherly love of God and the joy we can experience when we live in proper relationship with him. This timely meditation speaks to the challenges present in society and inspires listeners to be a reflection of the love of God in the world today.St. Josemaria explains: “Charity is not something we ourselves build up. It invades us along with God’s grace, ‘because he has loved us first’. You and I are able to lavish affection upon those around us, because we have been born to the Faith, through the Father’s love for us. Ask God boldly for this treasure, for the supernatural virtue of charity, so that you may practice it even in the smallest details” (Friends of God, no. 229).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Faceboo

In this podcast, from our Day of Recollection resources for the month of July, Fr. Peter Armenio poses the important question: Do you really want to be a saint?As we reflect upon this question, Fr. Peter reminds us that we cannot rely solely on the desire for sanctity, but that we must actively choose to live in the presence of God. We are encouraged to form ourselves through prayer, spiritual reading, and the sacraments. These opportunities for spiritual formation allow us to remain confident in the Gospel message and inspire us to share the love of Christ to those we encounter each day.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

A Spiritual Retreat on the Temptations of Christ invites you to journey with Christ through six key moments in which he encountered and resisted temptation.This retreat prompts us to look inward and assess the temptations we face in our daily life – in our profession, in our spiritual life, with family, among friends. As we look at the example of Christ, we come to understand the necessary virtues we need to overcome temptation and persevere in our journey toward heaven. A Spiritual Retreat on the Temptations of Christ is ideal for anyone seeking to take 1 - 2 days from daily life to spend quiet time in prayer and reflection. This retreat is a collection of seven meditations preached by Fr. Javier del Castillo, priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei and Vice President of the St. Josemaria Institute. Originally given to a group of educators in February 2020, the themes addressed in this retreat are applicable for those in any profession. Included with this retreat is a guide to help you reflect upon the temptatio

As we prepare for and celebrate the Feast Day of St. Josemaria Escriva on June 26, we share a new podcast from Fr. Peter Armenio reflecting on the spiritual aspiration of St. Josemaria: to hide and disappear, wanting Jesus alone to shine.Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Josemaria set out to encounter Christ in the ordinary moments of everyday life. In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the humble, yet impactful, life of St. Josemaria and connects his life to the lessons Christ shares with us in the parable of the mustard seed.As Christians, we also desire to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to have the faith, hope and love to begin again in our pursuit of following Christ more closely and settling for nothing less than personal holiness.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.or

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the immeasurable love of Christ as we prepare for and celebrate the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Christ became incarnate and took on a human heart to model for us the ability to love with our own heart of flesh if we are receptive to the grace of God. As Christians, we must allow for the love of Christ to permeate our daily actions so that others may see and encounter the heart of Christ.St. Josemaria explains: “The source of all grace is God’s love for us, and he has revealed this not just in words but also in deeds. It was divine love which led the second Person of the holy Trinity, the Word, the Son of God the Father, to take on our flesh, our human condition, everything except sin. And the Word, the Word of God, is the Word from which Love proceeds” (Christ is Passing By, no. 162).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review

In today’s podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares a reflection on the mystery of the Eucharist, the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice of infinite love, that we can use for our prayer as we celebrate and contemplate today the beautiful gift of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).Saint Josemaria explains: “Eternal happiness begins now for the Christian who is comforted with the definitive manna of the Eucharist. This is the Good News. News, because it speaks to us of a deep love which we never could have dreamed of. Good, because there is nothing better than uniting ourselves to God, the greatest Good of all. It is Good News, because in an inexplicable way it gives us a foretaste of heaven” (Christ is Passing By, no. 152).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you

On June 1 the Church celebrates the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. Traditionally the Church is also called Mother, through which we are nourished, consoled, washed, embraced, and reborn. We run to it in times of difficulty. The Church is an extension of Christ, and in the background is the icon of the Church—Mary, Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church.In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on this mystery; how we can bring the mystery to our daily lives; and, how Mary wants us to treat her as Mother in every sense of the word.St. Josemaria explains: “Find out for yourself by personal experience the meaning of Mary’s maternal love. It is not enough just to know she is our Mother and to think and to talk about her as such. She is your Mother and you are her son. She loves you as if you were her only child in this world. Treat her accordingly: tell her about everything that happens to you, honor her and love her” (Friends of God, no. 293).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that ou

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the spiritual transformation the Apostles went through upon receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. As disciples of Christ, if we are docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can continue the work of the Apostles in sharing the Gospel message in the world today.St. Josemaria explains: “The Holy Spirit is present in the Church of Christ for all time, so that it may be, always and in everything, a sign raised up before all nations, announcing to all men the goodness and the love of God. The presence and the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church are a foretaste of eternal happiness, of the joy and peace for which we are destined by God” (Christ is Passing By, no. 128).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you e

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on Christ’s last words before his Ascension and explains that in the work of evangelization no one can be ignored – “out of a hundred souls we are interested in a hundred.”St. Josemaria explains: “What compassion you feel for them! You would like to cry out to them that they are wasting their time… Why are they so blind, and why can’t they perceive what you – a miserable creature – have seen? Why don’t they go for the best? Pray and mortify yourself. Then you have the duty to wake them up, one by one, explaining to them – also one by one – that they, like you, can find a divine way, without leaving the place they occupy in society” (Furrow, no. 182).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider

St. Josemaria Escriva made many pilgrimages throughout his lifetime seeking opportunities to encounter God and praying for his conversion and of the whole world. Today’s podcast commemorates the 50th Anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City from May 15-24, 1970.His pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on the Hill of Tepeyac, is recognized as the longest and one of the most important pilgrimages in his life. in this podcast, Fr. Javier shares historical insight to the pilgrimage and the lessons we can learn from St. Josemaria’s example of Marian devotion. Toward the end of this meditation (at 21:52), Fr. Javier shares an excerpt from Dream and Your Dreams Will Fall Short by Pedro Casciaro, available in our online shop at www.stjosemaria.org.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Fa

A Spiritual Retreat on the Conversion of St. Mark invites you to contemplate the life of St. Mark and accompany him through the central moment in his life in which we witness the man who was once a runaway from Christ become an evangelist for the Catholic faith.This retreat helps us to reflect on our vocation and personal call to holiness, regardless of our state in life. In his own pursuit of holiness, we see St. Mark overcome fear to become a daring, courageous disciple of Christ. Like St. Mark, when faced with difficulty in our own life, will we choose to flee bravely from temptation or will we flee cowardly from grace?A Spiritual Retreat on the Conversion of St. Mark is ideal for anyone seeking to take 1 - 2 days from daily life to spend quiet time in prayer and to enter more deeply into the Gospel. It is an opportunity to examine our spiritual life, reflecting upon the moments in which we have abandoned God and rejoicing in the gift of His merciful love.Access the full retreat online: download today!Supp

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on this joyous Easter season and the consoling truth of the faith in which we know that Christ has conquered sin and death for all. This season encourages us to look inward and foster a resurrection within our spiritual life. As we continue to grow in holiness, we receive the grace needed to be a vessel in which others can encounter Christ through our witness.St. Josemaria explains: “Easter is a time of joy – a joy not confined to this period of the liturgical year, but to be found really and fully in the Christian’s heart. For Christ is alive. He is not someone who has gone, someone who existed for a time and then passed on, leaving us a wonderful example and a great memory. No, Christ is alive. Jesus is the Emmanuel: God with us.” (Christ is Passing By, no. 102).Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and I

St. Josemaria Escriva recognized that God’s forgiveness is even more impressive than his ability to create something out of nothing, and that “his absolute power is best shown in his power to forgive.” On our part, we ultimately have to accept God’s gift of Divine Mercy through the Sacrament of Reconciliation that he established.In this reflection from Fr. Javier del Castillo, we learn how Christ forgives us, just as he forgave Thomas and the Apostles for running from the Cross and not having believed on Good Friday. After this encounter with the resurrected Christ, we must be sure of God’s forgiveness, and move on to forgiving others.Support the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all ou