He Leadeth Me

During Lent, the Church calls us to conversion. During this episode, Jess and Fr. John Ignatius discuss the dynamics of conversion. Fr. John Ignatius' points out:The word conversion means "to turn around", but it can also be translated as "to change one's mind."The call to conversion involves thinking in a new way, especially about our attachments.Self-denial during Lent is not about how difficult a penance we can undertake, but how surrendered to the will of God we can be.Fr. John Ignatius is a priest of the Miles Christi religious order and a FOCUS National Chaplain.

What are you giving up for Lent? In this episode, Fr. Kevin and Jess will help you make a plan for Lent! Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:Undertaking the Church's 3 traditional Lenten practices: prayer, fasting, and almsgivingThe idea of "giving something up" vs. adding additional practicesFasting from social media, music, and other mortificationsDo Sundays "count"?Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

The Examen Prayer can be a helpful prayer tool as you discern God's will for your life. In this episode, Fr. John Ignatius Ezratty returns to talk about the Examen Prayer. He and Jess discuss:How many people miss graces God wants to give them in the Examen Prayer by only focusing on the sins they commitHow people can unlock graces in the Examen Prayer by not only reviewing what they did throughout the day, but how God moved their hearts throughout the dayWays to discern God's will in specific situations after becoming more aware of consolations through the Examen PrayerFr. John Ignatius is a priest of the Miles Christi religious order and a FOCUS National Chaplain.

Can reading fiction benefit your spiritual life? Fr. Kevin and Jess think so! In this episode, Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:Why reading fiction can be good for the spiritual lifeFr. Kevin's top 3 book recommendations for 2023Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story is a documentary created by FOCUS on the life of FOCUS alumna and Servant of God Michelle Duppong. In this episode, Jessica sits down with FOCUS staff members Trevor Jin, the director of the documentary, and Stephany Anderson, who served as an interview assistant, about their experience creating the documentary. Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story is currently in the final stages of editing and is expected to be made available to the public in the fall of 2024.To learn more about Servant of God Michelle Duppong, please see FOCUS' webpage about Michelle: https://www.focus.org/michelleduppong.Trevor Jin serves FOCUS as a Formation Specialist and is responsible for FOCUS' formative media, including the YouTube page, blog, and e-newsletter The Torch. He is also the director of the documentary "Thirst for Souls: The Michelle Duppong Story."Stephany Anderson serves FOCUS as Senior Alumni Missionary and is responsible for outreach to FOCUS alumni on a diocesan level.

In this episode, Fr. Daniel Cardo joins Jessica to talk about the connection between the liturgy and evangelization. Fr. Cardo and Jessica discuss:St. John Paul II's statement that if efforts to promote the liturgy and promote evangelization don't go hand in hand, both will falterHow the power for evangelization comes from offering our difficulties and joys to the Father in the Sacrifice of the MassFr. Daniel's advice for people who know the beautiful theology of the Mass but their experience attending Mass falls short of what they hopeFr. Daniel Cardo is the pastor of Holy Name Parish in Denver and the Benedict XVI Chair for Liturgical Studies at St. John Vianney Seminary. He is a visiting professor at the Augustine Institute and the author of several books, including "The Cross and the Eucharist in Early Christianity: A Theological and Liturgical Investigation."

In our last episode in the "Discerning God's Will" series, Fr. Kevin Dyer and Jess discuss the final stages of discernment. Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:How do you know if your discernment is complete?The dangers of rushing a decision and delaying a decision and becoming a "perpetual discerner"What if I'm wrong in my discernment?The way signs can confirm God's willThe importance of following through with the decision you have discernedFr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

In this episode, Fr. Kevin Dyer is back to explain the 3 Modes of Discerning God's Will according to St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:The first mode of discernment, when God makes His will perfectly clear beyond all doubtThe second mode, when God attracts a person's heart to His will by means of consolation and desolationThe third mode, when a person uses his or her reasoning faculties to make a decision.Fr. Kevin also sharesThe mode of discernment that he thinks is the rarestHis advice to people who want to make a step away from their current situation but don't yet feel God's call to something elseHis advice on how to pray through the different modes of discernmentFr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

In this episode, Fr. Kevin Dyer joins Jessica to talk about the first steps in discerning God will. Fr. Kevin and Jess discuss:The importance of keeping the purpose of your life in mind as you begin to discern God's will for a specific choiceHow God speaks through consolation and desolationMindsets that should be avoided in the discernment processThis episode is the first in a 3 part series on discerning God's will.Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at St. Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.

In this episode, Jess sits down with FOCUS Senior National Chaplain Fr. Kevin Dyer to talk about Ignatian retreats and their power to transform a person's spiritual life. Jess and Fr. Kevin discuss:What is an Ignatian retreat and how is it different than other retreats?Why St. Ignatius of Loyola named his retreat the Spiritual ExercisesThe role of silence on Ignatian retreatsHow to prepare before making an Ignatian retreatFr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., is a priest in the Society of Jesus and serves FOCUS as Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer completed studies at Saint Louis University and Boston College and was ordained in 2010. In 2019, he became a part-time FOCUS National Chaplain, and in 2022 he stepped into the role of Senior National Chaplain. Fr. Dyer resides in Denver, Colorado.