Few practices have captured the imagination of people seeking greater understanding of themselves and of God than the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. When our own image of ourselves gets between us and God, and we become preoccupied with our own ideas about who we're supposed to be, rather than who God made us to be, the Spiritual Exercises can help us to develop a better picture of ourselves as God's beloved, unique creation. St. Ignatius gives us a framework for opening ourselves to the way the Holy Spirit guides each of us every day and in all that we do. Building on our previous discussions of the Spiritual Exercises, the Jesuit charism, and Ignatian spirituality, in this episode we look at the life and journey of the man who, through the Holy Spirit, brought them into reality. Fr. Mark Hoelsken, SJ joins Nicholas to delve into the life of St. Ignatius to see what we can learn from his spiritual journey.

In our final episode of this Advent series we tie in the themes of this season under one word. That word is love. Ours is a God of love, seeking to reconcile the world under His sheltering wings. At the core of our faith, and even the most complex theological questions, the most important concepts are to love our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This abundant outpouring of love is not just a gift but also a mission, to help spread that grace as much as we can. Nicholas' mother, the person who first gave him a glimpse of what divine love might be, joins us for this episode to examine a life lived with love at the forefront.

Joyful are those who wait on the Lord. In this time of joyful anticipation as we look up at the skies of Bethlehem, our God has given us the grace to endure the darkness of winter with His warm light within. It is not enough, however, to keep this light to ourselves. Instead, we are given the mission to let it shine even in the darkest places, allowing it to lift others as well. Deb Johnson joins Nicholas to talk about gratitude, service, and this important gift of joy.

Peace can be an elusive thing. The world can fill us with worry and our minds can get stuck in patterns that do not serve us. So many things can pull us from the feeling of peace. In these times of turmoil it is good to ask ourselves "What can I lay before God today?". God wants to lead us to a place of consolation and love. He wants to change us at the core for the better. Do we let him move our heart? How can we best be ambassadors of peace to a broken world? During this Advent season, it is good to consider these things as we await the peace that Christ brings to us. Mary Ann joins us to talk about this beautiful concept of peace

We begin our Advent series with a topic that is very much needed in this world. It can be difficult to find hope in our lives sometimes. There are so many things that can weigh us down, so many things that can sink us into despair. But our hope is in Christ and His promise of a better kingdom. From this hope, we can begin to see the world anew. Katy is back on the show to share with us what hope means to her and how we can better cultivate it in our minds, especially during this special season of Advent.

This next week we gather together for the holiday of Thanksgiving here in America. It is often a festive time with good food and good company. However, Thanksgiving doesn't just happen once a year. It happens every weekend when we gather for the Lord's Supper and give thanks to God for the saving life of His Son. At our best, it is a daily practice that enriches our life. Frs. Mark, Hightower, and Conroy join us this episode to talk about the spirit of thanksgiving, both as a holiday and a general state of being.

When Jesus tells us in the Gospel to bring the little ones to him and to not hinder them, it isn't just a passive missive. We are called to an active mission because the kingdom belongs to them. The question then becomes, how do we lead our children to the faith in a way that they can access? The CGS program gives a great opportunity for this access, not just for the children but for the adults who have been throughly trained to assist. In this episode, we sit down with Mary Larson and Sister Mary Rose to talk about the training that goes in to being a catechist and the fruits it can yield for those who undertake it.

When the Lord calls us, it isn't always a thundering voice from the mountains. Often it is a gentle feeling from the Holy Spirit, quietly leading us if we have the ears to hear. This is often true when it comes to pursuing a deeper commitment to Holy Mother Church. Deacons occupy a special position in our communities, having many of the duties as a priest but still having the ability to have a spouse and families. In this episode, Nicholas sits down with John and Missy Neuman, currently in the deaconate program, to discuss the duties of a deacon and the process of becoming one.