St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In our meditation of the week:Fr. Fred Dolan reflects on the dramatic showdown between the prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), commemorated in the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Fr. Fred highlights Elijah’s courage in standing alone for the truth and explains how Catholics today are called to live with similar conviction in a world that often abandons its spiritual foundations.Listen now to reflect on:• Elijah’s bold witness on Mount Carmel in defense of the true God• How modern society imitates idolatry through rootlessness and cultural fads• Pope Francis’s warning about building lives without strong spiritual roots• The vital role of doctrine, Church history, and daily study in forming conviction• How God's grace, the power of truth, and a friendly approach, help us conquer false prophets View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Leo Austin reflects on the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary in every step of the way of our lives and vocation. Marking the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Shrine of Torreciudad (Spain), Fr. Leo  draws from the Gospel of Luke, the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, and the Church’s mission to recall and praise Mary’s role in guiding us with strength, peace, and joy.Listen now to reflect on:• Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth as a model of divine initiative and joyful urgency• St. Josemaria’s miraculous healing and enduring gratitude to Our Lady• Torreciudad as a visible expression of Marian devotion and mission• Pope Leo’s call to renew the Church through dedication to our interior lives• How Mary strengthens our interior life and vocation with peace and purpose• The assurance of Mary’s presence in temptation, sorrow, and daily lifeAs mentioned in the meditation: Pocket Crucifix, Marian Shrine of Torreciudad - Official Website View TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week:Msgr. Fred Dolan explores the spiritual and societal impact of our growing dependence on digital devices, particularly among the young. Drawing on insights from Professor Jonathan Haidt’s "The Anxious Generation" and recent cultural trends, the meditation helps us bring to our prayer the devastating effects of our digital age on our attention, mental health, and spiritual life.Listen now to reflect on:• The transformation from play-based to phone-based childhood and its devastating effects• The physical and psychological harms linked to Gen Z's digital habits• How constant screen exposure fragments attention and weakens human connection• Four practical norms to reclaim childhood: delay smartphones, limit social media, phone-free schools, and encourage free playView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: On the 50th anniversary of St. Josemaria Escriva’s entrance into heaven (June 26, 1975), we reflect on the enduring legacy of his life and message. Msgr. Dolan explores the central theme of divine filiation - the foundation of Opus Dei’s spirit, and how it empowers ordinary Christians to become contemplatives in the middle of the world.Listen now to reflect on:• The moment in 1931 when St. Josemaria grasped his identity as a beloved child of God• How divine filiation filled his heart with joy and shaped the spirituality of Opus Dei• The meaning behind “Omnia in bonum” and “Ad maiora natus sum”• Why a personalized “plan of life” helps us turn each day into a symphony of prayer• St. Josemaria’s impact on those around him - from young students to scientists and engineersView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: On the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Fr. Javier del Castillo leads us in a profound meditation on the central mystery of our faith: the Blessed Trinity. Through Scripture, Church teachings, and insights from St. Josemaria Escriva, we are invited to deepen our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Listen now to reflect on:• Why the Trinity created us out of a desire to share eternal love• How each Person of the Trinity is distinct yet inseparable• What the Church Fathers and early Councils taught against heresies like Arianism• How Jesus Christ is our gateway into communion with the Trinity• St. Josemaria’s devotion to the Trinity—and his image of “1-0-3” as a sign of humility• Why intellectual humility is essential for contemplating this mystery• How baptism initiates our filial relationship with each Person of the TrinityView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Apostles—our model of total self-giving and the one who brings us to Jesus through her “yes.” He highlights Mary’s quiet but powerful presence from Genesis to Revelation and the vital role she plays in our vocation to holiness and evangelization.Listen now to reflect on:• Why Mary’s “yes” is the model for every Christian apostolate• The connection between Mary and the Eucharist as “Woman of the Eucharist”• Mary’s presence and role in the spiritual battle for souls• How her example teaches us to give ourselves totally to God• St. Josemaria’s confidence in Our Lady in times of suffering and discouragementView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Msgr. Martin Schlag guides us to contemplate Jesus as the Good Shepherd who knows, loves, and leads each of us personally. Drawing from Scripture, as well as the writings of St. Josemaria Escriva, Fr. Martin explores the meaning of faithfulness in ordinary life, learning to recognize the voice of Christ the Good Shepherd, and surrendering our own plans in trust.Listen now to reflect on:• How to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in daily life• Why “letting go and letting God” is an act of deep faith• St. Josemaria’s devotion to Christ as the Good Shepherd• The healing Christ brings when we allow him to lead us• What it means to be both sheep and shepherd in our vocationsView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Drawing from St. Luke’s account of the Visitation, Msgr. Frederick Dolan invites us to contemplate Mary’s interior life—her overwhelming joy, her urgency to serve, and her radiant presence as she brings Christ to her cousin Elizabeth’s home. This encounter, filled with prayer and self-giving, offers us a model of what it means to make ourselves a sincere gift to others.Listen now to reflect on:• Mary’s interior life and spirit of joyful service• The meaning of self-giving love with our families and friends• How to cultivate presence, kindness, and joy like Mary• Bringing Christ to others with warmth, care, and encouragementView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on Mary as the model of discipleship. From the Annunciation to Cana, Mary shows us that God’s plan unfolds through human cooperation. Her presence and intercession at the Wedding Feast of Cana not only initiates Christ’s public ministry but also reveals how our trust and obedience allow God to act. Fr. Peter invites us to see how every saint who learned to say “Yes” to God did so with Mary at their side. Listen now to reflect on:• Mary’s role in the Incarnation and evangelization• Her presence at Cana and the miraculous catch• Why she is the model of discipleship• How the Rosary and persistence in prayer strengthen us• The power of her maternal love in our spiritual battleView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!

In our meditation of the week for the feast of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the life and virtues of the faithful successor of St. Josemaria Escriva, whom he affectionately nicknamed Saxum or rock in Latin.Fr. Javier shares how the gift of fortitude, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, was powerfully present in Blessed Alvaro’s life and how we too are called to become “rocks”--dependable building blocks for the Church wherever God has placed us.Listen now to reflect on:• The meaning behind Blessed Alvaro’s nickname “Saxum”• How the Holy Spirit strengthens us through the gift of fortitude• Why faithfulness in ordinary life shapes us for holiness• What Blessed Alvaro’s example teaches us about spiritual resilienceTo learn more about Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, visit: www.alvarodelportillo.orgView TranscriptVisit Show PageSupport the showTHANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Let us know that our podcast is important to you: Share your favorite episodes with others and leave us a rating or review. Stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: www.stjosemaria.org Also, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!