Prayer and Spirituality Archives - Messy Jesus Business

A Contemplation Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Join Sister Julia in a special edition of Messy Jesus Business podcast as she reflects on what the darkness can teach us in Advent. Podcast: Play in new window | Download With this episode, we're beginning our winter break. We'll see you again in late January! From all of us here, thank you so much for listening. Have a blessed Advent, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced, edited, and original music by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 77 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More You actually have to decide to believe... recognizing that just because you decided doesn't mean it comes easily, but you have to work at it." -Br. Cyrus Habib, SJ IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Cyrus Habib, SJ. Cyrus tells Julia that though his previous life was full of accolades, including studying in England, going to law school in the U.S., and being elected to office in the State of Washington, it could leave him feeling empty. But certain parts of his experience, like helping underserved children or talking with spiritual leaders, would make him "feel this closeness of God." Cyrus talks about how praying the Examen helped him find "when I was being prophetic, which doesn't mean standing on a mountaintop... it's any time I'm living the gospel in a way that pushes me towards growth... and hopefully also leads the way for others." He also tells Sister Julia about his experiences with cancer and loss and how he hopes they can be "a part of holiness, when my wounds are open to your wounds, and we can actually [have] the wounds as a site of encounter." Br. Cyrus Habib, SJ ABOUT THE GUEST Cyrus Habib is a Jesuit Scholastic, educator, spiritual director, and former politician who served as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Washington from 2017 to 2021. He is both the first and only Iranian American official to hold statewide elected office in the United States. He is a graduate of Columbia University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and Yale Law School. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 75 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More Lord, help me to love just like you, ... in that prayer, I'm invoking God's grace." -Fr Roger Lopez IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA, enjoys a conversation with Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. Fr. Roger talks about what drew him to the Franciscans once he decided to "take God off hold" and enter into the priesthood. "The invitation is to be 'lesser'... that's following the person of Jesus," he says. Later, Fr. Roger goes into how grace, freely given from God, can help us in acts of compassion and connection, some of them extraordinary. "With God's grace, being open to it, it's achievable," he explains. "When we're dealing with people we don't like, or information we don't like, that's where we have to ask God for help." This grace helps us connect, but it requires us to let go, Fr.Roger adds. "It's messy... but it's totally worth it." Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. ABOUT THE GUEST Fr. Roger Lopez, O.F.M. is a solemnly professed priest with the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscan Friars) of the newly established Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where he serves as a Provincial Councilor full-time. His prior assignments were in secondary education, college campus ministry, and hospital chaplaincy, and he served as a youth high adventure chaplain, and in soup kitchens, street ministry, and RCIA. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: | Stitcher | Email | RSS | More Photo by Ales Maze on Unsplash IN THIS EPISODE For this special time of year, we present to you this Easter contemplation episode of Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Sister Julia shares some thoughts about the joy of the resurrection and reads from John 20:1-9. You can find the translation she uses here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/20 We hope this short meditation can help connect you with the wonders of Easter and the Resurrection! MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Original music and sound design by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Google Podcasts  | Email | RSS | More Photo by Ryan Cheng on Unsplash IN THIS EPISODE During this sacred season of Lent, we invite you to pause and contemplate God's loving presence in the midst of the mess. As we offer our breath and our bodies to God, as we pray, fast and give alms — how might our Lenten practices allow others to be fed? The Scripture in the mediation is Isaiah 58:5-12. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Original music and sound design by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 64 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "Sometimes it is at the prophetic edge you can see the Holy Spirit breaking through and allowing a new thing to happen” - Ellie Hidalgo IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of the Messy Jesus Business Podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Ellie Hidalgo, co-director of Discerning Deacons. They discuss Ellie’s journey into ministry and how she discovered the relevance of listening and storytelling in building the reign of God. They explore the relevance of the Catholic Church today and what it means to be an active member: "Being Catholic is not a passive thing."Ellie also shared about her journey to the Amazon and Bolivia to witness the leadership of Catholic women in remote places. Together she and Sister Julia explore how vital and relevant good listening is in building up the reign of God and fostering the strength of the Church, narrowing in on their shared enthusiasm about the upcoming synod and the power that listening to the people of God ought to have for all. Ellie notes that Christians are called to "Understand the power that listening has and what it does to unleash people’s gifts for ministry … unleash people’s hope, it helps stitch people’s lives back together, it helps us to not be afraid of entering into the messiness of people’s lives.” ABOUT THE GUEST Ellie Hidalgo is co-director of Discerning Deacons, a project that engages Catholics in the active discernment of our Church about women and the diaconate. Ellie is active in the global synod process, helping to animate 350 sessions that reached 9,000 people in the listening phase. She has traveled to the Amazon region of Latin America to accompany women engaged in prophetic ministry. Ellie has a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and to St. Phoebe, who served as a deacon in our early Church, alongside St. Paul. She served for 12 years as the pastoral associate at Dolores Mission Church in East Los Angeles, a Jesuit parish known for its advocacy of immigrants, restorative justice ministries, faith-based community organizing, and for being the home parish of Homeboy Industries. Ellie graduated with a Masters in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University and received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2020 she returned to Miami to live closer to her Cuban American family. In 2023 Ellie received the Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award from the Ignatian Solidarity Network and the St. John XXIII Award for keeping alive the vision of Vatican II from the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. Learn more about Discerning Deacons here: https://discerningdeacons.org/ MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More IN THIS EPISODE We're in between seasons on a break but are offering a special episode featuring five Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, who are in the same community as Sister Julia. Featured are Sisters Karen Kappell, Meg Earsley, Janet Fischer, Paulynn Instenes and Corrina Thomas. Sister Julia asks each Sister three questions:-How did you know you were called to be an FSPA?-What does discipleship mean to you?-What is messy about being a modern Franciscan sister? Learn more about the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration: www.fspa.org Look for our new season to drop in September 2023! MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More California Lilacs near Brown Mountain dam, La Cañada Flintridge, california. photo © Colin wambsgans IN THIS EPISODE For this special time of year, we present to you this Easter contemplation episode of Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Sister Julia will lead you through a some thoughts on what Jesus's rise from the dead means for us, and includes a reading from Matthew 28:1-10. You can find the translation she uses here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/28 We hope this short meditation can help connect you with the wonders of Easter and the Resurrection! MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Original music and sound design by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 62 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More Afra Pourdad portrait "Whoever is in front of us we are called to love." -Sister Christa Parra IN THIS EPISODE For this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh chats with an old friend, Sister Christa Parra, IBVM. Sister Christa shares her vocation story and how she became a Catholic Sister. Though she served in Peru before joining the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and went to Catholic Theological Union, her desire to serve people where they are led her to accompany the people at the US-Mexico border, specifically in Ciudad Juárez. “I want to be able to live with the people and be involved in their daily lives, and to sit with them in their struggles and their joys," says Sister Christa. Sister Christa also tells some of the tragic stories happening to women and refugees in Juárez (and a warning to listeners: many of these stories contain terrible violence and suffering). But always, Sister Christa tells us, the humanity of the people living there, Mexican and refugees, shines through. Also, Christa tells Julia that while she and her fellow workers give the refugees a chance to regroup before the next stages of their journeys, but they also form a community with each other and become a family. Sister Christa adds, “When our families come to us all we can do is love them, provide them basics, and also to learn from [them] because our siblings teach us how to accompany.” ABOUT THE GUEST Sister Christa Parra is a member of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is part of an intercongregational intercultural community in El Paso, Texas and a third generation Mexican-American from a small border town in Arizona. A graduate of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, she earned a Master of Divinity and Certificate in Hispanic Theology and Ministry in 2016. She loves serving our brothers and sisters in Christ and presently does so through a pastoral accompaniment role at a shelter in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. *To donate directly to Sister Christa and the IBVM's ministry in Ciudad Juárez: https://ibvm.us/support-us/make-a-gift/general-donation Under the "Designation Tab" choose Ministry FundUnder "Leave a comment" type "Migrant Ministry in Ciudad Juarez" *To learn more about and donate to Annunciation House in El Paso go to: https://annunciationhouse.org/ *Facebook page for Casa Eudes in Juárez: https://www.facebook.com/micasaeudes *Website for Centro Santa Catalina in Juárez: https://centrodesantacatalina.org/ *Sister Christa's page at Catholic Women Preach: https://www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preacher/christa-parra *Sister Christa's speech at Catholic Theological Union's 2016 graduation ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qgzYaYL5v0 MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 61 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More Afra Pourdad portrait "Every time I've been raw and vulnerable before God, I've been surprised at how Jesus has responded to it." -Father Justin Claravall IN THIS EPISODE For this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh chats with Father Justin Claravall, SJ, Associate Pastor of Dolores Mission Church. Justin talks about his path to the Jesuits and how Saint Ignatius led him to a closer understanding of Jesus and God. He also talks about his prayer practice, and how he approaches it by "being real... with myself before God and noticing God being real with me." Later, Julia asks Justin about Dolores Mission. They talk about the joys and hardships of many of the parishioners. Justin delves into the two on-coming problems of gentrification and youth engagement, focusing on the idea of how to organize people for long-term health of the community. Paradoxically, as Justin points out, this organization goes hand-in-hand with the mess of people's lives. Julia and Justin also talk about the relationship between art and justice, focusing on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s idea of a "soul force" and the idea of God as a creator. He urges people to be frank about where they are in the mess of their own lives: "If you don't like the mess... tell Jesus about it!" ABOUT THE GUEST Fr. Justin Claravall, S.J., is an associate pastor at Dolores Mission Church in Los Angeles, CA. During his Jesuit life, he taught religion in prisons and high schools, and led faith sharing groups for teenagers and young adults. He currently accompanies his parish school, participates in the Ecclesial Base Communities and Social Justice Committee, and tries to make time for more art. Dolores Mission's website: https://www.dolores-mission.org/ Dolores Mission's Facebook page, where Sunday masses are live-streamed: https://www.facebook.com/DoloresMissionChurch/ Father Justin's video essays on prayer and the pandemic on Jesuits West: https://www.jesuitswest.org/stories/fr-justin-claravall-sj-praying-during-the-pandemic/ Chapter 11 from St. Paul's letter to the Hebrews, which comes up in the interview: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/11 MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More Oasis of Mara, Twentynine palms, california. photo © Colin wambsgans IN THIS EPISODE Though Holy Week will be here soon, the Lenten journey continues. We invite you to take some time in prayerful contemplation of this season with Sister Julia in this special episode. This meditation includes a reading from Isaiah 58:5-12 and a poem previously published on Messy Jesus Business in 2022 entitled "Death Poetica" by Sister Julia. You can find the poem here: https://messyjesusbusiness.com/2022/03/02/death-poetica/ MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Original music and sound design by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 59 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe: Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "One needs to be looking for Christ in the world, not for the mistakes the world makes about Christ.” - Phyllis Zagano IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with scholar, author and lecturer Dr. Phyllis Zagano about her faith journey and the role of women in the Catholic Church. They discuss synodality in the Catholic Church and women in the diaconate. Plus they get into the mess of power, advocating for change and living a life of faith, joy and prayer. Zagano noted, “My bishop asked me not long ago, ‘do you get up at 5 in the morning to write?’ And I said ‘no, I get up at 5 in the morning to pray.’” ABOUT THE GUEST Phyllis Zagano is an internationally acclaimed Catholic scholar and lecturer on contemporary spirituality and women's issues in the church. Her award-winning books include Holy Saturday: An Argument for the Restoration of the Female Diaconate in the Catholic Church (First Place, 2001 Catholic Press Association and 2002 College Theology Society), Women & Catholicism: Gender, Communion, and Authority (Second Place, 2012 Catholic Press Association), Women Deacons? Essays with Answers (First Place, 2017 Catholic Press Association), Women: Icons of Christ (Second Place, 2021 Catholic Media Association) and Women Religious, Women Deacons: Questions and Answers (Paulist Press, 2022).  Her newest books are: Elizabeth Visits the Abbey (Clear Faith Publishing, 2022), a novel for young people about a twelve-year-old girl whose aunt, the abbess of a large abbey in Ireland, tells her about the history of women in the Church; and Just Church (Paulist Press, 2023), which reviews Catholic social teaching and modern synods in relation to current and prospective ministry by women. Her writing is widely translated — her best-selling On Prayer: A Letter for My Godchild is in Indonesian, Spanish and Italian as well as English — and she edited the Liturgical Press' "Spirituality in History" series. Zagano belonged to the 2016-2018 Papal Commission for the Study of the Diaconate of Women. Winner of two Fulbright awards, her biographical listings include Marquis Who's Who. Her professional papers are held by the Women in Leadership Archives, Loyola University, Chicago. She holds a research appointment at Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York. Phyllis's personal webpage at Hofstra University: https://sites.hofstra.edu/phyllis-zagano/ Her author page at Paulist Press: https://www.paulistpress.com/Author/Default.aspx?AuthorId=162911 Phyllis's monthly column for Religion News Service: https://religionnews.com/category/just-catholic/ Phyllis's guest columns in National Catholic Reporter: https://www.ncronline.org/authors/phyllis-zagano MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 58 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "We’re shaped … and affected by what we love, what we care about, what we pay attention to, what we admire.” - Robert Ellsberg IN THIS EPISODE "Our faith is rooted not in maxims, but in a narrative," shares publisher and editor-in-chief of Orbis Books, Robert Ellsberg, in his conversation with Sister Julia in Episode 58 of the Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Other topics explored in the discussion include the meaning of holiness, the communion of saints and the mess of being a Christian disciple. Robert’s own narrative has been a movement to peace and a path to spiritual writing that brought him to Dorothy Day, the Catholic Worker Movement and Sister Wendy Beckett; to the ethos of authorship about the lives of saints and their perspectives of the presence of God in all of us. Their humanity, partly through all the difficulties and happy accidents that gave them powerful presence in our lives, has been Ellsberg’s inspiration to write, in order to "spread... these seeds of mindfulness and compassion and awareness." ABOUT THE GUEST Robert Ellsberg is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Orbis Books, where he has worked for 35 years. He spent 1975-80 working with Dorothy Day at the Catholic Worker, two years as managing editor of the paper; and he has edited Day's selected writings, diaries, letters, and other work. Robert has written and edited 25 books, including six books on saints and holiness. For over 10 years he has written a daily entry, "Blessed Among Us" for "Give Us This Day" (Liturgical). Robert's most recent book is Dearest Sister Wendy…A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship. Dorothy Day's Selected Writings, edited by Robert: https://orbisbooks.com/products/dorothy-day?_pos=4&_sid=e6af7dd2e&_ss=r Robert's essays in America Magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/robert-ellsberg Follow Robert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertEllsberg MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 53 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with author, scholar, and translator of spiritual texts Carmen Acevedo Butcher about the messiness of spirituality, healing and relationship. Together they discuss the wisdom Brother Lawrence and the relevance of his message for today. They also get into the mess of contemplation and the human experience. And, they talk about sacredness of words and the ordinary and how religious devotion ought not to be transactional. ABOUT THE GUEST Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Ph.D., is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, educator, poet, and translator of spiritual texts. Her dynamic work in spirituality and the power of language has garnered interest from various media, including the BBC, Religion News Service, and NPR’s Morning Edition, Georgia Gazette, and Dante’s Old South, among others. From a young age, she immersed in the presence prayer. With degrees in medieval studies and a linguistics background, Carmen brings history to life, making its wisdom accessible and useful to us for healing, growth, peace, and actively loving others. She is the award-winning translator of classics such as Practice of the Presence (Broadleaf) by Brother Lawrence, The Cloud of Unknowing (Shambhala) by Anonymous, and Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader and A Little Daily Wisdom with medieval women mystics (Paraclete Press). A Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year and Fulbright Senior Lecturer, she currently teaches at the University of California, Berkeley, in the College Writing Programs. Learn more about Carmen and her work at www.carmenbutcher.com. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 1, Season 6 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. "When you are in a place of paradox, you're on holy ground." - Sister Julia Walsh LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this very special episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh takes on the role of podcast guest, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the conceptualization of Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Podcast editor Charish Badzinski serves as host for this episode, and together she and Sister Julia explore the lessons of the past 49 episodes, and what it means to say yes to the mess. Sister Julia explains how the program got its start and its name. She also gets the chance to respond to the questions she frequently asks her guests, including offering her thoughts on what radical discipleship means to her, and what she thinks is especially messy. During this episode, we also hear from past guests who pop in to in the join the celebration, as well as podcast listeners who share what listening to Messy Jesus Business means to them. And lastly, Sister Julia gives a sneak peek into possible future topics she'd like to explore in the next 50 episodes. Please note that the Messy Jesus Business team is taking a break over the summer to plan the next 50 episodes, and the podcast will return with fresh content this fall. ABOUT THE GUEST: Sister Julia Walsh is a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and part of a new generation of Catholic Sisters. She’s often writing and podcasting about the messiness of following Jesus and being Catholic and doesn’t hesitate to ask important questions. She can often be found visiting jails, leading retreats, companioning spiritual seekers, advocating for peace, teaching about social justice, praying in the chapel or camping in the woods. Sister Julia has been frequently featured in the media, and is widely published. Julia Walsh grew up on a goat farm in a small community in Northeast Iowa with her parents: Kevin and Elsie, and three siblings. She attended college in Iowa, starting at Wartburg College in Waverly, then ultimately transferring to Loras College to discern her vocation. While a student at Loras in Dubuque, Iowa Julia studied abroad in South Africa and realized her passion for social justice, equality and Gospel living. In 2003 she graduated from Loras College magna cum laude with a BA in History, Secondary Education and Catholic Studies. After graduation Julia interned with the Iowa Catholic Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, and then moved to California and joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. As a Jesuit Volunteer, Julia worked with young parents and their children transitioning from homelessness to healthy interdependence at Waking the Village/Tubman House in Sacramento, California. Her experiences in South Africa, as an intern with the Iowa Catholic Conference and in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps helped her to develop her passions for Gospel-centered systemic change. In 2006 Julia entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, (FSPA) based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She entered the novitiate and received the name Sister in 2007. She professed first vows in 2009 and perpetual vows in 2015. Sister Julia began her teaching ministry at Catholic high schools in Chicago where she lived and served from 2008 to 2012. In 2012, Sister Julia moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin to be closer to her community’s motherhouse and minister at Aquinas High School, where she served as a theology teacher until 2016. In the fall of 2016, Sister Julia joined the staff of Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center on Trout Lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, where she presented programs and retreats and served as a freelance writer. In August 2017, Sister Julia graduated from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago with a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies. Sister Julia returned to Chicago in August 2019 and became a certified spiritual director though the Claret Center in May 2020. That same year, she joined her congregation’s formation team, serving women who are discerning their vocation. In 2021 she co-founded The Fireplace, an intentional community and house of hospitality on Chicago’s southside that offers spiritual support to artists and activists.  In addition to writing, serving as a spiritual director, companioning people who are discerning their vocations, facilitating retreats, and managing Messy Jesus Business blog and podcast, Sister Julia also volunteers at Kolbe House, the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Jail Ministry Center. Sister Julia enjoys hiking, camping, watching movies, gardening, creating and taking in art, cooking, traveling and spending time with her community, family and friends. On a sunny day in Chicago she can be found riding her bicycle throughout the city and writing poetry about her relationship with God. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS podcast is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. In this special 50th episode, Sister Julia Walsh is the podcast guest and Charish Badzinski serves as host. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 5, Episode 9 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "Going barefoot connects me to the Earth, which connects me to the whole." - Sister Roselyn Heil LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with "Nature Nun" Sister Roselyn Heil about energy, oneness, and the physics of spirituality. "Everything is energy," says sister Roselyn. "All energy is light." They also talk about why Sister Roselyn loves going barefoot, how it connects her with the Earth and helps energy flow. They also explore how time functions differently with God, and the sacredness of the here and now. "When life gets hectic and I get caught up in the chronological, I take a deep breath and go into the now, to the core of what is here," sister Roselyn explains. ABOUT THE GUEST: Sister Roselyn Heil grew up on a farm in Marathon, Wisconsin with eight sisters and three brothers. She made first vows with the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1970, left after nine years, and returned in 2004. She is a graduate of Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, with a bachelor's degree in teaching/social studies and she also holds a master's degree in Culture and Creation Spirituality. She has served as a Liturgist, a National Park Interpretive Ranger, and as a Chaplain. She currently serves as a Pastoral Associate at St. Mary's Parish on the Bad River Ojibwe Reservation in Odanah, Wisconsin. CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT is John 16:12-13. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 5, Episode 7 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "We have more than one calling, depending on the will of God." - Judith Valente LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with authors Judith Valente and Brother Paul Quenon about their motivations behind the book they most recently co-authored. They discuss callings, how it's possible to have several and how each of them came to know their respective callings. They consider what it means "to be," and how vastly that differs from our productivity-focused culture, which Judith says she knew all too well when working as a journalist, where the idea of simply being was a foreign concept. "More, more, better, better. You gotta work all the time you've got to be plugged in all the time," she explains of the mindset. That raises the question: what then, is success? Brother Paul weighs in, "I think success is to be authentic; to live according to your true self, which is...to be a child of God." Top L-R: Judith Valente, Sister Julia Walsh. Bottom: Brother Paul Quenon. Judith, Brother Paul and Sister Julia also explore the inherent messiness of living in community, how the pandemic has served as a spiritual teacher, and how Thomas Merton influenced both of them and the way they live their spirituality. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Brother Paul Quenon and Judith Valente are co-authors of the books: How to Be: a Monk and a Journalist Reflect on Living & Dying, Purpose & Prayer, Forgiveness & Friendship; and The Art of Pausing: Meditations for the Overworked and Overwhelmed. Brother Paul entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky in 1958 at the age of 17, where Thomas Merton was his novice master and spiritual director. He sleeps under the stars each night and is an avid hiker and hill climber. Br. Paul is the author of the award-winning book In Praise of the Useless Life: A Monk’s Memoir....as well as nine collections of poetry. He is also a sought-after and inspiring speaker. Judith Valente is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism and is the recipient of many awards for her coverage of faith and culture for national PBS-TV’s Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. A former staff writer for both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, she has been a contributing correspondent for Chicago Public Radio, and her articles appear in U.S. Catholic and National Catholic Reporter. Judith is the author of four previous spirituality titles, she is a lay associate of the Benedictine monastery Mount St. Scholastica, and she speaks and leads retreats on living a more contemplative life and discovering inner wisdom. You can read more about her at her website: judithvalente.com/. Copies of Judith Valente's and Brother Paul Quenon's books may be purchased at Gesthamani book store . CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT is a reading from Psalm 46. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 5, episode 6 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "I found the courage somewhere to take the step, and once I took the step, it was reaffirmed."-Sister Jenny Wilson LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Sister Jenny Wilson about how she became a Sister of Mercy and her life-changing experience of service in Guyana. They discuss God's call to us to surrender, and how God provides the grace for us to do so. And they explore what radical discipleship means to Sister Jenny. "In a way, it's getting out of bed every morning. It's getting out of bed with that enthusiasm." They talk about the mess of being an educator during a pandemic, and the collective shift we are experiencing as the pandemic's effects continue. "I have a different perspective because I come at most things that I do as a sense of call," says Sister Jenny. "And I think many people, they don't use that language, but they're kind of moving towards that in their lives." Lastly, they consider how it is radical, messy and countercultural to live a life of service and contemplation. "In some ways I love people and I care about people so much that embracing that messiness in myself and in others is what makes my call real," Sister Jenny explains. ABOUT THE GUEST: Sister Jenny Wilson is a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. With a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a master's degree in Education Studies, she has worked with homeless women and children as a social worker and presently is a theology teacher at Mount Mercy Academy in Buffalo, New York. She also serves as the diversity, inclusion and equity coordinator and cross country and track coach at Mount Mercy Academy. Before entering the Sisters of Mercy, she completed two years as a Mercy Volunteer corps member in Guyana, South America. She travels there yearly to work with Mercy Volunteer Corps. Sister Jenny loves the outdoors, traveling and exploring new places and cultures. CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT is a reading from Luke 6:36-38. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 4, season 5 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "Everything is a spiritual experience, and has the opportunity to provide meaning for you."-Gary Jansen LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, public speaker and author Gary Jansen talks with Sister Julia Walsh about everything from the supernatural to the spirituality of the seemingly mundane. "The fact is that we're spiritual beings. We have a body. We have a soul. They're intertwined," Jansen explains, "so everything is a spiritual experience, and has the opportunity to provide meaning for you." They discuss books, how they helped him discover his vocation and feel drawn to God. And they consider the reality of embracing a life of suffering when we choose the spiritual path. They also talk about the mess of forgiveness, how it's truly difficult and the lessons the difficulty of that journey can teach us. ABOUT THE GUEST: Gary Jansen is a public speaker and author of several books, including the multi-award-winning "MicroShifts," "The 15-Minute Prayer Solution," "Station to Station," "Life Everlasting," and the memoir: "Holy Ghosts." Jansen has appeared on A&E, the Sundance Channel, the Travel Channel, Coast to Coast AM, CNN.com, and NPR. His writing has been featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Angelus, and Religion Dispatches. Jansen worked at Penguin Random House for 25 years where he was the editor on several New York Times bestsellers. He is now the executive editor of acquisitions at Loyola Press. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 3, Season 5 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "The spiritual life is a journey in discipline." - Dr. C. Vanessa White LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Dr. C. Vanessa White and Sister Julia Walsh talk about what healthy spirituality looks like, the importance of balance, and the value of knowing who one is so we can offer our authentic selves. "The spiritual life is a journey in discipline; in making choices. and you can make choices that are life giving or you can make choices that sap you of your life," Dr. C. Vanessa White explains. Those choices can reveal the mess of ministry, in particular when it comes to balancing that ministry with care for loved ones and ourselves. That's why it's so important to rest, Dr. White explains, and in her words, "Revive and renew, so you can do." They also discuss what it means to have hope, even while fatigued by the realities of the global pandemic, and how that hope can be found by changing our focus. "We are so busy focusing on the negative that we miss that God's grace is present in the midst of that. And we need to connect with that; it will help us journey through that time," Dr. White explains. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. C. Vanessa White, D. Min., is Associate Professor of Spirituality and Ministry at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and Associate Director of the Master of Theology program at Xavier University of Louisiana.A professed Secular Franciscan for more than 30 years, her articles and essays have appeared in New Theology Review, U.S. Catholic, AMERICA, National Catholic Reporter and CNN.org. She is co-editor of the book, “Songs of Our Hearts and Meditations of Our Souls: Prayers for Black Catholics." (St. Anthony Messenger Press), is a contributor to the Black Catholic Studies Reader (David Endres, editor, CUA, summer 2021) and to the Wisdom Commentary series volume on Luke, 1-9 (General editor, Barbara Reid, Liturgical Press, 2020.) She is an advisor for the Fetzer Institute’s Study of Spirituality in the Americas published in 2020 as well as consultant to the USCCB’s Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry. A former convener for the Black Catholic Theological Symposium, she considers herself a womanist practical theologian whose research is focused on the intersections of spirituality and praxis and is attentive to issues of discernment, health, women’s spirituality, diversity/intercultural dialogue, leadership development, spiritual and ministry formation, spiritual practices, lay ministry, adult faith formation and issues pertinent to the lives of Black Catholics. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 5, Episode 1 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "I want to dignify and honor the real emotions that kids have, whether it's joy or grief."- Jennifer Grant LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with author Jennifer Grant about how the call to serve can be both internal and external, and the importance of staying focused on the spirit of the call and the work itself. They discuss how writing about faith and the mystery of God for children has helped Jennifer have fresh eyes when looking at God's work in the world. "I'm not interested in complicated theology...but I am interested in sparking kids' curiosity about the divine and I am interested in learning more about myself and where God is working in the world," Jennifer explains. Lastly, they explore how nature can bridge divides among humanity, even in times of polarization. ABOUT THE GUEST: Jennifer Grant is the author of six books for adults, including, "Love You More: The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter." Her latest, "Dimming the Day," features reflections on nature as night falls. She has also authored a number of children's books. In addition to writing books, Jennifer works as an editor and editorial consultant, and curates the "Faith and Food" page for CompassionateChristianity.org. Jennifer received her master's degree in English literature with concentrations in fiction writing and critical theory from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She is a member of the 2030 Collaborative's Faith-Based Coalition for Global Nutrition, a founding member of INK: A Creative Collective and she serves on the board for gendernation.org. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 4, Episode 9 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "I go, and I think I'm bringing Church to them; Church is already there." - Deacon Pablo Perez LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: Sister Julia Walsh talks with Deacon Pablo Perez about how he became a deacon and chaplain at Chicago's Cook and Lake County Jails, after being a gang member himself. "I was just as reckless as they were. I was just as broken as they were," Pablo Perez explains. "That's why I know that investing time in each of those young men...is worth it. Because if I changed, I know they could change." Sister Julia and Deacon Pablo Perez discuss forgiveness and mercy, how our Church and society could promote these values, and the importance of truly seeing people who are incarcerated. "Look at them the way the Lord looks at all of us," he says. They also examine the mess of our criminal justice system. "The whole environment is messy. It's a mess that no one wants to touch. It's a mess that no one wants to clean," Pablo explains. He encourages us, instead, to respond with compassion. ABOUT THE GUEST: Pablo Perez was born in Guatemala and came to Chicago when he was four-years old, then grew up on the north side of the city. He fell in love with jail ministry in the summer of 2006, when he served as a volunteer at Kolbe House, as part of his formation to become a deacon. He was ordained a deacon in February 2008. A former gang member himself, he now works in the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Associate Director of Kolbe House and Chaplain at Cook and Lake County Jails.  In addition to ministering in the jail, Pablo ministers at St. Bede the Venerable Parish on the Southwest side of Chicago, where he counsels couples and trains Eucharistic ministers and lectors. He has been married for 24 years and has three children: two adults and one teenager.  His story is told in the film, RESTORED: Stories of Encounter - Deacon Pablo Perez. Contemplative Moment is an excerpt from number 16 of the Apostolic Letter Misericordia et misera. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Season 4, Episode 8 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "Once we surrender into that place of the Divine...we're moving in the waters of the holy."-Beverly Lanzetta LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: Sister Julia Walsh talks with theologian, author and teacher Beverly Lanzetta how she lives out her call to surrender to the Divine and be a contemplative guide, and how loving and surrendering God can be an innate experience. "Once we surrender into that place of the Divine, we're not going against anything, we're moving in the stream, we're moving in the waters of the holy," Beverly explains. "And so the more humble we are the more we get a glimpse of what's possible...and that gives us a freedom to try to paint pictures of the sacred in the world and to plant seeds." They also talk about the mystery inherent to interspiritual and interreligious dialogue. "I think God is big enough to hold our various expressions, the ways in which God has come to us," Beverly says. They also explore the mess of living a spirtual life, and how God provides groundedness. "You know it's like digging in soil: our hands are going to get dirty, we're going to get dirt on our hands when we dig and plant the seeds," Beverly explains. ABOUT THE GUEST: Beverly Lanzetta is a theologian, contemplative scholar and teacher, and the author of many groundbreaking books on emerging universal spirituality and new monasticism. Dedicated to a vision of theological openness and spiritual nonviolence, her work is considered to be a major contribution to what theologian Ursula King called, “a feminine mystical way for the 21st century.”Beverly is also a vowed monk of peace living in the world and an interfaith chaplain. She has formed a community of new monks—single, married, partnered, celibate, etc.—dedicated to the universal mystical heart and to the spirituality of nonviolence. She has devoted much of her life to mentoring people who seek a deeper contemplative commitment and who wish to take personal monastic vows. She has taught theology at Villanova University, Prescott College, and Grinnell College. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Paul Engler, author, activist and community organizer. They explore the integration of spiritual life and social justice work, and--in spite of the dominant culture's focus on individualism--how community is necessary to bring about social change.

"Let yourself be broken. Let yourself suffer. Cling to Christ through it."- Tessa Bielecki Season 4, Episode 6 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Tessa Bielecki about pain and the healing process: how they forge transformation, and how suffering can help us to know union with God. Tessa explains this concept through the lens of a past trauma, and says she didn't lose her faith at that time, nor did she expect Jesus to come riding in on a horse, like a knight, to save her. "My experience was, that's not possible because Jesus and I are clinging to one another on the cross through this...we're united in this suffering. I am a part of his suffering; he is strengthening me in mine. It's one crucifixion. It's one resurrection." Tessa and Sister Julia also look at healthy asceticism, and how we're called to honor the goodness of all God creates for us. "We're training like athletes. Or we're training like dancers. It's a discipline, it's not a punishment," Tessa explains. Sister Julia and Tessa also examine interspiritual dialogue and why it's important for contemplatives to be in relationship with people from other faith traditions. Lastly, they explore the creative process of making order of the chaos. ABOUT THE GUEST: Tessa Bielecki was born in Norwich, Connecticut on September 16, 1944. From early childhood she loved the diverse peoples and cultures around our planet and studied Russian and French at Trinity College in Washington D.C., preparing for a career in international relations. Her dream took a more spiritual turn when she met Fr. William McNamara in 1965 and with him co-founded the Spiritual Life Institute. With a brave band of fellow-monks, she helped create a monastic community and four retreat centers over four decades: Nada Hermitage in Sedona, Arizona in the 1960s (lost to land developers in 1981), Nova Nada Hermitage in Kemptville, Nova Scotia, Canada in the 1970s (lost to logging development in 1998), Nada Carmelite Hermitage in Crestone, Colorado in the 1980s, and Holy Hill Hermitage in Skreen, County Sligo, Ireland in the 1990s. After serving as Mother Abbess of these centers and traveling between them for almost 40 years, Tessa left monastic life in 2003. In 2005, with friend and colleague, Fr. David Denny, she created The Desert Foundation, an informal circle of friends exploring the spirit of the desert, its landscape and soulscape, with a special focus on peace and reconciliation among the Abrahamic traditions: Jews, Christians, and Muslims. With Fr. Dave she was an adjunct professor at Colorado College for almost fifteen years, teaching courses on Fire and Light: A History of Christian Mysticism and Sand and Sky: Desert Spirituality from the Middle East to the American Southwest. Tessa is a seasoned retreat leader and the author of numerous articles and several  major works: Teresa of Avila: Mystical Writings, Holy Daring, Ecstasy and Common Sense, Season of Glad Songs: A Christmas Anthology, Desert Voices: The Edge Effect, and Sounds True audio learning courses Passion for God and Wild at Heart: Radical Teachings of the Christian Mystics. She is currently working on a memoir. Fulfilling her dream of more peaceful international relations but from a more spiritual perspective, Tessa has years of experience with interspiritual dialogue, most notably with Buddhists throughout the 1980s at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. She has led pilgrimages to Spain, Italy, Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, and visited Russia, Mexico, Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands, where she participated in symposiums called Women for Peace and Art Meets Science and Spirituality in a Changing Economy. She had the privilege of speaking three times at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and was part of the Lindisfarne Fellowship during its early years in Crestone, Colorado. She was also a member of the first group who met in Rio de Janeiro to draft the Earth Charter. Under the auspices of the Embrace Foundation, she represented Christianity in a gathering of major world religions at the United Nations Chapel. Tessa now lives as an “urban hermit” in Tucson, Arizona. She loves not only her silence and solitude, but colors and flowers, big earrings, good food and drink, cooking and celebrating with friends, and serving wherever she is needed, especially writing, leading retreats and workshops. Contemplative moment is St. Teresa of Avila's bookmark prayer. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Sister Julia Walsh talks with Ellen Salmi van Cleef and Joshua van Cleef about how they became missionaries serving in Eastern Kentucky, and how being a missionary today is about presence.

"There's nothing that I wouldn't give to just tear that wall down."- Sister Tracey Horan Season 4, Episode 3 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Sister Tracey Horan about her journey from being a teenager arguing in favor of a border wall, to an educator and minister working on the border who wants the wall torn down. They discuss the problems with Title 42 and the importance of restoring asylum protections for those who need them. They touch on the human rights of migrants and the harsh realities for people traveling at the U.S./Mexico border. "Holding that tension of these painful experiences, and also accompanying people who have that desire to claim that right is a really tough, messy space to live in," Sister Tracey explains. They also discuss how the dangers of organized crime affect the poor and vulnerable, and how to advocate for justice and comprehensive immigration reform. Lastly, they consider community, and how to build it by being authentically present to another and working together in the mess. In this episode, Tracey and Sister Julia reference this blog post on Messy Jesus Business. Since this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast was recorded, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention renewed Title 42, to remain in effect indefinitely. Contemplative moment is from Luke 18:1-8.   ABOUT THE GUEST: Tracey Horan, S.P., is a Sister of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, and Associate Director of Education and Advocacy for the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Sonora and Arizona, where she has lived and worked since 2019. Sister Tracey has ministered with Latinx migrant communities in a variety of contexts for over a decade. She previously worked as a teacher and then as a community organizer, and has grappled with the gifts and challenges of intentional community living in a variety of contexts, including with biological family, Catholic Worker companions, and vowed Catholic Sisters from a variety of backgrounds. This fall, Sister Tracey will celebrate seven years as a religious sister. You can connect with Tracey and the Sisters of Providence on several social media channels. Tracey Horan on Facebook: @horantrl Sisters of Providence Facebook: @SistersofProvidence Instagram: @spsmw Twitter: @spsmw MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

"I think what I've learned is there's great fruitfulness in messiness...you need dirt to grow things."- Heidi Haverkamp Season 4, Episode 1 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with writer and Episcopal priest Heidi Haverkamp about why being a part-time hermit is essential to her, and how it serves her in her work. "Part of a healthy solitude is that you're growing in love for other people," she explains.   They discuss how discipleship of Jesus is meant to come from a place of freedom and joy and how that can offer clarity. They also talk discernment, and feeling called. "Pay attention to your obsessions. I think there's something of God in what we can't stop thinking about. Especially if it's a good thing." Heidi says. And they consider how mess can actually be a good thing, resulting in fruitfulness. ABOUT THE GUEST: Heidi Haverkamp is a writer, spiritual director, an Episcopal priest, and a part-time hermit. For 10 years, she served in parish ministry in churches in the Chicago area. She is the author of three books: Advent in Narnia, Holy Solitude, and Everyday Connections: Reflections and Practices for Year C, due out in September. She has been featured in the media, including a recent article in the New York Times on solitude and the pandemic. Heidi received a Master's of Divinity from The University of Chicago Divinity School in 2006 and a certificate in Anglican studies from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (now Bexley Seabury) a year later. She has worked on organic farms, in a corporate law office, as pastor of a rural congregation in New England, and at Trader Joe's. She is married to Adam Frieberg. They live in Indianapolis. You can find and follow Heidi Haverkamp on the web: www.heidihaverkamp.nethttps://www.facebook.com/HeidiHaverkamphttps://www.instagram.com/heidihaverk/ CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT features the poem: For Solitude, from page 112 of the book, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings, by John O'Donohue. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Father Dan Horan about how he came to discover his vocation as a Franciscan, and they consider the importance of encouraging one another as Christians. Father Dan also talks about what he calls Holy Spirit atheism, which he says puts us at risk of acting in ways that are contrary to the will of God.

Sister Julia Walsh talks with writer, speaker and storyteller Carl McColman about discovering his vocation as a spiritual director and spiritual teacher. They discuss how medieval mystics and saints and other spiritual teachers inspire him, and how the mystics teach us to tear down the walls that divide us. And they discuss the challenges of being human and being an activist and the importance of contemplation in navigating both.

In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh and poet, public speaker, teacher and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama explore the light, the dark, and the infinite complexities of language. They consider terms like Christian and minister, and discuss the nature of poetry as well as the essential role imagination plays in one's spiritual life as well as conflict resolution. And they talk about the complexities of doing good and being good.

In this powerful episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with author and activist Kathy Kelly about her journey as a peace activist, how militarism doesn't offer true security and how to ground ourselves in the fight for peace when we feel overwhelmed.

Sister Julia Walsh and author Lisa Deam talk about pilgrimage as a spiritual practice and discipleship as a journey. They discuss the paradoxes of faith and being a contemplative, where we are called to be in the moment, while also moving toward God. And they share how loving history and being part of the Church is relational, messy work.