Ordinary Catholic

We have truly enjoyed the experience this podcast has brought. All of the friends, all of the learning about each of the Sacraments, different Saints, different people on their way to holiness...it's been a huge blessing. But as our faith formation year comes to a close, so does our need for this particular podcast. Reminisce with us about our favorite episodes, what we loved about doing this podcast, and what's next for Shannon & Joanna!

The last Sacrament in our series on the Sacraments! We spoke with James today about his experience with this Sacrament of Healing. He opened up about his Leukemia diagnosis and the grace & God moments he found throughout his treatment process. *James shares his particular experience with anointing of the sick, but his story is not reflective of everyone's anointing. Not everyone receives Blessed Consolation or the same mercies in the anointing.*

We sat down with our friend Father George to talk about the next Sacrament in our series on the Sacraments. He chats with us today about what Holy Orders looks like, what his own personal journey towards religious life looks like, and even shared some funny stories from his own ordination day!

We're talking in circles about our girl Joan today! Hang out with us as we chat through the life of this epic chick. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc https://www.history.com/news/7-surprising-facts-about-joan-of-arc https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=295

Ever wanted to know what the Sacrament of Marriage looks like in the Church? How couples are prepared for marriage? What a nuptial mass looks like? We're talking about it all in today's podcast!

Joanna took a group of teens & a priest backcountry camping with COR Expeditions a few years ago and she's doing it again this summer! Sharing all about the trip from the adventures they went on, how the group encountered Christ along the way, and of course--answering all of those questions everyone has but no one wants to ask, Joanna opens up about the trip!

Next up on our Sacrament series, we're talking about the final sacrament of initiation: Confirmation! We talk logistics of what it is, how it work, and share some funny stories from the Confirmations we've been at & helped prepare.

Every family has their own Triduum and Easter traditions and in today's episode, we are sharing ours!

Probably one of the most confusing Sacraments to understand is the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In today's episode we're discussing what it is, what it isn't, why we use the elements we do, how it works, the history of the bread we start with, what the heck "transubstantiation" is anyway, and more!

May the odds be ever in your favor....we're diving into the history of the Hunger Games as it pertains to Ancient Rome--the same time that Jesus was alive! We're discussing all of the scriptural references, works of mercy, historical references, and more in this special episode featuring the book series we love so much!

After being on Instagram for awhile, we noticed this one young priest kept engaging with our content...so we asked him to be on the podcast! We sat down with Father Edwin Cardona to chat about his life in the priesthood, the joys & struggles, what it's like being an ordinary Catholic who is also a priest, and more!

Our next installment of our series on the Sacraments features the daunting Sacrament of Reconciliation (dun-dun-DUN!). We're chatting about what it is, what it isn't, how it works, how to prepare, as well as sharing funny, awkward, and horror stories from our own experiences with confession. Grab some coffee and hang out with us as we discuss: The Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Let's talk Lent! What we like, what we don't, what we've given up, what we refuse to give up (well, what Joanna won't give up), and more! We're also starting an online Bible study together! If you'd like to join, DM us on Instagram @anordinarycatholic to join the family!

We all know that feeling of having an epic week or weekend somewhere and how difficult it is to come back to reality. In today's episode we're talking about practical tips to ease back into the real world while still holding on to the awesomeness of retreat experiences! We're joined by Lauren from Not the Only One who shares her tips as well!

It's almost Lent! We're chatting about Ash Wednesday, how it started & how it's going...

Haley is hopping on today to talk about Catholic life as a college student, meeting her husband and working through a long distance marriage while they both were in grad school, and about her work as a physical therapist! We love chatting with other Ordinary Catholics and are excited to introduce you to our friend, Haley!

We know what the Eucharist is, but why do we have this thing called Adoration? How is it different than communion or from Jesus in the tabernacle? We're giving the basics of adoration in this episode; with some nerd references to give some context, of course.

It's a bird, it's a fire, it's...God? The Holy Spirit is the most mysterious part of the Trinity. Is it because He wears an invisibility cloak? Just kidding. We're talking about this epic part of the Trinity in today's episode in an attempt to get to know Him a little bit better!

We are taking a closer look into each of the Sacraments starting with Baptism! Oftentimes as ordinary Catholics we only know what we're taught as kids in CCD or Faith Formation or PREP or whatever they call it these days, but do we actually know and understand why we do everything we do at a Catholic baptism? How to Make Chrism Oil Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k1qCwfLufM

We are starting off the year with a Coffee Date with Josie from Wanderfully Made Art! She and her husband travel around the country for work and all the while, she creates STUNNING art! Take a listen as we talk about her travels, her art, her inspiration, and all of the nerdy things we like too!

Each year, we pick a new word to focus on and pray through throughout the year. Shannon and Joanna are opening up about the words they've picked in the past and the words they are choosing going into 2021. What word will you choose for this coming year?

Did you know that the mass readings are different depending on which mass you attend on Christmas Eve & Christmas day? Even we haven't read through all of them! We thought it would be prayerful and special to read through each of the Gospel readings for all of the masses during these two days. Paired with some quiet carols, we wish you a very merry Christmas as we read the Gospels of Christmas.

Ever wondered why this saint is so popular? How did he become so widespread and what about him makes him so special anyway? We are getting to know good 'ole Saint Nick in today's episode featuring a special guest! Sources: https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-nicholas https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Nicholas

Have you ever wondered where we got the Christmas tree from? Or the Advent Wreath? Why do we make gingerbread houses? We're talking about the origins of some of our favorite seasonal traditions. What are some of your favorite things to do during this Advent season?

Shannon & Joanna are sharing their favorite Advent & Christmas traditions as well as some precious (and hilarious) memories of the Advent season. Let us know how you celebrate this season of preparation in your own homes!

Well, really the LITURGICAL New Year anyway. We're talking about what Advent really is, what it means, what we celebrate during this time of reflection and preparation.

From teen to group lead, we are sitting down to coffee with Lawrence to talk about his faith life, life journey, and even about his experience being slain in the Spirit! Just another ordinary Catholic, Lawrence is opening up to share his story with us.

We always talk about getting coffee and getting to know you better, but we realized that we haven't shared a whole lot about ourselves! In today's episode, we sit down for a "coffee date" with Joanna to hear all about her life, her faith, her family, and more!

We always talk about getting coffee and getting to know you better, but we realized that we haven't shared a whole lot about ourselves! In today's episode, we sit down for a "coffee date" with Shannon to hear all about her life, her faith, her family, and more!

Holy Days of Obligation are more than just an obligation. There's a ton of history and reasoning behind why we celebrate these special days in the Church. Listen in as we talk about each of them, why they're important, and learn some new fun facts with us! Article mentioned: https://catholicexchange.com/8-reasons-assumption-mary-important

We are FINALLY getting nerdy! Dive into the wizarding world of Harry Potter with us as we discuss Catholic and Christian themes in each of the 7 books.

We are FINALLY getting nerdy! Jump into the wizarding world of Harry Potter with us as we discuss Christian and Catholic themes on this hit book & movie series. In part 1, we're talking about the characters themselves and overall themes of the books.

Have you ever been folding laundry or cleaning up after a youth night and been approached by your child or a teen who has a tough, uncomfortable, or serious questions and you have no idea how to respond? We're sharing our own experiences and insight to how to respond when children and teens ask tough questions. Let us know what how you would handle the awkward situation of being asked a deep question!

We're talking about a super cool dude by the name of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. He's a man of the outdoors and a man of God. What does it take to become a saint? What does a modern saint look like? Take a listen to learn more about this awesome young man, the steps to becoming a saint, and let us know what saint you want to learn more about!

Shannon and Joanna jump into the topic of being good stewards of our resources like our environment and money. Listen in for a quick overview of practical, ordinary things you can do to be a good steward of the gifts God has given us. Let us know how you are a good steward of your resources!

Today we're taking a closer look into the ways we like to pray using items in our "Catholic Toolbox"! We only cover a couple of ways to pray in this episode, so if there is a way that you like to pray, let us know!

Sometimes Catholic prayer can feel very robotic or empty, today we're talking about a way to be more intentional with your prayer time with God and getting more comfortable having conversational prayer time with the Big Guy. If prayer is about relationship, think of prayer time as a way of texting or talking on the phone with Jesus! Hang out with us as we talk about a framework for how to pray.

We're talking about some of the places we find God in nature and how spending time with Him in the great outdoors strengthens our relationship with Jesus! Whether it's the Florida humidity or the misty mountains, Christ is always creating beautiful and spectacular scenery for us to experience His goodness in.

Sometimes being Catholic can feel robotic or "boring", but in today's episode we recall some of the reasons we LOVE being Catholic!

We just wanted to pop on, say hi, and introduce ourselves! We're totally awkward...but we're okay with that. We're so excited to share this time with you talking about being ordinary Catholics trying to live extraordinary lives.