On this week's show,  creator Mario Costabile joins us to discuss how dynamic virtual retreats and events like  can draw the Church closer to God and one another.   About Mario Costabile:   Mario Costabile is the Executive Director of Array of Hope. A devout Catholic and family man, Mario has been a successful producer for music, film, and television for over 35 years, having worked for such organizations as MTV, VH1, Discovery Channel, Sony Music, and Def Jam Records. Mario is committed to utilizing his talents to do God's will in the development of Array of Hope and its vision to unite families and help them grow closer to God.   About Array of Hope:   Array of Hope has created , a one-of-a-kind digital event personalized for parishes, schools, and other Catholic organizations seeking to catechize and evangelize in a COVID-19 reality. Rise Up provides a remote experience that is dynamic, inspirational, and interactive, making the attendee truly part of the event. It enables parishes or dioceses to plan with more stability in the midst of the uncertainties of what reopening will look like.   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Lisa Hendey & Friends

Mario Costabile “Array of Hope” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #124

On this week's show, Becky Eldridge is here to discuss her new Loyola Press book  as she offers insights and prayer practices to help us grow ever closer to God.   About Becky Eldridge:   Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer, with nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (2017) and The Inner Chapel (2020). Her greatest joy is sharing life with her husband, Chris, and her children, Brady, Abby, and Mary. Visit her at .   About The Inner Chapel:   In her recent book,  Becky Eldredge offers down-to-earth stories, prayer reflections, and encouragement for spiritual growth and a deeper walk with Christ. While offering practices on how to enter the inner chapel, the place within where God meets us, each chapter provides an opportunity to reflect on a certain promise of God.    Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Becky Eldridge “The Inner Chapel” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #123

On this week's show, Jessica Ptomey, author of the book , invites listeners to consider their own faith perspectives by sharing her personal journey into the Catholic Church.   About Jessica Ptomey:   Jessica Ptomey is a Catholic convert, wife, mom, writer, Communications scholar and professor, and homeschooler. She blogs at . She is the author of , and her research in inter-faith dialogue has been published in the Journal of Communication and Religion (JCR). She is also the co-host with her husband Mike of The Catholic Reading Challenge podcast.   About Home in the Church:   Home in the Church calls Catholics living in the modern world back to a distinctly Catholic way of living and vision of Mother Church as the home on earth that is leading them to their heavenly home. Catholic Convert, Jessica Ptomey, describes her journey to a more embodied Christian faith in the Catholic Church, and she invites readers to the same experience. She discusses the embodied nature of faith in the home, in the celebrations of the liturgical calendar, in the liturgy of the Mass, in personal prayer, in the intercession of the saints, in the sacraments, and in a redemptive view of suffering.   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Jessica Ptomey “Home in the Church” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #121 Jessica Ptomey “Home in the Church” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #121

On this week's show, Fr. Sebastian Walshe, author of the new book , offers pastoral thoughts on contemporary marriage and family life.   About Fr. Sebastian Walshe:   Originally from Pasadena, Fr. Sebastian Walshe is a Norbertine Canon of the Abbey of St. Michael in the Diocese of Orange, California, where he is the dean of studies for the seminary program. After completing his studies at Thomas Aquinas College in California, he continued studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., receiving a license in Philosophy. Later, he attended the Pontifical University of St. Thomas at Rome (the Angelicum) where he received a Masters in Sacred Theology and a Doctorate in Philosophy.   About Understanding Marriage & Family: A Catholic Perspective:   In this book Fr. Sebastian explains and defends the traditional understandings of marriage and family so that the goodness and beauty of marriage and family can once again shine forth. In the first part of the book, he clarifies and defends the definitions of marriage and family and contrasts them with the alternative proposals of modern society. Marriage and family are natural and necessary consequences of human nature: thus marriage is not merely a social construct, but something which fulfills the deepest inclinations of human nature. In the second part of the book, he shows how marriage and the relationships within the family are intrinsically and sacramentally related to the principal mysteries of the Catholic faith. In the third part of the book, he shows how family life at both the natural and supernatural levels can be fostered, preserved, and healed.   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Fr. Sebastian Walshe “Understanding Marriage and Family” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #120

On this week's show, Cathy Gilmore, creator of , helps us understand how even small creatures can teach us to be virtuous superheroes!   About Cathy Gilmore:   “Mrs. Virtue Lady” Cathy Gilmore is an award-winning children's author, educator, and virtue advocate. Her passion is to help families grow virtue-strong in simple, creative, and JOYFUL ways.   About Tiny Virtue Heroes:    are pretend friends who turn children’s IMAGINATION into a sacred training space, in which everyday habits are powered by God’s grace to become real-life super-powers! These animal and insect characters are friendly “sidekick” storytellers, who introduce kids to Virtue Heroes from the Bible and from the Virtue Mission Regions of the world. Pretending with the Virtue Heroes can make children virtue-STRONG! One by one, a series of storybooks are emerging to bring these characters to life in an especially vivid way. The first story, A Mouse and a Miracle, is available now!   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Cathy Gilmore “Tiny Virtue Heroes” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #119

On this week's show, Dr. Joseph White offers encouragement and support for our spiritual journey as we discuss his new  book .   About Dr. Joseph White:   Dr. Joseph White is a child and family psychologist and Director of Catechetical Resources for OSV Publishing. He is the author of 11 books, including the newly-released Listening for God in Everyday Life.   About Listening for God in Everyday Life:   God is speaking to us all the time, but we have to learn to hear his voice. Drawing on his personal experience, Joseph reveals the means God uses to speak directly to our hearts. Some of these may even surprise you! They include Silence, Gifts and Talents, Scripture, Creation, Humor, Tradition, Art, Liturgy, Saints, Struggle, Children, Relationship, and People in Need. When we learn to hear it, God's voice opens our hearts to his love, deepening our relationship with the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. How is God speaking to you? Learn more at    Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Dr. Joseph White “Listening for God” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #118

On this week's show,  community founders  open their hearts and their spiritual home to us.   About Soren and Ever Johnson:   Soren and Ever Johnson, parishioners at St. John the Apostle, Leesburg, VA, are proud parents of five children. They founded the nonprofit Trinity House Community and its Trinity House Café with a mission to inspire families to live together with God, making their homes a little taste of heaven to share with others for the renewal of faith and culture. Soren formerly served as Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Arlington, VA, and his writing has appeared in the Washington  Post,  Columbia, and the Arlington  Catholic Herald.  Ever formerly served as Research Assistant to papal biographer George Weigel and has been published in Magnificat. They both hold M.A.s in theology and have presented at numerous conferences and workshops.   About Trinity House:   Co-founded and co-directed by Soren and Ever Johnson, Trinity House Community’s mission is to inspire families to live together with God, making their homes a little taste of heaven to share with others for the renewal of faith and culture. Trinity House inspires through Trinity House Café, the ministry’s public model of a Christian home since 2014 in Leesburg Va.; teaches through Heaven In Your Home Workshop, talks, and retreats; equips through a weekly Heaven In Your Home (e-)Letters and other online content, and encourages families to build their own Trinity House by connecting at monthly Gatherings. Learn more at .    Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Soren and Ever Johnson “Trinity House” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #117

On this week's show, author and radio host Teresa Tomeo joins us to share her timely new book .   About Teresa Tomeo:   Teresa Tomeo is an author, syndicated Catholic talk show host, and motivational speaker with more than 30 years of experience in TV, radio, and newspaper and spent 19 of those years working in front of a camera as a reporter/anchor in the Detroit market. In the year 2000, Teresa left the secular media to start her own speaking and communications company, Teresa Tomeo Communications, LLC. Her daily morning radio program, Catholic Connection, is produced by Ave Maria Radio in Ann Arbor, Michigan and now heard on over 200 Catholic stations nationwide through the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network and is also carried on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.   About Conquering Coronavirus:   Whether the coronavirus still threatens you, your friends, and your family or has harmed someone you love, these pages will ease your fears, heal your wounds, quench your sorrow, and bring you the consolation God provides to all who seek Him in pestilential times like these times that are, in fact, not foreign to our ancient Faith. For in Christianity's two-thousand-year history, cruel persecutions and sudden, uncontrollable plagues like COVID-19 have time and again struck mankind, challenging Christians to rise up spiritually against evils that cannot immediately be conquered materially. Now our turn has come . . . along with the help we need to succeed. Here celebrated Catholic author and media host Teresa Tomeo has drawn forth from Scripture, the lives of the saints, and contemporary sources a healing balm for souls believers and unbelievers alike who have been shaken by the frightening evils thrust upon us by this coronavirus.    Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Teresa Tomeo “Conquering Coronavirus” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #116

On this week's show, Father Edwin Leahy, O.S.B. schools us about the compelling new Quibi short-form series .   About Father Edwin Leahy, O.S.B.:   FATHER EDWIN D. LEAHY, O.S.B., became the 23rd Headmaster of  in 1972. St. Benedict's has now grown to 747 young men, most from African American and Hispanic backgrounds, and 51 faculty members. 98% of the school’s graduates go on to college, with the most academically talented attending such colleges as Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Harvard, Notre Dame, NYU, Penn and Rutgers. Today, St. Benedict’s Prep includes a counseling center--a comprehensive mental health services department. The department is at the forefront of applied school psychology and is a resource virtually nonexistent in other urban school settings, an achievement which was featured in the documentary "The Rule" by Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno.  During Father Edwin’s tenure focused therapy groups were established for the St. Benedict's students, including Alateen for students with a loved one who abuses drugs or alcohol, and Unknown Sons for students who do not have relationships with, or knowledge of their fathers. In 2005 the Velvet Rope program was established in the Leahy House, which helps resident students deal with a variety of socio-emotional issues that impact their learning.   About Benedict Men:   Executive produced by Stephen Curry,  is a documentary series that chronicles life at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, N.J., an all-boys school founded on one core belief: "Whatever hurts my brother, hurts me.”  The series follows the school’s nationally ranked basketball team as they learn the meaning of brotherhood through academic excellence and sport.  Their value does not lie in the number of points they score, but rather what they accomplish together as a team.   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Father Edwin Leahy, O.S.B. “Benedict Men” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #115

On this week's show, Mary-Rose and Ryan Verret join us to discuss their  and the marriage mystagogia they share through their ministry .   About Ryan and Mary-Rose Verret:   Mary-­Rose and Ryan Verret are the founders of Witness to Love and authors of Witness to Love: How to Help the Next Generation Build Marriages that Survive and Thrive. Ryan and Mary-Rose speak on issues regarding evangelization, marriage, NFP, miscarriage and medical ethics. They reside in the heart of Cajun Country with their five children. Their passion is teaching couples to share their marriage with others!   About Witness to Love:    is a virtues-based, Catechumenate model of marriage renewal and preparation that integrates modern principles of psychology and the virtues to help couples facilitate an authentic dialogue about their relationship.   For more information visit    Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Ryan and Mary-Rose Verret “Witness to Love” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #114

On this week's show, producer Natasha Howes offers behind the scenes insights into the soon-to-be-released film "Fatima", opening August 14 nationwide.   About Natasha Howes:   Natasha Howes has produced several adaptations of the Fátima story: The 13th Day (2009), an award-winning digital feature that is available in eight languages and 11 territories worldwide; “The Fátima Story” (2010), a large-scale, multi-language photo-story experience staged in Fátima, Portugal; and an instructional DVD on the meaning and message of the story. Howes’ other credits include Late Harvest (2016), a musical drama that won the Golden Sheaf Award, and 3D documentary Cosmic Origins.    About Fatima:   In 1917, outside the parish of Fátima, Portugal, a 10-year-old girl and her two younger cousins witness multiple visitations of the Virgin Mary, who tells them that only prayer and suffering will bring an end to World War I. As secularist government officials and Church leaders try to force the children to recant their story, word of the sighting spreads across the country, inspiring religious pilgrims to flock to the site in hopes of witnessing a miracle. What they experience will transform their quiet lives and bring the attention of a world yearning for peace. Based on real-life events and starring Joaquim de Almeida (“Queen of the South”), Goran Višnjić (Beginners), Stephanie Gil (Terminator: Dark Fate) and Lúcia Moniz (Love, Actually), with Sônia Braga (Aquarius) and Harvey Keitel (The Piano, The Irishman), Fatima is an uplifting story about the power of faith.    For More Information: Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Natasha Howes “Fatima” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #113

On this week's show, Allison Gingras helps us find our way through worry and anxiety and into lasting trust and peace as we discuss her new book, .   About Allison Gingras:   Allison Gingras shares the beauty of the Catholic faith with honesty and laughter as experienced in the ordinary of life. Allison created the Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women (OSV), which includes — Seeking Peace and The Gift of Invitation. Allison speaks on Grace, Seeking Peace and Forgiveness, and is a Catholic Social Media Consultant.    About Seeking Peace:   In Seeking Peace the reader will discover many ways to build on their trust in God. Allison uses the devotions and traditions of the Catholic faith along with Scripture passages to reflect on our personal experiences and to guide readers to find the peace Jesus promises each of us. The Stay Connected Journals for Catholic Women help deepen your connection with Christ through inspiring stories, reflections, Scripture study, and prompts for prayer and journaling. You can record your own responses to these insights right in the journal and bring those thoughts to your small faith groups for further discussion   For More Information:   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Allison Gingras “Seeking Peace” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #112

On this week's show, bestselling children's author Anthony DeStefano shows us an innovative way to introduce Marian apparitions with his new Sophia Institute Press book .    About Anthony DeStefano:   Anthony DeStefano is the bestselling author of 20 Christian books for adults and children, including  A Travel Guide to Heaven, Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To, The Donkey No One Could Ride, and Little Star. He has hosted two TV series on EWTN. Anthony is a member of the Knights of the Malta, the Militia Immaculata, and Legatus, as well as being is a long time pro-life activist.   About Our Lady's Wardrobe:   This delightful rhyming book introduces Catholic children to the Blessed Virgin Mary in a fun and simple way—through her clothes! When Our Lady lived in Nazareth two thousand years ago, she was very poor and probably didn’t have many nice things to wear. But now that she’s in Heaven, she has an enormous mansion. And in that mansion, she has an incredibly beautiful wardrobe filled with a great variety of dresses, veils, slippers, sashes, robes, rings and crowns. Over the centuries, Our Lady has visited the people of Earth many times. On each of these occasions, she has dressed very differently. Our Lady’s Wardrobe tells the story of some of her most famous apparitions, highlighting the clothes she wore and the things she did. By reading this book, children will not only learn about the Mother of God, but will also learn the main purpose of her life—to love and serve her son, Jesus Christ, and to lead others to do the same.   For More Information:   Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Anthony DeStefano “Our Lady’s Wardrobe” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #111

On this week's show, we meet Mark Bosco, S.J. and Elizabeth Coffman, the filmmakers behind the new documentary  coming soon to virtual cinemas nationwide. About the Filmmakers: Elizabeth Coffman has produced and directed films about communities in crisis from Louisiana to Bosnia. Many of her films include or are about writers, such as Flannery, One More Mile with writer Aleksandar Hemon, Veins in the Gulf with Martha Serpas and Souls and Sonnets with Rita Dove. She works with Ted Hardin at Long Distance Productions. Mark Bosco, S.J. is a Jesuit priest and a professor. He is an authority on the works of Flannery O'Connor and Graham Greene. Mark’s most recent book is Graham Greene’s Catholic Imagination, published by Oxford University Press. He is the Vice President for Mission and Ministry at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Flannery is his first film.   About Flannery:   Winner of the first-ever Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, Flannery is the lyrical, intimate exploration of the life and work of author Flannery O’Connor, whose distinctive Southern Gothic style influenced a generation of artists and activists. With her family home at Andalusia (the Georgia farm where she grew up and later wrote her best-known work) as a backdrop, a picture of the woman behind her sharply aware, starkly redemptive style comes into focus. Including conversations with those who knew her and those inspired by her (Mary Karr, Tommy Lee Jones, Lucinda Williams, Hilton Als and more), Flannery employs never-before-seen archival footage, newly discovered personal letters and her own published words (read by Mary Steenburgen) alongside original animations and music to examine the life and legacy of an American literary icon.   For More Information: Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Mark Bosco, S.J. and Elizabeth Coffman “Flannery” - Lisa Hendey & Friends #110

On this week's show, the history of a saint in the making comes to life as we discuss the story and legacy of  with actor Jim Coleman, who portrays Fr. Tolton in the St. Luke's Production play ". About Jim Coleman: A Hollywood actor for over 30 years, Jim Coleman stars as Ven. Fr. Augustus Tolton in Saint Luke Productions' "Tolton: From Slave to Priest" play touring the country. He is best known for his starring role as Roger Parker in the hit Nickelodeon series "My Brother and Me." His filmography includes "Ant-Man," "The Quad," "Ace Ventura," "American Gangster," and "Law and Order." He says his role as Fr. Tolton “is the most meaningful one I’ve had in my whole career. Fr. Tolton’s story needs to be told. As a black man, this very important part of history is something that I want the world to hear about. I truly feel blessed to be the one to share Fr. Augustus Tolton with all who will listen!” Jim and his wife Robin reside in Florida. About Tolton: From Slave to Saint: "Tolton: From Slave to Priest," the remarkable story of America's first black priest who lived 1854-1897, is a captivating multi-media live production, filled with music, drama, and inspiring performances. It brings a message of hope and healing for the wounds that plague our culture. "Tolton" is having a powerful impact in our country, drawing all people to the truth of Jesus Christ. For More Information: Check out  and find all of our book and movie suggestions at  For Lisa's speaking schedule visit . Send your feedback to  or connect with Lisa on social media @LisaHendey.

Jim Coleman "Tolton: From Slave to Priest" - Lisa Hendey & Friends #109

Join Lisa Hendey as she interviews awesome guests, takes in the latest movies and books, and travels the world. “Lisa Hendey and Friends” invites you into dialogue with authors and entertainment industry professionals, spiritual bright lights and seekers, and whoever else Lisa meets along her daily journey. From LA to Kenya and all points in between, come along for the conversation!

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Lisa Hendey & Friends

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