Faith Retriever, Fetching the Good News

This episode is part two of a four-episode series on marriage with Angela Schnieders, Bill Schnieders and Fr. Sean Raftis. Angela is known for her work as a co-founder and senior partner with Mission Advancement Partners, Director of Mission Advancement with Endow and co-founder of the Woman School which helps women master the mindsets and skillsets needed to thrive in our changing world. Bill set aside a career in Silcon Valley to relocate to Flathead Lake in Montana exploring start up ventures in water, farming and energy in addition to leading workshops on Catholic apologetics.

Fr. Sean Raftis is a renowned retreat leader and Pastor of St. Richard Church in Columbia Falls, Montana.

The first two episodes talk about the importance of the growth mindset in marriage. Then we discuss communication in marriage and finally healing in marriage. Each episode explores practical ways to let our faith enrich our marriages, strengthening us to care for both our families and communities.

Welcome to the Faith Retriever. This episode is part of a four-episode series on marriage with Angela Schnieders, Bill Schnieders and Fr. Sean Raftis.

Angela is known for her work as a co-founder and senior partner with Mission Advancement Partners, Director of Mission Advancement with Endow and co-founder of the Woman School which helps women master the mindsets and skillsets needed to thrive in our changing world. Bill set aside a career in Silcon Valley to relocate to Flathead Lake in Montana exploring start up ventures in water, farming and energy in addition to leading workshops on Catholic apologetics.

Fr. Sean Raftis is a renowned retreat leader and Pastor of St. Richard Church in Columbia Falls, Montana.

The first two episodes talk about the importance of the growth mindset in marriage. Then we discuss communication in marriage and finally healing in marriage. Each episode explores practical ways to let our faith enrich our marriages, strengthening us to care for both our families and communities.

Welcome to the Faith Retriever. Today, we are going to explore with Fr. Justin Ryan why and how we share the Catholic doctrine of creation. This doctrine grounds how we see the world and, without it, we struggle to relate well to God and to share the faith with those we love. 

Fr. Justin Ryan serves as the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Seattle. This means that he is responsible for identifying, recruiting and forming seminarians who, God willing, will one day become priests in our parishes. Fr. Justin has a true love for theology and philosophy which helps him to form and support the seminarians who must learn these very important disciplines.

Books referenced: Evolution as a Religion by Mary Midgely 

Deacon Eric talks with Father Cal Christiansen about some of the techniques of Evangelization and his experiences going door to door around his neighborhood and parish, St. Pius X Catholic Church in Mountlake Terrace.

Father Jim Lee joins Deacon Eric on Faith Retriever to discuss a recent retreat he led about how, in many ways, we are all thirsty for God. He shares insights that would be helpful and ones we can apply own prayer life. Deacon and Father talk about those today on Faith Retriever.

Lent provides us a beautiful opportunity to grow closer to God. Deacon Eric Paige preached and spoke to the people of St. Barbara’s in Black Diamond, WA offering some practical ways to get the most out of this season of spiritual growth. We face an adversary in the form of the devil and the distractions of the world around us. But Lent gives us a chance to focus on the basics:

prayer to develop our intellect

fasting to discipline our senses

almsgiving to develop our will and love for God and people

For more resources check out the Archdiocese of Seattle’s page for Lenten Inspiration and Resources: Lent Inspiration and Resources - Archdiocese of Seattle (archseattle.org)

Get At Home with Faith as a resource to develop your family’s faith go to https://athomewithfaith.org

Today Deacon Eric talks with Bishop Frank Schuster, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle and Pastor of St. Vincent De Paul parish in Federal Way. Bishop Schuster leads the Archdiocese of Seattle’s formation of permanent deacons. Today's topic is about What is a Deacon?  

Today Faith Retriever we are blessed to visit with Fr. Jim Lee, Pastor of St. Michael parish in Olympia. Fr. Lee served as a Maryknoll missionary in Tanzania, East Africa for ten years and was ordained a priest in 1975. Then he helped to form Maryknoll missionaries until 1986, when invited by a friend to the Northwest, he came to the Archdiocese of Seattle serving as Pastor at Assumption parish in Bellingham and then in 1997 was assigned to St. Michael parish as Pastor. Since then he has remained as pastor leading one of our largest and most vibrant parishes in the Archdiocese, despite an ALS diagnosis in 2017.

Today, we are going to explore What’s in our media diet? with Helen McClenahan and Patty Lewis. Just about all of us are aware of the way that the food that we eat can affect our health, mood and ability to interact with the world around us. We’re now becoming increasingly aware of how the media we watch, read and listen to can affect the way we think, feel and treat those around us. Today, we will talk about some of the things we can do to improve our media diet.

On this program, Deacon Eric discusses ways us to be better hearers of the Word at Mass with Father Stephen Rowan.  

Deacon Eric talks with Father Rowan and Father Lazzaroni on ways that would help us grow and understand the work of the local church.

Deacon Eric and Father Jim Lee, Pastor of St. Michael's in Olympia, talk about the Advent season and how we can deepen our relationship with Jesus and also evangelize our family and friends drawing them into a closer relationship with Jesus.  Father Lee has served in many leadership roles in the Archdiocese of Seattle, one being, the leader of the spiritual formation program for permanent deacons. 

Deacon Eric Paige hosts a discussion of gratitude with Fr. Kurt Nagel, Pastor of St. Monica Parish on Mercer Island and Sacred Heart Parish in Bellevue.  Together they discuss how to gently bring your faith to the Thanksgiving table with prayer, kindness and understanding.

Deacon Eric Paige interviews Fr. Justin Ryan, Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Seattle. They discuss the book Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper, the importance of leisure and how to correctly practice leisure. 

What is a Newman Center?

Deacon Eric Paige talks with Fr. Marcin Szymanski O.P, Director of the University of Washington Newman Center, along with two students Tess and Cello about what a Newman Center is, how they outreach to students on campus and how to connect your college student with a Newman Center. 

Visit UW Newman Center at UWnewman.org

Deacon Eric talks with Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, Auxiliary Bishop for Archdiocese of Seattle on how spiritual direction works and how to grow in the spiritual life.

Deacon Eric and his guest, Father Kurt Nagel, Pastor of St. Monica Parish, Mercer Island and Sacred Heart Parish, Bellevue, discuss helping parents evangelize their children.

They also discuss parts of the book The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Adults by Leonard Sax. 

Deacon Eric Paige discusses with his guest Father Stephen Rowan on the art of the homily. Dr. Rowan and Dean Eric also take a deep dive into how the readings are structured, what the priest is trying to accomplish during the homily and themes of the Gospel of Luke.

Fr. Rowan has taught in the Archdiocese of Seattle, was the president of Carroll College and is currently at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon. He gives a lecture to priests and deacons about preaching the lectionary and today summarized this talk with Deacon Eric.