For College Catholics

25 Jesus, in the Sacred Heart, Loves You With a Human Love

In this episode I talk about How our Lord Jesus Christ, because He has a truly and complete Human nature, has TWO natures (one Divine and one Human) and therefore has TWO intellects and TWO wills. This is how you can explain certain expressions from the Gospels that otherwise would be confusing (like: Luke 2:52 [Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.]; John 11:35 [deeply moved and troubled, and “Jesus wept”]; Mark 15:34 [“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.”], and many others). As a result, He loves us with a real, emotional love.

This is why you should also return His human, emotional love, with a sincere, personal love as well. He’s expecting that from you, and He’s waiting for you in the Blessed Sacrament!

All the topics we spoke about today can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #461-483

Here are some of the words of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, in the apparitions that took place from the year 1673 to 1675

“My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for men, and for you in particular that, being unable any longer to contain within Itself the flames of Its burning Charity, it must needs spread them abroad by your means, and manifest Itself to them (mankind) in order to enrich them with the precious graces of sanctification and salvation necessary to withdraw them from the abyss of perdition.” (…)

On one occasion, while the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, (…) Jesus Christ, my sweet Master, presented Himself to me (…). Flames issued from every part of His Sacred Humanity, especially from (…) His most loving and most amiable Heart, which was the living source of these flames. (…) He showed me to what an excess He had loved men, from whom He received only ingratitude and contempt. "I feel this more than all that I suffered during My Passion. If only they would make Me some return for My Love, I should think but little of all I have done for them and would wish, were it possible, to suffer still more. But the sole return they make (…) is to reject Me and treat Me with coldness. Do you at least console Me by supplying for their ingratitude..."

"Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. But what I feel most keenly is that it is hearts which are consecrated to Me, that treat Me thus. Therefore, I ask of you that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special Feast to honor My Heart, by communicating on that day, and making reparation to It by a solemn act, in order to make amends for the indignities which It has received during the time It has been exposed on the altars. I promise you that My Heart shall expand Itself to shed in abundance the influence of Its Divine Love upon those who shall thus honor It, and cause It to be honored."

More information about these apparitions can be found here: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/the-revelation-of-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus-paral-le-monial-france-13719

Here you can download for free an image (as a desktop wallpaper) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There are more images available for free in our website! https://www.mileschristi.org/wp-content/plugins/mc-wallpapers/1024x768/Sacred-Heart-of-Jesus.jpg

- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org 

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org 

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/ 

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

- Intro music from pond5.com

24 Jesus Christ is True God and True Man

In this episode I talk about how Jesus Christ is true God and true Man. That is, two natures, one Divine and one human, united in the One Divine Person of the Son. This is what is called the “hypostatic union”. The Divine nature is perfect and complete, and in that sense, Jesus Christ is perfect God. On the other hand, the human nature is perfect and complete, and in that sense, Jesus Christ is perfect man. However, both natures are united on one only Divine Person, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Son. There is NO HUMAN PERSON in Jesus Christ. I speak about the heresies of Gnostic Docetism, Arianism and Nestorianism. Finally, I explain how the Virgin Mary is properly called the Mother of God, and this was defined by the council of Ephesus in the year 431 A.D. I end the episode considering the most ancient recorded prayer to the Virgin Mary, the “Sub Tuum Praesidium” or “We fly to thy protection”. And at the end, I play a recording of this Marian Hymn sung by our Miles Christi seminarians.

All these concepts can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 461-478.

Sub Tuum Praesidium Prayer text in English (We fly to Thy Patronage):

We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God.
Despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.

Sub Tuum Praesidium Prayer in Latin:

Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genetrix.
Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus,
sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper,
Virgo gloriosa et benedicta.

Sub Tuum Praesidium Chant (free download): https://www.mileschristi.org/wp-content/schola/20_Sub_tuum_praesidium.mp3

- The “Sub Tuum Praesidium” chanted by the Miles Christi seminarians is used with permission.

- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

- Intro music from pond5.com

23 Consecrating One’s Life to God is Awesome - Interview

In this episode I invite Jenny Stofka to speak about Consecrated Life in Miles Christi. She shares her experience in college, and how she felt called to consecrate her life to Jesus Christ through the vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.

I also welcome Kristina, who recently graduated from Florida International University and is now a nurse in Tampa, Florida. She asks some interesting questions about discernment and Religious Life—questions I’m sure you’ll be interested in knowing the answer to.

I share how the Catechism says, in #944 that Consecrated Life "is characterized by the public profession of the evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, in a stable state of life recognized by the Church". So, while through BAPTISM all the Christian faithful are called to holiness and—in a sense—consecrated to Jesus Christ, through the Religious Vows, we add a special commitment, a PUBLIC commitment to seek out the perfection of those promises made in Baptism. Those who consecrate their lives commit to live out the “Evangelical Counsels” of Christ in their life, becoming a WITNESS to the Gospel in the world.

The Church says that Religious and Consecrated Life is "a stable form of living by which the faithful, following Christ more closely (…), are totally dedicated to God who is loved most of all, so that, having been dedicated [themselves] by a new and special title to his honor, to the building up of the Church, and to the salvation of the world, they strive for the perfection of charity [that is, holiness]." Code of Canon Law, #573

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- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- To ask me or Jenny any question about the Consecrated Women in Miles Christi, please email me at info@forcollegecatholics.org

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

- Intro music from pond5.com

22 Would you give your life for someone else?

In this episode we talk about how God, in His infinite Mercy, came to save us and open the path to Heaven for us. JESUS gave His LIFE for you and me. I share why He had to offer a sacrifice of infinite value for our sins. He also wanted us to know God’s love for us, become a role model of holiness for everyone, make us partakers of the Divine nature, and teach us the truth about God, man, and the true and only path to salvation.

All this can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 456 through 460.

I also share a little bit about the retreat we will be doing as a Community with the Priests and Brothers in Michigan, and also about the days of vacation we will be taking in Northern Michigan! And this cannot be found in the Catechism! :D

- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

- Intro music from pond5.com

21 The Spiritual Exercises – A Great Retreat for College Students

This week our Miles Christi religious community in Michigan will be doing its week-long annual retreat in an atmosphere of silence. We do it according to the Spiritual Exercises written by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

My good friend Matthew, who graduated from UCLA and is now in his third year as a FOCUS missionary, discusses with me his experience in doing the Spiritual Exercises right out of college, and he says why every college student who wants to grow spiritually should do them!

St. Ignatius lived from 1491 to 1556, and is the Founder of the Society of Jesus. His feast day is July 31. In Miles Christi, we consider him our “master of the spiritual life”, which means that we use his writings and principles as inspiration for our spirituality.

The book of the Spiritual Exercises is a guide to do a retreat. The retreat can be from a three-day-weekend long, to thirty days. The book has spiritual notes and recommendations, methods of prayer, ways to examine one’s conscience, outlines to meditate on the mysteries of the life of Christ, and above all, A STRUCTURE for a RETREAT divided in four periods of time (which St. Ignatius calls “weeks”), with suggested meditations for each day.

The Spiritual Exercises will help you deepen the knowledge of the purpose of your life, help you eradicate sin from your life, get to know Jesus better, and by knowing Him, love Him and follow Him!

Here are some of the documents we speak about in our conversation:

- Encyclical “MENS NOSTRA” of Pope Pius XI, endorsing the Spiritual Exercises and encouraging people to practice them. https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19291220_mens-nostra.html

- The book of the Spiritual Exercises, translated by Fr. Puhl: CLICK here

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- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://31Twww.forcollegecatholics.org31T

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- Intro music from pond5.com

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

20 “Not for a million dollars” – At the Name of Jesus every knee must bend

In this episode we talk about how, from her own words we learn that Mother Teresa of Calcutta would not have done what she did for many poor people even if they had given her a million dollars. However, she did it for Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man. In John 1:1-3 we read “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This Word took flesh, a human nature, in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary.

We address how the heresy of Arianism threatened to change the faith of the Catholic Church, but thanks to St. Athanasius and many others who suffered greatly to defend the Divinity of Jesus, the true faith was preserved.

This is why “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Phil 2:10-11)

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- Quotes used: John 1:1-3; John 1:14-18; Phil 2:9-11.
- Council of Nicaea: A.D. 325. Council of Constantinople: A.D. 381
- Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe 
- Life of St. Athanasius: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02035a.htm

- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.
- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org
- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org
- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (an awesome silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/ 
- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.
- Intro music from pond5.com

19 Adam Sinned and Brought Death into the World

In this episode I talk about how God created the world to be a place where Adam and Eve and their descendants could live in peace and harmony, with God, with each other, and with the world around them. However, through Original Sin, Adam disregarded the law of God, and rebelled against Him. This Original Sin separated man from God, and brought disorder into creation. The book of Genesis in its first chapters, presents historical truths, using a symbolic language.

All the ideas discussed in this Episode can be found described more in depth in the Catechism of the Catholic Church #390, 396-412.

The Catechism in #390 says: “The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man. Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents.”

In Adam, we all sinned. “Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned.” (Rom 5:12)

This is why we are all conceived in the state of sin, without the grace of God: “Behold, I was born in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:7)

it is necessary to recognize that we are inclined to evil from conception. That we are separated from God from the first moment of our existence.

This is why it is necessary to baptize children soon after they are born, to allow them the gift of being united to God and in his grace, which opens for them the gates of Heaven.

We look at the different consequences of that sin.

And finally, we will look into the promise that God made of sending a Redeemer to save us from that state: “if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one Person, Jesus Christ, overflow for the many.” (Rom 5:15)

Thanks to the Death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, we are all redeemed, and granted the possibility of being cleansed from sin and entering Heaven. Of course, we still have to apply the merits of His death on us through baptism, and live according to the Gospel to be saved.

“The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 Jn 3:8)

Thanks be to Jesus Christ, the evil of sin does not, will not have the FINAL WORD. Jesus Christ is victorious over Satan, sin and death.

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- Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- Intro music from pond5.com

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

18 God Creator of the World, Man, Angels and Demons

In this episode I talk about the fact that God is the ultimate cause for the existence of the entire world, man and all the spiritual beings, which we commonly call Angels. He also created those angels that would eventually fall from their state of grace through sin, and separate themselves from God—the demons. I mention how the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis are not supposed to be interpreted literally, especially the fact that the world was created in seven days. So, while the Catholic Church teaches that God created the world, this does not mean that she opposes any verified, proven scientific explanation for the manner in which God created the world, or the manner the world came into being.

I also share how God creates each individual soul, giving each human being its unique dignity and sacredness. Quoting Genesis 1:27, I share how God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Finally, I talk about the nature of the Angels and the existence of the devil and his followers.

I quote the following sections of the Bible: 2 Kings 6:10-25; Col 1:16; Daniel 10:13; Rev 12:7; Luke 1 (St. Gabriel announcing the Births of John the Baptist and Jesus); Genesis 19 (angels defending Lot against the inhabitants of Sodom); Genesis 22:12 (the sacrifice of Isaac); Luke 2:14 (Angels and the Shepherds); Mt 4:1 (temptations in the desert), etc. I finally speak about the Guardian Angel (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 336).

I speak about St. John Bosco (Don Bosco) and “Grigio”, the hound that protected him from his enemies. I also share about the dream (told in “The Story of a Soul”) that St. Therese of Lisieux had about two little demons who were afraid of her even if she was a child, because she was in the Grace of God.

The devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist, devotion to the Virgin Mary (particularly, the Holy Rosary), and the devotion to St. Michael the Archangel are most powerful ways to defend ourselves against Satan.

Pray the prayer to St. Michael frequently!

“St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”

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- Host Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a Priest of Miles Christi, a Catholic Religious Order of Priests and Brothers dedicated to the sanctification of the laity, especially high school and college students.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), and to register, visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

17 Faith Impact – Jen Fulwiler Conversion Story

In this episode I welcome Jennifer Fulwiler, who is a standup comic, bestselling author, podcaster and mom of six. Her podcast, “This Is Jen”, debuted in the Comedy Top 10 on iTunes. She wrote three books: Something Other than God, a memoir about converting to Catholicism from lifelong atheism, One Beautiful Dream, and Your Blue Flame, which is about sharing your God-given gifts with the world. As of June 24, 2021, she has 79K followers on Tik-Tok. In this episode she shares with me her process of conversion to Catholicism, what she considers her best treasures in the Catholic faith, and she gives some advice to young adults on the value of the Sacrament of Marriage. Listen in to laugh and learn about the Catholic Faith!

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You can get Jen’s books here: https://jenniferfulwiler.com/books/

Check her Live Comedy Tour upcoming dates and venues at www.jfcomedytour.com

You can follow Jen on Instagram at @JenniferFuwiler.

Let me know if you have any questions! Email me at info@forcollegecatholics.org

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- Host: Fr. Patrick Wainwright is a priest of Miles Christi, a Roman Catholic Religious Order.

- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

- This Podcast’s Website: www.forcollegecatholics.org

- You can follow us on Instagram at @mileschristiusa

- Check out our YouTube channel searching “Miles Christi Religious Order”

- Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.

16 There is Only One God - Divine Providence

In this episode I discuss how as Catholics, our faith centers around the belief in the existence of ONLY ONE GOD. We will address some of His characteristics. We could know some of these characteristics through reason alone, but they were also positively revealed by Him: for example, that he IS, that He is Infinite, all-powerful and creator of all things. We will also look at the consequences of this belief, particularly, how we owe him WORSHIP and obedience, and we should depend completely on His Divine Providence.

“Since creatures have received everything they are and have from God, only God in himself is the fullness of being and of every perfection. God is “He who is” without origin and without end.” [CCCC #39]

God is the creator of every reality outside of Himself, both material and spiritual. He has created by a free choice of his will, neither out of necessity, nor out of a kind of “natural” overflowing of His Being. Finally, this world did not come to be by a blind “chance”.

When God created everything, He used neither any “pre-existing matter” nor “anything at all” from which He made everything—not even a part of Himself. On the contrary, He created everything out of nothing (“ex nihilo”). “We believe that God needs no pre-existent thing or any help in order to create, nor is creation any sort of necessary emanation from the divine substance. God creates freely “out of nothing”.” (Catechism 296) See 2 Macabees 7:21-28.

Moreover, God continues to maintain the world in its being, He is holding us in the palm of his hand (see Isaiah 49:16).

We speak about the consequences of these truths for our lives:

(1) We should recognize his infinite GREATNESS and our “nothingness”. (2) We should learn to ADORE God and obey Him. (3) We should live with an attitude of THANKSGIVING for everything we have and for everything He does for us. (4) We should also learn to value and defend the intrinsic DIGNITY OF ALL MEN, created in the image and likeness of God. (5) We should make good use of all created things, using them for the glory of God and our Salvation. (6) We should depend entirely on his DIVINE PROVIDENCE, entrusting ourselves to Him like a child in the arms of his mother, even in adversity.

Spanish version of St. Teresa’s Poem:
“Nada te turbe, nada te espante
todo se pasa, Dios no se muda,
la paciencia todo lo alcanza,
quien a Dios tiene nada le falta
solo Dios basta.” (Poemas, 30)

Toward the end, I quote Psalm 91:1-5.

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- Miles Christi Religious Order website: https://www.mileschristi.org

- This Podcast’s Website: https://www.forcollegecatholics.org

- To learn about the Spiritual Exercises (silent weekend retreat), visit: https://www.mileschristi.org/spiritual-exercises/

Recorded at our Family Center in South Lyon, Michigan.