Native Soil

Fr. Victor sits down with Keri & Beau Buhring to talk about Engaged Encounter. DIG IN1. How can you see your marriage more and more as a "gift" and a "sacrament?" How can you model Christ love more effectively for the world around you? What is the right balance in a marriage for the relationship between spouses, career, children, other family members, friends, recreation, and entertainment? 2. How can your parish better support married couples and those who are preparing for marriage? How can you pray for married couples more? Is there anything the Lord might want you to do to support this Sacrament? 3. What aspects of Catholic Christian Marriage are most countercultural today? How can these teachings be better explained to couples today? What resources do they need to have to be able to contend with the way the rest of the world goes about marriage? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor talks about the Consecrated Single Life in episode 13 of Native Soil. DIG IN1. What would it look like for you, in your current state-in-life, to embrace more the evangelical counsels - Poverty, Chastity & Obedience? These are the three ancient hallmarks of a Christian more perfectly surrendering their life to Christ. 2. Have you ever considered that Christ may be asking you to make a Gift of all that you are to Him? As a religious brother or sister? As a consecrated single (lay) person? 3. What secular spaces of our Native Soil do you occupy? How might the Lord want to use you and your gifts to bring Light and Life to those places? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor sits down with Fr. Stephen Vrazel to talk about Scouting.DIG IN1. How do you and your family and friends spend time in God's creation? How can you spend more time outdoors, enjoying God's creation and the people he has placed in your life? 2. What lessons can we learn from "scouting" for our everyday Christian life? How can we be more "service oriented" and even more ready to serve Christ and his kingdom with the gifts he has given us? 3. Who were the mentors in your life that taught you important life lessons - responsibility, service, ingenuity, adventure, safety, industriousness, etc? How can you be that mentor to somebody else? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor sits down with Debrah Madonia to talk about the Daughters of Mary. DIG IN1. Might the Lord be calling you to participate in the Daughters of Mary? To start a chapter in your parish? 2. If not the Daughters of Mary, how is it that the women of your parish can gather to reflect upon the Word of God and let it penetrate their hearts and inform the way they live out their vocation? 3. Do you have a close relationship with the Blessed Mother? If not, how could you develop one? How could she help you to be more open and available to the Word of God in your life? www.nativesoil.org

Charisms are gifts from God for the building up of his Kingdom. DIG IN1. Do you feel like you have surrendered to God and his Spirit is living in you? Have you given God permission to unlock all of the graces of your Baptism and Confirmation? If not, consider gathering with some members of the Body of Christ and asking them to pray with you and for you to do so. 2. What spiritual gifts has the Lord given to you? Do you feel like you are a good steward of them? Could you gain greater clarity about the gifts God has invested within you at the natural level? Supernatural level? 3. How do you think God is calling you to use the gifts he has given you for the building up of his Church? What are the needs of your Native Soil, community and parish? How can your gifts meet those needs? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor talks with Rafi Rodriguez about The Knights of ColumbusDIG IN1. Do you have a Knight of Columbus chapter at your parish? Are you aware of the ministries they support? How might you be called to join the Knights or collaborate with their ministries? 2. Whether it is the KofC or another parish ministry you belong to, how can you be more attune to the actual needs of your neighbor - those who live on your Native Soil - i.e. within your parish boundaries? How can you and your ministry tailor your efforts more closely to meet the needs of the physically and spiritually poor? 3. How can your parish be more inviting to your neighbors? How can parish ministries be more open and built to welcome all demographics existing in the pews and beyond? *We had technical difficulties with the sound on this episode and apologize that it does not meet our standards. www.nativesoil.org

Native Soil LIVEFr. Victor sits down in front of a live audience to talk to Dan Johnson, creative director at 4PM Media who has had many roles in the lay apostolate over the years. www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor talks with Nikki Burns about BLOOM Ministry. DIG IN1. Does your parish have a ministry to support the spiritual and social needs of the women in your parish? If not, how might BLOOM serve as a template for something to "bloom" in your parish? 2. Has the Lord ever put an inspiration in your heart to start something new? Have you paid attention to it? If so, how did you take the first steps? If not, how can you open yourself up with greater courage to the voice of God in your life? 3. How can the women in your life be better prayed for, appreciated and supported? What are the needs of the women in your parish? How can they be better attended to by the Body of Christ locally? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor and Jack McNichol talk about The Men of St. Joseph in episode 7. DIG IN1. How do you prepare for Sunday Mass? Do you pray with the readings beforehand? Do you reflect upon the readings with members of your family or with people in your parish? 2. How can you share your faith more with your spouse? Children? Family members? Friends? 3. Does your parish have a MOSJ chapter? If so, is God calling you to join? If not, may the Lord be calling you to start one? If not, how may the Lord want to use you to create spiritual fellowship and support among the men of your parish-both young and old? www.nativesoil.org

Fr. Victor sits down with Ellen Taylor to talk about Archangel Radio. DIG IN1. Do you listen to Catholic radio? Catholic music? Catholic podcasts? If not, how can you fill your mind more and more with the Word of God so that you can be nourished with it and be able to share it with greater facility? 2. What is your relationship with your parents like? Your siblings? In the midst of the busyness of life, might God be calling you to create more space to appreciate and invest in these irreplaceable gifts? 3. Have you ever invited someone to listen to Archangel Radio? Or some other Catholic content? If no, why not? Ask the Lord who he might want you to share some resources of faith with. 

The Aim of the Christian Life - The Acquisition of the Holy SpiritDIG IN1. How can you create a deeper and regular awareness of the presence of God dwelling in you? 2. How can your life, your home, your school, your parish be more and more a place of "communion?" A place where everything in the environment is aimed at helping each person to grow in communion with the life of the Trinity dwelling in their soul by virtue of their baptism? 3. What is the biggest obstacle right now in your life preventing it from being further blended into/assimilated into the Life of Christ?

Fr. Victor sits down with Jack McAleer to discuss how The Cursillo Movement has impacted his life. DIG IN1. Have you ever been on a retreat before? If not, perhaps Cursillo could be your first experience? Consider the river of grace that has flowed in Jack's life since his first retreat. Imagine wha the Lord might want to do in your life! 2. Do you have a small group of men or women with whom you can share your faith? What the Lord is doing in your life? Your joys and struggles in trying to follow Christ and share his Life and Life with others? If not, how can you reach out for this? We all need folks to walk with. Perhaps there is a Cursillo "grouping" that you can join? Talk to your pastor about the options available to you. 3. Cursillo is Spanish for "short course." If someone were to ask you to give them a "cursillo" about Jesus Christ and his Church, what would you tell them? If someone would ask you to give them, a "cursillo" about how you have come to believe in Christ, what would you tell them?

In Episode 3, Fr. Victor talks with Julianne Jackson about her journey with The Daughters of St. Francis DeSales. Julianne prayed for years for the Lord to take her deeper in her faith—and the Lord responded in an amazing way. Have you ever asked the Lord consistently to take you deeper in your faith? Could you trust that the Lord would create a path for you, even where there appears to be no path ahead? Have you ever read St. Frances de Sales' Introduction to the Devout Life? If not, consider prayerfully reading through it. As you do, consider—Is God calling you to join the Daughters of St. Frances de Sales?What would Holiness look like for someone in your “state of life?” What may be the first step God is calling you to take in that direction?For more information on The Daughters of St. Francis DeSales, please visit https://www.sfdsassociation.org/

Fr. Victor interviews Brandon Bender about SEARCH Retreats.DIG IN1. What are you SEARCHING for in your life? In what area of your life are you particularly searching for meaning and understanding? Consider taking some time to invite the Lord into that space. Invite God to speak into this area of your life. 2. How are you involved in Peer ministry? Who does the Lord want to bless in your immediate surroundings? Is the Lord calling you to attend SEARCH? To be a team leader? To serve your peers in some other way?3. Have you had a moment when you encountered Christ in a personal way? If not, how might you open your heart to such an experience? Might the Lord be calling you to go on a retreat? If yes, how might the Lord be calling you to help create moments like that for others?

Join Fr. Victor for Season 6 of Native Soil as he dives into the mission of the Lay Apostolate. Dig In Further1. How do you feel called to labor in the vineyard - to cultivate God's kingdom in your midst? 2. How do you feel you need to be grafted on the Vine that is Jesus Christ - I. E. to rely on Him more and not on yourself? In what ways do you feel fruitless and need Christ to come and fill you with his life? 3. What are the ordinary circumstances of your day-to-day life? How do you feel you are "standing idle?" How might the Lord want to carry Christ's presence into these circumstances? 

To wrap up this season on Youth Ministry, Fr. Victor shows how “youth ministry” is not a modern reality but something that goes all the way back to the heart of Jesus Christ himself. Jesus saw how vulnerable and formative our youth are and was very serious about caring for them and protecting them from sin. Fr. Victor shows how Jesus's heart for the youth has lived on in the lives of the saints over the years—St. Benedict, St. John Bosco, Servant of God Luigi Giussani & Blessed Carlo Acutis. Dig In Further:1. How can you and your parish take on the heart of Jesus in relation to our youth? To rally the whole village…the whole parish community to protect them, guide them and form them in the life of Jesus Christ?2. How can disciple our young people in such a way that they are equipped to disciple their own friends and family? How can the youth be encouraged to use their creativity, energy and innovative spirit to bring the Gospel to the world in new and exciting ways (like Bl. Carlo Acutis)?3. How can Christ be the CENTER of every environment we create for our young people—home, school, parish, neighborhood, etc. How can we plant Christ deep into their young hearts? How can we make fruitful the “soil of the hearts” of our youth “for the accomplishment of His work in the world, which is the victory over death and evil?” 

Joy Lang is the Youth Minster at Little Flower Parish in Mobile, AL. She grew up at Heart of Mary Parish and attended McGill. She really encountered the Lord in a new and life changing way a couple years back when she took her youth group to ACYC. Learn how the Lord brought Joy to this moment and how it has affected her entire life moving forward. Dig In Further:1. Do the teens in your youth group have somebody to minister to them who “looks like them?” If not, might there be ways of inviting speakers, guests from other parishes, leaders of other ministries to come and visit your youth group from time to time? As Joy shared, listening to another Black Catholic preach at ACYC was a decisive moment in diving deeper into her Catholic faith, realizing her was capable of diving all the way in. 2. What is one of the more profound encounters with Christ that you have ever had? What was involved in that moment? What were the aspects of the environment and the setting that the Lord used to “lower your defenses” and allow him more clearly touch your heart?3. How might your parish be able to collaborate with other parishes nearby to enhance your teens' experience of faith formation? Are there ways you can have youth group together? Go on retreats together? Service projects? Mission trips? Adoration nights? Shared speakers? Shared fun activities? 

Today you will meet a rather unique woman—a person who is half Hungarian and half Chilean who grew up in Puerto Rico, lived for a time in Chile and Hungary and left her Native Soil when a friend invited her to take a job in Mobile! Andrea offers a compelling testimony to God's Providence and the blessings that come when we trust the Lord. She shares a unique perspective on ministering to youth in a diverse parish setting and reflects on the particular needs of  Hispanic families in feeling comfortable with their children participating in youth ministry. Also, she talks about her role as “Youth Ministry Coordinator,” serving alongside the “Youth Minister,” Fr. Connor Plessala.Dig In Further:1. Do you live with a belief that God is guiding you through life? Are there any areas of your life where you worry too much about how things will work out? How might you be able to surrender these things more to God's Providence and find greater peace in your life?2. How can all the teens in your parish feel more welcome to participate in youth ministry? Are there any groups in your parish that are not represented well? How might you reach out to them? How might you invite some adults from that group to be part of your youth ministry team to help navigate these challenges?3. Andrea helped us to realize how much coordination, communication, paperwork, etc. is involved in having a successful youth ministry program. Her taking care of much of the coordination allows Fr. Connor to focus on preparing the “teachings” for the youth and being as pastorally present and available to the youth as possible? How can you and your parish discern the gifts of the clergy and laity alike and help better connect them to the needs of the youth in your parish?

We recently had a live show at Well Red in Auburn with special guest Fr. Peyton Plessala. It was a grace-filled night with a great audience.

Meet Ann Palamara. Again, appreciate the lengths God has undertaken to bring just the right people to live out the faith here on our Native Soil. Originally from a dairy farm in upstate New York, marvel as Ann shares how the Lord brought her to Eufaula, AL because of its “soil!” Literally, its SOIL! The Lord would get Ann involved in Church ministry quickly upon arriving and would end up serving the youth at her parish for years. She now claims “Eufaula” as her “Native Soil” and her parish as her truest “family” on earth. Dig In Further:1. How can you see the hand of the Lord guiding you in your life? Can you see his guidance in where you live? Where you work? Certain friendships?2. How can your parish community become more of your “family?” How can you share your gifts and talents and consider with your fellow parishioners how Christ wants to work through you as a family?3. What obstacles might be present keeping the young people in your parish from engaging in youth ministry? The broader life of the parish? Might there be issues of money, transportation, schedule conflicts, lack of awareness, etc? How might you and your parish overcome those obstacles?

Today we meet a former member of Fr. Steve Williams' youth group at St. Pius—Jami Graham. Jami servers as youth minister for several years at Christ the King in Daphne and, this past year, began to serve the youth at St. Dominic in Mobile. Jami shares how the Lord led her into this ministry—not something that she set out to do! Over all the years, she shares her philosophy of “youth ministry” and what important aspects are necessary to help nurture teens in the faith at this formative time in their life. Dig In Further:1. What does it mean to “Be Yourself?” What is this such an important thing for teens to be able to do? 2. How does “Being Yourself” lay the foundation for someone to then embark on the journey of “Becoming Your Truly Self in Christ?”3. What experiences in your life really helped you to “Be Yourself?” Who were the people involved? How can we better create environments for our young people to find out “who they are” and then furthermore discover “Who they are In Christ?"

Today Fr. Victor shares about a Catholic Service Mission Trip he participated in for five summers straight growing up. He reflects upon the great impact it had on him and the elements of that experience that reveal what effective youth ministry looks like. He points at three components in particular that helped to make his faith come alive and be put into practice. Dig In Further:1. How can your teens better encounter Christ within your parish community? How can they experience a sense of belonging, fun, joy, being known and appreciated, etc in your parish?2. How can your teens better encounter Christ through the Sacraments at your parish? What can help them to more personally be aware of, appreciate and open their hearts to being touched by Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven made available to them in the Sacraments?3. How can your teens better encounter Christ in the poor through your parish? How can they regularly be brought into contact with the poor and be given concrete chances to get to know them and their circumstances while serving them in some real way?

Last week we met Todd Sylvester—former youth minister at St. Ignatius in Mobile and St. Lawrence in Fairhope. Today we meet one of Todd's former youth group members from St. Ignatius—Fr. Connor Plessala. Fr. Connor shares how youth ministry impacted not only him but his entire family. He also relates how it led to him discovering his call to be a priest. He now shares what is likely to be on the other end of youth ministry—being a youth minister now himself at St. Bede's. Share in his passion for calling our young people today to Holiness!Dig In Further:1. How can we make “Faith in Christ” the center of life for our teenagers? At home? At school? At youth group? In sports, band, other activities?2. What does is look like to “demand holiness” from our young people? With an even greater fervor than we demand good grades, full egagement in athletics, and following rules…what would it look like to “demand holiness” first and foremost in the lives of our young people?3. Is there any aspect of your family life, work culture, school structure, etc. that needs to change in order for Christ to be celebrated more centrally?

Today meet another “Godfather” of youth ministry here in the Archdiocese of Mobile—Todd Sylvester. He shares his story of conversion and how the Lord Providentially brought him down to Mobile to do youth ministry. Listen in to how the Lord gave him the grace to serve in that capacity for over 20 years and the lessons he learned along the way. Dig In Further:1. How can you help the teens in your life be “known”? How about your family members, peers and friends?2. How can you show the teens in your life that you love them and are interested in their lives?3. How can you share the Gospel with the teens in your life? How about your family members, peers, co-workers and friends?

You heard about him vicariously last week…time to meet the man face to face! Meet one of the “Godfathers” of youth ministry in the Archdiocese of Mobile. Youth ministry was a big part of his teenage experience, his discernment of the priesthood and has been a consistent thread in his priestly ministry for more than 25 years! A great well to draw from as we dig into this topic! Dig In Further:1. Who made the biggest impact on your faith during your teenage years?2. How did the Lord exactly reveal himself to you through this person?3. How does the Lord want to work through you to bring our youth into an encounter with our living Lord Jesus?

Today Fr. Victor reflects upon the great impact that two people, in particular, had on his faith throughout his teenage years. His youth minister was a Mom who simply responded to the need of the parish to provide a place for their youth to engage their faith. The priest only served in his parish for one summer but opened his horizons about the role of a priest in the lives of young people and connected him to the larger Catholic world in the Archdiocese outside of Montgomery. Both influences proved to be life-changing. Dig In Further:1. Like Joan Plumlee, how might the Lord be calling you to step forward more deeply into the life of the Church…especially were you might be inadequate or unprepared?2. Has the Lord ever put a “Fr. Steve Williams” into your life? Someone that passes through your life just for a couple months, but really makes an impact on you? If not, maybe ask the Lord to bring someone like that into your life.3. How you can help the young people in your parish realize they are part of something bigger than themselves? Bigger than your parish? Bigger than the world?

Meet Silvia Stroud. Wife. Mother. Disciple. Middle School Religion Teacher. Marvel at how the Lord brought her to Alabama and once here drew here deeper into her Catholic faith. Share in her enthusiasm as she shares her passion for transmitting the faith to her middle school students at Christ the King in Daphne. She shares a number of good practical tips for catechesis as well. 

Meet Tex Phelps - our one year old Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Learn about his conversion to Catholicism, how the Lord reeled him into youth ministry, how his "yes" has taken him around the Southeast and finally brought him to our Native Soil. He offers a story of "trust" that challenges us to "walk by faith and not by sight." 

Today Fr. Victor shares about seeing Pope St. Paul II in St. Louis as an eighth grader. The excitement, energy, enthusiasm and diversity of the experience was not something he was expecting. It blew the lid off what he understood to be “Catholic.” Hopefully, his story…along with the help of St. JPII…can do the same for you!

To kick off Season 5, join us in welcoming back our first-ever repeat guest - Archbishop Rode! Listen as he shares about his experience in youth ministry as a young priest and reflects upon how he has seen the nature of youth ministry evolve in his own lifetime. He also shares why "youth ministry" has been such a priority for him in his ministry as our Archbishop. 

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/6BabitR79ssAs we close Season 4, we address, without debate, the greatest poverty present on our Native Soil—a need for Jesus Christ. How may he be better known, loved, worshipped and feasted upon here on our Native Soil?Dig in Further:How can we be closer to Jesus? How can we let him more and more be the Lord of our lives? When we come to Mass, how can we come with expectant faith—expecting not only to encounter Jesus in his Word and his Body and Blood but to be touched, changed, healed, inspired and empowered because of our encounter?How can you deepen your prayer life so that you give Jesus a chance to address the greatest poverty in your life—a need for God? Can you visit Jesus in the Eucharist for an hour each week? Can you prayer the rosary or at least a decade each day? Can you prayerfully read scripture, reflect upon it and journal for 10-15 minutes a day? What can you do to make sure you are daily nourished by Jesus?How can you get closer to Jesus hidden in the “least of these?” How can you incorporate service of the poor so that you make sure to bring yourself into closer proximity with Jesus on a regular basis? Who are the poor in your midst that God is calling you to have a “preferential love” for?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/N8K00XjcreEMeet Fr. Jones. A Virginia native. A Convert. A Priest. And now pastor of historic St. Jude in Montgomery. We have looked at St. Jude's history in past episodes. Now, along with their pastor, let's take a look at where St. Jude is today and where they feel called to be moving forward.Dig in Further:“Talitha koum. Little Girl, get up and walk.” How might Jesus need to say this to you? To your parish? How does Jesus need to resuscitate, renew or resurrect the life of you and your parish?What was the mission of your parish when it started? What is it now? How can you and your fellow parishioners clarify your mission as a parish and allow Christ to breath new life into you and those you serve?How have the neighborhoods surrounding your parish changed since its founding? What new approaches might you and your parish have to employ to welcome those who now are your “neighbors” sharing our “Native Soil.” Recall a “parishioner” is technically anybody living within the parish boundaries of your parish.

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/MDHkFtG_FqgMeet Fr. Fred Boni. Daphne native. Grew up at Christ the King parish and school. Attended McGill-Toolen and then Spring Hill College. Was on the cusp of entering medical school and felt called to enter the seminary. Now pastor at St. Catherine of Sienna in mid-town Mobile. Listen in to Fr. Boni's heart for the unchurched and the creative ways he is employing to try to bring renewal to his very diverse parish.Dig In Further:What is the mission of a parish? Are their ways your parish could be more focused on “making disciples”…of reaching the unchurched…on evangelization?What is one idea you hear Fr. Boni talk about that resonated with you? Pray about it. See if it might be worth talking to you pastor about incorporating this idea into his vision for your parish.Is there a ministry in your Church for the “unchurched?” If not, might it be worth looking into “Alpha,” the program mentioned by Fr. Boni? If not Alpha, what can you and your fellow parishioners do to help people not in the pews feel welcomed at your parish and challenged to consider the beauty of being Catholic?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nLuWajtY_gEToday we tackle perhaps the most pervasive types of poverty in our age—silence. Between our smartphones, TVs, Alexas and Siris, it is rare for us to left with a moment of silence. What is the importance of have silence in our lives? What can we do here on our Native Soil to preserve it for us and for others?Dig in Further:Do you have dedicated time each day to be silent and listen to the Lord? If not, why not? Could this be something to look at?Are their boundaries in your life, your spouse's life, children, friends regarding entertainment? Have you created any “media free” times or places in your day-to-day? If not, consider drawing some boundaries to create some freedom for you and your loved ones to enjoy one another.What area of your life is the noisiest? How can you reduce the noise so that you can be more attentive to God's voice in your day to day?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/m5-hY2JFxF4Meet Phyllis Beam. Director of Catholic Social Services branch in Robertsdale. Hear how she got involved in this ministry and how she has seen the Lord work through it. Also hear how she helped Austin discern a first step in responding to his sense of call to serve the poor. Dig In Further:Have you ever visited your local Catholic Social Service branch? If not, take some time to drop by, tour their facility and learn about the ways you can support them in their ministries.Is there a way you or your parish might be able to partner with the mission of Catholic Social Services in your area? Take this to prayer and study.Have you ever been prompted to do something for the poor? What was the circumstance? How did you know the Lord was getting your attention? What can you learn from this experience about being more available to his promptings moving forward?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/jf3Xkn9Gxrc“Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). See this verse lived out in a special way today in Austin Gontarski. Grew up in Loxley. Attends St. Patrick's Parish in Robertsdale. Went to St. Patrick's School all the way through and now attends St. Michael's in Fairhope. Learning about the poor from Sr. Margaret, Fr. Jim Morrison and company at St. Patrick's, Austin felt called to do something. Listen in and see where this call took him…Dig in Further:Have you ever felt called to serve the poor but thought to yourself, “What's the use? I really won't make that much of a difference!” How can you overcome that attitude and step forward nonetheless?How might the Lord want you to use your creativity to serve the poor? Is there a local branch of Catholic Social Services, the Good Will, Salvation Army or other ministry were you could inquire about volunteering?Do you feel like there is a void in your life? Like something is missing? Maybe the Lord is calling you to make a gift of yourself. Many times when we give ourselves away, it makes room for God to fill us with his peace and grace. 

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/jb8KOyBnGT0Today we look at the role of “fathers” in our lives. There is a real crisis today of fathers not being “present” and “engaged” in their children's lives. With the help of spiritual writer Fr. Jaque Philippe, we seek to understand the effect of this poverty of “fatherhood” today. We consider, how can fatherhood be strengthened and renewed here on our Native Soil. Dig In Further:What is your relationship with your father like? How has his love blessed you, formed you and made a difference in your life? How have his shortcomings impacted, hurt or disappointed you?How might God the Father need to come and bring healing, love and peace to the places where you feel neglected by the fathers in your life? How can you bravely invite God the Father to love you in those areas, memories and parts of your life?How can we love and support our fathers better? Our dads? Our priests? Our grandfathers? Godfathers? Other “father figures” in our lives? How can we show them our appreciation and help them to understand the great impact they have in our lives? How can we encourage them in this important ministry in our lives? How can we do this in our own families? Parishes? Communities?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/7fq8hZQxUMcMeet Anthony Tobin. Originally from New York state. Hear how a compelling youth minister came into his life and changed the course of everything. Be amazed at how the Lord invited Anthony and his family to move to our Native Soil. Walk with him through his several years as a youth minister and into this new season of his life leading Vagabond Missions in Mobile. We met his counterpart in this minsitry Lauren Alley last season.  See how the Lord brought these two together for this mission to the spiritually poor youth of Mobile. Dig In Further:Who had the biggest impact on you in your youth? Was it a teacher? Coach? Parent? Youth minister? What did they do exactly that made you feel loved, cared for or closer to God? How might you be called to be that person for someone else?Have you ever felt a stirring in your heart when presented with an opportunity to serve in a new way? When you were presented with a new job, ministry, location or idea? If the stirring involved a cocktail of passion, love, zeal and an impulse to step in that direction against the odds, take some time and take it to prayer. See what the Lord might want to do. How do you evangelize the unchurched in your area? How does your parish? How might you and your parish more effectively reach out the unchurched…especially the unchurched poor and youth…and invite them into the life of the Church?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/yzyvMW2t1PwMeet Jim Backes. A Mobile native. McGill grad. Notre Dame alum. And long time engineer with Hargrove. Listen to see how the Lord called him into prison ministry. It was a surprise to him and those involved with the ministry. Marvel at the mutual impact the Lord has wrought on both Jim and those he serves. See how this also has led him to be involved with Ransom Ministries—a non-profit in Mobile inspired very much by the example of Fr. Greg Boyle from our previous episode. Dig In Further:Have you ever really experienced the personal love that God has for you? If so, have you allowed it to become central in your life? If not, consider asking the Lord to reveal to you how much he loves and care for you in a direct and personal way. This experience really changed the course of Jim's life. Touched by the love of God, we can't help but love our neighbor. How might the Lord be asking you to love your neighbor? Is there a ministry at your parish for which you could volunteer? Maybe a non-profit where you could volunteer?Ask the Lord to show you were you are needed. For Jim, prison ministry was an assignment from the Lord that came to him as a surprise! What surprising task might the Lord have held out for you? 

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/r7FR6R_sWqcToday, Fr. Victor introduces us to one of his favorite books—Tattoos on the Heart by Greg Boyle, SJ. In this memoir, Fr. Boyle shares the spiritual lessons the Lord has taught him in serving for 20+ years in LA, in the most densely gang-populated area in the world. A location in our Archdiocese gets a shout out in the book! The concrete examples of compassion from this book give us much to consider here on our Native Soil. Dig In Further:“How can we let people live like this?” This is what one of Fr. Boyle's “homies” said in between sobs after visiting our Native Soil—Pritchard namely. It is a provocative question for us to take to prayer and consideration. How might the Lord want to convict us about the conditions of our neighbors' lives? How might he convict us to make a change?What are the broken systems in your home town? What are the cycles of violence? Poverty? Drug addiction? Neglect? What act of love would it take to break these systems? What systems built on love, compassion and commitment would need to replace them?Are their non-profits in your town to help rehabilitate the poor, addicted, homeless, mentally-ill or gang-affiliated? How might you support these efforts? If there is not, how might you and your parish beginning praying and studying about what God is calling you to do?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/RsPa8bbEBUUMeet Michelle Schultz. Wife. Mother of 6. Convert to the Catholic faith. Long time youth minister. Recently started a non-profit to serve pregnant students at Auburn University called Baby Steps. As someone who once had an abortion in a moment of fear and anxiety facing her future, marvel at how the Lord has brought her healing and inspired her to give other women facing the same fears the support they need to make a different decision. Dig In Further:Have you ever made a decision that your regretted? What were the pressures you were facing that affected you? How might you be able to give support and perspective to someone facing a similar dilemma. Is there any way you need some extra support in your life so that you do not feel so overwhelmed? How much you reach out for help—both before the Lord and to those he has put in your life? How can you support women in your local area to give them the support they need, so that they do not feel like abortion is their only choice? How can we surround young women with our prayers and resources so that they know that they matter…their baby matters…that they are surrounded by many neighbors that are “Pro-Life?”

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/AxzBbdG1JOwWe choose some saints. Other saints choose us. Listen how St. Damien of  Molokai chose Fr. Victor. Be inspired by Fr. Damien's heroic life—serving the lepers who were quarantined on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. Be challenged to consider who are the “lepers” in our midst today? How are we being called to love them?Dig In Further:Have you ever had a saint “choose” you? Keep inserting himself/herself in your path? If not, maybe ask the Lord to send you a Saint that you can relate to as a close friend and mentor. What do you find most inspiring in the life of St. Damien? How does he challenge you to consider how you can “love your neighbor” more robustly?Who are the “lepers” in your life? Those that nobody has time for, everyone is afraid of, or all feel repulsed by? How might you be called to reach out to them?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wkx2_hR-NnkMeet Sr. Cecelia. A Little Sister of the Poor who serves Christ in our elderly poor in Mobile. Learn how she heard this calling. Understand about the founding of the Little Sisters in France so many years ago. Be challenged to consider where Christ is waiting to be served by you. Dig In Further:Do you have elderly people in your life that you are in regular contact with? If not, how you you reach out?How about your relationship with the elderly in your own family? Could you be more be aware of Christ's presence with them? How would that affect the amount of time or attention you invest in those relationships?Why do you think a love for our elders is so important to the Lord? How does that Lord want to use them to help form, orient and ground us in our own walks of faith?

“And who is my neighbor?” This question prompted Jesus to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. Join us this season as we contemplate this parable and what it means to us here on our Native Soil. Why does the Lord have a preferential love for the poor—the orphan, the widow, the alien, the imprisoned? What would it look like if we did? What if we more fully let the poor determine the priorities of our family, our parish and our Archdiocese?Dig In Further:Who is your neighbor? Who are the poor most proximate to you? Physically poor? Spiritually poor?What would it look like for you to have preferential love for these people? What changes in your lifestyle would need to happen? What sacrifices might you have to make?St. Ambrose said, "You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich." What might you need to give back to the poor?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/n4ougp0IIck Synopsis: Meet Fr. Victor Ingalls. Host of Native Soil and going into his sixth year as Vocations Director. Hear how he felt God's calling to become a priest. Despite being resistant to the call, marvel at how the Lord persisted with the call until Fr. Victor was able to trust.Dig In Further:Have you ever been afraid of what you knew God was asking you to do? Why? What bad did you fear would happen by following God?How have you learned to trust God, even when things seem impossible or not suited for you?Have you ever considered being a priest? If not, why? Might the Lord be calling you to become a pastor of souls and a shepherd of God's people?

WATCH VIDEO:Synopsis: Meet Anna Lee Ingalls. Amongst many things, she is the mother of our host Fr. Victor Ingalls. Hear how she was raised Protestant in Maryland and how she came to the Catholic faith once married with children. Also, hear her perspective on her son's calling to the priesthood—seems like she was clued in before him. Listen as she shares what the Priesthood means to her now.Dig In Further:Have you ever been aware that the Lord was doing something in someone's life before they were? When? How did you know?Why do you think the Lord gives us clarity about each other's lives that he doesn't always give directly to us? How might we be called to help form one another?How is the Lord calling you to go deeper in your faith? To trust God more with the direction of your life?

WACTH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/OYYiqF_DUZoSynopsis: Meet Ryan Dardard. A Mobile native (Bayou LaBatre really!). Former professional poker player and seminarian—a rare combo! Now recently married and finished law school. Hear how the Lord has led him through all these chapters and given him a conviction to start his married life back on our Native Soil. Dig In Further:What are the different chapters the Lord has led you through in life? How would you divide them? What would you title the chapter you are currently in?Have you ever been led to an experience…a place that you thought would be permanent but you later realized their was something else for you in store? How did you realize that? Why did you think the Lord allowed such an experience in your life?Have you ever prayerfully considered WHERE the Lord wants you to put down roots? Have you ever been quick to “write off” where you are from, as a possibility, because of your dreams of “something new” or “better” or just the adolescent angst of “get me out of here!”? What would it look like to bring the “Where” of your life before the Lord without any “conditions” or “strings attached”?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/S9VTmXlLA9kSynopsis: Meet Srs. Elizabeth (formerly Olivia Barter) and Sr. Lucia. They are both nuns at the cloistered Carmel Convent in Covington, LA. Sr. Elizabeth grew up Christ the King Parish in Daphne where she attended grade school and was active in the youth group. She graduated from McGill Toolen. Sr. Lucia grew up in Lafayette and entered the Carmel a couple years after Sr. Elizabeth after teaching for a couple of years. Hear how God revealed himself to these young women and called them to belong entirely to Jesus.Dig In Further:Have you ever felt that God is calling you closer to him? Has that scared you in any way? What fears are holding you back?Have you ever considered a call to the Religious Life? To belong entirely to Christ? If not, why not? If you don't open you ears, how will you know if the Lord is calling?Have you ever read St. Therese of Lisieux's autobiography Story of a Soul? If not, today is your day. It is one of the most important spiritual writings in the history of the Church and arguably the most critical for our Church today. It had a big impact on Srs. Elizabeth and Lucia. Give it chance to have an impact on you.How much of a priority is prayer in your life? How can it move closer to Number One?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/e9YyXRxXmiA Synopsis: Meet Sony Garcia. Wife. Artist. Singer. Guitar Player. Director of Pastoral Juvenil (Youth Ministry) for our Office of Hispanic Ministry. Teacher at Little Flower. Director of Music for Spanish Mass at St. Catherine's. And much more! Listen how the Lord brought Sonya to our Native Soil from Puerto Rico. Marvel at how the Lord got her attention to get involved in our Church in so many different ways!Dig In Further:Are you artistic? Where did that gift come from? It is rather mysterious to consider. How might God be calling you to put your artistic gifts at the service of God and his people?Have you ever experienced a song take you to a place very close to God? Had a song open your heart to hear God's voice or feel his presence? Take a minute to thank God for this moment. Thank God for the gifts he has given the artists in our lives. And consider what kind of music…art in general you want to surround yourself with.Have you ever been to a Spanish Mass? If not, why not give it a try? Experience the width and breath of Christ's Body here on our Native Soil. Open yourselves to the different languages, rhythms and songs that cry out to God in our midst.The youth need much encouragement, care and inspiration in the faith. How can you come alongside Sonya and other youth ministers throughout our Archdiocese to help form our next generation of Catholics?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/GObFN3WMWw8Synopsis: Meet Dc. Clarence Darrington. A Montgomery native. Grew up at the City of St. Jude. Through a divorce in his family, went to the Baptist Church for years and became a leader. Listen how the Lord brought him full circle back to the Catholic Church, led him to his Catholic wife and revealed a call to become a permanent deacon. A true story of God's providence!Dig In Further:What aspects of being raised in the Catholic faith really sunk in? What things stick with you to this day?Have you ever seen the “Providence” of God in your life? Like you get a clear look at the plan he has been working on all your life? When was it? What were the circumstances?Have you ever felt called to do something…and then been surprised at the timing or circumstances that God asked you to start responding?

WATCH VIDEO: https://youtu.be/1RRD2ca8rug Synopsis: Meet Marguerite Murphy. Wife. Mother of 8. Secretary at St. Michael High School in Fairhope. Originally from Brooklyn, marvel at how the Lord nurtured her faith over the years and eventually brought her and her family down to put their roots down in our Native Soil.Dig In Further: Do you have any roots in New York? So many of us do! Consider all of the details that had to come together for you and your family to wind up where you are! What does God want to do with you HERE…NOW?Have you ever found yourself wanting more from the faith but not knowing what exactly or where to turn? Take some time to research Catholic schools, universities and educational resources. Give yourself a chance to sink your teeth, mind and heart deeper into the faith. The Soil is not gonna dig itself!!!Have you ever had certain circumstances come together in such a way that you feel God is speaking to you? Have you ever felt like the Lord put someone in your faith to encourage you and/or confirm a decision you have made? Take time to reflect on these moments, thank God for them and share them with someone, giving testimony to God's goodness in your life.