The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Episode 273 - Feeling Good vs. Being Good What if the things we use to "feel better" are the very things keeping us from becoming good? In this episode, the friars continue exploring the Beatitude "Blessed are the pure of heart" looking at the quiet ways we avoid honesty with ourselves, through distraction, self-soothing, numbing, or chasing comfort.  They unpack why it's so hard to face what's really going on inside us, and how purity of heart begins with the courage to stop running and let Jesus meet us in our reality. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudes

Episode 272 - They Will See God What if seeing God isn't about trying harder, but desiring Him more simply? For this week, the friars turn to the Beatitude: "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God." In this episode, they explore what purity of heart really means, not moral perfection, but a heart that looks to Jesus without distraction, without divided desires, without constantly turning back toward the world. They talk about intimacy with God, the battle against distraction, how sin clouds our vision, and how purity isn't about hating yourself but forgetting yourself so you can finally fix your gaze on the One who loves you. Through the lens of St. Francis, the saints, and our own daily struggles, this conversation invites us to reorient our hearts toward the Father and receive again the joy that comes from seeing Him clearly. Walk with us as we learn to desire what He desires and see God in a new and life-changing way. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudes

Episode 271 - Fire, Desire, Theosis What do you really hunger and thirst for? As the friars continue through the Franciscan Lent, they dive deep into the Beatitude: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied." This conversation is about holy desire, the kind that burns, refines, and draws us closer to God Himself. They unpack what it means to let go of lesser hungers, to purify our desires, and to rediscover the fire that leads to union with God. From St. Francis' radical poverty to our own longing for holiness, the friars remind us that this journey isn't about doing more, but actually about becoming more like Him. Join us as we learn to hunger for what truly satisfies, the very life of God alive within us. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudesa

Episode 270 - Franciscan Lent After a season of Jubilee rest, the friars return with fresh hearts and a new invitation: to enter the "Franciscan Lent", a hidden season of simplicity, detachment, and joyful expectation. Drawing from the life of St. Francis and the Beatitudes, they explore what it really means to become small, to depend completely on God, and to let Him provide what we cannot. This episode isn't about doing more, it's about letting go, trusting deeply, and rediscovering the joy that comes from poverty of spirit. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! 🛒 You can also grab your Poco a Poco Merchandise at https://www.pocomerch.com/ Check out the Eight Promises of God: Discovering Hope Through the Beatitudes book at https://ascensionpress.com/products/eight-promises-of-god-discovering-hope-through-the-beatitudes

After a time of rest and renewal during the Jubilee Year, Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT are returning on November 5th. As we look forward to their return, enjoy re-listening to this previously released episode and join us in gratitude for the ways God has been at work during their time away. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- God wants to go back into our lives and our stories—and start speaking light, redemption and truth over that. There's the need for us to have a radical opening of our hearts and honesty to what really is happening in our lives. We have to be searching and fearless to admit what's inside our "junk room" and bring that to the Lord. Whatever makes our lives unmanageable is just a symptom of something else. We not only need to look at the things that make our lives unmanageable but also we look at the things that drive them and the ripple effect that it had caused. This episode focuses on the gift and highlights of the remaining step.

After a time of rest and renewal during the Jubilee Year, Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT are returning on November 5th. As we look forward to their return, enjoy re-listening to this previously released episode and join us in gratitude for the ways God has been at work during their time away. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- When we struggle it can be really difficult, and sometimes we even face impossible situations that may feel like there's no answer. In our poverty, there's the need to admit we're powerless—that life is not okay anymore and figure out what do we do with that. And as we are brought to our kness—utterly defeated. We can let go of ourselves as our own authority and give ourselves to a greater power, to Christ. Only then can we make a daily decision to turn our will to the care of God—say Yes to the connection we have with Him every day, even with all the craziness that's going on. This episode talks about the first three steps of The Twelve Steps that allow the foundation of our lives and our hearts to be set in experiencing renewal and recovery. And it is a reminder that tells us when we can't, Jesus can. We just have to let him.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- At some point, our lives are unmanageable and we need help. When we want to turn away from sin and our struggles, we turn to God to save and heal us. We are given clarity to open our eyes and see our life in a new or different way. And while we're accepting reality as it is, we recognize what we can and cannot control, we realize what is asked of us everyday. When we live that reality one moment at a time, that's the time we can accept life in a particular way and enjoy it! This episode talks about the Serenity Prayer and what it means to be in recovery and seek healing and conversion.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- Do you wonder about Mary's firsthand memory or experience of God?  We can relive Mary's memory and experience of God through the rosary. Rosary is like experiencing God with Mary—in her heart, her hospitality. Mary is the most perfect Christian, the most perfect woman who's all about Jesus, and in this month of the Rosary, we are invited to take time and be with Her more and be able to love Jesus a lot more through her. In this episode, we're gonna dive deep and talk about the Rosary, Mary, and Marian Devotion, and how we can open ourselves up to receive the hospitality of Mary.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- What makes us most free, is this submitting to God and this dependence on Him.  Yes, freedom is actually dependent on obedience rather than kind of doing whatever I want. When we fall in love with God and we experience that love, this deep interior freedom takes place and it becomes the most important thing of our lives—even to a point that is greater than our circumstances. This episode is the first part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about what it means to live in freedom as sons and daughters of God and how this freedom can become greater than the circumstances of our lives.The first of the nine beatitudes of Matthew said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The world is constantly trying to define us—it tries to tell us who we are. Our successes, belongings, talents, people in our lives, our jobs, culture and technology, all these things tends make us who we are. We beclothed ourselves with these things and we are tempted to find our identity in them. But again, "Who Is God and Who Am I?". To understand what it means to be truly free and live in freedom as sons and daughters of God, we have to keep this question before us. We have to let go of other worldly things and not be afraid of staying in the place of spiritual poverty before the Lord. This episode is the fourth and last part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about freedom in spiritual poverty. An invitation for us to remain in this place of poverty and let God define us, give us everything and ultimately lead us to the kingdom of heaven.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- What makes us most free, is this submitting to God and this dependence on Him.  Yes, freedom is actually dependent on obedience rather than kind of doing whatever I want. When we fall in love with God and we experience that love, this deep interior freedom takes place and it becomes the most important thing of our lives—even to a point that is greater than our circumstances. This episode is the first part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about what it means to live in freedom as sons and daughters of God and how this freedom can become greater than the circumstances of our lives.We cannot grow in freedom unless we grow in faith, hope and love—that's the recipe for freedom. Faith, hope and love are the three theological virtues that connect us to God. As Christians, we are people who believe in God, hope everything from Him, and want to love Him with all their hearts and to love their neighbors. This episode is the third part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about the key role of theological virtues in acquiring internal freedom with a particular focus on the importance of Hope. An invitation to freedom for those who feel defeated and those who might've lost a sense of hope in the Lord.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- What makes us most free, is this submitting to God and this dependence on Him.  Yes, freedom is actually dependent on obedience rather than kind of doing whatever I want. When we fall in love with God and we experience that love, this deep interior freedom takes place and it becomes the most important thing of our lives—even to a point that is greater than our circumstances. This episode is the first part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about what it means to live in freedom as sons and daughters of God and how this freedom can become greater than the circumstances of our lives. We think we're most free when we can kind of be in control.  "I'm free when I get to get up every day and just have control over my life and my circumstances."  That's not a Catholic freedom according to Jacque Philippe, but it is actually being able to accept reality as it is. We struggle with freedom because it's hard to accept our weakness. It's quite difficult to accept our sinfulness—it's hard to accept these different parts of our lives. But if we don't accept ourselves, our realities, we either live in memories or fantasies where Jesus can't reach us. This episode is the second part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about and the importance of acceptance towards being truly free.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- What makes us most free, is this submitting to God and this dependence on Him.  Yes, freedom is actually dependent on obedience rather than kind of doing whatever I want. When we fall in love with God and we experience that love, this deep interior freedom takes place and it becomes the most important thing of our lives—even to a point that is greater than our circumstances. This episode is the first part of our series on Interior Freedom by Fr. Jacque Philippe that talks about what it means to live in freedom as sons and daughters of God and how this freedom can become greater than the circumstances of our lives.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- What's the most prevalent voice that you hear in your life? Is it God's or someone's/something else? We long to teach people how to pray and contemplative silence, inner recollection, and interior stillness are ways we can live in a relationship with God. But, there's a silver bullet to make people live in chaos and noise whether exteriorly or interiorly.  Every single day through general media we are bombarded with chaos and noise and there's this turmoil all the time both internal and external that's a direct attack on how God speaks and how He wants to give Himself. Today, in the next part of this mini-series, we'll dive deeper into the importance and experience of silence and attempt to stir people's hearts to recognize that this silence is against under direct attack and identify ways to defend against these attacks. DISCLAIMER: We apologize in advance that you can't see Br. Kolbe video like you usually do in some parts of this episode. Unfortunately, we've had some technical difficulties with his camera during the recording session that rendered some of Br. Kolbe's footage unusable.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- How are you able to receive and communicate with God? Silence is the divine language. God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit love and communicate in eternal silence and if we want to look at and learn about God, we have to let ourselves be moved by that. However, the world has become a place of radical noise, trying to rob us of the experience of God and there's always been an inner battle to stay in contemplative silence. Today, we'll talk about the realities and dynamics of silence as God's language and how we can win the battle and be able to stay in this silence with Him.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- "I haven't believed enough that he is enough." That's what Br Angelo says as a guest on this episode, and how true is it for each of us? Even when we experience God's goodness, repeatedly and in big and small ways, it can be a struggle to keep believing that God is enough. He is LORD. He is enough, and we only have to give him permission to work. It sounds simple, but it can be tough when we've faced rejection in other areas of our lives. How do we believe? How do we find the courage and take the risk—to learn he always shows up? Surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. It can be a struggle, but while we might have many struggles, this is the right one.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- Trust is hard for everybody. The grace to trust—especially for the long haul—is always given to us by the Lord. There's always human effort in the spiritual life, but it's all gift; all grace.  It can feel like we're never going to be able to trust; that we're so "bad" at trusting, particularly in the beginning, that we're just never going to be able to let go, no matter how badly we long to do exactly that. We think to ourselves, "I'm powerless." But here's the thing: he is not. There is someone looking back at us at every moment of the day. And through concrete experiences, sometimes very little ones, he invites us to trust. We've got to lean into those little moments of trust.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- There are some sins that we just can't seem to shake—habitual sins that keep us coming back to the confessional over and over (and over) again. But no matter how consistent this sin seems, there's one who is more consistent: the Lord. His mercy and grace are greater than our sins and failings. Maybe you're discouraged. Frustrated. Worn down. That experience is real, but it's not who you are; it's not your identity. The truest, most real thing about your experience is his mercy. So don't settle for your sin. Don't believe that well, this is the way it's going to be. No! Return to the confessional, where the grace that's poured out is restorative to that specific wound, and begin again.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- Grace is in the present; there is no grace in the past or in the future. The challenge, though, is that we're all professional escape artists. We can get antsy and we don't know how to be present, which means we don't know how to receive God's grace. We've got to give up the hope of a better past—it has happened and there's nothing we can do about it. We also have to stop living in a fantasy future that doesn't exist—there's no grace there, either. Jesus is Lord of our lives; the past, the present, the future. Trust him, and allow yourself to embrace today and all the grace he is waiting to give you here.

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- There are some virtues we can work on and grow in—but trust isn't like that. It's not your own project. You don't work on it directly, because it's the fruit of relationship with the Lord. If you want to develop more trust, focus first on that relationship; on conversion, on healing, on experiencing his goodness alive in you. Because the more you get to know God, the more you find that he is good and worthy of your trust. When you have a chance to trust him (you know the kind of moment), hear him speak gently to you through this line from Sr Faustina: "I don't want you to give you 'yes' to a set of circumstances, but to me."

As Fr. Mark-Mary mentioned, the friars will be taking a meaningful break to embrace the rest and the joy of the Jubilee Year. While they are away, please enjoy listening (or re-listening) to this previously released episode, and join us in continuing to pray for Fr. Mark-Mary, Fr. Innocent, Fr. Angelus, and Fr. PT as they follow God's will and heed the call of the Jubilee. The Poco a Poco podcast happens because of many generous donors, including recurring monthly donations of any amount. Thinking about helping out? You can give at https://spiritjuice.org/supportpoco. Thank you! --- It is easy to fall into the temptation and believe that we can't do it, that we can't live a holy life. Although the ordinary life is simple, hidden, and seems kind of normal, there's so much sanctity in our vocations that are being lived faithfully. It might not be flashy or spectacular, but it's one of the most real ways we can grow in holiness. We may not be in the chapel or church making a eucharistic holy hour, but no matter what our day-to-day experiences look like or what daily lives we are accustomed to, God is there.  There's something extraordinary in our ordinary experiences. It is possible to be in relationship with God, amidst everything that we do. We just need to make the space and time, no matter how small, and let Him enter into our lives