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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
Saturday Jan 13, 2024
Saturday Jan 13, 2024
RELICS. We preserve and venerate these bones and fragments because they give a connectedness to the sacred, to the holy people of God – the Saints! Relics are not magic, but they prayerfully draw us closer to God, and they can be a channel through which God answers our prayers.
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Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
INDULGENCES. Yes, they still exist, and they are a wonderful incentive to pray! Any act of prayer expressed devoutly provides a way to reduce the amount of punishment one must undergo for sins that have already been forgiven. God is merciful! Not only does He offer us freedom from eternal punishment, but also from the consequence or punishment required in this world, or in Purgatory.
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Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
ARE YOU PLEASING TO GOD? As Catholics, our ultimate objective and goal is to join in everlasting life with God, by loving God above all things, and loving neighbor as ourselves. But are we doing our best to become more pleasing to God? Do we pursue the natural desires of this world, or the interior joy that Jesus promises us?
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Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
WHAT THE SOULS IN PURGATORY TELL US. We don't talk about it much these days, but it's real -- a state of purification "so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." Many Saints have heard from the souls in Purgatory, and have shared with us their requests. So, what is Purgatory like, and how can we benefit from what these souls have to say?
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Monday Nov 20, 2023
Monday Nov 20, 2023
A WALK THROUGH A CATHOLIC CHURCH. When you enter a Catholic Church, you are met with a variety of symbolic and real expressions of our faith. Everything that we touch and see is there to help us give honor and praise to God. Let's walk in and remind ourselves of the beauty and wonder that surround us.
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Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
THE SEVEN SORROWS OF MARY. When we say the Rosary, we ask our Blessed Mother to "pray for us, now and at the hour of our death." In the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, we are invited through prayer to console her sorrowful heart and unite our suffering to hers, and by doing so receive beautiful graces of peace, consolation, and strength.
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Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
THE PARTICULAR GOOD. The Evil One is at work when we are encouraged to become attached to our Particular Goods, even if they are not what is best for us. Whatever we desire is most important, not what God wants for us. Then the attachments that are particular to each one of us, lead us away from God.
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Monday Oct 09, 2023
Monday Oct 09, 2023
GOSSIP. It's something we all know we should not do, yet it seems to appear in so many of our conversations. It's harmful to ourselves, to those we talk about, and even to those who hear it. Let's discuss how we can identify gossip, and how we can stop doing it.
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Sunday Sep 10, 2023
Sunday Sep 10, 2023
SMALL SACRIFICES. The greatest penances most of us must deal with come in the small obstacles and frustrations of everyday life. If we can confront them and turn them into small sacrifices, we will achieve small victories which will strengthen our will, and draw us closer to God.
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Friday Sep 01, 2023
Friday Sep 01, 2023
PRIVATE REVELATIONS. We accept that God reveals Himself through Sacred Scripture, and is present in the Eucharist at Mass. But private revelations are messages or inspirations that come to all of us, in many different ways. When we breathe prayer to God, sincerely from the heart, we know that God reveals His love and mercy, for each and every one of us.
Join the conversation: anycatholicconversation@gmail.com