The Pilgrim Soul

This episode kicks off a three-part mini-series in which we put some of you, our listeners, behind the mic. The episode was inspired by our gratitude for the rich friendship and Christian witness that the podcast has brought into our lives. Today’s guest is Fr. Matt Henry, a priest of the diocese of Phoenix, Arizona. Fr. Matt shares the story of how he moved from a “notional” to a real faith in Christ, what continues to nourish his path of conversion, and the intensity of life he has discovered through a ministry of accompaniment. // Fr. Matt offered the monthly challenge of praying an Ignatian Examen (an overview can be found here: www.ignatianspirituality.com/examen-prayer-card/). Tune in to part two of the mini-series to discover the media recommendation! // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Fr. Matt’s Substack: www.viaexperientiae.substack.com The new seminary in the Diocese of Phoenix www.saintmarysbasilica.org/historic-new-seminary-to-open The website and magazine of Communion and Liberation: www.english.clonline.org The writings of Fr. Luigi Giussani: www.english.clonline.org/books The poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins: www.hopkinspoetry.com/poems/ // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Join Giuli, Sofi and Adrianna for a conversation about the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life. How does the Eucharist reveal God’s method? What helps us overcome our sense of unworthiness to receive Christ’s love in this intimate way? How has the Eucharist changed us— especially as we face the crosses of life? // Our monthly challenge is to consider how you can participate in the National Eucharistic Revival, which concludes next summer: www.eucharisticrevival.org. And our media recommendation is the film Babette’s Feast. You can also find Sofi’s Advent playlist here: www.tinyurl.com/cbmstfrj or by searching “eternity in the rags of time” on Spotify. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠. Our website is ⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠. // Other resources we mention: Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” St. Teresa of Avila’s autobiography St. Augustine’s “The Confessions” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s collected writings St. Angela of Foligno’s collected writings NEEDTOBREATHE’s song “Who am I?” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna, Giuli and Sofi discuss the concept of “virginity” as a way of loving others according to their destiny: Christ. How does this account of virginity differ from others in the Church and the world? Where in our lives have we experienced the joy of virginal purity and integrity in our relationships? What helps us live the sacrifices demanded by this kind of love? // Our media recommendation is the song Beyond the Blue by Josh Garrels (music: www.tinyurl.com/k4m2jf2k lyrics: www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/joshgarrels/beyondtheblue.html). And our monthly challenge is to identify a relationship in which you are being invited to greater purity of love, and to join this sacrifice to that of the Lord at the Mass. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com or find us on Instagram at @pilgrimsoulpodcast. Our website is www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com. // Other resources we mention: Fr. Paolo Prosperi FSCB’s article on virginity in Communio “Do Not Hold Me: Ascending the Ladder of Love Bishop Erik Varden’s interview in The Pillar about his new book on chastity Fr. Luigi Giussani’s trilogy of books “Is It Possible to Live This Way?” Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on St. Joseph Titian’s painting “Noli me tangere” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Sofia, in conversation with Michelle Zaleski, explores what it means to be Christian on a college campus. This is a recording from the inaugural Communion & Liberation University Conference, which was hosted at Benedictine College. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠. Our website is ⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠. // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Join all three hosts for a conversation about following Christ. How does the drama of this path unfold? What helps us say “yes” to His invitation during seasons of change and challenge? Who are we learning from as we strive to be with Christ instead of remaining with our attachments? // Our media recommendations are the writings of Servant of God Takashi Nagai, including "The Bells of Nagasaki" and "Thoughts from Nyokodo" (or, if you read Italian, "Ciò che non muore mai"). And our monthly challenge is to do lectio divina with Matthew 14:22-33, in which Jesus invites Peter to walk on water. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠. Our website is ⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠. // Other resources we mention: St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s autobiography Story of a Soul Luigi Giussani’s address in St. Peter’s Square in 1998: https://www.clonline.org/en/current-events/articles/1998-06-01-in-the-simplicity-of-my-heart-i-have-gladly-given-you-everything A homily by Fr. Mike Cairnes, whose preaching you can listen to as a podcast called Church Talk: www.tinyurl.com/3knesu35 // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna is back! In this episode, she and Sofia have a conversation about pain. How does Christ transform the otherwise meaningless experience of pain? What helps us discover His presence instead of remaining in despair, anger, or apathy? What have we learned from our pain, and whose examples do we want to follow in living it with the Lord? // Our media recommendation is Marc Chagall’s White Crucifixion. And our monthly challenge is to meditate on the 9th Station of the Cross, which commemorates Jesus falling a third time on the way to Calvary. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: “Witness to Hope”, a biography of St. John Paul II by George Weigel Fr. Aldo Trento’s book of letters entitled “Yo Soy Tu Que Me Haces” Demi Lovato’s song “I Love Me” The movie “50 First Dates” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

This month, we are sharing with you a talk that Sofi gave to the Catholic Chaplaincy of the University of Cambridge. It was inspired by Pope Francis' urgent and insistent call for Christians to work for peace throughout the world. Drawing on her work as a developmental neuroscientist, she exposes the wounds inflicted by violence and proposes ways for us to collaborate in Christ's victory over sin and death. We’ll be back next month with a regular episode. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠. // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Sofia hosts JD Flynn, co-founder of The Pillar, for a conversation about journalism. JD begins by explaining the needs of the Church that led him and Ed Condon to start this news outlet, particularly the need for reform and renewal that is free from ideology. Then he and Sofia talk about journalism as a vocation. Can working with the media be an exercise of the prophetic calling we receive in Baptism? What sustains JD’s hope as he investigates scandals and sins in the life of the Church? How does he experience the unity of his domestic church with the universal Church? // Our media recommendation is the novel Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly. And our monthly challenge is to check out The Pillar at www.pillarcatholic.com, offer a prayer for their work, and consider subscribing. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: “A Place for Life”, a talk that JD gave at the 2020 New York Encounter: www.tinyurl.com/2m8x9e2p Mario Puzo’s book “The Godfather” Luigi Giussani’s booklet “The Meaning of Charitable Work” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Sofia is joined by Fr. Mike Cairnes for a guest episode on living the memory of and desire for Christ. Fr. Mike starts by telling the story of how he fell in love twice, a first time that led him to nihilism and a second that definitively led him to the love of God. Then he and Sofia talk about the struggle against moralism, which is the suffocating reduction of morality into a set of rules. Fr. Mike shares what helps him follow the path of discovering that God’s mercy – and not our fight to live up to an ideal – is the center of life. // Our media recommendations are Terrence Malick’s film The Tree of Life, Joseph Roth’s novella “The Legend of the Holy Drinker”, and Walker Percy’s novel “Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book”. And our monthly challenge is to think back through your life year by year and try to identify how God has romanced you. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Our theme music is Nich Lampson's "Dolphin Kicks."

Join all three hosts for a conversation about Mary, the Mother of God. What does it mean that Mary is our mother? How does an ordered veneration of Mary lead us to a deeper worship of the Triune God? And personally, how are we trying to follow her in obedience, virginity, and passion for the salvation of the world? // Our media recommendation is Caravaggio’s painting “Madonna di Loreto”, also known as “Pilgrims’ Madonna”. And our monthly challenge is to pray Fr. de Grandmaison’s Prayer to Mary throughout the month of May. You can find that here: www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com/prayer-to-mary. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Sofia's episode with This Whole Life can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/u7f3n7yt // Other resources we mention: Luigi Giussani’s book “Generating Traces in the History of the World” Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” Fulton Sheen’s book “The World's First Love: Mary, Mother of God” St. Augustine Sermo 293 Alberto Savorana’s biography of Luigi Giussani St. Irenaus’ text “Against Heresies” Mother Mary Francis’ book “Come, Lord Jesus” Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical “Ecclesia de Eucharistia” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”