Mini-Series of the St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

Discover how the hidden lives of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph reveal the sacredness of ordinary work. The discussion highlights the importance of small actions, showing that daily life is rich with purpose. Love is presented as the 'secret sauce' that transforms mundane tasks into meaningful experiences. Listeners are encouraged to find fulfillment in their vocations and recognize the true freedom derived from aligning with one’s mission. The podcast concludes by emphasizing the role of faith and community in inspiring a genuine Christian life.

Explore the challenge of evangelizing in the workplace through heartfelt stories and practical advice. Discover the importance of sincerity for building trust and friendship with colleagues. Embrace daring conversations about faith, even in discomfort, to spark transformation. Learn how to embody the virtues of humility and perseverance, likening yourself to a steadfast donkey in your daily endeavors. With the right mindset, your ordinary work can be an extraordinary outlet for sharing love and faith.

New Horizons: Living the Faith as a Young ProfessionalIn this episode, Rob Hays invites young professionals to shift their focus from ambition to excellence. Ambition often fixates on outcomes we can't control—success, recognition, influence—while excellence is rooted in what we can control: our inputs—our prayer life, study, and the care we give to our daily work.Drawing from the teachings of St. Josemaria Escriva, Rob offers two key ways to pursuing excellence in our professional and personal lives:1. Study: Dedicating ourselves to ongoing formation, seeing study as both a professional and spiritual responsibility.2. Little things add up to big things: The "little things" – carrying out the small duties of each moment with love and attention.Rob also reflects on prestige as modeled in the life of Christ, not as a goal to pursue, but as something that arises naturally from a life of excellence, and which becomes a powerful tool for apostolate when grounded in prayer and humility.Resources mentioned in the episode include: "The Way, Furrow, The Forge" and "Friends of God".Are you enjoying the mini-series? Please help us reach more listeners by leaving us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify now. Thank you!View Transcript

Explore practical steps to tackle workplace conflict, highlighting the importance of viewing challenges as opportunities for personal growth. Discover how embracing your identity as a child of God can nurture faith amidst professional struggles. The discussion also delves into the unique hurdles young professionals face in a digital age. Plus, hear a riveting account of St. Josemaria's near-death experience, illustrating the power of divine intervention and the transformative nature of suffering on the path to spiritual development.

New Horizons: Living the Faith as a Young Professional In this episode of New Horizons, Rob Hays reframes networking as a path to authentic friendship, grounded in three often-overlooked virtues: service, cheerfulness, and naturalness.He first highlights St. Joseph as a model of service—quiet, faithful work done with love and selflessness. Rob encourages us to view networking as a way to give rather than get, shaped by a spirit of generosity in our professional lives.Next, he explores how true cheerfulness—rooted in faith—draws others in and builds trust. Rob reminds us that real connection does not come from self-promotion, but from joyful, self-forgetful engagement with others.Finally, he turns to Christ as the model of naturalness: simple, sincere, and fully present. In a world of performance and image, Rob urges us to live and relate with authenticity, letting our faith be seen in ordinary, honest actions.Together, these virtues invite us to see networking not as strategy, but as a way of living with purpose.Resources mentioned in the episode include: "The Way, Furrow, The Forge" and "Friends of God".View Transcript 

In this engaging discussion, Rob Hays tackles the pressing issues of stress, anxiety, and burnout faced by young professionals. He shares insights on living a unified life through faith and work, emphasizing the power of a daily prayer routine. Drawing from his experiences during the pandemic, he highlights the necessity of prioritizing spiritual practices to foster peace and productivity. Listeners will appreciate the reminder that dedicating time to God can multiply the joy and purpose in their lives.

New Horizons: Living the Faith as a Young ProfessionalIn this first episode of "New Horizons," Rob Hays introduces listeners to this mini-series for young professionals seeking to integrate their Catholic faith into daily life and work. Outlining the game plan for this 7 episode series, Rob shares a bit about his background, the inspiration for the series, the common struggles and issues of the professional life, and the spiritual wisdom of St. Josemaria Escriva that transformed his perspective on work, faith, and life.For Rob, St. Josemaria speaks more directly about the lay vocation and the importance of work as a means of sanctification than just about any other saint in history. To get us started, Rob explains how St. Josemaria helped him discover the meaning of working for God--that work matters, work is a prayer, and work is an integral part of everyone's path to holiness. As Rob explains, "Our work in daily life as a way of expressing love of God will be a theme that weaves in and out of all of these episodes of the series, and it can be a revolutionary change for someone's work and prayer life." Ready to begin? Rob invites you to have a willingness to be open to the Holy Spirit, a willingness to grow, a willingness to listen, and a willingness to change and take some risk. View Transcript

Welcome to the “Mini-Series” podcast of the St. Josemaria Institute! We’re excited to launch this new channel announcing our first mini-series:New Horizons: Living the Faith as a Young ProfessionalLaunching on May 1, 2025, join our host, Rob Hays, as he invites listeners to open new horizons in their lives and explore what it means to “work for God,” especially as young professionals who are trying to navigate both the opportunities and pitfalls they face every day at work, at home, and in society. Over 7 in-depth episodes, Rob shares anecdotes and lessons learned from his personal and professional life, and he draws on over 20 years of experience mentoring hundreds of young professionals, to help listeners grapple with life’s big questions. Rob also shares how the life-changing teachings and spirituality of St. Josemaria Escriva taught him how to work for God and how to guide others in their desires and goals to live genuinely Christian lives.OUR HOSTRob Hays is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Ashford Hospitality Trust. He earned his A.B. in Politics with a certificate in Political Economy from Princeton University. He is involved in several charitable, formative, and faith organizations, such as the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Life at Princeton University and the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) in Washington DC. He co-founded the Business Ethics Forum for Dallas-area executives, and he is the lead organizer for the annual Dallas Successful Fathers Conference. He and his wife Alicia have been married 20 years and are blessed with 7 children.New episodes premiere every Thursday beginning May 1, 2025. Subscribe today!