Catholic Momcast

The Catholic Mom team brings you all things faith, family, and fun!

Catholic Momcast 353: Fruits of the Spirit 07/02/2025

Catholic Momcast 353: Fruits of the Spirit Maria Morera Johnson is joined by Inés Huber Mersch for a conversation about the Fruits of the Spirit, and how we can cultivate the virtues in our family. Inés Huber Mersch is a faithful Catholic wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Mobile, Alabama. Her strong attraction to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament led to her being invited to participate in the steering committee that brought Perpetual Adoration to the Archdiocese of Mobile and continues as one of the schedulers. She has also been a guest writer at Catholic Mom. Links in Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/37245375

Prayercast 42: Mary's Motherhood 06/30/2025

Prayercast 42: Mary's Motherhood Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton talk about the Blessed Mother as a model for our motherhood. Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton talk about the Blessed Mother as a model for our motherhood. Heidi Saxton is co-host of the CatholicMom.com Prayercast, and author of (OSV) and (Ave). She is also senior acquisitions editor for Ave Maria Press. She and her husband Craig divide their time between northern Michigan and West Palm Beach, Florida. You can read about her adventures on . Maria Morera Johnson, author of :, My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Link in Show:· /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/37220500

Catholic Momcast 352: Musician Cristina Bernal 06/25/2025

Catholic Momcast 352: Musician Cristina Bernal Maria Morera Johnson interviews musician Cristina Bernal in an intimate conversation about faith, sacrifice, values, and surrendering her gifts to God. CONTENT WARNING: In this episode, Cristina Bernal shares briefly about exposure to immoral practices in the music industry that led to her awakening in the faith. Caution is recommended, especially when young listeners may be present. Growing up in the music industry Cristina always knew she wanted to do something big with her gifts and talents. After leaving what would have been her second record deal in 2011, Cristina got involved in leading worship for her young adult community. From there she knew she had a calling to serve the Lord with her gifts and talents. Along with writing and releasing pop music she has served in the worship community since. She has traveled around the United States leading worship for conferences, retreats, parish missions, as well as locally at her home parish. Cristina signed with Catholic Christian Record label NOVUM in July of 2022. She has released a and is working on another Album of Worship Music for Mass. Links for this Show: new song: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/37135295

Catholic Momcast 351: Pausing Busyness 06/18/2025

Catholic Momcast 351: Pausing Busyness Maria and Allison catch up with each other. Life sometimes comes at us in seasons of heavy activity and having strategies for focus and grounding in the faith are essential. Links for this Episode: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/37026335

Catholic Momcast 350: Real Life with Mary Book Club Week 3 06/12/2025

Catholic Momcast 350: Real Life with Mary Book Club Week 3 Our May 2025 Book Club selection is a book honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary! Kelsey Gillespy, in her new book, encourages moms to grow in friendship with Mary and learn from her how to walk the daily path to holiness. This book is written for all of us! Kelsey observed during this session that the book is a call to discipleship, a call to fellowship, and a call to sainthood. She acknowledged that when we look at the saints we see all the glamor, and it can seem like sainthood is distant — but over time, God can bring us to sainthood too. Kelsey and Allison discuss how Mary is close to us because of the grace of God, and that grace can bring us closer to God. Learn more about Mary as a powerful example and mentor as well as someone who's going to nurture us, love us, and want the best for us in our Week 3 Book Club episode. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36963055

Catholic Momcast 349: Cooking with the Kids 06/11/2025

Catholic Momcast 349: Cooking with the Kids Maria Morera Johnson and Barb Szyszkiewicz have a lively conversation about cooking with the family, offering some Mom hacks for encouraging young chefs. Barb Szyszkiewicz, senior editor at , is a wife, mom of 3 young adults, and a Secular Franciscan. Barb enjoys writing, cooking, and reading, and is a music minister at her parish. Find her blog at and her family’s favorite recipes with nutrition information at . Barb is the author of and , available from Our Sunday Visitor. Maria Morera Johnson, author of and My Badass Book of Saints. She writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Links for Show: . . /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36946895

CatholicMom Prayercast 41: Hopeful Parenting 06/09/2025

CatholicMom Prayercast 41: Hopeful Parenting Heidi Saxton is co-host of the CatholicMom.com Prayercast, and author of (OSV) and (Ave). She is also senior acquisitions editor for Ave Maria Press. She and her husband Craig divide their time between northern Michigan and West Palm Beach, Florida. You can read about her adventures on . Maria Morera Johnson, author of :, My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Link in Show:· /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36911455

Catholic Momcast 348: Real Life with Mary Book Club Week 2 06/05/2025

Catholic Momcast 348: Real Life with Mary Book Club Week 2 Our May 2025 Book Club selection is a book honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary! Kelsey Gillespy, in her new book, encourages moms to grow in friendship with Mary and learn from her how to walk the daily path to holiness. This book is written for all of us! Kelsey observed during this session that the book is a call to discipleship, a call to fellowship, and a call to sainthood. She acknowledged that when we look at the saints we see all the glamor, and it can seem like sainthood is distant — but over time, God can bring us to sainthood too. Kelsey and Allison discuss how Mary is close to us because of the grace of God, and that grace can bring us closer to God. Learn more about Mary as a powerful example and mentor as well as someone who's going to nurture us, love us, and want the best for us in our Week 2 Book Club episode. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36856955

Catholic Momcast 347: Graduation Season 06/04/2025

Catholic Momcast 347: Graduation Season Maria Morera Johnson and Margaret Dwyer Hogan discuss graduations and the transitions in the home. Maria Morera Johnson and Margaret Dwyer Hogan have a lively and fun conversation about the different seasons of graduation and launching our children. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36837370

Catholic Momcast 346: Book Club Real Life with Mary Week 1 05/29/2025

Catholic Momcast 346: Book Club Real Life with Mary Week 1 Our May 2025 Book Club selection is a book honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary! Kelsey Gillespy, in her new book, encourages moms to grow in friendship with Mary and learn from her how to walk the daily path to holiness. This book is written for all of us! Kelsey observed during this session that the book is a call to discipleship, a call to fellowship, and a call to sainthood. She acknowledged that when we look at the saints we see all the glamor, and it can seem like sainthood is distant — but over time, God can bring us to sainthood too. Kelsey and Allison discuss how Mary is close to us because of the grace of God, and that grace can bring us closer to God. Learn more about Mary as a powerful example and mentor as well as someone who's going to nurture us, love us, and want the best for us in our Week 1 Book Club episode. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36762680

Catholic Momcast 345: Summer's Almost Here 05/28/2025

Catholic Momcast 345: Summer's Almost Here Maria and Allison have a heartfelt conversation about summer memories and dive into the archives for summer ideas for the family, including some mom hacks for young children. Links for this episode: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36735630

Prayercast 40: Home Altars and Devotions 05/26/2025

Prayercast 40: Home Altars and Devotions Maria Morera Johnson and Inés Huber Mersch discuss ways they integrate tangible expressions of faith in their homes. Inés Huber Mersch is a faithful Catholic wife, mother, and grandmother residing in Mobile, Alabama. Her strong attraction to Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament led to her being invited to participate in the steering committee that brought Perpetual Adoration to the Archdiocese of Mobile and continues as one of the schedulers. She has also been a guest writer at Catholic Mom. Links in Episode: - - /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36714135

Catholic Momcast 344: Piety and Temperament 05/21/2025

Catholic Momcast 344: Piety and Temperament Maria Morera Johnson interviews Rosemary McGuire Berry, author of Piety and Personality: The Temperaments of the Saints (TAN Books). Rosemary McGuire Berry is a lifelong Catholic reader, storyteller, writer and traveler who homeschools the younger of her two daughters. When she’s not leading international pilgrimages with her husband and family to visit shrines and saints, she resides with her family in Colorado. Links for this Show: TAN Books: Author website: Free Handout about the Saints & their Temperaments Catholic Posts on Instagram: Weekly articles on Tea, Talk & Tattered Pages /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36645245

Catholic Momcast 343: Meet Roxane Salonen 05/14/2025

Catholic Momcast 343: Meet Roxane Salonen Maria Morera Johnson interviews CatholicMom.com contributor Roxane B. Salonen, award-winning children’s author and freelance writer, and a radio host, speaker, and podcaster. Roxane B. Salonen, Fargo, North Dakota (“You betcha!”), is a wife and mother of a literal, mostly-grown handful, an award-winning children’s author and freelance writer, and a radio host, speaker, and podcaster (“”). Roxane co-authored to bring hope to those bearing an all-too-common cross. Her diocesan column, shares insights from her prolife sidewalk ministry. Visit . Links for this Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36557190

Prayercast 39: Month of Mary 05/12/2025

Prayercast 39: Month of Mary Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton talk about their love of the Blessed Mother. Heidi Saxton is co-host of the CatholicMom.com Prayercast, and author of (OSV) and (Ave). She is also senior acquisitions editor for Ave Maria Press. She and her husband Craig divide their time between northern Michigan and West Palm Beach, Florida. You can read about her adventures on . Maria Morera Johnson, author of :, My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Link in Show:· /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36531065

Catholic Momcast 342: Meet Allison Auth 05/07/2025

Catholic Momcast 342: Meet Allison Auth Maria Morera Johnson interviews CatholicMom.com contributor Allison Auth, author of Baby and Beyond: Overcoming Those Post-Childbirth Woes (Sophia Institute Press). Allison Auth lives with her woodworker husband and 5 children in the Denver area, where she homeschools her kids. She is the author of Baby and Beyond: Overcoming Those Post-Childbirth Woes (Sophia Institute Press) and contributes regularly to the Denver Catholic. She is active in her parish and homeschooling communities. Learn more about her work at . Links for the Show: . /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36458590

Catholic Momcast 341: When Worry Overwhelms 04/30/2025

Catholic Momcast 341: When Worry Overwhelms Maria Morera Johnson and Allison Gingras discuss how worry shows up in every season of motherhood, from sleepless nights with newborns to the silent prayers for grown kids, and how to find peace and purpose through it all. Maria and Allison discuss how worry is a constant companion in motherhood. In this heartfelt episode, we explore how anxiety shifts across each season of raising children and how faith, community, and practical wisdom can help us anchor our hearts in peace. Tune in for this reminder that you're never alone on this journey. Links for this episode: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36368510

Prayercast 38: Praying for Each Other 04/28/2025

Prayercast 38: Praying for Each Other Maria Morera Johnson and Heidi Hess Saxton talk about their special prayer devotions and pray for Catholic Momcast and Prayercast listeners. Heidi Saxton is co-host of the CatholicMom.com Prayercast, and author of (OSV) and (Ave). She is also senior acquisitions editor for Ave Maria Press. She and her husband Craig divide their time between northern Michigan and West Palm Beach, Florida. You can read about her adventures on . Maria Morera Johnson, author of A Beautiful Second Act: My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too. Link in Show:· /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36343040

Catholic Momcast 340: Adult Children with Special Needs 04/23/2025

Catholic Momcast 340: Adult Children with Special Needs David and Mercedes write and speak from a faith perspective as parents of a child with autism. They are available to speak, and have appeared on radio and other media. Visit to learn more. Follow them on Facebook at . Authors of Praying For Your Special Needs Child, (Word Among Us Press) and (Loyola Press). Links for this Episode: Praying For Your Special Needs Child, (Word Among Us Press) (Loyola Press) /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36266630

Catholic Momcast 339: Jennifer Thomas 04/16/2025

Catholic Momcast 339: Jennifer Thomas Maria Morera Johnson interviews CatholicMom.com contributor, Jennifer Thomas. As a Catholic wife and mom to three children, Jennifer earned her masters degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and recently reverted back to her Catholic faith. Jennifer is an avid stationery enthusiast who enjoys finding unique and beautiful stationery to send to her friends and family. She also enjoys researching ways to instill Catholic traditions within her family while finishing her first book. Show Links: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36129215

Catholic Momcast 338: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 3 (Part 2) 04/10/2025

Catholic Momcast 338: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 3 (Part 2) Listen to the podcast playback or watch the video from Week 3 of the Catholic Mom Book Club featuring A Beautiful Second Act by Maria Morera Johnson. Maria and host Allison Gingras discuss Chapters 9 and 10 of our Book Club selection, chatting about the fascinating women profiled in this book and what we can learn from their successes and their difficulties. You have plenty of time to catch up on the reading if you're just getting started with this beautiful book. What's the book about? In , bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life’s second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and “soul sisters” who faced these challenges with courage. As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation — those balancing the needs of both children and parents — are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process. Chapter after chapter, these inspiring saints and contemporary changemakers from all over the world will help you, too, embrace your second half and the changes it brings to our health, our personal relationships, our responsibilities, our work, and our faith. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36071905

Catholic Momcast 337: Bishop Fulton Sheen with Cheryl Hughes 04/09/2025

Catholic Momcast 337: Bishop Fulton Sheen with Cheryl Hughes Maria Morera Johnson interviews Cheryl Hughes, mom, convert, and author of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Convert Maker. Cheryl C. D. Hughes holds a Ph.D. in historical theology from Durham University in England. Her books include Katharine Drexel: The Riches-to-Rags Story of an American Catholic Saint (2014) and Crossing Boundaries and Confounding Identity: Chinese Women in Literature, Art, and Film (2023). She and her husband live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Links in Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/36044470

Catholic Momcast 336: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 3 (Part 1) 04/03/2025

Catholic Momcast 336: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 3 (Part 1) Listen to the podcast playback or watch the video from Week 3 of the Catholic Mom Book Club featuring A Beautiful Second Act by Maria Morera Johnson. Maria and host Allison Gingras discuss Chapters 7 and 8 of our Book Club selection, chatting about the fascinating women profiled in this book and what we can learn from their successes and their difficulties. You have plenty of time to catch up on the reading if you're just getting started with this beautiful book. What's the book about? In , bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life’s second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and “soul sisters” who faced these challenges with courage. As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation — those balancing the needs of both children and parents — are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process. Chapter after chapter, these inspiring saints and contemporary changemakers from all over the world will help you, too, embrace your second half and the changes it brings to our health, our personal relationships, our responsibilities, our work, and our faith. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35975815

Catholic Momcast 335: Retreat Mom Nancy Smith 04/02/2025

Catholic Momcast 335: Retreat Mom Nancy Smith Maria Johnson interviews Nancy Smith, O.F.S., Director of Holy Cross Retreat House in North Easton, Massachusetts. from the Holy Cross Retreat House intro: Launched in 1964 in a converted cow barn, the Retreat House has been a spiritual haven for thousands who have passed through its welcoming doors. It is located in Easton, Massachusetts, adjacent to , also founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Retreat House is operated solely on private donations and retreat fees, and receives no state or federal funding. Among retreat houses in the Boston area and south of Boston, our retreat house has established its “market niche” by emphasizing Cursillo and Matt Talbot programs. Link in Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35959805

Catholic Momcast 334: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 2 03/27/2025

Catholic Momcast 334: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 2 The March 2025 Book Club features Catholic Mom media editor Maria Morera Johnson and her new book, , published by Ave Maria Press. What's the book about? In , bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life’s second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and “soul sisters” who faced these challenges with courage. As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation — those balancing the needs of both children and parents — are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process. Where can I get a copy of this book? , the publisher, is offering a generous discount on : use code CATHOLICMOM to save 10% off the purchase price of the book. This offer expires April 27, 2025. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35880165

Catholic Momcast 333: Great and Small with Meg Herriot 03/26/2025

Catholic Momcast 333: Great and Small with Meg Herriot Maria Morera Johnson interviews Catholicmom.com contributor Meg Herriot at the Catholic Mom Contributor retreat. Meg Herriot is a veterinarian and Third Order Dominican. She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and pets and blogging at about being a veterinarian, mother, wife and most of all a Catholic trying to grow closer to God in a chaotic world. Link in Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35862815

Catholic Momcast 332: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 1 03/20/2025

Catholic Momcast 332: A Beautiful Second Act Book Club Week 1 The March 2025 Book Club features Catholic Mom media editor Maria Morera Johnson and her new book, , published by Ave Maria Press. What's the book about? In , bestselling author Maria Morera Johnson explores the adventure of life’s second half, drawing inspiration from twenty saints and “soul sisters” who faced these challenges with courage. As advancements in health and medicine extend our lifespan, women of the sandwich generation — those balancing the needs of both children and parents — are experiencing a multitude of challenges as they transition out of the workforce and into the promise of retirement. contains encouragement and wisdom from saints and contemporary soul sisters who experienced similar challenges during their transition to midlife and beyond and offers insight into the aging process. Where can I get a copy of this book? , the publisher, is offering a generous discount on : use code CATHOLICMOM to save 10% off the purchase price of the book. This offer expires April 27, 2025. /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35783670

Catholic Momcast 331: Meatless Recipes with Elizabeth Varga 03/19/2025

Catholic Momcast 331: Meatless Recipes with Elizabeth Varga Maria Morera Johnson and Barb Szyszkiewicz interview Elizabeth Varga, founder of At Elizabeth's Table, a recipe blog that exolores the intersection of food and the Catholic faith. Elizabeth Varga is the founder of At Elizabeth’s Table, a plant-based recipe blog that explores the relationship between food and the Catholic faith. With a passion for healthy living, she is a full-time food blogger and food photographer. When not in the kitchen, Elizabeth enjoys drinking coffee, working out, listening to podcasts, and going on long walks. Follow along with her blog at . Links in Show: . /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35769515

Catholic Momcast 330: Heart of Vines 03/12/2025

Catholic Momcast 330: Heart of Vines Maria Morera Johnson interviews Lisa Brenninkmeyer, Founder and Chief Purpose Officer of Walking with Purpose (WWP), a Catholic women's ministry, and the new book for young women, Heart of Vines. Lisa Brenninkmeyer is the Founder and Chief Purpose Officer of Walking with Purpose (WWP), a Catholic women's ministry. Lisa has authored 19 WWP Bible study courses, two devotionals, BLAZE and Sisters of Strength resources for Catholic tween/teens, and a guided prayer journal, and Heart of Vines for young adults — all of which lead women and young girls to a closer relationship with the Lord. After hearing story after story of women looking for a safe place to ask questions about faith and needing ways to refuel, Lisa decided to do something to bring change. The result of her holy discontent is Walking with Purpose. Lisa is crazy about women, loves Christ passionately, and thinks the most exciting thing in the world is to connect the former with the latter. Lisa holds a BA in psychology from St. Olaf College and is pursuing her masters degree in Theology from Franciscan University. She and her husband Leo have seven children and five grandchildren and reside in St. Augustine, Florida. Links in Show: /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35647270

CatholicMom Prayercast 37: Joan Watson 03/10/2025

CatholicMom Prayercast 37: Joan Watson Heidi Hess Saxton and Maria Morera Johnson interview Joan Watson, author of Opening the Holy Doors: Hope-Filled Scripture Reflections from St. Peter's Basilica. In Opening the Holy Door, scripture teacher and seasoned tour guide Joan Watson takes you on a journey through the sixteen panels of the Jubilee Holy Door. With her knack for storytelling and love for scripture, she invites you to pause, pray, and reflect on the deeper meaning behind these stunning images. Using a blend of scripture and imaginative prayer, Joan helps you see each panel not just as art, but as a doorway into the great story of salvation. Link in Show:· /episode/index/show/catholicmomcast/id/35608690

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