Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

In this podcast, we answer listener questions in a new format - our new Program Coordinator, Katie Gamboa joins us to present topics for us to discuss. She did a great job! We may be biased since she is our most amazing oldest child (but we aren’t - she DID do a great job!) With Katie’s help, we tackle some sticky questions such as how to handle a sister who is coming out of the closet? How should this be handled with kids? Families are also struggling with the strong emotions of their children when the parents have big feelings themselves!  Listen in as we discuss socializing young children, physical intimacy and the “desire discrepancy”, and expectations in marriage and family.  Thank you to all our listeners who contact us with questions.  We love to hear from you!

Part of our message at the Messy Family Project is that parenting is a path to holiness. But the question many couples have is how much parenting is God asking of us? Within the bounds of the Church’s teaching, there are many prudential judgements that couples have to make - when to abstain from sexual relations, how to give birth, how many children to have, how long to wait in between births, and how to incorporate this new baby into your family. In this podcast we share some of our birth experiences and the values that we have come to embrace through the ten children we have brought into the world all in the context of the gift that it is to be a parent. Children are the supreme gift of marriage - they are not only good in themselves and good for the world - children are also good for us! Listen in as we take on this important discussion of infants, childbirth, NFP and more.  Join us in the Play and Pray Challenge: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/challenge/  Find out more about the course for mothers and daughters: https://messyfamilyhood.com/maidens-signup/  Find out more about the course for dads: https://messyfamilyhood.com/dadsvswild/

April 22 is Earth Day, but maybe we Catholics could call it Creation Day and celebrate the loving Father who gave this world to us to “till and keep”.  Maybe we were thinking of this because Mike was chopping down old trees on our property and we all have sore backs this morning!   But seriously, some may look at the extreme environmentalists and be tempted to move to the other extreme and not take seriously their stewardship of the land and animals that are part of our world - but that is not a Christian response!  Time and time again our Church has encouraged people to take responsibility for creation around us, be it plants, animals, or the earth itself.  We are supposed to take care of it and use it well.  Listen in as we talk about teaching and modeling for our children the correct way to care for the gift of creation.    For more information and resources visit: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/

During this episode, Mike shares his story of his parents’ divorce when he was a teen and his own journey of healing over the past 20 years.  But this is more than just his story.  We also share the hope that Christ brings to us in all our relationships, the lessons learned from suffering and pain, and, ironically, how the divorce actually strengthened his belief in marriage as a covenant between two people that should never be violated.  Anyone who has experienced the effects of divorce in their own lives, or who has married someone who has needs to hear this message.  Even though divorce is ubiquitous, it is not without devastating effects.  What is the answer?  Its the same answer that applies to us all - we need to be Fathered by God and find our identity in Him.  Listen in and have hope!     Take Listener Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MFP-2021    Referenced ministry for children of divorce: https://www.lifegivingwounds.org/ Support their sacred art drive: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sacred-art-for-children-of-divorce#/

For years, Patrick Lencioni has had books on the top of the best seller charts.  He is a master at teaching businesses how to improve their culture and organizational health.  In this podcast, Pat and his wife Laura join us to talk about the culture and health of our families and how his lessons from business can help us!  In our Family Board Meeting course, we use his book 3 Big Questions for the Frantic Family to help couples discover their unique values and rallying cry so this interview was a great time for us to go even deeper into these questions with our listeners.  This podcast is from a Zoom call that we had with our members and the Lencionis so we were able to take questions from the audience and have some great interaction.  Listen in to this compelling conversation!   Complete our listener survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MFP-2021    Take Pat’s Working Genius assessment using our special discount code: Messyfamily at https://www.workinggenius.com/ Join the Family Board Meeting course: https://messyfamilyhood.com/family-board-meeting-registration/

This is the year of St. Joseph so let’s talk about what we can learn from this man who knew Jesus and Mary more intimately than any other person who has ever lived.  There is so much we can learn from him! Because there is really no definitive teaching on St. Joseph, we can extrapolate from what we know about Jewish culture at the time and what we read in scripture to imagine what he must have been like.  We do know that he can teach us about being a spouse, a parent, a follower of Christ.  He can show us how to love Jesus and Mary better and, as patron of the family, he is a powerful intercessor for us!  Listen in to this insightful conversation about the man who can serve as a model to us all - St. Joseph.   Webinar on Holy Week as a Family: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/holy-week-webinar/ 5 Week Family Board Meeting Course: https://messyfamilyhood.com/family-board-meeting-registration/

Join us for an extraordinary interview with Fr. Jay Donahue, a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh who has a heart for marriage and a deep and abiding love for Christ.  We discuss with Fr. Jay the impact that his own large family had on him, how couples can image Christ’s love for the Church and the importance of the Blessed Mother in the lives of priests and everyone in the Church.  He even dives into the sexual scandals that have plagued our Church with extraordinary love and compassion.  You will be inspired hearing his passion for marriage and God’s vision for marriage. We hope you enjoy this interview!    Webinar on Holy Week as a Family: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/holy-week-webinar/ 5 Week Family Board Meeting Course: https://messyfamilyhood.com/family-board-meeting-registration/

Discipline is the issue that we get the most questions about probably because there is so much conflicting advice for parents out there.  The bottom line is that every couple must decide for themselves how they will form the children that God has given to them. But, don’t worry, we do have some principles and encouragement to give you!  In this episode, we discuss the importance of Respect in the home.  For children to truly be obedient and secure in their family, they need to respect their parents.  Evidence of this respect is what we call “first-time obedience”. Yes, it is possible and parents should expect it of their children.     Download our Discipline Guide:https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/discipline-guide/  Join waiting list for next Family Board Meeting: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/family-board-meeting-2021/

Looking for ideas on how to celebrate Lent as a couple or as a family?  Listen  in!  When a married person celebrates Lent, especially when they have children, it looks very different than how a single person or religious does it.  Lent is a time to take stock of how we are responding to God’s grace to become who He is calling us to be.  How are we becoming a better wife, mother, husband, or father? To really invest in Lent this year, we want to encourage you to consider commitments of prayer, fasting and mercy all in light of your married vocation.  We have provided a great resource for you on our website -- Cana90!  Sign up to receive daily emails of encouragement, tracking sheet, services for the Triduum, ideas for weekend celebrations with children, and more!  Sign up for free online or order the book.  Let us walk with you and encourage each other on our Lenten journey.     Become a member of the Neighborhood: https://messyfamilyhood.com/join-jan-2021/ CANA 90 and Stations Books : https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/cana90/

In 1924, Eric Liddell gave up his place to compete in the Olympics final heat of the 100m race because it was held on a Sunday.  He probably would have won that race, but his desire to keep the Lord’s Day holy stopped him.  Would we have that courage?  Starting in Exodus, the Lord has asked HIs people to keep holy His day.  He commands us to set it apart from all other days to honor Him, but also for our own good!  God will never ask us to do something that is not good for us, and He COMMANDS us to do things essential for our health and well-being.  How does your family set this day apart?  Have you been influenced by the culture, especially with the restrictions put upon us by the pandemic?  How are you setting this day apart from all other days in your home?  Listen in for encouragement and ideas on how to reclaim the Lord’s Day.   Lenten program for couples - join us for Cana 90: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/cana90/ Join our membership site, the Messy Family Neighborhood: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/membership/