In this episode: challenges, end of the school year, house update, funny sayings, Hannah’s three wishes, David’s retreat, needs vs. wants, sequence, Mail Bag: Deacon Tom, Britt, Mary.

Links in this episode:

 Deacon Tom’s article with our picture in it
Sex in the Sacrament Podcast
Catholic Family Kids Episode #10 

Final Song: Davis Coen -  Since I Laid My Burden Down from the Podsafe Music

Visit our Website, Subscribe to our Podcast, call our comment line at 206-339-8993, email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com

 “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke, Chapter 15, Verse 20) 

Hello dear family and friends. Blessings from the ‘deke.’ That’s what one of my RCIA Adult Faith Class students used to call me: ‘deke!’ Her last name is Sweeney by the way – but she’s not related to the Sweeney’s of Catholic Family Podcast fame. At any rate – thanks for taking the time to read or skim this unusual sounding deacon’s column. What in the world do KFC Chicken and fathering have to do with one another? Here goes.

 We have just returned from a trip to the majesty and beauty of Colorado – our old stomping grounds. Thanks be to God, we sold our home back there… a truly bittersweet experience. On our return trip through the southwest, we stopped for a meal at KFC. Now I don’t often eat this food – it probably is not good for me. But like a junkie – I need a KFC ‘fix’ about two times a year. Our drive brought us to Cortez, Colorado, and on the outskirts of town, we stopped for an evening meal. 

A very large family gathering came in just after us – maybe upwards of fifteen folks. They ordered buckets of chicken and sides and drinks. A father and his son happened to sit in the booth directly behind my back – so I couldn’t help hearing parts of their conversation.

 At one point, the dad said to his young boy something like this, “You like the taste of that soft drink – but what you really need to do is drink lots of water. Young children need lots of water… water helps your roots so you can grow up to be tall and strong like a tree.” Wisdom of the ages – passed from a father. Okay – so we may discuss or quibble about whether they should be eating KFC fried foods or drinking pop at all. But the point that came to me was that simple wisdom of father mentoring a son. I wasn’t close enough to hear much of any conversation of the women as they sat with young girls – but I’d bet there was the wisdom of the ages happening over there at those tables.  Ever since I started listening to Catholic Family Podcast – I recognized a wholesome family dynamic at work. In David, there is the example of God the Father. The father loves and cares and leads. The young ones are raised in a setting that demonstrates what fatherhood really means. They will come to understand the love of a father even when dad has to say, “Luke – I love you… I don’t like what you did at all, but I love you.” And Luke Sweeney (or others raised in this model) will then come to understand that the Father may even have to mete out punishment for an improper action… Luke will come to understand consequences. Luke will come to understand growth. Look back at the recent podcast about how Luke was given guidance about taking small steps to become a man. The quote I placed at the beginning of this column is from another Luke – the Gospel writer who brought us so many examples of the love of a father… a love that helps to make a family into a unit of love and common vision. Now if we who know this – if we who intuit that this is true – if we could apply this model to all of our thinking… we wouldn’t have any fussing about the importance of the (male) shepherd in our parish as the father of the local flock. We’d also be able to see the importance of the bishop as the father of the ‘local church.’ And for sure, we’d be wise enough to see the beauty of Papa Benedict who recently brought such joy to we who understand that the Catholic Church is the ‘family of God’ and that B XVI is the earthly head of the family. None of this means an end to the importance of women in the family unit. Not at all. This eleventh of May will bring us Mother’s Day – God bless you dear mothers. The earthly Mother of Jesus must have touched the heart of the Gospel writer Luke. He is the only one who came to Mary and asked her for stories of the birth of her son and of the early years in that family. We know – we honor you mothers. But let us recognize and affirm the importance of fathering to the family according to God’s plans.  June 15^th will bring us Father’s Day. For Father’s Day – dads be at home. Be attentive. Be caring and loving. And help your offspring to understand the importance of water… the gift on earth of water… and the gift of eternal water – the water promised by Jesus.  Blessings.Deacon Tom @ www.deacontomonline.com

In this episode, David and Allyson interview Tarek Saab on his views of family life, marriage, and the most important thing young people contemplating marriage should know.

Visit Tarek Saab’s website at http://tsaab.com

Buy Tarek’s book, Gut Check: Confronting love, work & manhood in your TWENTIES at http://buygutcheck.com/

(more…)

In today’s episode, Allyson and David give you a sound-seeing tour of the recent dedication of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Houston Texas. You’ll learn about the rite of dedication and many other interesting tidbits.  The music was AWESOME!

Archdiocese’s Co-Cathedral website:

http://www.diogh.org/cocathedral/dedication/index.htm

Local ABC affiliate that has video of the dedication:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6053988

email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com, or call the comment line: 206-339-8993

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“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

 I get a sense of this when I listen to the Catholic Family Podcasts over time. It’s good doses of Vitamins C & F for Catholic and Family! Thanks you guys! Blessings. Deacon Tomwww.deacontomonline.com 

In this episode; Easter servers, tired ministers, Clue opinions, burning holy oils, and LOTS of feedback. Contact us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com or call the comment line at 206-339-8993.

Links in this episode:

• U.S. Conference Statement on Washing of the Feet
• Response to the USCCB statement on the Washing of the Feet
• Catholic Liturgical Library entry on Washing of the Feet
• Wikipedia’s entry on the Sacrarium
• Disposing of Holy Oils
• Who can receive Eucharist?

William Neil
“Jesus Christ is Risen Today” (mp3)
from “He Is Risen! - Favorite Hymns of the Easter Season”
(MSR Classics)

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The liturgical adventure concludes with Holy Saturday, the Mass of Light. Learn about the most important celebration of the entire liturgical year.

Call the comment line at 206-339-8993 or email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com

A liturgical adventure into Good Friday, the Commemoration of the Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn about veneration of the cross and the reproaches.

Call the comment line at 206-339-8993 or email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com

A liturgical adventure into Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Learn about the institution of the Eucharist, priesthood and the mandatum of love.

Call the comment line at 206-339-8993 or email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com

A special bonus CFP down by the river. Take it easy, relax and listen to the running water. Email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com, or call the comment line: 206-339-8993.

• Family Life
  • Blessing of the Statues
  • St. Patrick Festival
  • Clue cheating?
  • Lesson 3 - Catholic Family Brewer
• Church Life
  • Lord’s supper at other churches
• Mail Bag:
  • Mary from Minnesota
  • Big Dan from Missouri wrote about
  • Deacon Tom
• Set of Surprise Episodes coming up you don’t want to miss
• email us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com
• Comment Line: 206-339-8993
• Final Song:
  Matt Chandler: You have Given Me Hope

Matt Chandler
“You Have Given Me Hope” (mp3)
from “I Am Yours”
(RecEDGe Records)

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Stream from Rhapsody
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More On This Album

Comments: 206-339-8993

Hello and blessings! Your Catholic Family Chaplain Deacon Tom sends prayerful and Lenten ‘fish-fry’ greetings to all of you. Gosh - Lent will be over soon, won’t it? I hope you’ve been experiencing a holy, reflective Lent - journeying into the recesses of the spiritual person you are called to be … the person you are invited to become.

As I prepare this column that crosses from the period of Lent into the glory of the Risen Lord, in part, I want to aim my words at husbands. The goal? A resurrection of the abiding love and respect for our wives (or girlfriends, if single) … and for daughters of the listeners to Catholic Family Podcast. Stick with me because women can be involved in this too. And it’s all about closer relationships and better marriages. This is certainly a big job to tackle in these few pages of monthly e-column. I wonder how many of you have heard of the organization known as e5 Special Forces? Let me explain. In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul charged men to subordinate ourselves to our spouses as a sign of reverence for Christ. And with this in mind, some time ago, a group of men formed this e5 Men organization encouraging us to take at least one day a month - usually the first Wednesday and to FAST for our wives as a sign of sacrifice - presenting her to the Lord by your actions of self denial. I’ll come back to fasting in a moment. Let me say that the idea of e5 originated for husbands - but it has spread to use by single men… and it is for women as well. There are so many reasons…. so many ways that society has brought about a loss of dignity in women; there has been a loss of the spiritual beauty that was seen in the creation story in the Garden of Eden. Remember Adam telling the Lord: This one…. this one at last is the one I have been waiting for; she is the one with whom I can be completely open… with her I will have no shame. This lack of ‘shame’ speaks of a beautiful intimacy that is so much to be prayed for. E5 Men invites us, married or single men to offer sacrifice at least once a month to make reparations for:

* Any abuses (by anyone) to the God-given dignity of wives
* Many e5 Men offer up one day of fasting for sisters, mothers, daughters, nieces, aunts, co-workers or women friends
* For the finding of a holy husband for our daughters, friends, and relatives (I particularly like this intention; my wife and I regularly pray for our granddaughters and their future spouses)
* For the intentions of Mary, the Mother of Jesus
* Past girlfriends - especially for healing from any harm we men may have caused
* For women who are considering or have participated in abortion and for the whole abortion issue to be resolved
* For women considering or involved with fornication, adultery, sterilization or contraception
* Women in pornography or wives of men who use pornography
* Consecrated celibate women
* Women or girls with eating disorders
* Women or girls abused by men

When you begin to see the many ways women have lost so much in the society that we live in – many of us can agree that there are good reasons to ‘sacrifice’ for their intention at least once a month… more if we can do it. Many who read this column may believe they can’t fast – that fasting is for ‘holy people.’ I admit that for some, fasting can be difficult. Surprisingly, it hasn’t been as tough as I thought it might be. And the results of doing this seem to be like magic – I feel ‘GRACES’ flowing into our marriage relationship. I truly believe my wife would say our marriage is better – far better. And fasting can be less than full-meal fasting. It can be giving up a stop at Starbucks, or not drinking coffee or soft drinks that day… go for what you can go for – and pray for the intention of the woman (or man) that you are ‘sponsoring.’ If any men are interested in trying sacrifices to honor and ‘lift up’ your wife (or some other woman in your life) – I ask you to go to www.e5men.org. There is a place to sign up for monthly reminders and for help in fasting or sticking with your program. If this is an idea that you’re unsure about, please pray and think about it. And if David and Allyson will allow a cross-plug here – my March column for Lisa Hendey’s great website: ( www.catholicmom.com ) is about the very issue of ‘lifting up women’ – resurrecting some of the beauty in our marriages. Thank you for reading this. Thank you for considering this. Thank you for any comments. Blessings. Deacon Tom. www.deacontomonline.com

Link to the CFP episode 77

• Family Life
  • Big Joe Polka Show
  • Brave Combo: http://brave.com/bo
  • Canoing with the Guys
• Mail Bag:
  • Craig
• Church Life
  • The Right Stuff
  • Taize service

Contact us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com

Comment Line: 206-339-8993

Footprints by Lauperr
Final Song: Motorist Jones: Baptism

Link to CFP episode #076

• House
• Potato Chip Polka
• Big Joe Polka Show
• Hormones? Austin
• Catholic Family Brewer Lesson #2
• Lenten Observances
  • Stations
  • Service Project
• Mail Bag:
  • Oz Guru
  • Debbie
  • Juan

contact us by emailing us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com
comment line: 206-339-8993

• Link to the Show
• Sick Sweeneys
• House is coming along
• Southwest Liturgical Conference
• Parenting Tip - Hate the Sin and Love the Sinner
• Deacon Tom’s Feb - Column - Catholic Family Lenten Life is Different
• Mail Bag
  • Deacon Tom
  • Pat
  • Kris

Final Song:

Matt Chandler
“You Have Given Me Hope” (mp3)
from “I Am Yours”
(RecEDGe Records)

Buy at CD Baby
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

In this episode: Family Life: Thanks for donating to SQPN/Rosary Army, house grows, need bathtub advice, Kathryn’s bedtime, Wii Tickets, Church Life; What is a liturgical conference? Mail Bag; Elizabeth, Ozg, Stanley, Kay, Brian from Whidbey Island, WA, Bob McWilliams on SuperPoke.

Links in this episode:

• Link to the show
• Southwest Liturgical Conference, 2007
• Artwork by Namelessblob

NFP Links:

• CFP Episode 25
• CFP Episode 26
• Rosary Army NFP Series

Contact us [at] catholicfamilypodcast.com or call 206-350-2584

Final Song: Reunited: Jesus is On the Main Line

Reunited
“Jesus Is On The Main Line” (mp3)
from “Jesus Is On The Main Line”
(Silverwolf)

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The Catholic Family records their last podcast of 2007 while broadcasting live on U-Stream during the 2007 SQPN Fund Drive Podcasting Marathon. Topics include; Parties, Holy Days of Obligation, Homemade Chip Clips, Allyson plays the final song.

Link to the Show

• Family Life
  • Christmas Happenings
  • Catherine and Josh
  • superpoke?
  • Thinking about new year’s resolutions
• Church Life
  • Deacon Tom’s Column - couples and bickering
  • Luke readings on the website
• Mailbag
  • Mary from Minnesota
  • Mrs. Willits
  • Passive/Agressive Behavior

Contact us by emailing us [@] catholicfamilypodcast.com
comment line 206-350-2584

New shows to the sqpn lineup:

• iPadre with Fr. Jay Finelli
• The Catholic Hack with Joe McClane
• Catholic Moments with Lisa Hendey
• On the U
• Catholic Underground

Final Song:

Do you hear what I hear: Jill Parr - Podsafe Music Network

The kids send you Christmas greetings in this reading from the second chapter of Luke. Merry Christmas from the Catholic Family!
Jenny Crook
“The First Noel” (mp3)
from “Christmas Harp - Elegant Expressions of Christmas with Celtic & Concert Harps”
(Classic Fox Records)

Buy at Napster
More On This Album

• Family Life
  • Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House: Cary Grant and Irene Dunn
  • House Progress
  • David’s Half-Marathon
  • Passive Aggressive Behavior- Austin
• Church Life
  • Lunch with the Saints
    http://peterspath.com/
  • That Catholic Show Promo
  • Deacon Tom: Las Posadas
• Mail Bag:
  • April from New York
  • Jim sent a link to a new Christmas Cantata named “The Birth of Christ”.
    http://www.thebirthofchrist.com/index.htm
  • Tony K sent some voice feedback and a link which is a review of Noelle by the Catholic League:
    http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1363
• Final Song: Wood of the Cradle by Francis Patrick O’Brien

Francis Patrick O’Brien
“Wood of the Cradle” (mp3)
from “The Word Is Born: Music for Advent and Christmas”
(GIA)

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• Family Life
  • Arbor Day and Parish Picnic
  • Fr. Raul gets tapped for St. Stanislaus
• Church Life
  • New Cardinal Designate- Daniel N. DiNardo
  • Vocations
  • Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life:
    O loving and gracious God, Father of all, you bless your people in every time and season and provide for their needs through your providential care. Your Church is continually in need of priests, sisters and brothers to offer themselves in the service of the gospel by lives of dedicated love. Open the hearts of your sons and daughters to listen to your call in their lives. Give them the gift of understanding to discern your invitation to serve you and your Church. Give them the gift of courage to follow your call. May they have the spirit of young Samuel who found fulfillment in his life when he said to you, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen. - Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza, Bishop of Galveston-Houston
  • SQPN annual fund drive
    http://www.sqpn.com/?page_id=528
  • Don’t forget Rosary Army
    http://www.rosaryarmy.com/donatemonthly.aspx
  • Mail Call:
  • David from Lewisville, TX
  • Dawn from Bismarck, ND
  • http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
  • Rebecca
  • Contact us by emailing us [ @ ] catholicfamilypodcast [ . ] com
  • Comment Line: 206-350-2584
  • Final Song: All-American Soldier -U.S. Army Chorus
    Album - Songs of the Soldier

US Army Chorus
“All-American Soldier” (mp3)
from “Songs Of The Soldier”
(Altissimo!)

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More On This Album

• Seattle Meet and Greet
• Fr. Joe
• Farrington Fall Festival
• Ivan Rossberg - Dead Horse Blues on GarageBand.com
  http://www.garageband.com/artist/uncleslosh
• Fr. Roderick visits
• Advent/Christmas CD
• Ask Sammy - part 1 of a series on sexual morality
• Deacon Tom’s Column - Adopting Cancer in Your Life
• SQPN annual fund drive
• Don’t forget Rosary Army
• Final Song: Sharmane Adams: Open My Eyes
  http://myspace.com/sharmaneadams

• Family Life:
  • Fr. Roderick guest hosts CFP
  • State Fair
  • Prayer Journals for the Kids
  • Holy Cards - Catholic Heritage Curriculum:
    http://chcweb.com/
  • David and Luke go to Seattle, Washington
• Church Life:
  • World Mission Sunday
  • Ex 17:8-13
• Mail Call:
  • Mary from Minnesota
  • Yavonn from Oklahoma
  • Tony asks about Noelle
    http://www.catholicdigest.com
    http://www.dove.org/
  • Rich on homebrew
  • Chris on homebrew
  • Jim Beeghley (pronounced BIG LEE)
    The Angel Teddy Bear Foundation
    http://www.angelteddybears.org
• Final Song: Johnny Nicholas: Boogie Back to Texas

• Family Life
  • Deacon Tom - catholic family life
  • State Fair delayed
  • Luke and David go to Washington State next week
  • Lisa M. Hendey promo
    http://www.Catholicmom.com
    http://www.CatholicMoments.com
  • Illuminated Inks coloring contest
    http://www.illuminatedink.com/contests/
  • Noelle the Movie
    http://www.noellethemovie.com/index.html
• Church Life:
  • Signing of the Senses
  • Catholic Family Kids Promo
    http://catholicfamilykids.com
• Mail Bag
  • Laura wrote about PodRunner
    http://djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html
  • Mary from Minnesota - audio feedback
  • Christina from Burlingame, California
  • Mary from Washington audio feedback
  • Jim and Kim Beeghley
  • Cozy family audio feedback
• CFP Comment Line: 206-350-2584
• Final Song: Sharmane Adams - I Surrender
  http://myspace.com/sharmaneadams
  Buy this track

By way of a first-column introduction, I am a Catholic Deacon, ordained by the wonderful Archbishop Charles Chaput in Denver. Following an assignment in an awesome Colorado mountain town, Estes Park, my wife (Dee) and I came to a decision to move closer to one of our family members. We have a daughter and son-in-law and three granddaughters living in Scottsdale, Arizona. So, Dee and I are in the process of moving to Arizona – Payson, specifically. More on that at a later time.

Enough personal information for now. Why do I have a column here? How did it come to be that David and Allyson were willing to let me start this? Do you think it was because we buttered them up? Told them what fans we were of the Catholic Family Podcast? That we liked them as much as we like Blue Bell ice cream (remember that show)? Or perhaps, could it be that we were touched by the gentle experience and holiness of being ‘with them’ when they renewed their wedding vows in Church?
I guess the answer is yes, yes, yes and yes. Ever since we started listening, the Sweeneys have seemed like a nice, Catholic family that we’d like to know better. And if you listen to the shows… if you listen between the lines – you may come to recognize as I have, that Catholic family life is different for them – it’s internal. It’s a part of who they really are. As a married deacon – this is something we’ve tried to manifest in our life. And it is something that I’ve tried to promote as a ‘message’ for those that I preach to. How will we Catholics be ‘known?’ Certainly, Scripture says we’ll be known by our love. But other faith families are loving too. Is there something else that will make us different as families?

Catholicism ought to be a part of what we are as couples… what we do and what we share with the world. David and Allyson are among a group of Catholic ‘broadcasters’ who are sharing day-to-day Catholic faith in action. They are serious about their faith – and yet they can be a little ‘strange.’

But their Catholic faith is manifest in their evangelization effort. It is manifest in the way they seem to live their lives. And so it should be for all of us. A woman who is a spiritual mentor in the Colorado Mountains near us once said to me, “You ought to be able to recognize a Catholic home the minute you enter it.” She said these words as she gifted us with a beautiful crucifix that now hangs on the wall by our front door. And behind the cross is a large palm branch left over from Passion Sunday.

So for my first ‘chaplain’s column’ – I would like to issue this call to reflection and possibly action. How can we be a little more ‘different’ in our family lives? How can we be ‘more Catholic?’

By the way, there is another Catholic family with the name Sweeney. They happen to live in Colorado. They aren’t related to David and Allyson (that I know of). They have a website which is fun… a bit zany. This picture is the ‘front door’ to their website (http://sweeneyland.com/). I’m not promoting their message or approach. But what is interesting is this: they are Catholic and it shows in the images of what they project to others.
Blessings. Love. May the Lord bless you and your family.

Deacon Tom
Fall, 2007

http://www.deacontomonline.com/

• Family Life
  • CFP taglines
  • Bernie’s definition of a podcast
  • Bazaar Week
  • Review of The trouble with Angels,1966 starring Rosalind Russell and Haley Mills
  • David Running Training
    http://solipsisticnation.com/
  • Composing a Running Feed
• Church Life
  • Blessing of Law Enforcement and Firefighters
• Mail Bag: No Mail this week
• Check out the latest installment of That Catholic Show Episode #8: I Confess
  http://www.sqpn.com/?p=1836
• Combined SQPN Feed:
  http://www.sqpn.com/?feed=rss2
• email:  us [at]  catholicfamilypodcast.com
• http://catholicfamilypodcast.com/
• http://sqpn.com/
• Call the CFP comment line at 206-350-2584

• Family Life
  • David and the culvert
  • What is our podcast about? Family life and Church Life, parenting
  • Parenting Tip of the Week: Charting the kid’s progress
• Church Life
  • Jim Mazzuchi sent us a list of things that might indicate you’re a hard-core Catholic
• Contact Us:
  • us [@] catholicfamilypodcast.com
  • http://catholicfamilypodcast.com
  • Leave your voice comments on the CFP Comment Line at: 206-350-2584
• Mail Call
• Jeff from the Curt Jester writes about applause at Mass

Taizé
“Venite, exultemus Domino” (mp3)
from “Venite Exultemus”
(GIA)

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