FOC 187: Finding the Confidence to Love Your Home with Paige Rien
Dec 06, 2022
Tis the season to decorate your home, prepare for guests, and feel that creeping sense of inadequacy when you look at perfectly curated Instagram houses. It’s so important to have the right perspective on home. Instead of keeping up with the latest trends, can we focus on cultivating homes that serve our families? Can we build a style with confidence because we like it rather than acquiesce to the latest consumerist craze? And can we stop worrying about the wrong way to decorate? We can! Because Paige Rien is here to help!
Paige Rien is a wife, mother, author, designer, former television designer and current recovering person, one day at a time. She is passionate about helping women work on their homes in a new way – by encouraging confidence, tuning out the noise of design media and focusing on each family’s authentic needs. Paige had a career on HGTV and has written two books, Love the House You’re In and Revived & Renovated. She lives in Maryland with her husband and four children and we love her Instagram account.
In this episode we talk about embracing the process of slow decorating, taking risks with design, and focusing on the important stuff rather than the ‘gram. Paige has so much wisdom to share about confidently building a beautiful home, releasing the obsession with perfection, and loving whatever stage we’re in. And all those baby things that throw off our aesthetic? Well, Paige has some really deep insights to gain perspective on the baby and toddler years. Paige is so fun and you’re going to love what she has to share! So grab a cup of tea and enjoy the conversation.
Haley’s brand new children’s book seriesis available from Pauline Books and Media just in time for Christmas!
The Sister Seraphina Mysteries are read-a-loud stories about an order of mouse nuns who run a school under the floorboards of G.K. Chesterton’s home. Each volume involves a child-friendly mystery that is investigated by Sister Seraphina. She is helped by other sisters from her abbey and two of her students, Marigold Mouseweather and Dominic Whiskerbright. Each book contains several chapters with illustrations on each page by the wonderful Betsy Wallin.
Beneath the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, a thrilling pursuit is about to unfold. Sister Seraphina was pleased that everything was ready for the school fair. But when the prize cheese goes missing, the Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea and their brave students will need all their detective wits to solve the mystery. With a little literary inspiration from their upstairs neighbors, the Chestertons, can they band together to solve the case―and save Saint Wulfhilda’s School?
It’s Christmas Eve, and under the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, curious clues lie hidden… Sister Seraphina and the other Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea are busy with preparations for the Christmas play and long-awaited feast. That’s enough to be getting on with! But where is Sister Dymphna? The elderly nun is nowhere to be found in Saint Wulfhilda’s Abbey. Outside it’s growing dark, and the snow is falling. The brave search party will need all their wits to avoid danger and follow the trail—wherever it leads!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 186: How Not To Lose Your Mind With Politics And The News with Bonnie Kristian
Nov 22, 2022
How do we determine what’s true in a very disorienting time? How do we know what authorities, institutions, or media to believe when the world around us feels untrustworthy? How do we have deep conversations with friends and loved ones when the political landscape is so divisive? It’s a very difficult time to navigate and it’s easy to become cynical or even despairing.
Journalist Bonnie Kristian tackles some of these complicated issues in her fantastic new book Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community. Bonnie is a mom (of twins!), a graduate of Bethel Seminary, and the author of A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today. She writes and edits opinion pieces on foreign policy, religion, criminal justice, urbanism, civil liberties, electoral politics, and more. She’s written for Christianity Today, The Week, USA Today, CNN, Politico, and Time, to name a few. She is a great Twitter follow and just an insightful and fascinating voice on our strange political and religious landscape.
In this episode we talk about how to have a healthy relationship with news and media when the odds are stacked against us. We discuss how to love and maintain relationship with friends and loved ones who have accepted extremist ideologies. We explore the nature of the social media beast and how it works against our mental health and our reason. And we try to imagine how we can cultivate real community, truth, and goodness when things look very bleak. It’s a very interesting conversation and Bonnie has such wisdom to share. So grab a cup of tea and enjoy this episode!
Happy Nest Home Goods celebrates doing small things with great love with their modern Catholic embroidery art, patterns, and kits as well as their line of beautiful sacrifice beads for the whole family.
Sacrifice Beads are a devotion practiced by St. Therese as a little girl using a string of sliding beads to track small sacrifices made throughout your day. So whenever you do a chore you hate, keep your temper, offer up a disappointment, or give someone else the better leftover from the fridge, just slide a bead towards the crucifix and unite your sacrifice to Christ’s on the cross. This beautiful practice will help foster your ability to see opportunities to offer every moment to God.
You can find a wide variety of sacrifice beads for men, women, and children at happynesthomegoods.com. Sacrifice beads make for a perfect spiritual stocking stuffer or gift for those receiving sacraments this year!
Happy Nest also has adorable beginner-friendly embroidery patterns and kits for every liturgical season, including Advent and Christmas, that are perfect to gift to the crafter in your life OR for you to add a handmade touch to your Christmas gifts this year!
Open-and-go kits are easy enough for total beginners (even kids!) and feature custom designed pre-printed fabric (so you don’t have to transfer the pattern yourself!) The kits also include everything you need from start to finish.
Don’t forget to check out her whole line of gorgeous stickers, jewelry, and needle minders featuring her original artwork!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 185: The Wholistic Pro-Life Future For Women’s Healthcare with Leah Jacobson
Nov 08, 2022
Women’s healthcare has been a hot topic for ages, but in a post-Dobbs world, it’s never been more discussed. So we decided to reach out to Leah Jacobson, a women’s health advocate and service provider to discuss the complexities of women’s healthcare, protection for the unborn, and fighting for the care, education, and medical resources that all women deserve.
Leah is the founder and the CEO of The Guiding Star Project, a non-profit organization to meet the practical needs of women through providing health care. She has a Master’s degree in Health and Wellness and she’s an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She helps mothers and babies by working at her local WIC office, in the labor and delivery department of her local rural hospital, and in her own private practice that specializes in home and virtual visits. Leah is also the author of a book titled Wholistic Feminism.
In this episode we talk about the ways the healthcare system has let women down and how pathologizing the female body sets us up to fail. Leah imagines a world in which education about women’s health reaches young women before they even start menstruating and we struggle with the challenge of a hyper-politicized pro-life movement and how to navigate conversations about abortion when the issue is so charged. It’s a heavy topic, so grab a good cup of coffee and enjoy the conversation.
Haley’s brand new children’s book series is available from Pauline Books and Media just in time for Christmas!
The Sister Seraphina Mysteries are read-a-loud stories about an order of mouse nuns who run a school under the floorboards of G.K. Chesterton’s home. Each volume involves a child-friendly mystery that is investigated by Sister Seraphina. She is helped by other sisters from her abbey and two of her students, Marigold Mouseweather and Dominic Whiskerbright. Each book contains several chapters with illustrations on each page by the wonderful Betsy Wallin.
Beneath the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, a thrilling pursuit is about to unfold. Sister Seraphina was pleased that everything was ready for the school fair. But when the prize cheese goes missing, the Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea and their brave students will need all their detective wits to solve the mystery. With a little literary inspiration from their upstairs neighbors, the Chestertons, can they band together to solve the case―and save Saint Wulfhilda’s School?
It’s Christmas Eve, and under the floorboards of G. K. Chesterton’s home, curious clues lie hidden… Sister Seraphina and the other Sisters of Our Lady Star of the Sea are busy with preparations for the Christmas play and long-awaited feast. That’s enough to be getting on with! But where is Sister Dymphna? The elderly nun is nowhere to be found in Saint Wulfhilda’s Abbey. Outside it’s growing dark, and the snow is falling. The brave search party will need all their wits to avoid danger and follow the trail—wherever it leads!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 184: Escape Into Reality with S.D. Smith
Oct 25, 2022
Several years ago, we were enchanted by a new series: The Green Ember. This series featuring rabbits who are fighting for goodness in a dark world captivated our kids and we wished there were more books like it in the world. Thankfully, the author, S.D. Smith is still writing and his latest project Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key was co-written by his teenage son, Josiah. We are so happy to have Sam talking about children’s literature and the importance of good stories on the podcast today!
Sam Smith lives in West Virginia with his wife and four children. In addition to being a full-time writer, he is also the founder of Story Warren, a small publishing house dedicated to bringing good stories into the world.
In this episode we talk about how Sam fell into writing books and what it has been like to have a story he created for his children become a beloved bestseller. Sam had so many insights into the importance of good storytelling for forming the imagination and helping us to “escape into reality.” We discussed the hunger so many readers have for stories that are timeless rather than relevant to the current moment and Sam also shared about the writing process for co-authoring his newest series with his son. Sam is such a warm and engaging guest and you’re going to love getting to know him. So grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 183: Rethinking the Ethics of Modern Sex with Christine Emba
Oct 12, 2022
The sexual revolution was supposed to usher in a whole new world of freedom for women. Now, decades later, did it offer us what it promised? Christine Emba is examining just that question. Are women happy with the current dating landscape? Are they having lots of fantastic casual sex? According to Christine’s new book, Rethinking Sex, it seems the answer is no. Young women are not thrilled with the dating landscape. They are frustrated and discouraged.
Christine went to Princeton and studied public and international affairs. She’s also a Catholic convert. Over time she discovered that she was so interested in exploring ideas and culture that she was drawn to a career in journalism–before long she was writing an opinion column at the Washington Post! Her new book is thought-provoking, sometimes depressing, and incredibly insightful. What’s wrong with the way we treat sex in our culture? What’s the way forward?
In this episode we talk about the #metoo movement helped to bring important conversations about consent to the forefront–but these conversations aren’t enough. We talk about how dehumanizing the current dating landscape is and how avoiding acknowledging the differences between men and women (including fertility and vulnerability to sexual assault and coercion) ends up harming women. We talk about the short story Cat Person that opened the door for conversations about bad sex and how common this experience is for women in our hookup culture. While our society isn’t excited about accepting Catholic teaching regarding human sexuality, we can find common ground in acknowledging that the current landscape is bad for women, they deserve better, and we must promote changes that respect the dignity of the human person. It’s a fascinating conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
If you love finding beautiful, quality products made by Catholic artisans, you’re going to love everything catholic .com They have hand-designed Catholic decor, toys and books for children as well as spiritual classics and great fiction for grownups.
Find what you need to live and grow in your faith at EverythingCatholic.com and use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your entire purchase!
Patreon!
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 182: Expanding the Vision for Your Life Through Coaching with Joseph Thompson
Sep 27, 2022
Have you ever just felt stuck? Not only do you not know what decisions to make in your life, but you’ve lost touch of what your vision for life even is? We’ve all been in that sludge of disorientation at some point. But how do you get clarity about what you want your life to look like and the path to get there? That’s what we invited Joseph Thompson on the show to chat about!
Joseph lives in Texas with his beautiful wife Helen, four daughters, and a new baby boy. He’s a Catholic convert and sometimes he writes poems. After years working in education, he’s now an Associate Partner with Novus Global and the Director of the Meta-Performance Institute. Joe is an executive coach. He helps people clarify a vision for their lives that thrills them.
In this episode we talk about how difficult it is to wipe the cobwebs from your mind so that you can even see what your vision for life is (and how coaching and getting someone else to ask you the right questions can help). Haley shared about some big life decisions she was facing and how working with Joe helped her think through them and understand which direction she wanted to go. We also discuss the tension between reality and the imagination we should cultivate for living a creative life. So often we can imagine all the things that might go badly–but what if we imagined the things that could go amazing? We also talk about how our Catholic faith informs the way we think about coaching, pursuing a vision for our lives, and the acceptance of suffering and discomfort. It’s a great conversation that will help you reflect on your vision for your own life! So grab a cup of tea (and maybe a pencil and paper to brainstorm?) and enjoy this episode.
It can be hard to find high quality products from Catholic makers online because of giant online stores like Amazon.
But, It’s time to change that.
Visit EverythingCatholic.com, your new one-stop-shop for quality Catholic gifts like jewelry, books, and more. Everything Catholic has partnered with their Catholic small business friends to make it easier to find gifts to help you live and grow in your faith.
Visit EverythingCatholic.com and use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your entire purchase!
Patreon!
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 181: What Makes a Great Children’s Book with Sarah Mackenzie
Sep 13, 2022
We’re back after our long summer break and we have a fantastic first guest of the season! Sarah Mackenzie is one of our favorite voices because of her joyful enthusiasm for good books (among other wonderful things). You may know her as the author of homeschooling classic Teaching from Rest or from her podcast Read Aloud Revival.
Sarah is a mom of six and recently, in addition to all her other good work, she started her own publishing house: Waxwing Books. Her first picture book A Little More Beautiful is available for pre-order and when you see it you’ll understand what a gift this new endeavor will be to all of us!
In this episode we talk about the good old dinosaur days of blogging, what makes a good picture book, what we think is wrong with a lot of children’s publishing, and why we’re so glad Sarah is writing children’s books. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
Sponsor: EverythingCatholic.com
If you’re tired of trying to find quality Catholic gifts only to come up short, there is now a one-stop-shop for all your Catholic gift-giving needs: EverythingCatholic.com
Shop religious art, devotionals and sacramentals, home goods, candles, books, apparel, jewelry and gifts for babies and kids—all made by American-based Catholic artisans and makers.
Find that perfect gift you’ve been looking for at Everything Catholic dot com. Use code “CARROTS” at checkout for 15% off your order.
Patreon!
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 180: Seeing the Reality of Gender and Feminism with Dr. Abigail Favale
May 24, 2022
There is so much confusion about feminism. Can Catholics be feminists? Is feminism all that’s wrong with everything in the world? What does feminism even mean? And there’s no need to mention that gender is a hot button issue these days. So do we listen to the nostalgic about the 1950s crowd? Do we listen to Simone de Beauvoir? Well, we think you should listen to Dr. Abigail Favale.
Dr. Favale is a mother of three and a professor, writer, and speaker. She is the Dean of Humanities and Professor of English at George Fox University. Her conversion memoir, Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion, traces her journey from postmodern feminism to Roman Catholicism. These days her primary focus is articulating the beauty and wisdom of Catholic teaching on sexuality, gender, and the body. Her newest book, The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory is the book we’ve all been waiting for.
In this episode Dr. Favale shares about a way forward for Catholic feminism, how the incarnational nature of our faith should inform our understanding of gender and our bodies as gift, and so much more. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
If you’re looking for good summer reading, visit Ignatius.com. There you’ll find spiritual reading, memoirs, and biographies, as well as novels, historical fiction, mysteries, and more. For a limited time, use code FOCSUMMER to get 25% off the list price on select Ignatius Press titles by and about brilliant women, including new books “The Genesis of Gender” by Dr. Abigail Favale, and “Sigrid Undset: Reader of Hearts” by Aidan Nichols, as well as books by Gertrud von le Fort, Sally Read, Marly Youmans, and more! The full list of on-sale titles and more details can be found here: https://mailchi.mp/ignatius/fountains-of-carrots-summer-reading-special
You’ll also want to make sure you’re following Ignatius Press on Instagram or Facebook to get details about their upcoming Summer Reading Challenge for Kids.
England Trip!
WE ARE GOING TO ENGLAND in June and we want you to come with us!
If you register in the month of May you’ll get $250 off your trip!
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 179: Lessons from the Marian Heart with Fr. Ryan Higdon
May 10, 2022
What should we talk about during Mary’s month of May just after Mother’s Day? Well, Our Lady, of course! In this episode we’re chatting with Haley’s pastor, Fr. Ryan Higdon of St. Louis parish in Waco, TX. He is a beer and scotch enthusiast who loves camping, hiking, and running marathons. He’s a wonderful spiritual father and Haley’s so sad to leave his parish when she moves this summer!
In this episode Fr. Ryan shares about ways that Mary has shown up in his life. We talk about going to Mary and learning to follow her to Jesus, practical advice on praying with Our Lady, and finding solace in our relationship with Mary when we’re struggling in our vocation as we all do sometimes. We know you’ll love this conversation so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!
Sponsor: OSV’s Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children
Bring your family to Jesus through Mary with Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Featuring a traditional 33-day preparation for consecration, this book is written and beautifully illustrated to help children ages 3-7 to understand and grow in faith and Marian devotion. Each day includes an image of Mary, a short reflection, and discussion questions to spark faith-filled conversations. Supplementary material for parents helps you lead your family through preparation for the consecration at a pace that works for you. Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children combines magnificent, original Marian art and simple, child-accessible text to immerse your entire family in Mary’s love and care.
Use this book to place your whole family in the care of our Blessed Mother, allowing her to bring each of you closer to Jesus.
Do you love FoC and want to help us keep doing what we’re doing (and more!)? Well, we have just the thing for you!
Head on over to support the podcast as a patron and get access to special episodes available exclusively to patrons as well as to the FoC Slack community! You’ll also have access to our patron book clubs and receive a cute sticker in the mail from us. So join today!
Come hang out with us!
Haven’t joined in on the fun with 4,900+ other FoC listeners in our facebook group? It’s your direct line to some fantastic folks who also care about faith, culture, books, and whatever our current masterpiece theatre craze might be! Join in with the link below.
You can listen to us on iTunes, and we’d love a quick rating or review. If you have an android device we’re also on Stitcher. And as always, you can find all links, show notes, upcoming guests, and listen to all episodes at Fountains of Carrots.com.
FoC 178: Preventing Meltdown May with Elizabeth Nava
Apr 26, 2022
Ah, Meltdown May–the season when schedules, stress, and big transitions result in upheaval in our hearts, homes, and even Instagram. In this episode we’re talking with our good friend Elizabeth Nava about how to avoid Meltdown May, navigate social media, take charge of our own screen time, and more! Elizabeth is a Notre Dame grad … Continue reading FoC 178: Preventing Meltdown May with Elizabeth Nava →
FoC 177: The Scandal of Holiness in Literature with Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson
Apr 05, 2022
What can good literature teach us? Can it show us how to be holy? Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson thinks so. In this episode we’re talking about how literary “saints” can show us what holiness looks like and how scandalous holiness appears to a world that can’t comprehend it. We’ve been bigs fans of Jessica for … Continue reading FoC 177: The Scandal of Holiness in Literature with Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson →
FoC: Bonus Episode – Let Jane Austen Be Your Life Coach – Haley’s New Book is Out Today!
Mar 25, 2022
FoC 176: Eden Invitation and Ministering to Beloved Souls with Shannon Ochoa
Mar 22, 2022
How can found our identity in being loved by God? How do we remember that we are an unrepeatable soul that is precious to our Heavenly Father? Shannon Ochoa is here to help! Shannon serves as Co-Founder and Director of Community Care for Eden Invitation – a movement for young adult Catholics and Christians with experiences … Continue reading FoC 176: Eden Invitation and Ministering to Beloved Souls with Shannon Ochoa →
FoC 175: Answering Modernism with the Sacramental Worldview with Fr. Harrison Ayre
Mar 08, 2022
We’re excited to have one of our favorite guests return to the show today: Fr. Harrison Ayre! Fr. Harrison was born and raised near Vancouver, BC. During his time at university studying philosophy, he had a profound conversion experience that brought him to live for and with Christ. Ordained a priest in 2015, he has … Continue reading FoC 175: Answering Modernism with the Sacramental Worldview with Fr. Harrison Ayre →
FoC 174: Sharing the Richness of Black Catholic Experience with the Church with Shannon Wimp Schmidt
Feb 22, 2022
We’re thrilled to have our friend Shannon Wimp Schmidt on the podcast today! Shannon is a pastoral minister, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and co-author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s from Ave Maria Press. She is also a founding board member of Catholics United for Black Lives, a not-for-profit organization which advocates for racial … Continue reading FoC 174: Sharing the Richness of Black Catholic Experience with the Church with Shannon Wimp Schmidt →
FoC 173: The Newly Catholic Life and Lent in 2022 with Tsh Oxenreider
Feb 08, 2022
Before we dive into today’s episode, we wanted to remind you that it’s time to sign up for our summer bookish pilgrimage to England! And if your registration and deposit are received by February 18th, you’ll get $350 off the trip! Check out the details here and give us a holler if you have any … Continue reading FoC 173: The Newly Catholic Life and Lent in 2022 with Tsh Oxenreider →
FoC 172: Aggressively Happy with Joy Clarkson
Jan 25, 2022
Maybe, like Haley and Christy, your family is recovering from Covid. Maybe January hasn’t turned out how you hoped in one way or another. Maybe all the things that are going very wrong make it hard to find joy. Is it possible to cultivate happiness in times such as these? Our guest today, Dr. Joy … Continue reading FoC 172: Aggressively Happy with Joy Clarkson →
FoC 171: Attitudes For Where We Are and Where We’re Going
Jan 11, 2022
Welcome to a new year here on the podcast! We’re so glad you’re still listening to us as we enter our geriatric podcaster seventh year! We’ve been doing this a long time, but only because we’ve had such fantastic listeners, and today it’s just us as we share some updates and thoughts on creating attitudes … Continue reading FoC 171: Attitudes For Where We Are and Where We’re Going →
Foc 170: Meeting The Medieval English Mystics with Dr. Grace Hamman
Dec 21, 2021
Today we’re talking about the English medieval contemplative writers: Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, Walter Hilton, and Richard Rolle! It might sound like an unusual topic, but we think you’re going to find these figures incredibly relatable. They lived during a time of plague and the sought to communicate the love and mercy of God. … Continue reading Foc 170: Meeting The Medieval English Mystics with Dr. Grace Hamman →
FoC 169: What Science Says About Our Kids Keeping the Faith with Dr. Amy Adamczyk
Dec 07, 2021
Many Catholic parents wonder, will our kids stay Catholic? How likely is it that faith can be handed down to the next generation? Are certain parenting methods more or less effective in raising children who will practice faith when they are grown? What practices matter and how much influence do parents have? Dr. Amy Adamczyk … Continue reading FoC 169: What Science Says About Our Kids Keeping the Faith with Dr. Amy Adamczyk →
FoC 168: A Hopeful Way Forward for Racial Reconciliation with Chenele Shaw
Nov 23, 2021
What can we do as Catholic laypeople to end racism and support our Catholic brothers and sisters of color? Chenele Shaw asked just that questioned and started her own non profit, The Before Gethsemane Initiative, which seeks to educate on difficult topics with an authentically Catholic understanding of the inherent dignity of the human person. … Continue reading FoC 168: A Hopeful Way Forward for Racial Reconciliation with Chenele Shaw →
FoC 167: Connected In The Body of Christ with Fr. Josh Johnson
Nov 09, 2021
Catholic social teaching is an important part of our Catholic faith–but do most of us have a sense of how its all connected rather than simply know about certain key issues? We need to understand the scriptural and magesterial foundation for how we care for vulnerable people, the essential demands of charity and justice, care … Continue reading FoC 167: Connected In The Body of Christ with Fr. Josh Johnson →
FoC 166: The Beauty of St. John Henry Newman’s Spirituality with Dr. Bud Marr
Oct 26, 2021
St. John Henry Newman is one of the Catholic Church’s newest canonized saints but he’s been a huge theological figure for ages due to his brilliant writing and high profile conversion from the Church of England to Rome. What makes this saint extraordinary and what can we learn about his writings that can help us … Continue reading FoC 166: The Beauty of St. John Henry Newman’s Spirituality with Dr. Bud Marr →
FoC 165: Living a Life of Joy as a Special Needs Parent with Kelly Mantoan
Oct 12, 2021
When a huge crisis hits like a devastating medical diagnosis for your child–how do you go on? Is it possible not only to live through this kind of suffering but to truly embrace your life with joy? In her brand new book, Kelly Mantoan shares her story as a mother with two sons who have … Continue reading FoC 165: Living a Life of Joy as a Special Needs Parent with Kelly Mantoan →
FoC 164: What It’s Like To Live the Dream of Owning a Bookshop with Alison Frenzel
Sep 28, 2021
FoC 163: Meeting New Saints Who Struggled Just Like You with Meg Hunter-Kilmer
Sep 14, 2021
The saints are one of the best things about being Catholic. But often, we think of the saints as cardboard cutouts and not real people who were very human, often messy, and struggling just like us. What if we all had friends in heaven that we found completely relatable because of their situation in life, … Continue reading FoC 163: Meeting New Saints Who Struggled Just Like You with Meg Hunter-Kilmer →
FoC 162: What To Do When You’re Drowning with Sally Clarkson
Aug 31, 2021
Do the storms of life ever catch you by surprise? We often navigate our days expecting smooth sailing and are unprepared for the storms that inevitably arise. None of us could have anticipated how stormy the past two years have been, of course! But have they been even harder because we anticipate ease in our … Continue reading FoC 162: What To Do When You’re Drowning with Sally Clarkson →
FoC 161: Finding Bouquets of Freshly Sharpened Pencils in an Imperfect World with Laura Kelly Fanucci
Aug 17, 2021
FoC: Breaking News! We’re Going to England and You’re Coming Too!
Jul 06, 2021
We’ve got big news! We’re going to England next year on a bookish pilgrimage! We’ve created the perfect tour of all the English sites of our dreams! We’re going to be going with Select International as they’ve allowed us to craft this tour of dreams for you to just hop aboard with us! (Have I … Continue reading FoC: Breaking News! We’re Going to England and You’re Coming Too! →
FoC 160: The Surprising Science of Being a Mom with Abigail Tucker
Jun 29, 2021
Becoming a mom is an experience that changes you. Everyone knows this. But what exactly happens to women as they become mothers? New York Times bestselling author Abigail Tucker dives into what actually happens to our brains, how they change, and what it means for us in her new book Mom Genes: Inside the New … Continue reading FoC 160: The Surprising Science of Being a Mom with Abigail Tucker →
FoC 159: Vulnerable Bodies And Our Need For Each Other with Leah Libresco Sargeant
Jun 15, 2021
Leah Libresco Sargeant is one of our favorite Catholic voices. She is wise, insightful, and unfailingly kind. Leah is wife to Alex, mum to the lovely young Beatrice, author of Arriving at Amen and Building the Benedict Option, and contributing editor of Plough Quarterly–one of the finest Christian publications available these days. In this episode … Continue reading FoC 159: Vulnerable Bodies And Our Need For Each Other with Leah Libresco Sargeant →
FoC 158: Discernment in Real Life: From Music Careers to Romance with Amanda Vernon
Jun 01, 2021
Today on the show we’re thrilled to have Amanda Vernon as our guest. Amanda Vernon is a full-time recording artist and author who shares the joy of knowing Christ through testimony and song. She has shared her music and message across the U.S. and in six foreign countries. Amanda co-authored the memoir When God Wrecks Your … Continue reading FoC 158: Discernment in Real Life: From Music Careers to Romance with Amanda Vernon →
FoC 157: Elizabeth Anscombe: Philosopher, Mom, and Upending the Motherhood Narrative with Dr. Jennifer Frey
May 18, 2021
FoC 156: Mourning Together in the Midst of Isolation with Rakhi McCormick
May 04, 2021
It’s been the worst of both worlds lately. We are all carrying extra grief due to the loss of loved ones, friends, and our pre-pandemic way of life. Whether people or dreams that we’ve lost, we’re mourning. And yet, all our normal mourning rituals have been disrupted due the the nature of this crisis. We … Continue reading FoC 156: Mourning Together in the Midst of Isolation with Rakhi McCormick →
FoC 155: Answering New Ageism: The Draw of Spirituality Without Religion with Matt Nelson
Apr 20, 2021
Why is New Age spirituality so appealing to millennials (and other generations!)? What is it about human beings that makes us wired for spirituality and a desire to know that we are significant in the universe–even when we reject religious faith? We’re chatting about everything from looking to the stars for meaning to looking to … Continue reading FoC 155: Answering New Ageism: The Draw of Spirituality Without Religion with Matt Nelson →
FoC 154: Intentional Fatherhood, Vocation, and Gilbert Blythe with Tyler Blanski
Apr 06, 2021
What makes Gilbert Blythe the ultimate literary husband and father? How can we treat our vocations with more intentionality and commitment? Why are there so many resources for Catholic moms and not Catholic dads? All this AND the world’s cutest love story coming your way in today’s episode of the podcast! We are so pleased … Continue reading FoC 154: Intentional Fatherhood, Vocation, and Gilbert Blythe with Tyler Blanski →
FoC 153: Through the Wilderness to Conversion with Meg Tietz
Mar 23, 2021
As we prepare for Holy Week, we thought it was just the right time to be inspired by a conversion story. And since we’ve been itching to have our friend Meg Tietz on the show for ages, we asked if she could share her family’s beautiful story of conversion for you this week! Meg is … Continue reading FoC 153: Through the Wilderness to Conversion with Meg Tietz →
Foc 152: Purity Culture, Shame, and Living in the Light of Grace with Rachel Bulman
Mar 09, 2021
We are thrilled to be joined by the lovely Rachel Bulman to talk about the weird trend of the 90s that we were all influenced by: purity culture. Rachel wrote a wonderful piece for the Word on Fire blog recently about purity culture’s failings and the importance of understanding a richer view of the human … Continue reading Foc 152: Purity Culture, Shame, and Living in the Light of Grace with Rachel Bulman →
FoC 151: Finding New Life Through Momento Mori with Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble
Feb 23, 2021
FoC 150: Your Style and the Theology of the Body with Lillian Fallon
Feb 09, 2021
Is it possible to think about personal style through a theological lens? Lillian Fallon thinks so. We love following Lillian’s Instagram account and writing on style and theology (and her outfits are fabulous, too). So we asked her to join us for a conversation about clothes, self-expression, and honoring the bodies God gave us. Lillian … Continue reading FoC 150: Your Style and the Theology of the Body with Lillian Fallon →
FoC 149: The Life and Faith of Nicholas Black Elk with Dr. Damian Costello
Jan 26, 2021
For a couple of years, we’ve been fascinated by the story of Servant of God Nicholas Black Elk, a Lakota holy man and Catholic convert and catechist. We’ve wanted to learn more about this intriguing figure and we’re thrilled to have the chance to talk to Dr. Damian Costello about his incredible life and legacy. … Continue reading FoC 149: The Life and Faith of Nicholas Black Elk with Dr. Damian Costello →
FoC 148: Navigating Life’s Storms Without Sinking with Hallie Lord
Jan 12, 2021
We are kicking off the 2021 season of the podcast with our friend and yours, Hallie Lord! Hallie is a speaker, co-founder of The Edel Gathering, a devoted Sephora fan, author of upcoming book Falling Home: Creating a Life That Catches You When You Fall, beloved radio show host, and mom of 8. She’s also … Continue reading FoC 148: Navigating Life’s Storms Without Sinking with Hallie Lord →
FoC 147: Men and Women CAN be Friends According to C.S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers with Gina Dalfonzo
Dec 15, 2020
We’re chatting with Gina Dalfonzo today about the friendship between two of our favorite literary figures, Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis. Because Sayers wasn’t officially part of the Inklings–the literary group of friends that included Lewis, Tolkien, and Charles Williams–her friendship with Lewis isn’t as celebrated as it should be. But their mutual respect, … Continue reading FoC 147: Men and Women CAN be Friends According to C.S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers with Gina Dalfonzo →
FoC 146: Learning to Love Scripture Through Mary and the Magnificat with Sonja Corbitt
Dec 01, 2020
A blessed Advent to you and yours! We are talking about a very Advent-y subject: Our Lady’s Magnificat in this episode. We’re joined by the wonderful Sonja Corbitt to discuss her new book, Exalted. Sonja is the Bible Study Evangelista and creator of “the best modernization of lectio,” the LOVE the Word® Bible study method … Continue reading FoC 146: Learning to Love Scripture Through Mary and the Magnificat with Sonja Corbitt →
FoC 145: Intentional Living in Times of Chaos with Tsh Oxenreider
Nov 17, 2020
How do we order our lives? How do we find order when living in tumultuous times? Is that even possible? Today we’re chatting with the lovely Tsh Oxenreider about what it means to live intentionally in 2020. Tsh lives with her husband Kyle and three kids in central Texas. Her blog and her first podcast … Continue reading FoC 145: Intentional Living in Times of Chaos with Tsh Oxenreider →
FoC 144: Why Black Catholic Culture Matters with Dr. Ansel Augustine
Nov 03, 2020
A few months ago we saw a powerful video about the legacy of faith of Black Catholics in New Orleans featuring Dr. Ansel Augustine. Ever since we’ve wanted a chance to interview Dr. Augustine and dive a little deeper in the rich history of Black Catholic faith and culture. This year has highlighted the injustice … Continue reading FoC 144: Why Black Catholic Culture Matters with Dr. Ansel Augustine →
FoC 143: We Change Your Mind About Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park with Joy Clarkson
Oct 20, 2020
Well, friends, we’ve been delighted by conversations with the lovely Sarah Clarkson and the lovely Sally Clarkson and today, at long last, we’re chatting with the youngest Clarkson gal, Joy Clarkson! Joy is a PhD candidate in theology at St. Andrews University and we’re so glad that she finished writing her dissertation and is back … Continue reading FoC 143: We Change Your Mind About Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park with Joy Clarkson →
FoC 142: Expanding the Catholic Literary Imagination with Sergio Bermudez
Oct 06, 2020
If you’ve been listening to the podcast for awhile, you know how much we love to talk about literature and the Catholic imagination. However, we find that we’re often coming back to the same handful of Catholic novelists and we wanted to talk to our friend Sergio Bermudez about expanding the Catholic literary canon and … Continue reading FoC 142: Expanding the Catholic Literary Imagination with Sergio Bermudez →
FoC 140: Diving Into Catholic Social Teaching with the Female Saints Part 2 with Karianna Frey
Sep 08, 2020
FoC 136: What Death Tells Us About Life with Dr. Scott Hahn
Jun 23, 2020
In today’s episode, we’re talking with Dr. Scott Hahn, renowned speaker, professor, and best selling author of many wonderful books including Rome Sweet Home and The Lamb’s Supper. Dr. Hahn is also the founder and director of the St. Paul Center and he has a new book out, co-authored by our friend and yours, Emily … Continue reading FoC 136: What Death Tells Us About Life with Dr. Scott Hahn →
FoC 135: A Political Way Forward For Christians with Amar Patel
Jun 16, 2020
How are we, as Christians, called to participate in politics? How does our faith inform our vote? How do we find a way forward when the two-party American system leaves us without options that line up with the Gospel? These are the questions a lot of us are wrestling with–now more than ever. In today’s … Continue reading FoC 135: A Political Way Forward For Christians with Amar Patel →
FoC 134: Discerning Balance Not Overcommitment with Rachel Balducci
Jun 09, 2020
We’re so excited to share this wonderful conversation with our friend and yours, Rachel Balducci, about overcommitment, vocation, and balance in your life! But before we introduce Rachel and share the details of what we talked about in this episode, we wanted to let you know that this isn’t the episode we planned to release … Continue reading FoC 134: Discerning Balance Not Overcommitment with Rachel Balducci →
FoC 133: Looking Ahead With Active Positivity with Gracy Olmstead
May 26, 2020
We are really excited to share this conversation with the fabulous Gracy Olmstead today! This has been such a challenging couple of months and sometimes it helps process this season by framing things in a different light. While we do not want to be Pollyanna-ish over a global crisis (nobody needs that!) we wanted to … Continue reading FoC 133: Looking Ahead With Active Positivity with Gracy Olmstead →
FoC 132: Tackling Hot Button Topics with Calm and Clarity with Brandon Vogt
May 12, 2020
Today on the podcast we’re chatting with one of our favorite folks: Brandon Vogt. After hearing over and over again about how many Catholics feel uncomfortable in conversations where they might have to explain Church teaching (especially to someone outside the faith), Brandon wrote a book called What to Say and How to Say It. … Continue reading FoC 132: Tackling Hot Button Topics with Calm and Clarity with Brandon Vogt →
FoC 131: Dealing With Disappointment and Little Steps to Choosing Joy with Claire Swinarski
Apr 28, 2020
Struggling with the up and downs and disappointments of life in, ahem, our current situation? We are, too. So we called a friend to talk about it. The founder of the well-known Catholic Feminist Podcast, Claire Swinarski joins us on this episode! Claire is the author of multiple books, including What Happens Next (available for … Continue reading FoC 131: Dealing With Disappointment and Little Steps to Choosing Joy with Claire Swinarski →
FoC 130: When Art Saves Our Faith: In the Past and Today with Elizabeth Lev
Apr 14, 2020
We have a treat for you today while we’re all waiting out this pandemic. We’re talking about beauty, art, and faith with Dr. Elizabeth Lev. Liz holds degrees in art history from the University of Chicago and the University of Bologna. She teaches art history at Duquesne University’s Italian campus and she has served as … Continue reading FoC 130: When Art Saves Our Faith: In the Past and Today with Elizabeth Lev →
FoC 129: Finding Your Blue Flame in Challenging Times with Jennifer Fulwiler
Mar 31, 2020
Today we’re talking with our friend and yours, Jennifer Fulwiler. She’s a mother of 6, author of bestsellers, daily radio show host on Sirius XM, and in her plentiful free time she tours nationally doing stand up comedy. Jen lives in Austin, TX and has a new book available for pre-order titled Your Blue Flame: … Continue reading FoC 129: Finding Your Blue Flame in Challenging Times with Jennifer Fulwiler →
Bonus Episode: We’re All Stuck At Home Together
Mar 21, 2020
We’ve never done a bonus episode. But we couldn’t imagine just moving forward with our regular programming before connecting with you over the pandemic we’re facing. This episode is basically a brain dump of what we’re thinking and feeling, what’s working for us, and perspectives we think will be helpful. We’re scared and anxious like … Continue reading Bonus Episode: We’re All Stuck At Home Together →
FoC 128: Creating Daily Rituals and Making Mental Space with Anne Bogel
Mar 17, 2020
Since recording this episode, a lot has happened. But we think this will be a good listen if you want to get your mind off of the pandemic and talk books, rituals, and how to not overthink, well, everything. In fact, some good rituals may be exactly what we all need to help get us … Continue reading FoC 128: Creating Daily Rituals and Making Mental Space with Anne Bogel →
FoC 127: Thinking About Death with Hope Not Fear with Fr. Harrison Ayre
Mar 03, 2020
It’s Lent! And it looks like there’s a global pandemic coming our way! So we are getting very memento mori in today’s episode. We’re talking with Fr. Harrison Ayre, our very first Canadian guest, about (dun dun dun) death. We know Fr. Harrison from his great presence on Twitter, but he has more important things … Continue reading FoC 127: Thinking About Death with Hope Not Fear with Fr. Harrison Ayre →
FoC 126: Why Catholics Need to Care About Racism with Gloria Purvis
Feb 18, 2020
In today’s episode we are diving in to an important topic that makes a lot of people uncomfortable to talk about: racism. Racism is not merely a political talking point, it’s an evil condemned by the Church. Our political narrative would have you believe that fighting abortion is for the right and fighting racism is … Continue reading FoC 126: Why Catholics Need to Care About Racism with Gloria Purvis →
FoC 125: Postpartum Truths for the Whole Person with Allison Auth
Feb 04, 2020
There are oodles of resources for pregnancy and caring for babies but caring for ourselves post partum–or even knowing what to expect post partum!–is another story. Hormonal changes plus sleep deprivation, stress, and feelings of isolation would make anyone feel overwhelmed but we often beat ourselves up over our emotions and struggles post partum rather … Continue reading FoC 125: Postpartum Truths for the Whole Person with Allison Auth →
FoC 124: Waking Up From Disordered Attachments with Seth Haines
Jan 21, 2020
The psychology of addiction is fascinating. What makes us reach for the things that we’re addicted to? Maybe we’re not addicted to heroin but do we have disordered attachments? When pain hits us as stress or emotional trauma do we reach for that glass of wine, binge a show on Netflix, or refresh those social … Continue reading FoC 124: Waking Up From Disordered Attachments with Seth Haines →
FoC 123: Bringing Beauty to the World Through the Beauty of Home with Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering
Jan 07, 2020
FoC 122: The Reed of God: Embracing the Dark Secret of Advent
Dec 10, 2019
It’s Advent! Since we’ve already released episodes about Advent music and how we observe Advent in our homes, we decided to talk about the spiritual journey of Advent inspired by one of our favorite books of all time, The Reed of God by 20th century British Catholic and spiritual writer, Caryll Houselander. We’re sharing in … Continue reading FoC 122: The Reed of God: Embracing the Dark Secret of Advent →
FoC 121: The Real Live Deep Dive on Anne of Green Gables
Nov 26, 2019
Welcome to our FIRST EVER live recording of the podcast! That’s right, Haley and Christy–usually separated by a few thousand miles–were together in the flesh at the FoC Raspberry Cordial Catholic Literary Gathering and we recorded with an audience with dear friend and fellow Anne-phile, Meg Hunter-Kilmer. For those of you who couldn’t be there … Continue reading FoC 121: The Real Live Deep Dive on Anne of Green Gables →
FoC 120: Making Mary Your Real Life Mom with Katie Prejean McGrady
Nov 12, 2019
Can you believe that after five years of podcasting, we’ve never had a whole episode about Our Lady? But we knew exactly who to have on for this discussion: our friend Katie Prejean McGrady! Katie graduated from the University of Dallas but now lives in Louisiana where she is wife to Tommy and mom to … Continue reading FoC 120: Making Mary Your Real Life Mom with Katie Prejean McGrady →
FoC 119: The Latin Mass: Answering All the Questions You Were Too Afraid to Ask with Zac Mabry
Oct 29, 2019
FoC 118: When Crisis Hits Can Faith and Family Survive? with Kathryn Whitaker
Oct 15, 2019
[powepress] Haley may live in Texas but her Texas cred can’t hold a candle to today’s guest’s! Kathryn Whitaker, a graphic designer, voice behind the popular blog Team Whitaker, speaker, author, and VERY Texan mama is here to talk about the life experiences that inspired her new book, Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with … Continue reading FoC 118: When Crisis Hits Can Faith and Family Survive? with Kathryn Whitaker →
FoC 117: Brain Tumors, Prayer, and Being A Catholic Celebrity Whether You Like It Or Not with Jeannie Gaffigan
Oct 01, 2019
FoC 115: The Quirky and Wonderful Hildegard with Emily Stimpson Chapman
Sep 03, 2019
We’re back from our summer break with a brand new episode! And we have a HUGE announcement to make. We’re holding a Fountains of Carrots meetup/soiree/shindig this November in Waco, TX featuring none other than our favorite Anne of Green Gables! It’s called the Raspberry Cordial Catholic Literary Gathering and we want you to come! … Continue reading FoC 115: The Quirky and Wonderful Hildegard with Emily Stimpson Chapman →
FoC 114: Bringing Creative Inspiration to Children’s Art with Demi
Jun 25, 2019
Demi’s children’s books are at the very top of our list of favorites. We were thrilled when her latest picture book on Mozart was released and may or may not have begged her publisher for an interview. Because we love her. And much to our surprise, she agreed to talk with us! We tried not … Continue reading FoC 114: Bringing Creative Inspiration to Children’s Art with Demi →
FoC 113: Does a Wife in the Attic Make Your Marriage Invalid? And Other Jane Eyre Questions with Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
Jun 11, 2019
FoC 112: Fighting Perfectionism with Holiness with Colleen Carroll Campbell
May 28, 2019
Colleen Carroll Campbell is a journalist, former presidential speech writer, author, speaker, wife, and mother of four. Her new book, The Heart of Perfection, brings the common struggle against perfectionism to light by offering personal stories and wisdom from the lives of the saints who were recovering perfectionists. Today we chatted with Colleen about the … Continue reading FoC 112: Fighting Perfectionism with Holiness with Colleen Carroll Campbell →
FoC 111: Brave Enough to Give Up Control with Mary Lenaburg
May 14, 2019
The moment we met (in real life) today’s guest, Mary Lenaburg, hugs abounded. After following Mary and her beautiful story for years, we felt like she was already a dear friend. After you hear today’s episode, you’ll feel like you know her, too. She’s just that wonderful. Mary is a speaker, author, wife, and mother … Continue reading FoC 111: Brave Enough to Give Up Control with Mary Lenaburg →
FoC 110: Getting to Heaven One Pair of Pants at a Time with Blythe Fike
Apr 30, 2019
Blythe Fike is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. We love any chance to chat (and laugh) with Blythe. By the end of this episode you’ll want her to be your life coach, I promise. (She’s not a life coach, you’ll just wish she was, and that she was taking on new clients, … Continue reading FoC 110: Getting to Heaven One Pair of Pants at a Time with Blythe Fike →
FoC 109: The Busy Gal’s Guide to Walking Through Holy Week
Apr 16, 2019
It’s Holy Week and we’re here to talk about how we do it. Now that we’ve all survived Palm Sunday Mass (AKA “stop poking your sibling with that palm during the LONG reading of the Passion, the palm is NOT a sword”) it’s time to really dive into this week that prepares us for Easter. … Continue reading FoC 109: The Busy Gal’s Guide to Walking Through Holy Week →
FoC 108: Made for Communion, Not Hookups with Tim O’Malley
Apr 02, 2019
Links to books in these notes are Amazon affiliate links. We live in a hookup culture that fears authentic intimacy above all else. What kind of problems does that cause in marriage? And how can sacramental marriage heal those wounds? That’s what we’re talking about in this episode with Dr. Timothy O’Malley, author of Off … Continue reading FoC 108: Made for Communion, Not Hookups with Tim O’Malley →
FoC 107: Bringing Catholic Feminism to a Dehumanizing Economy with Samantha Povlock
Mar 19, 2019
Can a Catholic be a feminist? What does a Catholic feminism look like? We’re tackling some of these big questions in this episode with the wonderful Samantha Povlock. Samantha is a Catholic mom and Notre Dame grad working in project management in downtown Chicago. She’s also the founder of the popular online community FemCatholic. The … Continue reading FoC 107: Bringing Catholic Feminism to a Dehumanizing Economy with Samantha Povlock →
FoC 106: Lent With Tolkien: A Literary Look at the Journey of Lent with Kaitlyn Facista
Mar 05, 2019
FoC 105: Our Marriage Advice: All the Tough Stuff With None of the Romance
Feb 19, 2019
Every so often we like to do an episode with just the two of us to answer some of the questions we get frequently from listeners. Today we’re covering….drumroll….MARRIAGE! It was Valentine’s Day when we recorded and considering how we are indeed the queens of romance (har har) we got to talking about love, marriage, … Continue reading FoC 105: Our Marriage Advice: All the Tough Stuff With None of the Romance →
FoC 104: A Revitalized Church in An Uncertain Time with Brandon McGinley
Feb 05, 2019
After reading an inspiring piece by Brandon McGinley about a vision for the future of the Church, we knew we needed to have him back on the podcast to unpack some of those ideas. Brandon is editor of EWTN publishing and he also put together a great book about Catholic fatherhood titled The Joys and Challenges of … Continue reading FoC 104: A Revitalized Church in An Uncertain Time with Brandon McGinley →
FoC 103: Feminism and Gender through the Eyes of Church Theology with Dr. Abigail Favale
Jan 22, 2019
FoC 101: Pieper for the People; Real Festivity in a Hallmark World with Bo Bonner
Dec 11, 2018
It’s almost Christmas, one of the great festivals of Christianity, so in this episode we tackle festivity. Haley just finished a book on the topic by the fabulous Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper and is now on a Pieper kick. When we were thinking about Pieper aficionados who could make philosophy a lot of fun to … Continue reading FoC 101: Pieper for the People; Real Festivity in a Hallmark World with Bo Bonner →
FoC 100: Living Liturgically Like A Boss with Kendra Tierney
Nov 27, 2018
Over the past couple of months there has been an outcry. An outcry for Kendra Tierney to join us on the podcast and talk liturgical living and her new book: The Catholic All Year Compendium! Kendra is known as “The Liturgical Living Queen.” Okay, maybe that’s just what we call her. She is the voice … Continue reading FoC 100: Living Liturgically Like A Boss with Kendra Tierney →
FoC 099: Our Honest Take on Homeschooling: Without all the Sunshine and Rainbows
Nov 13, 2018
Every so often we like to do an episode with just the two of us to answer some of the questions we get frequently from listeners. Today we’re covering….drumroll….HOMESCHOOLING! We get asked all the time why we homeschool and what it looks like for our families so we wanted to dive in with some real … Continue reading FoC 099: Our Honest Take on Homeschooling: Without all the Sunshine and Rainbows →
FoC 098: The Lies We Tell Ourselves and The Goodness of Our Bodies with Amanda Martinez Beck
Oct 30, 2018
FoC 097: Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset; It’s Complicated
Oct 16, 2018
Every so often we tell the listeners ahead of time about a great book we want to discuss and have a little FoC “book club.” This time it’s Gunnar’s Daughter by Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. You’ve probably heard us talk about how much we love Undset’s most famous work, Kristin Lavransdatter. But since Kristin is … Continue reading FoC 097: Gunnar’s Daughter by Sigrid Undset; It’s Complicated →
FoC 096: Rethinking the Benedict Option for Real Life Community with Leah Libresco Sargeant
Oct 02, 2018
FoC 095: Transformed by Story with Sarah Clarkson
Sep 18, 2018
As soon as we heard about her new release, Book Girl: A Journey through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life, we knew that we needed to have a conversation with kindred spirit, Sarah Clarkson. Sarah is a writer, wife, mom to her own wee book girl, and student of theology. She blogs … Continue reading FoC 095: Transformed by Story with Sarah Clarkson →
FoC 094: Living the Fullness of the Gospel Through the Grace of Enough
Sep 07, 2018
We usually don’t publish episodes on Fridays but this is a special edition because *drumroll* it’s launch day for Haley’s book! It’s been an 18 month process but The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture is finally HERE! We’re discussing some of the themes of Haley’s book that tells … Continue reading FoC 094: Living the Fullness of the Gospel Through the Grace of Enough →
FoC 093: Becoming Saints in a Time of Crisis with Meg Hunter-Kilmer
Sep 04, 2018
Our summer break and Haley’s maternity leave is over! (And Baby Hildie is safely here after a wild arrival.) We have many great episodes planned for the fall but we wanted to first address the clerical abuse crisis in the Church. It’s a very difficult topic, so we knew we would need just the … Continue reading FoC 093: Becoming Saints in a Time of Crisis with Meg Hunter-Kilmer →
FoC 092: Catholic Stuff for When You’re Freaking Out
Jul 24, 2018
It’s just Christy and Haley on today’s episode before we take our summer break (as Haley stares down the last few days of her pregnancy!). We chat about seasons or circumstances when we have felt helpless, how hard it is to know we’re not in control, and how experiencing helplessness can be good for us … Continue reading FoC 092: Catholic Stuff for When You’re Freaking Out →
FoC 091: Delving Into the Mind of a Catholic Novelist with Eleanor Bourg Nicholson
Jul 10, 2018
We’re thrilled to have Catholic novelist Eleanor Bourg Nicholson with us today discussing what makes Catholic creativity and writing so unique. Eleanor is a wife, homeschooling mother of four, director of religious education at her parish, former assistant editor at Dappled Things and the Saint Austin Review, has previously published a novella entitled The Letters of … Continue reading FoC 091: Delving Into the Mind of a Catholic Novelist with Eleanor Bourg Nicholson →