This week on the Catholic Sprouts Podcast we are exploring what it means to be Catholic. This is an important question to tackle as we build and nurture our identity as Catholics. It is our goal to nurture our identity as Catholics here at Catholic Sprouts, which is why we are launching the CLUBHOUSE today. The CLUBHOUSE is a membership for Catholic kids, and I’m explaining all of the details in this episode. You can learn more and join us (doors open 8-1!) right here: https://catholicsprouts.com/clubhouse/ Thank you for listening to the Just One Small Thing Podcast. Tuning in each week means ..read more

Well, I decided to spill the beans on a project that we have been working on for a long time, and I am hopeful will come into being this fall: a church history book told through biographies of the saints. I have grown frustrated with how many church history books tell history either through secular leaders (like emperors) or heretics. So, we decided to write a history of the church told through the movement of the Holy Spirit as demonstrated through the lives of the saints.  This week on the Catholic Sprouts podcast I talk through the biographies of saints celebrating feast days this wee ..read more

This is the last episode covering the topics of Catholic Social Teaching! Yay!!! Thank you for following along, and I hope you enjoy this last episode.  This episode explores the fact that the land and animals are a gift from God, and how amazing that truth is to hold onto as we interact with nature and animals. Also, we become co-workers with God when we plant a seed of care for an animal. I share about how experiencing the death of a beloved animal was so powerful for me, and helped me see the difference between a person and an animal. Finally, I explore the story of Cain and Abel–and ..read more

The Church teaches that all people, regardless of race, are created in the image and likeness of God. Also, Christ died and shed His blood for ALL people. Therefore, all people are worthy of love and should enjoy equal rights. Also, we are not called to simply “tolerate” people. We are called to love them. Unfortunately, we all will need to teach very clearly on the issue of race. This came to the front in my family after the murder of Geroge Floyd. We also need to make sure that our children see race in the right way. God is wonderfully creative and humanity is the peak of His creation. Ther ..read more

Terrorism is the use of violence against non-military people for political or personal gain. Terrorism attempts to control or change through fear. 9-11 Was the greatest act of terrorism this country has seen, and when our children learn about the events of that day, we need to be clear that terrorism is wrong. However, the Bishops teach that when terrorism occurs, we need to look for causes in our own behavior. Why did this group feel that the only course of action they could take was an act of terrorism. Also, the only way for us to avoid terrorism in the future is to focus on justice and lo ..read more

As the Church teachers, war is a terrible phenomenon that should be avoided at all costs. To illustrate this, the Church offers us the “Just War Doctrine” something that applies to every few modern conflicts. In order for a war to be “just” it must: Be the result of damage by the aggressor that is lasting, grave and certain. All other means of resolution must have been exhausted There must be a serious prospect of success and peace following the conflict. The war must produce less evil that it seeks to eliminate through the conflict.  The opposite of war is peace–and peace is something ..read more

Today’s episode explores the fifth theme of Catholic Social Teaching as laid out by the US Bishops. I am discussing both topics, Dignity of Work and Workers Rights, together in this episode. Above all else, I desire for my children to learn that work has dignity–and this applies to all work: jobs, chores around the house and school work. We are like our Creator when we work, and we are often allowed to be co-creators through our work. Therefore, our work gives us dignity. Also, through our work we are refined and made better versions of ourselves.  St. Joseph is the perfect example of wo ..read more

According to a recent study, up to 3 Million Americans are currently homeless. The US Bishops refer to this as a tragedy, which we are all asked to help remedy. Afterall, as JPII said, a home is not just a roof and four walls. A home is where life takes place, and each human person has a right to a home. In this episode I share my own experience with homelessness, which I witnessed as a teacher for at-risk youth. Modern homelessness often looks like “couch-surfing” and places youth at terrible risk for abuse. I also share my (sinful) tendency to judge before loving. It is hard for me to not s ..read more

The fourth theme of Catholic Social Teaching asks us to care also for those addicted to drugs. They too were created in the image and likeness of God and even drug addiction does not remove that dignity. This topic can be hard for many of us as we wrestle with feelings that drug addiction is the addict’s fault and, in a way, it serves them right. This, of course, is not how we are called to treat those suffering with addictions. Teaching about drug addiction, however, gives us a great opportunity to speak to our children about true freedom and how, as Catholics, we should never submit to the ..read more

For several years Pope Francis has been outspoken about the love and care we should offer those with disabilities, in particular, we need to make sure that those who are disabled have access to the sacraments. This means more than having functional elevators and sign language interpreters. It means welcoming those with sometimes several mental disabilities. The care for those who are disabled is based on the truth that ALL humans are created in the image and likeness of God. Because of this we have a special dignity, and that dignity can never be diminished or lost. What is further, our “huma ..read more