Searching for More

We are God's children through baptism. No matter what we go through on the day-to-day, God gives us the grace necessary to do what is pleasing to him. We need only rely on him and ask for the grace to call him Father! Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 301) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes a saint as "someone who practiced heroic virtue and lives in fidelity to God's grace." (828) And in the simple words of Mother Teresa, saints are “only sinners who keep trying.” They just knew how much God loved them. Can that not be us as well? Do you know the depths of how much God loves you?  Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore

Should Catholics have a sense of humor? Why is it important and even necessary for us to find things funny and how does that relate to humility? It's no coincidence that humor and humility share a common route. When we are truly humble, we see the world in its proper proportion. So, when things become out of proportion or incongrous, we can laugh! If we take ourselves lightly, we will begin to notice that that suffering and pains of this life will weigh us down less often. Growing in virtue is predicated on the knowledge that we are nothing and God is everything. When we undoubtedly fall, our sense of humor allows us to laugh, shake the dust off, and begin anew. A Christian needs a sense of humor. It provides the very levity required for God to lift us into the heights of heaven. Reference: Luke 14, Matthew 5 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM

Has a saint ever found you? A saint is somebody who finished the race - who fought the good fight - who persevered until the end. Those souls, now fully alive in heaven, are given to us by God as models. St. Scholastica's relationship with her brother Benedict models for us the beauty of communion with one another as we await our eternal destiny. Think of ways you can establish better communion with those you love. Listen to them as they speak. Do acts of service for them without being asked. Never neglect the fact that they are made in the image of God himself. Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church 2030 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM

Your home is where Jesus lives. Your home is a place where Jesus lives because you live there and he resides in you. But when we're home, how often are we reminded that he is with us? Think of ways you can make space for him. Can you mark the rooms in your home with sacramentals? Get your house blessed by a priest? Explore the Epiphany house blessing? Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church 1670

Is love, or the virtue of charity, really just a feeling? Can we just think nice thoughts about somebody and truly say that we love them? Scripture and tradition say otherwise. Love is active, not passive. Being charitable means doing things for those you love even when it costs you something. The greatest example of that is the Cross - when Christ gave his life for us. Struggling with loving those around you? Think of love as a verb rather than a noun. "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13:1) References: Catechism of the Catholic Church 1827 John 15:13 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM

How does hope keep us afloat even when things get tough? Or when it feels like we are enslaved to chronic sin?  Hope sustains us because it is found in Jesus Christ. He became man to save us from our sin so that we might spend eternity with him. His grace is available to us especially in the Sacrament of Confession, when we come to him with a contrite heart, and the Eucharist, where his ultimate sacrifice is recreated time and time again for us to receive him in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. According to the Catechism, this virtue of hope "responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man." (CCC 1818) So it is accessible not to just a few, but to us all! So if you're searching for freedom from feeling discouraged, ashamed or abandoned, look no further than Jesus. Know that there is rest for you—rest in the hope found in God alone. See also: Genesis 15 and Genesis 22

Especially in a season like Advent, it is good to sit with Mary. The Mother of God models our waiting for Jesus after her waiting. Think how often throughout those nine months she had to put faith in so many: the angel Gabriel. God the Father. Her husband Joseph. How can you put faith in God this day? References: Catechism of the Catholic Church 149 Search for More episodes at https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore/

The entire Christian life bears the mark of the spousal love of Christ and the Church. What does this mean? This spousal love is in fact Jesus' longing to give himself to us through his Church. This love of Christ is reflected not only in the Church but also in our bodies as male and female. We are made for relationship, made to be given as a gift to another in love. As a groom waits for his bride, so Christ waits for us. Will we take another step toward him today?  References: Catechism of the Catholic Church 1616 Book of the Song of Songs Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32) As brought to light in Scripture, truth and freedom are not mutually exclusive. Truth is in fact the birthplace of freedom. When we direct our free will towards the service of the truth, it is then that we more free.  The Catechism defines freedom as a power "rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility." Freedom itself is a gift that should be exercised and ever directed towards God. For freedom doesn't simply serve itself, but should always extend beyond our own benefit. Additional reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church 1731  Search for More Episodes:https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM Searching for More Podcast

God knows the desires of our hearts. Whether we are interceding on behalf of a friend or praying for our vocation, we know that God always hears our prayers. He desires that we trust he will see it to fulfillment as he wills and in his time. So have faith! God knows what we long for and hears us when we call to him. Reference Catechism of the Catholic Church 2737

Catholics are known for their pro-life beliefs. Have you ever considered how giving somebody your undivided attention supports our belief in the dignity of every human person? We have countless engagements with fellow souls every day. How often are we tuning them out for the sake of something more trivial? Ask yourself, "Am I truly engaged and interested in what this person has to say?" When we start to show people that they have our attention, we begin to radiate the belief that we think every human being has unique value. Take the time to give the next person you talk to your full and undivided attention. See also: Catechism of the Catholic Church 356 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore

"What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8) Bishop Burbidge explains how this verse came to be his priestly, and later his episcopal motto; what "walking humbly" means for him and how it has made a difference in his own life. Living in humility unlocks the ability to slow down and walk with God the Father. This virtue makes way for grace, rather than our own strength, to carry us through the day. For "only in humility are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2559) This day, raise your heart to God and beg him for the grace to walk. We can do nothing on our own, but with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/sear... #SearchingForMore #SFM

Are we making Sundays what they can and should be? Are we experiencing Sunday the way that God wants and calls us to live? In this episode of Searching For More, we reflect on the kinds of rest we should embrace as Christians, and in a particular way on Sunday—the Lord's Day—instituted from the beginning of time. How can we rest with God on Sunday as an exercise of what we're called to for all eternity?  References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2184) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/sear... 

What makes something alive? How has God created humans different than other living things? In this episode of Searching For More, we consider the specific characteristics of humans that set us apart from the rest of creation. God made human beings unique and unrepeatable from the rest of creation through the great gift of free will and intellect so that we can contemplate him and grow in relationship with him for all eternity. How can we reflect on these gifts given by God, and give him greater glory this day?  References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 364)

God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to come to paradise. We are here on this Earth for these reasons, so that one day we might get to spend eternity with Him. What is distracting you from the goal of heaven?  How can we focus our attention on the things that are above? What are some ways in which we can recenter our hearts and minds on Jesus? References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1721)  Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/sear... 

Who we think we want to be, who the world wants us to be, and who God wants us to be may not be one in the same. We were created for so much more than what we "do" — we were made to *be* fully ourselves. We were made for mission. So if we desire to lead a deeply fulfilling life, the Lord invites us to enter into the places where he nourishes, brings healing, and where he gives us life. These places of transformation are the exact places the Lord wants to work through us for the good of his Kingdom. References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 739) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM #Relationship #Jesus

Can artificial intelligence truly "know"? Can AI replace human knowledge? Do computers have memory like humans do? What does it take to truly know someone?   Innovations in technology lead us to ask questions such as these, which bring us face-to-face with our Creator. And as Christians, it leads us to ask a deeper question: Do we know about God, or do we know him personally?   God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he desires that we know him in return. He came into the world so he could come to be known by us and we could come to be known by him—the kind of knowledge that no computer could ever replace.   "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." John 17:3   Additional reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church 2293 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM #AI #technology

Saying yes to God is at the heart of every Christian prayer: to be wholly his, because he is wholly ours. To answer the call to motherhood is one of the most beautiful and courageous ways of saying yes to God in this way.    The heart of Mary, our Blessed Mother, was full of grace. It was this grace that supplied her with the courage to say yes in spite of the confusion and other emotions she must have experienced.    May we pray for all expectant mothers, that despite their circumstances, they will have the courage to say yes like Our Lady did—like Rachel did.    Our Lady of Hope, pray for us!   References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2617)   To learn more about Mary's Shelter, visit: https://marysshelterva.org/.    Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/sear...   #SearchingForMore #SFM #Relationship #Jesus

Grace is a free gift, given by the Father out of love for us. And when we pray to Mary, we pray to the model recipient of God's grace. God made her full of grace and free from any stain of sin so that she could be fully united and present to Him in this life and the next. Pray for her intercession for whatever may be on your heart this day: Our Lady of Grace, pray for us! References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 375) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM #Relationship #jesus

"But I have called you friends..." - Jesus Christ What is true friendship? How to we unlock the treasure therein? Christianity and many philosophers have taught us over time the key to true friendship — a mutual sharing of our hearts and minds.  A friendship with the Lord, first and foremost, is possible, but requires our participation and desire. Time invested in prayer is a perfect exercise of friendship and is most pleasing to God! References: John 15:15 Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore #SearchingForMore #SFM #Relationship #Jesus

“If you really want to love Jesus, first learn to suffer, because suffering teaches you to love.” - St. Gemma Galgani How do we make sense of our suffering? Despite the pain and hurt we experience in our humanity, Jesus has great plans of healing for us. We make sense of our suffering by reflecting on these very truths: That Jesus himself brought about our salvation through the very act of suffering. That our savior is with us always. And that our consolation comes from knowing we are never alone in our suffering. Reference: CCC 505-506 #SearchingForMore

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." - Saint Pope John Paul II How does sin chain us and take away the freedom that God freely gives us and wants for us to live in? Ask yourself: what are the ways I feel held back first and foremost from my relationship with God and, subsequently, with others?   References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1849) Search for More Episodes: https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore   #SearchingForMore #SFM #Relationship #Jesus

How does God give us the opportunity to find and choose our spouse? By his grace, God accounts for our free will. But we must always cooperate with that grace in prayerfully discerning our spouse — the one we freely choose to become one with through marriage. References: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1627) Matthew 19:5-6

We've been created for much more than we realize. As we enter the season of Lent, it is good to ask ourselves: Where am I attaching to or finding contentment that is not a share in God's own happiness? When are we settling? Ask God to reveal those times and places and pray for his grace to search for what we were made for — God himself.

Who is the most important person in your life? For Mary, it's Jesus — but it wasn't always. In this pilot episode of Searching for More, hear her story of how she came to love the Lord and why she continues to put him first before all other relationships. Come along, in this new adventure as we search for more. www.arlingtondiocese.org/searchingformore

In this trailer episode, you will hear the vision behind this revamped series. Catholics need to know their faith. This podcast is an attempt to address that need. Stay tuned for the upcoming episodes! Have an idea for a topic to be discussed on the podcast? Please email your idea to info@arlingtondiocese.org.

Join us to hear from Mr. Robert McConnell, Co-founder of the U.S. Ukraine Foundation. In 1991, amid warnings that if Ukraine tried to break from the Soviet Union there would be civil war and bloodshed, Ukraine's independence was peaceful and supported by 92% of the people of Ukraine. Now, thirty years later, Putin is forcing Ukraine's War of Independence. Our guest was there in 1991 and has been active in Ukraine ever since. Hear him talk about what Russian rule would mean for people of faith in the region. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer for the Diocese of Arlington.

You're listening to "Searching for More,” a podcast of the Diocese of Arlington. Hear Father Dufresne talk about, maybe the most important issue we could discuss – love, what “real” love is in light of Church teaching and how to let it flourish. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Hear Jeanne Mancini preview this year's March for Life, themed “Equality Begins in the Womb,” and talk about the importance of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Hear Tony Brandt and Chris Stewart, co-founders of Casting Nets Ministries, talk about how the pandemic has opened our hearts to truth and the call we each have to spread the Gospel of Christ. Today's host is Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Hear Father Will Nyce, parochial vicar at St. Philip Catholic Church in Falls Church, paint a picture of the Holy Land and offer clues present day Bethlehem holds for what Mary and Joseph's experience must have been like. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Are you longing for peace this Advent? Stay with us to hear Father Bjorn Lundberg, Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Winchester, talk about what Adoration is and why to go as he offers us a simple how to “do” Adoration. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

November is National Adoption Month. Keep listening as we talk with Meaghan Lane, Program Director for Pregnancy and Adoption Support services at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, about how best to pursue adoption and what “ethical adoption” is and looks like.  Today's host is Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Do you think parental authority is under attack in our culture? How is this impacting the role of the family in society? Join us to hear from Soren and Ever Johnson, Founders of Trinity House Community, as they discuss parental authority and the family under fire. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

With the November election only days away, join us to hear from Jeff Caruso, Executive Director of the Virginia Catholic Conference, on the responsibility we have to vote and how to prepare to do so. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

You're listening to "Searching for More,” a podcast of the Diocese of Arlington. Today we sit down Stephen Carattini, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington and Hekmatullah Latifi, Senior Employment Specialist and Cultural Liaison for Catholic Charities as they talk about the incredible work Catholic Charities is doing to help resettle Afghans locally. Hear Hekmatullah talk about his personal experience as an SIV and how that inspired him to serve newcomers. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

Today we sit down with Dr. Michael Horne, Director of Clinical Services for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, as he talks about invisible losses from the pandemic. Hear Dr. Horne talk about the importance of processing these losses if we want to move forward and heal. Today's host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer at the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Today we're talking about transgenderism and gender identity with Mary Hasson, Kate O'Beirne Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Hear Mary explain the risks and truth related to gender identity with host Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer, Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Today we sit down with Nicole Caruso, stylist and author, as she candidly addresses the questions Catholic women ask as they attempt to find a healthy, balanced approach to personal style. Hear Nicole talk about how you present yourself to the world as a tool of your vocation with today's host Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations, Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Let's jump right in!

Today we’re talking about conversion and discovering God’s will for our lives with Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations for the Diocese of Arlington.

On this episode, Father John O’Connor, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi parish in Triangle, Va., talks about what it means to be Franciscan and his experience working with some of New York’s real estate elite to build a 63 story skyscraper in Manhattan. Hear Father O’Connor talk about perseverance and hope through high-stakes ups and downs. This episode’s host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer, Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

You’re listening to "Searching for More,” a podcast of the Diocese of Arlington. On this episode, during National Volunteer Month, hear Debra Beard, Director of Volunteers for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, highlight the incredible work of Catholic Charities’ more than 2,500 active volunteers during the past year amidst the pandemic. Hear Debra talk about what motivates Catholic Charities and its volunteers to selflessly serve as she offers inspiring stories from the last year.  

On this episode, Patrick Thompson, a parishioner at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington, Va., talks about his draw to the Catholic faith and his experience leading up to being received into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass four years ago. Hear Patrick talk about his daughter preparing for First Holy Communion and the impact it had in drawing him to the Faith, as well as his deepening involvement in the Church over the past few years.

On this episode, Father Keith O’Hare, Pastor of St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria, talks about his experience in the Dominican Republic and its message to us about Easter. Hear Father O’Hare talk about the meaning of Easter for each of us and invite everyone to experience the beauty of the Mass at this special time of year. This episodes’ host is Amber Roseboom, Director of Media Relations, Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

On this episode, Father Donald Fest, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alexandria, Va, shares his devotion to St. Joseph and offers us lessons on humbly trusting God.  During this Year of St. Joseph, hear Father Fest lay out practical things we can learn from St. Joseph and ways to invoke his character as we go through our day. 

On this episode of Searching For More, Sister Emily Marsh and Sister Carly Paula Arcella of the Daughters of St. Paul discuss women religious life in the modern era and how to incorporate and utilize media in a positive way. Hear the Sisters talk about the role of women in the Church and their work with women around the world!

On this episode, Father Bjorn Lundberg, Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Winchester, Va. talks about the meaning of Lent and how we turn back to Our Lord, particularly through the Sacrament of Confession. Hear Father Lundberg talk about God’s overwhelming love and mercy as he helps us plan for a fruitful, healing Lent. This episode’s host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer, Catholic Diocese of Arlington.

On this episode of Searching for More, Father Paul Scalia, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy, Pastor of St. James Catholic Church and member and former Chairman of the Board of Courage International discusses issues of sexuality and gender identity in light of the truth revealed in Church teaching. Hear Father Scalia point to Church teaching on the human person and the dignity of the human body and offer insight into how this guides our understanding of gender identity. This episode’s host is Billy Atwell, Chief Communications Officer, Catholic Diocese of Arlington.  For more information visit the USCCB's website at https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/marriage/promotion-and-defense-of-marriage/upload/Gender-Ideology-Select-Teaching-Resources.pdf Courage International: https://couragerc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Papal-and-Curial-Docs-on-Gender-Theory-updated-Apr2015.pdf