Idaho Catholic Podcast

I wasn’t planning on finding anyone that day… I was just hiking alone in the mountains of Northern California—trying to clear my head. But something told me to step off the trail. And that’s when I found him. A man lying in the forest… barely alive… who had come there to die after losing his wife and two daughters just weeks before. What followed was a conversation I will never forget. A moment of grace. A moment of truth. And a vision that changed everything. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I share a powerful story about grief, faith, and the mysterious way God meets us in our darkest moments. If you’ve ever struggled with loss… If you’ve ever questioned God… If you’ve ever felt like giving up… This story is for you. Because sometimes… we are not meant to disappear. We are meant to be found.

Do I need counseling… or do I need spiritual direction? It’s a question more people are asking—especially in a world that tells us to “fix how we feel” but rarely asks why we feel the way we do. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I speak not only as a Deacon… but as someone who has spent over 40 years working in mental health. Here’s what I’ve seen:

What if happiness isn’t something you have to chase… but something you can begin creating today? In this episode of The Catholic Journey, I reflect on a simple but powerful truth:

There are moments in life when words feel too small… and yet, they are all we have. In this deeply personal episode of The Catholic Journey, I share a graveside committal service offered in Montana for my mother-in-law, Kathy, and her brother, Camilo. This is more than a homily. It is a reflection on love, loss, and the quiet hope that remains when we say goodbye. At the graveside, we are reminded of something profound— we don’t grieve deeply unless we have loved deeply. And while death brings real sorrow… our faith invites us to see beyond it. In this episode, we reflect on: Why grief is not weakness, but love revealed How the lives of those we lose continue to shape us The Christian hope that death is not the end… but a transformation What it means to say goodbye… and still hold on to hope If you have ever stood at a graveside… If you have ever felt the ache of loss… If you have ever wondered what remains after goodbye… This reflection is for you.

Not Republican. Not Democrat. Catholic. In a world that demands we pick a side, the Gospel calls us higher. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat explores why a faithful Catholic can never be fully aligned with any political party—and why that tension is not a weakness, but a sign of a well-formed conscience. This isn’t about rejecting politics. It’s about putting Christ above it.

Not all journeys are joyful. Some take us to places of goodbye… In this deeply personal episode, Deacon Pat reflects on traveling with his wife to lay her mother and uncle to rest—exploring what happens in our minds, hearts, emotions, and spirit when we lose someone we love. A powerful reflection on grief, love, and the hope we carry as people of faith.

You don’t always have to ask if someone is Catholic… sometimes, you just know.

War is not just politics—it’s a moral question. As tensions rise between the United States and Iran, how should Catholics respond? What does the Church really teach about Just War… and could this conflict meet those conditions? In this powerful episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat—Navy veteran who served alongside Marines—walks through the reality of war, the weight of conscience, and the tension between strength and peace. This is not about taking sides. This is about forming your conscience before God.

Have you ever felt like God went quiet? Like you used to feel His presence… in the small moments… in the stillness… but now… it just feels empty? In this powerful story, we follow a woman who slowly drifted—not away from belief, but away from listening. What she discovers in the silence… will hit closer to home than you expect. This episode is for anyone who feels distant, distracted, or spiritually dry… Because maybe God hasn’t stopped speaking. Maybe… we’ve just been surrounded by too much noise.

Why does life never feel like enough… even when things are going well? Because your heart was made for something more. That restlessness you feel… may actually be God calling you deeper.

When God feels distant… it doesn’t mean He’s gone. It may mean He’s drawing you into a deeper, stronger faith. Don’t walk away from the silence— it may be where God is doing His greatest work.

Two disciples walked away from everything they believed in… Their hope was gone. Their hearts were heavy. But what they didn’t realize… was that Jesus Christ was walking beside them the whole time. On the road to Emmaus, we discover something deeply personal: Christ is closest… not when life is clear— but when we are confused, disappointed, and searching. He speaks through Scripture. He stirs something within us. And He reveals Himself most fully in the Eucharist. If you’ve ever felt like God was distant… this episode will change the way you see your journey.

What happened to the family? In this powerful episode, we explore the shift from the family-centered culture of the 1960s to today’s world of independence, choice, and delayed commitment. Why are fewer people getting married? Why are children often seen as optional—or even avoided? More importantly… what has this done to us? This reflection goes beyond culture and into the human heart—revealing how sacrifice, commitment, and family life are not burdens, but the very path to meaning, depth, and holiness. A thought-provoking and deeply relevant message for anyone navigating modern life, relationships, and faith.

You’re not just raising a child… you’re forming a soul. In this deeply moving episode, discover how to help your child truly know God—not just follow rules—and how that relationship shapes their entire life.

What makes a Catholic marriage different? In this powerful episode, we explore the truth about sacramental marriage—what it is, what it does, and why it transforms ordinary love into something eternal. This will change how you see your marriage.

What if purgatory isn’t punishment… but mercy? In this deeply moving episode, discover what the Church truly teaches about purgatory, clear up the biggest misconceptions, and experience a powerful story of a soul being purified by God’s love. This may change the way you think about death… forever.

He had everything… A career. A family. A life that looked complete. But something was missing. In this powerful episode, we follow the story of David—a Gen X man who began to notice the quiet emptiness in the world around him… and within himself. While his friends drifted further into distraction and meaninglessness, he was pulled toward something deeper… something ancient… something true. What he found in the Catholic Church didn’t make his life easier— it made it real. If you’ve ever felt like something is missing… this episode is for you.

It didn’t happen all at once… Just slowly. A missed confession here… a delay there… until one day… it had been years. Not because he didn’t believe. Not because he didn’t care. But because coming back felt harder the longer he stayed away. The questions started to grow: “What do I even say?” “What will the priest think?” “Have I gone too far?” And so he waited… Until something inside him finally said: “Enough.” In this episode of The Catholic Journey, we walk through the fear, the hesitation, and the truth about what’s really keeping us from confession—and what happens when we finally take that step back. ✨ It’s not judgment ✨ It’s not shame ✨ It’s not rejection It’s mercy. And it’s been waiting for you.

We don’t avoid confession because we don’t believe in it… We avoid it because we’re afraid. Afraid of what we’ll have to say. Afraid of being seen. Afraid that maybe… we’ve gone too far. So we wait. We tell ourselves “next week”… we minimize… we carry things we were never meant to carry. And slowly… we drift. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, we take an honest look at what’s really holding us back from confession—and what’s waiting for us if we finally go. ✨ It’s not judgment ✨ It’s not shame ✨ It’s not disappointment It’s mercy. Real. Personal. Restoring. Because the truth is… You’re not avoiding confession because you don’t need it— you’re avoiding it because it might change everything.

If your soul could speak… what would it say? Would it whisper peace… or cry out for healing? In this deeply moving episode of The Catholic Journey, we step into a powerful and rarely considered reality— Your soul is alive. It is affected by every choice you make. And it longs for something more. ✨ Sin doesn’t just break rules… it wounds the soul ✨ It darkens what was made for light ✨ It weakens our ability to resist what pulls us away from God But there is hope. Because in confession… everything changes. Grace returns. Light is restored. And what was once wounded… begins to heal. This episode isn’t just about sin. It’s about coming back to life.