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What do two Catholic men who believe in God and love the Church sound like when they have a conversation? Listen to ‘”A New York Catholic Conversation” to hear for yourself. For several years every Thursday morning, Frank Alagia and Deacon John Catalano would have breakfast after the 7am Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and they would talk about things they cared about; the daily Gospel message, the Sacraments, Holy Days, forgiveness, and any number of topics of interest to Catholic people. Both men are deeply committed to the teachings of the Catholic Church and to a sacramental life with Christ, and they want their loved ones to know that this life is available to everyone! They are not scholars but they are passionate about their faith, and they engage in a lively, brief exchange every week about all things Catholic. They have a beautiful faith and a true love, and they want you to have it as well. Join Frank and Deacon John each week and see if their Conversation makes sense for you. Contact us at anycatholicconversation@gmail.com or john@jc.training -------------------------- DEACON JOHN CATALANO was ordained by Cardinal Timothy Dolan in 2016 and assigned as Deacon to his home parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Catharine’s in Pelham, NY, where he has lived with his wife Josephine for thirty years. John and Josephine have three adult children: Angela, Christina, and Joseph. John has a Master’s degree in Church Management from Villanova University and is the author of a book, ”Does God Speak to Us? What about Me?,” a dialog between himself and his two Catholic daughters, about faith and hope in the Church today. Deacon John’s background is in Advertising Sales, where he worked at places like NBC, USA Networks, and Fox Television, and has now developed a training program for Parishes called ‘Building Community through Parish Leadership’. John has served for several years at the 7 a.m. Mass on Thursdays at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, and is pleased to be working with Frank Alagia on their podcast. -------------------------- FRANK ALAGIA is a life-long resident of Rockville Centre, NY and parishioner at St. Agnes Cathedral. He was one of the most highly-recruited schoolboy athletes as a senior point guard at St. Agnes High School. He attended St. John’s University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Communications. He co-captained the basketball team in his senior year under Coach Lou Carnesecca and was named to the prestigious East-West All-Star team. He was also enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as the Naismith Award winner in 1976. Frank has enjoyed a 45-year career on Wall Street and has been a daily Communicant for most of his adult life. He and his wife, Marie, have been married for 35 years and have four children.
Episodes
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
DIFFICULTY & HOLINESS. We all strive to be good Christians, but the path to holiness seems filled with obstacles and difficulties. When we accept these challenges as God's will for us, we are able to accept the grace that feeds us and enables us to overcome, and give glory to God.
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Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
MEDITATIVE PRAYER. Our greatest prayer as Catholics is the Mass itself, in which we express our thoughts and beliefs externally, through words proclaimed aloud. The other kind of prayer is Meditative, which is a quest to listen and talk to God. Through silence and stillness, we go deeper into our heart and soul, which is the dwelling place of Our Lord. Practiced faithfully, meditative prayer provides great benefits to ourselves and to the world.
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Monday May 06, 2024
Monday May 06, 2024
AM I WASTING THE GIFT OF TIME? Many of us are obsessed with time, and yet we don't seem ready, or prepare ourselves for the time when we will be held to account for our lives. Jesus warns us that the day will come, and we must use this gift of time on earth to be prepared.
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Sunday Apr 21, 2024
Sunday Apr 21, 2024
DEVOTION TO THE HOLY FACE. When we gaze into the Holy Face of Jesus in prayer, we enter into His passion and humbly align ourselves with the suffering Christ. And Jesus Himself told Sister Mary of St. Peter, "Those on earth who contemplate the wounds of My Face, shall in Heaven behold it radiant with glory, and they themselves shall shine with particular splendor in Heaven."
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Friday Apr 05, 2024
Friday Apr 05, 2024
MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY. Jesus uses the word "meek" in the Beatitudes - it represents a quality of the heart with which a person is willing to accept and submit to the will and desire of someone else - so necessary in marriage. And by embracing the virtue of humility, we can more readily love God above all things, and love our neighbor as ourselves.
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Monday Mar 25, 2024
Monday Mar 25, 2024
GROWTH, TRANSFORMATION, & THE JOY OF GOD. We are called to be saints, and we must keep striving for growth and transformation in our spiritual lives. A Benedictine nun, Sister Mary David, offers reflections on spirituality that are steeped in simple wisdom and practical advice. Her collected writings are in a book called The Joy of God.
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Sunday Mar 10, 2024
Sunday Mar 10, 2024
GRUMBLING. It's been called "faithless complaining." It's moaning and growling about everything and everyone around us, but it is dangerous because it can easily turn to bitterness and harden our hearts.
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Friday Feb 23, 2024
Friday Feb 23, 2024
TURNING BACK TO WORLDLINESS. Many of us make only a tepid effort at practicing our faith, and grow frustrated when the going gets tough. In our frustration, we turn back to the things of the world. Worldliness seems the easier path.
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Friday Feb 09, 2024
Friday Feb 09, 2024
THE 7 SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY. Are you looking for ways to enrich and strengthen your prayer life this Lent? Consider practicing the Spiritual Works of Mercy. They draw us into a deeper relationship with God and make us instruments of God's peace.
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Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
REFUSALS. It is God's will to enter into our lives, and abide in us. He does not force us, He calls us. But we ourselves often block this from happening. We sometimes intentionally stand in the way of a fuller life with God. Let's talk about these impediments, these "refusals" to make room for God in our hearts.
Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com