St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this podcast, Fr. Donncha helps us consider that the Christian vocation to holiness rests upon our ability to let God work in and through us. So often may believe that becoming saints is a matter of our own personal striving. Yet "holiness, to a great degree," he says, is "letting God work."He continues: "It's not a matter of gritting my teeth and straining my muscles...holiness is fundamentally going at God's pace. It's saying to Our Lord, with the spirit of Mary...'Let it be done unto me according to your word.'" If we want to become saints, we must allow Our Lord to shine forth in us according to His will.At the Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary notices the lack of wine and tells the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." Jesus says, to each of us, "Fill up these jars to the brim." We too will give all we can, without holding anything back. But then we will let Our Lord transform our efforts, "our poor water," into the choices

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan examines three critical players in our spiritual life: the intellect, will, and heart. He offers a view of our life as a “journey back home,” relating the perilous journey in Homer’s Odyssey as a way of understanding the dangers confronting the Christian life in the modern world.“What a shame it would be,” he says, “to allow our day, our life, to be shipwrecked by the sirens of YouTube, a Netflix series, or Tik Tok.” Ultimately, Odysseus and his crew made it home because they knew the sirens were a “deadly menace,” and they did everything in their power to overcome them.If we form our intellect, will, and heart, giving each faculty its proper place, we too will overcome the obstacles that assail us on our journey Home. And we must totally commit to our destination: with all the power of our intellect, the strength of our will, and the passion of our heart.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: S

In this podcast, Fr. Peter commemorates the canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva as well as the background of the founding of Opus Dei. He talks about the light St. Josemaria received on that fateful 2nd of October, after a decade of constant prayer, and how that light came to illuminate the rest of his life.We are also privileged to hear about Fr. Peter's own experience at the canonization of St. Josemaria, which he says was filled with people from all walks of life, and from many different countries and cultures. The ceremony itself, we learn, was a witness to the great impact of St. Josemaria's life on the whole world.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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 fre

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio speaks of the New Evangelization, a term coined by St. John Paul II, as the “original evangelization.” The early Christians did not go into far off lands to convert others to Christ, they started where they were: in their families, their workplace, their circle of friends. By sharing the Gospel with others, one by one, they eventually changed the culture and the world.The example of the early Christians reminds us that we don’t need to leave our place in the world to become great evangelizers. Christ calls us to be “the light of the world” in our everyday occupations and in the ordinary circumstances of our life. Our mission territory is right where we find ourselves. This is where Christ calls us to share His life.Ultimately this is what St. Josemaria envisioned for the laity, especially for “the life of the members of Opus Dei, ordinary Christians who strive to live their Christian vocation fully without leaving the world” (Conversations, no. 33). All of us are called to b

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo shares an insightful reflection on the Holy Archangels – St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael – in honor of their feast day on September 29. Fr. Javier explains how "the work of the Archangels is really one of service to God, adoring God, being messengers of God, and helping mankind reach its ultimate end of going back to God."As he reflects on the tasks of the Archangels in the history of salvation, Fr. Javier also shares anecdotes about St. Josemaria Escriva's personal devotion to the Guardian Angels and Archangels, to whom he entrusted "the specific apostolic endeavors that he was to undertake as part of the mission that God wanted of him... founding Opus Dei." We learn how St. Josemaria's devotion to the angels was rooted in Scripture and grew from their loving intervention in his daily life, which inspired him to write: "Drink at the clear fountain of the Acts of the Apostles. In the twelfth chapter, Peter, freed from prison

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan underscores the perennial importance of persevering in our ascetical or interior struggle for "going higher and higher, doing whatever it takes to aim high, and to reach Heaven." We know that the Christian life is not compatible with self-satisfied mediocrity, love of comfort, and lukewarmness. We need great moral strength to reach Heaven and that means a daily perseverance towards sanctity. Therefore, as Msgr. Dolan explains, "to go higher and to get there requires a 'struggle' or 'warfare'... against the enemies of our sanctity, which include pride, laziness, love of comfort, sensuality, and a whole host of others." With practical advice and anecdotes from the life of St. Josemaria, Msgr. Dolan encourages us to fight our daily interior battles through which the discipline of a plan of work, good use of time, and small sacrifices will keep us exercising control over our appetites and keep us from falling into dissipation and lukewarmne

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo explores the meaning that our human suffering can assume when we offer it out of love to God. He explains that “the Lord has not come to get rid of suffering–we continue to suffer all the time–but he has come to give it meaning with his Cross; he has come to give it the meaning of love.”As we unite ourselves to the Cross of Christ, our hearts expand to a deeper outpouring of love among those around us. If we embrace our Cross in this way, we too will "find Mary on the way, just as Jesus did," and she will comfort and sustain us with her maternal care (Holy Rosary, no. 9).As you pray with this meditation today, think of ways you can begin to see the Cross, whether it is one or several in your life, as a source of joy instead of sorrow. And, ask yourself: how can I better unite myself to Jesus and Mary by means of the Cross?View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorit

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan invites us to remember how closely the Good Shepherd walks with us in our daily lives. He knows everything about us and is there at every moment, ever ready to guide, inspire, and support us as we aim to live out the particular vocation He has lovingly entrusted to us.God takes a risk with you. As St. John Henry Newman explains, “[God] has committed some work to [you] that he has not committed to another. [You] have [your] mission. He has not created [you] for nothing.” Ultimately, we are free to say ‘no’ to the mission God gives us. Yet only in fulfilling that mission wholeheartedly will we become truly happy and truly free.As you pray and reflect on this meditation, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and light to see how you can put your gifts and talents at the service of God. Remember that our human limitations and weaknesses need not deter us from responding generously to God’s will.This podcast is part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of September, availab

In this podcast, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the standard of holiness which St. Josemaria characterizes by the following three points: holy intransigence, holy coercion, and holy shamelessness. He explains that we must form our heart and mind according to the gospel message so that we will have a firm foundation when confronted with opposition.We are encouraged to look to the example of the saints who were steadfast in seeking the truth despite facing opposing viewpoints. Inspired by their witness, we too can seek to attain the plane of sanctity through the ordinary moments of everyday life and be a reflection of Christ in the world today.In this podcast Msgr. Dolan shares excerpts from the Letter from the Prelate of Opus Dei dated February 14, 2017. This letter can be read in full online at opusdei.org.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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. St

In this podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio sheds light on the mystery of redemption and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  In the life of every saint—and here he draws upon personal encounters with John Paul II, Mother Teresa, and Alvaro del Portillo—there is an intimate connection with Christ and His Eucharistic sacrifice.  “My professional work,” says Fr. Peter, “even if I make my bed out of love, could have an infinite value when I allow it to be absorbed by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.”As you meditate with this podcast today, think of any concrete efforts you can make this week to join yourself more intimately with the Eucharistic sacrifice.  When you are at Mass, remember that your work and sufferings can have an infinite value when you unite them to Our Lord.  Allow yourself to say, along with St. Paul, “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).“Keep struggling, so that the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar really becomes the center and root of your interior life, and so your who

As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection on the life of faith modeled by Our Lady and how we too can be filled with a trust and joy that is unable to be shaken by difficulties.Looking to her example, Msgr. Dolan explains that our life of faith can also prosper through contemplative prayer, docility to the Holy Spirit, and trust in the will of God as we seek to share the light of Christ in the world today.In honor of this great feast of the Assumption, how will you continue to learn from Mary and ponder important things in your heart and to think deeply about the will of God in your life?View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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,

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the spirit of detachment and the freedom from material goods as we seek to live more fully in the presence of God.As St. Josemaria explains: "The ordinary Christian has to reconcile two aspects in his life that may at first seem contradictory. There is on the one hand, true poverty, which is obvious and tangible and made up of definite things. This poverty should be an expression of faith in God and a sign that the heart is not satisfied with created things and aspires to the Creator; that it wants to be filled with love of God so as to be able to give this same love to everyone. On the other hand an ordinary Christian is and wants to be one more among his fellow men, sharing their way of life, their joys and happiness; working with them, loving the world and all the good things that exist in it; using all created things to solve the problems of human life and to establish a spiritual and material environment which will foster personal and social devel

As we conclude our mini-series on St. Josemaria’s homily, Passionately Loving the World, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the inestimable value of ordinary life and how it serves as a medium through which we encounter the presence of God. Drawing upon the hidden years of Christ’s life, Fr. Peter highlights the importance of being formed by the witness of our family and being nurtured by prayer so that we can lead a heroic life of faith, generosity, and service.Fr. Peter explains: “Don’t underestimate [your] individual calling. We are all called to be saints because sanctity does not depend on exactly what [we’re] doing, but how much love [we] invest in what [we’re] doing.”As you pray and reflect today, what steps forward can you take in your prayer life to strengthen your resolve to invite Christ into the ordinary moments of each day?View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leav

Do you love your life and the world with passion?In this podcast, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha continues our mini-series on St. Josemaria’s homily Passionately Loving the World with a reflection on our call to profoundly love and serve the Lord in and through our ordinary circumstances, especially our work. Fr. Donncha shares that, although worldliness can receive a negative connotation, we are called to give witness to the love of Christ in our daily actions as God became incarnate so that we can see and experience the world through his eyes.St. Josemaria explains: “A man who knows that the world – and not just the church – is the place where he finds Christ, loves that world. He endeavors to become properly trained, intellectually and professionally. He makes up his own mind, in full freedom, about the problems of the environment in which he moves, and he takes his own decisions in consequence” (In Love with the Church, no. 54).View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that o

Continuing our mini-series, “Passionately Loving the World”:  In this podcast, Fr. Eric Nicolai shares a reflection on the dangers of keeping our faith solely within the confines of our personal life rather than allowing it to permeate every aspect of our life–from the church, to the office, and among friends. Fr. Eric encourages us to cultivate authentic friendships through which we can carry out the work of evangelization, seeking to bring the light of Christ into every corner of our world.St. Josemaria explains: “We cannot lead a double life. We cannot be like schizophrenics, if we want to be Christians. There is only one life, made of flesh and spirit. And it is that life which has to become, in both body and soul, holy and filled with God: we discover the invisible God in the most visible and material things. There is no other way, my daughters and sons: either we learn to find Our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or we shall never find him” (Conversations, no. 114).As you pause and reflect today, in wha

In a homily given by St. Josemaria Escriva in the 1960’s, he called everyone gathered there to imitate Jesus’ love for humanity. But what does this call invite us to do today?As we begin a new four-part series on Passionately Loving the World, Fr. Peter Armenio enlightens us in this meditation by explaining that the call to passionately love the world invites us to leave our comfort zone, find new compassion for others, and to be present for those who do not know that they hunger for Christ, his consolation, and his peace. In turn, our efforts of imitating Christ will ultimately give our lives meaning and we will have found true love.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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 f

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by the simple question, can I truly become a saint? In this week’s podcast, Fr. Peter Armenio shares practical tips to seek guidance in our spiritual life when access to a spiritual director may be limited or unavailable. Although it may sound impossible to us, the path to sainthood challenges us to persevere in our daily life as we seek to imitate the life of Christ and discover God’s will. Inspired by the lives of the saints who have gone before us, we too can explore our unique path to sanctity as we attune our heart to the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit.This podcast is part of our Day of Recollection resources for the month of July, available for free online at www.stjosemaria.org.View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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.s

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29, Fr. Peter Armenio shares a reflection on the heroic lives of these two great saints who accepted Christ’s invitation to repentance and fearlessly proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Their lives model for us a pathway of discipleship and illustrate the boundless love of God made known through the power of forgiveness.On this feast day, we pray for an increased trust in the Lord and the strength to fearlessly proclaim the faith in our daily life. As St. Josemaria reminds us: “Depend on Jesus for everything. You have nothing, are worth nothing, are capable of nothing. He will act, if you abandon yourself to him” (The Way, no. 731).View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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 p

As the Church concludes the year “Amoris Laetitia Family” on June 26, Msgr. Fred Dolan shares a reflection that challenges us to “launch out into the deep” and discover the Lord’s vision of the human family. Focusing on the relationship between parents and children, Msgr. Dolan suggests four essential values that should be instilled in each child raised in a Christian family: prayer, identity in Christ, service, and vocational awareness. St. Josemaria explains: “[The family] is a home full of light and cheerfulness. The unity between the parents is transmitted to their children, to the whole family, and to everyone who is involved in their life. In this way, every truly Christian family reproduces in some way the mystery of the Church, chosen by God and sent to be the guide of the world” (Christ is Passing By, no. 30).View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport 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 this week’s podcast, Fr. Leo Agustina shares a reflection on the treasure of Christ, present in the Eucharist, and how we can become a living tabernacle in the world today. Fr. Leo draws our attention to the moments prior to the Ascension as Christ shares with his disciples the Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:19-20).This powerful message is an invitation from Christ to participate in his salvific work, drawing all men and women toward Heaven. Christ humbles himself to become bread so that he may dwell fully within us, as a living tabernacle, and gives us the opportunity to participate more fully in his mission to share the gift of faith with future generations to come.As you pause and reflect today, how will you continue to mold your life of faith and prayer to draw closer to our Eucharistic Lord?View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK