Formation for Mission Podcasts

In this ninth episode we explore praying with and for the whole Church - on earth (Church Militant), in heaven (Church Triumphant) and in purgatory (Church Suffering). Our guest is Fr Richard Ounsworth OP, the Parish Priest and Prior of Holy Cross our Dominican parish in Leicester. Fr Richard helps us understand the importance of praying with others, how the saints can help us and our call to pray for the Holy Souls.

In this eighth episode we explore praying through music. Greg Treloar and Chris Davis from the Diocese of Nottingham's Music Department share why music plays such an important role in liturgy and how we can incorporate in our prayer life.

In this seventh episode we explore praying the Rosary. The Rosary meditatively recounts the major events of Jesus' life through Mary's eyes. This month we are delighted to have Mrs Fran Hazel and the Rosary Club from St Mary's Primary School in Derby. Fran is the Lay Chaplain in the school and shares her own love for the rosary and how it is prayed in school. The school uses a recording of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary by Youtuber Aliga Patrick (https://www.youtube.com/@aligapatrick251). The prayers of the Rosary can be found here: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/teachings/prayers-of-the-rosary-in-english-and-latin-164 

Taken from Episode 6 on the Divine Office we have the Monks of Mount St Bernard singing night prayer.

Taken from Episode 6 on the Divine Office we have the Monks of Mount St Bernard singing the midday office.

In this sixth episode we explore praying the Divine Office. The Divine Office is the public prayer of the Church. The clergy and religious sisters and brothers are required to stop and certain points in the day to pray the psalms and other prayers and readings. This month we are delighted to have Fr Nicholas Palmer OCSO, the guest master and the Choir master of Mount St Bernard's Abbey to share with us why he loves this type of prayer. We conclude the podcast with recordings of the monks of Mount St Bernard signing sext (midday prayer) and compline (night prayer).

In this fifth episode we explore praying chaplets. Chaplets are a meditative form of prayer that uses a series of prayers that are repeated to aid in our reflection, the Rosary is an example of a chaplet. This month we are delighted to have Madeleine Heraghty joining us to reflect on the Divine Mercy Chaplet and how it has helped her grow closer to God and how to pray it. Madeleine mentions in the Podcast how you can get more information on the Divine Mercy, please find that information below. Email: info@divinemercy.org.uk; Website: www.divinemercyapostolate.co.uk/  Phone: +44 (0)20 8998 0925 Post: Divine Mercy Apostolate, Marian Fathers, 1 Courtfield Gardens,  London  W13 0EY

In this fourth episode we explore The Our Father. The Lord's Prayer is the focus for this Year of Prayer but especially at the moment in Lent. We are delighted to have joining us to reflect on this prayer Rebecca Durham from Playing and Praying a new initiative aimed at helping families with young children discover prayer through play; and Rev Dr Jan Nowotnik the Mission Director of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, who is one of the national leaders for the Year of Prayer and the Jubilee Year in 2025.  There are two resources referred to in the podcast, you can find more information about them here: Our Father Flashcards - https://www.catholicmothers.co.uk/product/lords-prayer-flashcards-pre-order or https://www.rpbooks.co.uk/lords-prayer-flash-cards  We Dare To Say - A resource exploring the Our Father for Parishes: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/we-dare-to-say/ or https://aec.rcaos.org.uk/prayer2024 

In this third episode we explore a type of meditative prayer from Ignatian pirituality. We are led through this beautiful reflective and creative prayer by Sr Susan Richert PBVM. Sr Susan is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Pastoral Assistant at Our Lady of the Angels Parish Mansfield, and the Vicar for Religious for the Diocese of Nottingham.

In this Episode we explore a type of Lectio Divina (prayerful reading of the bible) called Seven Steps Scripture Sharing. We are led through this wonderful and insightful type of prayer by Sophie Rimac and Sean Jinks who are members of the Seven Steps Scripture Sharing group in Leicester. Sean works as a translator and Sophie runs her families business. If you would like to contact Sophie and Sean about joining their group or seek their help in starting your own please email: adult.formation@dioceseofnottingham.uk. The Seven Steps are: 1. Invite. Remembering that the Risen Lord is present with the group, somebody present invites Jesus in a prayer and welcomes him. 2. Read. Everybody opens their Bibles to the arranged place and somebody present, reads to the group. 3. View with wonder. The group picks out words or short phrases, reads them aloud prayerfully and repeats them three times, silence being preserved after each repetition. The texts are then reread aloud by somebody present from a different version of the texts. 4. Listen. Silence is maintained for five minutes, to allow God to speak to the group. 5. Share. The group members now share, without discussion, which word has touched them personally. The group may decide together which word may be chosen as their Word of Life for the coming week. 6. Plan for action. The group discusses what task they may be called to do in their neighbourhood, or parish. 7. Pray. Anybody present who would like to, may pray spontaneously. The group ends with a prayer or a hymn known to all.

Subscribe for Podcasts, from the Diocese of Nottingham’s Formation for Mission department, to help you and your parish grow in faith and gain the confidence to share it with others. In 2024 we will run a series called Encounter Prayer - a Podcast for the Year of Prayer.   In this episode Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham, introduces the Year of Prayer, his hopes for it in our diocese, and speaks about his own personal prayer life.

In our sixth episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 1 of Patris Corde - A Beloved Father. We reflect on not only being a father but how our own dads have had an effect on our fatherhood and faith; and how we can be seen as a beloved father by our children too. Our guests are Steve and Tim Brogan. Steve and Tim are brothers, both are Headteachers in our diocese and have four children each. They share memories of their dad Deacon Peter Brogan who passed away in January 2021.

In our fifth episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 7 of Patris Corde - A Father in the Shadows. We reflect on how a dad is called to take a step back so that their children can be their own person. We thought it would be a great idea to speak to two Catholic grandads about this, to share their experience of being that father in the shadows to adult children and grandchildren. Our guests are Reg Carter and Peter Bruccoleri who are both now retired but active members of the Good Shepherd Church in Arnold. Peter has 4 children and soon to be 8 grandchildren, while Reg has 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

In our fourth episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 5 of Patris Corde - A Creative Courageous Father. We reflect on what it must have been like for St Joseph to take the Holy Family into Egypt and how many fathers are making similar journeys today. Our guest is Okiemute Ekwevugbe who is the Chairman of African Catholic Chaplaincy in Leicestershire. Okiemute, originally from Nigeria, is now a parishioner of St John Bosco & St Mary's in Leicester, a pharmacist and also training to be a doctor, he is married and has two boys.

In our third episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 5 of Patris Corde - An Working Father. We speak to two permanent deacons of our diocese who work in secular professions, reflecting on how as dads we try and strike the balance between work, family and our service to our parish. Our guests are Deacon David Kerry and Deacon Rick Jones. Deacon David is married to Eva and they have 6 children, he is an accountant at the local council. Deacon David was ordained as a deacon in 2018 and serves at St Barnabas Cathedral in Nottingham. Deacon Rick is a married to Tara and the have 3 children and is a police officer in Lincolnshire Police. Deacon Rick was ordained in 2016 and is one the deacons for the Parish of the Holy and Undivided Trinity covering Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Immingham. 

In our second episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 3 of Patris Corde - An Obediet Father. We focus on how like St Joseph we can come to know and accept God's will for us as dads, husbands and catholic men in the world. We speak to Merwyn Macado and Maziano Guedes, both are members of Sacred Heart Parish in Leicester and have three children. 

In our first episode of 'A Father's Heart - A Podcast for Catholic Dads' we focus on section 2 of Patris Corde - A Tender & Loving Father. We focus on how St Joseph was for Jesus the image and model of God the Father and His love for Jesus on earth. We speak to Tom Baptist, Director of NDCYS, and Tom Shannon, Lead Lay Chaplain of the St Thomas Aquinas CMAT; both Toms have recently become dads for the second time. 

This week’s guest is Deacon Warren Peachey, Warren originally born in Zimbabwe, now lives in Lincoln with his wife Paulette. Their growing family is eight wonderful children, one delightful granddaughter, and a grandson due early next year. Warren has been a Police Officer for nearly 30 years, serving in a variety of both interesting and challenging roles. He was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate in 2016, serving Our Lady of Lincoln parish in Lincoln.

This week’s guest is Katrina West. Katrina is a Nottingham based musician, singer songwriter, performer, recording artist and instrumental teacher. She have always had a passion for music and is a classically trained pianist. Warrington is her home town, where she says she had a very blessed upbringing, with inspiring parents, four sisters and one brother. She has been married to for Ben 6 years and he encourages and supports her every day. She is a parishioner at the Parish of the Assumption, Beeston and says: ‘My faith is my backbone and I love how it grows, strengthens and fills me with joy. God bless and Merry Christmas’ Visit www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/podcasts for a supporting document for prayer, reflection and discussion.

This week’s guest is Alison Riggott. Alison is a parishioner at St Mary's Derby. She is retired social worker, and is loving retirement. Rooted in Derby because of her love of family, finding she can best “Blossom where I’m planted and sow seeds of hope and joy where my interests take me.” Her days are happily filled with gardening, cooking, walking, music, grandchildren, caring for her 95 year old Dad, good friends, voluntary work and church stewardship at St Mary’s, Derby. Visit www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/podcasts for a supporting document for prayer, reflection and discussion.