Our Catholic Way

  In Part I of Cari's interview we heard how she found truth in Christianity following years of searching through a religious morass of options.   In Part II Cari shares how truth deepened when she found her way into the Roman Catholic Church, the last place in which she expected to find herself. Oddly, it was a "Chick tract" written by the recently deceased Jack Chick that caused her to take a look at some of the Church's claims.   Today, Cari has a deep devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Brief Show Notes:-- Find out more about the Miraculous Medal HERE. -- Read the Catholic Answers article about Jack Chick HERE. -- Find 30 Days for the Holy Souls HERE. -- Find Cari's website HERE. -- Find Cari's Ghost Fawn Podcast HERE. -- Become a Friend of the Show HERE. -- If you like Our Catholic Way please leave a review on iTunes. -- Call the show with feedback at 731-4-OURWAY.

    Author and blogger Cari Donaldson is the first to tell you she didn't grasp Christianity when she was a kid. Sure she attended church each week and prayed to God, but the understanding of the Holy Spirit evaded her.      Believing that Jesus was a created being, like a human son, she branched out into the New Age movement in hopes of discovering the answers to all of life's tough questions. The quest for knowing the Creator lead her to Christ. Hear her tell her fascinating story of discovery on this week's edition of Our Catholic Way! Brief Show Notes:-- Cari is the author of Pope Awesome and Other Stories. You can find it on Amazon HERE. -- Check out Cari's website HERE. -- Find out more about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal HERE. -- Share an example of how the Holy Spirit has worked in your life. Call 731-4OU-RWAY. Will try to share comments during the next episode!

    Jennifer Longworth grew up as the daughter of a Methodist minister and she'll be the first to tell you that she was not the stereotypical bad preacher's kid (PK). She loved her faith and family and was overjoyed when she first heard about the Reformation in school. But her views of the Reformation's offspring, i.e., Protestantism, began to unravel when she discovered Catholic radio. Enjoy! Brief Show Notes:1) Some resources on the Reformation and the early Christian Church include: -- The Apostasy that Wasn't by Rod Bennett. Find it on Amazon HERE. -- Fathers Know Best by Jimmy Aikin. Find it on Amazon HERE. -- New Advent article HERE. 2) Kim mentioned a cookbook that guides you with recipes through the liturgical year. It's called A Continual Feast by Evelyn Birge Vitz and you can find it HERE. 3) Learn more about the Assumption of Mary HERE. 4) Hear about Mary's Queenship HERE. 5) Find Jennifer at JoysofMercy on Instagram, Periscope, Twitter, and Snapchat. Find Our Catholic Way on

    Long before I met Father Charles Merrill and he donned a collar and cassock, he was a fairly content Southern Baptist. Raised in the Bible belt he learned to love Jesus both at church and at home. But over time he became less enchanted with the teachings of "The Holy Book" and more enthralled with discoveries from history books and other intellectual pursuits. It would take a friend full of zeal for the Reformation to ignite his curiosity of Christian history. Once he began studying, the rest as they say is...well...history.  Brief Show Notes: -- You can find Fr. Charles Merrill's book on the true origins of Christopher Columbus HERE. -- Read my blog posts about Fr. Merrill HERE. -- Find Our Catholic Way on FB HERE. -- Find Our Catholic Way on Breadbox Media HERE. -- Have a comment or question? Call 731-4OU-RWAY -- Become a Friend of the Show HERE. -- Next week we'll visit with former Methodist and pastor's kid Jennifer Longworth.    

    Catholicism expert Scott Richert, author at Catholicism.about.com, digs deep into history to help listeners discover for themselves if Halloween should be avoided or embraced.     Is Halloween a pagan holiday? Where does the idea of trick-or-treating come from? How should you and your family celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day? Scott will answer these questions and many more during this episode.   Brief Show Notes: -- Find Scott Richert at www.about.catholicism.com -- Click HERE for the Soul Cakes recipe I found -- Find an article Scott Richert wrote on Halloween HERE -- Find OCW on FB HERE -- Consider becoming an OCW Friend of the Show HERE -- Call with comments or questions: 731-4OU-RWAY

    Shalimar Masters is a beautiful mom to ten children this side of Heaven. She is a devout Catholic who grew up in a similarly devout Catholic home. But there was a season of life when addiction and darkness crept in and lay hold of her, making it next to impossible for her to even step foot inside of a church. It was while there, in the bottom of this spiritual pit, that God clearly revealed to her that her sin had become all-consuming and she needed to make drastic changes or else face eternal damnation. His voice was a wake-up call and an answer to her prayer to "Save me!"   Brief Show Notes: -- New phone number to call OCW with a comment or question: 731-468-7929 or 731-4OU-RWAY -- Kim shared Heberews 12:5-7 "And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son." Endure suffering as discip

    Sheri Muenstermann was a devoted pastor's wife for a quarter of a century. But when she read the works of Mother Teresa (now Saint Teresa) she discovered a richness that she hadn't known before. Over time, the misconceptions she had believed from childhood about the Catholic Church were erased and replaced with truth. Gradually, she and her husband both realized they couldn't stay away from the Catholic Church any longer.   Brief Show Notes:-- Sheri mentioned reading books by Saint Teresa. Some of her works include: No Greater Love Simple Path Mother Teresa: In My Own Words In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living -- Sheri's husband, Ken, founded The St. Francis DeSales Forum to help others go deeper into Scripture. You can discover more by clicking: DeSalesForum. -- You can find more podcast episodes on the Our Catholic Way and Breadbox Media websites. -- Please email me with any questions, comments or prayer requests at o

    This week I decided to veer from the norm to bring you an episode on the Courage Apostolate, a true gift to those struggling with same-sex attraction yet desiring holiness. Courage shows men and women how those competing desires can co-exist through living chaste lives of fellowship, truth and love.     Deacon Patrick Lappert, a convert to Catholicism and previous OCW guest, serves as a volunteer with Courage International and returns to the show to tell us about this life-affirming ministry. Brief Show Notes: -- Visit the website for Courage International by clicking HERE. -- Former pastor's wife, Sheri Muenstermann, is expected to be next week's guest -- Please visit iTunes to write a review -- Find OCW on Facebook -- Find OCW online at Our Catholic Way -- Find OCW on Breadbox Media (Correction: I mistakenly say the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was Tuesday, September 8th, however it was Thursday.)

    Kim Tisor returns raring to go after several months away from her weekly podcast. In this episode, Kim  explains what she was doing while she left you hanging for so long, as well as shares a couple of God moments she encountered during her mini hiatus.         You may notice the flow has changed a bit. That's because Kim is now on a streaming Catholic internet radio network called Breadbox Media. The format you'll now hear, i.e. 48 min. or slightly less with some periodic transitions to allow for advertisements conforms to the requirements for playing on Breadbox Media. So, you'll hear it here as you would on Breadbox Media but minus the ads.  Confused yet?        Please check out Breadbox Media where you'll discover wonderful hosts that cover a range of topics from marriage and parenting to faith and finances. Brief Show Notes:-- You can still find me on occasion at Our Catholic Way -- I mentioned

    Ken Muenstermann craved a deeper understanding of the Bible and its contents as a Catholic teen. When he discovered a more vibrant approach to the teaching of the scriptures in a Protestant setting, he left his Catholic faith behind. But he would discover the "Roman roots" remained intact, even after years of seminary and planting churches. He still loves studying and teaching the Bible, but today he does so in slightly different settings. Discover more in this latest edition of Our Catholic Way!    Brief Show Notes:-- Read Ken's blog where you'll discover more about the Roman Catholic Church and his journey at Tridentino. -- Ken recommends the following books:An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, John Henry NewmanBorn Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic, David CurrieOn Being Catholic, Thomas HowardOne, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, Kenneth WhiteheadThe Catholic Controversy, St. Francis de SalesUpon this Rock, Steve Ray

    John Spurlock nearly lived in church while growing up and was accustomed to seeing the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of others. It wasn't until he became an adult and verbally sparred with a Roman Catholic priest, that the Holy Spirit decided to visit John in the middle of the night. He distinctly heard the voice of God and it changed his life. Brief Show Notes:-- In the interview, John recommends reading Catholic for Dummies-- Find free CDs and audio downloads from www.biblechristiansociety.com-- John is a Grand Knight within the Knights of Columbus at his parish

    Thank you for returning for part II of our interview with Sterling Jaquith of the Coffee and Pearls podcast. In this half you'll discover why despite her initial reservations, Sterling decided to follow the man of her dreams into the Catholic Church.     Once inside she discovered a beautiful treasure, but she had to overcome a few hurdles before she could embrace it with her whole heart. Now she devotes much of her time to sharing her love for Jesus and Catholicism with all who will listen, especially women and moms with young children.    Find out more about Sterling when you visit her website at www.sterlingjaquith.com. Her husband, Michael, recently launched a podcast for Catholic men called The Stakes are High at www.thestakesarehigh.com.   Brief Show Notes:-- Here are some of the books that Sterling read and recommends for those first looking into the Catholic Church or wanting to deepen their faith:Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, Matthew KellyRed

    I'm constantly amazed that even when I get off schedule with posting episodes, they always seem to get published at the perfect time. Case in point: I'm posting this the night before Valentine's Day and today's story involving Sterling Jaquith has everything to do with LOVE! Desiring the love of a mate...the love she found in Christ...and the love she discovered online with a Catholic man!    This is PART I of my discussion with Sterling, a fascinating woman who is busy with young children yet always makes time for sharing her faith and wisdom to help you through your day! She blogs at www.sterlingjaquith.com and while you're there sign up to receive her weekly Coffee and Pearls podcast!  Brief Show Notes:-- In the intro Kim references St. Valentine.-- Kim talks to Deacon Greg Thompson of the website GregCast about indulgences. (indulgences link includes the definition Deacon Thompson shared from the CCC.)-- Kim closes this episode with the love passage from 1 Corinthian

    This interview with Audrey Assad is a dream come true! I recall years ago when I was new to the journey hearing of Audrey Assad's conversion. She was a fairly new convert at that point, but now has a handful of years as a Catholic under her belt. Her faith paints who she is as an artist, but like all of us, she's still learning and growing and eager to share her story with you. Thank you for listening to Our Catholic Way!   Brief Show Notes:--  Inheritance: Audrey Assad's Hymns Project releases February 12th!-- Audrey Assad and Matt Maher perform at 2015 One Thing conference. See Francis Chan embrace Audrey Assad at the end of video. Click Here.-- Connect with Kim Tisor on Facebook.  

    What a privilege to interview Kristen Rabideau. Somehow in her childhood she learned and came to believe that Christ died on a cross to save her and others from sin. I say "somehow" because she was reared in a family that failed to emphasize the importance of faith, however they didn't discourage her from seeking God, either.     Over time, Kristen would discover that her life was missing something and knew it was to be found through the worship of God, but with all of the options available... where?Brief Show Notes:-- Kristen shared that the books Rome Sweet Home by Dr. Scott Hahn and By What Authority from author Mark Shea reflected her own journey.-- One of Kristen's favorite teachings of the Catholic Church is on redemptive suffering. -- Kim mentioned that the Blessed Mother's title of Ark of the New Covenant helped her see Mary's important role in salvation.-- Visit Kristen's website Drawn 2B Creative for free printables and her Printable 3-D Jesse Tree Ornaments ebook!&

    Today no one would question the deep faith of Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP. People are often amazed when they discover that the woman who writes and speaks about her love for Christ and His Church, once denied God's existence. But it's her very journey involving skepticism and disappointment that equipped her to pen the book The Prodigal You Love: Inviting Loved Ones Back to the Church. She understands firsthand what approaches are most effective in reaching friends and family members who've left the fold.     Brief Show Notes:Sister Theresa belongs to The Daughters of St. Paul.Patheos hosts Sr. Theresa's blog Pursued by Truth.       Kim learns the difference between a sister and a nun.Be sure to connect with Sr. Theresa on FB and Twitter!Connect with Kim via the OCW FB page and Twitter.Have a blessed Advent!   

    As a child, Cristina Trinidad wanted to know what took place in church that attracted so many people from across her Brooklyn neighborhood. Her own family didn't attend, but she was allowed to investigate on her own, so she did. It wasn't long before any thoughts of God were replaced with distractions that were typical among her peers. But in adulthood following motherhood she would discover that God was there all along. Brief Show Notes:Cristina mentions St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)Cristina shared that she and her husband lived as brother and sister while awaiting an annulment. Annulment FAQFind Cristina Trinidad's embroidery work at Handmaid Embroidery.Find personalized rosaries from Allison KinyonThank you for listening to another episode of OCW! God bless and Happy Thanksgiving!! Please leave a positive review in iTunes and join me next week when I interview Sr. Theresa Aletheia.

    Allison Gingras grew up Catholic, but other than praying the Rosary during thunderstorms, her family didn't practice the faith. Allison would remain lukewarm until an unexpected invitation to a Bible study ignited a fire in her heart. Now, she shares her passion for Jesus, His word and His Church through various forms of media with all who will listen. Brief Show Notes:Allison recommends the book The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.Find Allison's radio show A Seeking Heart at Breadbox Media.

    Don Johnson has always been firm in his Christian faith and has spent most of his adult life reaching out to atheists to share with them the love of Christ. It was through educating himself on how best to reach atheists, agnostics, and skeptics with the gospel message that he discovered that the Lord had a message for him. He was to join the Catholic Church.    Listen to Don's story and discover how his quest for truth lead him to produce a documentary showcasing others who have walked a similar path of conversion. Brief Show Notes:Learn more about Don Johnson and his film Convinced at www.donjohnsonministries.org. Upcoming guests include Allison Gingras and Cristina Trinidad.Please join me on FB or send me an email. You'll find my email link at the Our Catholic Way website.

    Chris Padgett knew the Lord and even traveled the country using his musical talents to lead others in worship. He never expected to find Christ in the Catholic Church. What was one of his biggest obstacles? Lukewarm (to room temperature) Catholics. He has since discovered vibrant Catholics and he continues to encourage others in their faith through music, writing, and speaking.Brief Show Notes:Chris Padgett's most recent book is Holy Marriage, Happy Marriage. (Find it on my blog at Our Catholic Way.)Discover Chris's other projects at www.chrispadgett.com