Encounter Grow Witness EGW Detroit

(03:20) Fr. Pullis and Beth open up the episode with some small talk about baseball season and they introduce the topic for today’s episode, which is focusing on the guideposts outlined by Archbishop Vigneron in Unleash the Gospel.


(06:50) Fr. Pullis highlights the first guidepost they’ll unpack on the podcast, “A New Pentecost.” Beth shares that the original Pentecost didn’t expire, but that we continually need to receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They discuss how central this idea is to the Synod, and note how the outpouring of the Spirit empowers us to be witnesses.


(13:06) They discuss the importance of inviting the Holy Spirit into our plans, and even entrusting our plans to him, and share how they have personally seen the Holy Spirit work in ministry. They talk about how even our best plans can be fruitless when we don’t pair them with a docility to the Spirit and highlight the counterintuitive ways in which God often works.


(16:04) Fr. Pullis prayer for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit over him, Beth and listeners. He shares a quote from St. Bonaventure about how we can dispose ourselves to inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives. They talk about the ministry Acts XXIX, and the idea it is based upon: that the apostolic age is not over, the Body of Christ is still alive, and we are living in that next chapter of Acts.


(19:38) Looking to marker 1.2 of Unleash the Gospel, they discuss what repentance means and emphasize the need to allow Jesus to transform us and for us to be willing to turn away from sin. They note how repentance and believing in the Gospel go hand in hand.


(27:57) They note how the new evangelization requires a renewal of the mind and how, in this age, we have to be clear and bold in our proclamation of the Gospel to the secular world. They note how oftentimes this message can sound old fashioned or be painted as bigoted, but how that doesn’t diminish the need for people to hear it.


(30:12) They break open marker 1.3, “signs and wonders,” and talk about the personal manifestation of miracles, healings, prophetic words, etc. — things characteristic of charismatic renewal. They talk about how Catholics sometimes have a discomfort with the Holy Spirit, but emphasize that the Holy Spirit can do big things in and through us. They share their own experiences in this and emphasize that, while it’s important to pray for the Holy Spirit to work in big ways, that we can trust the Spirit is moving, whether we see it or not, when we entrust others to the Lord.


(36:46) They talk about the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress and the anticipation of that event being a real new Pentecost moment for the Church in the United States.


(37:37) They close by offering encouragement to those working in mission direct areas of ministry to remember that the Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelization, and to have confidence in the work that they do, when they approach it with a disposition of docility, expectancy, and confidence.

(00:12) Fr. Pullis and Beth open up by talking a bit about Lent and looking forward to Easter. They recap briefly what they discussed last month and introduce this month’s topic of the good habits of our local Church described in 3.4 of Unleash the Gospel.


(05:37) They start by unpacking the habit of docility to the Spirit and identify saints who illustrate this habit in their lives, including St. Philip Neri and Our Blessed Mother. They talk about the nature of the Holy Spirit as advocate and counselor and share how the Spirit has guided them in their own roles in ministry.


(11:33) They talk about the good habit of a spirit of cooperation and highlight the ways in ministry we need to be willing to give all of our ideas and preferences to God and let his will be done. They also discuss the good habit of a spirit of innovation, and the invitation to shed old structures for the sake of mission. They discuss how challenging this can be in ministry when it feels that change is imposed, rather than sought out. They identify St. Maximilian Kolbe as a saint who displayed this good habit through his innovation in print media.


(20:13) They introduce the good habit of confidence in God and share how the renewal of our Archdiocese is the work of God in which we participate, not our work to complete. They share where they have struggled with this habit in ministry, and offer encouragement to listeners to seek opportunities to renew their confidence. They highlight St. Teresa of Calcutta as a saint who embodies this habit.


(27:41) They highlight the attitude of gratitude as the antidote to discouragement and share how impactful practicing gratitude has been in their own lives and in ministry. They discuss how Bl. Solanus Casey and St. Faustina embody this habit. They talk about how these good habits interact with one another and offer suggestions on how to practically incorporate this habit into the life of ministry.


(42:04) They introduce the good habit of apostolic boldness, bringing to mind St. Joan of Arc. They highlight the reality that Jesus gave us his Spirit to empower us in boldness. They offer encouragement to listeners to not be afraid and to remember that God will not abandon them. They also discuss how St. Katherine Drexel embodies this habit as well. They note that God is raising up men and women today, for our times, to be saints living apostolic boldness and they encourage listeners to celebrate and affirm them when we see them doing so.

In this episode, Fr. Pullis and Beth unpack the bad habits that prevent us from unleashing the Gospel, that are outlined in Unleash the Gospel. They discuss each one of the five listed and share their experiences and insights on how to combat them. They highlight the urgency of sharing the Gospel, and illustrate how these bad habits, when left unattended to, can prevent us from sharing the good news of Jesus Christ as we’ve been called to do.


(01:43) Fr. Pullis and Beth open up the episode by talking about Ash Wednesday and Lent, and share how sometimes the Lenten season can feel burdensome. They discuss entering into Lent intentionally, but with freedom from the need to carry out Lenten commitments perfectly.


(05:01) They talk about bad habits, as they’ll unpack this topic as it’s covered in Unleash the Gospel, and share some of their own bad habits. They introduce the good and bad habits section of Unleash the Gospel as this week’s topic and Beth shares why this is one of her favorite sections in the letter.


(09:28) Fr. Pullis and Beth begin to unpack the five bad habits listed: worldly notion of the Church, spiritual lethargy, status quo mentality, fear, and a complaining attitude. They discuss the bad habit of a complaining attitude, how it can come about, and talk about how doing so can destroy joy. They highlight how our impulse to complain about a situation in ministry should be met with a resolution to ask what God is calling us to do in it. They highlight how we can bring our complaints to the Lord and entrust our challenges to him.


(19:45) They move on to the bad habit of spiritual lethargy, noting how this can be experienced by those who serve in mission direct roles. They discuss how we need to let the Lord renew us often in order to serve him in ministry. Beth notes how spiritual lethargy can be experienced by disengaged parishioners, who don’t seek to live their faith beyond the Sunday obligation. Fr. Pullis shares the wisdom of the Church in requiring priests to make an annual retreat.


(24:13) They discuss how working in a parish can lead to this spiritual lethargy and a sense of disengagement. Beth encourages listeners to seek out an opportunity to go deeper in their faith and seek the sacrament of Confession if they’re experiencing spiritual lethargy. She also notes how we can fall into this bad habit if we don’t have people around us who challenge us.


(29:38) They move on to the bad habit of the worldly notion of the Church and talk about how in ministry, the temptation to be concerned with numbers can be a source of discomfort for those who work in ministry. They highlight the need to focus on our mission of leading people to an encounter with Jesus. They remind listeners to not get caught up in worldly notions of success but to remain faithful to what God is leading.


(34:01) They move on to the bad habit of the status quo mentality. Beth shares a quote from From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, highlighting the urgency of evangelization. They talk about how comfortable it can be to stay internal, but how we are called to step into discomfort, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and taking the Gospel to those who need it.


(43:03) They unpack the final bad habit which is fear, and note the various fears we may have when it comes to ministry and evangelization. They highlight especially how important it is to be willing to take risks in ministry. They close by offering encouragement to listeners to enter into Easter intentionally, by entering into the resurrection and new life that Christ offers.

As a new year of the Encounter Grow Witness Podcast kicks off, Fr. Pullis and Beth revisit a critical section of Unleash the Gospel: the roots of the crisis. During their discussion, they unpack the ways scientific fundamentalism, moralistic therapeutic deism, and secular messianism have created great challenges in evangelization, but highlight the ways we can respond to those realities, and the unshakable hope that we have in Jesus.


(00:40) Fr. Pullis and Beth open with a lighthearted discussion about pets and some exciting new developments in Beth’s home.


(02:56) They shift their focus to resetting at the beginning of the new year by revisiting Unleash the Gospel. Fr. Pullis proposes looking at the roots of the crisis (described in the Catechetical Exposition of Unleash the Gospel) that the Holy Spirit has invited us to respond to in the Archdiocese of Detroit, which they discuss. Through this discussion they shed light on the things that hold people back from living lives of discipleship.


(11:19) Fr. Pullis shares his love for Pope Benedict XVI and how his intellectual gifts and commitment to orthodoxy are fruits of his deeply personal relationship with Jesus. They discuss the importance of a personal encounter with Jesus, and proposing the Gospel through encounter opportunities in our present society.


(15:31) They break open their discussion on the three roots of the crisis identified in Unleash the Gospel: scientific fundamentalism, moral therapeutic deism, and secular messianism and begin to identify some of the marks of scientific fundamentalism, including the notion that faith and reason are in conflict.


(19:23) Highlighting the work of Bishop Barron, Fr. Spitzer, and Fr. Mike Schmitz, they discuss the resources and reasons we have to express that there is no contradiction between faith and reason.


(22:59) Fr. Pullis highlights the need to help young people embrace this reality, focusing on the role of Catholic schools and faith formation.


(24:52) They move on to discuss moralistic therapeutic deism and Beth shares some of her experiences as a youth minister, which led her to see young people who would see a need to be nice and a good person, but saw God as removed from our lives. They discuss how young peoples’ faith is influenced heavily by their parents’ and the very real demand that the Gospel places on a believer’s life.


(32:55) Beth shares how this reality has led her to share more about her own personal relationship with Jesus, describes some of the impact that has had on those she has shared with vulnerably, and how doing so has also affected the way she shares her need for Jesus with her children.


(36:08) Fr. Pullis moves on to the third and final root of the crisis: secular messianism. They discuss how peoples’ faith can become conditioned by a political outlook or social worldview. They talk about where they’ve seen this in both liberal and conservative opinions.


(40:50) Beth shares the need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus in all of this, in the same way that Peter needed to keep his eyes focused on Jesus when he was called out on the water, as the roots of the crisis can seem daunting, at times.


(43:27) They close with a brief discussion on being honest with ourselves about these challenges we face, but to always remain rooted in Jesus, and place our hope in him.

Fr. Pullis and Beth discuss the Church’s mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus Christ and invite listeners to recommit to this work of this mission, by seeking out ongoing personal conversion, growth in holiness, and acceptance of present circumstances. They share that, in the new year, they will continue to return to Unleash the Gospel, to guide this recommitment to mission.


Shownotes:

(00:49) Fr. Pullis and Beth discuss Advent and why they enjoy this liturgical season, emphasizing, especially, Mary’s role.


(02:50) Fr. Pullis introduces the topic of our mission to unleash the gospel in Detroit, how easy it can be to become distracted from that mission.


(05:05) Beth shares about an experience she had while on a mission trip in Istanbul, where she saw the Holy Spirit working in peoples’ lives. She comments on how God goes before us in our missionary work..


(07:00) Fr. Pullis talks about how sometimes we wish our circumstances were different and how this can tempt us to put off the work that we’re called to do. He reminds listeners of the need to remain committed to the work to which God has called them, in their current time, place, and circumstances.


(10:13) Beth discusses the mission that the Church needs to be about, focusing on inviting people into a relationship with Jesus through the sacramental life of the Church.


(12:12) Fr. Pullis and Beth discuss a scene from the series, The Chosen, which illustrates the power of evangelization, in the midst of our own imperfections. Looking to Lumen Gentium, Fr. Pullis highlights that our mission is to proclaim the Kingdom of God in the person of Jesus Christ.


(14:44) Fr. Pullis poses the question, “Where does the Kingdom of God need to be proclaimed?” Acknowledging the challenging circumstances we face, he emphasizes how ardently we must proclaim the gospel.


(17:14) Beth talks about how practically, many may want to be “on mission” but are unsure how to begin and she recommends starting by reading or listening to Unleash the Gospel. Fr. Pullis talks about the conversion we have to undergo to enter into our mission, so that mission can flow from our core identity.


(21:03) Fr. Pullis shares that in the new year, they will focus on a return to the letter, focusing on what Unleash the Gospel calls us to, and makes an invitation to lay ecclesial ministers to dedicate this year to falling in love with Jesus again, and growing in holiness.


(29:00) Beth makes an invitation to listeners to ponder what difference Jesus makes in their lives and to ask Jesus who they can share that good news with in their lives. Both share their encouragement to listeners, wish a merry Christmas, and invite them to continue to seek Jesus first.

Beth and Fr. Pullis are joined by Julianne Stanz, Director of Parish Life and Evangelization Mission Team for the Diocese of Green Bay. Julianne shares about her work in Green Bay, on the executive team for the National Eucharistic Revival, and how she’s lent her gifts to the I AM HERE campaign. Listen for loads of encouragement and inspiration for your parish to carry you through the National Eucharistic Revival.


Show notes:

(00:28) Beth and Fr. Pullis welcome guest, Julianne Stanz, Director of Parish Life and Evangelization Mission Team for the Diocese of Green Bay. They discussed Julianne’s recent meeting with Pope Francis, which came about through her involvement as an advisor on a video project around the Catechism.


(04:25) Julianne shares what she loves most about working for the Church and she talks about the joy she finds in interacting with the 156 parishes in the Diocese of Green Bay. She goes on to describe where she sees the Holy Spirit moving in the Church today through moving forward, innovating and creating.


(08:30) Julianne talks about how she sees the National Eucharistic Revival being a blessing to parishes in the United States and describes a particular moment following COVID, when she was able to recognize the hunger for Jesus in a fellow parishioner’s eyes during Communion. She describes the revival as an opportunity to refocus.


(13:00) Julianne describes how she sees hospitality lived out, not just in post-Mass activities, but in the celebration of the Mass itself. She discusses the process of making bread and the beauty of being Eucharistic people.


(16:46) Julianne shares her advice on how parish leaders can bring their own hearts into the National Eucharistic Revival. She shares that intentional, authentic prayer as a parish staff and between coworkers are indispensable in this effort. She poses the question “How do I let the Eucharist transform me?” She describes her work on the executive team for the National Eucharistic Revival and shares how it all began with adoration and Mass, not with a plan.


(25:12) Fr. Pullis talks about how the work of unleashing the Gospel all began with, and continues to begin with prayer. Julianne shares an anecdote about seeing God work powerfully through a parish administrative assistant.


(30:20) Julianne talks about the I AM HERE campaign and highlights using strategies of attraction when witnessing to the power of the Eucharist. She also shares how she wrote the I AM meditations that are available on the Hallow App as part of I AM HERE, and what it means to give her best to Jesus.


(38:36) Fr. Pullis, Beth, and Julianne close by discussing the reality that we can do hard things and we can do them for God.