Podcasts about on mission

St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati are now canonized Saints and their simple, yet profound witness provides the Church, and in particular its younger members, inspiration to grow in holiness and draw others to Christ through their personal example. Brian Rhude, Project Coordinator at the Catholic Apostolate Center, joins this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share what what the canonizations of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati mean for the Church.Pope Leo XIV canonized St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati in a ceremony on September 7, 2025. Carlo Acutis was 15 years old when he died of leukemia in a hospital in Monza, Italy in 2006. Carlo is remembered as a normal, joyful teenager who strived to be the best version of himself, living the ordinary in an extraordinary way. Carlo was generous to the poor of his community, many of whom came to pay their respects at his funeral. Carlo's passion for the Eucharist ultimately led to his mother's conversion. Living a life of similar joy and witness to the Gospel, Pier Giorgio Frassati was born in Italy in 1901. From an early age, Frassati was interested in helping others however he could. When he was 21, he became a professed member of the Third Order of St. Dominic and began to lead groups of people in works of mercy in the model of Rerum novarum. Frassati was also an avid outdoorsman, especially mountaineering. Frassati contracted polio in 1925 and died when he was just 24. Many of the poor of Turin who he had helped showed up to his funeral, shocking his parents who did not know of his charitable works. Visit the St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati feast day pages. Related On Mission episodes:Young SaintsCarlo AcutisFinding Faith in AdolescenceSaint Vincent Pallotti From the Ad Infinitum blog:Climbing to the Heights with Pier Giorgio FrassatiPier Giorgio Frassati: A Joyful Witness to the GospelEucharistic Encounters Through Social MediaLet Jesus Talk to You Check out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for us. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for us. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on giving ourselves fully as a disciple of Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on giving ourselves fully as a disciple of Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Young adult professionals oftentimes relocate to new communities as they start a career. As they seek to practice their faith in a new community, they can encounter stumbling blocks as they integrate into parish life after experiencing college campus ministry. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about how parishes can welcome and help young adult professionals integrate into the larger community of faith.College campus ministries offer young adults numerous faith-based events and catechesis that cater to the students' needs. After graduation, some young professionals may have a hard time finding a sense of community in a new parish, which may lead to them leaving the faith all together. To address the needs of young adults in parish communities, parishes need to prioritize welcoming and getting to know young adult community members. Parishes could offer mentorship opportunities to young adults and specifically inviting the young adults into service.Notes:Listen to On Mission: The Knights of ColumbusFriends Help You Stay Catholic in CollegeYoung SaintsSpiritual Growth During Collegiate YearsOther episodes about Young Adults From the Ad Infinitum blog:10 Ways to Remain Active in Your Faith Life During CollegeYoung Adults Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

If you want to experience deeper and more fulfilling love, and you want to simplify your life in the process, then join Chip as he wraps up this series by presenting 3 essential things you must do to love more and do less.How do you sustain spiritual simplicity?Get on board the Love Train! - The love train is the Church of Jesus ChristWhat's life like on the Love Train? -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21Christ's love compels us (verse 14)Our life focus changes (verse 15)We get new eyes (verse 16)We get new hope (verse 17)We get a new responsibility (verses 18-19)We get a new role (verses 20-21)How It Really WorksJesus' Command: Love God and love people—the marks of a mature disciple.The Profile of a Disciple (Romans 12 Christian): Surrendered, Separate from the world, Sober self-assessment, Serving in love, Supernaturally responding to evilPractices to Become a Romans 12 Christian:BEFORE God (personal devotion)IN Community (fellowship and support)ON Mission 24/7 (living out faith daily)The Process that Ignites Life Change:"I'm all in!" (Overcoming fear of the future)"You accepted me." (Overcoming fear of rejection)"God used me." (Overcoming fear of failure)A Call to All: "Get on Board!" (James 1:19-27)Broadcast ResourceSpiritual Simplicity ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsSmall Group ResourcesI Choose Joy BookI Choose Joy Small GroupConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

If internship offers experience for one's resume, what does internship lodging provide? In Ethan Rosen's case, it led to far more than anticipated, as he narrates on this podcast episode. Ethan could not afford lodging for his sports management internship, so his coach introduced him to a church whose members opened their homes one summer for several weeks each. Thus, Ethan met a seed producer, became enthralled with the business, lived in his home for several years, and eventually acquired the company. He and host Dr. Matt Davis laugh about former college escapades, tempering it now with a more mature perspective. They observe that the same leadership Ethan exercised with peers as football captain is the same energy needed in business. For now, Ethan asserts, until the Lord directs otherwise, he is gratified glorifying God by caring for employees and providing seed to feed the world.

Eucharist is the source a summit of our Catholic Faith. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. We who know this are called to spread devotion to the Eucharist in our daily lives. This blogcast explores “Being a Eucharistic Missionary" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Patrick Laorden and read by Meghan Abando.I did not have a chance to attend the Eucharistic Congress last month. However, I did have the pleasure of reading the book For the Life of the World: Invited to Eucharistic Mission by Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Tim Glemkowski. The book outlines four essential pillars to being a Eucharistic missionary: Eucharistic encounter, Eucharistic identity, Eucharistic life, and Eucharistic mission. On the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, a great example of a Eucharistic missionary, let us seek her intercession to bear a Eucharistic presence in the world!Eucharistic EncounterThe life of a Eucharistic missionary starts with an encounter. We are reminded of what Pope Benedict XVI said in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est (God is Love), “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction,” (no. 1). Bishop Cozzens notes four essential elements to an encounter with Jesus: realizing that Jesus is God, experiencing one's own unworthiness, discovery that one is intimately loved, and being invited to follow him in a new life. We see these elements unfold in St. Teresa's own life when she encountered Jesus in the poor.Eucharistic IdentityOur identity is essential to our mission. Bishop Cozzens noted that Jesus never had an identity crisis. Before Jesus began his public ministry, he submitted himself to God to be baptized. Bishop Cozzens highlights three essential principles to Eucharisic identity: relationship, identity, and mission. He writes, “This is the basic point: We were created by God to be in relationship, and from our relationship we know who we are — our identity. When we know who we are, then we know how we should act and what we should do — our mission,” (pg. 50). When St. Teresa encountered Jesus in the poor, she experienced a call within a call: to assume a new identity by leaving the Sisters of Loretto and founding the Missionaries of Charity.Eucharistic LifeWe are called to a Eucharistic life, to be in communion with Christ. Bishop Cozzens notes that this communion with Christ is how we mark ourselves as the Church. Fr. Roger Landry in a 2022 article in the National Catholic Register entitled, “The Eucharistic Life of St. Teresa of Calcutta,” noted how St. Teresa compared the Missionaries of Charity's work to the Blessed Mother: ​“Every Holy Communion fills us with Jesus and we must, with our Lady, go in haste to give him to others. For her, it was on her first Holy Communion day that Jesus came into her life and so for all of us, also. He made himself the Bread of Life so that we too, like Mary, become full of Jesus. We too, like her, should be in haste to give him to others. We too, like her, serve others.”We receive Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass, and we are called to give him to others through a life of service. Bishop Cozzens explains that receiving Holy Communion is a covenantal act. “This is why we say ‘Amen,' which is a covenantal act. To receive Holy Communion is to say: ‘I want to live in this covenant with you. I want to live in communion with you, Lord.' This means I must also live in communion with the Church, Christ's Body,” (pg. 62).Eucharistic MissionThe Church, in her essence, is missionary. Bishop Cozzens notes that our mission was not invented or decided by us, rather given to us from Jesus. This mission is ad gentes or “to the nations”. The challenge today is that we no longer live in a Christian world. Pope Francis, in a 2019 address to the Roman Curia, said, “We are no longer living in a Christian world, because faith – especially in Europe, but also in a large part of the West – is no longer an evident presupposition of social life; indeed, faith is often rejected, derided, marginalized and ridiculed.”We, who have experienced an encounter with Christ, whose identity has been revealed through this encounter, and who have been called to share in this Eucharistic life, are to be a beacon of light to those who have fallen away from their faith or have never experienced Christ. St. Teresa once said, “We must know that we have been created for greater things, not just to be a number in the world, not just to go for diplomas and degrees, this work and that work. We have been created in order to love and to be loved.” This is what it means to be a Eucharistic missionary.St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us! Author:​Patrick Laorden serves as a Grants Associate for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in Hartford, CT. Resources:Listen to On Mission: Eucharistic Revival: Year of MissionRead and learn about Eucharistic RevivalRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

If you want to experience deeper and more fulfilling love, and you want to simplify your life in the process, then join Chip as he wraps up this series by presenting 3 essential things you must do to love more and do less.How do you sustain spiritual simplicity?Get on board the Love Train! - The love train is the Church of Jesus ChristWhat's life like on the Love Train? -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21Christ's love compels us (verse 14)Our life focus changes (verse 15)We get new eyes (verse 16)We get new hope (verse 17)We get a new responsibility (verses 18-19)We get a new role (verses 20-21)How It Really WorksJesus' Command: Love God and love people—the marks of a mature disciple.The Profile of a Disciple (Romans 12 Christian): Surrendered, Separate from the world, Sober self-assessment, Serving in love, Supernaturally responding to evilPractices to Become a Romans 12 Christian:BEFORE God (personal devotion)IN Community (fellowship and support)ON Mission 24/7 (living out faith daily)The Process that Ignites Life Change:"I'm all in!" (Overcoming fear of the future)"You accepted me." (Overcoming fear of rejection)"God used me." (Overcoming fear of failure)A Call to All: "Get on Board!" (James 1:19-27)Broadcast ResourceSpiritual Simplicity ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsSmall Group ResourcesI Choose Joy BookI Choose Joy Small GroupConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

You are someone's answer to prayer. And the opposite of that is true as well. God has someone out there who is the answer to YOUR prayers. How do you sustain spiritual simplicity?Get on board the Love Train! - The love train is the Church of Jesus ChristWhat's life like on the Love Train? -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21Christ's love compels us (verse 14)Our life focus changes (verse 15)We get new eyes (verse 16)We get new hope (verse 17)We get a new responsibility (verses 18-19)We get a new role (verses 20-21)How It Really WorksJesus' Command: Love God and love people—the marks of a mature disciple.The Profile of a Disciple (Romans 12 Christian): Surrendered, Separate from the world, Sober self-assessment, Serving in love, Supernaturally responding to evilPractices to Become a Romans 12 Christian:BEFORE God (personal devotion)IN Community (fellowship and support)ON Mission 24/7 (living out faith daily)The Process that Ignites Life Change:"I'm all in!" (Overcoming fear of the future)"You accepted me." (Overcoming fear of rejection)"God used me." (Overcoming fear of failure)A Call to All: "Get on Board!" (James 1:19-27)Broadcast ResourceSpiritual Simplicity ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsSmall Group ResourcesI Choose Joy BookI Choose Joy Small GroupConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

You are someone's answer to prayer. And the opposite of that is true as well. God has someone out there who is the answer to YOUR prayers. How do you sustain spiritual simplicity?Get on board the Love Train! - The love train is the Church of Jesus ChristWhat's life like on the Love Train? -- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21Christ's love compels us (verse 14)Our life focus changes (verse 15)We get new eyes (verse 16)We get new hope (verse 17)We get a new responsibility (verses 18-19)We get a new role (verses 20-21)How It Really WorksJesus' Command: Love God and love people—the marks of a mature disciple.The Profile of a Disciple (Romans 12 Christian): Surrendered, Separate from the world, Sober self-assessment, Serving in love, Supernaturally responding to evilPractices to Become a Romans 12 Christian:BEFORE God (personal devotion)IN Community (fellowship and support)ON Mission 24/7 (living out faith daily)The Process that Ignites Life Change:"I'm all in!" (Overcoming fear of the future)"You accepted me." (Overcoming fear of rejection)"God used me." (Overcoming fear of failure)A Call to All: "Get on Board!" (James 1:19-27)Broadcast ResourceSpiritual Simplicity ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsSmall Group ResourcesI Choose Joy BookI Choose Joy Small GroupConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003

St. Vincent Pallotti founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate and the later developed Pallottine Fathers and Brothers to encourage collaboration between clergy, religious, and lay people to evangelize in every day life. Connor Combs and Sebastian Fernandez, Summer Associates at the Catholic Apostolate Center, join this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share what they've learned about St. Vincent Pallotti and the Pallottine charism.St. Vincent Pallotti founded the Union of Catholic Apostolate, an association of lay people, religious, and clergy to spread the call of the universal apostolate in society. Later, the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers and Brothers), developed. During Vatican II, his ideas were affirmed in the documents of the Council and the call of all to missionary discipleship, as the late Pope Francis would speak about. If you would like to learn more about the Pallottines, the Union of Catholic Apostolate, and the charism of St. Vincent Pallotti, the Catholic Apostolate Center, as a ministry of the Immaculate Conception Province of the Priests and Brothers, has many resources and information about the life and ministry of Pallotti. Related On Mission episodes:Pallottine Fathers and BrothersSaint Vincent PallottiSpirituality and Prayer Through Religious Charism From the Ad Infinitum blog:PallottinesSt. Vincent Pallotti Check out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on selflessly serving Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on selflessly serving Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

The Knights of Columbus awarded Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. the Blessed Michael McGivney Medal, which honors his longtime chaplaincy at The Catholic University of America. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about his role in founding the council and how he's accompanied college men grow in faith.The 2025 recipient of the Blessed Michael McGivney Medal is Pallottine Father Frank Donio, state chaplain of the District of Columbia, who received the medal from Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly during the annual Supreme Knight's Awards Session held on Aug. 4, the eve of the 143rd Supreme Convention in Washington, D.C.While an undergraduate student at CUA, Father Donio helped establish The Catholic University of America Council 9542 on campus in 1987. He has now served as the chaplain of that council for almost two decades, and also serves as faithful friar of James Cardinal Hickey Assembly 2534 in Washington, D.C.As council chaplain, Father Donio has been a spiritual father to many young adults discerning their vocations, offering advice and encouragement to guide them toward God's will and hosting a yearly discernment retreat for council members. Since Father Donio became chaplain, at least 20 men have become priests thanks to his influence and encouragement, including former members of Council 9542. Present and former council members testify to his unwavering dedication and profound impact on their understanding of the faith and their relationship with Christ.Notes:Read: Article on Blessed Michael McGivney Medal for Chaplaincy in the Knights of ColumbusWatch: Blessed Michael McGivney Award – Father Frank Donio, Chaplain to Catholic University KnightsFurther Resources:Listen to On Mission: The Knights of ColumbusFriends Help You Stay Catholic in CollegeYoung SaintsOther episodes about Young Adults Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

For the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on striving for Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on striving for Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Podcast listeners may recognize the voice of this episode's guest—Jim Schneider, executive director of VCY America and host of Crosstalk, a nationwide live call-in program examining issues of concern for Christians. After a brief glimpse at the global scope of his organization, he and host Dr. Matt Davis share common experiences and the challenges of call-in programs. They examine how VCY's mission statement guides program choices, and Jim quotes a principle he once heard: What we won them with, we have won them to. Thus, the desired goal directs decisions. He candidly states that VCY is not entertainment, though it has elements of it, which naturally leads them to discuss VCY's music standards. Jim explains their parameters: music that is theologically correct with “no contradiction between words and rhythm; “music that moves the heart;” traditional, sacred music. Nonetheless, both men acknowledge that change is inevitable, that there must be a balance with change, and that it helps ministries “hold the line” when others do the same.

Eucharistic processions have been a tradition in the Catholic Church for countless years. Recently, the Church in the United States celebrated the National Eucharistic Congress, which culminated four national Eucharistic processions and pilgrimage routes. This blogcast explores “Pilgrimage and the Eucharist as Food for the Journey" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written and read by Fatima Monterrubio Cruess.As you may know, we are in the final phase of the National Eucharistic Revival, “a three-year initiative sponsored by the Bishops of the United States to inspire and prepare the People of God to be formed, healed, converted, united, and sent out to a hurting and hungry world through a renewed encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist – the source and summit of our Catholic faith”. This initiative is a response to the Holy Father's call for a “pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are” so that the Church in the United States might be “permanently in a state of mission” (Evangelii Gaudium, 25). This final phase known as the “Year of Mission” is a response to the preceding stages of diocesan and parish revival as well as the National Eucharistic Congress that was held July 17-21, 2024.One beautiful expression of this missionary dimension of the Eucharistic Revival was the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage that took place leading up to the National Eucharistic Congress. The first of its kind, and one of the largest Eucharistic processions in history, consisted of four routes beginning at the northern, southern, eastern, and western parts of the United States. The routes formed the shape of a cross as pilgrims journeyed with the Blessed Sacrament across the whole country, blessing over 6,000 miles of our nation.Participants in the pilgrimage attended Mass every day of their journey and had regular evenings of reflection and adoration. After traveling for about two months, all four branches of the Pilgrimage met in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. I was privileged to join a moment of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage along the northern route, known as the Marian route, which began at the headwaters of the Mississippi and wound its way through the midwestern United States.As the pilgrimage passed through Notre Dame, IN over the course of a weekend, I was able to attend a couple of the specially planned events. One was a musical entitled “Behold God's Love: A Eucharistic Musical,” which drew inspiration from mystery plays performed on the feast of Corpus Christi (the Body and Blood of Christ) in the Middle Ages. These plays presented moments from salvation history. The other special event was Sunday Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart followed by a procession around the university's campus, culminating in Benediction offered from the steps of the Main Building.It was such a gift to join pilgrims, some of whom had been part of the route from the beginning, in a tangible manifestation of our life as “the pilgrim Church on earth”, the people of God on their way to their heavenly homeland. It provided an opportunity to reflect in a special way on one of the many names with which we refer to the Eucharist, one that evokes a certain aspect of the “inexhaustible richness of this sacrament” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1328). Viaticum, a Latin word that means provision for the journey, is a particularly fitting name to contemplate in the context of this pilgrimage, as the Eucharist is the spiritual food which sustains and nourishes us. Certainly, it was the source of sustenance for those making the cross-country journey over the course of several weeks. Yet this pilgrimage (and all pilgrimages) was undertaken to call to mind our common human condition as those marching onward “ ‘following the narrow way of the cross,' toward the heavenly banquet” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1344), when we can all be seated at the table of the Kingdom of God. ​The Eucharist as viaticum gives us the graces we need for each day as we advance along our earthly pilgrimage. Each step of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage reminds us that our entire lives and every place in which we find ourselves can be holy, consecrated by the presence of our Lord. When we receive the Lord in the Eucharist and accept the call to be sent forth on mission to every part of the world, we experience “a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1090). The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, whether or not you were able to join it, shows a visible bond of communion that assures “the unity of the pilgrim Church” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 815) and reminds us that we do not  have to journey to far-off holy places to go on mission. Every place our feet touch can be holy ground if, as we tread it, we seek to draw ever closer to our Eucharistic Lord, who longs to make himself present to us and to all, not only in the Mass, but in every moment. Author:Fatima Monterrubio Cruess is the Resource Coordinator for the Catholic Apostolate Center. In this role, she assists in the creation and use of the Center's content and resources in both English and Spanish. Resources:Listen to On Mission podcast Catholic Feast Days AppRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Sunday Service: 8/17 | On Mission 11 | Let's be people who praise and pray

College provides young adults opportunities to explore the larger world and get to know new people and experience new things. With that, many students drift away from the Catholic Faith while in school. However, a group of peers to hold each other accountable and provide motivation to grow in relationship with Jesus can help students thrive in college and go deeper in their faith. Connor Combs and Sebastian Fernandez, Summer Associates at the Catholic Apostolate Center, join this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share how friends and accountability helped them remain and grow in their Catholic faith while studying in college.When arriving on a college campus, Catholic students usually have a choice: go to Mass or don't go to Mass? For many, this is the first time they will have this question posed to them. Connor and Sebastian share from their experience encountering that same question and what means were available to them that allowed them to grow in faith. For example, a good group of friends provided motivation and accountability to go to Mass, frequent the sacraments, and live a prayerful student experience. Making the conscious choice to attend a more religious institution helped maintain them in the context of the Catholic Faith. View Synod on Young People resources Related On Mission episodes:Living Faith on a Secular CampusCommunity LifeYoung SaintsSocial Media From the Ad Infinitum blog:Student LifeFriendship Check out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on living our life of faith with zeal. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on living our life of faith with zeal. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Sunday Service: 8/10 | On Mission 10 | Let's be People Who Send and Live Sent

For the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on our being prepared every day to receive Christ in our lives. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on our being prepared every day to receive Christ in our lives. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Guest Ian Ferguson returns for his second visit to the podcast, accompanied this time by business partner Glenn Aldridge of CoSurge CPAs, a firm that provides audit leadership for other CPA businesses nationwide. Host Dr. Matt Davis steers their discussion through narration of their firm's merger and determination of core values (succinctly stated in an acronym for Surge), posing such questions as what could undermine the ethics of leadership, how they ethically balance client interests, and what makes their work worthwhile. Both men affirm that “stewardship is about more than resources.” They explain their superior model of work-life balance which sets them apart and how collaboration is possible despite 100% remote interaction through a virtual central office. Most importantly, they stress that they aren't focused on being the biggest CPA firm, but on taking care of their families. “We want to equip our people to do what God has called them to do whether it's accounting or something else,” says Mr. Aldridge, a perspective which Dr. Davis asserts is “exactly what Maranatha is all about.”

Discernment is a prayerful process by which we come to understand God's will in our lives for a particular decision. This blogcast explores “Discernment: Day to Day and Lifelong" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Christian Bordak-Roseman and read by Meg Ferguson.The popularity of the word discernment seems to have skyrocketed in Catholic circles in recent years. Discernment has always been linked to discerning one's lifelong vocation to married, single, or religious life. Discernment has also been linked—especially recently—to more short-term decisions such as what to study in college, what job to accept, and even more mundane choices within one's daily life. Many times, young people—myself included for many years in the past—want to tackle the question of lifelong discernment head on, determining their vocation as quickly as possible. This, however, cuts off the central aspect of discernment which is a long-term personal relationship with God. Instead of looking at discernment from the top down, one must examine their daily life, decisions, and prayer life to allow God to show them the path to their lifelong vocation. When I was in college, I was racked by pressure to determine my lifelong vocation to either married, single, or religious life. At the time, I understood that the heart of discernment was taking decisions to God in my prayer life, but all I could focus on was finding the result. In reality, the way to go about discernment is to maintain constant communication with God, to consistently acknowledge His Holy Presence in your life and bring your day-to-day life into your prayers. God presents Himself to us through innumerable ways on any given day, and a cornerstone of prayer is noticing Him there. If, however, you were like me in college worrying about the final result instead of an actionable next step, it is easy to miss God and lose out on quality discernment. It is only through regular prayer that God can reveal Himself clearly to us. Prayer has the power to make sense of the chaos that rules our lives in the twenty-first century. A meditation or Examen in the morning or evening can lead one to see God's personal actions daily and enable us to bring God into our lives more actively. Retreats—whether a day-long, weekend long, or self-paced at-home retreats—can allow us to break down longer stints of our lives, see God's presence, and reorient us for larger decisions that might be facing us. Once I realized that my larger vocation questions were not going to be answered unless I discerned daily, it allowed me to become more attuned with God and deepen my prayer life. I began to see how God was strengthening me as a boyfriend, fiancé, and now husband to support and be supported by my now wife. Additionally, by focusing my prayer on the daily actions of my studying and student-teaching internships and being the best teacher I could be, I was able to see how God works in and through me in my career. This realization enabled me to be confident in a career decision that was not something I would have considered when I was beginning my undergraduate experience. As many have said before, God rarely comes to us in beatific visions with clear instructions on how to live our lives for Him. Instead, Jesus comes to us through people and events around us, hoping to guide us along the way of life. Discernment is looking for trail markers that Jesus leaves for us; we are looking to understand the roadmap He laid out for us. Author:Christian Bordak-Roseman serves as a Religion Teacher at St. John's College High School in Washington DC. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History, minoring in Theology, and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education at The Catholic University of America. Informed by the Lasallian charism of St. John's and the Pallottine charism of the Catholic Apostolate Center, Christian works to witness Christ's mission of love by living as an apostle at school as a teacher and at home as a husband. Resources:Listen to On Mission: DiscernmentOn Mission: Spiritual Growth During Collegiate YearsRead the Ad Infinitum blogDiscernment Resources Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

What if you could be the catalyst for change in someone's life today? In Pastor Gary's compelling sermon, he ignites a passion for missions and the vital role each of us plays in spreading the gospel. Drawing from John 20:21, Pastor emphasizes that Jesus commissioned us to continue His work, reminding us that our mission is not about us but about making Jesus known. He challenges the congregation to not just be a church with missions but a church of missions. During this sermon, we learn that taking action in world missions means understanding our responsibility—to share the gospel, pray for the lost, and generously support missionaries. As City United embarks on the On Mission series, Pastor Gary outlines exciting upcoming initiatives that will engage the community in missions both locally and globally. He leaves us with an urgent call to action: pray about our Faith Promise commitments to reach our $125,000 mission goal. Together, we can be vessels of hope, ensuring that the light of Christ pierces through the darkness in every corner of the globe. Will you take part in this transformative journey?

Social media is a powerful tool for Catholic ministries and evangelizers to spread the message of the Gospel, build community, and dialogue with others. Ministries, apostolates, and non-profits must keep in mind that serves the purpose of drawing people into a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus in and through the Church, most particularly through the Sacraments. Grady Connolly, founder of Social Thomist, joins this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share how ministries can employ social media for Christ and his Church.With the amount of information and media available to us, Grady recommends to be intentional with how we post to social media and what we consume on social media. Some recommendations could be to take notes about what you're consuming or set personal limits. Regardless of how we consume, the reality of the true, the good, and the beautiful unfolding in front of us surpasses anything we can engage with online. View Social Media Resources Related On Mission episodes:Social MediaPodcast EvangelizationShrinesPilgrimages  From the Ad Infinitum blog:Social MediaPilgrimagesShrines Check out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play  Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on what is truly important in life. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on what is truly important in life. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Youth and young adults are beacons of hope and signs of hope in our world, according to Pope Leo XIV in his video message to young people gathered at Rate Field, Chicago. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about how young people hope in Christ and can inspire others to hope in Christ as well as we celebrate the Jubilee of Youth in Rome this week.The Jubilee of Youth is underway in Rome where young adults are invited to the Eternal City to partake in spiritual events, pilgrimage, and community with other faith-filled young adults. The Vatican estimates over 1 million youth and young adults will make the pilgrimage to Rome to partake in special Jubilee events and Mass. Pope Leo XIV said of young people in his address at Rate Field:“To, once again, the young people who are gathered here, I'd like to say that you are the promise of hope for so many of us. The world looks to you as you look around yourselves and say: we need you, we want you to come together to share with us in this common mission, as Church and in society, of announcing a message of true hope and of promoting peace, promoting harmony, among all peoplesWe have to look beyond our own - if you will - egotistical ways. We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting a message of hope. Saint Augustine says to us that if we want the world to be a better place, we have to begin with ourselves, we have to begin with our own lives, our own hearts (cfr Speech 311; Comment on St John's Gospel, Homily 77).And so, in this sense, as you gather together as a faith community, as you celebrate in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as you offer your own experience of joy and of hope, you can find out, you can discover that you, too, are indeed beacons of hope. That light, that perhaps on the horizon is not very easy to see, and yet, as we grow in our unity, as we come together in communion, we can discover that that light will grow brighter and brighter. That light which is indeed our faith in Jesus Christ. And we can become that message of hope, to promote peace and unity throughout our world.”Notes:Listen to On Mission: Jubilee YearYoung SaintsOther episodes about Young Adults View Synod on the Young People ResourcesPope Leo XIV Resources Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Sunday Service: 7/27 | On Mission 8 | Let's be people who live lives of proclamation

For the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on being open to God. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on being open to God. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Suffering is present in our days manifesting itself in small, daily sufferings or in larger more profound experiences such as chronic illness. With the grace Christ offers us through his passion, death, and resurrection, suffering takes on a new, sanctifying meaning whereby we . This blogcast explores “The Guarantee of Suffering" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written and read by Brian Rhude.There are a few guarantees in this life. Some say it is death and taxes. Purdue basketball fans, such as myself, will add Matt Painter. But there is another guarantee in life, and it is one that is as uncomfortable and taboo as death: suffering. Death, taxes, Matt Painter, and suffering.The suffering we think of most often is typically connected to death - the suffering of a cancer patient or of someone who has been in a tragic accident. This suffering is very real, but also extraordinary. I do not mean that this suffering is somehow alien to the human experience; it is deeply real and personal to those who experience it and their loved ones, but that it is truly extra (outside of the) ordinary. Ordinary suffering comes in many forms: the lack of sleep felt by new parents, the inability to pay one's bills after being laid off, the end of a relationship that seemed to be perfect, the inexplicable change in direction from the Lord after following a path that seemed ordained by that same God. These, and countless other examples, are the suffering of the day-to-day life of the human person.There is a human tendency to compare suffering. “Well, their suffering seems so much worse than mine, so mine must be insignificant, and my response to my suffering is somehow overblown or distorted.” But this reaction is what is distorted. Suffering is, as I said at the start of this blog, guaranteed in life. That is a pretty undesirable guarantee. All we have to do is look out into the world, or just rewatch the movie of our own lives to find some sort of suffering, whether great or “small.” The question is not if we will suffer, but how we handle suffering and what it does in our lives.I am personally unable to understand how one can endure suffering without some sort of conception of God, and more specifically a personal relationship with the God who became man and who suffered and died for us. It is just that relationship that has gotten me through the traumatic death of my father just over five years ago and the daily suffering that is thrown my way. Suffering can easily make a strong person crumble, so the first thing we should do is realize that we are not strong, but weak. We are the sick that Jesus professes need a physician in the Gospel of Matthew. The physician is the only one who can prescribe the medication of grace needed to help us through our suffering. The grace is dispensed to us not through pills or syringes but through prayer. It is only through constant prayer, which is the reception of the transformative love of God, that suffering has meaning and can be endured. Sr. Ruth Burrows says in her book Essence of Prayer that God's touch in our lives, “however lightly, means I suffer,” (Burrow, 38). Prayer opens us up to the fact that we are nothing, we are weak, we are in great need and, “it is then that I really experience that I need Jesus and everything depends on my living this out, letting go of the controls, handing them over to him and accepting to have no holiness, no achievement of my own, to be before God as nothing,” (ibid, 39).This is the bottom line of suffering. It is not gratuitous, meaningless, or completely nonsensical; it is the process of being stripped of all of our egotistical and self-seeking tendencies that leave us closed off to God's healing touch. Patient endurance of the suffering we experience is the way that we are prepared for life with God. How do we know this? Because Jesus Christ took on human form and lived in perfect obedience as the Apostle to the Eternal Father. Jesus' life found its highest fulfillment in obedient suffering and sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane, at the Pillar, on the road to Calvary, and on the Cross. In his suffering, Christ took on all of ours - from the suffering of a broken heart to the suffering of death - and brought them meaning. In fact, it was the signs of his suffering that he kept after his resurrection as trophies of his victory over death. It was these same signs of suffering, Jesus' wounds, that proved the resurrection to Thomas.Our wounds, our suffering, participate in the suffering and wounds of Christ. Thomas experienced the Risen Christ in His wounds, and we too experience Him in our wounds. Suffering is a guarantee, but it does not end as pain- it leads us to victory, to intimacy with God, and brings us to God as empty vessels for him to fill with his glory. Author:Brian Rhude is the Project Coordinator for the Catholic Apostolate Center where he works in developing Center programming, assists in updating and creating new resources on the Center's website, collaborates on the development of social media content, and provides other services and collaborates including participation at and facilitation of various events and conferences.   Resources:Listen to On Mission: Talking to Children About SufferingBrowse Self Care ResourcesRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Basilicas are churches in the Catholic Church that receive the honorific title by the pope. There are four major basilicas in Rome and the others worldwide are minor basilicas. Grady Connolly, founder of Social Thomist, joins this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno, Sarah Scalfaro, and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share his experiences taking pilgrimages around the United States to visit all 93 minor basilicas.The Romans used basilicas as a gathering place and the seat of the local ruling official. After Christianity was legalized, the early Christians gathered in the basilicas for Mass and Sacraments. Today, the Pope is responsible for declaring a church a basilica, which distinguishes the church from others as a particular place of pilgrimage, sacraments, and liturgical beauty. Grady Connolly has visited over 60 of the basilicas in the US and plans to visit all of the basilicas and document his findings in an upcoming book. Related On Mission episodes:ShrinesPilgrimagesPapal History  From the Ad Infinitum blog:PilgrimagesShrines Check out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on choosing the better part.  Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on choosing the better part.  Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel procession through the streets of Hammonton, New Jersey, celebrates the 150th anniversary with a Canonical Coronation from the Pope will be bestowed upon the statue a Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Listen to Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C share more in this segment of the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio, about how the procession impacted his family and the people who attend it.The 150th anniversary of the procession in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Hammonton, New Jersey, is the longest continuous Italian festival in the United States. The image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel there will have a canonical coronation on the feast day, July 16th. A Mass celebrates the special event as well as the annual procession of saints through the streets. The Pallottines served the parish that was called St. Joseph from 1901-2004. The diocese merged three parishes into one and renamed the parish, St. Mary of Mt. Carmel. The other image of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel that has a canonical crown is at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in New York (1904) which is the first church of the Pallottines in the United States. The Pallottines still serve there there.A canonical coronation is a formal act by the Pope, expressed through a papal bull, to crown a venerated image of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, or St. Joseph. This act acknowledges the image's local and universal significance within the Catholic Church. This is a rare honor for the church and our diocese.In the United States, only four Marian images have received this honor: Our Lady of Prompt Succor: Crowned on November 10, 1895, in New Orleans, Louisiana.Our Lady of Mount Carmel: Crowned on July 10, 1904, in New York City, New York. Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception: Crowned on August 22, 2013, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Our Lady of La Leche: Crowned on October 10, 2021, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine in Florida.The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel celebrates the tradition that a Carmelite friar, St. Simon Stock, received a vision of the Blessed Mother presenting him with the Brown Scapular. Today, the scapular forms a part of the habit of Carmelite friars and sisters. Lay faithful who wear the scapular do so as both a sign of devotion to the Blessed Mother and as a promise to imitate her example as the perfect follower of Christ.Listen to Pallottine Fathers and Brothers to learn moreLearn more about Our Lady of Mt. CarmelVisit the Canonical Coronation websiteView the other images in the processionReady Summertime is a Time for Processions Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

For the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on caring for our neighbor.  Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on caring for our neighbor.  Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

This blogcast explores “Saints Louis and Zelie: Helping Your Spouse Get to Heaven” written by Annie Harton and read by Fatima Monterrubio Cruess.In this blog post, Annie shares how one of marriage's goals is to get the other spouse to Heaven and how Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, embodied that. Neither Zelie nor Louis felt called to marriage before they met. They both felt a strong pull to religious life. Louis wanted to become a monk and Zelie wanted to become a religious sister. Louis was turned away because he had trouble learning Latin and Zelie was turned away for respiratory problems. The two of them met and immediately fell in love. They married 3 months later, but still felt convicted to live a life of abstinence since God was their deepest love. After a few years of marriage, a spiritual director encouraged them to consummate their marriage and this led to giving birth to nine children. Four children died in infancy, the remaining five entered religious life and became Saints themselves. During the canonization Mass Pope Francis said, “The holy spouses Louis Martin and Marie-Azélie Guérin (Zelie) practiced Christian service in the family, creating day by day an environment of faith and love which nurtured the vocations of their daughters, among whom was Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.” There is so much to share about this faith-filled couple, so I encourage you to read more about them on your own time. They are the patron saints of illness, mental illness, marriage, parenting, and widowers. I hope that something in their story will give you hope and encouragement in your own life. The same wedding vows have been used in the Church since Medieval times so these nineteenth century lovebirds said the same words we hear at Catholic weddings today: “I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." In the marriage prep classes I teach, I often point out to the couples that compatible means “to suffer with.” Author Jason Evert adds, “If you are not willing to suffer with someone until death do you part, then you are not compatible.” Engagement is usually just focused on planning a wedding party rather than discerning a life together. Feasting only has meaning when it's accompanied with fasting. You can't have the Resurrection without the Passion. Our Lord loves love. He IS Love! The Bible begins with a marriage in Genesis and ends with a marriage in Revelation. Right in the middle of the Bible is Song of Songs. The Sacrament of Marriage is a representation of the love between Christ and His Beloved Bride – the Church. The Catechism of the Church explains the grace that is in the sacrament of Matrimony: “By reason of their state in life and of their order, [Christian spouses] have their own special gifts in the People of God.” This grace proper to the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to perfect the couple's love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By this grace they “help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their children.” CCC 1641 As we celebrate the feast of Sts. Zelie and Louis, let us remember how marriage sanctifies us while not defining us. In my book Single Truth: You are more than your relationship status, I write that “marriage is an assist and not the goal.” In the recent Gospel, Jesus challenged us to always put Him first and to love Him most (Matthew 10:37). If you're single, are you idolizing marriage and expecting it to make you happier than you are right now? If you're married, how are you helping your spouse get to heaven? St. Zelie and St. Louis, pray for us! Author:Annie Harton is a proud alumna of Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and speaker. Her self-published book, Single Truth: You Are More than Your Relationship Status, inspired her to start a business called You Are More. She specializes in helping singles and couples explore how they're more than their diagnoses, their pasts, their jobs, and their relationship statuses while also reminding them that God is more than any problem they bring Him. You can find out more about Annie and inquire about working with her at youaremore.org and annieharton.com Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Parents experience shifts in their prayer routines after welcoming children into the world. As single people, one can experience long stretches of time without interruption to say their prayers. After welcoming a child, a parent needs to adjust. Meg Ferguson, Curriculum Coordinator at the Catholic Apostolate Center, joins this episode of On Mission with Chris Pierno and Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. to share her journey to adapting her prayer life to being a parent and developing a more personal and intimate relationship with God in the process.Prayer is the life-line for all Christians. It keeps us rooted in God and enables us to be in communion with him throughout the day. Becoming a parent requires learning how to adjust a prayer routine. But this challenge opens up the parent to new graces and a deeper intimacy with God that the parent may not have known prior. Related On Mission episodes:Prayer, Work, and Life BalanceAccompanimentYear of Prayer From the Ad Infinitum blog:Parents View Prayer and Catechesis resourcesCheck out the main Saints and Feast Days websiteDownload the App on the App Store or Google Play Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify On Mission is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources and podcasts. Listen to Fr. Frank's weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on going forth on mission for Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on going forth on mission for Christ. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Join the Millennial Mustard Seed host, Rod Smith, for a thought-provoking voyage into the unusual, unexplained, and unexplored facets of our world! Armed with a seeker's humility and a Biblical lens, Millennial Mustard Seed never fails to inspire, provoke, and intrigue listeners to deeper faith in Christ.Subscribe here for exclusive episodes!

For the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on being perfected by Christ for mission. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.