Spotlight on the Catholic Momcast

I was first introduced to the world of Catholic Mom by way of the Catholic Momcast, the podcast series hosted by the founder of CatholicMom.com Lisa Hendey, along with various guests and co-hosts over the years. The first episode was released on January 20, 2018, ironically (or, in true "Godcidence" fashion) right around the time I found my way back to my faith and yearning for anything and everything I could find to help me navigate this new territory of being a Catholic mom. Having just discovered podcasts in general, I quickly hit the "subscribe" button after listening to that first episode.

One of the first things I learned through the Catholic Momcast was that listeners were (and still are) encouraged to submit questions for potential discussion on the podcast. I took advantage of this and, very nervously submitted my question to editor@catholicmom.com. I was pleasantly surprised when my email was read online and the hosts answered my question with love and grace in Episode 19: Sharing Faith with Loved Ones.

null

From that point on, I became a regular listener. Within each episode of the podcast, whether it is interviewing the author of a newly released book, simply giving advice on the struggles we women face as daughters of God and within our respective vocations as wife or mother, or discovering the many different saints (Episode 41:There's a Saint for That), the over-arching theme is around faith, family, and fun. I found that not only was this an uplifting podcast that strives to bring us closer to God, there are also a great deal of other resources that are typically linked within the show notes.

Because of the podcast, I have been introduced to so many aspects of my faith I never knew existed: from Adoration (Episode 28: Adoration Help with Vinny Flynn and Episode 83: Getting Started with Adoration) to spiritual direction (Episode 165: Learning the Basics about Spiritual Direction) as well as ideas for ways to celebrate the various liturgical seasons and feast days (Episode 170: Saints of Advent), there are plenty of topics I have enjoyed learning more about.

I encourage you, if you have not yet done so already, to check out the Catholic Momcast. If there is a particular topic you’re curious about, I encourage you to search through the more than 200 episodes. And if you don’t see an episode about the topic, just do like I did and send an email to editor@catholicmom.com. You never know, your letter could become the inspiration for the next episode and help other women out there. God bless!

null

Comments

Humility: My Word of the Year 2023

One of the first things I notice each time I discern a word of the year is how randomly I suddenly see that word or hear it said. It's like those moments when you are made aware of something that you immediately notice more. For example, I decided long before I could drive that my dream car was a Volkswagen Beetle. I saw one nearly every time I was in a car and still notice them, especially if it happens to be a metallic blue Super Beetle, to be exact. But this year for 2023, instead of a car, it is a word. And, ironically enough, I feel like God has been using my love language (which is "words of affirmation") to continue to solidify where He is guiding me. I honestly don't remember the exact moment in time when it hit me but I knew it was my word. Or, rather, several variations of this word. Once again while driving, I heard it—just as I had heard my first word . Humility: freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble. ( Merriam-Webster.

Discerning a Word of the Year: 'Abide' to 'Mother'

Several years ago, I was introduced to the concept of a word of the year by way of a podcast series called Abiding Together. The women’s group I had recently joined had been listening to the series as a way for us to continue to grow in our faith. After listening to the episode about discerning a word of the year, I reflected on an earlier episode that talked about striving versus abiding . After listening to it again and, having not yet decided on my word for the year, I initially felt convinced it should be "strive." I wanted to strive to do better as a wife and mother and faithful daughter of God. I was so confident, in fact, that I shared what I thought was to be my word of the year with several of my friends. Looking back, I can see that God was guiding me in the right direction but re-focused my attention. Literally, while I was driving. I distinctly remember the moment and location I fully discerned my first word of the year. As I paused to a stop, I said to my

Faith Abroad: La Santina, Our Lady of Covadonga

The summer of 2004 is one I will never forget for multiple reasons. It was my first trip overseas and I was thrilled to get my first stamp in my passport. I had dreams of filling that passport with stamps from all over the world but my first stop was on a study abroad I took to the beautiful country of Spain. I was minoring in Spanish and thought this would be the perfect way to practice my Spanish while getting to see a part of the world I had always dreamed of seeing. As a bonus, our professor was a native to the part of Spain in which we would spend most of our time and knew of places beyond your typical travel guide and tourist attractions. As I said goodbye to my family, my dad blessed my forehead and reminded me to say a prayer every time I traveled. Upon our initial arrival to Madrid, I took in all of the beautiful scenery, including the stunning and historic basilicas and churches. I knew the country as a whole was predominantly Catholic and I was looking forward to attending M

Jennifer J Thomas

Search This Blog