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We explore mental prayer through a Carmelite lens, moving from definitions and methods to the lived experience of silence, distraction, and trust. The theme is simple and demanding: prayer is a relationship, not a performance, and silence is where love learns to listen.

• mental prayer as interior attention and loving presence with God
• meditation using reason vs mental prayer using affection and attention
• rosary as rhythm that steadies focus on the mysteries
• how distraction and dryness purify motives and deepen trust
• the necessity of silence for identity, depth, and freedom from noise
• discursive prayer and the Carmelite emphasis on friendship with Christ
• practical helps for recollection: scripture, crucifix, sacred music
• growing intimacy through practice, Lectio Divina, small resolutions
• reflection prompts on silence, expectations, and dialogue vs monologue

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Saint Rita of Cascia’s winding path moves from a violent marriage and family feuds to quiet holiness, peacemaking, and steady fidelity that outlasts grief. We wrestle with God’s will, cultural narcissism, and how endurance can be wiser than escape.

• early life, legends, and a thwarted desire for religious life
• marriage, conversion, and the cost of peacemaking
• betrayal, loss, and a mother’s hard prayer for her sons
• ending a feud to enter the convent
• hidden holiness, stigmata, and incorruption
• fidelity in a culture that prizes escape
• prayer and perseverance
• reflection prompts for peace, forgiveness, and hope

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Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

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What if obedience in marriage isn’t about control, but about love that aims at the common good? We dig into the heart of a Catholic marriage through the living model of Christ and the Church—where respect means honoring dignity, headship means spiritual responsibility, and submission looks like strength poured out in service. The conversation gets real about how cultural baggage and family patterns confuse these ideas, and how grace in the sacrament empowers two people to move from me-versus-you into an honest, shared pursuit of holiness.

We unpack the daily work of mercy and justice—holding space for wounds without letting them harden into excuses. You’ll hear practical ways to communicate without escalating, to pause when emotions surge, and to replace accusation with clarity and care. We also talk about intimacy as the courage to be seen and received, how fear of rejection sabotages closeness, and why small habits—journaling, gratitude, daily examen, and simple prayer—retrain the heart to love well.

If trust has been damaged, we point to the shoreline scene of Christ and Peter: no shaming, just a sober question and an invitation to start again. That same grace can rebuild a home, brick by honest brick. We close with reflection prompts you can take to prayer: what you’re thankful for, where you hope to grow, and which hard topics deserve a gentle, patient return.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more couples can find tools for covenant love. Your voice helps others choose healing over transaction and communion over keeping score.

Click here to support the Carmelite Friars!

Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!