St. Josemaria Institute Podcast

In this meditation, Fr. Marty Miller helps us examine the subtle ways pessimism can take root in the heart, slowly dulling our confidence in God’s will and our own vocation. Fr. Mary illustrates how hope restores clarity, freedom, and peace, and invites us to continually place our trust in God who works through each unique circumstance. 

Listen now to reflect on: 
• The spiritual dangers of pessimism 
• How hope reshapes our...

In our meditation of the week: Fr. Peter Armenio reflects on the greatest gift that we have from God-- the supernatural virtue of charity.

Many of the Mass readings during Christmas, Epiphany and the following days, remind us that God really wants us to think about charity. We are especially reminded of Jesus's desire that we, his disciples, should be known by the love we have for one another.

Fr. Peter exp...

In this meditation, Fr. Leo Austin invites us to rediscover the transformative power of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Drawing upon the life of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and the gospel story of the paralyzed man, Fr. Leo reflects on how faith, joy, and mission naturally flow from meeting Christ. This meditation challenges us to move beyond fear and place our heart fully on the path God sets before us. 

Listen now to reflect...

In this meditation, Fr. Eric Nicolai draws us into the mystery of the Nativity as a moment of profound light shining in darkness. From the difficult journey to Bethlehem to the silence of the manger, we see how God enters the world without spectacle, yet with infinite love. Through Scripture and sharing the witness of the saints, Fr. Eric helps us examine whether our own hearts have become a place truly fit for a King. 

Listen now t...

In the fourth meditation of our Advent series, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to accompany the Magi on their long, hope-filled journey to Bethlehem. Attentive to the mysterious star and guided through moments of clarity and darkness, the wise men reveal what it means to seek Christ with perseverance, humility, and faith. Through art, Sacred Scripture, and the Magi’s lived experience, Fr. Eric shares how God guides each of us—sometimes...

In this third meditation of our Advent series, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to contemplate the shepherds, who were the first to receive the news of Christ’s birth. Though they appear to be secondary figures in the Nativity story, their recognition of the Child wrapped in swaddling clothes becomes a powerful revelation: the newborn Jesus is the true Lamb of God, the light shining in the darkness, and God-with-us. 
As we follow th...

In this second meditation of our Advent series, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to contemplate St. Joseph, the “strong and silent” figure whose hidden fidelity protected the Savior of the world. Drawing on the Gospels, the devotion of the Church, and the reflections of Pope Francis, he shows how Joseph’s fatherly heart reveals a model of decisive action, humble service, and spiritual readiness. Joseph’s four angelic dreams and his imme...

In this first meditation of our Advent series, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to contemplate Mary, the Blessed Mother, who shows us how to awaken from spiritual lethargy and guides us as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. Through the mystery of the Annunciation and her total dedication to God, Mary becomes the one who helps us protect, nourish, and welcome the life of Jesus within us. 

Listen now to reflect on: 

• The mean...

In this meditation for the Solemnity of Christ the King, Fr. Leo Austin invites us to contemplate the final gospel of the liturgical year, a gospel in which Christ’s kingship is revealed through the cross in suffering, silence, and mercy.  We are invited to recognize that the kingdom Christ brings is present in the heart of every Christian who asks for grace and opens themselves to his reign. 

Listen now to reflect on: 

• Why the C...

In this meditation, Fr. Eric Nicolai helps us contemplate Mary’s unwavering dedication to God, exemplified in her Presentation in the Temple. From her youth, she was overshadowed by the power of God, prepared and preserved by grace to become the Mother of Our Redeemer. Drawing on Scripture and the Church’s history of devotion, Fr. Eric reveals how Mary’s fiat at the Annunciation was the fruit of a heart already dedicated and attent...

In this meditation, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on how a plan of life can help us stay anchored in God amid the distractions of daily life. Drawing on the teachings of St. Josemaria Escriva, he explains that holiness is achieved through steady, faithful habits that keep us close to Christ throughout the day. 

To help put this concept into action, explore St. Josemaria's plan of life on our blog: https://stjosemaria.org/plan-of-li...

As we commemorate the souls of all the faithful departed this November, Fr. Leo Austin reflects on the Christian meaning of death not as an end but as the great passage into eternal life with God. This meditation helps us face our mortality with peace and gratitude, trusting in Christ’s promise: “I will come back to take you to myself.” 

Listen now to reflect on: 
• The Christian meaning of death as a passage, not an end. ...

In this meditation, Fr. Javier del Castillo invites us to contemplate the Communion of Saints and the bond that unites all who belong to Christ. Through this divine fraternity, the saints in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the faithful on earth share in one life of grace, one mission, and one love. 

Listen now to reflect on: 

• What is the Communion of Saints? 
• The unique path of holiness of each saint within the Communion of Sa...

In this meditation for the feast of St. John Paul II (October 22), Fr. Leo Austin reflects on the gift of friendship with Christ, a friendship that shaped the life and mission of St. John Paul II. Drawing from the interactions of Peter and Christ in the Gospel, Fr. Leo reminds us that Jesus desires not servants but friends, and that holiness begins in this personal relationship of trust, loyalty, and love. 

Through the witness of St...

In this meditation for the Feast of St. Teresa of Avila (October 15), Fr. Peter Armenio invites us to contemplate the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the living image of God’s mercy. Through prayer and reflection, we discover that holiness begins with our dependence on Christ, who listens, strengthens, and loves us without measure. 

Listen now to reflect on: 
 • How Christ reveals the mercy of God in his humanity 
 • The importance...

In this meditation, Msgr. Fred Dolan reflects on the profound role for Our Lady in our lives as Christians and our need “to embrace Our Lady to remind her of how much we love her.” He especially reflects on the meaning and devotion to the Holy Rosary and how it is an expression we can you use to repeat our love for Our Lady “again and again and again.”

As St. Josemaria Escriva wrote: “Today as in other times, the rosary must be a po...

In this meditation, Fr. Leo Austin helps us pray with the founding vision of Opus Dei and what it means for our own vocation today. Inspired by a common aspiration of St. Josemaría, “Domine, ut videam” (“Lord, that I may see”), we are reminded that God calls us not only to pray for but to transform every corner of the world with Christ’s love. 

Listen now to reflect on: 

• The founding moment of Opus Dei as a “revolution of love” 
• T...

In this meditation, Fr. Marty Miller reflects on the life of Mary, showing us how study, prayer, and discernment are united in the pursuit of holiness. By contemplating God’s Word and acting with faith, Mary shows us how learning becomes a means of loving God and serving others. 

Listen now to reflect on: 

• How we should strive for holiness inspired by the lives of the saints. 
• Why devotion to Our Lady is essential for student...

In this podcast, Fr. Javier del Castillo explores the meaning that our human suffering can assume when we offer it out of love to God. He explains that “the Lord has not come to get rid of suffering–we continue to suffer all the time–but he has come to give it meaning with his Cross; he has come to give it the meaning of love.”

As we unite ourselves to the Cross of Christ, our hearts expand to a deeper outpouring of love among those...