The Normal Christian Life

Beyond Familiarity: Intentionally Engaging the Mass

In this episode, Fr. Tony Cecil joins Fr. Michael and Fr. Christopher to explore various facets of enhancing our engagement and experience during the Mass. It emphasizes mindfulness, a contemplative mindset, and the other necessary dispositions of the heart. They discuss the importance of being generous with our time, as well as the nature of internal and external participation. The role of confession and a devotional life, such as Eucharistic adoration, is highlighted as vital for deeper connection with God. Practical tips for enriching the Mass experience include preparing spiritually beforehand, engaging in discussions, and balancing different forms of participation during the service. The overarching theme calls for a renewal of how individuals approach and perceive the Mass, urging generosity and intentionality in worship.

35. Healing Shame: Making Room for God's Love (Inner Healing Series)

This podcast episode delves into the topic of shame and its impact on spiritual and emotional healing. Fr. Michael, Fr. Christopher, and Joe discuss how shame is often a subtle and deeply rooted wound that affects people's ability to experience God's love and delight. They emphasize that shame is not just another wound, but a core wound since the fall of humanity. The hosts explain how shame can prevent individuals from walking confidently in their faith, as it leads to self-rejection, a sense of inadequacy, and a distorted view of one's worth.
The discussion also covers how shame can manifest in different ways, such as scrupulosity, striving for perfection, or struggling with vulnerability. Healing from shame, they argue, requires vulnerability—bringing one’s wounds to God and others in trusted relationships. They stress the importance of confession, openness, and allowing oneself to experience God's love even in moments of brokenness. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to seek healing by addressing childhood wounds and learning to accept love and forgiveness instead of living under the burden of shame.

34. What is "Catholic Mindfulness"? (Inner Healing Series)

What is "Catholic mindfulness"? Is it a new age add-on to Christian spirituality, or is it compatible with Catholic tradition and orthodoxy?  "Mindfulness" can refer to the natural ability to focus our attention fully on the present moment. Defined thus, mindfulness can be understood as essential for meditative prayer and active recollection, and for the contemplative life in general.
Strongly influenced by Dr. Greg Bottaro's book, The Mindful Catholic, this episode explores the topic of mindfulness: what it is (and is not), the fruits of practicing mindfulness, basic practicals, and reasons why mindfulness is especially critical for Catholics in our anxious and distracted age.
Dr. Greg Bottaro's website:
https://catholicpsych.com

33. God's Kindness Leads to Repentence w/ Mary Bielski (Inner Healing Series)

At the end of the day, we are never our own masters: we are either children of God and "slaves of righteousness", or slaves of sin and the Devil. While many of us in the Church are preaching an important message of God's mercy and seeking to address issues of unhealthy shame and guilt, we sometimes overlook or play down this simple reality of our sins and their power to enslave us. Mary Bielski rejoins our hosts in this episode of our Inner Healing Series to talk about the detrimental impact of sin in our lives and God's call for us to repent. Even faithful Catholics can remain bound in certain habits of sin (resulting in stagnation, emptiness and mediocrity); but God's power frees us, for it is "God's kindness [that] leads you to repentence" (Romans 2:4).

32. The Holy Spirit, Catalyst for Evangelization (w/ Fr. Mathias Thelen)

While many Catholics are distressed at the division and strife within the Church in recent years, the reality is that the Holy Spirit is offering us an extraordinary grace and opportunity for evangelization. In this episode, Fr. Matthias Thelen joins our hosts to share his testimony, as well as his insights on how the Holy Spirit is working to bring unity to the Church today. Fr. Mathias is the president and co-founder of Encounter Ministries, an international ministry that is dedicated to teaching and equipping the faithful (both priests and laity) to fully exercise the supernatural gifts they have received, within their spheres of influence.
The Encounter Ministries website: https://encounterministries.us

31. One Body, Many Parts: Internal Family Systems (Inner Healing Series)

Within Catholic circles in recent years, a new psychological approach has gained traction: Internal Family Systems (IFS). Our hosts believe this approach offers a deeply insightful way of understanding our complex inner world, that synchronizes well with a Christian anthropology. While not professing to be experts, our hosts offer their own understanding and experience of IFS as a way of introducing listeners to the topic, and of encouraging them to explore it for themselves. Questions addressed include: Why does IFS claim that we have "parts" within ourselves? What is the "inmost self", and why is this concept so important? What are some practical applications from IFS for our own inner healing journey?
*We apologize for technical errors in the initial release. This is the fixed version.
Litanies of Heart, book by Dr. Gerry Ken Crete
https://a.co/d/8zVODuZ

30. "Deliver Us from Evil": The Reality and Role of Deliverance Ministry (Inner Healing Series)

Continuing our series on inner healing, Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris team up to introduce the topic of deliverance, and its vital importance within the Christian life. Points addressed include:
The real need for spiritual warfare and deliverance in the lives of most people
The literal (not figurative) influence of Satan and the demonic within the Biblical narrative, most emphasized by Jesus himself
The way that demons can gain influence over people without possessing them
How psychological wounds and spiritual oppression usually go hand-in-hand, so that there is not always an obvious distinction
Distinctions between deliverance and the rite of exorcism
The authority and calling of the laity to be involved in deliverance ministry
Unbound Ministries Website:
https://heartofthefather.com/about-us/what-is-unbound/
 

29. Forgiveness: The Key to Inner Healing (w/ Miriam Johll) (Inner Healing Series)

Today's world doesn't put a high premium on forgiveness. But Jesus has given his followers, both by word and by example, a clear mandate of unconditional forgiveness. In this series on inner healing, Miriam Johll returns to join the discussion with Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris. Topics addressed include: the effects of unforgiveness, what forgiveness is (and IS NOT), the role of the emotions, the steps of forgiving, and more!

28. Truths and Lies w/ Laura Shoulders (Inner Healing Series)

Laura Shoulders joins our hosts again to discuss true and false beliefs, and their fundamental importance in our healing journey. In this episode, they discuss:
How Satan uses lies as his primary weapon
How every lie stems from doubting the truth of God's goodness
How even small lies can end up having a huge impact on our lives
How to identify identify lies and renounce them
The difference between propositional "head" belief versus experiential "heart" belief
How to face the emotional impact of lies
The impact of true and false narratives on our inner world
And much more!
Links:
Inner Healing Doc by Fr. Michael Trummer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UQnv091K3rZXtoPIl8HanncRpo83Je1hSE7Wb1lfUP8/edit?usp=drivesdk
"Inheritance" recording by Graham Cooke: https://youtu.be/FgzXXKjaPZA?si=OAlKZ4SkG0HIr9p_

27. Human Formation: A Catholic Responsibility (Inner Healing Series)

According to Pope St. John Paul II, human formation is the most foundational of all the types of formation required by seminarians. But human formation is not just essential for seminarians - the laity need it as well! "Human formation" refers to the integration of the bodily, emotional, psychological aspects of our humanity; and since "grace perfects nature", according to St. Thomas Aquinas, we need to have a holistic approach to our relationship with God, in order for that relationship to be authentic -- and authentically human.
Joe returns to discuss with Fr. Michael and Fr. Chris various aspects of human formation, including:
Over-spiritualization of human formation issues
Letting go of spiritual pride and confronting our limitations
Addressing human issues that hold us back from a higher calling
Yielding to the process of inner healing
Developing our capacity for attention
Paying attention to our emotions and bodily responses
And more!