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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
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
WHY EMBRACE SUFFERING? Once we are able to accept, and then embrace our own suffering, we align ourselves with the suffering Christ, who through the Cross, leads us into eternal life with God.
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Sunday Feb 26, 2023
Sunday Feb 26, 2023
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER. Jesus often used parables to reveal hidden lessons. And since a parable requires reflection for understanding, only those who are prepared to explore its meaning can come to know it. This one delves into four different reactions to the Word of God.
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Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
LUKEWARM CATHOLICISM. God invites us into a life of holiness through His Son, Jesus Christ. And Jesus expresses God’s love for us through His own Passion and Death on the Cross. If the warmth and fervor of our response to this great love is tepid or lukewarm, our faith is at risk of deteriorating into indifference, or worse.
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Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
HOLY WATER AND ITS BENEFITS. Since it was removed from founts in churches during the pandemic, holy water has become almost a forgotten sacramental to many Catholics. When we reflect on its rich spiritual meaning and traditions, we rediscover the effects that benefit us all.
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Friday Feb 03, 2023
Friday Feb 03, 2023
SACRED SCRIPTURE. We read scripture to draw closer to God, and reading the Bible is itself an act of prayer. We encounter Jesus Christ is the gospels, and we can never exhaust the Word of God, for in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3.)
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Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
OVERCOMING SELF. The two greatest commandments are to love God above all things, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Yet when we are continually preoccupied with our own thoughts, desires, and needs, the Word of God can become obscured, and seem distant.
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Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
POPE BENEDICT XVI. With the passing of Joseph Ratzinger on the last day of 2022, many theologians and scholars have weighed in on the influence of his papacy, and on his impact on the Church. Here’s our take on what he meant to us, and to our fellow Catholics in the pews.
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Sunday Jan 08, 2023
Sunday Jan 08, 2023
ARE WE GIVING OUR ALL TO JESUS? In our faith journey, we must not hold anything back, because Our Lord wants us to love Him with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our strength.
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Sunday Jan 01, 2023
Sunday Jan 01, 2023
WHY WE NEED THE CHURCH. Christ came into the world so that the world might be saved through Him, and He built His Church on the rock of Peter, the Apostles, and on those of us who have come to believe in Him. We need the Church because it is the vehicle through which God shepherds and accompanies us into eternal life.
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Sunday Dec 18, 2022
Sunday Dec 18, 2022
THE VALUE OF SILENCE. Whether embracing an interior silence for enhanced prayer, or simply biting one’s tongue to avoid sin, we are so often reminded of the power and importance of silence. It is another window into wisdom and grace.
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