The Holy Questions Podcast

The Holy Questions Crew reunites via zoom for a catch up episode and answers the question: where have we been? We discuss the paradoxical insight "your life is not your own" and yet, "the life you save might be your own." We also dig deep into spiritual direction, how to pray when praying is tough, and how to combat acedia and aridity in the spiritual life. Don't call it a comeback!

WE'RE BAAAAACK!!! Join us for a long overdue discussion based on a question posed to one of us, "Is it sinful to need people?"

"God enters right into the messiness of backbiting and betrayal." Fr. Gerard returns as we continue our discussion on why people leave religion. We discuss the role of culture in the decision to disaffiliate from religion, and how attachment theory, the psychological way to understand how secure attachment happens, and how anxious and insecure attachment result from a lack of needs being met, may be a particularly helpful lens through which to view this phenomenon. We also talk about the natural "dark night" that happens as we move from our childhood faith and into our adult faith, and how challenges and questions are a natural part of that process. More information on the CARA Report we discussed here : Going Going Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics.

Why do people walk away from their religious traditions? What is behind the mass exodus of the "nones"? We discuss this important question and the importance of listening, of authentic "witness," and sharing our own stories of struggle. More information on the CARA Report we discussed here : Going Going Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics. Have a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

What's your Holy Question?? What question are you holding in your heart, or trying to answer with your life? We turn the tables on ourselves and ask about the holy questions we hold in the depths of our hearts. We also welcome Jaime to the podcast as a full time member, while discussing the shift from judgement to wonder when asking our holy questions, the importance of relationships, the goodness of God, how God is "outside" of time and that creates holiness in each moment, the importance of identity, as well as many other wonderful tangents. There's also a blooper reel at the end! Got a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

In a very special Holy Week episode, we welcome our first "real" guest, Jaime Duke, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, who specializes in the treatment of trauma and PTSD (More information on Jaime's practice at: https://openinvitetherapy.com). We discuss the overlap between the psychological and spiritual experience of transforming our suffering, how all of us live the cross and resurrection of Jesus in our suffering, the healing power of pets, regulation and dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system, and how we can heal our memories and discover our calling and vocation based on experiences of suffering. We also highlight the power of communal and liturgical prayer and regular ritual in helping us feel safe, calm, and connected. Got a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

What does God want us to do with our life? How can we know this? We discuss a great question from a listener, Adrienne, this week, and share about our own vocation and discernment stories, as well as some time-honored techniques from Ignatian Spirituality, Thomas Merton, and the wisdom of the spiritual masters. We point to the reality that there is a temptation to want to "know God's will" without knowing God first, but God can use even that to draw us into deeper relationship. No matter what we decide, God's will always begins, and ends, in love. And if we learn to listen in small things in our every day life, then we can listen when the "big questions" come our way. Have a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

What happens when life is drastically different from what we expected? How do accept those things and experiences that appear unacceptable? We welcome our first guest to the podcast today as we discuss the human, spiritual, and psychological practice of accepting the unacceptable. Chris Duke joins us to offer his perspective as someone who both helps relieve and experiences chronic pain. This one is a deep dive, into our history at the infamous Town Center movie theater, our experience of chronic pain and grief, and how God and Jesus help us maintain a deeper peace and freedom in the midst of life's storms. We discuss Eckhart Tolle's "presence" mysticism, acceptance and grief, forgiveness, the 12 steps, and dealing with reality, and life, on its own terms. This was a fun one. Have a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode we discuss how to be a listening church in light of the Catholic Church's Synod on Synodality. The focus of the Synod, or gathering, is to create a more "synodal" church, that is, a church that listens, dialogues, and discerns together. We also talk about the importance of listening and authentic encounter in the spiritual life in this wide-reaching dialogue. For more information on the Synod, check out Michael's book: https://litpress.org/Products/6816/Your-Church-Wants-to-Hear-from-You

In this episode, we follow up on Fr. Gerard's now infamous admonition, "Don't be a Godstalker," and discuss prayer. And if you're seeking God, then that means God is already seeking you. So if prayer is a struggle, then you're in the right place, because humility and having a "beginner's mind" is essential to prayer. We draw on both the wisdom of the saints and contemporary psychology in this lively discussion. And remember, if you're trying to pray, then that's a prayer too. Have a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com.

Is hope possible in today's world? How can we "practice" hope? Fr. Gerard Alba and Michael Sanem discuss hope and the possibility to practice "rituals of hope" in today's ever-changing, often challenging world. We look to Doctor of the Church, mystic, and "badass" St. Teresa of Avila for insights into sustaining hope, the nature of hope, and how it all flows from the cosmic liturgy of all creation encountering God in Christ. Original music by Chris Duke. Have a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you.

In this episode, we discuss how hospitality transforms us, and how the "friendly emptiness" of hospitable people and hospitable spaces invites us to find our vocations, our identity, and our true selves in the welcoming gaze of another. We reflect on finding our own vocations during crises experiences and the gift of "doubt" on deepening our relationship with others and with God. We also discuss the "masks" we wear and how they keep us from seeing God clearly, and seeing ourselves as loved by God, eye to eye and face to face, and how God's hospitality invites us to grow in freedom and wholeness. We also invite our listeners to join the conversation by emailing us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com. Original music and audio mixing provided by Chris Duke.

In this first episode of the Holy Questions Podcast, Fr. Gerard Alba and Michael Sanem explore the nature of questioning in the life of faith. Drawing upon the wisdom of Jesus, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, Origen, St. Thomas Aquinas and others, they speak about how questioning and exploring are part of the fun and wonder of the spiritual life. Original music and audio mixing provided by Chris Duke. Want to ask the guys a holy question? Email us at holyquestionspodcast@gmail.com