St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

“Our Lady of Sorrows is truly blessed and she is there for us.”Since 1913 the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows has been celebrated in the Church on September 15th, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. On the podcast today we bring you a homily by Fr. John Waiss who reflects on on the beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” and how Mary is “blessed among women” because she mourns with love. Fr. Waiss is the Pastor of St. Mary of the Angels Church in Chicago, IL. Please note that this homily was recorded in the church during Mass. Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this podcast on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Javier del Castillo revisits the dogma of the Assumption, shares St. Josemaria’s devotion to Our Lady, and explains how we too can participate in the Assumption.What you’ll hear:0:30 – On the Dogma of the Assumption as proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on November 1st, 1950.2:50 – On the two artistic “scenes” of the Assumption4:35 – St. Josemaria’s insights into the Assumption and the radiant beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary7:50 – Why St. Josemaria was so fond of our Lady of the Assumption when he was a child9:30 – What we are really celebrating on the Feast of the Assumption12:40 – How Mary’s Fiat brought heaven to earth and the Assumption brings earth to heaven16:50 – How do we bring heaven to earth, so that we might be brought to heaven?23:25 – How, on the Feast of the Assumption in 1951, St. Josemaria went on the pilgrimage to Loretto to consecrate Opus Dei to Our Lady25:55 – How we can participate in the Assumption Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In today’s podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo explains why priests need our prayers and reflects on the four characteristics of a priestly soul according to St. Josemaria Escriva.What You’ll Hear:2:05 – Why pray for priests?4:05 – How priests are like great chefs5:30 – How the priesthood is a gift of God to the Church8:25 – What is the vocation of a priest?14:00 – How prayer for priests actually makes a difference16:05 – St. Josemaria’s advice to his brother priests17:35 – How St. John Vianney was a model priest18:35 – Why St. Josemaria turned down positions of prestige20:30 – Why St. Josemaria said that a priest is like a rug22:40 - The four characteristics of a priestly soul, according to St. Josemaria Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In today’s podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo meditates on St. James the Apostle, a “son of thunder,” and reflects on how we too can become a magnanimous, humble, and daring disciple of Christ.What you’ll hear:0:40 – About the nickname of St. James “son of thunder.”1:20 – A theory on why the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.” (Matthew 20:21)5:20 – A reflection on the call of Sts. James and John9:00 – The purification and fortification of St. James and John’s enthusiastic and daring “Yes, we can!” in Matthew 20:2211:10 – How St. James can purify our intentions and enthusiasm when following Christ13:00 – How Jesus taught St. James and the Apostles humility15:30 – Christ’s teaching on humility in the Christian life17:25 – Story about Bl. Alvaro’s rejection of vanity18:55 – How St. James’ enthusiasm brought him to the “ends of the earth,” to Spain.19:20 – How Our Lady appeared to St. James (in modern day Zaragoza) while he was discouraged with his mission and on his way back to Jerusalem. She appeared to St. James, by a special grace while she was still alive, standing on a Roman pillar to encourage St. James to go back and not give up.21:05 – Why did St. James get discouraged? Why do disciples of Christ become discouraged and sad so often?23:40 – Why St. Josemaria Escriva was so confident and daring when sending inexperienced missionaries to different parts of the world25:05 – On becoming a “son of thunder” and being magnanimous, humble, and daring all at the same timeReferences: Gospel Reading on the Feast of St. James (Matthew 20:20-28)St. James at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13) Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the role, purpose, and good of temporal authorities and why the right ordering of society should be built upon reason and natural law.What you’ll hear:- What Jesus taught about temporal authorities- How Joseph obeyed government laws and traveled for the census, even though Mary was pregnant- How Jesus was subject to the authority of Mary and Joseph- When St. Paul had recourse to his Roman citizenship - How the state should help us fulfill the mandate to “till and keep the garden” (Gen 2:15) and promote the common good- Why the state is something willed by God- What happens when those is power ignore God and the natural law- Why the right ordering of society should be built upon reason and the natural law Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

Today on St. Josemaria Escriva’s Feast Day (June 26th), Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects in this new meditation on the patron saint of ordinary life and his 40 years of intercession from heaven.What you’ll hear:- Why St. Josemaria said that he would be more useful after his death- St. Josemaria’s favorite Gospel passage- How God used footprints in the snow to call St. Josemaria to his vocation- How St. Josemaria discerned the will of God- Why St. Josemaria initially became discouraged when he went to London- How St. Josemaria saw himself as a little child for God Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

In celebration of Father's Day, Fr. Javier del Castillo, Vice President of the St. Josemaria Institute, reflects in this new meditation on the important role of fatherhood in the family and modern society. Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

On the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr. Javier del Castillo (Vicar of Opus Dei in the Midwest) reflects on three ways in which we can draw closer to the Heart of Christ.What You’ll Hear:- How the Sacraments of the Church are “born” from the Sacred Heart of Jesus- How God gives us a renewed heart- The three ways that we can identify ourselves with the Heart of Christ- Living the “Heroic Minute”- How the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Christ are closely connected Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

On this Feast of Corpus Christi, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on the mystery of the Eucharist, the memorial of Christ's sacrifice of infinite love. Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today! 

On the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, Fr. Javier del Castillo reflects on what we know (by Faith), and what we cannot comprehend, about the three divine Persons of the blessed Trinity.What you’ll hear:- Why God created us- How the three Persons of the Trinity are distinguished from one another and how they are not- Our desire (and inability) to comprehend the great mystery of the Holy Trinity- How St. Athanasius fought to keep the mystery of the Trinity whole- The heresy that Arius taught about the Trinity- What the First Council of Nicaea and the First Council of Constantinople reaffirmed about the Trinity- How Jesus Christ is the “gateway” to the Holy Trinity- How St. Josemaria used the number 103 to explain the Trinity- Why studying the Trinity takes intellectual humility Support 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.orgAlso, if you enjoy the podcast, please consider helping us keep our episodes free and accessible for all our listeners: Give today!