St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

Why did St. Josemaria choose St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, as an intercessor for Opus Dei? In this meditation, Msgr. Martin Schlag explores the spiritual friendship between these two saints and the profound lessons St. John Vianney offers us about priesthood, fatherhood, and the transforming mercy of Christ. Despite the wounds he carried, St. John Vianney allowed the love of Jesus, especially through devotion to His Sacred Heart, to transform his suffering into a source of love and mercy for others. The man who had experienced rejection became a spiritual father to countless souls. His example invites us to bring our own wounds to the Heart of Christ and allow His grace to transform them, too. PAUSE AND REFLECT: Does my attitude towards priests reflect the Christian virtues of reverence, understanding, and hope? How do I react to the Sacrament of Confession?How could I support my local pastor better?  What about my local bishop? How can I allow the wounds of Christ to be a source of mercy and love for me?  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with our latest news and resources! Click here to subscribe. Support the show

Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha, a Catholic priest and spiritual speaker, offers a prayerful meditation on the five Luminous Mysteries. Explore the Rosary as a school of trust, Christ’s presence in ordinary life, Mary’s faith at Cana, conversion through grace, and the Eucharist as divine love and sustenance.

In this meditation, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha leads us to contemplate the love of the heart of Christ by referencing these words that St. Josemaria wrote for the fourteenth station of his Way of the Cross:  "An inexhaustible source of life is the Passion of Jesus. Sometimes we renew the joyous impulse that took Our Lord to Jerusalem. Other times, the pain of the agony which ended on Calvary… Or the glory of his triumph over death and sin. But always!, the love — joyful, sorrowful, glorious — of the Heart of Jesus Christ” (14th station, commentary no. 3).  St. Josemaria himself entered into the wounds of Christ to find respite in that Heart and to dwell on how much God loves each of us. And Fr. Donncha shows us how to follow that same path, by way of the Rosary and by way of the Eucharist. Fr. Donncha concludes: "It is in the self-giving love of Jesus Christ that we discover, that we touch, as it were, that God is love."PAUSE AND REFLECT:Christ's Agony in the Garden: Let us consider that Love becomes flesh.Christ's Scourging: Let us consider that Love becomes wounds.Christ's Crowning with Thorns: Let us consider that Love becomes passion.Christ's Carrying of His Cross: Let us consider that Love goes towards the Resurrection.Christ's Crucifixion: Let us consider that God is Love, and that God is Love for me. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with our latest news and resources! Click here to subscribe. Support the show

In this meditation, Fr. Donncha Ó hAodha continues our series on the holy Rosary with a reflection on the glorious mysteries which provide us reason for greater trust in God for our apostolic mission. Our attempts to share the life and love of Christ are fruitful because the Risen Lord is the one who bears fruit, having overcome the tomb. Referencing Scripture and the writings of St. Josemaria, Fr. Donncha leads us in petitionary prayer, asking God to grant us greater confidence and trust in Him. Furthermore, the repeated experiences with our own weaknesses remind us to turn to the aid of Our Lady, just as the first Apostles did. We can turn to through the Rosary, which helps center us on Christ, regardless of how distracted we may become. PAUSE AND REFLECT:  Resurrection: Can I use my imagination to picture the first time Mary saw Jesus after his Resurrection?  Do I have faith that enduring joy comes from meeting Jesus, the Risen Lord, repeatedly in my own life? Ascension: Can I hear the voice of Jesus tell me to 'go out and preach to all nations'? Does this fill me with greater confidence for my apostolic mission, a divine confidence that helps me to get past any feeling of being overwhelmed by the idea of mission? Descent of the Holy Spirit: Do I ever take myself and my mistakes too seriously to depend on the action of the Holy Spirit in my day-to-day life? How does the Holy Spirit fill me with greater confidence for my apostolic mission, a divine confidence that helps me to get past any feeling of being overwhelmed by the idea of mission? Assumption of Mary: Do I view apostolate fundamentally as loving people?, If not, how could Mary, my mother, help me to refocus my vision today, so I can draw closer to those people around me? Coronation of Mary: What areas of my life can I entrust to Mary, assured that she is interceding for me from Heaven?  THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!  Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date with our latest news and resources! Click here to subscribe. Support the show

Enter the Joyful Mysteries through Mary’s loving eyes, from the Annunciation to Jesus’ discovery in the Temple. Reflect on her yes, the humility of the Nativity, Simeon and Anna’s recognition of the Messiah, and the call to discover Christ in ordinary life. A prayerful meditation on welcoming God’s presence and living as contemplatives in the world.

A prayerful meditation on finding hope in darkness and difficulty. Explore friendship with Christ, the healing light of Jesus, and the dangers of hiding behind false shelters. Biblical stories of Tobit, Sarah, and Bartimaeus illuminate spiritual growth, while reflection questions invite a deeper conversation with God and a renewed trust in grace.

Fr. Peter Armenio, a Catholic priest and Opus Dei member known for Scripture-rooted retreats, brings St. Josemaria’s story vividly to life. Hear how footprints in the snow pointed toward a vocation, how the October 2, 1928 illumination shaped Opus Dei, and why ordinary work, family life, prayer, and lay witness matter. A meditation on becoming contemplative apostles in a worldly age.

Msgr. Martin Schlag, a Catholic priest known for spiritual reflections on Scripture and Marian devotion, leads a meditation on Mary’s Seven Sorrows. Explore her hidden holiness, Simeon’s prophecy, exile, loss, Calvary, the Pietà, and the sealed tomb. A prayerful journey into faith, surrender, steadfastness, and love amid suffering.

Fr. Marty Miller, a Catholic priest associated with Opus Dei, reflects on contemplative living through the active lives of the Apostles. He explores finding God amid work, technology, city life, and modern challenges; overcoming cynicism; embracing struggle; and staying connected to Jesus, Mary, and the saints. A thoughtful meditation on discovering holiness in ordinary responsibilities.

A reflective meditation on beginning the academic year as a season of grace. Explore how changing seasons, campus life, study, friendships, and ordinary routines can become occasions to encounter God. Inspired by St. Josemaria’s vision of the university as a place of mission, holiness, truth, and joyful service.