January 21, 2025 • 27 mins
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Exodus 90 and Magnify 90 offer spiritual programs focused on deepening one’s relationship with God through prayer, self-denial, and community.
• Exploring the essential pillars of Exodus 90
• The role of prayer and sacraments in spiritual growth
• Understanding self-denial and asceticism as necessary practices
• The significance of community support during the journey
• Potential critiques and challenges associated with these programs
• Personal growth as a means to better serve others
Church Search goes to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lorain.
Readings for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Theology of the Body CLE
St. John Cantius Parish
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Deacon Mike Hayes (00:00):
On today's Question of Faith.
Is Exodus 90 worth my time?
Hey everybody, this is Questionof Faith.
I'm Deacon Mike Hayes.
I'm the Director of Young AdultMinistry here in the Diocese of
Cleveland.
Fr Damian Ference (00:14):
And I'm Father Damian Ference, the Vicar
for Evangelization.
Maria Wancata (00:17):
And I'm Maria Wancata, marriage and Family
Ministry Specialist,
Deacon Mike Hayes (00:20):
maria back in the house
Yeah yeah, you picked goodsub-zero weather to come back in
.
Maria Wancata (00:28):
Yeah, I've got my vest on to keep me warm.
Deacon Mike Hayes (00:30):
I've got a nice sweatshirt on here.
Fr Damian Ference (00:33):
And while I have a North Face top, Calla
Gill is wearing a matching onetoday.
I actually have a North Facehoodie too that I wore over this
I layered I didn't really wearjackets just like layers of
North Face stuff.
Gotcha Maria comes on the showwhen we talk about issues of
sexuality and fitness.
It seems yeah right.
Maria Wancata (00:53):
My expertise, right.
Fr Damian Ference (00:55):
Because your master's is in theology, with
the concentration in marriageand family and morality.
So that makes sense and part ofthe moral life, or part of the
good life, is disciplining one'sbody, because we're body and
soul.
So what is Exodus 90?
And there is a Magnify 90, awomen's version.
So let's talk about what theseprograms are and if they're
(01:17):
worth our time or not.
Maria Wancata (01:19):
Yeah, so I am actually.
My husband and I this year aregoing to attempt to do both of
them.
So there's Exodus 90 for menand there's actually two
versions out there for women,one Magnify 90, the other Fiat
90.
I found a group, a community,that's doing Magnify 90.
I think in a way it appeals tomy husband and I because we are
(01:42):
into athletics and fitness anddisciplining ourselves.
Deacon Mike Hayes (01:46):
Big Phil.
Maria Wancata (01:48):
And I think as we get older and grow in our
marriage and grow in ourrelationship with God, something
like this, a journey like this,really appeals to us to see if
we can grow deeper together butalso closer to God, grow deeper
together but also closer to God.
So within the programs, they'rebuilt on three pillars, so
(02:16):
prayer, asceticism and community.
And I think when you're growingyourself and this actually I
think aligns with Bishop'sPastoral Letter, like there's
pillars to do that and doing itwithin community and having a
support system is foundationalto it.
But those three pillars arewhat help you to grow and
flourish.
Deacon Mike Hayes (02:32):
Go ahead.
I was going to say I think formen.
You know, I think Phil wouldprobably resonate with this.
You know, when we changed sortof the Lenten fast rules you
know, when we weren't allfasting from meat, we were just
doing that on Friday you know,we kind of lost that communal
sense of all giving something uptogether, right.
Maria Wancata (02:48):
Yeah, yeah, and I can go through some of the
things so like for prayerthere's in Exodus 90, they go
into scripture, exodus itself.
There's an app for it.
That kind of walks you througheverything, gives you a daily
reflection.
Could we?
Fr Damian Ference (03:06):
pause for one minute, so just because we
haven't said it yet.
So the 90 is about 90 days, 90days from Easter, 90 days
leading up to Easter and thisjust started yesterday.
Yesterday yes, so yesterdaywould have been the start for
many people who are on this90-day journey that will lead
them to Easter.
So it starts even before Lent.
Maria Wancata (03:25):
Right, right, yeah, frequenting the sacraments
.
So monthly confession, sobeyond that once-a-year duty for
confession, making confession amore frequent sacrament.
Daily Mass, as best as you can,weekly adoration, and then it
gets into the asceticism like noTV or only shows that will
(03:47):
strengthen your faith, like theChosen.
Like the Chosen is a goodexample.
Deacon Mike Hayes (03:51):
No social media, right?
Yeah, unless you have to do itfor work is what friends have
told me.
Maria Wancata (03:56):
Yeah and a lot of these are kind of like discern
as to your state in life,identifying someone to pray for
or offering a dailymortification for.
Let's see some of the otherthings not consuming sweets and
alcohol or snacking betweenmeals.
So a lot of theself-mortification, self-denial.
Fr Damian Ference (04:18):
Are there breaks on Sundays, like some
people take during lunch, or not?
Deacon Mike Hayes (04:21):
That's the criticism Father Damien's got it
.
Maria Wancata (04:24):
So within my workbook for Magnify 90, it says
Sundays and Solemnities may belesser in self-denial.
If there's a major celebration,discern whether you're called
to kind of.
You know, indulge in the sweets.
Fr Damian Ference (04:39):
I like the room for discernment.
That makes sense to me becausepeople are in different places.
For myself, when I go on a fast, if I give myself a break, it's
like I went backwards.
For other people, they reallyenjoy the break and want to
celebrate.
So I think that makes sense,that there is a sense of
discernment, because thesearen't like moral absolutes,
these are spiritual disciplines,mortifications.
(05:01):
It's a practice of asceticismthat requires some element of
prudence.
Deacon Mike Hayes (05:06):
And similar to like other programs, like I
did Whole30 once and you know,if you mess up anywhere along
the 30 days you've got to goback to one, you know, and start
again, so you don't get a break.
Fr Damian Ference (05:17):
It's kind of like AA in that A little bit
yeah To get your coin Exactlyyeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (05:27):
But I gave up such and such for Lent.
Oh, but I do it on Sunday andI'm like, if you couldn't give
it up for 40 days.
Fr Damian Ference (05:30):
come on, you know.
But then others will say butSunday is the Lord's day and he
wants you to rejoice, and sothis is where the discernment
comes in.
Maria Wancata (05:38):
Yeah, and I like that.
It is important that there islike Exodus 90 for men, magnify
90 for women In Exodus 90, itcalls on men to do cold showers,
right, that's not.
Oh, it's not one for the women,okay, no, no Interesting Ours
actually kind of says you know,don't shop, you know you're
(05:59):
giving up social media and otherways to consume.
It's easy then to want to likego shopping, buy things for
yourself.
So it kind of makes thosedifferences, because for women
we're trying to cultivate ourfeminine genius and for the men
they're masculine.
Deacon Mike Hayes (06:16):
My wife would find that very easy.
She doesn't shop at all.
Maria Wancata (06:19):
For me it's a sacrifice.
Fr Damian Ference (06:22):
I like the notion of asceticism, the
mortification, the disciplines,not because the body is bad or
because the world is bad.
I just finished last night abook club with some friends the
Ruthless Elimination of Hurry byMark Comer and he's a
(06:43):
Protestant.
But the last chapter of hisbook he gets into what he calls
spiritual disciplines and it'sfunny.
He says we're not just spirits,we're embodied people.
So he certainly is on his wayto a Catholic anthropology, but
he says within there that thereare certain things that we can
do to slow us down.
So I was thinking of Cary Regan, who used to work in our office
(07:05):
, who would make a complete stopat every stop sign, not just
slow down and almost stop, but acomplete stop.
Or Ron Nowak, who's the youthminister at St Mary's in Hudson,
who during Lent drives thespeed limit and nowhere over it.
Or refraining from social mediaor doing certain things, not
because you hate your body oryou hate the world, or you're
(07:28):
trying to like intentionallypunish yourself, but you resist
things that are good or renouncethings that are good for the
sake of something that's evenbetter.
I mean on a large scale, likecelibacy is one way of doing
that.
But there is something in theCatholic ethos that's really
(07:52):
important, when something isimportant to us and something is
holy and and reverent andallows for greater growth, to
discipline ourself in such a waywhere we can even appreciate
that more is key.
So, like I used to pick on thosenuns out in Burton, the
(08:12):
Byzantine nuns I've talked toyou, deacon Mike, about this
before they would fast likerandomly throughout the year and
I thought that's so silly, likewe have lent for that.
But the more I went along, themore I realized you enjoy feasts
more when you fast more.
And I thought that's so silly,like we have Lent for that.
But the more I went along, themore I realized you enjoy feasts
more when you fast more.
And when we used to do the ninenights and night prayer, I
would fast for the parishes fornine straight days.
So I wouldn't drink alcohol onthose days.
(08:33):
I had to use social mediabecause I was kind of trying to
promote it online.
But then that last day it was agreat day of rejoicing I'm just
finishing a novena now to StJoseph and I fasted from social
media for well at leastInstagram for nine days and
alcohol for nine days, and Ithink I don't often see the
fruits of those fasts right away, but I know they're good.
Deacon Mike Hayes (09:05):
And I know that the Lord is pleased that I
renounce something for the sakeof something greater.
I do know that's true.
And you don't overdo it is theother thing.
It's like you fast from whatyou fast for and then you go
back and you dabble back in.
I think, for the danger in someof these things for some people
is that they overdo.
It is that they say, okay, nowI think you mentioned it earlier
.
You know it's like we're notsaying the body is bad.
There are some people who willthen.
(09:27):
They'll say you know, yeah, no,okay, yeah, body bad spirit good
yeah we're not Manichaeans,yeah we're not that type of folk
.
Maria Wancata (09:39):
And it's a sacrifice, it's for the sake of
the other.
A lot of this is built on, youknow, john the baptist.
I must decrease so he canincrease.
And so you know, in marriage,like I know, phil would do
anything for me, give upanything for me, and this I'm
doing for god, like we're doingit for god, for our relationship
(10:01):
with God, to point ourselvesand others by what we do to him.
Fr Damian Ference (10:07):
And in doing it for God, you're able to love
your husband more because, thenyour love is more united with
God's love, which allows you tolove him even better than you
did before the fast or whatever,yeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (10:19):
Some folks would say that the pillars of
Lent, you know, prayer, fasting,almsgiving are sort of similar
to this, except they've cut outthe almsgiving, and they said
that one of the criticisms ofthis, I think, is that is that
they're saying that it's tooself-focused, almost Pelagian.
You know like well we couldsave ourselves if we just do
this, if we become, you know,more fit for God if you would.
(10:40):
You know, I've heard somepeople say those kinds of things
as well.
So I think, that's a danger inthis as well.
Maria Wancata (10:44):
Yeah, I know, within the guidelines that they
put out in Magnify 90, becauseof the fasting component that it
calls for on Fridays, you'resupposed to avoid stepping on
the scale.
You're not doing this as aweight loss regimen and I think
(11:06):
also that's why the communityaspect of this is important, so
that we can keep ourselvesaccountable, not falling into
the scrupulosity of it or themaybe like self-benefits we
might get.
Deacon Mike Hayes (11:19):
So you sort of have to select your leaders
pretty carefully, someone whowon't fall into that
scrupulosity.
Fr Damian Ference (11:23):
Or if someone is falling into the
scrupulosity, the wholecommunity then have to say, hey,
no, not that Is there somethingin the men's group, the Exodus
about spending of money, like ifthere is for the women, you
don't shop.
Is there something for the menlike no gambling or no this or
no that, because it would seemthat that would naturally flow
(11:45):
into then tithing or almsgivingsomehow.
Not that we tithe as Catholics,but we certainly are asked to
give alms, time, talent,treasure, I don't know, but that
would seem to be a naturalprogression from the asceticism.
You don't deny yourself simplyto deny yourself.
You deny yourself to glorifyGod, and in doing so you become
(12:05):
more like God.
So your life ought to look moregenerous.
Deacon Mike Hayes (12:09):
Sure, yeah, yeah, that would be the point
right.
Maria Wancata (12:12):
Yeah, it does say like video games would be like
the equivalent way to spend time.
Deacon Mike Hayes (12:19):
Oh, I see, yeah, I got it.
Yeah, not quite the same thing,because that's still
self-focused, right?
You're not giving to someoneelse in that, other than what
you said earlier about you knowthe thing.
Like you're not encounteringthe poor, you're not
encountering the vulnerable,you're not going beyond yourself
, right, you know.
So I think that's one of thedangers in this is that it ends
(12:41):
up being too insular.
If you would, it would be greatif, like the whole group so, a
group of guys in my parish didthis a couple of years ago,
according to one of our staffmembers, and that they really
had a good time with it.
But a bunch of them gottogether later and said now we
should do something in service.
So your point, I think, is aptthat you know that they got
together.
they did this.
It was very self-focused, butit did push them forward into
(13:03):
the community afterwards.
So yeah, maybe afterwardsinstead of alongside is what are
the benefits of this at the end?
Fr Damian Ference (13:10):
Yeah, and you can look at it not as a danger
but as an opportunity in thesame way that you know.
When you get on a plane theysay if we lose pressure, put
your mask on first.
So you've got to take care ofyourself first before you go
save the world.
Get yourself in line, but thenyou're made for service and then
you go make a gift of yourselfto others.
Maria Wancata (13:28):
Yeah, and I mean personally, I haven't gone
through this.
This will be my first timegoing through this, so maybe at
the end of the 90 days we couldsee how I could give you my
review of it.
Deacon Mike Hayes (13:39):
Yeah.
And if it does, it will bringyou back at Easter.
Maria Wancata (13:43):
Yeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (13:45):
If it does what?
Maria Wancata (13:46):
I was going to say as a working of it, fulfill
like that, that almsgiving, thatgoing out of self to others,
just through through the workdone internally, spiritually.
Fr Damian Ference (14:01):
You guys do that anyway, so yeah, I think,
too, it helps to consider thesethings the way that an athlete
or an artist or a musician wouldconsider his or her craft.
So if you want to be excellentas a painter or a singer or a
guitar player or whatever you'rea basketball player, there are
(14:23):
certain no's that you are goingto have to have in your life no
to unhealthy food, no to stayingup late, no to partying, in
order that you can say one bigyes to whatever it is that
you've been asked to do.
So you deny yourself manythings and you say no to many
things in order to give one bigyes to what's most important.
(14:45):
And that's also true in thespiritual life.
And sometimes it may look alittle strange, you know, say
that person's extreme.
Sometimes it may look a littlestrange, you know, say that
person's extreme.
But then when they come homewith their championship or the
masterpiece painting, you say,geez, all that effort and all
that work really played out.
And you congratulate the personfor doing that ways.
(15:18):
This is the life of the saint,the life of the holiness, who
makes God first and foremost andis willing to do radical and
nutty and crazy things for thelove of God.
Again, john the Baptist.
My favorite line in scriptureis from the days of John the
Baptist until now, the kingdomof heaven suffered violence and
the violent bared away.
So it's also the title ofO'Connor's second novel, but the
idea is that for Christians,it's also the title of
O'Connor's second novel, but theidea is that for Christians,
ever since John the Baptist cameon the scene, we're going to be
(15:38):
attacked.
But what's the response to theattack?
The violent bared away.
It means that Christians,they're not violent toward the
world, they're actually violenttoward themselves through
mortification, asceticism,self-denial, not because they
hate themselves or they're angry.
It's like I'm going to give upthese things.
I'm going to make radicaldecisions for the sake of the
kingdom, in order to further thekingdom, and maybe that is
(16:01):
giving up something that youreally like.
I really like sweets, but I'mgoing to give them up for the
sake of something greater.
I really like travel, but I'mgoing to give that up.
I'm going to sacrifice it forthe sake of something greater,
and I think it does take somespiritual maturity to get there,
and if you try to do that withthe wrong motives, it can get
(16:23):
you in trouble.
I do think that's right, so it'sgood.
That's why the community isimportant.
The accountability is importantthat the discipline itself
doesn't become your new God, butthat you're using these
disciplines and these moments ofmortification or asceticism in
order to worship God and comecloser to him.
And you know that if the fruitsof your disciplines are that
(16:45):
you become more angry, becomemore cocky maybe you've got a
six pack now but you're becomemore vain then this hasn't
worked the way that it should.
It should make you moregenerous.
It should make you more kind,more patient, more understanding
, more loving.
It should make your love morepure.
That's what I think you want tolook for at the end of these 90
(17:06):
days, to see if it did what itwas supposed to do.
Deacon Mike Hayes (17:08):
Yeah, I'm thinking about folks like
Dorothy Day who lived a certainway, lived among the poor, who
gave up comforts in her own lifeand who said often you know, if
you're going to work with thepoor, be ready to really be
uncomfortable because, you'regoing to become what you're near
you know, you're going tobecome uncomfortable and you're
going to become someone who'sgiving things up that you
normally wouldn't, and that willchange.
(17:29):
It might even change yourcommunity as well.
So it's a similar kind of vein,yeah.
Maria Wancata (17:34):
And I think some of the disciplines it calls for
can be very scary to think aboutdoing.
And so one of the things myhusband and I did is we kind of
look through and we're like,well, maybe we can't do all of
these but which ones can we do?
(17:55):
or which ones can we, you know,maybe do a part of for year one,
because there are people who dothis year after year after year
, and so it can't, it can't bethe same for them every year.
There's got to be somethingdeeper that they get each year.
And I do relate it to likemarathon training.
(18:16):
You don't just go out and run26.2 miles.
You have to train for monthsand months, and months and your
first marathon is nowhere nearas good as probably your most
recent marathon, if you've beena marathon runner for years some
people can't even do a marathon, but maybe they can do a 10k,
like do something.
(18:36):
Your pace is your something youalways work to get better, and
that kind of discipline andmaybe that small bite size
approach is more manageable thanjumping in all the way and
trying to do it all.
Fr Damian Ference (18:51):
Yeah, and a lot of the disciplines you do
now for the sake of Exodus 90 orwhatever it is that you're
doing, may benefit you down theline in some other situation
because of something that youlearned here.
So you're not going to gain andunderstand all the fruits of
these spiritual practices rightnow, but they're certainly worth
(19:13):
doing as long as they're donein faith and in prayer, like
Lord.
I'm just finishing thisnine-day novena now and I'm
confident that the sacrifices Imake are good and will bear
fruit down the line, even if Idon't see them now, and I trust
(19:33):
that that's the case.
But yeah, fasting for thekingdom and uniting our
sacrifices to the sacrifice ofChrist like that's where it's at
, you know.
Deacon Mike Hayes (19:46):
Yeah, and when we do all these things
together, I think it's important.
You know, like you did mentionCarrie Regan before, she used to
say I think it's important.
You know, like you justmentioned Carrie Regan before,
she used to say Exit 90 is a brothing, you know.
well, you know, not completelywrong.
I mean, obviously they have awoman's version of this now, you
know.
But at the same time I think itwas something that the guys in
my parish all wanted to dotogether and they kind of bonded
(20:07):
a little bit more closelytogether because they did that.
They had that shared experience.
Fr Damian Ference (20:20):
So there's something good about it and I
find the fasting and theasceticism, the mortifications,
easier to do if you have aparticular intention.
So whether it's 90 days or ninedays or the 40 days of Lent.
If someone asks me to pray forhim or for her, one of my
favorite ways to do it is likethrough a novena, because the
Lord even said some of thesedemons can only be driven out
through fasting and prayer.
(20:41):
And if I have someone else onmy mind and heart, when I feel
like having a drink or going toInstagram and doing this, I say
no because, for the sake of thisperson, I am going to make a
sacrifice of myself.
I'm going to offer myself as asacrifice.
This is my body, this is myblood, poured out for you in
(21:01):
particular, or this particulargroup or this particular
intention.
So, if you're struggling withman I don't know if I could do
this Think to yourself is therea situation or is there a person
who really needs your prayer?
Deacon Mike Hayes (21:14):
And then attach your intention to your
activity and it'll make it moreefficacious for you it's like a
marathon runner who runs forsomebody else or a certain cause
or something like that.
I know Marion's uncle, thegreat deacon Andy Cavalieri that
I talk about all the time.
He ran the New York CityMarathon for Marion's mother who
had cancer, and a few otherrelatives who had cancer and he
(21:37):
had their names printed on hisshirt and he said every time he
got tired he just looked down.
Fr Damian Ference (21:42):
It's a communion of saints.
I mean, this is what's supposedto happen.
It's the body of Christ, thatwe're not in it for ourselves,
but what we do benefits others.
And the opposite is true too.
When we're not acting accordingto the life of grace and we're
choosing other things besidesGod, it harms others too.
So yeah, all this is important.
Deacon Mike Hayes (22:01):
Great, all right, so keep it up.
Good luck with Magnify 90.
Maria Wancata (22:04):
Thank you.
Deacon Mike Hayes (22:04):
You'll be good.
All right Church search.
Let's go to Nativity in EltonLorraine.
Nativity of the Blessed VirginMary.
Fr Damian Ference (22:13):
It's one of my top five churches in the
diocese?
Maria Wancata (22:17):
if not, top three .
Fr Damian Ference (22:18):
Well, it's a hidden gem.
My classmate, father CraigO'Vanik, is the pastor there it
is.
If you've ever been to StStanislaus in Slavic Village,
it's like a mini version of that.
It's actually in the heart ofLorraine.
It's in a rougher neighborhoodthat used to be, when the steel
mills were there, a reallyhappening city neighborhood, but
(22:39):
it's a little lighted now,although I think Lorraine is
making a comeback.
It's Gothic in architecture andthe brick is the same tone, the
same color as the Basilica atNotre Dame.
It's like a golden brick andit's very clean.
Father Globko was there before.
Father Havanek was the pastorand it's lovely.
(23:01):
The music there is great, thepeople are great.
I've given a parish missionthere.
It's also the site in LorainCounty for pilgrimage for the
Jubilee year, so you can gothere and get your indulgence
and, yeah, it's lovely, it'sjust lovely.
Deacon Mike Hayes (23:17):
I'll be out there on Thursday dropping their
stuff off.
Fr Damian Ference (23:19):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm heading down to
Ashland tomorrow to drop theirstuff off.
Deacon Mike Hayes (23:22):
Very nice, all right, so yeah, so check out
our Jubilee year sites as wecontinue the great Jubilee year
of hope.
And let's take a look at thereadings for the third Sunday in
ordinary time, beginning of theGospel of Luke.
But I also like the secondreading this week, which is from
St Paul.
You know, a body is one but hasmany parts.
(23:43):
So all the parts of the body,though many, are one body, so
also Christ, for in one spiritwe're all baptized into one body
, whether Jews or Greek, slavesor free persons, and we're all
given to drink of one spirit.
We're all baptized into onebody, whether Jews or Greek,
slaves or free persons, andwe're all given to drink of one
spirit.
I always liked that one.
Fr Damian Ference (23:58):
Yeah, I agree , and it's one of my mantras
around parish life and thediocese in general Figure out
what people are good at and letthem do it, and don't try to be
everything for everyone, eventhough I know St Paul says he
kind of has to do that.
But yeah, let people use theirgifts because we're different
parts of the same body and whenwe work together we really
(24:19):
flourish.
Deacon Mike Hayes (24:20):
I always say St Paul's a little Benedictine
in that, like when someonepresents himself to him, he
becomes all things to them atthat moment.
He doesn't do it all the time.
Like you know, that's whensomeone presents themselves to
you, then you can be all thingsto that person at the moment,
but you don't have to do that24-7 for everybody in the world.
Fr Damian Ference (24:39):
Right, Maria.
What do you have?
Any thoughts?
Maria Wancata (24:41):
Well, yeah, I like that reading too, because
we're all created unique andunrepeatable and we all are
called on a specific mission,but it's the one mission,
together to get to heaven and tobuild up the body of Christ
here.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:00):
Don't start singing the song.
We are one body, one body ofChrist.
Fr Damian Ference (25:04):
I sure do.
That reminds me of World YouthDay.
Yeah right, it's a Gen Xer man.
It hits home.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:09):
Was that the theme song the year you went?
Fr Damian Ference (25:11):
No, it was 93 , and I didn't go that year, and
95 was Philippines, which Ididn't go to either.
But 97 was in France and thatwas my first time out of the
country and they did play thatsong there because it was one of
John Paul II's favorites.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:26):
Yeah, they play all the old hits if you
will.
Fr Damian Ference (25:28):
Yeah, Emmanuel was in 2000.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:30):
They're great .
Yeah, they certainly played inToronto and Sydney and Poland.
Fr Damian Ference (25:35):
I had it at my first Mass.
It was my communion hymn.
Very nice, interesting.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:42):
I've sung it a couple times myself, so it's
always good.
Fr Damian Ference (25:43):
Anyway, we all have our gifts.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:44):
Yes, Anyway, someone who does a great job
with language is our good friendDan Furst over at Briefcase
Marketing.
Fr Damian Ference (25:50):
Oh yeah, he does well with digital languages
in particular.
So briefcase marketing createsmarketing for your church or
church-based ministry thatinspires action and delivers
results.
Deacon Mike Hayes (26:01):
They will clarify your message to help you
get the right audience.
They'll streamline your websiteto convert visitors into
parishioners, volunteers, donors.
They'll help create consistencyto build trust and deepen
relationships across all of yourmarketing platforms.
It's your social media, youremail, your ads, all those kinds
of things.
Fr Damian Ference (26:18):
Yeah, and if you need, proof Briefcase
Marketing gets great Googlereviews.
They've done superb work withour friends at Theology of the
Body, cleveland, st John Canciusin Tremont.
That website's so good.
If you want to call Dan firstor text him, you can do so at
308-627-1262.
And our pal Dan First will takegood care of you at Briefcase.
Deacon Mike Hayes (26:40):
Marketing.
That's briefcasemarketing.
We'll put all that in the shownotes.
Fix your website already, maria.
Thanks for joining us.
Yep, and if you're doing Exodus90 or Magnify 90, you're in our
prayers this week as you headtoward Easter, which will also
be my anniversary this year.
Oh wow, 23 years Easter Sunday,mike and Mary, longest running
(27:01):
Broadway show, all right, sowe'll be back next week and
we'll have all this and morenext time here on Question of
Faith, merci.
On today's Question of Faith.
Is Exodus 90 worth my time?
Hey everybody, this is Questionof Faith.
I'm Deacon Mike Hayes.
I'm the Director of Young AdultMinistry here in the Diocese of
Cleveland.
Fr Damian Ference (00:14):
And I'm Father Damian Ference, the Vicar
for Evangelization.
Maria Wancata (00:17):
And I'm Maria Wancata, marriage and Family
Ministry Specialist,
Deacon Mike Hayes (00:20):
maria back in the house
Yeah yeah, you picked goodsub-zero weather to come back in
.
Maria Wancata (00:28):
Yeah, I've got my vest on to keep me warm.
Deacon Mike Hayes (00:30):
I've got a nice sweatshirt on here.
Fr Damian Ference (00:33):
And while I have a North Face top, Calla
Gill is wearing a matching onetoday.
I actually have a North Facehoodie too that I wore over this
I layered I didn't really wearjackets just like layers of
North Face stuff.
Gotcha Maria comes on the showwhen we talk about issues of
sexuality and fitness.
It seems yeah right.
Maria Wancata (00:53):
My expertise, right.
Fr Damian Ference (00:55):
Because your master's is in theology, with
the concentration in marriageand family and morality.
So that makes sense and part ofthe moral life, or part of the
good life, is disciplining one'sbody, because we're body and
soul.
So what is Exodus 90?
And there is a Magnify 90, awomen's version.
So let's talk about what theseprograms are and if they're
(01:17):
worth our time or not.
Maria Wancata (01:19):
Yeah, so I am actually.
My husband and I this year aregoing to attempt to do both of
them.
So there's Exodus 90 for menand there's actually two
versions out there for women,one Magnify 90, the other Fiat
90.
I found a group, a community,that's doing Magnify 90.
I think in a way it appeals tomy husband and I because we are
(01:42):
into athletics and fitness anddisciplining ourselves.
Deacon Mike Hayes (01:46):
Big Phil.
Maria Wancata (01:48):
And I think as we get older and grow in our
marriage and grow in ourrelationship with God, something
like this, a journey like this,really appeals to us to see if
we can grow deeper together butalso closer to God, grow deeper
together but also closer to God.
So within the programs, they'rebuilt on three pillars, so
(02:16):
prayer, asceticism and community.
And I think when you're growingyourself and this actually I
think aligns with Bishop'sPastoral Letter, like there's
pillars to do that and doing itwithin community and having a
support system is foundationalto it.
But those three pillars arewhat help you to grow and
flourish.
Deacon Mike Hayes (02:32):
Go ahead.
I was going to say I think formen.
You know, I think Phil wouldprobably resonate with this.
You know, when we changed sortof the Lenten fast rules you
know, when we weren't allfasting from meat, we were just
doing that on Friday you know,we kind of lost that communal
sense of all giving something uptogether, right.
Maria Wancata (02:48):
Yeah, yeah, and I can go through some of the
things so like for prayerthere's in Exodus 90, they go
into scripture, exodus itself.
There's an app for it.
That kind of walks you througheverything, gives you a daily
reflection.
Could we?
Fr Damian Ference (03:06):
pause for one minute, so just because we
haven't said it yet.
So the 90 is about 90 days, 90days from Easter, 90 days
leading up to Easter and thisjust started yesterday.
Yesterday yes, so yesterdaywould have been the start for
many people who are on this90-day journey that will lead
them to Easter.
So it starts even before Lent.
Maria Wancata (03:25):
Right, right, yeah, frequenting the sacraments
.
So monthly confession, sobeyond that once-a-year duty for
confession, making confession amore frequent sacrament.
Daily Mass, as best as you can,weekly adoration, and then it
gets into the asceticism like noTV or only shows that will
(03:47):
strengthen your faith, like theChosen.
Like the Chosen is a goodexample.
Deacon Mike Hayes (03:51):
No social media, right?
Yeah, unless you have to do itfor work is what friends have
told me.
Maria Wancata (03:56):
Yeah and a lot of these are kind of like discern
as to your state in life,identifying someone to pray for
or offering a dailymortification for.
Let's see some of the otherthings not consuming sweets and
alcohol or snacking betweenmeals.
So a lot of theself-mortification, self-denial.
Fr Damian Ference (04:18):
Are there breaks on Sundays, like some
people take during lunch, or not?
Deacon Mike Hayes (04:21):
That's the criticism Father Damien's got it
.
Maria Wancata (04:24):
So within my workbook for Magnify 90, it says
Sundays and Solemnities may belesser in self-denial.
If there's a major celebration,discern whether you're called
to kind of.
You know, indulge in the sweets.
Fr Damian Ference (04:39):
I like the room for discernment.
That makes sense to me becausepeople are in different places.
For myself, when I go on a fast, if I give myself a break, it's
like I went backwards.
For other people, they reallyenjoy the break and want to
celebrate.
So I think that makes sense,that there is a sense of
discernment, because thesearen't like moral absolutes,
these are spiritual disciplines,mortifications.
(05:01):
It's a practice of asceticismthat requires some element of
prudence.
Deacon Mike Hayes (05:06):
And similar to like other programs, like I
did Whole30 once and you know,if you mess up anywhere along
the 30 days you've got to goback to one, you know, and start
again, so you don't get a break.
Fr Damian Ference (05:17):
It's kind of like AA in that A little bit
yeah To get your coin Exactlyyeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (05:27):
But I gave up such and such for Lent.
Oh, but I do it on Sunday andI'm like, if you couldn't give
it up for 40 days.
Fr Damian Ference (05:30):
come on, you know.
But then others will say butSunday is the Lord's day and he
wants you to rejoice, and sothis is where the discernment
comes in.
Maria Wancata (05:38):
Yeah, and I like that.
It is important that there islike Exodus 90 for men, magnify
90 for women In Exodus 90, itcalls on men to do cold showers,
right, that's not.
Oh, it's not one for the women,okay, no, no Interesting Ours
actually kind of says you know,don't shop, you know you're
(05:59):
giving up social media and otherways to consume.
It's easy then to want to likego shopping, buy things for
yourself.
So it kind of makes thosedifferences, because for women
we're trying to cultivate ourfeminine genius and for the men
they're masculine.
Deacon Mike Hayes (06:16):
My wife would find that very easy.
She doesn't shop at all.
Maria Wancata (06:19):
For me it's a sacrifice.
Fr Damian Ference (06:22):
I like the notion of asceticism, the
mortification, the disciplines,not because the body is bad or
because the world is bad.
I just finished last night abook club with some friends the
Ruthless Elimination of Hurry byMark Comer and he's a
(06:43):
Protestant.
But the last chapter of hisbook he gets into what he calls
spiritual disciplines and it'sfunny.
He says we're not just spirits,we're embodied people.
So he certainly is on his wayto a Catholic anthropology, but
he says within there that thereare certain things that we can
do to slow us down.
So I was thinking of Cary Regan, who used to work in our office
(07:05):
, who would make a complete stopat every stop sign, not just
slow down and almost stop, but acomplete stop.
Or Ron Nowak, who's the youthminister at St Mary's in Hudson,
who during Lent drives thespeed limit and nowhere over it.
Or refraining from social mediaor doing certain things, not
because you hate your body oryou hate the world, or you're
(07:28):
trying to like intentionallypunish yourself, but you resist
things that are good or renouncethings that are good for the
sake of something that's evenbetter.
I mean on a large scale, likecelibacy is one way of doing
that.
But there is something in theCatholic ethos that's really
(07:52):
important, when something isimportant to us and something is
holy and and reverent andallows for greater growth, to
discipline ourself in such a waywhere we can even appreciate
that more is key.
So, like I used to pick on thosenuns out in Burton, the
(08:12):
Byzantine nuns I've talked toyou, deacon Mike, about this
before they would fast likerandomly throughout the year and
I thought that's so silly, likewe have lent for that.
But the more I went along, themore I realized you enjoy feasts
more when you fast more.
And I thought that's so silly,like we have Lent for that.
But the more I went along, themore I realized you enjoy feasts
more when you fast more.
And when we used to do the ninenights and night prayer, I
would fast for the parishes fornine straight days.
So I wouldn't drink alcohol onthose days.
(08:33):
I had to use social mediabecause I was kind of trying to
promote it online.
But then that last day it was agreat day of rejoicing I'm just
finishing a novena now to StJoseph and I fasted from social
media for well at leastInstagram for nine days and
alcohol for nine days, and Ithink I don't often see the
fruits of those fasts right away, but I know they're good.
Deacon Mike Hayes (09:05):
And I know that the Lord is pleased that I
renounce something for the sakeof something greater.
I do know that's true.
And you don't overdo it is theother thing.
It's like you fast from whatyou fast for and then you go
back and you dabble back in.
I think, for the danger in someof these things for some people
is that they overdo.
It is that they say, okay, nowI think you mentioned it earlier
.
You know it's like we're notsaying the body is bad.
There are some people who willthen.
(09:27):
They'll say you know, yeah, no,okay, yeah, body bad spirit good
yeah we're not Manichaeans,yeah we're not that type of folk
.
Maria Wancata (09:39):
And it's a sacrifice, it's for the sake of
the other.
A lot of this is built on, youknow, john the baptist.
I must decrease so he canincrease.
And so you know, in marriage,like I know, phil would do
anything for me, give upanything for me, and this I'm
doing for god, like we're doingit for god, for our relationship
(10:01):
with God, to point ourselvesand others by what we do to him.
Fr Damian Ference (10:07):
And in doing it for God, you're able to love
your husband more because, thenyour love is more united with
God's love, which allows you tolove him even better than you
did before the fast or whatever,yeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (10:19):
Some folks would say that the pillars of
Lent, you know, prayer, fasting,almsgiving are sort of similar
to this, except they've cut outthe almsgiving, and they said
that one of the criticisms ofthis, I think, is that is that
they're saying that it's tooself-focused, almost Pelagian.
You know like well we couldsave ourselves if we just do
this, if we become, you know,more fit for God if you would.
(10:40):
You know, I've heard somepeople say those kinds of things
as well.
So I think, that's a danger inthis as well.
Maria Wancata (10:44):
Yeah, I know, within the guidelines that they
put out in Magnify 90, becauseof the fasting component that it
calls for on Fridays, you'resupposed to avoid stepping on
the scale.
You're not doing this as aweight loss regimen and I think
(11:06):
also that's why the communityaspect of this is important, so
that we can keep ourselvesaccountable, not falling into
the scrupulosity of it or themaybe like self-benefits we
might get.
Deacon Mike Hayes (11:19):
So you sort of have to select your leaders
pretty carefully, someone whowon't fall into that
scrupulosity.
Fr Damian Ference (11:23):
Or if someone is falling into the
scrupulosity, the wholecommunity then have to say, hey,
no, not that Is there somethingin the men's group, the Exodus
about spending of money, like ifthere is for the women, you
don't shop.
Is there something for the menlike no gambling or no this or
no that, because it would seemthat that would naturally flow
(11:45):
into then tithing or almsgivingsomehow.
Not that we tithe as Catholics,but we certainly are asked to
give alms, time, talent,treasure, I don't know, but that
would seem to be a naturalprogression from the asceticism.
You don't deny yourself simplyto deny yourself.
You deny yourself to glorifyGod, and in doing so you become
(12:05):
more like God.
So your life ought to look moregenerous.
Deacon Mike Hayes (12:09):
Sure, yeah, yeah, that would be the point
right.
Maria Wancata (12:12):
Yeah, it does say like video games would be like
the equivalent way to spend time.
Deacon Mike Hayes (12:19):
Oh, I see, yeah, I got it.
Yeah, not quite the same thing,because that's still
self-focused, right?
You're not giving to someoneelse in that, other than what
you said earlier about you knowthe thing.
Like you're not encounteringthe poor, you're not
encountering the vulnerable,you're not going beyond yourself
, right, you know.
So I think that's one of thedangers in this is that it ends
(12:41):
up being too insular.
If you would, it would be greatif, like the whole group so, a
group of guys in my parish didthis a couple of years ago,
according to one of our staffmembers, and that they really
had a good time with it.
But a bunch of them gottogether later and said now we
should do something in service.
So your point, I think, is aptthat you know that they got
together.
they did this.
It was very self-focused, butit did push them forward into
(13:03):
the community afterwards.
So yeah, maybe afterwardsinstead of alongside is what are
the benefits of this at the end?
Fr Damian Ference (13:10):
Yeah, and you can look at it not as a danger
but as an opportunity in thesame way that you know.
When you get on a plane theysay if we lose pressure, put
your mask on first.
So you've got to take care ofyourself first before you go
save the world.
Get yourself in line, but thenyou're made for service and then
you go make a gift of yourselfto others.
Maria Wancata (13:28):
Yeah, and I mean personally, I haven't gone
through this.
This will be my first timegoing through this, so maybe at
the end of the 90 days we couldsee how I could give you my
review of it.
Deacon Mike Hayes (13:39):
Yeah.
And if it does, it will bringyou back at Easter.
Maria Wancata (13:43):
Yeah.
Deacon Mike Hayes (13:45):
If it does what?
Maria Wancata (13:46):
I was going to say as a working of it, fulfill
like that, that almsgiving, thatgoing out of self to others,
just through through the workdone internally, spiritually.
Fr Damian Ference (14:01):
You guys do that anyway, so yeah, I think,
too, it helps to consider thesethings the way that an athlete
or an artist or a musician wouldconsider his or her craft.
So if you want to be excellentas a painter or a singer or a
guitar player or whatever you'rea basketball player, there are
(14:23):
certain no's that you are goingto have to have in your life no
to unhealthy food, no to stayingup late, no to partying, in
order that you can say one bigyes to whatever it is that
you've been asked to do.
So you deny yourself manythings and you say no to many
things in order to give one bigyes to what's most important.
(14:45):
And that's also true in thespiritual life.
And sometimes it may look alittle strange, you know, say
that person's extreme.
Sometimes it may look a littlestrange, you know, say that
person's extreme.
But then when they come homewith their championship or the
masterpiece painting, you say,geez, all that effort and all
that work really played out.
And you congratulate the personfor doing that ways.
(15:18):
This is the life of the saint,the life of the holiness, who
makes God first and foremost andis willing to do radical and
nutty and crazy things for thelove of God.
Again, john the Baptist.
My favorite line in scriptureis from the days of John the
Baptist until now, the kingdomof heaven suffered violence and
the violent bared away.
So it's also the title ofO'Connor's second novel, but the
idea is that for Christians,it's also the title of
O'Connor's second novel, but theidea is that for Christians,
ever since John the Baptist cameon the scene, we're going to be
(15:38):
attacked.
But what's the response to theattack?
The violent bared away.
It means that Christians,they're not violent toward the
world, they're actually violenttoward themselves through
mortification, asceticism,self-denial, not because they
hate themselves or they're angry.
It's like I'm going to give upthese things.
I'm going to make radicaldecisions for the sake of the
kingdom, in order to further thekingdom, and maybe that is
(16:01):
giving up something that youreally like.
I really like sweets, but I'mgoing to give them up for the
sake of something greater.
I really like travel, but I'mgoing to give that up.
I'm going to sacrifice it forthe sake of something greater,
and I think it does take somespiritual maturity to get there,
and if you try to do that withthe wrong motives, it can get
(16:23):
you in trouble.
I do think that's right, so it'sgood.
That's why the community isimportant.
The accountability is importantthat the discipline itself
doesn't become your new God, butthat you're using these
disciplines and these moments ofmortification or asceticism in
order to worship God and comecloser to him.
And you know that if the fruitsof your disciplines are that
(16:45):
you become more angry, becomemore cocky maybe you've got a
six pack now but you're becomemore vain then this hasn't
worked the way that it should.
It should make you moregenerous.
It should make you more kind,more patient, more understanding
, more loving.
It should make your love morepure.
That's what I think you want tolook for at the end of these 90
(17:06):
days, to see if it did what itwas supposed to do.
Deacon Mike Hayes (17:08):
Yeah, I'm thinking about folks like
Dorothy Day who lived a certainway, lived among the poor, who
gave up comforts in her own lifeand who said often you know, if
you're going to work with thepoor, be ready to really be
uncomfortable because, you'regoing to become what you're near
you know, you're going tobecome uncomfortable and you're
going to become someone who'sgiving things up that you
normally wouldn't, and that willchange.
(17:29):
It might even change yourcommunity as well.
So it's a similar kind of vein,yeah.
Maria Wancata (17:34):
And I think some of the disciplines it calls for
can be very scary to think aboutdoing.
And so one of the things myhusband and I did is we kind of
look through and we're like,well, maybe we can't do all of
these but which ones can we do?
(17:55):
or which ones can we, you know,maybe do a part of for year one,
because there are people who dothis year after year after year
, and so it can't, it can't bethe same for them every year.
There's got to be somethingdeeper that they get each year.
And I do relate it to likemarathon training.
(18:16):
You don't just go out and run26.2 miles.
You have to train for monthsand months, and months and your
first marathon is nowhere nearas good as probably your most
recent marathon, if you've beena marathon runner for years some
people can't even do a marathon, but maybe they can do a 10k,
like do something.
(18:36):
Your pace is your something youalways work to get better, and
that kind of discipline andmaybe that small bite size
approach is more manageable thanjumping in all the way and
trying to do it all.
Fr Damian Ference (18:51):
Yeah, and a lot of the disciplines you do
now for the sake of Exodus 90 orwhatever it is that you're
doing, may benefit you down theline in some other situation
because of something that youlearned here.
So you're not going to gain andunderstand all the fruits of
these spiritual practices rightnow, but they're certainly worth
(19:13):
doing as long as they're donein faith and in prayer, like
Lord.
I'm just finishing thisnine-day novena now and I'm
confident that the sacrifices Imake are good and will bear
fruit down the line, even if Idon't see them now, and I trust
(19:33):
that that's the case.
But yeah, fasting for thekingdom and uniting our
sacrifices to the sacrifice ofChrist like that's where it's at
, you know.
Deacon Mike Hayes (19:46):
Yeah, and when we do all these things
together, I think it's important.
You know, like you did mentionCarrie Regan before, she used to
say I think it's important.
You know, like you justmentioned Carrie Regan before,
she used to say Exit 90 is a brothing, you know.
well, you know, not completelywrong.
I mean, obviously they have awoman's version of this now, you
know.
But at the same time I think itwas something that the guys in
my parish all wanted to dotogether and they kind of bonded
(20:07):
a little bit more closelytogether because they did that.
They had that shared experience.
Fr Damian Ference (20:20):
So there's something good about it and I
find the fasting and theasceticism, the mortifications,
easier to do if you have aparticular intention.
So whether it's 90 days or ninedays or the 40 days of Lent.
If someone asks me to pray forhim or for her, one of my
favorite ways to do it is likethrough a novena, because the
Lord even said some of thesedemons can only be driven out
through fasting and prayer.
(20:41):
And if I have someone else onmy mind and heart, when I feel
like having a drink or going toInstagram and doing this, I say
no because, for the sake of thisperson, I am going to make a
sacrifice of myself.
I'm going to offer myself as asacrifice.
This is my body, this is myblood, poured out for you in
(21:01):
particular, or this particulargroup or this particular
intention.
So, if you're struggling withman I don't know if I could do
this Think to yourself is therea situation or is there a person
who really needs your prayer?
Deacon Mike Hayes (21:14):
And then attach your intention to your
activity and it'll make it moreefficacious for you it's like a
marathon runner who runs forsomebody else or a certain cause
or something like that.
I know Marion's uncle, thegreat deacon Andy Cavalieri that
I talk about all the time.
He ran the New York CityMarathon for Marion's mother who
had cancer, and a few otherrelatives who had cancer and he
(21:37):
had their names printed on hisshirt and he said every time he
got tired he just looked down.
Fr Damian Ference (21:42):
It's a communion of saints.
I mean, this is what's supposedto happen.
It's the body of Christ, thatwe're not in it for ourselves,
but what we do benefits others.
And the opposite is true too.
When we're not acting accordingto the life of grace and we're
choosing other things besidesGod, it harms others too.
So yeah, all this is important.
Deacon Mike Hayes (22:01):
Great, all right, so keep it up.
Good luck with Magnify 90.
Maria Wancata (22:04):
Thank you.
Deacon Mike Hayes (22:04):
You'll be good.
All right Church search.
Let's go to Nativity in EltonLorraine.
Nativity of the Blessed VirginMary.
Fr Damian Ference (22:13):
It's one of my top five churches in the
diocese?
Maria Wancata (22:17):
if not, top three .
Fr Damian Ference (22:18):
Well, it's a hidden gem.
My classmate, father CraigO'Vanik, is the pastor there it
is.
If you've ever been to StStanislaus in Slavic Village,
it's like a mini version of that.
It's actually in the heart ofLorraine.
It's in a rougher neighborhoodthat used to be, when the steel
mills were there, a reallyhappening city neighborhood, but
(22:39):
it's a little lighted now,although I think Lorraine is
making a comeback.
It's Gothic in architecture andthe brick is the same tone, the
same color as the Basilica atNotre Dame.
It's like a golden brick andit's very clean.
Father Globko was there before.
Father Havanek was the pastorand it's lovely.
(23:01):
The music there is great, thepeople are great.
I've given a parish missionthere.
It's also the site in LorainCounty for pilgrimage for the
Jubilee year, so you can gothere and get your indulgence
and, yeah, it's lovely, it'sjust lovely.
Deacon Mike Hayes (23:17):
I'll be out there on Thursday dropping their
stuff off.
Fr Damian Ference (23:19):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm heading down to
Ashland tomorrow to drop theirstuff off.
Deacon Mike Hayes (23:22):
Very nice, all right, so yeah, so check out
our Jubilee year sites as wecontinue the great Jubilee year
of hope.
And let's take a look at thereadings for the third Sunday in
ordinary time, beginning of theGospel of Luke.
But I also like the secondreading this week, which is from
St Paul.
You know, a body is one but hasmany parts.
(23:43):
So all the parts of the body,though many, are one body, so
also Christ, for in one spiritwe're all baptized into one body
, whether Jews or Greek, slavesor free persons, and we're all
given to drink of one spirit.
We're all baptized into onebody, whether Jews or Greek,
slaves or free persons, andwe're all given to drink of one
spirit.
I always liked that one.
Fr Damian Ference (23:58):
Yeah, I agree , and it's one of my mantras
around parish life and thediocese in general Figure out
what people are good at and letthem do it, and don't try to be
everything for everyone, eventhough I know St Paul says he
kind of has to do that.
But yeah, let people use theirgifts because we're different
parts of the same body and whenwe work together we really
(24:19):
flourish.
Deacon Mike Hayes (24:20):
I always say St Paul's a little Benedictine
in that, like when someonepresents himself to him, he
becomes all things to them atthat moment.
He doesn't do it all the time.
Like you know, that's whensomeone presents themselves to
you, then you can be all thingsto that person at the moment,
but you don't have to do that24-7 for everybody in the world.
Fr Damian Ference (24:39):
Right, Maria.
What do you have?
Any thoughts?
Maria Wancata (24:41):
Well, yeah, I like that reading too, because
we're all created unique andunrepeatable and we all are
called on a specific mission,but it's the one mission,
together to get to heaven and tobuild up the body of Christ
here.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:00):
Don't start singing the song.
We are one body, one body ofChrist.
Fr Damian Ference (25:04):
I sure do.
That reminds me of World YouthDay.
Yeah right, it's a Gen Xer man.
It hits home.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:09):
Was that the theme song the year you went?
Fr Damian Ference (25:11):
No, it was 93 , and I didn't go that year, and
95 was Philippines, which Ididn't go to either.
But 97 was in France and thatwas my first time out of the
country and they did play thatsong there because it was one of
John Paul II's favorites.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:26):
Yeah, they play all the old hits if you
will.
Fr Damian Ference (25:28):
Yeah, Emmanuel was in 2000.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:30):
They're great .
Yeah, they certainly played inToronto and Sydney and Poland.
Fr Damian Ference (25:35):
I had it at my first Mass.
It was my communion hymn.
Very nice, interesting.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:42):
I've sung it a couple times myself, so it's
always good.
Fr Damian Ference (25:43):
Anyway, we all have our gifts.
Deacon Mike Hayes (25:44):
Yes, Anyway, someone who does a great job
with language is our good friendDan Furst over at Briefcase
Marketing.
Fr Damian Ference (25:50):
Oh yeah, he does well with digital languages
in particular.
So briefcase marketing createsmarketing for your church or
church-based ministry thatinspires action and delivers
results.
Deacon Mike Hayes (26:01):
They will clarify your message to help you
get the right audience.
They'll streamline your websiteto convert visitors into
parishioners, volunteers, donors.
They'll help create consistencyto build trust and deepen
relationships across all of yourmarketing platforms.
It's your social media, youremail, your ads, all those kinds
of things.
Fr Damian Ference (26:18):
Yeah, and if you need, proof Briefcase
Marketing gets great Googlereviews.
They've done superb work withour friends at Theology of the
Body, cleveland, st John Canciusin Tremont.
That website's so good.
If you want to call Dan firstor text him, you can do so at
308-627-1262.
And our pal Dan First will takegood care of you at Briefcase.
Deacon Mike Hayes (26:40):
Marketing.
That's briefcasemarketing.
We'll put all that in the shownotes.
Fix your website already, maria.
Thanks for joining us.
Yep, and if you're doing Exodus90 or Magnify 90, you're in our
prayers this week as you headtoward Easter, which will also
be my anniversary this year.
Oh wow, 23 years Easter Sunday,mike and Mary, longest running
(27:01):
Broadway show, all right, sowe'll be back next week and
we'll have all this and morenext time here on Question of
Faith, merci.
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