Ever Ancient, Ever New

46. Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V. - 2015 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award Recipient

Started in 1986, the Pro Fidelitate et Virtue Award is conferred each year at the Institute on Religious Life’s National Meeting to someone who has been outstanding in the support and promotion of authentic religious life.

Today's episode is honoring our 2015 award recipient, Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V. Mother Agnes Mary, S.V. was among the first group of women to respond to John Cardinal O’Connor’s inspiration to found the Sisters of Life, a religious community dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of human life.

Founded in 1991, the Sisters of Life are a contemplative/apostolic community whose primary work is prayer on behalf of vulnerable human life. Their apostolic works include a “Holy Respite” - where pregnant guests are welcomed to live in the spiritual environment of a religious house and a “Visitation Mission” to offer hope and provide practical resources to women for whom their pregnancy creates a crisis. The Sisters also host a variety of retreats to uphold the Culture of Life and to invite those who have suffered from abortion back to the Lord’s merciful love. Mother Agnes Mary is the Superior General of the community. 

Today, we will be listening to her banquet address titled, “Waking Up the World: Consecrated Life as an Encounter with Christ” Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

 

45. Affiliate in Focus with Br. Daniel Sokol, O.S.B.

On today's episode, we're listening to an interview with Br. Daniel Sokol, O.S.B from the Benedictines of Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California.

The Benedictine monks of Prince of Peace Abbey are a cloistered contemplative monastic community of men seeking God under the Holy Rule of St. Benedict. The monks obey and serve God and their fellow monks in the context of permanence in one community, life under the discipline of a rule governing monastic life, and obedience to an abbot. The monastery maintains a retreat house. Daily Mass and liturgical services are open to the public.

Br. Daniel Sokol is interviewed by IRL Board member, Jesse Weiler. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

44. Rev. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. - Saint Joseph: Master of the Interior Life

On today’s episode, we will be featuring a talk from our 2021 National Meeting by Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA. 

Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., has been a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey since 1998. He is a Catholic priest and serves as both the Director of Spiritual Formation and Director of the Institute for Ministry Formation at Saint Vincent Seminary. He also serves as Program Director for WAOB (We Are One Body) radio station, Latrobe. Father Boniface has authored many books and is a sought-after retreat master and spiritual director. He travels throughout the United States, and as far as Beijing, China, in his work. Fr. Boniface also serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute on Religious Life.

Fr. Boniface's talk is titled, Saint Joseph: Master of the Interior Life. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy! 

43. FB Live Interview with Tom Kissel - Parents of Vocations Pt. 1

On this week's episode, we're listening to a Facebook Live interview on, "Parents of Vocations: A Network & Resource for Parents of Those with a Religious Vocation" with IRL board member, Jesse Weiler, and Tom Kissel, founder of Parents of Vocations. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

42. Mother Mary Clare Millea, A.S.C.J. - 2013 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award Recipient

Started in 1986, the Pro Fidelitate et Virtue Award is conferred each year at the Institute on Religious Life’s National Meeting to someone who has been outstanding in the support and promotion of authentic religious life.

Today's episode is honoring our 2013 award recipient, Mother Mary Clare Millea, A.S.C.J. Mother Mary Clare is the Superior General of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She holds undergraduate and advanced degrees in psychology. She also earned a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

In October 2008 Mother was chosen as an auditor for the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God. Later that year, Cardinal Franc Rodé, C.M,  appointed her Apostolic Visitator for the Apostolic Visitation of Institutes of Women Religious in the United States. The purpose of the four-phase Visitation involving nearly 400 religious institutes was to “look into the quality of the life” of congregations of active women religious in the United States. Mother Clare described her three-year mission as “extremely challenging but life giving.”

We were honored to have Mother Mary Clare Millea, A.S.C.J as our 2013 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award recipient. Today, we will be listening to her banquet address titled, “Faith as the Foundation of Religious Consecration” Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

41. Affiliate in Focus with Sr. Anne Marie Warrens, O.S.F.

On today's episode, we're listening to an interview with Sr. Anne Marie Warrens, O.S.F. from the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows in Beaverton Oregon.

The Franciscan Missionary Sisters are an international Catholic religious community committed to Evangelization of the Gospel in the Spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows carry out their charism through their work in education, health care, parish ministry, retreats and social services.

Sr. Anne Marie Warrens is interviewed by IRL Board member, Jesse Weiler. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!

40. Abbot Austin Murphy O.S.B. - Religious Life: The Heart of the Church

On today’s episode, we will be featuring a talk from our 2018 National Meeting by Abbot Austin Murphy O.S.B. of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, IL. 

Abbot Austin was born in Huntington, NY in 1974 and attended the University of Chicago, receiving a B.A. in Economics in 1995. He studied for the priesthood at the Dominican House of studies in Washinton D.C. receiving his M.A. in Theology in 2003 as well as his M.Div. and S.T.B in 2004. He completed doctoral studies at the University of Notre Dame, working in the area of patristics, especially St. Augustine’s thought. He served as abbot from 2010 – 2024.

Abbot Austin’s talk is titled, Religious Life: The Heart of the Church. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy! 

39. FB Live Interview with Rev. James McCurry, OFM Conv. - The Pillars of Faith and Charity

On this week's episode, we're listening to a Facebook Live interview on, "The Pillars of Faith and Charity" with IRL board members, Jesse Weiler, and Fr. James McCurry, OFM Conv. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy!