Happy National Vocations Awareness Week! To help raise awareness, I am so very pleased to share this week’s Say Yes to Holiness 1 on 1 Conversation podcast episode that I had with Father Michael Zimmerman, Assistant Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Boston and adjunct Scripture Professor at St. John’s Seminary. Our conversation revolved around responding to God’s invitation to holiness, discerning one’s vocation, discussion of Fr Michael’s innovative use of YouTube to help provide accompaniment to those discerning, some simple things parents can do to make the home a place where discernment naturally occurs, and also some things NOT […]
Christian living
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“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.” This wisdom shared by Saint Pope John Paul II is key as faith and reason are two of the most important building blocks of our spiritual life. In this Say Yes to Holiness podcast, Christina shares Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet that helps come to a deeper awareness and understanding of the building blocks we need in order to have present in our lives so that we can grow ever closer to God and become more like Jesus. Listen […]
This week’s Say Yes to Holiness 1 on 1 Conversation podcast episode is with Deacon Charlie Echeverry, Founder and Managing Director of Black/Brown, and an OSV Innovation Talk speaker. Did you know that 42% of U.S. Catholics are Latino? And if you only count those aged 18 and younger, it’s 63%! So how is it that our Catholic communities have become so segregated? In this eye-opening talk, Dcn. Charlie Echeverry calls attention to the “powderkeg” that is the Latino Catholic community in the U.S. If the Church is to live, we must listen to the voice of God together—rather than […]
I have noticed a disturbing trend that has been emerging in the last few weeks, and that’s the trend of putting things off. I am hearing. A lot of statements that begin with “Once I get this done” or “After I…” or “When I do this, then…” That sound familiar to you, too? It is captured brilliantly in a poem entitled “The Procrastinator” that I have posted below (thanks, Matthew Warner for drawing it to my attention!), but it is disturbing because it is a sign that despite COVID, people are going back to living and doing things like they […]
Hello, Everyone! We are in the midst of the Fully Alive Workshop week, so have been a bit more quiet in my posting, but wanted to share this episode of my recent appearance as a guest on the SmartCatholics Mastermind podcast. It was a short conversation, yet it touched on many topics as we spoke about how to become properly aligned so it’s possible to live out your faith in daily life. You can check it out here: Hope you enjoy the episode, and if you are interested in the Fully Alive workshop, you can still catch all the sessions […]
The world is definitely hurting right now. Turmoil, division, hostility, pain, suffering and death seem to be around every corner. And this leads tons of uncertainty, anxiety, discouragement and despair. In a word, brokenness. But this brokenness is not just around us, it’s also in us, too, isn’t it? And this brokenness leads us to lose our focus on the things that matter, and when we lose our focus, everyone around us does to. Which is truly tragic, because the world really needs the things that matter. Or more specifically, the ONE thing that matters–Jesus. Our world needs each one […]
Are You Ready To Become Fully Alive? Hello! Christina Semmens from Say Yes to Holiness here. I was reaching out to let you know about a unique opportunity that will be happening NEXT week, October 25-28, 2021—the Fully Alive: Pursuing Holiness in the Midst of Achieving Worldly Success Workshop. This workshop is my response to a lot of people recently asking me how it’s possible to live out your faith and walk in holiness while still pursuing your passions, gifts, and achieving holistic success at work, home, and your faith community. As a working mom, business owner, multisport athlete, former […]
Are you happy? This is a question that we are asked, but I would gander to say that many times we don’t think seriously when we give our answer. Well, in this latest episode of the Connections Between Faith and Life series, Christina speaks about why we might not be happy and ways to change that in the future. Watch here: Not Happy? Maybe This Is Why… In this episode, Christina focuses on: What type of problems occur in our lives due to selfishness The four divisions in our lives that we all suffer from How becoming right-ordered is critical […]
“Pure, holy simplicity confounds all the wisdom of this world.” This is what St Francis of Assisi tells us. And in this Say Yes to Holiness podcast, Christina shares Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet that helps you ponder how simplicity, perseverance and sacrifice can help you find wisdom and peace in your daily life. Listen to the episode here: Episode #92–Simplicity, Perseverance and Sacrifice–Finding Wisdom and Peace in Your Daily Life In this episode, Christina speaks about: How true wisdom is clear, concise and direct Perseverance and the great chain of prayers Why loving sacrifice is pleasing […]
In this 1 on 1 podcast conversation, Christina has the joy of speaking again with Anne DeSantis, Author, Speaker, Podcast Host, & Non-Profit Director of the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith. This time, we spoke about Anne’s new book, Love and Care for the Marginalized: Spiritual Outreach Reflections for Catholics. Episode #90: Love and Care for the Marginalized–1 on 1 Conversation with Anne DeSantis Our discussion focused upon how each of us can grow in our awareness of who is marginalized as where the marginalized are, and how we can respond as Christ asks us to. Her […]