Father and Joe

Father Boniface Hicks and Joseph Rockey Jr
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

Father and Joe is a podcast series of a continuing conversation about struggles and successes of being close to God. Father Boniface provides spiritual direction through problems of daily life. According to statistics of the average American's church habits - We went to church when we were forced to but somewhere along the way, we drifted away. The ultimate goal of this podcast is to help us get back to church, regardless of what faith you hold, and create a stronger union with God.

  1. 5d ago

    Father and Joe E476: Spiritual Desolation — Don’t Make Permanent Decisions in Spiritual Darkness

    Most episodes of Father and Joe assume that we are either in a good spiritual place or at least trying to move toward one. But what happens when we are not? What happens when prayer feels empty, hope feels thin, God feels distant, and the temptation is to quit, change everything, or decide that we have failed? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks use the wisdom of **Saint Ignatius of Loyola** to explore spiritual desolation: the heaviness of spirit that can bring darkness, sadness, tepidity, lack of faith, lack of hope, lack of love, and the feeling of being separated from God. Father is careful to distinguish spiritual desolation from an ordinary low mood. Desolation is spiritual in character, and it affects how we interpret God, ourselves, and the decisions in front of us. The central warning is practical: do not make major spiritual changes while in desolation. Just as it is unwise to hire or fire someone from a place of panic or heaviness, it is dangerous to make permanent spiritual decisions when our interior state is clouded. In consolation, we see more clearly. In desolation, the enemy can distort our thoughts and make discouragement feel like truth. But desolation is not proof that we are failing. It may reveal a bad choice or a neglected habit, but it is also a normal part of the spiritual life. God can allow it to purify us, humble us, increase our dependence on Him, and teach us that we cannot manufacture grace by ourselves. The response is not shame. The response is awareness, perseverance, prayer, examination, and small acts of resistance: stay in prayer a little longer, return to the habits you know are good, take care of the body, and remember that consolation is often closer than it feels. **Key Ideas** * Spiritual desolation is a real part of the spiritual life; it is not automatically a sign that you are failing. * Do not make major spiritual changes or permanent decisions while in darkness, discouragement, or heaviness. * Desolation can include lack of faith, hope, love, joy, energy, or a false feeling of separation from God. * God may allow desolation to increase humility, dependence, perseverance, and deeper trust. * Practical resistance matters: pray, examine what happened, care for your body, and hold on with sufficient grace. **Links & References** None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. **CTA:** If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email [FatherAndJoe@gmail.com](mailto:FatherAndJoe@gmail.com). ### Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, spiritual desolation, spiritual consolation, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Ignatian spirituality, discernment, discernment of spirits, prayer, perseverance, hope, faith, love, discouragement, spiritual darkness, feeling separated from God, consolation is around the corner, sufficient grace, abiding grace, humility, dependence on God, examination, examen, interior life, self awareness, spiritual habits, daily prayer, temptation, enemy, trust in God, low mood, spiritual heaviness, do not give up, Catholic spirituality, Catholic podcast, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, fear, sadness, tepidity, spiritual growth, prudence, decision making, grace, endurance, God’s will

  2. Aug 18

    Father and Joe E475: When Things Line Up — Meaning, Providence, and Seeing God’s Hand Without Becoming Superstitious

    Sometimes life feels fragmented, random, and exhausting. Other times, after months or years of effort, things suddenly begin to line up in a way that feels meaningful. In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks explore that experience through the lens of faith: how to notice meaning in our lives without falling into superstition, oversimplification, or the false idea that good behavior always produces easy outcomes. Father explains that seeing meaning in the sequence of events already sets the believer apart. If everything is random, there is no deeper story to discover. But Christianity begins with the Logos—the Word, reason, meaning, and order through whom all things were made. That does not mean every faithful choice immediately produces health, wealth, success, or comfort. It means that God is good, that creation has meaning, and that even difficulty can play a role in our purification, humility, surrender, and growth. Joe connects this to work, leadership, marriage, family, and group dynamics. Success is not measured the same way for every person, and motivations change throughout life. That makes discernment difficult, especially when leading people with different desires and definitions of “doing well.” But one through-line remains: choices that build relationship, love, service, and human flourishing tend to reinforce the story God is forming in us. Choices rooted in selfishness, control, or tearing down relationships tend to move us away from that story. The practical takeaway is not “keep doing the exact same tactic forever.” It is deeper than that: stick with God, stick with the faith, and keep discerning the next right shift. When something is not working, the Christian response is not panic or desperation. It is to step back and ask: *Where is God drawing me? What direction is He pointing me toward now?* **Key Ideas** * Seeing meaning in life’s events is an act of faith, not automatically superstition. * Christianity rejects a simplistic “health and wealth” equation where good behavior always produces easy outcomes. * God’s providence includes both blessings and hardships; both can serve our growth and flourishing. * Success looks different for different people, but love, relationship, and human flourishing remain central measures. * “Sticking with it” means staying faithful to God—not refusing to adjust tactics, decisions, or direction. **Scripture Mentioned** * John 1:1–3 — the Word/Logos through whom all things were made * Romans 8:28 — God working all things for good * The parable of the wicked tenants * Faith and the mountain / faith that moves mountains **Links & References** None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. **CTA:** If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email [FatherAndJoe@gmail.com](mailto:FatherAndJoe@gmail.com). ### Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, providence, meaning, God’s hand, discernment, faith and meaning, Logos, Word of God, John 1, Romans 8:28, faith moves mountains, parable of the wicked tenants, health and wealth gospel, prosperity gospel, superstition, hope, human flourishing, relationship with God, relationship with others, relationship with self, purpose, vocation, work, business, leadership, marriage, fatherhood, family life, decision making, prayerful decisions, trust in God, surrender, humility, purification, spiritual growth, staying faithful, changing tactics, God’s will, Catholic podcast, Christian life, perseverance, hope in difficulty, meaning in suffering

  3. Aug 11

    Father and Joe E474: Loaves, Fishes, and the Eucharist — Receiving All of Jesus Without Fear

    The miracle of the loaves and fishes is often heard as a story of abundance: Jesus takes what is limited, blesses it, and feeds the crowd. But Joe Rockey asks a more personal question: What if I were actually there with my family? Would I trust enough to receive, or would I hold back because I could see how many people were still waiting behind me? That question opens a deeper reflection on faith, fear, scarcity, and the way we receive God’s gifts. Father Boniface Hicks connects the miracle directly to the Eucharist. At Mass, Jesus does not give some people “more Jesus” and others “less Jesus.” Even when Father tells a parish story about running low on hosts and needing to divide them, the reality remains the same: each person receives the whole Christ. The limitation is not in Jesus’ gift, but in the capacity of our hearts to receive Him. The conversation also connects the loaves and fishes to manna in the desert. God provided enough each day, yet the Israelites still struggled with trust, routine, and weariness. The same can happen to us. Even the greatest miracle can become ordinary if we stop paying attention. The Christian life asks us to keep opening our hearts: not taking God for granted, not shrinking back from fear, and not limiting what Jesus wants to do in our lives. The invitation is simple but demanding: give God permission to be more present. Let go of the narrow spaces we protect for comfort, control, and self-preservation. Whether in parish life, family life, work, or prayer, the path of faith is learning to receive more fully, surrender more honestly, and love more perfectly through Christ. Key Ideas The loaves and fishes invite us to examine whether we receive God’s abundance with trust or hesitation.The Eucharist is not divided by amount: every communicant receives the whole Christ.The miracle of manna shows that even daily miracles can become routine when gratitude fades.Our fear, comfort, and need for control can limit how fully we receive what God offers.Giving Jesus more permission in our lives opens the path to deeper love, mission, and interior freedom.Scripture Mentioned The miracle of the loaves and fishesManna in the desertBook of WisdomLinks & References None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com. Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, loaves and fishes, multiplication of loaves, Eucharist, Mass, Holy Communion, real presence, receiving Jesus, abundance, scarcity mindset, trust in God, manna in the desert, Book of Wisdom, gratitude, routine, spiritual complacency, daily miracles, first Mass, last Mass, only Mass, parish life, Catholic faith, Catholic podcast, surrender, permission to God, dying to self, comfort, fear, generosity, love, perfect love, family life, mission, discipleship, relationship with God, relationship with others, relationship with self, spiritual growth, interior freedom, Jesus gives himself fully

  4. Aug 4

    Father and Joe E473: Saint John Vianney — Parish Priests, Mission, and the Future of the Church

    Released on the feast of **Saint John Vianney**, this episode gives Father Boniface Hicks the floor to reflect on the patron saint of parish priests—at a personally meaningful moment, as Father Boniface begins serving in a parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Saint John Vianney was not known as a brilliant academic. He struggled through seminary, lived through the turbulence after the French Revolution, and was assigned to a small parish in Ars. Yet by giving himself completely to the people entrusted to him—especially through confession, preaching, prayer, sacrifice, and pastoral care—he became one of the Church’s great models of parish priesthood. Joe Rockey and Father Boniface then move from Saint John Vianney’s life into a practical question facing many parishes today: how do we keep the Church from becoming only “maintenance” when it must also be missionary? Father explains that parish life is where the rubber meets the road: baptisms, marriages, funerals, confession, Mass, religious formation, and daily pastoral care. But when those ordinary acts become routine, they can lose intentionality. Saint John Vianney reminds priests—and parishioners—that the ordinary work of the Church becomes holy when it is done with sacrifice, attention, and love. The conversation closes with a concrete challenge for parish life: finances matter, but they are a trailing indicator. The deeper question is whether a parish is alive in mission. A parish can try to survive by asking more from the same people, or it can ask how to bring more families home. The stronger path is not merely “raise more money,” but rebuild the missionary life of the parish—supporting priests, forming people, inviting families, and creating a community where sacrifice makes sense because the Gospel is alive. **Key Ideas** * Saint John Vianney shows that holiness, sacrifice, and pastoral love matter more than brilliance or status. * Parish priests carry the “ordinary” sacramental life of the Church—and that ordinary work must not become dull or careless. * The parish is where the Church’s mission becomes concrete: confession, Mass, formation, families, marriages, funerals, and daily care. * Many parishes face a tension between **maintenance** and **mission**; both matter, but mission has to drive the system. * Parish finances are often a trailing indicator of deeper vitality: the real question is whether more people are being brought home. **Links & References** None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. **CTA:** If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email [FatherAndJoe@gmail.com](mailto:FatherAndJoe@gmail.com). ### Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, Saint John Vianney, feast of Saint John Vianney, patron of parish priests, parish priest, parish life, Diocese of Pittsburgh, Benedictine, Ars, Cure of Ars, French Revolution, Reign of Terror, religious persecution, confession, sacrament of reconciliation, mercy of God, parish mission, maintenance to mission, missionary church, evangelization, parish renewal, parish finance, parish vitality, Catholic parish, pastoral care, baptisms, marriages, funerals, religious education, RCIA, OCIA, seminary formation, spiritual direction, Saint Vincent Seminary, parish families, bringing families home, Church growth, Catholic leadership, support your priest, relationship with God, relationship with others, relationship with self

  5. Jul 28

    Father and Joe E472: What Faith Actually Changes — Love, Business, and the Encounter That Reorders Everything

    If faith changes your life, how do you explain that to someone else without overselling it? Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks continue the conversation about sharing faith by asking a practical question: what has Christianity actually done for you—and can someone else receive that same gift? The answer is not that faith magically fixes every external problem. The answer is deeper: Christ transforms the interior person, and that transformation changes how we love, work, lead, suffer, build relationships, and make decisions. Father clarifies the promise: Christianity moves us toward the perfection of love. That may help a marriage, a business, or a hardship—but not by bypassing reality. If a business is failing because the market dried up, conversion will not magically create houses to sell. But if the business is failing because money, profit, or control replaced love and relationship, then Christian conversion can change everything. The more we become like Christ, the more we become harmonized with reality, because all creation is ordered through Him. Joe brings a concrete business example: through years of these conversations, Mass, Scripture, and the Eucharist, he came to see that every business is defined by two relationships—the relationship with prospects/clients and the relationship with employees. If either one is broken, the business is in danger regardless of external circumstances. Faith taught him to see business through relationship first, and that framework has helped his clients think differently about success, service, and sustainability. The episode closes with Father returning to the center: real transformation begins not with an idea, argument, or ethical rule alone, but with an **encounter with Christ**—an encounter with infinite, unconditional love that gives life a new horizon and a definitive direction. The weekly invitation is simple: notice where you are receiving love, where you are resisting it, and where you are being called to give love more freely. **Key Ideas** * Faith should not be oversold as a magic fix for every external problem. * Christianity transforms the interior person toward greater love, humility, prudence, and relationship. * Business practices rooted in relationship, dignity, and love are more aligned with reality than those built only on money or control. * Every business can be examined through two relationships: clients/prospects and employees. * Real conversion begins through an encounter with Christ’s unconditional love, not merely a concept or rule. **Links & References** None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. **CTA:** If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email [FatherAndJoe@gmail.com](mailto:FatherAndJoe@gmail.com). ### Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, faith changes life, encounter with Christ, Jesus Christ, unconditional love, Christian conversion, interior transformation, perfection of love, love and business, business relationships, clients, prospects, employees, ethical business, leadership, service, relationship building, relationship with God, relationship with others, relationship with self, humility, prudence, virtue, peace, hope, suffering, Christian witness, testimony, evangelization, sharing faith, love is the most important thing, value hierarchy, money, success, pleasure, control, purpose, discernment, Eucharist, Mass, Scripture, Catholic podcast

  6. Jul 21

    Father and Joe E471: How to Talk About Faith Without Losing Confidence — Witness, Rejection, and Real Conversation

    Talking about faith can feel a lot like trying to offer someone a solution you know would help—only to watch them stare back with no connection at all. Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks explore why that moment can be so discouraging, especially when the person already has negative impressions of Christianity, religion, or past faith experiences. The challenge is not just making a positive impression; often, it is gently overcoming a wounded or distorted one. Father explains that sharing faith should never feel like a sales pitch or a demand. The starting point is witness: *this is what Jesus has done in my life*. That approach gives the other person freedom. It also protects the conversation from becoming pressure, argument, or performance. A sincere testimony begins with humility, personal vulnerability, and enough self-knowledge to answer basic questions: Why do I follow Christ? What difference has He made? Why do I pray, worship, and try to live the moral life? The episode offers a practical structure for testimony: what life was like before, what Jesus did, and what life is like now. That story may be dramatic, or it may be a small recent change—more patience, more peace, more courage, more purpose. Joe brings in the relationship-building and sales lens: do not prejudge the person or assume their problem. Listen first. Learn what matters to them. Then share your experience in terms they can actually understand. **Key Ideas** * Sharing faith can be discouraging when people have prior negative experiences or assumptions about Christianity. * Witness starts with your own life: “This is what Jesus has done for me,” not “Here is what you need to do.” * Faith-sharing requires vulnerability because belief cannot be forced or scientifically proved into another person. * A useful testimony structure: **before Jesus → what Jesus did → what life looks like now**. * The best conversations begin with listening; speak in terms the other person can receive, without judgment or manipulation. **Links & References** None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. **CTA:** If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email [FatherAndJoe@gmail.com](mailto:FatherAndJoe@gmail.com). ### Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, sharing faith, evangelization, witness, testimony, talking about Jesus, confidence, rejection, discouragement, vulnerability, personal testimony, faith conversations, family and faith, friends and faith, fallen away Catholics, Christianity, discipleship, relationship building, listening, trust, humility, sales analogy, ethical sales, no manipulation, no judgment, bad religious experiences, negative impressions, conversion, Easter converts, prayer, worship, moral life, Jesus changes lives, before and after, spiritual growth, Catholic podcast, relationship with God, relationship with others, relationship with self, courage, openness, freedom, Bob Ross analogy

  7. Jul 14

    Father and Joe E470: Escaping Analysis Paralysis — Recollection, Action, and the Presence of God

    When every decision has more data, more risks, and more possible outcomes, thinking can become a substitute for moving. Continuing their discussion about rest and reflection, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks explore analysis paralysis—the point where careful planning turns into anxious circles that keep us from acting on what we are called to do. Father explains that the first step is noticing the energy beneath the overthinking. Fear, anxiety, excitement, or desperation for a particular outcome can make everything feel urgent, even when we do not yet have enough information—or do not need an immediate conclusion. The answer is not always more logic. Sometimes we need space, outside perspective, inspiration, and a gentler awareness of what is happening inside us. The Christian response is recollection: returning to the interior place where God dwells and acting from relationship with Him rather than from fear. Like someone viewing an entire landscape before suddenly fixating on a nearby lion, we can become so locked onto success, failure, or control that we lose sight of the whole reality. Recollection does not eliminate planning or focused work. It reconnects our actions to God, ourselves, and the people we are serving. The episode closes with a practical habit: throughout the day, pause for a few seconds and remember that Jesus is alive within you and present with you. That simple act of awareness can gradually become a way of living—strengthening your relationship with God, helping you treat yourself with greater care, and bringing more attention, freedom, and love into every relationship. Key Ideas Analysis becomes paralysis when fear or urgency keeps us circling without making meaningful progress. More information and harder thinking are not always the answer; sometimes clarity requires space, patience, or outside perspective. Do not confuse activity with results—planning matters only when it supports intentional action. Recollection means remaining aware of God’s presence within you while doing the ordinary work of daily life. A practical exercise: pause briefly throughout the day, remember that Jesus is with you, and act from that relationship. Links & References None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com. Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, analysis paralysis, overthinking, decision making, discernment, recollection, presence of God, interior life, interior temple, prayer, spiritual reflection, fear, anxiety, urgency, burnout, rest, action, intentional action, planning, business decisions, relationships, attention, self awareness, self knowledge, Holy Spirit, Jesus within us, providence, trust in God, spiritual habits, daily prayer, silence, contemplation, focus, courage, leadership, meaningful work, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, spiritual growth, Catholic spirituality

  8. Jul 7

    Father and Joe E469: When Life Wears You Down — How to Step Back, Reset, and Make Room for God

    Something can begin with excitement—a job, project, relationship, or even a vacation—and gradually become exhausting. When the initial energy disappears, we may begin asking why we are doing it at all. In this episode, Joe Rockey and Father Boniface Hicks explore burnout, overstimulation, and the need to step away long enough to recover our sense of meaning and purpose. Rest is not simply escaping, numbing ourselves, or replacing one form of stimulation with another. A genuine reset creates room for the mind and heart to settle. Vacations, retreats, holy hours, daily breaks, and even a few quiet minutes can interrupt repetitive mental pathways and help us return to our responsibilities with greater creativity, gratitude, and intentionality. Father offers a practical way to begin. Set aside the time, disconnect from unnecessary stimulation, breathe, and allow racing thoughts to pass without following every one. Notice what is happening inside—anxiety, excitement, sadness, gratitude, or exhaustion—then bring it into a relationship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Father, or a trusted saint. Christian reflection is not merely emptying the mind; it is making space for conversation with the God who already cares about everything we carry. Key Ideas Burnout does not always mean the work is wrong; sometimes we need rest to remember why it matters. A real vacation or reset creates space rather than filling every moment with more activity and stimulation. Smaller rhythms of reflection—a lunch break, evening review, holy hour, or quiet morning—can prevent exhaustion from accumulating. Settling takes patience: allow thoughts to pass, notice your interior state, and resist the urge to solve everything immediately. Christian silence is relational. We create room not for emptiness alone, but to listen, speak honestly, and invite God into daily life. Links & References None explicitly referenced with a clear official/source link in this episode. CTA: If this helped, please leave a review or share this episode with a friend. Questions or thoughts? Email FatherAndJoe@gmail.com. Tags Father and Joe, Joe Rockey, Father Boniface Hicks, burnout, rest, spiritual rest, vacation, summer, resetting, slowing down, overstimulation, silence, holy hour, prayer, Christian meditation, reflection, mindfulness, listening to God, making room for God, discernment, gratitude, anxiety, stress, exhaustion, purpose, meaningful work, daily habits, work life balance, mental overload, creativity, self knowledge, interior life, relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others, family life, parenting, perseverance, spiritual growth, peace, intentional living

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About

Father and Joe is a podcast series of a continuing conversation about struggles and successes of being close to God. Father Boniface provides spiritual direction through problems of daily life. According to statistics of the average American's church habits - We went to church when we were forced to but somewhere along the way, we drifted away. The ultimate goal of this podcast is to help us get back to church, regardless of what faith you hold, and create a stronger union with God.

Information

  • Creator
    Father Boniface Hicks and Joseph Rockey Jr
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    478
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Father and Joe
  • Show Website
    Father and Joe

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