Hi, I'm Jenna.
I'm Catholic. I'm a Director of Parish Services and former Theology teacher. And I love the Church.
I love the Mass very much, but I didn't always. I struggled for a long time to pay attention, to stay engaged, and to find a reason why I should even be there. Praise God, I met Jesus in a real personal way when I was 18 years old. Once that happened, I started doing everything I could to learn more about Him. When I went to college, I joined a Bible study called WORD. We got together at 8:15 every Tuesday night in a little meeting room in the Student Union building, and we read the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday, talked about it, read it again, talked about it, answered reflection questions, and then listened to a song that related somehow to the reading. WOW. Talk about a game-changer. From then, I have loved going to Mass, because I understand the Gospel before I even touch foot in the Church. It makes it easier for me to stay engaged and to listen to what the priest has to say during his homily. Last year, I got my Master's in Religious and Pastoral Studies. The classes I took revolved a lot around the Catholic Church today, its failings, its beauty, and its members. I spent a lot of time studying and praying about the Catholic Church, particularly the Mass. That's my story, but I understand that not everyone's story with the Church has been as easy. I know I am lucky.
We are living in trying times, my friends. I understand the heartaches and bruises of Catholics today, the ones who have been hurt by the clergy scandals, the ones who have been affected by divorce and feel like they no longer have a place, and the ones who feel like the Church no longer has a place in the modern era.
I hear you, friend. I hear you, I see you, and I am sorry that you have had your heart broken by those who have not lived up to their calling and vocation.
The Catholic Church is at an all-time low for Mass attendance; there's no surprise there. And I spend a lot of time thinking and praying about why people walk away. I have a lot of opinions on that. Part of it is the reasons listed above. Some people feel like they can't trust the Catholic Church anymore (understandable). But I think part of it is that people feel disconnected from the Mass, in particular, the Gospel. We are so used to constant hands-on and visual stimulation that the current format of having the Bible read aloud to us for half an hour may not be enough for some people to be able to process and understand (we're not all auditory learners, people!).
So that's where this podcast comes in. This podcast is released early in the week, giving you plenty of time to listen before Mass on Sunday. That way, you'll be able to go in having already heard all the readings, knowing what they mean and what the connection is between them. I've learned in my life that having a knowledge of Scripture has deepened my relationship with Christ and my union with the Church.
Also, in case you were wondering, the name for this podcast comes from St. Therese of Lisieux, aka the Little Flower aka the Doctor of the Church, aka my spiritual soul sister and patroness. She died at 24 but left behind her autobiography called The Story of a Soul. Her promise to us before her death was this: "When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens. I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth." My prayer for you is that you will give the Mass a chance, or a second chance, or maybe a third chance, and that this podcast will be some sort of blessing from heaven for you.
I love the Mass very much, but I didn't always. I struggled for a long time to pay attention, to stay engaged, and to find a reason why I should even be there. Praise God, I met Jesus in a real personal way when I was 18 years old. Once that happened, I started doing everything I could to learn more about Him. When I went to college, I joined a Bible study called WORD. We got together at 8:15 every Tuesday night in a little meeting room in the Student Union building, and we read the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday, talked about it, read it again, talked about it, answered reflection questions, and then listened to a song that related somehow to the reading. WOW. Talk about a game-changer. From then, I have loved going to Mass, because I understand the Gospel before I even touch foot in the Church. It makes it easier for me to stay engaged and to listen to what the priest has to say during his homily. Last year, I got my Master's in Religious and Pastoral Studies. The classes I took revolved a lot around the Catholic Church today, its failings, its beauty, and its members. I spent a lot of time studying and praying about the Catholic Church, particularly the Mass. That's my story, but I understand that not everyone's story with the Church has been as easy. I know I am lucky.
We are living in trying times, my friends. I understand the heartaches and bruises of Catholics today, the ones who have been hurt by the clergy scandals, the ones who have been affected by divorce and feel like they no longer have a place, and the ones who feel like the Church no longer has a place in the modern era.
I hear you, friend. I hear you, I see you, and I am sorry that you have had your heart broken by those who have not lived up to their calling and vocation.
The Catholic Church is at an all-time low for Mass attendance; there's no surprise there. And I spend a lot of time thinking and praying about why people walk away. I have a lot of opinions on that. Part of it is the reasons listed above. Some people feel like they can't trust the Catholic Church anymore (understandable). But I think part of it is that people feel disconnected from the Mass, in particular, the Gospel. We are so used to constant hands-on and visual stimulation that the current format of having the Bible read aloud to us for half an hour may not be enough for some people to be able to process and understand (we're not all auditory learners, people!).
So that's where this podcast comes in. This podcast is released early in the week, giving you plenty of time to listen before Mass on Sunday. That way, you'll be able to go in having already heard all the readings, knowing what they mean and what the connection is between them. I've learned in my life that having a knowledge of Scripture has deepened my relationship with Christ and my union with the Church.
Also, in case you were wondering, the name for this podcast comes from St. Therese of Lisieux, aka the Little Flower aka the Doctor of the Church, aka my spiritual soul sister and patroness. She died at 24 but left behind her autobiography called The Story of a Soul. Her promise to us before her death was this: "When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens. I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth." My prayer for you is that you will give the Mass a chance, or a second chance, or maybe a third chance, and that this podcast will be some sort of blessing from heaven for you.