Podcast appearances and mentions of damon owens

Values in today's culture are shifting dramatically. Education has replaced faith, financial success has replaced marriage, and comfort has replaced family. Marriage rates around the world are falling at an alarming pace—and this decline isn't just a byproduct of cultural change; it's the driving force behind it. It's a sobering outlook, but all hope is not lost. Rebuilding marriage starts in the home and in authentic, supportive community. Join John and his guest, Damon Owens, as they discuss the state of marriage in today's world. They explore the roots of the crisis, its impact on faith and family, and—most importantly—how we can begin to reverse the trend, one couple at a time. Check out Damon's ministry at https://joytob.org/ https://www.facebook.com/thejoytob/ Follow his work on social media: https://www.facebook.com/damonowensofficial/ https://www.instagram.com/damon.c.owens/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John

Damon Owens, is an international speaker and evangelist for over 20 years, and is the founder and executive director of joytob. He will be a speaker at the upcoming Forge Men's Conference on March 1st. He joins me to talk about the conference and heroic marriages.Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: - Be Not Afraid with Fr. PJ McManus - Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson - Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen - Man Up! with Joe Stopulus - The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner - The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith - The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr - Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle

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We'll help you overcome the obstacles to living a more joyful life. Dr. Greg and Lisa will help you solve your problems with relevant, relatable and achievable tools and solutions straight from the genius of the Theology of the Body. It is the life you were meant to live!

Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday were on the same day! Once we get into marriage, we start to realize how difficult this relationship can be. We start to realize that love and sacrifice go hand in hand (just like Ash Wednesday and Valentines). Silvia, Khira, and Damon Owens continue their discussion on marriage, cooking, and family life; however, this episode focuses more on trials and suffering.   For more information on Damon Owens, check out his website and ministry at www.joytob.org. Thank you for listening. We'd love to hear from you! You can visit Ask Fr. Ben | St. Michael Church (stmichaelmemphis.org) to submit questions and topic ideas for the podcast. You can also follow us on Facebook at Soul Food Priest and let us know what you think of the podcast.

February 11th is Worldwide Marriage Day! With that said, Silvia and Khira sit down with Damon Owens to discuss marriage, cooking, and family life.  For more information on Damon Owens, check out his website and ministry at www.joytob.org. Thank you for listening. We'd love to hear from you! You can visit Ask Fr. Ben | St. Michael Church (stmichaelmemphis.org) to submit questions and topic ideas for the podcast. You can also follow us on Facebook at Soul Food Priest and let us know what you think of the podcast.

Calling all couples married around 15-20 years! This episode is for you! Today, I welcome Damon Owens, internationally acclaimed speaker and co-founder of Joyful Ever After, to talk about how to thrive in a middle-aged marriage. We discuss how to overcome long-held resentments and negative patterns of communication with your spouse; how to express unmet needs; the importance of having a supportive community and friends who care about your marriage; maintaining curiosity, wonder, and delight in your spouse; planning intentional moments of connection, date nights, and retreats; and what physical intimacy looks like at this stage of marriage. We share stories throughout and it's a great episode. Episode recorded on Oct 13, 2023. If you find this show helpful, please leave a rating or write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Have thoughts about this episode? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Websites mentioned in the show: Joyfuleverafter.org

Fran Marie interviews Damon Owens, our Marketing Coordinator at the Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Center. Meet us at their Sugar Creek Health Center location for the Community Connection Health Fair on December 2nd from 11 am to 3 pm located at 721 W Sugar Creek in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Participate in their FREE health resources, fun environment, music, FREE supplies, and more!

"Be a Gift." John is joined this week by his friend, Damon Owens, international speaker and founder of Joyful Ever After, a nonprofit to help you get the marriage you want from the marriage you have. The men discuss Damon's work of speaking, teaching, and living a life formed by St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, a masterpiece that unveils the answers to our deepest questions of life, love, and sexuality. Join John and Damon as they share how they are living this out in their marriages and ministries. You can find more information about Damon's work in following God's call to renew marriage and family life at https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/ and https://communio.org/. In this episode, John and Damon discuss: -The importance of marriage -How to live out a fruitful marriage -God's place in a marriage -Damon's ministry work www.donorbox.org/pew START A MEN'S GROUP IN YOUR PARISH! www.justaguyinthepew.com DOWNLOADS Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK JOIN US IN ITALY! rb.gy/ue800

How are we made to love? Join Dr. Tim Gray and his guest Damon Owens, founder of joyTOB, on the Augustine Institute Show. Damon Owens travels the world speaking about Theology of the Body and the beauty of marriage and the family. Help us share the truth and beauty of the Gospel and reach Catholics worldwide. Become an Augustine Institute Mission Circle Partner. Join the Mission Circle today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready to show up for Our Lord in the Eucharist? Next summer (July 17th-21st) will be the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. Relevant Radio is a top sponsor!  The Church in America is preparing for this monumental moment in which Catholics from all around the nation will gather together and strengthen in our devotion to the Eucharist. We will call upon the Holy Spirit to become greater witnesses in the world.  Damon Owens will be a speaker for this event, and he joins John Morales to share what he'll be talking about at the conference. In this interview, Damon addresses the current post-Christian climate we find ourselves in and how this Eucharistic revival will be a pivotal opportunity for us to evangelize a world that so desperately needs to encounter Christ.   

7/31/23 6am CT Hour - Fr. James Kubicki/ Damon Owens John, Glen and Sarah chat about new testimony for the hunter Biden trial, Pope Francis' plea with Russia to allow for safe grain passage and rise in grain prices. Fr. Kubicki shares a little of the life of St. Ignatius and how he formed an order and spiritual exercises that are used centuries later. Damon Owens talks about what he plans to share at next year's Eucharistic Congress and his hopes for how it will revitalize and inspire Catholics from all walks of life.

SEEK22 Impact SessionEach stage of married and family life carries its own particular struggles and challenges to live joyfully: intimacy, sex, finances, time, communication, prayer, work-home balance, parenting, leisure, health, etc. When our desire for a joy-filled marriage doesn't materialize on its own, the day-to-day reality of married life becomes more real to us than God's plan for joy-filled marriage. We need to begin again. Remember your hopes and dreams on your wedding day? Ready to get to the root of why you “don't love each other the same way anymore”?  Now is the time to restore your hope in God's designs for you. With his distinctive style of warmth and humor, Damon shares 28+ years of joys, mistakes, struggles, wisdom, and faith to help you rediscover how to live joyfully ever after!If you're new around here, SEEK is a multi-day Catholic Conference with prayer, adoration, great speakers and fellowship. This January, come together with your friends, family, fellow students, parishioners, and coworkers to seek the Source of all your heart's desires and find new ways to live and share the Gospel in your daily life. Register for SEEK24. January 1-5th, 2024: https://seek.focus.org/seek24/

Guest host Damon Owens joins Trending with Timmerie to discuss the new document from the USCCB on the Doctrinal Note on the moral limits to technological manipulation of the human body.   https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf

In this episode, we'll visit with Damon Owens, international speaker, evangelist, and Executive Director of Joyful Ever After, about:The lies of pornography from a Theology of the Body perspective.If a person preparing for marriage can really commit to another while looking at porn.What to do when porn use comes out after a person says, "I do."How to get the marriage you want from the marriage you have.More Information/Resources:Joyful Ever After WebsiteEPIC Intimacy SeriesFollow on Social Media:Facebook: @JoyfulEverAfterInstagram: @joyfuleveraftermarriagesCovenant Eyes offers a clear path to freedom through trusted relationships and free resources. TRY COVENANT EYES FREE FOR 30 DAYS: (Promo Code: FreePodcast) Stay up to date on the latest news and guests on The Covenant Eyes Podcast by signing up for our newsletter: https://learn.covenanteyes.com/podcast-newsletter/ Try Covenant Eyes for FREE today!Use Promo Code: FreePodcast

Elizabeth Busby chats with Damon Owens about navigating conflict, habits of healthy communication, and how to have difficult conversations with your significant other. On The Discerning Marriage Podcast, we accompany you on the journey to discover if marriage is God's will for you, and if you already know that you're called to marriage, we want to help you bring glory to God in your vocation. You're missing the view! Watch this episode on YouTube (https://youtu.be/vpIRaZpMA6Q) Get 3 FREE sessions (https://tobinstitute.kartra.com/page/YjD233) of our flagship course on Theology of the Body Click here (https://tobpatron.com) to join our Patron Community! Your monthly gift helps us continue to put out the message of Theology of the Body to the world. Thank you! Want to attend a course at the Theology of the Body Institute online or in person? Click here to view our schedule (https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/) Shownotes Learn more about Discerning Marriage Ministries here (https://www.discerningmarriage.com). Send a question to host Elizabeth Busby here (https://discerningmarriage.fireside.fm/ask).

Guest host Damon Owens is joined by his guest Matt Pinto on Trending to discuss the opportunity and responsibility of Catholics in the new internet. Christopher West joins Trending to discuss the Theology of the Body.

2/1/23 6am CT Hour John, Glen and Sarah chat about Tyrie Nicols funeral, Pope Francis in Congo and the creator of Peeps candy. Damon shares research that proofs the best way to start a marriage is in your 20's without living together. Ashley reports on Pope Francis' trip to Congo, celebrations of Carnevale in Italy  and much more. Chadd explains the debt ceiling, what it means and what we can expect from congress.

Guest host Damon Owens is joined by his guests Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira to discuss how couples can make good financial decisions to support good stewardship in their families.

1/10/23 6am CT Hour John, Glen and Sarah chat about  confidential papers concerning President Biden, Georgia Bulldogs big win and doggie fitbits. Laura shares all the obstacles we have overcome in the past year and what we can be grateful for and hope towards in 2023. Damon shares some of the strong celebrity marriages in our culture and John, glen and Sarah chat about what things we can do for our marriages in 2023 to make them stronger and happier.

Patty and Adam discuss the Focus Conference with emcees Steve and Erin Falbo.  Michael Vento of the Catholic Humanism Institute stops by the Covenant Network Booth to discuss humanism and Pope Benedict XVI.  Adam and Patty discuss marriage with Damon Owens of Joyful Ever After.  Learn more about Covenant Network Catholic Radio at www.OurCatholicRadio.org. 

full Relevant Radio c3e165d2-959f-4de7-abb9-af730172aa3e c3e165d2-959f-4de7-abb9-af730172aa3e Thu, 22 Dec 2022 22:31:06 +0000 3068

10/12/22 6am CT Hour John, Glen and Sarah chat about Russian attack on Ukraine, Recession in America, Baseball, and the Bear Champion on the 2022 Year. Kate shares her experience of running the Chicago Marathon and what we can learn about offering up our sufferings for those around us. She gives examples about giving birth or suffering with chronic pain. Ashley reports on the Pope's General Audience on discernment, anniversary of Vatican II and attack of a synagogue in Rom plus a pilgrimage to St. Clement. Damon explains why being open to life through natural means or adoption can and does give fulfillment and joy to those who are open to it.

8/3/22 6am CT Hour John and Glen chat about Nancy Pelosi's safe landing in Taiwan, Primary election results and the passing of baseball announcer Vince Scully. Laura shares some ideas and perspective on ways that we can make our prayer life more contemplative and build our relationship with God. Ashley reports on the Pope's Papal Audience, Italy's perspective of the world's crimes against their food and her 10th Anniversary with Relevant Radio. Damon shares some of the great marriages of Hollywood including Steve Carrel and Jim Caviezel.

7/8/22 6am CT Hour John and Glen chat about the assassination of Japan's Prime Minister and Louisiana's abortion ban. Damon reports on the 2022 World Meeting of Families and why it's important to have healthy marriages. Juan Carlos shares how we as parents can talk with our kids about LGBTQ+ issues as well as a myriad of other things like gun violence, pornography and other things that are common in our culture and media. Bishop Mueggenborg fleshes out Sunday's Gospel and talks about how Jesus wants us to know who our neighbor is  so that we can be moved with compassion and mercy to help them.

What is Theology of the Body (TOB)? How do we live TOB out in marriages? Can TOB help us grow in joy in our marriages? The season finale is here and WHAT a finale it is! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Damon Owens to talk to him about Theology of the Body, specifically in the context of our own personhood and how it relates to marriage & NFP. Don't miss this amazing episode! Shownotes: JoyTOB: https://joytob.org/ Joyful Ever After: Epic Intimacy Challenge: https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/epic-intimacy-challenge Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damon.c.owens/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/damonowens YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DamonOwens Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damonowensofficial Interviewee bio: Damon Owens, international speaker and evangelist, is executive director of Joyful Ever After (joyfuleverafter.org). The first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute and chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress, Damon founded Joyful Ever After as a non-profit ministry dedicated to encouraging and educating couples to understand and live marriage and family life together with joy through St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Host of the 2020 Catholic Marriage Summit, presenter at the 2019 Catholic Family Life Symposium, 2017 USCCB Convocation of Catholic Leaders, and 2015 World Meeting of Families, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP. In 2018, Pope Francis honored Damon with his Benemerenti Papal Medal in recognition for his work in support of marriage and family. Damon lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children.

5/16/22 6am CT Hour Dr. Pat reacts to Pro-Choice protests and death threats and how the Pro-Life movement should respond. Damon shares how we can differentiate between the sacrament of Marriage and all the frills that surround the day and why we need to keep God involved so that marriage can be life-long.

This week's Say Yes to Holiness podcast 1:1 Conversation is with Sophia Lebano, a 21 year old podcaster, entrepreneur, and business student. The conversation between Sophia and I was a completely delightful and enjoyable one as Sophia shared about her journey and how God has inspired and encouraged her on the journey. If you are in need of some hope and encouragement in the midst of a depressing world, then this episode is for you. Sophia had progressive hearing loss from 8 years old until 17, when she went completely deaf after bilateral cochlear implant surgeries. In August 2019, she began her podcast to document her journey of hearing loss and college as a young Catholic woman, and has had the honor of interviewing some amazing people, including Mary Lenaburg, Hannah Ashton, Nina Poersch, Megan Wells, Alison Centofante, Damon Owens, Bill Donaghy, Fr. Dan Molochko, and so many more! The Hear and Now Podcast strives to bring you the advice and humor needed for this earthly journey we are on. Listen in each week to hear conversations with nuns, priests, professors, authors, friends, musicians, speakers, business owners, and ordinary people. And, last but not least, she is the CEO of Sophia Lebano Creative, LLC, a branding and website design agency. I pray that this conversation with Sophia brightens your day as much as it did mine when I spoke with her, but especially that it encourages you to continue to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to help you take whatever God gives you and run with it, too. To learn more about Sophia and her activities, go to: https://sophialebano.com/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sayyestoholiness/message

The role of the father is only one a man can fill. Damon Clarke Owens, Co-founder and Executive Director of Joyful Ever After shares how vital the presence of a father is in the household for a child's development. Gary Zimak references his book, 'Giving up Worrying for Lent' as we approach the path to the Resurrection. 

Damon explains how this document fleshes out the role of the family in the Church and culture and how we can connect this with the upcoming holidays. Danielle reflects on the Advent season and how we as a family can wait with Mary for the birth of Christ.

Damon asks why we so often do not feel loved and offers advice as how to combat those feelings of having to earn love from others and God. He mentions we must push past the justice we feel we deserve to God’s never ending mercy. Bishop Rika talks about the special outdoor mass he will […] All show notes at Damon Owens, Is Anyone Unlovable?; Bishop Richard Stika, All Souls Day and the 4 Last Things - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Damon relays the results of surveys that show how many people are getting married and the stability and longevity of that marriage. Damon speaks to the hope of marriage in the African American community and beyond with the right evangelization of importance and beauty of the sacrament. He notes that a compelling witness of marriage […] All show notes at Damon Owens, State of Marriage in America; Fr. James Kubicki, Making the Most of the Year of St. Joseph - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

John talks to Astrid Bennett Gutierrez about Mexico's Supreme Court invalidating several articles that protect life from conception in the penal code of the state of Coahuila, opening the door to legal abortion.  Co-founder of Joyful Ever After, Damon Owens addresses needs that every marriage has, some we may not even know about yet!   […] All show notes at Astrid Bennett Gutierrez, Mexico's Supreme Court invalidating several articles that protect life from conception/Damon Owens, needs that every marriage has/David Bisono, how we can live like a risen man - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

As COVID cases continue to spike and many fearing another lockdown, Dr. Grazie Christie turns to Catholic psychologist, author and radio host Dr. Kevin Vost to help us suffering with anxiety and loneliness wrought on by another year marked by the pandemic. TCA colleague Maureen Ferguson also joins as we revisit with Theology of the Body expert Damon Owens with sage advice on how we can build strong relationships with our spouses and families despite the restrictions. Marking the 20th anniversary of 9-11, Father Roger Landry also offers an inspiring homily reflecting on the miracle of the Ground Zero cross found standing amid the rubble. Catch the show every Saturday at 7am ET 5pm ET on EWTN radio!

Damon Owens, Educational crisis in affectivity and sexuality Marcel Le Jeune, 5 Reasons Catholics Fail to Evangelize Modern People All show notes at Damon Owens, Educational crisis in affectivity and sexuality/Marcel Le Jeune, 5 Reasons Catholics Fail to Evangelize Modern People - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Damon Owens has news about the EPIC Intimacy Marriage Challenge! Meg Kilgannon, Senior Fellow for Educational Studies with the Family Research Council examines leftist school indoctrination.

Dr. Edward Sri takes on a biblical walk through the mass in his new book.   Damon Owens talks to us about marriage and the EPIC intimacy challenge.   We begin talking to Kendra Von Esh about the 7 pillars of spiritual life. All show notes at Dr. Edward Sri, a biblical walk through the mass/Damon Owens, marriage and the EPIC intimacy challenge/Kendra Von Esh, 7 pillars of spiritual life - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Damon Owens of Joyful Ever After joins for a surprisingly fun chat about NFP Week. Then Kara stops by for a while to cover Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, one of our favorite movies. Topics covered include: Elon Musk's space ambitions, the Trinitarian theology of booby traps, and can archeology serve as a vessel for loving your family? Episode Notes

Damon Owens of Joyful Ever After joins for a surprisingly fun chat about NFP Week. Then Kara stops by for a while to cover Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, one of our favorite movies. Topics covered include: Elon Musk's space ambitions, the Trinitarian theology of booby traps, and can archeology serve as a vessel for loving your family? Episode Notes: https://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/2021/07/16/made-for-love-indiana-jones-and-nfp-and-the-last-crusade/

Damon Owens discusses the statistics that show the number of kids growing up in a two parent family has increased by roughly 70% and the importance of married parents in the life of children.   Ashley Noronha joins us to give an update on the latest going on in Vatican City along with a health […] All show notes at Damon Owens, number of kids growing up in a two parent family has increased/Ashley Noronha, Rome Report/Grace McCallum, Catholic Faith in the Tokyo Olympics - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

With reports of a baby bust despite dreams of a baby boom, Catholic speaker and father of 8 Damon Owens joins Dr. Grazie Christie and Maureen Ferguson with a look at the Theology of the Body and our authentic call to embrace life amid such a bleak secular culture. We also revisit with Father Mike Schmitz as his Bible in a Year podcast is STILL topping the charts! Father Roger Landry also offers an inspiring homily to prepare us for Corpus Christi Sunday. Catch the show every Saturday at 7am ET/5pm ET on EWTN radio!

May 28: Damon Owens discusses the connection of Theology of the Body and Humanae Vitae, Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg discusses the Sunday Gospel All show notes at John Harper’s Last Morning Air Part I - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Damon Owens has information on this weekend's Catholic Love Life Conference. Deacon Greg Kandra shares his book, "A Deacon Prays: Prayers and Devotions for Liturgy and Life. Dr. Joe Pojman looks at the Texas House which gave the initial approval to the Human Life Protection Act which would completely protect unborn children from abortion.

May 45 Hour 3: Dave Durand talks about the strength of compassion in leadership, and Damon Owens talks about strengthening your faith AND marriage together All show notes at Success, Leadership/Faith and Marriage - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Damon Owens, an international speaker and evangelist for over 20 years, is the founder and executive director of joytob. Following four-years as the first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute in Philadelphia, he served as Chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress. In 2002 after 16 years in the technology sector, he sold out of his firm and founded Joy-Filled Marriage New Jersey, and New Jersey Natural Family Planning Association, non-profit organizations dedicated to building a marriage culture through training, seminars, and conferences. Damon and his wife Melanie taught Natural Family Planning (NFP) for 14 years, and served as NFP Coordinators for the Archdiocese of Newark (NJ). Damon and Nathan had a great conversation around how single, dating, engaged, and married people can better prepare themselves for a strong future with their spouse AND with their relationship with God! Check out Damon's website here Follow us @seeking365 and check out our website here!!

April 22 Hour 2: Damon Owens joins us for a very frank and candid conversation on race, Msgr James Shea of the University of Mary talks about leisure, and Danielle Bean helps us create a prayer space in our home. All show notes at Race and Catholicism/Leisure/Prayer Space - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 3 – FRIDAY, APRIL 9: Drew Mariani talks about the power of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the coverage for Divine Mercy Sunday on Relevant Radio; Damon Owens talks about the St. John Paul II and his devotion to Divine Mercy. All show notes at Divine Mercy/St. John Paul II - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 3 – FRIDAY, MARCH 26: Bishop Thomas Paprocki discusses his new book – Running for a Higher Purpose: 8 Steps to Spiritual and Physical Fitness; Damon Owens talks about the Church’s teaching on the sacredness of marriage and how this is reinforced by the CDF’s response that the Church cannot and will not bless same […] All show notes at Higher Purpose/Sacredness of Marriage - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

In hour 1 Does Church teaching on sexuality lead to aggression? Guest Host Greg Popcak discusses the Theology of the Body with Damon Owens, and in hour 2 How can we find God in the midst of tragedy? Guest host Greg Popcak discusses it with Dr. Kevin Miller.

Powerhouse couple Damon and Melanie Owens discuss the ebbs and flows of their own marriage and share what they learned over their 27 years. We speak about how they met, the ups and downs of NFP, balancing work and family life, how God has worked through their relationship, adoption, and much more (with a few good laughs thrown in as well)! Melanie & Damon are the founders of Joyful Ever After a marriage community and ministry. They are both highly sought after speakers and Damon has made regular appearances on EWTN, ABC, CBS, and Catholic Answers.  To learn more about Joyful Ever After, click here: https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/To join the Catholic Couples Love Adventure Challenge, go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/415775456368433

HOUR 2 – TUESDAY, MARCH 2: Damon Owens checks in during the second full week in Lent to offer encouragement for couples and families on their Lenten journeys; Coleen Duggan shares insights on how to deal with the issue of noisy kids at Mass. All show notes at Lent Week 2/Noisy Kids at Mass - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 2 – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15: Lent can be challenging. Damon Owens gives tips for how couples can approach Lent together; Father Rocky joins John and Glen to discuss the “Premium Edition” of his Lenten Reflections on the Mass. All show notes at Couples Lent/Lenten Reflections on the Mass - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 2 – TUESDAY, JANUARY 26: Damon Owens challenges the listeners to work towards a deeper conversion in 2021, focusing on couples, marriage, family, and community; Father David Jenuwine talks about getting ready for Lent. All show notes at Deeper Conversion/Ramping up to Lent - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

It's the 65th episode of Hear and Now Podcast! Thank you for joining me this week as I have Damon Owens on to talk about Theology of the Body.TranscriptWhere to Find Damon:BlogText sophialebano to 31996 or enter your email here to get your free BLOCK SCHEDULING WORKBOOKIGTV ON BLOCK SCHEDULINGResources:luminance: sophialebano for 15% off // code NONTOXIC for free sampleAlways Linked: Blog // Shop // Creative Studio // Hear and Now Podcast SurveyGet in touch with me: hello@sophialebano.comSocials: Instagram @sophialebano // Facebook @hearandnowpod // Pinterest @sophialebano Click the link to check out Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon gift card for the purchase of any paid plan! https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=449567

HOUR 2 – TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20: Damon Owens discusses the legacy of St. John Paul II, Bishop Brendan Cahill talks about the recent Rosary Congress. All show notes at St. John Paul II/Rosary Congress - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

George Floyd's death sparked an avalanche of protests around the nation aimed at ending police brutality and anti-black racism. What has ensued has been an inflammatory and divisive public discussion about systemic racism, the origins of Black Lives Matter, statistics on police shootings, and the validity or invalidity of White Fragility. During this in-depth podcast, Damon Owens speaks candidly from his vantage point as a Black American and from his convictions as a follower of Christ. With honesty and substance, Damon explains why many Black Americans feel the way they do at this time in history and why a genuine Catholic response offers the only way forward to authentic interracial healing. ABOUT THE GUEST Damon Owens is an international speaker, evangelist, and the executive director of Joyful Ever After, a ministry for married couples. Since leaving a successful career as an engineer, he has spent the good part of 20 years ministering to people in need of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. For the past year and a half, he has dedicated much of his time and expertise to racial healing. Mr. Owens keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes. His media appearances include EWTN, Catholic Answers, Ave Maria, Relevant Radio, Immaculate Heart Radio, ABC World News Tonight, CBS News, and NPR. In 2018, Pope Francis honored him with the Benemerenti Papal Medal in recognition for his work in support of marriage and family. He lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children.

Damon Owens, Executive Director of JoyToB.org and founder of JoyfulEverAfter.com, join us to talk about unjust structures, systemic racism, and handling conflict with grace.This is one of the most important, and one of the most enjoyable conversations I've had on the show.We also touch on the new Encyclical Fratelli Tutti and its relation to our topic of the day.

HOUR 3 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25:  Damon Owens tackles the issue of Race and Catholicism head on, Dr Jim Schroeder discusses conflicts and differences in relationships, and Kim Morgan discusses different services schools can provide mainstream and special needs students during the pandemic All show notes at TACKLING RACE AS A CATHOLIC/RELATIONSHIP CONFLICTS/SCHOOL SERVICES - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 3 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25:  Damon Owens tackles the issue of Race and Catholicism head on, Dr Jim Schroeder discusses conflicts and differences in relationships, and John Harper and Matt Beardsley share personal memories on Archbishop John Myers. All show notes at TACKLING RACE AS A CATHOLIC/RELATIONSHIP CONFLICTS/REMEMBERING AN ARCHBISHOP - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 2- FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: Bishop Bill Wack discusses the Devotions we have to the Blessed Mother, Damon Owens helps us address racism through the lens of the Catholic Faith, and Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg previews the Sunday Gospel All show notes at MARIAN DEVOTION/ADDRESSING RACISM/SUNDAY GOSPEL - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Episode 30In this episode of the Parousia Podcast, Charbel is joined by Damon Owens, founder of Joyful Ever After to discuss the Catholic Marriage Summit. Damon also shares the journey of how he left his full-time job as a corporate Engineer to start his own ministry as a full-time Catholic Speaker.

HOUR 1 – MONDAY, AUGUST 10: Bishop Edward Scharfenberger talks Fear and fearing not, Eric Scheidler shows us how to be a well informed pro lifer, and Damon Owens talks marriage and family. All show notes at FEAR/WELL INFORMED PRO LIFER/MARRIAGE - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

HOUR 2 – THURSDAY, AUGUST 06: Damon Owens gives marriage and family advice, Fr Kubiki discusses Purgatory, Dr Pam Patnode talks about COVID 19 options for the coming school year, and Eric Scheidler helps us be a “well informed” pro lifer. All show notes at MARRIAGE/SCHOOL YEAR OPTIONS/BE A WELL INFORMED PRO LIFER - This podcast produced by Relevant Radio

Episode 4: "Chosen by Eternal Love" features Damon Owens as we discuss how our true identity and value are found in God and in being loved into existence by Him and not from what the world tells us, and how God has a plan for everyone’s life.

Damon Owens shares details of his upcoming Marriage Summit. Dan Gainor discusses the suppression of free speech in America.

In this episode, Jim is joined by Damon Owens of JOYTOB to discuss the attack of pornography on the family. Porn attacks the very heart of the family and in the episode, we'll get to the deeper why of what it means to us indivdually and as a family. No one, no family is immune, but there is hope and healing...

We all long for love. It's what we are made for. Damon Owens joins Steve and Becky to talk about love, marriage, family life and his upcoming appearance at SLS20. Today's broadcast is brought to you in part by Solidarity Healthshare www.solidarityhealthshare.org/

Damon Owens

Tom interviews Damon Owens, executive director of joytob, a ministry of Stewardship: A Mission of Faith

If you ever wondered how to actually LIVE the Theology of the Body, then tune in as Deacon Jeff welcomes his guest Damon Owens, Executive Director and Founder of Joy To Be.

Grab a seat in the pew as John and Victor talk joy with Damon Owens, catholic evangelist and the director of JoyTOB.

Marriage is hard. But it’s right there in the hard that God wants to bring out something beautiful.  Join Beth and Edward Sri with International TOB speaker Damon Owens for a conversation about the deeper love that can be found in the real struggles of marriage. Learn more about Damon’s ministry at joytob.org Learn more about Beth’s ministry at borntodothis.org

“I said to her, ‘What if we stopped having sex?’ It wasn’t a serious proposal. But she started to cry. It tapped into something deep in her heart. I saw in her eyes that she saw me as a man that I wasn’t yet, but a man that I wanted to be.”   International TOB speaker Damon Owens shares how his relationship with his wife was completely transformed when they realized the emptiness of the world’s view of sexuality - and found joy in God’s plan. Learn more about Damon’s ministry at joytob.org  

Damon Owens

This week on Family Policy Matters, NC Family Pastor Outreach Director Thomas Graham speaks with Damon Owens, founder and Executive Director of joytob, a teaching ministry. They discuss the interwoven nature of a theology of family, theology of love, and theology of the body.  

“Every virtue, every firm habit to do good is far more powerful than any vice that pulls us away from the true joy of God. Mercy is giving people more love than they deserve which is exactly what God does for us” -Damon Owens Episode 13 – Modesty As an Act of Charity with mom of 7 boys, Susan Husband, definitely stirred up some chatter on facebook when it released back in the Spring. Several comments really struck a chord with us in the way that stirred our hearts to keep the conversation going. There are a lot of women out there who have been hurt by this conversation on modesty and it has been causing women to feel as though they are carrying the entire weight of the issue. Men and women really are both truly wounded with all that goes with this issue. Men are bombarded and women are blamed.We were thrilled to have Damon help us dig into the truths of who we are in God’s family and how we can apply these truths into our everyday choices of not only what we are wearing but mostly how we present ourselves and how we feel about ourselves.  Please consider supporting our Podcast Our Guest:   Damon Owens, an international speaker and evangelist for over 20 years, is the founder and executive director of joytob. Following four-years as the first executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute in Philadelphia, he served as Chairman of the 2016 International Theology of the Body Congress. In 2002 after 16 years in the technology sector, he sold out of his firm and founded Joy-Filled Marriage New Jersey, and New Jersey Natural Family Planning Association, non-profit organizations dedicated to building a marriage culture through training, seminars, and conferences. Damon and his wife Melanie taught Natural Family Planning (NFP) for 14 years, and served as NFP Coordinators for the Archdiocese of Newark (NJ). A Certified Speaker for the Theology of the Body Institute, National Trainer for Ascension Press, and presenter at the 2015 World Meeting of Families, Damon keeps a full international speaking schedule at conferences, marriage seminars, universities, high schools, seminaries, and parishes on the good news of marriage, sexuality, Theology of the Body, Theology of the Family, adoption, and NFP. Damon currently lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Melanie and their eight children. You can also connect with Damon on Facebook and Twitter     Show Notes:  Battle for the Body: Exorcising the Manichaean Demon and Reclaiming the Sacred Theology of our Body Podcast by Christopher West Integrity Restored Data on Porn: 51% of Americans regularly use pornography and over 80% of 15-17 year olds have been exposed to hard core pornography Helen Alvare (from Episode 9)quoted Giusanni about sadness and despair being opposite emotions. Sadness is OK because it is still rooted in hope, despair is not rooted in hope. Communion and Liberation – Luigi Giusanni   SPECIAL MUSIC by Teresa Peterson – pre-order her new Album, Faithful You can see her music video for Faithful here on Youtube    Call to Action –  See the other person’s heart and not their outerwear. Seeing and understanding that mercy is love’s second name. Let us ask the Lord to give us the Grace to see others the way He sees them.  Scripture –  “13 Jesus said to her, “Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” – John 4:13-15 Saint Quote – “It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.” – St. John Paul II  

Damon Owens

Summary of today's show: Our regular Thursday panel looks at some of the top stories of the week from the headlines of the Pilot and Anchor newspapers, including the 5th annual Eucharistic Congress held in the North End of Boston last weekend, including a Eucharistic procession through the streets on Saturday night; the opening of First Communion season with quotes from communicants expressing nervous excitement; and the visit of Havana's Cardinal Jaime Ortega to a Harvard forum in Boston that made an international stir. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Eucharistic Congress, First Communion, Cuban cardinal in Boston 1st segment: Scot and Susan talked about the seminar they attended today on Women, Sexuality, and the Church's teachings. The speakers tackled some of the controversial Church teachings that are often misunderstood. The speakers are authors of the book “Women, Sex, and the Church,” including Erika Bachiochi, who was on The Good Catholic LIfe last year to talk about the book, and Dr. Angela Franks, Katie Elrod, and Sister Sara Butler, MSBT. Scot said on the front page of the Pilot today is an article about the Eucharistic Congress that took place in the North End last weekend. Gregory Tracy said it was the fifth year for this congress. The highlight of the congress is the Saturday evening Eucharistic procession through the streets of the North End. On a Saturday night, the North End is full of people out for dates and revelry and dining. Scot said the slideshow by George Martell is phenomenal. Scot said his favorite part was the talk by Damon Owens. “How ofren do we frame our retreats as getting away from it in order to rejuvenate to get back to it, where the reality is getting back to the job, getting back to our responsibilities? But every once in a while we have to back up and catch our breath,” he said. He said favoring the toil of this world over the contemplation of the gift Christ offered the world in the Eucharist is like holding a preference for exhaling over inhaling. He said in his struggles with the idea of always working hard, he had trouble finding stillness when he did adoration with his wife. “I love you Lord but I got to do something for you. I got ro do something period,” he recalled thinking. With time, he said he realized the need for balance between serving God in action and loving Him in adoration. Scot said that was like a bolt to the heart for him. People who work for the Church are often busy with the work and need to remember to step back and pray. Susan said that's why integrating prayer into daily life is important. It is both/and, not either/or. We can adore the Lord by serving Him in what we do each day in addition to praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Break for fund drive banter. to support Catholic radio in the Archdiocese of Boston on WQOM. 2nd segment: Scot introduced a front-page story in the Anchor this week about youngsters getting ready for First Communion. Scot noted that most parishes begin First Communion ceremonies this weekend and Susan said they continue throughout May. Susan noted her favorite quotes of the children from the story. “I feel excellent about receiving First Communion,” he said. “I'm looking forward to getting a blessing and having a good life.” Susan said while we don't diminish the importance of the First Communion, this is about the second and all the following communions. There should be a lifetime of communions. Scot quoted Mother Teresa who told priests to celebrate each Mass as if it were his first, his last, or only Mass he'll celebrate and that's how we should receive Communion. Do we act like we truly believe it's the Body and Blood of Christ. Scot said his own daughter made her First Communion last month. Greg said he and his wife had made their First Communion every other since 2000 and will continue until 2017. His son will receive his First Communion on Mother's Day. He said his son is nervous about having to go up to and do one of the prayers of the faithful. He noted how recently his son has been watching his parents every week at Communion during Mass and thinking about his upcoming First Communion. On the other hand, people can take it too far, making it like a little wedding and concentrating too much on the clothes and gifts instead of the Eucharist. Scot said what he does love about doing it big for First Communion is that it's one of the top three biggest days in their life at this point after birth and baptism. Susan said everyone in the church, whether they have a child or not, loves to see First Communions. Susan noted there are no private sacraments, they all have a communal effect. Scot said when he's old and grey what he'll remember is the sacramental celebrations. Break for fund drive banter. to support Catholic radio in the Archdiocese of Boston on WQOM. 3rd segment: Scot said Cardinal Jaime Ortega of Havana, Cuba came to Boston to give a public talk. There are not many cardinals in the College of Cardinals and Cardinal Ortega's been a cardinal for several decades. His talk occurred at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Greg said a number of local universities had invited Cardinal Ortega to come speak as a followup to the Pope's visit to Cuba. He also spoke at Boston College and at colleges in other countries. One talk was a light talk on what it's like to live in Cuba and in the evening he participated in a forum that included Cardinal Seán. His remarks at the forum were more pointed and he spoke about the hope of the Cuban people for the Pope's visit. He said it was very important that they were allowed to bring a statue of Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Cuba, to every town, which was quite unusual in this heavily Communist country. Greg said the cardinal had strong words for the exile community in Miami, who Scot said criticizes the Church in Cuba for not being strong enough critics of the Castro regime. the cardinal said the Church is not political. “Now that the Church is expanding and gaining footing in Cuba, there is likely going to be added criticisms from those on the outside,” [Mario Paredes] said in an April 27 the telephone interview with The Pilot. “The fact that [Cardinal Ortega] doesn't criticize the regime directly is seen as his collaborating with the regime, which is untrue,” Paredes said. “The Cardinal is doing what he is supposed to do,” he continued, noting that the cardinal's role is “to bring people to faith, to call on collaboration in rebuilding Cuba, to bring Cubans to reconciliation.” “It's very hard for people to understand his role,” he said. Susan said Cardinal Seán's blog has some pictures of the forum. Greg clarified a point in the article about an incident when 13 protesters were removed from a church in Havana before the Pope's visit. They said they were protesting in favor of freedom, but the cardinal called them “former delinquents,” which was the same language the Castro regime used. This was one of the reasons Cardinal Ortega was criticized by the exile community. Scot said they were trying to disrupt a very delicate situation that takes years to plan and many negotiations. Greg said he sympathizes with those who want greater change in Cuba. His sense from Cardinal Ortega is that he feels squeezed between a rock and hard place. Break for fund drive banter. to support Catholic radio in the Archdiocese of Boston on WQOM.

Summary of today's show: Hundreds of young Catholics gather in the North End each spring for the annual Eucharistic Congress for College Students and Young Adults, together in prayer, service, and public witness including a Eucharistic procession in the streets with Cardinal Seán. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams previewed the Congress coming up on April 27 & 28 with seminarian Patrick Fiorillo and Fr. Dan Hennessey, including the topic of “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Life” and the speakers: Cardinal Seán, Sr. Helena Burns, fsp, Damon Owens, and Fr. Derek Borek. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today's guest(s): Patrick Florillo, Fr. Daniel Hennessey Links from today's show: Today's topics: 2012 Eucharistic Congress Boston 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Matt talked about celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday this past week. He celebrated Mass at St. Joseph, Holbrook, and at the state prison in Norfolk. He said it was an amazing experience to celebrate Mass there because of what the Lord is doing through the ministry there, including Cursillo and the Dominican Third Order. He's been doing prison ministry for four years now and when he goes there, he finds God alive in their eyes. They give him a warm welcome each time. To be able to proclaim God's mercy in a prison is humbling. He said they may be more free in God's spirit than many people walking around the streets of Boston. They discussed Fr. Matt's latest video blog on how to face your fears. Fr. Matt said, “Fear is useless. Trust Jesus.” Fr. Matt said the Pope coincidentally spoke about the fear the apostles faced. Fr. Matt also recalled how he preached this past Sunday on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. In the midst of the tragedy, there was another vessel bringing great hope. It was the priest, Fr. Thomas Byles. On that evening, when the Titanic hit the iceberg, he was praying the Divine Office. He ultimately made his way to the deck and assisted people into the boats. At least twice, he refused to get into the boats. Instead, he heard confessions, prayed the Rosary, and helped people turned to the Lord. One of the last recollections of him was being surrounded by people of all faiths on their knees while he prayed for them. God's mercy came to them as they prayed for their deaths. He was a vessel of God's mercy. 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Matt welcomed Patrick Fiorillo from St. John's Seminary. He said he's from St. Mary in Franklin, Mass. He studied music production at University of Hartford. He heard the call to the priesthood about halfway through college. With a bachelor's degree, he will study philosophy for two years and theology for four. His favorite class right now is on the topic of the study of the soul. Patrick said he's a drummer, playing jazz and rock, andy hat's what got him into music school. He later fell into classical music and that became the focus of his recording engineer career. He took up singing as a hobby and that became part of the practice of his faith. He now sings sacred music and sings in the choir and cantoring. He said he was literally tone deaf before entering college so the fact he can hit the right pitches is miraculous to him. Patrick said he doesn't play drums in a sacred context yet, but he does play timpani on certain sacred music occasions. There are about 15 men in the the 2nd year pre-theology class. They study Latin, Greek, SPanish, the Catechism, and two courses of philosophy each semester. At the Eucharistic Congress, he's leading music. He's planning some new hymns and some old ones, plus some chants from the new Roman Missal. He hinted at a secret selection that's both centuries old and brand-new at the same time. 3rd segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Dan Hennesey to the show. Scot said the Congress is co-sponsored by the Office for Vocations, Office for Campus Ministry, and Office for the New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults. Fr. Dan said they planned it five years ago to bring together college students and young adults. He said a lot of students and young adults they might not have opportunity to meet other Catholics their age to socialize and pray with. One of the inspirations for the Congress was Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young man at the beginning of the 20th century in Italy. Fr. Dan said Bl. PG used to go to Mass every Saturday before going to visit the poor, bringing them gifts and doing chores around their homes, paying their bills, and so on. One day, his friends were going hiking and they wanted him to come instead of going to Mass and serving the poor. He said when he goes to Mass, the Lord visits him in his home, his soul, and in the afternoon, he returns the favor by visiting the Lord in his home, among the poor. So in this Congress, they visit the Lord in the Eucharist and among the poor. This year, the Congress is Friday evening, April 27, and Saturday, April 28, in the North End of Boston. Fr. Matt said the North End is a beautiful old Italian-American neighborhood. They've been doing the Congress for five years now and people have become used to them. The weather is usually cooperative and it's an opportunity see the city and meet other people. Scot asked Patrick why all this comes together so well in the Congress. Patrick said the summit of the event is a public procession of the Eucharist in the evening through the streets. He said not everyone experiences Eucharistic adoration. So they get adoration, procession, Mass and service in a package you don't get to experience any other time. Scot said Eucharistic processions are more uncommon today. Patrick said this was his first Eucharistic process last year. It was a powerful experience walking the streets among people just out and going about their business. The people see it and know right away that this is not just a typical cultural Catholic gathering. Fr. Dan said it's amazing to behold the procession. One year it was so freezing cold and as they were walking they imagined it must be a witness to faith. He's heard about stories of moments of conversion in the hearts of those observing. He said very often they will walk by a group of people and they offer a candle to them and ask them to join in. He notes that people are usually reverent and respectful, even if they don't understand or don't believe as we do. Fr. Matt said a nice addition to the Congress has been places where they stop, place the Eucharist on an altar, and everyone kneels down. There are at least three locations, including right outside St. Leonard's. People can't help but ask what is going on here. If you're Catholic, it has to at least trigger the question of what you really believe. He said as they cross Hanover Street, which holds traffic for up to five minutes, and all the people come to the windows of the restaurants and even come outside. He recalls seeing people actually sobbing as they watched. Scot asked why they end with the procession. Fr. Dan said they are ending by sending people out as missionaries. The procession is the first step in the mission and the witness is part of that mission. Fr. Dan mentioned the story of one young woman who had been looking at graduate schools around the country, including Boston, so when she Googled “Boston” and “Catholic” and saw their website and all the pictures of the Eucharistic Congress and that convinced her to come to Boston. Scot said the bulk of Saturday is witnessing through service projects. Fr. Dan said each year, they have their mainstay service projects and they add some other ones. They send people to Boston Common and the public gardens with the Little Brothers of St. Francis to visit some of the homeless to bring food and clothing and be with them. Another project includes visiting the inform priests, doing cleanup around the neighborhoods or doing a spring cleaning at some of the parishes. Cardinal Sean is always involved in the Congresses. Fr. Matt said the cardinal has a great love for young people. He celebrates the Mass on Saturday evening and then joins them for the dinner after. He then joins the Eucharistic procession. 4th segment: This week's benefactor card raffle winner is Robert Caissie from Wakefield, MA He wins . If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit . For a one-time $30 donation, you'll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM's weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 5th segment: Scot said the theme for the Congress this year is “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Life”. Fr. Dan said it means that to live the Catholic live, it is an extraordinary life. Everyone wants a life with meaning. So they wanted to have someone speak on being drawn into the extraordinary life. There are three keynote speakers. Sr. Helena Burns, fsp, speaking on Bodies Are Not Optional: Living Catholic in the Digital Age, asking what it means to be human online. Our use of media technology is altering our bodies, influencing our minds, wills, and hearts. Our media use is changing us as human beings. But what does it mean to be human? How can we use media in a way that is truly human and never de-humanizing? Social media is a significant part of the lives of young adults and she speak to their experience. Scot said the Daughters of St. Paul have been pioneers in the Church with new media. Fr. Matt Sr. Helena is currently involved in working on a film about the life of their founder, Bl. Alberione, and has studied screenwriting. Scot asked Patrick how social media affects young adults. Patrick said it can have the tendency to dehumanize. Facebook friends can become substitutes for real friends. On the positive side, it can be used as a tool to evangelize. On Saturday, Fr. Derek Borek from St. John's Seminary will speak on what it means to gather at the Eucharist every week or every day and what does it mean to give ourselves away in love outside of the Mass. We are called to imitate Jesus' self-giving, being blessed and broken and given like the Eucharist. In the evening, Damon Owens of the Theology of the Body Institute, will speak on “Working out Salvation”. Fr. Matt said Damon is a nationally recognized speaker on marriage and theology of the body. He also has a background in Opus Dei, which contributes to his talk on connecting our worship and our work. We are to sanctify our work, sanctify ourselves in our work, and sanctify others through our work. Work, for the believer, should be a joyful occasion for us to “work out our salvation”. The seriousness and devotion by which we take our work can sanctify our work and sanctify us. Patrick said it's important for us to get out and experience the universal Church outside our own parish groups or our experience of the Church will be limited. A big part of his conversion was experiencing the wider Church in all the different ways people are living out their faith and seeing how it all comes together in the Body of Christ. Fr. Matt said after Mass with Cardinal Seán, they will make their way across the street for dinner in the school cafeteria, which is catered by a number of the restaurants of the North End. Many restaurants donate food, enough to feed 650 people. The music in the evening program will also be provided by Jon Niven, who will do some praise and worship, followed by Damon's talk, then adoration, then the Eucharistic procession. To register, go to the website link above.

Summary of today's show: The Theology of the Body was the foundation of Pope John Paul II's pontificate and an answer to the depersonalization and objectification of the human person in society in recent decades. Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams are joined by Damon Owens of the Theology of the Body Institute for an introduction to this teaching and discussion of a definition of love that moves beyond mere feelings to an act of the will and desire to make a complete self-gift of oneself. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Matt Williams Today's guest(s): Damon Owens, executive director of the Theology of the Body Institute Links from today's show: Today's topics: Theology of the Body 1st segment: Scot welcomed Fr. Matt to the show and wished him Happy Easter. They noted that Easter takes place over 8 days. Fr. Matt said on Holy Thursday he concelebrated Mass at St. Joseph in Holbrook and then on Good Friday he took part in the Hunger for Justice retreat in Nahant. He then concelebrated the Easter Vigil at St. Mary's in Lynn with many of the teens from the Hunger for Justice retreat. On Sunday, he was back at St. Joseph and then celebrated Mass in the chapel at Bridgewater State College. Fr. Matt said the Hunger for Justice retreat was wonderful. He said the receptivity of the teens and reverence and respect were powerful. He said the retreat began on Short Beach in Nahant with a lesson that salvation is impossible on our own and that God comes to save us. They then walked in a procession with the Cross to St. Thomas Aquinas Church. He said lots of people were drawn to what the hundreds of teens were doing. He said their actions proclaimed Jesus. Scot said he saw many of the photos from the beach at Today's topic is Theology of the Body. Fr. Matt said Pope John Paul II began to write and reflect upon the Theology of the Body at the beginning of the sexual revolution. He believes this is a profound gift from God to speak to the hearts of all people, especially the young, to help them realize our lives are intended to be a gift given to another, and that gift is inscribed in our bodies. It speaks to the hook-up culture many of our young people are saturated in today. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed Damon Owens to the show. Scot asked him how Pope John Paul developed the Theology of the Body. Damon said like many of the major teachings in the Church, this developed out of a crisis. He said it takes time to delve into it. It responds to some of the worst degradation of humanity in history during the 20th century and it tell us what it means to be a human being. Scot said Pope John Paul put these teachings forward in a series of 129 Wednesday general audiences over 5 years ending in 1984. He thought it was so central in our understanding of the human person and how we relate to each other. Damon said it is the culmination of his priesthood from his time as a pastor to theology professor to bishop and cardinal and then pope. It laid the foundation for the entire 25-year pontificate. Each encyclical shows how he unveils it and applies it to every facet of the world. Scot asked Damon to define what is Theology of the Body. Damon said it is a body of teaching that is the fruit and implementation of the Second Vatican Council. It doesn't replace the body of faith, but makes it accessible. It's not a new teaching, but draws from our teachings to help us understand who Christ is and learn what hit means to be made in the image and likeness of God. The first part of the 129 audiences ask and answer the question of who we are, what is our identity. It starts with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eve. Scot asked what are some misconceptions about what it means to be a human person debunked by John Paul. Damon said there is an overspiritualization and an overly materialistic view. John Paul said physical and spiritual are not working against each other, but they work together to bring us to the deepest truth about our identity. It's a both/and not either/or. Damon said they always begin with morality. Everyone asks the fundamental questions of morality, who can they love, how do they know if it's true love. What they don't realize is that they're asking questions of identity more than morality. Questions of the moral law build on top of our identity. If we know who we are, we will know how to act. Many have absorbed a false identity, but they offer the dignity of masculinity and felinity, which have no parallel in our culture. John Paul said love is an act of the will. We make of ourselves a self-gift, which Christ on the cross is the prime example. In marriage, we make a gift of ourselves as a state of life, where we literally learn how to love and become love by the acts we choose to make and pledge of our being to another. We need to be on our knees asking God how to love with his love. Fr. Matt said we've been called to live our lives as gift, which comes from John Paul's philosophy of personalism. Damon warned that many of these ideas are deep and profound and hearing them the first time can be intimidating. But we have to recognize the full depth of what John Paul is calling. We are mde in the image and likeness of God, male and female. God created masculinity and femininity out of that image, when God is neither male nor female. God is a communion of divine persons and being made in the image and likeness of God, he has given us the capacity to love as he loves. The language of our bodies shows what we are called to as male and female is a call to communion. We are not meant for solitude. When we love like God, we become what we love like, we become God. Damon said John Paul said overcoming the dominance of sin, the temptation to concupiscence is the beginning of the accessibility of eternal life won by Jesus Christ. The challenge is to live purity of the heart. We have to dig deep to things that move our heart. We have to seek, will, and do the good. We have to have a singularity of learning how to love. Purity is not simply following rules or avoiding some things. It is the singularity of our posture toward God, serving him our of love, not out of a sense of obligation. Fr. Matt posed a hypothetical about what to say to someone we know who is having sex outside of marriage. Damon said there should be a necessary affirmation of the longing for love and desire that it shown in relationships, even these ones. What they're seeking is good and true and beautiful. But there has to be an acknowledgment that they will never find it if they don't follow the calling to the greater dignity of love. Scot said wherever you are in life is an opportunity to begin again with God. Damon said marriage is a major theme in the Theology of the Body because it conjures up the lived encounter. It's a universal natural institution in every human community. As Christian,s we see God placed it there from the beginning. It gives us a spiritual truth about how we live our lives. Marriage is beautiful and gives us a union in which a full human person can come into being. Scot said statistics show that about half of all marriages end in divorce. Theology of the Body tells us that our vocation in life is lived out through our state in life and the truth is that the heart of marriage is self-gift, not selfishness. When he hears about divorce, it's often a story of one or both of the spouses living selfishly. Damon said society says love s what we feel and it places us at the center of the universe as the measure of what's good and worth fighting for inasmuch as it benefits me. But Theology of the Body speaks of willing, not wishing, the good of another. This describes all different aspects of self-giving love. Not just giving something of self, but giving totality of self. The beauty of an act is measured by the depth of self-giving. We cannot love if we don't suffer. We don't look for it, it comes to us anyway. But we see that suffering is not evil in itself. Love embraces suffering. Fr. Matt said when he meets with engaged couples, he asks them what they mean when they say, “I love you.” They usually respond with how the other makes them feel. But that won't sustain them long term in marriage. He said young people are influenced by Hollywood's vision of love. Damon said Titanic is a good example. On the one hand, he gave his life for her. On the other hand,we recognize that there isn't a sexual maturity or mature sexual love. The sign of that is that it moves from how the other person makes me feel to who the other person is. It moves from affection to identity. That attraction and affection isn't bad, but we are called to grow beyond that immature state. The second great vocation of living our masculinity and femininity is celibacy for the sake of the kingdom. John Paul says some who live the state in life isa fulfillment of masculinity and femininity. We have to see their supernatural origin. Loving as self-gift. Priest, religious, bishop have full possession of their masculinity and femininity that the signs of marriage are still there, but lived in a deeper reality. Priests are spiritual fathers, not as a Plan B. Spiritual fatherhood and motherhood is the Plan A for humanity, and some are also called to biological parenthood. They discussed the resources available of the Theology of the Body, which was formed to teach everyone this body of teaching. They have weeklong Head and Heart immersion courses with world-class faculty. On April 27 & 28, Damon will also be a speaker at the Eucharistic Congress for College Students & Young Adults.