Pamela Q. Fernandes's Blog, page 4

103 Intelligent Design: The Evidence of God

It’s all because the form we have is one created by God to give to His Son, Jesus.

Ann Gauger

WHO IS ANN GAUGER?

Dr. Ann Gauger is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute. She received her Bachelor’s degree from MIT, her PhD from the University of Washington, and held a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Her scientific work has been published in numerous books and journals. She recently edited and co-authored God’s Grandeur: The Catholic Case for Intelligent Design. Her life centers on communicating the reality of God in any way she can. Email her at agauger@discovery.org. Her writing can be found at https://evolutionnews.org/author/agauger/ or https://anngauger.substack.com.

Intelligent Design: The Evidence of God

In this episode, Ann Gauger talks about:
i. What is intelligent design?
ii. What is the scientific evidence of the existence of God?
iii. How is the human person distinct?
iv. How do we understand the creation story?
v. How did this shape your own conversion?

PQF · 103 Intelligent Design: The Evidence of GodThe Distinctness of the Human Person

It was the week before Thanksgiving that I reached out to Ann. I read about her interesting take on the creation story. The month before, I had been reading a lot about the end times and am fascinated by the universe, its origins and the Biblical beginnings. I have also been re-reading the Old Testament and so was quite intrigued. During the weekend, I reached out to Ann and she was quick to respond and we recorded this episode.

What really impressed me is Ann’s approach to God. This is probably a similar approach to any person who is trying to understand God intellectually. In the end, Ann’s advice is to have faith and if you don’t have it, to ask God for it.

She explains how we cannot have come from randomness or coincidence. Through her studies she highlights the distinctness of the human person. Our capacities, including that of language, freewill, ability to understand the consequence of our actions and knowing the difference between right and wrong distinguish us from animals.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, St Therese of the Child Jesus, and Prayer If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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102 Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers

“Being a non-violent peacemaker is recalling that others are children of God even if they may have caused us harm.”

Eli McCarthy

Who is Eli McCarthy?

Eli’s most recent book is “A Just Peace Ethic Primer: Building Sustainable Peace and Breaking Cycles of Violence (2020), along with a previous book entitled “Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers: A Virtue Ethic for Catholic Social Teaching and U.S. Policy,” (2012). He has numerous journal articles such as “The Gospels Draw us Further: A Just Peace Ethic,” “Breaking Out: The Expansiveness of Restorative Justice in Laudato Si,’” “Good Practices of Unarmed Civilian Protection: Case Study in Israel and Palestine,” “Truth and Reconciliation Commissions: Toward a More Just U.S. Society,” and “Will You Really Protect Us Without a Gun?: Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping in the U.S.” He has also written a number of articles in America, National Catholic Reporter, The Hill, Responsible Statecraft, Waging Nonviolence, and Huffington Post.

From 2012-2020, he also served as the Director of Justice and Peace for the CMSM, which is the leadership conference of the U.S. Catholic men’s religious orders. This enabled him direct advocacy and strategic campaign leadership experience influencing U.S. policy. From 2020-2022 he served as the Federal Policy Senior Advisor for the Catholic Labor Network. He presently serves as a Just Peace Fellow with Franciscan Action Network, and serves on the steering committee of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, a project of Pax Christi International. Eli has been formed by multiple trips to Ukraine in interfaith solidarity and advancing nonviolent peacebuilding (2022), trips to Haiti working with people who are poor, working with people living on the streets in Boston and DC, and monitoring the Palestinian Elections in 2006 with the Nonviolent Peaceforce. He also coordinates the DC Peace Team which offers training in nonviolent communication, restorative justice, bystander intervention, trauma awareness, anti-racism, meditation, along with providing unarmed civilian protection deployments (2011-present).

Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers

In this episode, I talk to Eli McCarthy about being a non-violent peacemaker. He explains:
i. What is a peacemaker and what is a non-violent peacemaker?
ii. What steps do we take to become peacemakers given what’s happening in the world, especially when everyone wants us to pick a side.
iii. What is the single most powerful weapon we can wield as a peacemaker?

PQF · 102 Becoming Nonviolent PeacemakersBlessed are the Peacemakers

We’ve all heard the beatitude, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,” from Matthew 5:9. It’s becoming ever more challenging to be one. It’s sad to see and hear many Christians feel the need to respond with an eye for an eye. This is in complete opposition to Jesus’s teaching. When I read the news, I’m very disappointed. We have missed a wonderful opportunity as Christians to practice what we preach.

I reached out to Eli because his DC peace team and FAN have worked to establish and train various non-violent peacemaking initiatives. To be honest, I had never even heard of them or knew of their existence. He had written and hosted various webinars on this. After much prayer, invited him to talk to us about this. This episode is wonderful especially as Eli talks about love and what we should be doing as Christians when conflict breaks out. He says just as lawyers and doctors train, peacemakers also have to train. Of course, it requires prayers and love.

He illustrates this with a beautiful story that I’m sure will touch your heart. Listen to this episode and let me know how you’re becoming a peacemaker in your community.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, St Therese of the Child Jesus, and Prayer If you liked this podcast, like us, and leave a comment. Share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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101 The Science of Sainthood & Mysticism

“Not only can be become saints, but this is what we were made for.”

Matthew Leonard

Who Is Matthew Leonard?

Matthew Leonard is an international speaker, author, podcaster, and founder of the Science of Sainthood, a powerful online teaching platform focused on transformative prayer and authentic spirituality.

An accomplished filmmaker, he has written, produced, directed, and hosted multiple best-selling series which have been translated into almost a dozen languages and broadcast around the world.

Matthew is a former missionary and convert to Catholicism and appears regularly on radio and television programs across the country like EWTN, Relevant Radio, and SiriusXM. His own popular podcast, “The Art of Catholic,” is listened to around the world.

Matthew holds a Masters in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and lives in Ohio with his wife Veronica and their six children. See all he’s doing at ScienceOfSainthood.com.

101 The Science of Sainthood & Mysticism

In this episode, Matthew Leonard talks about sainthood & mysticism. He explains:
-What is mysticism?
-Examples of mystics and their charisms.
-Can everyday Christians become mystics and saints?
-What role does have grace have?
-How does the process of conversion take and how long?
-Advice for those struggling on their path to “attain sainthood.”

PQF · 101 The Science of Sainthood & MysticismMystics & Saints

Mysticism isn’t new. There have been many mystics in the early church and even in the 21st century. Padre Pio comes to mind. As always, I prayed and reached out to Matthew about mysticism. There were so many authors out there. Yet, somehow a course that he was teaching way back in 2020 was online and that’s how I came across his book.

Matthew talks about God’s gift of grace and the types. This episode is filled with so many nuggets of wisdom. And it is by God’s grace that this episode has so many tips on prayer and the sacraments.

I love how he talks about building a relationship with God and how like any relationship it takes time. He talks about the “interior life” that many of the saints and mystics had and how we can have the same. This interior life is something all of us can cultivate as we deepen our relationship with God. Why? Because as Matthew points out, this is what we were made for.

If you’re looking for Catholic mystics, research St. Teresa of Avila and Padre Pio, Catherine of Siena, Catherine of Genoa, Thomas Merton and Jean Pierre de Caussade among others.

If you want to learn more, Matthew is giving away his course on grace and catholic mysticism for free. All you have to do is text SAINT to 66866.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, Keeping the St Therese of the Child Jesus, and Confession. If you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment, and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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Pictures from Philly

It’s been so long since I’ve posted on the site about my travel adventures. Ever since I moved to Pennsylvania, things have been pretty hectic. My first few months have been in inpatient, ICU and inpatient again, so there’s barely been any time to do much.

I did a short, day long tour of Philadelphia. This time instead of doing a walking tour which is my usual preference, I did the bus tour. Especially since my mum was with me and it would be hard to walk for over 2 hours.

Hop on -hop off

This was an on the spur of the moment thing. The prior night I booked two tickets and the next morning we took the train to get here. The starting point of our tour.

Tree names

When William Penn, brought the Quakers to found the province of Pennsylvania, they were largely uneducated and most streets were named after trees. The native Indians who lived on the land also knew the streets by tree names and so many streets are named after trees.

As you go through the downtown area, you also find there are many extensive building facades covered in graffiti.

Reading Terminal Market & Hard Rock Cafe

For lunch we stopped at the Reading Terminal market. There’s something for everyone here. Like one of the typical European markets, you can get a lot of food. My mum settled for some Indian food and I got a burger and fries. The only issue with this place is the limited seating especially at lunch time. There’s a mad rush for seats and it can be a frustrating wait if you want to sit down and eat. The Hard Rock cafe is just few yards away for those keen on trying something new.

Independence Hall

Independence hall is considered the place where the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution was created and accepted by America’s Founding Fathers. If you’re a history buff, then this could interest you. I wasn’t keen on going inside and visiting, but these civic buildings are a big part of Philadelphia’s history.

Friendship Gate & Chinatown

This is a colorful, 40-foot Chinatown Friendship Gate created by artist Sabrina Soong. Basically, it marks the entrance to Philadelphia’s Chinatown area. You can find a pan-South East Asian influence here, from stores to restaurants.

Rocky Steps

To be honest, I’ve never seen the Rocky movie. I didn’t know this was a thing, until my colleagues at work explained to me about it. To me the steps are the entrance to the Museum of Art. The day we went, there was beautiful artwork done on the stairs. It looked magnificent from afar.

National Constitution Center

The 160000-square-foot National Constitution Center explores and explains the Constitution of the USA without having the original document for display.

Betsy Ross

This home is immortalized as the home of the seamstress who first stitched the American flag.

Theatre

There are a lot of theatres here for people interested. We were keen on doing a show and the only thing playing was the Lion King for the matinee show. Hopefully, we can watch a musical in the next few months.

Downtown

Philadelphia is a mix of modern and old architecture. There’s really nothing wow but it does have a nice busy vibe to it. We didn’t really go all that far. The frigate, the river front, Art Houses, Thinker statue and Logan circle are just a few of the places we stopped at. The neighborhood around the UPenn area is very artsy and clean. I’ll just leave you with a few of my shots from here and there.

Visiting Philadelphia

I think in general, you need a car in Pennsylvania. I rode the trains without an issue but lots of people have warned me about using the bus too early or too late. In general, during the summer months, the streets were fairly busy but there were a lot of weird people. My mother who is not used to this, kind of freaked out. We’re aiming to visit the planetarium, science museum and hopefully attend a musical but with my schedule during intern year, I’m not sure if it will materialize. Enjoy a few more pictures from Philly.

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100 The Example of St Joseph on being a Man

“If there’s one quality that a man can start with as they imitate St. Joseph, it’s humility.”

Duane and Carrie Daunt

Who is Duane and Carrie Daunt?

Duane and Carrie established Team Daunt in 1999 when they were married in the Church. They are the parents of nine energetic children and reside in Tallahassee, Florida. They are blessed with a thriving community of faithful family and friends. Duane and Carrie work with the John Paul II Healing Center. In addition to his work in business development for a large software company, Duane is a business consultant for the Center.

Carrie is a content developer and speaker for the Center’s Undone women’s conferences, a prayer minister for the Healing the Whole Person events, and a co-presenter with the Unveiled marriage conference. Carrie is also the author of Undone: Freeing Your Feminine Heart from the Knots of Fear and Shame. Together they enjoy spending time as a family and watching all of their kids play soccer. They have been involved in marriage ministry and presented locally and nationally at different events and conferences over the last twenty-one years. With a devotion to the Holy Family, they are thrilled to launch this new Man Your Post mission to help restore masculinity through the holy example of St. Joseph.  

The Example of St Joseph on being a Man

In this post, Duane and Carrie Daunt talk about being a man like St. Joseph. They explain
– What is a model masculine man supposed to look like? Why is it important?
-What are men supposed to lead and what qualities do they need to have?
– What happens when they don’t lead? How does St Joseph lead?
-How can a man find out his mission?
-When things get difficult, what should a man do or where should he turn?

PQF · 100 The Example of St Joseph on being a ManManning Your Post like St. Joseph

Two years ago I was looking to do a podcast on St. Joseph. It was a struggle. Most people in the community said, he’s not said a word, everything was too presumptuous and I never got around to doing a podcast on this wonderful saint. When I reached out to Duane, I didn’t realize that his book was based on St. Joseph. I was too focused on the cause of men and the current issues they face. Having a brother, I understand the challenges young men of today face and I was locked on the topic.

I will never get tired of saying but through this podcast, God always amazes and humbles me. When Duane said his baby was on the way, I didn’t think he would ever want to do an episode this year. All of June, I spent praying and pointlessly worrying about who would come on our 100th episode. I reached out to a bunch of people and didn’t hear back.

Until Duane wrote back. He and Carrie had just had their baby and were back to ministry. I was super happy to have them. What shocked me even more was when during their introduction, they said their book was based on St. Joseph. God always works in mysterious ways. And all our times are in His very capable hands. There’s a lot in this episode, especially how both talk about building good support structures so men feel encouraged to seek help. They can also be role models for others. There’s so much pressure in today’s world but look no further than St. Joseph. Just going through his life will help you gain strength.

Duane also talks about what manning your post really means and how to go about doing it. Carrie touches on asking advice from the people who have done it all before. This turned out to be a wonderful episode with so much real world experience.

The Litany of St. Joseph

The book Man your post can be used in study groups. If you have time, then pray the litany of St. Joseph in addition to your daily prayers. There are many qualities of St. Joseph and it was nice to have a woman’s view of what qualities an Ephesians 5 man is like. Here’s the litany.

Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us.Christ, hear us.Christ, graciously hear us.Christ, graciously hear us.  God the Father in heaven,have mercy on us.God the Son, Redeemer of the world,have mercy on us.God the Holy Spirit,have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, one God,have mercy on us.  Holy Mary,pray for us.Saint Joseph,pray for us.Illustrious son of David,pray for us.Light of Patriarchs,pray for us.Spouse of the Mother of God,pray for us.Guardian of the Redeemer,pray for us.Pure Guardian of the Virgin,pray for us.Provider for the Son of God,pray for us.Zealous defender of Christ,pray for us.Servant of Christ,pray for us.Minister of salvation,pray for us.Head of the Holy Family,pray for us.Joseph, most just,pray for us.Joseph, most chaste,pray for us.Joseph, most prudent,pray for us.Joseph, most brave,pray for us.Joseph, most obedient,pray for us.Joseph, most loyal,pray for us.Mirror of patience,pray for us.Lover of poverty,pray for us.Model for workers,pray for us.Glory of family life,pray for us.Guardian of virgins,pray for us.Cornerstone of families,pray for us.Support in difficulties,pray for us.Comfort of the sorrowing,pray for us.Hope of the sick,pray for us.Patron of exiles,pray for us.Patron of the afflicted,pray for us.Patron of the poor,pray for us.Patron of the dying,pray for us.Terror of demons,pray for us.Protector of the Holy Church,pray for us.  Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,spare us, O Lord.Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,hear us, O Lord.Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,have mercy on us.  He made him master of his house,and ruler of all his possessions.

Let us pray.

O God, who in your inexpressible providence
were pleased to choose Saint Joseph
as spouse of your most holy Mother,
grant, we pray,
that we, who revere him as our protector on earth,
may be worthy of his heavenly intercession.
Who live and reign for ever and ever.

R. Amen.

Reaching 100

When I started this podcast, I had no idea what a podcast was. The Lord has led and equipped me to keep this ministry going through thick and thin. Even this month in the ICU, I was wondering if it was every going to be possible to record but God always provides.

By His grace, I pray we reach to 200. I am thankful to all my guests, subscribers, listeners and my team working with me behind the scenes to ensure that each episode is fantastic. God bless you all. And thank you so very much.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, Keeping the Christian Homeschooling, and Overcoming addiction. If you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment, and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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99 What Christian Caregivers Should Know

“Go ahead and anticipate that you need breaks. Jesus did that too and went up the mountain to seek out God our Father. And recognize that we need to do that too.”

Debra Davis & Kelly Johnson

Who is Debra Davis and Kelly Johnson?

Deb Kelsey-Davis: Deb, as a nurse, has cared for many people. Now she is caring for her aging parents, one of the most important and challenging roles of her lifetime.

Deb is a clinician and healthcare leader. She serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Catholic Nurses (NACN-USA) and the Illinois Catholic Health Association (ICHA). Her Lay Ministry Certification (Archdiocese of Chicago) provides 20+ years of ministry experience.

Deb holds a Masters degree in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis and Certificate in Geriatric Fundamentals from UC Davis. She is a Registered Nurse (RN), author, and speaker.

Kelly Johnson: Kelly is an accomplished Advertising executive who answered the calling to join her parish staff and take on on the role of leader of Adult Faith Formation.

She is an author and active member of the National Association of Catholic Family Ministry and the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership. Through the Archdiocese of Chicago and Diocese of Joliet’s Lay Leadership Institute, Kelly obtained her Lay Leadership certification.

What Christian Caregivers Should Know

In this episode, Debra Davis and Kelly Johnson talk about caregiving. They explain:
-Caregiving can be very difficult in the long run, what should new caregivers keep in mind when they experience this role for the first time?
-What are the 3 things they can spiritually do to strengthen their own faith?
-We cannot do it by ourselves, how can we draw that extra strength from Jesus?
-What last bit of advice can you give those who are struggling with caregiving right now and are at rock bottom, frustrated, tired and fed up.

PQF · 99 What Christian Caregivers Should KnowCaregiving is a Journey

When I first looked for Christian material on caregiving, there was none. I accidentally stumbled into the role of caregiver. My mother had a fall and fractured her left wrist. While her recovery has been slow, I’m beginning to realize that there’s a reason we’re blessed with two hands. And that old age and injury don’t go well together.

Fast forward a few months and I’m frustrated and occasionally fatigued. This has gone on long enough, I tell myself. However, this is my cross. I must carry it. Over time, it’s become easier. I love how the authors explain how they came into caregiving. You’re just being a good wife or a daughter, until you learn you’re a caregiver.

So I wrote to their publisher and settled on a date to talk to them. There are plenty of caregivers out there. In doing this podcast, I hope we can encourage you and provide some help.

Deb and Kelly have some fantastic advice. They encourage breaks and setting boundaries. Bot of them, recommend getting help when you feel overwhelmed. Your friends, neighbors, and church. Even your doctor’s office. Let people know when you’re struggling.

You are Not Alone

Deb and Kelly have written a book on caregiving. For us Christians, we can draw strength from Jesus. This could be of immense help to you if you are a caregiver. They also have more resources on the website, Nourish. If you need help and resources, they have a large community that you can reach out to. I am so grateful that they decided to do this podcast having personally lived through the caregiving journey. It’s nice to know that there are people out there who understand and can help.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, Keeping the Unity in the Church, and Evangelizing. If you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment, and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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98 Evangelizing Through Social Media

If we don’t share the Gospel on social media, then who will?

George Calleja

WHO IS GEORGE CALLEJA?

George Calleja grew up in Malta and is married with two children. In 2009 he obtained his MBA through the University of Leicester.

During the years 1990 to 1996 he was a full-time missionary with ‘The International Catholic Programme for Evangelization – ICPE’ and evangelised in various countries such as Russia, Ghana, Poland, Germany, and Malta amongst others. Since 1997, he has been an active member of the Focolare Movement in Malta.

In 2012 George embarked on a mission of evangelisation through the use of various social media. His first Christian book ‘Peace and Unity in our lives – Volume One’ was published in November 2014. Since then, he has published another 15 Christian books focusing on various themes. His writings are also published in various other Christian social media, such as Laikos and Catholic365.com.

Being a dedicated Christian writer, George Calleja is actively involved in spreading the Good News through various means on social media. His writings on blogs and various prominent websites, together with his podcasts and videos, make him an example of how to evangelize in today’s society by the use of technology. His latest project of evangelization is that of providing online Christian courses.

To know more about the social networks of George Calleja and to make contact with the author, kindly check his website or listen to his podcast.

Evangelizing Through Social MediaPQF · 98 Evangelizing Through Social Media

In this episode, George Calleja talks about evangelizing through social media. He talks about:
-Why should we evangelize on social media?
-How do you do that?
-What are the challenges of evangelizing via social media?
-How do you deal with negative comments and insults?
-How does one sustain the ministry and themselves in full time ministry?

Why it’s important to share the Gospel on social media?

I like how George talks about all the aspects of evangelization. Being a physical missionary, he knows what it is to live the live on the field doing mission work. He also has a very active ministry online. I love how he says we must go beyond sharing what we ate and what we celebrated. There has to be more. Sharing the Gospel is just part of our great commission where Jesus says, Go and make disciples.

Moreover, he insists we should share the love of Christ with as many people as we can. Our job is to to share Christ’s love and save souls. This is often a thankless job. Often when we sow the seed of Christ in someone’s life, there will be little acknowledgement or appreciation. You will never even know, let alone see the fruit of your labor. That should not stop us from sharing Jesus.

Dealing with Hate

As a Catholic, it’s not easy to deal with all the vitriol and hate that comes with sharing Jesus online. Understand that often this comes from a place of ignorance. Being a Christian is a lifelong journey. Go easy on the people who don’t have Jesus or have not had an encounter with Him. George says, it’s important to do things with a perspective of love.

I encounter many people online or even in person, who have vague ideas about Christ but have no relationship with Jesus. It is our job as George says to share the Good News and be the vessels that carry Christ. I love how he also says we should be happy when we are persecuted and face obstacles because it means we are doing good work.

The most important thing is to keep your ministry in prayer.

George Calleja

Steps to Start your Evangelization Ministry Online

George also shares some steps. And the most important step to all of them is PRAYER. And Trust in God’s providence. If you’re planning to start, these broad steps can help.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, Keeping the Unity in the Church, and Evangelizing. If you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment, and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

We are on iheartradio, Stitcher, Itunes, and tunein.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you hear us on Itunes, please rate and review us.

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97 How to Activate the Charisms of the Holy Spirit & the Charismatic Renewal

Every morning you can wake up and call on the Holy Spirit and have an adventure.

Johnny Bertucci

WHO IS JOHNNY BERTUCCI?

Johnny Bertucci has been involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal since 1979, when as a teenager he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Johnny is the chairman of The Ark and The Dove Worldwide, site of the historic Duquesne Weekend marking the beginnings of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He lives in the New Orleans area with his wife Leslie and their five children. God has blessed the entire family with the gifts of music and evangelization; they often minister as a family at prayer meetings, retreats and conferences.

How to Activate the Charisms of the Holy Spirit?PQF · 97 How to Activate the Charisms of the Holy Spirit & the Charismatic Renewal

In this episode, Johnny Bertucci talks about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the charisms of the Holy Spirit. He explains about the:
-What is the CCR?
-What are the charisms of the Spirit?
-How to activate the charisms of the Holy Spirit?
-How should one live their daily life with the Holy Spirit?
-How do we grow in the Holy Spirit and not stay stagnant with the gifts we have.

A life with the Holy Spirit

I honestly had a lot of trouble finding a guest for an episode on Pentecost. With Easter just over, most people were busy or traveling. I contacted a few people and they said no until I was referred to Johnny Bertucci. A whole bunch of us prayed he would say yes to talk about the Charismatic renewal. And what a beautiful episode it turned out to be.

He explains the details about its history in brief and then how we can go about living a life in and with the Holy Spirit. He explains how all of us have received the Holy Spirit but need a baptism in Him to awaken to this gift.

I have heard of lots of testimonies and witnessed the unusual way some receive the gift. Let me just say you need to see it for yourself. I received the baptism in my twenties and received the gift of tongues. Over time, I withdrew from the CCR and only over the last few years as my faith has reawakened have been using my gifts actively in ministry.

I love how Jonny puts it.

You have to step out of the boat.

Johnnny Bertucci

You cannot use the charisms unless you’re willing to step out of the boat. He also refers to the full role of the Holy Spirit that can you can read more about in Fr. Bob Hogan’s materials.

The Charisms of the Holy Spirit

25 of the identified supernatural Christian Charisms are:

Administration, Celibacy, Craftsmanship, Discernment of Spirits, Encouragement, Evangelism, Faith, Giving, Healing, Helps, Hospitality, Intercessory Prayer, Knowledge, Leadership, Mercy, Missionary, Music, Pastoring, Prophecy, Service, Teaching, Voluntary Poverty, Wisdom, Writing, Public Tongues and the Interpretation of tongues.

Johnny has been in the CCR for decades and his top advice for fanning the flame of these gifts is by attending events with the CCR community and reading religious material. His humility is so evident as he brings no attention to himself but as with people who do live with the Holy Spirit attribute most of their success to Him, it’s wonderful to learn from Johnny and his wisdom about living with charisms irrespective of one’s vocation. I am so happy with how this episode turned out and am constantly amazed at how God works. A number of things Johnny said has been echoed through other episodes, it’s as if the Holy Spirit unifies us all in this invisible thread.

I hope you can attend a Pentecost rally this year and partake of an infilling of the Holy Spirit. Allow yourself to be swept away into God’s arms.

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

We hope you enjoyed this podcast. Check out our podcasts on the patron of prison ministries, Keeping the Unity in the Church, and Evangelizing. If you liked this podcast, like us, leave us a comment, and share our episodes on social media with those who may benefit from it. If there is a particular saint you would like to hear about us, tell us and we’ll add him or her to our future episodes.

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The post 97 How to Activate the Charisms of the Holy Spirit & the Charismatic Renewal appeared first on PAMELA Q. FERNANDES.

10 Year Author Anniversary + My Latest Novel

In 2013, when Indireads published my first novella, I was ecstatic. My family didn’t think much of it. To them it kept me busy. I’ve chugged on writing. Fast-forward ten years and I’m still here. It’s been an absolute rollercoaster. Querying, sending short stories, attending conferences, learning the ropes of the business, editing, re-editing, writing and lots of writing.

I still remember how hard it was in the beginning. Check with my editor for approval and validation. Today, writing is easy, and its like breathing. I’m at the point where the accolades don’t matter, I write because I love writing.

New Book: In Other Ways

It has taken me 3 years to write the second book in the Boothbay Harbor series. I had envisioned writing the entire series in 5 years. But life happened and as always God had other plans. I wrote a lot of Melody and Diego’s story over the lockdown and then while I was traveling last year. My trip to Spain fueled the second half of the book.

Here’s the Blurb:

In “In Other Ways,” the second installment of the Boothbay Harbor series, Melody Quentin is still healing from the loss of her husband when she meets Diego Vera, the father of one of her students with autism. Despite her initial reluctance, Melody can’t help but be drawn to the kind, patient Diego and the bond he shares with his son.

As Melody and Diego grow closer, they face challenges both old and new. Melody struggles with guilt over moving on from her husband, while Diego grapples with the demands of parenting a child with special needs. But as they navigate these obstacles together, they discover that their connection is deeper than they ever imagined.

Set against the backdrop of the picturesque Boothbay Harbor, “In Other Ways” is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and new beginnings. Will Melody find the courage to embrace a second chance at love with Diego, or will her past continue to hold her back? Find out in this touching story of two people finding their way back to happiness.

Book Cover

I worked with Najla Qamber and her sister Nada on the book cover. The little ginger tabby running across the yard has a lovely name. Philip O, one of my newsletter readers suggested the name Marmalade (Thanks Philip) and so that’s what I ended up naming the cat in the book.

Najla’s team added the cute little paw prints at the top and Melody’s boat, Teacher’s Pet in the fore ground. There are lots of fine details in the cover and Nada worked on all of them painstakingly. She also created my character sketches.

Order Your Copy

We’re going wide as always. This time I am adding hardcover to my printbooks. Another first for this year, in addition to my first foreign translation. I like the feel of hardcovers and am so pleased that this is the first time I’m doing them. The print books are also smaller and the hardcover is about 6 x 9.

Here are the links for my latest novel.

AmazonAppleSmashwordsWhat Ten Years in the Author Business Has Taught Me?To write for myself. This is a business. It’s only passion that keeps you going, day after day. Keep writing, on good days, bad days, horrible days. Let your emotions bleed on the page. You cannot do everything, build a team. Lots of people contribute to your success, editors, designers, podcasters, reviewers, and most of all readers. Write the story you want. Don’t let people take advantage of you.Love what you do.

As I reflect on my ten year author anniversary, I’ve made lots of mistakes on my writing journey. Big gaffes. You can only learn through your mistakes. No amount of author advice can replace the steep learning curve that is the writing journey itself. Tears. Yes, I’ve cried them, over every rejection, every editorial no, bad review and feedback.

The solution.

Get up and start writing. Fix what’s on the page. With every book I’ve just gotten better. I was just telling my mother as she insisted I stop editing and just sleep, that I couldn’t stop. The story of Diego and Melody was so riveting to me as I read it with fresh eyes. I couldn’t believe that I had written the story.

Yet, it was me. My emotions and mood at the time that birthed this book. To all the writers and authors out there, do it. Write it because you love it.

I hope you enjoy reading IN OTHER WAYS as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thank you to all my readers for the last ten years.

Here’s to the next ten!!!!

Cheers

xoxo

Pam

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Pictures from Miami

I traveled to Miami over the New Year’s weekend. It was a busy way to start the year. It was a long journey since I had to first get to central Orlando. I chose to use Amtrak. The famous Brightline train didn’t start at Orlando due to some repairs. So I went with Amtrak. The buses would have been faster but I wanted to try the Amtrak experience.

It took me about 6 hours to get from Orlando to Miami with the coastal route. The alternate route goes through Tampa but is an hour longer.

Amtrak

The Amtrak ride is a comfortable train ride. Your luggage is checked into the luggage compartment. You are seated based on your destination. I was in the front car as people heading to West Palm Beach, Hollywood and Miami were all housed in the first coach. The seats are large with USB ports for charging. Seating is first come, first serve. The conductor labels your destination on the storage bin above so you don’t miss your stop. The dining is very limited. You can go to the dining car in the middle of the train. There are chips, cookies, cup noodles and hot or cold sandwiches. These may run out. I picked up a roast beef sandwich and something to drink. You can either eat in the dining car or take your food back to your seat where there’s a tray table. There were no other dining options.

The ride in itself was okay. There are pockets of beauty with the sun washing over all the Florida fields. However, there are many areas where you’re just passing through the back alleys of industrial area. I was equipped with my audiobooks and a kdrama. So entertained myself. Would I do it again? Probably not. Anything over 6 hours would be painful.

Bayside Marketplace

So Elizabeth, my landlady, was my tour guide for a good portion of my stay in Miami. As a local, she knew all the hot spots and go to places. The only problem was she had the Sunday and Monday off while I had the whole weekend. The first weekend, she drove us along with her dog, Negra to Bayside. We went to the marina, the marketplace and Brickell area.

The marketplace has many stores and local collection of things from Latin American countries. Due to its proximity to the port, there are lots of cruise tourists here.

When we got here on Sunday, the place was super full. Elizabeth ordered her favorite espresso martinis and I had some frou-frou non-alcoholic drink. We did pick up some fridge magnets and then headed to a local Dominican restaurant to eat dinner. Fried chicken and yucca fries.

Wynwood

For Lunar New Year, Wynwood had a Chinese themed event complete with a dragon, pan-Asian snacks and delicious meals. Elizabeth’s cousins joined us for this trip and so we all hung out for a bit at Bakan for lunch and then walked through the rest of Wynwood. This is a very artsy neighborhood known for its street art and graffiti. There are a ton of cafes and restaurants here. Its very colorful and you can meet lots of friendly people who are just here to relax.

Amelia Earhart Park

We came here on a hot afternoon Sunday at about 4. There’s a lot of stuff online about animals etc here. All I saw was ducks and someone riding a horse. There were lots of people having picnics, boat rides, kiddies trains, parties and one couple even doing their wedding shoot in all their wedding regalia. It’s got a separate dog park for small dogs and large dogs. Overall, there’s lots of grass and tree cover. It’s a nice place to walk. It’s massive and you can spend a good 2 hours walking. I highly recommend that you have company though because it’s a hugs park, lots of secluded areas and many water bodies.

Hialeah

This is the alternative to Calle Ocho. Hialeah is the quintessential Cuban neighborhood. If you want authentic Cuban food or bakeries, then Hialeah is the cheaper version of Calle Ocho with everything and its staff from Cuba. I was here almost every week because my parish, the Church of the Immaculate Conception was here. Hialeah also has lots of stores that aren’t present in other parts of the city.

Work

I spent a lot of time at the clinic. Every one of my colleagues was from a different country. We spent a lot of time at the clinic and even outside talking about the clinic, haha. My attending was super nice and even bought us food to celebrate little happy moments. I absolutely loved working here. From sharing tequenos to dealing with life, it has been amazing working here.

Miami Beach

When we went to Miami Beach, it was super crowded. This was a little before spring break. The beach was full. It seemed like everyone in Miami was at the beach. The first time we came here, we just walked along the sand. The bars and restaurants were all full. By then it was also Lent, so food options were limited. Elizabeth grabbed some coffee and I got gelato. The beach itself is nice. The surface under the water is kind of rocky, so it was not really ideal. I dipped my feet in the water and we just walked. We waited thirty minutes to get a picture near the sign because the place was full.

Biscayne Beach

A few weekends later Miami Beach had been so full, Elizabeth decided we should just head to another beach. And that was Biscayne beach. Elizabeth came fully prepared. Chairs, cooler, beers, drinks, snacks, her own speaker, bachata music, and what not. We went for a swim and Negra went swimming with us and we spoke to quite a few people. It’s a friendly place and we had a very good time. The wait to get into the beach area though was almost one hour. There is a large tree cover here and a shorter distance to the water. I was hesitant about the water but once I was in, I didn’t want to get out. We started packing up by 6 because the sun was setting and there is very little light on the beach after. All our pictures were taken after the water so for some reason, they’re all very dark in the fading sunlight.

Celebrating Match Day @ Aventura Mall

The day the match results were out, Elizabeth suggested we go to Aventura Mall to celebrate. I wanted to have dinner out. It was a Monday evening and I was sooooo happy. I have to say, it probably was one of the happiest days of my life. We drove all the way to Aventura Mall and hung out here. It was jam packed. At Tap 32, we could only get a place by the bar. Elizabeth bought me dinner and we spent a while here talking. She was giving me a sorts of advice about renting apartments and furniture etc. People find it so hard to believe what medical people have to go through. She was amazed when I explained the whole process to her. Anyway, I’m not sure why I have lost all the pictures of the mall and I was so giddy with everything that happened that I didn’t take that many.

Frost Science Museum

The last week in Miami, I chose to go to the Frost Science Museum. I saw the planetarium and caught the show narrated by Lupita Nyong’o. Then I went to the aquarium and dinosaur exhibits. I think I have more pictures of this day than I have of my entire 3 month stay in Miami.

You can cover all of Frost museum in a day. I came here as soon as it opened. Booked my tickets online and first saw the morning show at the planetarium. You can touch the stingrays in the open aquarium. The dinosaur exhibit has lots of small details. There are smaller exhibits by different organizations and groups. Right across the science center was the Perez art Museum. So the entire walkway has sculptures of digs and cats. You can walk along the shore and sit by the water outside into the heart of downtown Miami.

Miami train loops

After the trip to the science center, I rode the Miami Omni loops. They can take you through downtown Miami and Brickell for free. They loop around these areas and are a nice way to catch the skyline.

What’s to love/not to love about Miami

Love about Miami:

People are friendly and love to talk.

The food is amazing.

The bakeries are just out of this world.

The train system is fantastic.

Not to love about Miami

People mostly speak Spanish and insist that you do. You cannot get around if you don’t have some basic Spanish.

The bus transport system is always late and unreliable. Passes are available at select stations only. There is no bus transfer system unless you get a bus pass.

Miami is a party city. Things get going here after 11 pm. I am usually asleep by 9. So I couldn’t go out to a lot of these. I just didn’t have the energy or interest to hit up any of the nightclubs and dance places. I was happy by the beach which I went to every chance I got.

Miami is expensive. I found it more expensive than NY.

Au Revoir Miami

I flew out of Miami International Airport. It’s sparse. The only good places to eat are before security check and immigration. After that, it’s all fast food and there’s limited quantity. The seating is quite limited and many people were sitting on the floor. The best part is they have the latest gadget for security and you don’t need to take out your electronics from your carry on.

I have made some really wonderful friends in Miami. My attending, my colleagues, my landlady and her family. I will not forget this place, because of all the good things that have happened to me here. March 2023 has been the happiest month of my life. I was giddy all through the last few days. I hope you enjoyed my pictures from Miami.

Miami is a reflection of where its people come from. It’s different from the rest of the country in many ways. I have brushed up whole lot of my Spanish out of necessity. It has been a great learning experience. My next stop…. Philly!!!!!!!

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