Episode 156: Confession (Part 1) w/ Fr. John Horn
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Fr. John Horn, co-founder of the Institute for Priestly Formation, to begin a series on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They discuss the connection between our wounded image of God and sin, revealing how many of our repeated struggles are rooted in lies about our identity in the Father’s love. Fr. John also shares how Confession can become more than just listing sins, why we should embrace our interior poverty, and the danger of scrupulosity.
Episode 155: Sacraments of Healing
This week, Jake and Bob talk about the two Sacraments of Healing, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick, and what they reveal about Christ as the physician of both soul and body. They discuss how suffering itself can become healing, why not everyone who prays for healing is healed, and the role of forgiveness in both receiving and asking for healing. Healing ultimately is a restoration into wholeness and is found in communion with God. Jake and Bob end by sharing a few stories of miraculous healing as well as their experiences of receiving a quiet, yet strengthening grace.
Episode 154: Healing & Communion
This week, Jake and Bob discuss the framework and theology behind the JPII Healing Center’s “Healing the Whole Person” retreat. They begin by exploring how Christ’s wounded yet glorified body reveals the path of redemption for every human life. Then, they reflect on how healing is essential to Christianity, how purgatory is ultimately about healing the soul, and how grace restores integration to our whole being. All suffering can become redemptive when united to Christ and they invite you into a journey of becoming whole, ordered, and ready for communion with God.
Episode 143: Identity
This week, Jake and Bob discuss identity: why it matters, how it is formed, and its role in the healing process. We live in a fallen world with an enemy who spreads lies that can send us down paths far from the truth of who we are. Through questions like “Who am I?”, “Whose am I?”, and “Do I belong?” Jake and Bob explore how to reclaim our God-given identity and rest in the freedom of living in that truth.
Episode 142: Healing & Prayer
This week, Jake and Bob explore how inner healing is rooted within the tradition of the Catholic Church. Drawing from the Catechism, they discuss the three expressions of prayer—vocal, meditative, and contemplative—and how each form is incorporated within the inner healing process. Far from being a psychological exercise, inner healing comes from a deeply relational encounter with Jesus and restores the whole person so we might live in deeper communion with Him.
Episode 141: Desire (Part 2) w/ Dr. Shane Owens
This week, Jake and Bob welcome Dr. Shane Owens to explore how desire, the heart, and theology work together for our good, through the lens of St. Augustine’s Confessions. Dr. Owens breaks down St. Augustine’s healing journey and how by understanding the desires motivating our actions, we are led into deeper communion with God. They also discuss how memories shape our view of reality, why we distrust a good God, and what the Scriptures teach us about our identity.
Episode 140: Desire (Part 1)
This week, Jake and Bob begin a two part series on desire and how it relates to sin. They discuss how sin arises from a desire for good and how our woundedness shapes these patterns of sin. Rather than suppressing our desires, Jake and Bob reflect on the goodness of desire and the importance of rightly ordering it through prayer. Through personal stories and movie references, they end by walking you through practical ways to identify the holy desires beneath your struggles.
Episode 139: Philosophy and Healing w/ Fr. Matthew Rolling
This week, Jake and Bob welcome Fr. Matthew Rolling to the show to discuss healing through the lens of Thomistic philosophy. The path to healing isn’t a straight path and sometimes our experiences in life cloud our perception of reality. Fr. Matthew explains why philosophy helps us find truth and how it can redirect us when we become confused within our healing journeys. They also explore how sin affects healing, the role of our passions, and the importance of grace.
Episode 138: Sports, Athletics & Faith (Part 3) w/ Fr. Burke Masters and Trevor Williams
This week, Jake and Bob conclude their series on athletics by welcoming Fr. Burke Masters, the baseball priest, and Trevor Williams, the Washington Nationals pitcher, to the show! Together they discuss finding your identity in Christ when your job is about performing well, evangelizing as a professional athlete, and how sports can aid you in becoming a better Christian. Fr. Burke and Trevor also share how God led them to athletics, the story of how they met, and play a fun game with Jake and Bob at the end of the episode.
Episode 137: Sports, Athletics & Faith (Part 2) w/ Bart Schuchts
This week, Jake and Bob continue their series on athletics, and welcome Bart Schuchts, a former D1 football player, to the podcast. Bart reflects on how athletics shaped his self-identity, beliefs, and relationships from childhood through his adult life. They also discuss sports culture, fear based coaching, and the fine line between healthy competition and idolizing sports. Ultimately, when approached with balance and intention, athletics can foster deep connection, personal growth, and spiritual insight that extends far beyond the game itself, enriching every aspect of life.
Episode 136: Sports, Athletics & Faith (Part 1) w/ Dr. Nicole Gabana Chiesa
This week, Jake and Bob begin a series on athletics, diving into the profound ways sports intersect with faith. Today, they are joined by Dr. Nicole Gabana Chiesa, a sports psychologist and former collegiate athlete. Together they explore the beauty of sports and how they can shape one’s identity, foster virtue, and offer opportunities for healing that extend far beyond the playing field. However, athletics present many challenges beyond just physical injury. They also discuss the dangers of over-identifying with athletic success or failure, the impact of parental and societal expectations, and emphasize the importance of rooting one’s identity in God’s unconditional love rather than achievements.
Episode 135: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 3) w/ Beth Stoll
This week, Jake and Bob conclude their series on integrating faith with psychology. They welcome Beth Stoll, a therapist from St. Louis, to talk about how an encounter with God’s love at a Healing the Whole Person retreat transformed her practice. She not only shares how suffering creates a greater capacity for empathy but also why therapists who have experienced deep suffering themselves are able to more deeply connect with clients. They also discuss why one must first live a life of faith before integrating faith in their practice, define the difference between praying with and praying for someone, and reflect on the challenges of trusting God rather than our own abilities.
Episode 134: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 2) w/ Christopher Lafitte
This week, Jake and Bob continue their series on integrating faith with psychology and welcome Christopher Lafitte, a Catholic counselor based in Texas. Christopher shares his story of formation, from aspiring engineer to therapist, and about the deep encounter with Christ that shaped his journey. They discuss Christopher’s unique approach to counseling, why loving one another is healing in itself, and how a therapists’ own wounds can become blind spots in their ability to help clients. Throughout all of this, Christopher reflects on how nothing in our lives will make sense apart from the reality we are made for communion with God. So whenever we approach therapy or personal healing, we should always remember Jesus wants to heal us so we can be in relationship with Him.
Episode 133: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 1) w/ Bernhard Streisselberger
This week, Jake and Bob begin a new series where they welcome therapists from around the world to discuss the integration of faith in psychology, real life lessons learned, and the various methodologies they practice. Today, they are joined by Bernhard Streiselberger, a Professional Counselor from Austria, who specializes in Gestalt therapy and EMDR. Bernhard shares his journey from studying psychotherapy in Austria to being formed in monastic life and how it has shaped his approach to therapy. He also delves into the details of Gestalt therapy and the Immanuel approach, how these methodologies have positively impacted his clients, and why affirmation is a key component in everyone’s healing journey.
Episode 132: Healing, Discipleship and the Heart w/ John Eldredge
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by John Eldredge, president of Wild at Heart, to discuss what authentic discipleship looks like in a distracted digital age. They explore the subtle ways constant connectivity and information overload can erode our spiritual focus, hinder intimacy with God, and ultimately fragment our souls. John also shares stories and insights from his own journey, highlights how unchecked busyness can mask deeper wounds or spiritual emptiness, and encourages listeners, with practical advice, to seek genuine communion with Jesus for true restoration.
Episode 127: Intergenerational Healing
This week, Jake and Bob discuss intergenerational healing, taking into account recent pastoral advice from Bishops around the world. Intergenerational healing involves understanding how wounds and sins from previous generations can affect individuals in the present. Jake and Bob not only reflect on the Bishops’ letters, which express concern regarding the practice of intergenerational healing, but also share personal experiences of miraculous healings that occurred after addressing generational issues in prayer.
Episode 119: The Four Reasons for Christmas
Merry Christmas! This week, Jake and Bob have a heartfelt conversation about loss and healing during the Christmas season. Bob shares about recently losing a family member and reflects on the healing power of being present with one another during times of grief. They also explore the significance of Jesus’ birth, the complexities of self-reflection in the context of healing, and transforming traditions into opportunities for deeper connection and presence.
Episode 116: Redemptive Suffering (Part 2)
This week, Jake and Bob continue their conversation on redemptive suffering. They reflect on the Song of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53 and how Jesus redeems suffering itself. Jake and Bob also discuss how Jesus experienced all seven deadly wounds, challenged each identity lie, and how this in turn helps us challenge our own identity lies so that we too can love through sorrow.
Episode 115: Redemptive Suffering (Part 1)
This week, Jake and Bob dive deep into the concept of redemptive suffering. Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, processing a medical diagnosis, or struggling to love your neighbor, we all experience suffering in many forms throughout our lives. Jake and Bob discuss how these sufferings allow us to see clearly into our hearts and notice the compassionate ways God is working to unite us more closely to Him. They also explore the nature of suffering as an experience of evil, the healing power of suffering, and share personal stories of how suffering redeemed their lives.
Episode 101: Healing Through Holy Sites
This week, Jake and Bob discuss their recent ministry experiences at Franciscan University, Assisi, and various JPII Healing Center events. They explore the transformative power of healing ministry, why they prefer ministering to groups instead of individuals, and the significance of holy sites. Jake and Bob also share insights into why we need so much healing in today’s culture.