Draw Near

We all face discouragement—when our efforts fall short and God's presence feels distant. But even in the storm, even when it feels like Jesus is asleep in the boat, he is still with us and can turn our failures into something beautiful.In this episode, Fred and Kara get real about fear, failure, and the temptation to give up. They share personal stories, what St. Paul teaches us about weakness, and why Fred says, “I’m a sinner falling up on my way to sainthood.” If you’ve ever wrestled with discouragement, this conversation is for you.

What if the interruptions in your day aren’t distractions… but invitations? In this short reflective episode, Kara shares a personal insight drawn from her own life and the life of Christ in Scripture. Jesus never pushed people away because they weren’t part of “the plan.” He embraced them as the plan.This episode invites you to rethink the way you see the unexpected moments in your own life—those small or inconvenient interruptions—as potential encounters with God’s grace. This week, when you’re interrupted: Stop. Breathe. Reflect: “Lord, is this an invitation from you? Help me to embrace this moment and invite grace.”The show is sponsored by CyberCloak.Tech

Clear answers to common misconceptions about Catholicism...In this episode of Draw Near, we begin clearing up some of the most common Catholic misunderstandings or assumptions.Misconceptions explained in this episode:1. Catholicism is about rules and rituals, not a personal relationship with Jesus.2. Catholics don’t read the Bible and rely on tradition instead of Scripture.3. Catholics believe you earn salvation by works instead of being saved by grace.Throughout the episode, we look at key biblical passages and show how the Catholic Church has faithfully taught the fullness of Christ’s message.This episode isn’t a deep dive into every question; it is an invitation to understand what the Catholic Church truly teaches, where those teachings come from, and why they matter.

Concluding our series on the Our Father, we look at the last two petitions in this prayer. Every human person faces trials and temptations. Scripture refers to a battle between flesh and spirit. What does this mean? What does this petition have to do with it? What value is there in temptation? What do these two petitions teach us about the battle between good and evil. In this episode we will answer all of these questions!  Kara will also explore the Our Father as its presented in the Gospel of Luke. How can Luke’s Gospel help us to understand this “most perfect prayer” even better? Listen to find out! Draw Near is sponsored by CyberCloak.Tech

In this episode, we continue walking through the Our Father by reflecting on “Give us this day our daily bread” and “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We explore how these petitions invite us into deeper trust in God’s daily provision and greater awareness of our responsibility to care for others, and reflect on the spiritual hunger of each person. Fred also reflects on the challenging but freeing call to forgiveness and what it looks like to live that prayer in daily life.Draw Near is brought to you by CyberCloak.Tech

Tune in today at 4pm on Siouxland Catholic Radio 88.1 FM.To grow in the life of prayer, it matters that we pause and reflect on the words we pray and the posture of heart they form within us. In this episode of Draw Near, Fred continues the journey through the Our Father, exploring the petitions “Hallowed be thy name,” “Thy Kingdom come,” and “Thy will be done.” Together, these lines reorient our hearts toward God, teach us how to desire what God desires, and shape how we live, love, and engage the world each day.Draw Near is sponsored by CyberCloak.Tech

Many people know how to say the Our Father and learn it from an early age. We can recite it almost without thinking about it. But what do the words of this prayer really mean? Could it be that there is more significance in these words? Jesus Christ gave us this prayer. What is He teaching us in and through this prayer? What can reflection on the words we say so often in this prayer reveal about our relationship with God and how we are to draw near to Him? In this first part of a series on the "Our Father,” Fred begins to unpack, line by line, the profound meaning of this "most perfect prayer" - as St Thomas Aquinas called it - and answers some of these very questions. The program is sponsored by CyberCloak.Tech

n this episode, we reflect on New Year's Resolutions... Or, more accurately, "New Day's Resolutions" and the idea that the Lord's mercies are new every morning. While there is great value in in resolutions for a new year, should we also place an emphasis on the hope of a new day, every day? How do we evaluate the "success" of our resolutions? How do we avoid the temptation to be overly hard on our selves when we believe we fall short? Listen to find out! Tune in Wednesday, January 7th at 4pm on Siouxland Catholic Radio 88.1 FM.The show is sponsored by CyberCloak.Tech

In this classic Draw Near episode, we revisit a heartfelt conversation with our friend Sr. Fidelis Marie about what it really means to love one another well — not in theory, but in the daily decisions that shape our relationships and communities. If you’ve ever wrestled with empathy, boundaries, or how to grow in authentic charity, this episode will encourage and challenge you in all the right ways.