Episode 232 - San Francesco

What's your experience of St. Francis?

You might know St. Francis differently or may have a different experience of St. Francis, but in this episode, we're gonna look at the life of St. Francis through the lens of the CFR brothers themselves and highlight what part of St. Francis' life stands out in their own lives.

This episode gives a deeper insight into who St. Francis is, how he lived and followed Jesus, and what his interior life looked like.

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Purchase tickets for Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story here:
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/heart-of-a-servant/

Watch the Heart of the Servant: The Father Flanagan Story trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoftAcHYQVI

Episode 231 - Discerning God's Work in You

How does Jesus come alive in you?

We are invited to share in the heart of Jesus who wants to heal the world and do His works even now. And there are patterns and consistencies in how He works in our lives that are also personal and particular. These are revelations that are not something abstract or different but unique and personal to each one of us. 

In this episode, we're gonna try explaining that concept, share what it looks like, and see what we can do with it to be instruments of God's work in the world. 

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at pocomerch.com!

Purchase tickets for Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story here:
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/heart-of-a-servant/

Watch the Heart of the Servant: The Father Flanagan Story trailer here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoftAcHYQVI

Episode 222 - Desire as a Pathway, Series on "Mysteries & Medicine" by Fr. Isaiah, CFR (Part 2)

What do you desire and how do you respond to it?

One reality of our humanity is that we can forever be dissatisfied and expect a different answer to our desires. But we are invited to let this desire, this hunger, become a pathway that brings the Lord closer to us, to offer Him the desire and just to be with Him in it.

This episode is the second part of our series on Fr. Isaiah's Mysteries & Medicine which talks about our desires—the holy, the unmet, and the sinful desires and how we should respond to them.

You can get a physical CD copy of Mysteries & Medicine and the prayer journal at
https;//monkmanual.com/friars

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at pocomerch.com!

Episode 133 - Our Holy Aunt

As we mentioned on our previous episode, we need to be in this place where we are able to both worship and adore Jesus and at the same time be in relationship with Him and our neighbor with compassion and warmth.

This episode talks about an exceptional example of that-Mother Teresa of Calcutta. 

A person who embodied and lived the fullness of the gospel life and who was such a great steward of the grace the she received that it influenced millions of people in a very good way. 

A saint who gave us a glimpse of who Jesus is and how He loves us.

This is the first part of the new series on Mother Teresa wherein the CFRs shares a little bit about their experience of Mother Teresa and what it meant to them.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 132 - Worship and Warmth

In our faith we sometimes find ourselves in the extremes. We become either strict and liturgical or warm and casual but the truth is our faith should not be "either, or" but "both, and".

We need to be in this place where we are able to both worship and adore the Lord and at the same time be in relationship with Him and our neighbor with compassion and warmth.

When that becomes our reality, we can make a difference—that's why it's important for us to discern where we are in this mix.

This episode talks about, how we can assess where we are in this regard and how we can integrate worship and warmth to our faith and our relationship with Jesus.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 131 - We Speak Praise

We allow our hearts to agree with the truth of who God is—that's what adoration means. 

And as we become more familiar with the truth of who God is through adoration, we start to see more clearly who God is to us and what is given to us by Him. 

Everything that we have is a gift from God and for most of us this is an overwhelming truth where Praise is the only just response.

This episode is the sixth and last part on the series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin which talks about what praise is and its' importance.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 130 - Prayer Battle Tactics

There's great wisdom to having some structure or intentionality to our prayer life because not having a plan for it can lead to the death of it. The truth is, killing your prayer or spiritual life is not only limited to doing violence to it, but also not nourishing it.

There might be a lot of reason for us not to make time for prayer. But we need to make a commitment to the Lord and schedule some time for our prayer life.

In our life, whether we realize it or not, we're making commitments, we're scheduling things. The only question we need to ask ourselves is, "Am I making the Lord a priority?" 

This episode is the fifth part of a series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin that talks about some concrete ways and examples how we fight and win our prayer battles—may it be to about creating time and space for it or persevering in staying within it.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 129 - Stay Where the Grace Is

Life is difficult—our life is a valley of tears. And the ability to remain in faith, hope, and love with God as Father is impossible if we do it ourselves. 

If we want to be able to experience God's closeness and his presence and to cry out "Abba, Father" in the midst of our darkness, difficulties, crucifixions, sufferings and loss, we need grace to do it.

With the help of the Holy Spirit we can the Lord for greater commitment and resolve to receive and to stay in grace at all times.

This episode is the fourth part of a series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin which talks about how we persevere to be in relationship with God the Father in the midst of these lived experiences and provide some amazing insights on how we stay where the grace is.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 128 - The Me in "Our" Father

There is no denying that there can be many circumstances to dismiss fatherhood, both from our earthly and our Heavenly Father. 

But despite what we've experienced, God is your Father and my Father who intently listens and cares for us—a Father who delights in his sons and daughters.

We all need to have a personal relationship with God. Aside from praying "Our" Father in a communal way, You and I also need to pray to "My" Father in a personal way.

God provides concrete expressions and revelations of fatherhood every day of our lives. What we need is to be more open to receive that gift of every moment that He gives us and be able to see again how the He truly cares for us in reality.

This episode is the third part of a series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin which talks about the personal fatherhood of God to each one of us. An invitation to the possibilities and responsibilities of sonship or daughtership to The Father.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 127 - Define the Relationship

Being in relationship with God looks like we're sitting down in front of a big table with Him, and what a deeper conversion and deeper healing means is that we are willing to be at this table and we are willing to lay out everything here for the Lord to see. 

He sits us down and He wants all our weapons, all of our distractions, all the things that keep us from Him, all the obstacles, and He's gonna keep calling us out until we lay them all out on the table.

Jesus has so much more to give us, but he's waiting for us to take this step—to surrender everything to Him rather than trying to be the Lord of our own lives.

Those parts of our hearts that we'd rather keep quarantined or closed off, the Lord is now sitting saying  "I want to be the Lord of that as well." This is how He is inviting all of us.

This episode is the second part of a series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin that invites us to define our relationship with Jesus and fully commit to his Lordship. 

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 126 -  Authentically Awesome

When we were kids, we were usually amazed and awed about something that was new, grand or magnificent, but as we grew older we became more indifferent towards those things. 

As Christians and Catholics, we are in love and fascinated with Jesus. But as we've sat with the Lord for longer periods of time, we too sometimes become indifferent to our Faith and His life as well.

We need to keep seeing our Faith with fresh eyes—to be excited and eager to grow in relationship with the Lord. 

Let's ask for the grace to continue experiencing a child-like awe and wonder towards God.

This episode is the first part of a series on Hungry For God by Dr. Ralph Martin. An invitation for us to return and authentically stay in awe and wonderment before all the mysteries of God.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 125 - Heaven Within

Life and circumstances are undeniably hard, but we are not alone in this. 

The beautiful reality is that even when we leave prayer and go into the world, we may leave God but He never does. God is still always with us—within us.

Knowing that the Lord is dwelling within us, it does change how we navigate through whatever is happening in our lives. It doesn't mean that our problems will go away instantly or that it will fix it immediately, but there can definitely be a drastic change on how we approach and live our lives. 

This episode talks about this gift of the Holy Trinity dwelling in us, its' importance and how we can access that.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 124 - Dryness in Prayer

Probably the most important relationship in our life is our relationship with God, and we are building that through prayer.

Prayer is real—it's for everyone, but we know that prayer is not always easy. Sometimes it can even be really hard.

Growing in relationship with God is a journey, there are ups and downs along with some twists and turns. 

There are good days when you just feel really close to God—days when you feel that you can hear the voice of God and there's so much joy, peace and consolation that goes into that. But in some days, there may be a lot of struggles where we feel far away from God.

This episode talks about what happens when prayer is hard and how we go about it. It also serves as an encouragement to be more aware of what's happening in our hearts when we pray.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 

Episode 221 - Life and Mystery, Series on "Mysteries & Medicine" by Fr. Isaiah, CFR (Part 1)

Would you agree that life is a journey or a pilgrimage?

The journey to say yes to what God wants for our life, it's not just this thing that happens like a contract and we say, "Yes,", it's a journey. The holiness, the sanctification, the healing, it takes time. 

The pilgrimage of life is tough, blindness, poverty and suffering are often a part of it, but Jesus is with us in this pilgrimage and he desires to not just walk along with us but to be the way that we walk to the Father's heart. 

This episode is the first part of our series on Fr. Isaiah's Mysteries & Medicine, which talks about life as a pilgrimage, the experience of mystery, and the response of Jesus to this experience.

You can get a physical CD copy of Mysteries & Medicine and the prayer journal at
https;//monkmanual.com/friars

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

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Episode 123 - Sons of the Church

Obedience is rooted in God, it is lived trust and lived surrender in His pastoring and fatherhood—that's where we want to be.

It can be really difficult but as sons and daughters of the church we are invited to stay in obedience, not only to our religious superiors but ultimately to God.

We need to be able to listen to the voice of God amidst all the ups and downs of the church.

This episode talks through some great insights about what the Catholic appreciation for obedience actually means. 

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 

Episode 122 - Hot Takes 2

As we go through life we encounter our own and other people's struggles, flaws, weaknesses and even sins. But we have to understand that we are going through different journeys.

God is doing something completely different in each of our lives and we have to be attentive to that. Let us not be so quick to judge—everything is not as simple as they may seem. 

This is another one of our Hot Takes episode that talks about some of the most essential topics that most of us can relate to.

1️⃣ "To tell someone the truth that they are not ready to receive, does violence to the person"
2️⃣ Can you miss your vocation?
3️⃣ Praying for healing for other people
4️⃣ "Life is a struggle, make sure you pick your battles"
5️⃣ A little bit about shopping ( "Checks and Balances on Impulsive Buying" )

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 

Episode 121 - A Really Good Episode

Because of fear and insecurity that is ruling our life, we tend to control everything and self-protect. We look inward and we really don't see what God is doing—we don't really trust anyone around us.

We don't have to be afraid anymore.

There will be pain and suffering on our healing journey and the wounds won't just go away, but that's okay.

We got to stop running from our woundedness and stay rooted. Let us allow the vulnerability to happen at the source of healing and give the Lord permission to meet us, loves us and heal us in these deepest places in our hearts. 

This episode invites us to let the Lord come into those vulnerable place and break down those walls that we've put up to protect ourselves.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 120 - No More Self-Protection

The brokenness that is present in our culture deforms us.

We have been taught a certain way of living that somehow cultivated the sins of self-reliance, self-protection, fear and insecurities.

Because we're afraid of being weak or being poor and failing, we put up walls and put on armors to protect ourselves from being hurt—this in turn makes us live with a high level of anxiety.

It doesn't have to be that way. We can be reformed and refashioned but we need to do that with the Lord and this episode provide some amazing insights and talks about how we go about doing that.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode - 119 Rethink Growth

One might often think that growth is gonna happen in a particular way that we usually perceive as a huge experience or something flashy, but growth might actually look different. 

What does the Lord want to teach us and how does He teach us these things?

We don't grow by having everything altogether all the time. We also cannot expect to grow while staying self-protected in our comfort zones. Instead it's when we actually experience poverty.

In reality we can be uncomfortable from the challenges of our lives and realize that this is what we need to help ourselves to grow in love and in holiness.

This episode looks back on how most of us perceive, encounter and experience growth. An invitation for us to reflect on what does it really mean and how can we make it happen.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 118 - Learning To Be Loved

There is the undeniable temptation to achieve and perform in order prove that we are good enough. But, it shouldn't be all about that.

We are gifts to the Lord not because of our perfection but only because of who we are.

We can get caught up in the little things that we do and detach them from the overall goal. It's not just about being perfect on all virtue, discipline or devotions—it should all be geared towards Love.

The love of God and growing in love with him, that's the ultimate goal.

This is a supplementary episode to close the series on The Practice of the Presence of God, that talks about experiencing love, learning to be and being loved and from that being able to love.

You can find the Presence of God challenge in the Hallow App or this link https://app.hallow.com/challenges/51, where you can join in and reflect with Fr. Mark-Mary on The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 117 - Finding Peace in Chaos, Series on The Practice of the Presence of God (Part 4 of 4)

There's a lot happening in the world we live in, and nothing much we can do about it.

During this difficult time we need to pay attention to the Lord—to be immersed in the mystery of God, his goodness and his mercy.

It's good to understand what is and what's not in our circle of influence even though it might be in our own country, group, family or even in our own life. Let's discern with the Lord, what's His and whats ours to deal with together. 

The beauty and grace of it is that we have the freedom to surrender all the things we cannot control, and bring it God. 

Let's not fall to the pattern of distraction, discouragement, despair. We need to find a way to encounter the light to push back the darkness. There's hope to find peace amidst chaos.

You can find the Presence of God challenge in the Hallow App or this link https://app.hallow.com/challenges/51, where you can join in and reflect with Fr. Mark-Mary on The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 116 - Give It To God, Series on The Practice of the Presence of God (Part 3 of 4)

We can't do anything more to earn God's love, we have it already!

We can be weak, we can be poor, and we can be sinners—and that's okay. We can bring all that to the Lord and that's where we start. 

Jesus doesn't want us to give him the good things alone, but the bad things as well. What the Lord wants is for us to invite Him in that space for Him to be with us on that. 

What we need to do is to surrender every bit of who we are, surrender our desires to control and give it all to God.

This episode talks more about some great points in the practice of presence of God. An invitation to reflect back on who we are, understand or accept our weaknesses and sins. While at the same time, recognize who God is as we surrender everything to Him.

You can find the Presence of God challenge in the Hallow App or this link https://app.hallow.com/challenges/51, where you can join in and reflect with Fr. Mark-Mary on The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 115 - Prayer: Pure and Simple, Series on The Practice of the Presence of God (Part 2 of 4)

What does a good prayer look like? We don't know.. Everyone has the freedom on how they pray.

But thinking about God, reading a book about God and just saying words about God is not praying. Praying is the relationship that brings us in to a conscious living contact with God himself.

Everything is at the service of relationship with Him.

There's a real person looking back at us in prayer—who loves us and wants to draw us close to his sacred heart. Jesus wants to meet us in that contemplative space and experience his heart there.

In relation to Brother Lawrence's Book, this episode talks through some amazing insights on the relational aspect of prayer as well as some logic and application of prayer. An invitation for us to re-evaluate our prayer life which is meant to put us in relationship with God.

You can find the Presence of God challenge in the Hallow App or this link https://app.hallow.com/challenges/51, where you can join in and reflect with Fr. Mark-Mary on The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 114 - Unceasing Prayer, Series on The Practice of the Presence of God (Part 1 of 4)

With the abundance of noise in our world, there can be a lot of interruptions to our ongoing conversation and relationship with the God. 

The habitual, silent and secret conversation we all dream to have with God, all seems to be very difficult to achieve. There's going to be a cost, sacrifice and perseverance.

We need to drive away from our minds everything that is capable of interrupting our thought of God. It doesn't overnight nor does it happen easily. 

Like any dream that we have, we do need to put some work into it in order to make it happen. 

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 220 - Hot Takes 6

We have to understand that we are going through different journeys. God is doing something completely different in each of our lives and we have to be attentive to that. Let us not be so quick to judge—everything is not as simple as it may seem. 

As we continue our journeys through life, we will constantly encounter our own and other people's struggles, flaws, weaknesses, and even sins. 

In our Catholic life, there will be a lot of questions that will come our way and in this episode, we'll try to answer a few of them.

Here is another one of our Hot Takes episodes that talks about some essential topics that most of us can relate to. In this episode we'll be going through the following topics: 

1️⃣ A Perspective on Differences Between Men and Women
2️⃣ Free People, Free People
3️⃣ Stuff Matters

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

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Episode 113 - Under Open Heavens

Whether we feel it or not—believe it or not, this is our identity. We live as beloved sons and daughters of God. 

There's a temptation to believe the we have to do something amazing or special to be able to bring the Gospel and Christ to people. But the reality is, the same spirit and the same gifts are given to us in our baptism as Christians and Catholics. 

All of us are called to bring the Gospel and Christ to people and by participating in this mission we are just being who we are supposed to be.

This episode talks more about our identity, the inheritance we have and our mission. A beautiful reminder that the power of Christ is already in us, we just have to embrace it—have faith in it!

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 112 - Words, Works, and Wonders

We are all beloved sons and daughters of the Father and through our baptism we are all anointed and empowered.

We don't have to be all-put-together or be perfect in order to bring healing to ourselves and to other people. We are all incomplete and despite that God wants to work through us—right now.

There might be times that we can revert our eyes from our Jesus, or get stuck within ourselves or maybe distracted by the world. At times like this we need to fight a continuous battle to keep looking at Jesus and feed our faith.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 111 - Searching and Fearless, Series on The Twelve Steps (Part 3 of 3)

God wants to go back into our lives and our stories—and start speaking light, redemption and truth over that.

There's the need for us to have a radical opening of our hearts and honesty to what really is happening in our lives. We have to be searching and fearless to admit what's inside our "junk room" and bring that to the Lord. 

Whatever that makes our lives unmanageable is just a symptom of something else.

We not only need to look at the things that make our lives unmanageable but also we look at the things that drives them and the ripple effect that it had caused. 

This episode focuses on the gift and highlights of the remaining step.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 110 - I Can't He Can, Series on The Twelve Steps (Part 2 of 3)

When we struggle it can be really difficult and sometimes we even face impossible situations that may feel like there's no answer.

In our poverty, there's the need to admit were powerless—that life is not okay anymore and figure out what do we do with that.

And as we are brought to our kness—utterly defeated. We can let go of ourselves as our own authority and give ourselves to a greater power, to Christ.

Only then we can make a daily decision to turn our will to the care of God—say Yes to the connection we have with Him everyday even with all the craziness that's going on.

This episode talks about the first three steps of The Twelve Steps that allows the foundation of our lives and our hearts to be set in experiencing renewal and recovery. And it is a reminder that tells us when we can't, Jesus can. We just have to let him.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 109 - 12 Step Wisdom, Series on The Twelve Steps (Part 1 of 3)

At some point, our lives are unmanageable and we need help.

When we want to turn away from sin and our struggles, we turn to God to save and heal us. 

We are given clarity to open our eyes and see our life in a new or different way. And while we're accepting reality as it is, we recognize what we can and cannot control, we realize what is asked of us everyday. 

When we live that reality one moment at a time, that's the time we can accept life in a particular way and enjoy it!

This episode talks about the Serenity Prayer and what it means to be in recovery and seek healing and conversion.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 108 - Hot Takes

There are multitudes of struggles that we are experiencing day to day. 

As we see our own and other people's struggles, weakness and even sins, we have to understand that we are going through different journeys. 

God is doing something completely different in each of our lives.

Relative to this truth, this episode talks about some of the most essential topics that most of us can relate to. Here are some of our hot takes.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 107 - Ordinary but Extraordinary

It is easy to fall into the temptation and believe that we can't do it, that we can't live a holy life.

Although the ordinary life is simple, hidden, and seems kind of normal, there's so much sanctity in our vocations that are being lived faithfully. It might not be flashy or spectacular but it's one of the most real ways we can grow in holiness.

We may not be in the chapel or church making a eucharistic holy hour, but no matter what our day-to-day experiences look like or what daily lives we are accustomed to, God is there. 

There's something extraordinary in our ordinary experiences.

It is possible to be in relationship with God, amidst everything that we do. We just need to make the space and time no matter how small and let Him enter into our lives.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 106 - Discernment Basics

We are made to live in relationship wherein two or more people speak to one another.

As we have the desire to talk to God, He also has the desire to speak and to come close to His people. He is speaking to us.

We have to grow in sensitivity to what God's voice sounds like, what our voices sounds like, what the voice of the world sounds like, and what the voice of the enemy sounds like.

There are times we already know the voice of who we're talking to simply because we've been with them, we've spoken to them, we said things back and forth with them, same is true with God.

Discernment is not a mathematical equation but it is a tool for us to become more sensitive to how God speaks in our lives.

This episode talks about how we recognize the different voices around us and lays out some building blocks which are extremely helpful for our own discernment.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 105 - New Light New Life

This whole Lenten journey has a been about identity. In this journey, we again receive the gift of who we are as sons and daughters of God and every other identity along the way. 

But this identity pilgrimage will not make sense without the resurrection. Life will be incomprehensible if it's just suffering and brokenness. 

Jesus risen from the dead is the truth that changes everything.

The gift of the resurrection shows us a new way to love. It gives us a new way to look at things and a new light to have a brighter hope. Ultimately, it helps us to have a new way of living.

This episode talks about the transformation that happens in our hearts when we experience the new life of Jesus in us and what it means to live as new men and women.

As we finish working through the Born of Fire book and enter into the Easter season, we invite you to look at and receive what the resurrection of Jesus mean to your personal life.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 104 - Made for Mysticism

Life of prayer is worth going "all-in" on.

In this mystical identity, there's an invitation to let go of ourselves. Prayer is not authentic if we are stuck or focused on ourselves. Prayer changes as we let go of our own notion of what it should be. 

We are constantly invited for our hearts to be attentive and open to become mystics—to become men and women of prayer. It anchors us in the reality that we are made for relationship, we're made for prayer, and we are made to live in intimacy with God every single day of our lives.. 

As we enter the Holy week, we're inviting everyone to let the truth be true and let God, be God.

This Lent, we continue to work through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

If you want to go and support Ali Hoffman and get some cool Catholic merchandise, you can go to https://www.alihoffman.co/

Episode 219 - Hot Takes 5

We have to understand that we are going through different journeys. God is doing something completely different in each of our lives and we have to be attentive to that. Let us not be so quick to judge—everything is not as simple as it may seem. 

As we continue our journeys through life, we will constantly encounter our own and other people's struggles, flaws, weaknesses, and even sins. 

In our Catholic life, there will be a lot of questions that will come our way and in this episode, we'll try to answer a few of them.

Here is another one of our Hot Takes episodes that talks about some essential topics that most of us can relate to. In this episode we'll be going through the following topics: 

1️⃣ The Experience of Saul: Aging and Transition
2️⃣ Our Love for Home Through the Quirky and the Positive and How It Relates to God
3️⃣ The Confusion About What Is Sin or Not

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at pocomerch.com!

Episode 103 - A Father's Heart

We come in as sons and daughters, then we graduate from sonship and daughtership.

When we fall in love and receive the gift of the beloved, we have this deep desire to bear fruit and to let this love overflow. In this love, sons and daughters become spouses and from there we mature to become mothers and fathers.

What we want is to live with the Father's heart—to give unselfish and sacrificial love. It is definitely not easy. But we are invited to become fathers and mothers after the heart of God. 

This episode tackles this topic through the most challenging moments in the desert.

This Lent, we continue to work through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 102 - Intimacy with the Bridegroom

The world is a crazy place. There's always the temptation to hide, run away or to fear Love. There are distractions and lies—the lie that we cannot do it, that we may lose ourselves, that our love won't be reciprocated.

But we are made to be in love.

First and foremost with the Lord, Jesus the bridegroom, who comes to save, to love, and to die for us, His bride. And from this love we are called to lay down our lives and give ourselves fully for a bride or bridegroom.

This Lent, we continue to work through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 101 - We Do Hard Things

Love demands everything. Not only carrying the cross—dying on it.

We do hard things, but not for the sake of doing hard things. When modeled after the way that Jesus did hard things, it’s a stepping stone that leads to the cross.

This episode goes through all this by one of the desert’s more intense moments: a helicopter rescue. Listen to what that experience was like… and how, afterwards, the journey continued.

This Lent, we’ll be working through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 100 - Get Over Yourself

The fraternal life is not accessory to life. We’re coming to the desert together, which constantly challenges each of us to give ourselves to the Lord and to each other. We belong to one another.

Then there are times where the hardest part isn’t giving… but receiving. We absolutely have to choose to be a brother, and we also have to choose to receive the brotherhood. We have to accept help and service and love.

Either way, we have to keep learning more and more: life isn’t about me. 

This Lent, we’ll be working through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 99 - This is My Beloved Son

Being a son means that you have a Father.

The first and most important identity: son. This is the foundational identity that the Father gives us—everything else builds on this.

We’re not talking about the Father as an idea or a concept. Because you can’t have a relationship with an idea. An idea can’t rejoice in you. This is a real relationship, with a real Father.

We’re inviting everyone into the desert because we all have a longing to know who we are. And once you’ve been given the gift of yourself, and are able to say strongly, “Lord, I’m a Son/Daughter,” you come alive.

This Lent, we’ll be working through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 98 - Rending the Heavens (Lent 2022)

Sometimes Lent is a missed opportunity. We focus too much on what we’re going to give up, what we’re going to do, etc. This year, focus on our desire to have a Lent that brings us into contact with Jesus.

Where are we going, and why are we going there?

Jesus doesn’t go into the desert for himself; he doesn’t have some personal need. He does it for us.

And in a real way, we get to go into the desert as Jesus did. We go with him into the desert because he absolutely wants us to experience what he experiences with the Father. That relationship is everything.

But it takes work. It takes tough decisions. And this world, as we know it, doesn’t form us to say “yes” to that.

There is a mark on our souls from baptism, and we go into the desert so Jesus can remind us what that means. To claim our inheritance: direct access to God, in everything. But we have to let everything else go to receive this gift.

It’s time to choose to step into the desert.

This Lent, we’ll be working through Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now (including digital copies) at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 97 - Confronted by the Eucharist, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 8 of 8)

When you have a conversion, you live a Eucharistic life, with a gravitational pull to be with Jesus. There, no matter how you feel, you know you’re not alone.

It’s not just about our desire to go to him, though—he is also drawing us to himself. Allow yourself to be drawn.

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

Starting next week… Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. Order now at bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 96 - From Fullness For Fullness, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 7 of 8)

When we get to know Jesus, our need for “stuff”—for entertainment, for status—is lessened.

Besides… we have to stop pretending that stuff and noise and grasping doesn’t have an effect on our lives. Really examine it in your own life; the truth is that prayer only works in silence. Being on your phone all the time or watching hours of tv every day, well, those things impact your interior life.

You have to make the small spaces where you let go of things and be simple, and then God can come in and fill that space.

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 95 - Loving to the End, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 6 of 8) 

The first big “yes”—when we originally orient our lives to Christ—is not the most important. It’s the later yesses, of a deeper surrender and trust and giving of our lives, that mean a lot more. At some point, it’s not enough to be doing the right things; there must still be a desire for even deeper intimacy with God.

Over time, it’s easy to slowly start compromising on little things; to lose the initial enthusiasm and excitement and energy of conversion. This is when sacrifice comes in—when maybe there’s not as much consolation, and no novelty, and it’s all about choosing to sacrifice for the relationship. It’s about a love that perseveres.

If you’re looking for this deeper intimacy, there’s a revealing question to ask yourself. Where am I still hiding?

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 94 - Thy Will Be Done, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 5 of 8)

This is NOT a How to Discern episode.

It’s much closer to the foundation. What does the “will of God” even mean? What about “surrendering my life to God”?

Discernment isn’t a calculation or program or roadmap, it’s not a “do this and do that and God’s mystery in your life will be revealed.”

It’s wanting to trust in this relationship with God, and, through that, wanting to let go of our own preferences. It diminishes our selfish desires.

After all, fascination with the will of God is fascination with the heart of God. Why does he have a plan? Because he is Father. And you are his beloved son or daughter. His heart for you is one that wants to bring joy and happiness and fulfillment.

God gives us complete freedom to live our plans. But when we stop to ask for his plan, there’s a deeper freedom and a deeper joy. It’s what we’re made for.

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 218 - For Those Not Accepted to Seminary or Religious Life

Have you ever felt rejected by God or the church, as you try to get into religious life?

This can be an utterly heartbreaking experience. 

When faced with "No" as a response to the desire to get into religious life, one might feel that they are being rejected by God or the church, that they're undesirable, or too broken for religious life. But in reality, that is not the case.

This decision is actually a culmination of careful assessment of one's discernment, capacity, and the call they felt into religious life. This episode speaks more about that in hopes of explaining the reasons behind those decisions and encountering the hurt and vulnerable in these situations.

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at pocomerch.com!

Episode 93 - A New Vision, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 4 of 8)

There’s a simple test of whether a conversion is authentic: do you treat people differently, particularly the poor?

Does your spiritual life get reduced to “me”? Or to an exodus from caring about yourself at all?

Your prayer is measured in charity. The quality of your Holy Hour can only be measured by how you love people when you leave your Holy Hour. It’s not only about your experience.

The end of all formation, of any vocation, is self-gift. The end is the cross—the mystery of loving Jesus and loving like Jesus.

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

Born of Fire by Fr. Innocent Montgomery, CFR. bornoffirebook.com/

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of generous donors like you. Monthly donations are particularly helpful for our future planning. You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 92 - Optimizing Confession, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 3 of 8)

Going to confession regularly can become routine—a checklist—instead of what it can be: an encounter with God.

Examine not only your sins, but also the one you’ve sinned against; the Lord.

Because there’s a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. You receive forgiveness; you’re reconciled with a person. This shift in approach can shift what you receive from a sacrament that’s not only about forgiveness but also about healing.

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of generous donors like you. Monthly donations are particularly helpful for our future planning. You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!

Episode 91 - Healed By His Wounds, Series on Conversion by Fr Haggerty (Part 2 of 8): Chapter 3

Remembering your sin can be uncomfortable. But it’s not about the sin—remembering your sin is remembering God’s mercy. It’s going back to Jesus’s presence at that moment, and to the way he changed it. Remembering that is the start of understanding your conversion more deeply, and to living your conversion more sustainably. A conversion based solely on feelings just doesn’t last.

After all, we don’t graduate from being poor; from being one who is saved, from needing a saviour. Being poor is a permanent posture of the disciple.

There’s only one place our sin makes sense: at the foot of the cross. Take the crucifix off the wall and bring it close. Study it. Spend time with it. Make the sacrifice of Christ personal. Does his suffering matter to you?

Order Conversion by Fr Haggerty: https://www.ignatius.com/Conversion-P341.aspx

The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of generous donors like you. Monthly donations are particularly helpful for our future planning. You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you!