Mystery of Parenthood

073 Hiding in Plain Sight: Jesus, Epiphany, and the Grandeur of the Ordinary

On Tuesday, January 8, 2018, hosts Trey and Stephanie Cashion discussed the idea of how Christ often hides in plain sight by considering the feast of the Epiphany and Jesus in the ordinary. They considered ways that Jesus was overlooked or ignored in His earthly ministry; ways that we ignore Jesus in our sacramental and spiritual life; ways that we ignore and overlook the Christ Child in our own children. Supernatural grace gave the ordinary moments of Our Lord's life meaning. It is up to us to invest our lives and those of our children with meaning. Nothing that we're doing, no matter how banal and quotidian, is just what's there. There is always a moral and supernatural dimension. We should go back always to the words of the Creed: "…of all things visible and invisible." We must connect action and vision. The Memory Verse for this week is 1 Peter 5:6, "So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." Live your ordinary life in the knowledge that it has extraordinary and supernatural implications and you will see that the Mass, in that ordinary offering of bread and wine, is indeed our amazing, extraordinary participation in that one sacrifice on the cross re-presented in a bloodless manner for our redemption. Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you! 

072 "Q and A" with Trey and Stephanie

On Tuesday, December 18, 2018, hosts Trey and Stephanie Cashion answered question from listeners, family, and friends. One question was how to use the Memory Verses in the family. Steph responded that they are great for memorization, copy work, reflection, eventually a practice they will make their own. Next, parenting unruly children during Mass requires encouragement and self-sacrifice as a parent, including kids drafting their "Ten Commandments for Mass!" or guessing the topic of the priest's homily after studying the Sunday readings. Additionally, pick a Mass time that will help you be successful. Trey and Stephanie recommended against toys, games and food in Mass because they are going to have to go away at some point and they end up being an impediment to the child learning how to pray the Mass. Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

071 The Need for Christian Marriage

On Tuesday, November 27, 2018, Trey talked the importance of Christian marriage for a good family and the good of society. Much of this conversation was sparked by the release of Scott Hahn's new book on marriage and family, The First Society. Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

070 Adam Arehart: The Abuse of Authority

On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, Trey invited Adam Arehart back to the show to consider the crisis in the Catholic Church as an abuse of authority. Many Catholic lay people are dismayed with the Church hierarchy's response to these evils and want clarity and conviction. The Church exists because we are sinners and is itself holy and at the same time in need of constant renewal. As we try to parent our children, like the Church, there is an objective standard of truth to which all of us are held even when in a position of authority such as a parent or clergy. Adam reminded us that throughout the Gospel, authority is in service to the other and to someone greater: Christ Jesus. Adam also emphasized that his fatherly authority is always better wielded when he parents in response to the person of his child rather than as a reaction to a perceived problem. Trey emphasized that he tries to use his authority to win the hearts of his children; to use the authority we have for the spiritual good of the child. This week's Memory Verse is Romans 12:2, "Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." Enjoy the episode, and remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

069 The Meanings and Marks of the Church, Pt. 2

On Tuesday, November 6, 2018, Trey continued his discourse on the Church. The church is not only a building, but is an institution founded by Jesus Christ that has four marks as stated in the Nicene Creed: one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Trey focuses especially on these marks in this episode and explains how if they are true about the universal Church then they should also characterize our families—the domestic church—in a sacramental way. This week's Memory Verses are Ephesians 5:21–32, the well-known passage about the relationship between husbands and wives in imitation of Christ. Trey specifically stressed the number of times that St. Paul used the phrase "as Christ." Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

068 The Meanings and Marks of The Church, Pt. 1

On Tuesday, October 30, 2018, Trey considered the Church, a big topic to be sure. On a practical plane, the church is a building. But it has many meanings and implications beyond that. Of course, we know from the Nicene Creed that the Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Trey goes even deeper and draws out further meanings of this term that we often pass over quickly. In fact, it even has sacramental aspects in itself. This week's Memory Verse is John 14:2: "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

067 Adam Arehart: Parents Are the Shepherds of Their Children

On Tuesday, October 23, 2018, Trey and Stephanie welcomed Adam Arehart, former campus minister at St. Mary's Catholic Center and currently Director of Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation for St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia. They discuss the open letter of His Excellency, Bishop David Konderla of Tulsa, Oklahoma to the 2018 Synod on Youth. The touchstone of their discussion is Bishop Konderla's declaration that "leading people to choose to give their lives to Jesus Christ is not one of the things shepherds must do. It is the only thing." And as Stephanie notes, "Parents are the shepherds of their children." The rest of the conversation takes Bishop David's letter and helps parents apply its points to their roles and the life of the family. This week's Memory Verse is Mt 19:14, "But Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

066 What's Wrong with the First-Year Experience?

On Tuesday, October 09, 2018, host Trey Cashion confronts the problem of the "First Year Experience" seminars that have taken hold on college campuses and serve as venues and vehicles for the teaching of identity politics and victimology based off of an article in City Journal (@cityjournal) titled "Reeducation Campus." Listen for suggestions on how to prepare your children for these attacks and what person--Christ---should be our model of conduct. Trey makes a fascinating point about the true meanings "diversity" and "inclusion" in light of Catholic truth.Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

065 Monica Ashour: Talking about Difficult Subjects

On Tuesday, October 02, 2018, hosts Trey and Stephanie Cashion welcomed back Monica Ashour, from the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team (TOBET) to give her thoughts on talking about difficult subjects with children within the family and at different ages. Monica especially focused on the unfolding crisis of infidelity within the Church and how, in light of what the Theology of the Body teaches about human sexuality, parents can better explain the crisis to their children given their age and intellectual development. If you found the episode helpful, please take a moment to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!

062 There's No Such Thing as a "Dumb" Catholic Question!

On Tuesday, August 28, 2018, host Trey Cashion encourages parents to greet their children's question about the Faith with joy, encouragement, honesty, and humility. These questions are usually moments of grace, episodes of intervention by the Holy Spirit, that are times to draw the child deeper into the Faith and how to make it their own. Enjoy the episode, take a moment to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. And remember to pray, parent with a purpose, and prepare for God to amaze you!