Episode 22

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Published on:

14th Aug 2024

22: Spicy Q&A with Our Best Priest Friend Fr. Sasse

Listen in as Mari and Trey sit down with their best priest friend Father Sasse for a fun and spicy Q&A session. They discuss a myriad of topics ranging from Faith, lifestyle, and spiritual warfare to practical concerns about sin, confession, and christ centered living. Father Sasse answers a number of questions from our listeners and shares his unique journey to priesthood, insights on chastity, the reality of demonic influence, the significance of shame, and the normalcy of a priest's daily life. This episode is a must listen for anyone desiring to lead a Christ-centered life in today’s complex world.

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Transcript
Speaker:

The soda.

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I have to tell you something

that's a little bit crazy.

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Um, there are several parts

in this episode where it cuts

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out father Sassy's voice.

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And it didn't cut out our connection.

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Just his, we could hear

him the whole time.

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You can hear our responses and

everything, but you literally

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can't hear what he's saying.

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And it happens to be when he answers

questions about communion or, um,

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sexual sin or same-sex marriage,

or kind of caught button topics.

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Or when he's talking about

occult practices and how those

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open doors to evil spirits.

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Um, That a certain, somebody might

not want people to be hearing.

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So, um, this is just a reminder that

the Lord is real and evil is real,

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and he's going to try and fight

against the truth being shared.

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Um, so I'm going to be popping in and

out at certain parts where it cut out

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and you can't hear father's answer.

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And I'm going to fill in what

he did say that I felt like was

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important that got missed because.

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We're not going to let this happen.

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We're not going to let these amazing

answers and there's amazing resource.

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Um, Be lost.

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So if you hear me coming in and

out, that's probably why it just

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randomly cut out at a really prime

spot where father was answering

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something with some bold truths.

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Um, I'm going to come in and replace

the silence with what he actually said,

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and then you'll get back to father.

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So.

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All right.

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Without further.

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All because it is a.

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Hey, I'm your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to the ever be

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podcast where faith meets lifestyle.

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I'm so excited you're here, whether you're

a new listener or a longtime follower,

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I know there's something here for you.

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Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful real life conversations

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and actionable steps on how to claim

the full life God created you for.

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If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ centered life in today's

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modern world, then this is for you.

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Welcome to Ever Be.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Alrighty,

we got Father Sasse on the podcast today.

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Father is a dear friend of ours.

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Um, he was our chaplain when

we were missionaries at the

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University of Nebraska Lincoln.

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Um, he was my very first real priest

friend and honestly, still my only, I

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don't really have a lot of priest friends.

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So, so still my favorite priest friend.

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Yep.

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Low bar.

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My favorite priest friend.

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Low bar.

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So, Father, do you want to

introduce yourself, um, so that

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our listeners can get to know you?

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Yeah, thanks, Maury.

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I'm Father Alex Sassi.

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I am the assistant pastor at the Newman

Center, the college campus, Catholic

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Church at the University of Nebraska.

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So I do that.

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And I also serve as the vocations

director for the Diocese of Lincoln.

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So I work with seminarians.

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So, um, yeah, it's my

5th year as a priest.

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So I'm still kind of like toddler.

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Moving into, um, like adolescence priests.

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Um, so I'm still learning, but

love the priesthood, love Nebraska.

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it was a real joy to be with Trey

and Mari for a while and just walk

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with them and have fun with them

and be their first priest friends.

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So that was a lot of fun.

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you know what?

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I was just talking with someone about

your guys's wedding the other day.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

I love that.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

of Fort Collins.

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Yeah.

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Incredible.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

So iconic.

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It, it brings me so much

joy when people say that.

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And it's very often that people

are like, I was telling somebody

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about your wedding the other day.

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I'm like, wow.

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What an honor to have our wedding

be talked about all the time.

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I think also it's probably one of

the most noteworthy experiences a

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Nebraskan has had in, in their life.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Yeah, and I might be wrong about this,

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but um, you walk down to the song

walk down the aisle the song ever be?

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Yes, father.

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That's so cool.

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You knew, you

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

was like, Oh snap.

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I'm like, that's, this is the kind

of wedding we're going to have.

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Like, this is going to be, everyone's

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

right from the beginning.

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Yup.

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Tears started right away.

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Yeah.

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Episode.

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You should go back and listen to like

very episode one, cause it breaks down

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literally me walking down the aisle,

why I chose that song, why I chose

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the name of the podcast, basically.

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So, um, but one thing, as you were saying,

experiences that Nebraskans have had.

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This is little just be a funny

anecdote, but I think it was like

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my first week in Nebraska or at

least my first month in Nebraska.

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You were committed to taking us

all on a Nebraska day and giving

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us like the Nebraska experience.

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Okay.

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And for context, I grew up in

Washington state and West coasters.

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Don't think about the

middle of the country.

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So, like, I don't, I didn't know anything

about Nebraska or anything like that.

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This was all very new.

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Yes, and you took us to some

farm, I think, and we shot guns.

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I shot my first, what

was it, a rifle, I think?

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I think a shotgun.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: shot a

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

A shotgun?

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I don't think you can handle a rifle.

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Well, it was one of the big ones.

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Yeah, that would put you on your back.

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Oh.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I, I have something to

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contribute to this story from

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Okay.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

is remember I was teaching you how

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to shoot them like this, how you hold

it, you know, you pull the trigger.

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And when you, when you shoot, you're

going to get super excited and you're

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going to want to turn around and

celebrate with all of your friends, but

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you can't turn the gun towards people.

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It has

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

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I got it.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

were doing, you know, clay pigeons.

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So you throw a target and Mari hit it.

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I mean, every,

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: I got it.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

smoked it.

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I mean, everyone went nuts,

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Nuts.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

She took the shotgun and

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started turning around.

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So I reached out and grabbed the

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Jumping up and down.

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And I'm jumping up.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

why don't I hold that?

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And then she's like, thank you.

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And she turns around everyone.

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She's like, yeah,

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: I

actually, I think I have a video.

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I think Alex recorded a video of the

whole thing, so I'm going to have to

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add that to this, this section here so

people can see because that was, yeah, a

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dangerous but funny moment for all of us.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: We

love Jesus and and corn and cows and guns.

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So

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Yeah, yeah, good life.

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It's the good life.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Yeah, that's right.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: honestly,

Nebraska is a very special place in

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our hearts, so don't hate on Nebraska.

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Um, okay, well, we're

gonna get into this Q& A.

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It's going to be a very

exciting, juicy Q& A.

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We have a Yeah.

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A little bit of a spicy Q and a, we had a

lot of questions, so we're definitely not

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going to be able to get to all of them.

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I think literally I'm looking

at like 50 questions right now.

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So Trey and I will kind of look through

and pick out kind of some top ones

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and we'll go from there and, and yeah.

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Did you, did you find one that you liked?

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I did not find one.

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Okay, we'll, we'll start

off with maybe an easy one.

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What, when was the moment you

realized your vocation as a priest?

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Oh, wow.

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Well, my story is I grew up Catholic

and I was, uh, my parents were

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great in raising us in the faith.

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I mean, I was always around the

sacraments, went to Catholic school.

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And I grew up in the city of Lincoln,

which is, you know, kind of like

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a little bit of a Catholic bubble.

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So almost everybody that

I knew was Catholic and.

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I didn't really think about the priesthood

at all growing up, and then when I

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got to the end of high school, I just

started getting more into my faith and

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people were encouraging me in that.

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And I started, you know, going to daily

masses and going to confession more

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regularly and all that this idea of the

seminary came bubbling up into my mind.

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at the time, I thought.

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There's probably like a 0 percent

chance I'm called to be a priest.

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However, I feel like there's

something different about me.

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Like, I don't know what it is, but I

just feel like I'm meant for something

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different, and I don't know what that is,

and so I need a place to figure that out.

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So, um, I discerned and

went to the seminary.

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Again, not expecting to be

a priest, just really just

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wanting to discern my vocation.

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after my first year in the seminary, I had

a incredible prayer experience in front

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of our Lord and the blessed sacrament.

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And he really just laid before me,

here's what priesthood would look like.

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And here's what marriage would look like.

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And he just offered it to me.

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And he said, Which one do you choose?

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I just felt this grace in my heart of, I

think he wants me to choose the priesthood

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something tells me that I should.

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And so in that moment, after my

first year in the seminary, I

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said, Lord, I, if you're offering

it to me, I choose the priesthood.

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And my heart was filled with so

much gratitude and so much, um,

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just exhilarating joy that I said

yes to that and never looked back.

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So I'd say that'd be like the

moment that I was like, I know

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that I'm called to be a priest.

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So I felt really grateful it was early on.

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I think the Lord had to like snag

me early on or I was out the door.

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So

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: So

then you were, I imagine, super holy and

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pious as a high schooler then, right?

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Love it,

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

No, you know, I like, I just had

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this, um, this comp, my core lie.

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The thing I really believed is I need

to be impressive in order to be loved.

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so for me, that's like, okay, I

need to be impressive at sports

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and school and relationships and

how I relate to other people.

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And I need to like, be

a good Catholic boy too.

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So really like was just another pin

on my letter jacket of just creating

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this kind of false persona um, that

really didn't get dismantled until a

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few years later of really trying to

follow Jesus and listen to him and not

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listen to what the world thinks of me.

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Yeah,

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: yeah.

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That's great.

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All right.

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What is one misconception people have

about priests or young priests in general?

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And like specifically young priests.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I think a misconception people

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have about young priests is that we

didn't have other options in life.

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I kind of get that sense from people.

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Like I meet them and they're

like, Oh, you're a priest.

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I can kind of, you know, see the

hamster turning in their head.

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It's like, wow, that's really sad.

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Like so sad.

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You couldn't find someone to marry.

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It's so sad that no one would hire you.

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Like you couldn't become

a convict, like anything.

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Apparently you had to become a priest.

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I chose to

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

I think it was your last resort.

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Wow.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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I love hearing that.

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I think people.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I'm not really one of them, but I

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know some deeply, deeply talented

priests that gave up careers, medicine,

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gave up, um, sports science careers.

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I don't know why it's the second one

that came to my head, engineers, like.

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of it.

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People that were engaged to be married.

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I mean, have had a lot of options

and the Lord came in and just

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offered something different.

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And they said yes to that.

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So I'd say that's a misconception.

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Um, say another misconception that I

find a lot is that people just assume

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because I'm young and I'm a priest

that I immediately just like, um, and

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kind of hateful towards the world.

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Which is really interesting.

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I think people expect that if you're

a Catholic priest, you're immediately

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like judgmental towards the world.

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Like I'm judgmental towards all

these different fringe groups.

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Or if you live outside of the church's

teaching on sexuality or on any

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other thing, then immediately I'm

like, I don't want to talk to you.

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I found for most young priests,

that's just really not true.

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You know, when I meet someone that's

very far removed from the church,

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there's a little part of me that's sad.

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And there's a little part

of me that's excited.

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And excited to be like, wow, well, this

is why I got ordained is to be like

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Jesus and go to the people that are very

downtrodden and proclaim the good news.

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Yeah.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Um,

I think that makes a lot of sense,

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honestly, because I feel like, especially.

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Like younger priests, at least what

I've seen in you, um, there is kind

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of a greater openness because I just

feel like there might be like more

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understanding than maybe an older priest

that's maybe grew up in a different time.

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Like this time doesn't scandalize you.

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What you see every day

isn't scandalous to you.

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And you're not like, Oh my

gosh, you're so horrible.

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You can't be ministered to or loved.

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Um, so I think that makes sense.

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Okay.

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This is a really good question.

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Um, is it possible to go

against God's plan for us?

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If we have free will, but ultimately

God's plan is God's plan, is it

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possible to actually get off the plane?

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This was not,

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

question.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: was

about to say, I did not ask this question

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myself, but I might as well have, because

this is a question I genuinely have.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

question.

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Cause you start getting into like God's,

What we call is like active will and

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this permissive will like the active

will is what he is Actively laying

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forth for us to follow his permissive.

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Will is what he allows to happen Um,

yeah, it is possible for us to go against

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god's plan Like god has a plan for us

that he wants us to follow that he lays

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before us and really at every moment

He's offering us an invitation to choose

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him we have the free will unfortunately.

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Well, not unfortunately, but

unfortunately we can choose against

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him And when we go against him, we are

like operating outside of his plan.

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Now, the really beautiful thing is that

we have a God who rescues and redeems.

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we choose to go like the wrong way and

the Lord steps in and he says, okay,

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well, I'm going to create a new plan for

you and bring you back into the fold.

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Like, I'm gonna bring you back to myself.

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And so the way I see it, and I

don't know how theologically correct

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this is or isn't to be completely

honest with you, but the way I see

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Okay.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: is

that we're kind of constantly messing

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up the plan that God has for us.

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And he's constantly just rewriting it,

like, to accommodate for our weakness.

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And, this, the ultimate example

of that would be the cross.

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Yeah.

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It's like the plan was for us to

be like Adam and Eve, to walk in

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the garden with the Lord, to live

in that beautiful relationship.

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um, and then sin entered in.

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And so what was God's response to sin?

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To send Jesus.

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it's like, you know, at the Easter

vigil, we sing this song called the

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Exultant, and there's that great line

in there that says, um, fault that won

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for us so glorious, so great a Redeemer.

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I mean, it's just, it's so lovely

that that's the Lord's response is

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like, okay, you send no problem.

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I'll give you my son and you

can all become my children.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

that's literally what I was

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telling Mario last night.

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We had, so we were, we've been

watching the chosen last night.

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It was wild.

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This was last night when I had

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

last night.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: actually

had an existential crisis and maybe we

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can get into some of those questions

for the first time in my entire life.

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Actually, you can, as far as Sasse

instead of me, these theological

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questions, um, But we were

watching the chosen synopsis here.

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We've been watching the chosen.

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It's our first time watching it.

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I mean, I know it came out years

ago, but we literally didn't start it

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until like may or something like that.

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We're hooked, man.

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I mean, it is

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

It's so

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

so, so good and we just,

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

with Mary Magdalene,

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Oh, wrecked me, wrecked me.

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

her name and I was like, Oh, no.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Yeah, no, I mean,

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: okay.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: those

first, I think those first like five

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episodes, like whenever Jesus came on

the screen, my heart literally fluttered.

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I was like, Oh my gosh, he's,

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fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

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mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: here.

347

:

He's gonna do

348

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

349

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

But anyway, so we just finished the

350

:

last episode of the third season.

351

:

So like, we're done with what's out

and it I mean, this isn't a spoiler

352

:

alert because it's in the Bible.

353

:

Right.

354

:

But he's like about to enter, uh,

Jerusalem on the donkey and like the

355

:

whole like passion is about to start soon.

356

:

And so anyways, I just went down this

rabbit hole of questions of like,

357

:

why did this have to be God's plan?

358

:

Like, why did it have to be a crucifixion?

359

:

Why did it have to be suffering?

360

:

Like,

361

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

362

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: why

were there so many hard things in life?

363

:

And it led down literally, like it

always, it always came back to like God's

364

:

original plan and Adam and Eve and sin.

365

:

And Trey kept telling me

like, Oh, happy fault, Mari.

366

:

You have to go back to this line.

367

:

Oh, happy fault.

368

:

I love that line.

369

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Good

370

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: love it.

371

:

I think the reason I love it

is because you sang it at our

372

:

first like real experience of

a beautiful Easter vigil mass.

373

:

We were missionaries and

it just cut to the heart.

374

:

It's beautiful.

375

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Easter

vigil hits different, that's for sure.

376

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

It always does.

377

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Mm-Hmm.

378

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: so

one of the questions that I, sorry to

379

:

cut you off, but were you done with

your answer for that previous question?

380

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: hmm.

381

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

your questions last night, Mari

382

:

was like, why did it take so long?

383

:

Like, why?

384

:

Or I guess 2 questions.

385

:

Yeah, I guess the 1st 1 is like, okay.

386

:

Yeah.

387

:

So Adam and Eve sinned,

sin entered the world.

388

:

We're broken.

389

:

We're separated from God.

390

:

Why did it take so long for the, the,

the plan to come to fruition, like

391

:

for the plan of salvation to happen?

392

:

Yeah, that was one of my questions.

393

:

And Trey put it in terms of

like business terms for me.

394

:

And he was like, God has a launch plan.

395

:

Okay.

396

:

Of like bringing everybody back in.

397

:

And this is all part of the launch plan.

398

:

And I'm like, okay, but we're 2024

years in, like, If he loved us

399

:

so much and like wanted us to be

with him and like be saved, like,

400

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Mm hmm.

401

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

is so different, but like, wow,

402

:

that's a, that's a really long time.

403

:

And not to mention the however many

thousands of years before Jesus came.

404

:

Yeah.

405

:

Oh, and that was a whole thing too.

406

:

I'm like, well, if he realized right

away, like, oh shoot, humans are sinful.

407

:

Not that he would not have known.

408

:

I mean, he would have known.

409

:

Right.

410

:

But like acknowledges.

411

:

Yeah, there's sin.

412

:

There's brokenness.

413

:

I need to give him a savior.

414

:

Why did it take so long

for him to bring Jesus?

415

:

Why wasn't it just, like, right away?

416

:

And then you didn't have all

these Problems and have to

417

:

wipe out the world with Noah.

418

:

And so, yeah.

419

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: I

mean that's such a good question and

420

:

ultimately gonna punt a little bit because

421

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Okay.

422

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

it tells us that, you know, in the

423

:

fullness of time God sent his son.

424

:

he sent them prophets, he sent

them the law, he sent them all

425

:

these things, but And then in the

fullness of time, he sent his son.

426

:

there's something mysterious

about God's timing with it all.

427

:

Like, why?

428

:

I mean, we can look at some human reasons.

429

:

I mean, the thing that I think

of is the world because of, you

430

:

know, the Greeks and then the Roman

empire had become largely connected.

431

:

because of that, you're in

like the perfect time for the

432

:

gospel to spread to everybody.

433

:

And so there is an element where.

434

:

makes sense humanly why he came

when he did, but really where my

435

:

mind goes, why did it take so long?

436

:

Why was the cross necessary?

437

:

All of that.

438

:

I kind of always go back to, um, St.

439

:

Thomas Aquinas.

440

:

You know, he was asked the same thing.

441

:

Like, why was the cross necessary?

442

:

And he said, um.

443

:

Oh, you have not considered

the full weight of sin, which I

444

:

think is just such a good answer.

445

:

Like you have not considered like the

full weight and how bad sin actually is.

446

:

I mean, we look at it and who

knows how long it took from

447

:

Adam and Eve to Jesus, right?

448

:

Let's just say it's 5, 000 years.

449

:

I'm not making claims about anything.

450

:

Let's just say it's 5, 000 years.

451

:

it's like, okay, that means at some

level, like, At least the first

452

:

sin took 5, 000 years to repair.

453

:

Like that's how bad sin is.

454

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Wow.

455

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: think

it's worth us looking at it that way,

456

:

where it's like, why did it take so long?

457

:

Maybe that's just how bad sin is.

458

:

It takes that long to

repair and to reconcile.

459

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

460

:

That reminds me of a point that a

professor I had in college said was

461

:

one of the reasons he gave for this

concept of the fullness of time

462

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Mm hmm.

463

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: was that

the form of punishment of the crucifixion

464

:

was The, like, most extreme form of

evil that has ever entered the world.

465

:

And so like, that could be a reason,

like, Jesus waited until humans

466

:

were capable of such evil so that

then he could endure like the most,

467

:

the worst sin for out of love for

us, for the salvation of the world.

468

:

And so there's like

another like piece to that.

469

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: If you

470

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Obviously that's just.

471

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

and really Catholic, you could

472

:

probably, um, you know, it took so

long because it took that long to, to

473

:

set in place forming Mary, who would

be the mother of God, you know, here

474

:

is this like one that is perfect.

475

:

And,

476

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

477

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

think about St.

478

:

Joachim and Anne, her parents, it's

like, these would have been had to have

479

:

been pretty hand chosen to be the right

parents to be the grandparents of God.

480

:

I mean,

481

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

482

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: 2000

years or however many years to form Mary.

483

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

484

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

485

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Ultimately, what I came down to was

486

:

there's a lot of mysteries and there's

a lot that like, we're just never going

487

:

to understand God's ways until, you

know, we're in the fullness of eternity.

488

:

And like, even that point of like,

well, it took this long to, To make

489

:

Mary kind of what I've been reflecting

on is like, well, in the end, God is

490

:

God and he could have chosen whatever.

491

:

I mean, he could have made the perfect

people earlier to give birth to Mary,

492

:

but in the end, like it just continually

shows like he does not change us to

493

:

be at his level, but he constantly.

494

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yes.

495

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: In his

patience, like comes down to our level

496

:

and waits for us to be ready, waits for in

our humanity to get to that point, right.

497

:

To develop historically certain

things for, you know, the certain

498

:

people to come into place.

499

:

And he doesn't rush us.

500

:

And he just like, it comes down

to us in so many different ways.

501

:

So that's kind of where I'm at right now.

502

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Great point, Mari.

503

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: I'm

just going to fly to Nebraska soon.

504

:

So we could just have the

full conversation because we

505

:

literally, We literally went to

bed at like one in the morning.

506

:

We talked about this for like two hours.

507

:

And Trey was like, where were you when

you were a missionary for two years?

508

:

Like we went through

the story of salvation.

509

:

I was like, yeah,

510

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Mari?

511

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

I feel that totally.

512

:

Okay.

513

:

All right.

514

:

To stay on the scripture

theological train,

515

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Mm hmm.

516

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: does

God in the old Testament seem less

517

:

patient and less loving and more angry?

518

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Yeah, that's a good question.

519

:

That's the one I get a lot as a priest

is, you know, the old Testament,

520

:

God seems really like violent and

vindictive and all of those things.

521

:

And then Jesus is just so nice and he's

just so gentle, you know, that's a lot

522

:

of ways that people throw it out there.

523

:

Um, you know, I would say that in the old

Testament, Um, the Lord is dealing, as he

524

:

puts it, with a very stiff necked people.

525

:

I mean, the people are just like

wrapped in sin and they are just

526

:

to it and they're just running

their heads against a brick wall.

527

:

And so the Lord is having to deal with

them a little sterner, quite honestly.

528

:

And he's dealing with it.

529

:

You have to understand the whole story.

530

:

It's like, There's all of these different

tribes, all these different nations, and

531

:

this just tiny little one, Israel, is

where salvation is going to come from.

532

:

So God is like, jealously

trying to defend Israel.

533

:

Like, I have to defend this little tiny

nation, so that I can save the world.

534

:

so like, the other nations that

come and attack this little

535

:

tiny nation, God is like, okay.

536

:

gotta like take care of them.

537

:

And when Israel is like acting the

fool, he's like, all right, well,

538

:

I got to take care of you too.

539

:

And it's just like, God is constantly

dealing with these children that

540

:

are quite frankly just kind of

brats and are just stuck in sin.

541

:

And so he is more firm, but it also

comes into that answer of in the

542

:

fullness of time, God sent his son

and Pope Francis just has, thought

543

:

had the most lovely way of putting it.

544

:

He said that Jesus Christ is

the face of the father's mercy.

545

:

So it's like, there actually is no

difference between what we see in the

546

:

Old Testament and the New Testament.

547

:

It's the same God.

548

:

Jesus is just the face

of the Father's mercy.

549

:

perhaps in the Old Testament we saw more

of the Lord's justice, we especially

550

:

see His mercy in the New Testament.

551

:

So, again, it's a little bit mysterious.

552

:

There's also an element of, within the

scriptures, there's a, Like a literary

553

:

style that's being written to, know,

they're writing in the way that they

554

:

understand that they're writing in

a way that is also showing God to

555

:

be the protector, to be the father,

the one that's like caring for the

556

:

nation and we'll like, again, it's

just taking care of this tiny little

557

:

nation, but in doing so in huge ways.

558

:

So all of that, I think comes into play.

559

:

Okay.

560

:

Okay.

561

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Uh, okay.

562

:

We have a couple questions that

I feel like pertain to like

563

:

the pastoral side of your, your

Role your life, um, as a priest.

564

:

So first, maybe this

is pastoral, maybe not.

565

:

I don't know.

566

:

We have some on confession

that I'm going to get to.

567

:

I just mean like things that go

under your job description as

568

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: life.

569

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

570

:

Specifically to a priestly life.

571

:

One, what is going through your

mind at the moment of consecration

572

:

when you're holding Jesus?

573

:

Try not to cry, Father.

574

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: I,

um, you know, when it comes time for

575

:

the consecration and I lift up our Lord,

I'm like offering him to the father.

576

:

it's like a great, I'm

praying to the father.

577

:

I'm saying like, father received the

heart of your son what I'm praying.

578

:

Like father, here's this

heart that you've given to us.

579

:

And I pray that you receive it

and you give it right back and

580

:

that we can live with this heart.

581

:

So it has, it's very much like

a conversation with the father

582

:

about what I'm holding or who

I'm holding, which is Jesus.

583

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

584

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

every once in a while, something

585

:

else will come in, but in general,

that's kind of what I go back to.

586

:

Um, now as a priest, It's

I'm like anybody else.

587

:

I'm trying to stay

attentive during mass too.

588

:

Like there's distractions.

589

:

I have things that happen before and

after mass and so even during the

590

:

consecration I'm trying to stay locked in

but distractions are a very real thing.

591

:

So if you get distracted

in mass, hey, guess what?

592

:

Your priest does too.

593

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Whoa.

594

:

I've never heard that.

595

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: yeah.

596

:

I'll tell you what.

597

:

I can't tell you the kind of things

I've thought about during mass.

598

:

I'm like Oh, where did that come from?

599

:

Like the weakness of man.

600

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

You're like, lock in.

601

:

Lock in.

602

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I'm like, I'm like, well,

603

:

the Huskers win this weekend.

604

:

I don't know.

605

:

Behold the lamb.

606

:

Oh wait, just a second.

607

:

Sorry.

608

:

Behold the lamb of God.

609

:

You know, like trying to stay focused

610

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

It's so human, it's so human.

611

:

This is a funny one.

612

:

Um, do priests judge you if you

accidentally lick them when they

613

:

give you communion on the tongue?

614

:

Very important question.

615

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

You know what?

616

:

Like it's the priest's fault.

617

:

You should judge the priest.

618

:

If you like him,

619

:

if you are constantly like licking

the priest, that's not your fault.

620

:

That's the priest's fault.

621

:

The priest should be giving

communion in such a way that you're

622

:

not having any kind of contact.

623

:

So I feel very strongly about this.

624

:

Now there's certain people that

just are like, um, they're like,

625

:

um, I don't know how to put it.

626

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Like the coin slot

627

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

like, they bite, they bite.

628

:

Like you hold out the Eucharist

and they're like, and I'm like, no.

629

:

Chill, like the Lord is coming

to you, just receive him that

630

:

you don't, I mean, it's just

631

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

for everybody.

632

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: the

reception of communion, it constantly

633

:

baffles me how humble our Lord is.

634

:

I'm like, how this is the

way you chose and it is.

635

:

And I'm like, you are so humble.

636

:

Like one, I'm the one that's giving

people you, which is already humbling.

637

:

But then like the way

people receive you too.

638

:

I'm like, Oh man,

639

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Okay.

640

:

Let's talk about that a

little bit, because I used to

641

:

always receive on the hand.

642

:

And then I think it was actually

a conversation I had with you once

643

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Oh

644

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: where

I converted to receiving on the tongue.

645

:

So

646

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah,

647

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: opinion

on, or like, what's the difference between

648

:

receiving on the hand and the tongue?

649

:

And why would you prefer one?

650

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

651

:

Well, in the United States, I

mean, both are offered, like you

652

:

can receive on the tongue, you can

receive on the hand, you can receive

653

:

standing, you can receive kneeling.

654

:

So you have a lot of options.

655

:

All of them are valid.

656

:

You know, if you go places where

they tell you that's not, You know,

657

:

they're, they're probably not correct.

658

:

Like all of those are

valid options of receiving.

659

:

Um, yeah, for myself, you know, I, I

do prefer receiving on the tongue and

660

:

it's just because I think it's such a

place of vulnerability and receptivity.

661

:

It's like you're before the Lord

and your hands aren't touching him.

662

:

I mean, when you're receiving on the

hand, which can be so beautiful, but

663

:

there's also an element of control.

664

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Okay.

665

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

You know, like I'm reaching down

666

:

and I'm picking up the Lord and I

had control of the Lord entering me.

667

:

But when you're receiving on the tongue,

it's like you're presenting yourself

668

:

and you're like, Lord, I yield all

control to you and I think there's

669

:

something kind of beautiful about that

670

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Wow.

671

:

I never heard it that way.

672

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: on

the hand and I'm not saying you don't.

673

:

Love the Lord.

674

:

You're not receiving him reverently.

675

:

That's not what I'm saying at all, because

you're very much allowed to do that.

676

:

And you're allowed to do that

for a reason because it is a

677

:

good way to receive the Lord.

678

:

But I just think receiving on the tongue

just adds a number of different to to

679

:

consider, um, how our Lord comes to us.

680

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

681

:

I mean, what converted me to the

reception on the tongue was the concept

682

:

of receiving on the tongue is it's a

posture of receptivity and I'm receiving

683

:

the Lord as opposed to like grasping.

684

:

At the Lord.

685

:

And, uh, yeah, you might not be

grasping at the Lord when you're

686

:

seeing me on the hand, but it's just

that, that posture is different.

687

:

Uh, and yeah, I really changed my heart

and I felt like I, I am more reverent

688

:

towards God when I'm on my knees,

receiving on the tongue, then standing.

689

:

So I just feel more reverent

and posture is huge.

690

:

Like that's why we have all the,

691

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

692

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

and downs during mass is because

693

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: It's

694

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: like our

physical body is the way we worship too.

695

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

696

:

And I do, I do like, um, You know,

kneeling to receive community, but

697

:

also just in general, because, uh,

you know, ancient like medieval art

698

:

would depict Satan without any knees.

699

:

It was just super interesting.

700

:

And the reason they would, because

Satan doesn't have any humility.

701

:

He can't be.

702

:

So I do prefer that, but I said,

when people come to mass and they're

703

:

standing there receiving on the

hands, I'm not thinking, oh, you

704

:

lesser being, like, that's, that's

705

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

of course not.

706

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: It's

707

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah,

708

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

but, uh, yeah,

709

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

no, I love, I love kneeling too.

710

:

And I, I love, and I think it's

for me personally, a more prayerful

711

:

experience when there is like a

communion rail and we can all kneel.

712

:

And one thing that I thought about

when I kind of made that switch too was

713

:

like, if Jesus presented himself in a

physical way where I could see him as

714

:

a person, if he was here as a person,

I immediately would drop to my knees.

715

:

Like that would be my , my reaction.

716

:

So then I was like, I, when I was

a missionary, like teaching all

717

:

these girls, like, no, Jesus is

actually here in the Eucharist.

718

:

I was like, wait, okay.

719

:

Jesus is like, I'm actually

receiving the Lord.

720

:

So why would I not kneel?

721

:

And you know, for me, I'm like, if he

was here and I could see him, I would

722

:

immediately kneel and be like my Lord.

723

:

And

724

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: yeah.

725

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

he is disguised in this piece of

726

:

bread, but it is still the same.

727

:

And so I was like, wow, like

I need to be kneeling in this

728

:

moment to receive him as well.

729

:

Yeah.

730

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

little heartbreaking, honestly, because

731

:

people will come up to receive and

they're just so flippant about it.

732

:

You know, it's like the body of Christ

and they're like, amen, and they're like

733

:

barely holding their hands out and they

just like kind of throw the Lord in their

734

:

mouth and take off and it's, it's sad.

735

:

I'm like, Don't you recognize,

like, what the pearl of great price

736

:

that you've just received and,

737

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

738

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I can fall into being lax in my

739

:

faith as well, but like you said,

trey, posture does make a difference.

740

:

And I'll give you props for this Mari,

like, every time you came up to receive.

741

:

You just have like the

biggest smile on your face.

742

:

And I think it was for Jesus, not for me.

743

:

I think you smiled at everybody, but like,

744

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

It's for Jesus.

745

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Christ

746

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

It's not for you, father.

747

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I was like, what could be both?

748

:

It could be both, you know, it

can be for Jesus and for me.

749

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

750

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

But yeah, so good job, Mari.

751

:

You got,

752

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Fakes.

753

:

Ha!

754

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

receiving.

755

:

It's

756

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: So good.

757

:

Awesome.

758

:

So good.

759

:

Okay, moving on to confession.

760

:

Do priests recognize people's

voices when you're in confession,

761

:

and do you remember people's sins?

762

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

763

:

Good question.

764

:

So I think every priest is a

little bit different with this.

765

:

I have met priests that

I think really have.

766

:

a gift of like, they forget everything

they heard in the confessional and they're

767

:

in just like a completely different zone.

768

:

I'm not 1 of those people,

to be honest with you.

769

:

Like, if people come to confession,

sometimes I can recognize their voice

770

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Mm hmm.

771

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: it is.

772

:

And will say this, though, when I

recognize that it's someone's voice,

773

:

and it chose to go behind the screen

because they have an option to go both.

774

:

when I, when that's the case.

775

:

I intentionally, like, tell myself,

okay, I'm going to treat this

776

:

person as if I don't know them.

777

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Mm.

778

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

even if I know exactly who you are, I'm

779

:

like, nope, they want to go anonymously,

I'm going to treat them anonymously.

780

:

And I'm not going to think, oh, this

is so and so, or something like that.

781

:

As far as do we remember the

sins that we heard in confession?

782

:

Um, I found more often

than not, not really.

783

:

I don't.

784

:

Part of that is because I hear

an hour of confessions every day.

785

:

So at this point, I've heard

like over 10, 000 confessions and

786

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Wow.

787

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: kind

of blends together and everyone sins.

788

:

And it all is like, it's kind of

like asking a garbage man, like,

789

:

you know, do you remember people's

garbage that they have in their house?

790

:

It's like probably not unless it was

like unbelievably like ratchet and then

791

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

792

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

well now I, now I remember.

793

:

Yeah.

794

:

And you know, but I am, I'm pretty

stern with myself of like trying

795

:

not to associate that in my mind.

796

:

And I,

797

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

798

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

be like, Nope, that's, that's

799

:

between the Lord and them.

800

:

That's not for me to think about.

801

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: So

staying on the topic of confession,

802

:

Do you feel awkward when

people confess sexual sins?

803

:

And what is the best way to do it?

804

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

You hear them a lot.

805

:

And so, um, I'm not going to say you get

this desensitized to it, but a little bit.

806

:

Like, it isn't awkward at all

when people confess sexual sins.

807

:

Um, I would say this is kind of weird,

but when people get too graphically

808

:

into detail, I'm like, you know, I

actually don't need to know all of that.

809

:

Like, you should confess your sins.

810

:

You shouldn't just be like, um, I haven't

been as chaste as I could have been.

811

:

Like, okay, that's not

really a confession.

812

:

Like, you need to say what you did.

813

:

Um, but you don't need

to give me the details.

814

:

Like you can strike a good

balance between those two.

815

:

So should never feel afraid of confessing

sexual sins because, um, everybody has

816

:

sexuality and everyone struggles with sin.

817

:

So it makes sense that everyone

at some level is going to

818

:

struggle with both of those.

819

:

this

820

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

is kind of on the same topic, but

821

:

the question is, uh, My boyfriend

and I made the decision to have sex

822

:

before marriage and now I regret it.

823

:

Is there a way for us to still

have a chaste relationship?

824

:

We want to include God in

our relationship, but don't

825

:

really know where to start.

826

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

827

:

What a great question.

828

:

Thanks to whoever asked this.

829

:

That's so good.

830

:

Um, I would say one, there's absolutely a

way for you to live a chaste relationship.

831

:

Like that's always available to you.

832

:

Even, even if you have been trapped

in sexual sin, even if you and your

833

:

significant other have been having

sex for a long time, like you can

834

:

still choose chastity, it might be

a hard door to close, which is going

835

:

to involve some pretty, probably

difficult conversations with each other.

836

:

also it's going to involve practically

speaking, just some boundaries, like

837

:

things that you were doing before.

838

:

You're probably not going to be

able to do any more in like places

839

:

that you're putting yourself

into near occasion of sin.

840

:

Gotta eliminate those, but I'm such a

firm believer in what I'm about to say.

841

:

And I talked to people in

marriage prep about this a lot.

842

:

Um, I just firmly believe that if, if

the, the guy and the girl go before the

843

:

Lord and they're like, Oh Lord, we have

messed up, but we want to start over.

844

:

Like we want to be virginal

on the day of our wedding

845

:

Hey, it's me again.

846

:

It cut out here.

847

:

And what father was saying was that he

firmly believes that if a couple go to the

848

:

Lord in prayer and Really seriously and

with a sincere heart and a sincere prayer

849

:

say Lord, please restore our virginity

Please restore Our chastity we want to be

850

:

Like virginal on the day of our wedding.

851

:

We want it to be as if it was our first

time we want to Uh be pure on the day

852

:

of our wedding He believes that the

lord firmly will answer that prayer

853

:

and almost like renew that virginity

within the people and within the couple

854

:

. fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Like I firmly believe the

855

:

Lord answers that prayer.

856

:

Like I think he gives the thing news,

the virginity, like help us to \ Turn

857

:

away from this sin and then make it

that like on the night of our wedding

858

:

It's as if for the first time we had

sex and then trusting that God who?

859

:

Sent his son to die for us who created

the stars who makes a little piece of

860

:

bread into himself can probably do that

861

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: And it's

probably like willing to and overjoyed

862

:

just as when you go to confession for

anything else, like probably willing and

863

:

overjoyed when you come to him and say

like, make me new, like in this aspect,

864

:

like, of course he would want that.

865

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yes.

866

:

He loves it when we ask for those things

867

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

868

:

This is where we can

get a little more spicy.

869

:

Potentially.

870

:

Do priests get tired of

the Karen church ladies?

871

:

I feel like I'm a young version of them.

872

:

LOL.

873

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Oh

874

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

I don't know who asked

875

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: funny.

876

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: this,

but I love that they identified with

877

:

them and yet felt the need to ask it too.

878

:

I mean, your, your experience as

a priest is a little bit different

879

:

being at a college campus.

880

:

True.

881

:

So answer what you can.

882

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yeah.

883

:

Yeah, exactly.

884

:

I do.

885

:

I primarily serve people that are

between the ages of like 18 and 25.

886

:

So we don't really have

like Karens as much.

887

:

Maybe we have young Karens.

888

:

I'm not really sure, but

do we ever get bothered?

889

:

I mean, if we're answering

honestly, like absolutely.

890

:

The, the stereotype that's being offered

here is someone that is really pestering

891

:

and tells the priest how to do his job.

892

:

Who would enjoy that?

893

:

Nobody would enjoy that.

894

:

And so, yeah, that, that does get tiring.

895

:

But, I found this like the, the

church ladies or the people that

896

:

are really maybe difficult to get

along with, um, or just get annoying.

897

:

they are so dedicated.

898

:

Those are some of the biggest

prayer warriors in the entire

899

:

church, like the church universal.

900

:

They pray their butts off.

901

:

\

-:

902

:

And you know what?

903

:

I love that we're answering this

honestly because I think like it brings

904

:

again like a level of humanity to

the priesthood and we all just need

905

:

to remember like priests are humans.

906

:

Like it's not like Jesus

that was human and divine.

907

:

It's like, no, you are

literally just human.

908

:

You experience everything

that everybody else does.

909

:

So let's just all remember that.

910

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

And you can flip the switch too.

911

:

It's like, my goodness.

912

:

Sometimes priests can be so grouchy

and sometimes priests can be so weird.

913

:

And, uh, do people ever get tired of that?

914

:

Yes.

915

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

916

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

still appreciate that the priest,

917

:

like is trying and you know, he is

bringing the sacraments to them?

918

:

Yes.

919

:

Does that mean that the priest

has to be like super weird?

920

:

No,

921

:

No.

922

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

he could probably

923

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

work on that.

924

:

Like, does that mean, you know,

I don't eat breakfast sometimes

925

:

and I get a little hangry.

926

:

that helpful for everybody else?

927

:

No, but it's a part of my life.

928

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Gotta eat your breakfast, father.

929

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: I know

930

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Okay, did you ever date or fall in

931

:

love before you became a priest?

932

:

Shout

933

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: I did.

934

:

I did shout out to the X's

on the, on the podcast.

935

:

If you're

936

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

out to the exes.

937

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

aren't, but shout out to the X's.

938

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

They're definitely not listening.

939

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Okay, fair enough.

940

:

Yeah, I did.

941

:

Um, you know, marriage and family and

all that is something that I was deeply

942

:

attracted to and something that I'm

like, yeah, I would absolutely want that.

943

:

And that's really where I thought

my life was going to go was to

944

:

get married and have children.

945

:

And so, um, I was definitely dating

and discerning that and wanted that.

946

:

And the call of God came in where

the Lord was saying, I formed your

947

:

heart for something different.

948

:

And I'm going to give you

intimacy in a different way.

949

:

And I'm going to give you

spousal love in a different way.

950

:

And I'm going to give you

fatherhood in a different way.

951

:

So, um, so I'm really grateful for

those experiences of dating and

952

:

discerning marriage and falling in love.

953

:

Um, but I'm also really grateful that the

Lord called me to something different.

954

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Yeah, we're grateful for that too.

955

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: Yes.

956

:

Yes,

957

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

Very grateful.

958

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Yeah, it is funny.

959

:

I'll say this, um, little spicy.

960

:

uh, I live in Lincoln,

which is where I grew up.

961

:

And also where I went to high

school and like where I dated.

962

:

And so it is kind of funny, like when I'm

out places and I'm like, Oh, I remember

963

:

I took someone on a date here, you

know, or you like see someone that you

964

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

You see people that you dated.

965

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: And

neither people, neither person really

966

:

knows exactly how do you respond to this?

967

:

Like,

968

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Right.

969

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731: weird,

970

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

971

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

of like.

972

:

What's it like for someone

that's like, Oh yeah, I dated

973

:

a person that became a priest.

974

:

You know,

975

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

976

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

than it is for me.

977

:

Like, I'm like, you're still a

978

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

normal human being.

979

:

Probably.

980

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

I have a collar and a mustache now.

981

:

So like, what are you?

982

:

I'm sorry.

983

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731:

A mustache.

984

:

Oh, that's funny.

985

:

I love that.

986

:

That was noteworthy.

987

:

I actually think I like the

mustache better than the full beard.

988

:

Not gonna lie.

989

:

Me too.

990

:

I like the mustache.

991

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

Thank you.

992

:

Thank

993

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: Yeah.

994

:

No, it looks good.

995

:

It

996

:

fr--alec-sasse_2_07-26-2024_154731:

compliment the other day.

997

:

They said it's giving Top Gun.

998

:

And I'm like, Thank

999

:

mari-wagner_2_07-26-2024_144731: is.

:

00:40:46,311 --> 00:40:47,581

I thought you were going

to say it's giving Trey.

:

00:40:48,571 --> 00:40:49,001

Just kidding.

:

00:40:49,011 --> 00:40:49,051

It is.

:

00:40:49,331 --> 00:40:50,011

-:

Yeah, that's right.

:

00:40:50,031 --> 00:40:50,531

That's right.

:

00:40:51,031 --> 00:40:51,441

Trey.

:

00:40:53,471 --> 00:40:56,681

-:

it a sin to attend the wedding of an ex

:

00:40:56,681 --> 00:40:59,501

Catholic or someone who's not Catholic?

:

00:40:59,501 --> 00:41:01,471

What about a same sex wedding?

:

00:41:01,481 --> 00:41:04,511

Those are two different questions,

but kind of on the same topic.

:

00:41:04,511 --> 00:41:04,811

-:

:

00:41:05,241 --> 00:41:06,261

That's a great question.

:

00:41:06,311 --> 00:41:10,161

And it's again, one that we get asked a

lot, know, so I think the question boils

:

00:41:10,161 --> 00:41:13,341

down to this, if you have to baptize

Catholic and then they choose to stop

:

00:41:13,341 --> 00:41:17,941

practicing and they want to get married

outside of the church the eyes of the,

:

00:41:17,941 --> 00:41:20,131

So, it cut out again here, but what

Father was saying was that, When

:

00:41:20,131 --> 00:41:25,471

there are two Catholics that have both

been baptized within the church, but

:

00:41:25,471 --> 00:41:27,541

then they chose to stop practicing.

:

00:41:28,081 --> 00:41:33,331

And then later down the road, they

married, um, in the eyes of, oh yeah.

:

00:41:33,952 --> 00:41:34,729

the church.

:

00:41:34,909 --> 00:41:39,319

It wouldn't be a valid marriage

because they are baptized Catholics.

:

00:41:39,469 --> 00:41:42,799

So in the eyes of the church,

if two baptized, Catholics

:

00:41:42,859 --> 00:41:46,729

are not getting married in the

church, then it is not a valid.

:

00:41:47,089 --> 00:41:48,649

Uh, marriage within the church.

:

00:41:48,949 --> 00:41:49,279

Okay.

:

00:41:53,168 --> 00:41:53,998

-:

Because they're supposed to be getting

:

00:41:53,998 --> 00:41:55,228

married in the Catholic church.

:

00:41:55,948 --> 00:41:59,338

so now I have to ask the question of, do

I attend this wedding that is actually,

:

00:41:59,358 --> 00:42:03,588

I know it to be invalid, it might really

harm my relationship if I don't go.

:

00:42:03,588 --> 00:42:05,298

And it's like, it gets really dicey.

:

00:42:06,298 --> 00:42:11,818

Um, the sin would really be like the sin

of participating in scandal, like kind

:

00:42:11,818 --> 00:42:15,598

of giving your affirmation, giving your

consent to something that is not right.

:

00:42:16,210 --> 00:42:17,728

And at some level is not right.

:

00:42:18,448 --> 00:42:19,998

Um, that can be the real danger.

:

00:42:20,658 --> 00:42:24,898

I think the way that try to approach it,

and it's a, it's kind of up to everyone's

:

00:42:24,918 --> 00:42:29,088

individual discernment with the different,

you know, dynamics of your family

:

00:42:29,088 --> 00:42:30,468

and where you're at and all of that.

:

00:42:30,828 --> 00:42:34,878

I think if it's like an immediate family

member, I think you, you should go.

:

00:42:36,098 --> 00:42:36,738

because.

:

00:42:37,098 --> 00:42:39,058

I'm just a big believer

in playing the long game.

:

00:42:39,498 --> 00:42:42,508

Like, and the thing is, this marriage

could turn into a valid marriage.

:

00:42:42,853 --> 00:42:43,273

-:

:

00:42:43,388 --> 00:42:44,598

-:

through the process of the church

:

00:42:44,618 --> 00:42:45,968

and what's called a con validation.

:

00:42:45,988 --> 00:42:48,318

Get your marriage blessed is

how most people refer to it.

:

00:42:48,678 --> 00:42:51,658

They could get their marriage

blessed and maybe they'll get

:

00:42:51,658 --> 00:42:52,598

their marriage blessed because

:

00:42:53,308 --> 00:42:53,978

Me again.

:

00:42:54,018 --> 00:42:54,338

Okay.

:

00:42:54,338 --> 00:42:54,678

Here.

:

00:42:54,688 --> 00:42:59,538

Father was saying that you could make

an impact in this family member who

:

00:42:59,568 --> 00:43:04,538

maybe doesn't have a valid marriage, um,

by just being a witness to them and by

:

00:43:04,538 --> 00:43:08,088

inviting them, you know, at different

points in the year when you see them

:

00:43:08,088 --> 00:43:11,768

or you discerning when the right time

is, um, you know, maybe every Christmas

:

00:43:11,768 --> 00:43:14,658

you're like, Hey, like, have you guys

thought about coming back to church?

:

00:43:14,668 --> 00:43:16,068

You know, like, why don't we go together?

:

00:43:16,068 --> 00:43:18,508

Like invite them to go to mass

with you or something like that.

:

00:43:18,508 --> 00:43:22,208

Just you're loving persistence

and patience throughout the years

:

00:43:22,328 --> 00:43:27,208

and gently inviting them back to

the church, um, in the right times

:

00:43:27,208 --> 00:43:28,848

and to invite them to go with you.

:

00:43:29,108 --> 00:43:33,898

Maybe that persistence, um, could result

into something and could result into them

:

00:43:34,248 --> 00:43:38,108

coming back to the church and possibly

getting their marriage validated.

:

00:43:38,357 --> 00:43:39,917

-:

every Christmas after that and brought

:

00:43:39,917 --> 00:43:42,377

up like, Hey, have you guys thought

about like coming back to the church?

:

00:43:42,377 --> 00:43:43,847

Like, have you thought about it?

:

00:43:43,857 --> 00:43:45,147

Why don't you meet the father?

:

00:43:45,147 --> 00:43:46,737

So and so he's not too weird.

:

00:43:46,787 --> 00:43:49,487

Now, I think the further removed

you are, like, okay, I'm a friend

:

00:43:49,487 --> 00:43:50,997

or a cousin or something like that.

:

00:43:51,647 --> 00:43:56,337

do think you have a responsibility to

say like, Hey, actually, um, I, I can't

:

00:43:56,337 --> 00:43:58,487

really, I can't participate in this.

:

00:43:58,537 --> 00:44:00,177

It really violates my conscience.

:

00:44:00,177 --> 00:44:03,252

And I think that you, you

have to do that the further.

:

00:44:05,172 --> 00:44:09,002

Um, I just think you'll just destroy

you are but the immediate family member.

:

00:44:09,072 --> 00:44:09,402

Um,

:

00:44:09,702 --> 00:44:10,612

-:

Yeah, that's hard.

:

00:44:10,622 --> 00:44:11,782

-:

When you're talking about, uh,

:

00:44:11,802 --> 00:44:15,282

same sex carry to each other

can never actually become valid.

:

00:44:15,712 --> 00:44:19,062

It can never actually be a marriage

that is right in the eyes of God.

:

00:44:19,502 --> 00:44:22,292

Could those 2 men or those 2

women actually love each other?

:

00:44:22,322 --> 00:44:23,032

Absolutely.

:

00:44:23,412 --> 00:44:24,742

Could they have self gift for each other?

:

00:44:24,742 --> 00:44:27,902

Yeah, at some level, but could

it ever actually be a marriage?

:

00:44:28,167 --> 00:44:28,507

No.

:

00:44:29,247 --> 00:44:31,967

And because of that, I think

that there's no like well founded

:

00:44:31,967 --> 00:44:33,257

hope that this could change.

:

00:44:33,947 --> 00:44:36,987

And because of that, you have to

make a, make a hard decision and

:

00:44:36,997 --> 00:44:38,727

have some hard conversations and

:

00:44:38,912 --> 00:44:39,292

-:

:

00:44:40,787 --> 00:44:42,447

-:

And you know, our Lord, uh, He

:

00:44:42,447 --> 00:44:45,877

was very clear in promising us

that the world would hate us.

:

00:44:46,312 --> 00:44:46,702

-:

:

00:44:46,917 --> 00:44:47,867

-:

uh, the world doesn't really

:

00:44:47,867 --> 00:44:49,377

hate us, it actually hates Him.

:

00:44:49,467 --> 00:44:51,417

And people are very broken and hurt.

:

00:44:52,077 --> 00:44:56,332

we have to treat them with a great

amount of gentleness, but also can't, um,

:

00:44:56,952 --> 00:45:01,012

compromise on what we believe and what

our conscience is telling us for the sake

:

00:45:01,012 --> 00:45:03,202

of not getting some angry text messages.

:

00:45:04,212 --> 00:45:04,682

-:

:

00:45:05,172 --> 00:45:05,582

-:

:

00:45:06,102 --> 00:45:07,142

-:

uh, that's all really good.

:

00:45:07,542 --> 00:45:12,672

And what about the group of people that

just, they're not Catholic, they're

:

00:45:12,672 --> 00:45:13,812

just man and woman getting married.

:

00:45:13,812 --> 00:45:17,092

They're either Christian or

non denominational or just

:

00:45:17,112 --> 00:45:18,702

have like no faith whatsoever.

:

00:45:18,702 --> 00:45:19,832

They're just having your normal life.

:

00:45:20,257 --> 00:45:21,637

Like, it's my secular wedding.

:

00:45:22,312 --> 00:45:23,582

-:

Yeah, you should feel very welcome

:

00:45:23,602 --> 00:45:27,622

to go to weddings of non Catholics

in whatever venue they are.

:

00:45:27,672 --> 00:45:32,622

Um, to non Catholic Christians that are

getting married, the Catholic Church

:

00:45:32,622 --> 00:45:34,052

still considers that a sacrament.

:

00:45:34,717 --> 00:45:38,177

And, uh, even if it's on a beach,

like them getting married, giving

:

00:45:38,177 --> 00:45:42,067

themselves to each other, because

they're not bound by the, the like

:

00:45:42,067 --> 00:45:45,347

rules and regulations of the Catholic

church, cause they're not Catholic yet

:

00:45:45,377 --> 00:45:48,097

people that aren't baptized, yeah, you

can definitely go to their weddings.

:

00:45:48,107 --> 00:45:49,707

So you shouldn't feel bad about that.

:

00:45:49,917 --> 00:45:52,667

It's just Catholics who should be

getting married in the church that

:

00:45:52,687 --> 00:45:54,567

aren't that we have to pause and ask

:

00:45:54,657 --> 00:45:55,117

-:

:

00:45:55,627 --> 00:45:56,077

Mm hmm.

:

00:45:56,117 --> 00:45:56,817

Makes sense.

:

00:45:57,127 --> 00:45:57,447

Okay.

:

00:45:57,447 --> 00:46:00,417

This one's totally changing

topics, but I get asked this a lot.

:

00:46:01,087 --> 00:46:01,437

-:

:

00:46:01,527 --> 00:46:04,817

-:

yoga as, as a workout, as a Catholic?

:

00:46:04,917 --> 00:46:07,757

There's a lot of confusion around yoga.

:

00:46:08,407 --> 00:46:08,897

-:

:

00:46:09,137 --> 00:46:09,837

Oh man.

:

00:46:09,877 --> 00:46:10,077

Yeah.

:

00:46:10,077 --> 00:46:10,807

This question.

:

00:46:10,857 --> 00:46:12,407

Um, okay.

:

00:46:12,407 --> 00:46:14,437

So here's the thing for

those that are familiar.

:

00:46:14,437 --> 00:46:18,767

The really basic summary of this

controversy is, you know, yoga in

:

00:46:18,767 --> 00:46:22,757

its most primitive forms has its

roots in Hinduism, like the forms

:

00:46:22,757 --> 00:46:24,347

that poses all of that stuff.

:

00:46:24,447 --> 00:46:28,257

And so even today it's like an

exercise for most people, right?

:

00:46:29,027 --> 00:46:31,677

You can still use yoga

though, as like a form of.

:

00:46:31,997 --> 00:46:33,357

Pagan worship, basically.

:

00:46:33,367 --> 00:46:36,977

And because of that, um, some people

will caution, Hey, you're actually

:

00:46:36,977 --> 00:46:38,467

opening yourself up to the enemy.

:

00:46:38,477 --> 00:46:42,117

You're opening yourself up to the

devil by participating in this thing.

:

00:46:42,117 --> 00:46:45,487

That's rooted um, a pagan religion.

:

00:46:46,067 --> 00:46:48,857

So for myself, I'm like, yeah, I get that.

:

00:46:49,112 --> 00:46:51,302

And I personally am not going to do yoga.

:

00:46:51,332 --> 00:46:56,492

One, I'm not flexible, but two, it

also just like, it also, it gives me

:

00:46:56,492 --> 00:46:58,442

the, the willy nillies to a little bit.

:

00:46:58,442 --> 00:46:59,162

I'm like, I don't

:

00:46:59,187 --> 00:47:00,097

-:

:

00:47:00,232 --> 00:47:02,762

-:

this opening up, um, that business.

:

00:47:02,772 --> 00:47:04,202

So I wouldn't do it personally,

:

00:47:04,577 --> 00:47:04,807

-:

:

00:47:04,807 --> 00:47:05,037

Mm hmm.

:

00:47:05,037 --> 00:47:05,057

Mm hmm.

:

00:47:05,092 --> 00:47:08,222

-:

not in my, like, top 10 things

:

00:47:08,222 --> 00:47:08,677

I'm most comfortable with.

:

00:47:10,627 --> 00:47:12,037

Opening up answer.

:

00:47:12,037 --> 00:47:16,167

I'm kind of like in this world, I'm

allowed to get that in forms of exercise

:

00:47:16,207 --> 00:47:19,967

that you don't even have to have to

ask that question at the same time.

:

00:47:19,967 --> 00:47:22,937

I don't think you have to go

on a crusader campaign to get

:

00:47:22,987 --> 00:47:24,157

everyone out of the yoga gyms.

:

00:47:25,057 --> 00:47:25,587

So,

:

00:47:25,637 --> 00:47:26,137

-:

a good answer.

:

00:47:26,367 --> 00:47:31,097

I think too that there is a difference

like if you are going to like a yoga

:

00:47:31,107 --> 00:47:35,337

studio where there's like a yogi and

it's like it is a spiritual experience

:

00:47:35,347 --> 00:47:39,567

that they're bringing in versus you're

literally just going to like your

:

00:47:39,577 --> 00:47:43,097

regular fitness center that happens

to have like a yoga class where

:

00:47:43,097 --> 00:47:45,087

like, it's basically just stretching.

:

00:47:45,087 --> 00:47:46,687

I feel like there is a difference there.

:

00:47:47,367 --> 00:47:48,127

Um,

:

00:47:48,587 --> 00:47:49,057

-:

And you know what?

:

00:47:49,057 --> 00:47:53,037

There's a lot of exercise facilities

that, they really get into a lot of,

:

00:47:53,037 --> 00:47:54,377

like, new age stuff and a lot of,

:

00:47:54,677 --> 00:47:55,157

-:

:

00:47:55,562 --> 00:47:56,792

-:

and chakra healing and stuff.

:

00:47:58,037 --> 00:48:04,057

Okay, father was just saying here that

these fitness centers that, um, are a

:

00:48:04,057 --> 00:48:08,797

little bit more into the new age stuff

like chakra healing, harnessing energies,

:

00:48:09,207 --> 00:48:15,027

um, stuff like that, that it is kind of

opening doors to, um, maybe evil spirits.

:

00:48:15,027 --> 00:48:18,057

And so he was like, personally, I

think as Christians, we should avoid

:

00:48:18,057 --> 00:48:20,727

those kind of, uh, exercise studios.

:

00:48:20,767 --> 00:48:23,757

And then he's about to go into maybe

kind of a different alternative,

:

00:48:24,117 --> 00:48:27,137

different alternative that we

can, um, look for as Christians.

:

00:48:27,657 --> 00:48:29,337

-:

I think as Christians we're in great

:

00:48:29,337 --> 00:48:33,917

need of conquering a lot of those

areas of our lives, like exercise.

:

00:48:34,547 --> 00:48:36,777

It's like, we should have Christians

that are, and I know that this

:

00:48:36,777 --> 00:48:41,407

exists too, there are like Christian

forms of yoga that's not yoga.

:

00:48:41,657 --> 00:48:43,097

And I'm like, perfect, like, why

:

00:48:43,132 --> 00:48:43,302

-:

:

00:48:43,372 --> 00:48:43,572

Mm hmm.

:

00:48:43,767 --> 00:48:45,657

-:

can just avoid this controversy entirely.

:

00:48:46,222 --> 00:48:46,672

-:

:

00:48:47,162 --> 00:48:47,462

Yeah.

:

00:48:47,462 --> 00:48:52,202

I think one's called soul core in they,

they do it around the rosary or something

:

00:48:52,212 --> 00:48:53,712

like around the mysteries of the rosary.

:

00:48:53,732 --> 00:48:56,687

So super Catholic, super

Catholic stretching right there.

:

00:48:56,987 --> 00:48:57,487

-:

you're right.

:

00:48:57,647 --> 00:49:01,237

Or you can just take my workout routine,

which is eat a lot of cheeseburgers and

:

00:49:01,237 --> 00:49:06,457

do pushups and watch Rocky and you never

have to worry about demons if you do those

:

00:49:06,757 --> 00:49:08,162

-:

:

00:49:08,162 --> 00:49:09,747

Okay.

:

00:49:09,747 --> 00:49:11,877

Well, now that we're on the topic

with demons, I feel like this is a

:

00:49:11,877 --> 00:49:14,317

really good place to talk about that.

:

00:49:14,377 --> 00:49:17,847

Um, what would you say, this

isn't like an official question,

:

00:49:17,857 --> 00:49:19,147

which actually surprises me.

:

00:49:19,877 --> 00:49:24,167

Like, what would you say are some of

the top things you're concerned about

:

00:49:24,177 --> 00:49:29,277

that you see, especially young people of

today, like opening themselves up to evil?

:

00:49:29,617 --> 00:49:31,517

Like how can we avoid those things?

:

00:49:33,247 --> 00:49:34,887

-:

Yeah, I mean, working with college

:

00:49:34,887 --> 00:49:37,787

students, I actually see a lot of

this stuff, like a lot of kind of

:

00:49:37,857 --> 00:49:39,237

paranormal activity, as they would say.

:

00:49:39,977 --> 00:49:44,157

Yeah, I mean working and honestly a lot

of it just has to do with practices of the

:

00:49:44,157 --> 00:49:50,587

occult or new age things and a Ouija board

seems really fun It's like a cool party

:

00:49:50,587 --> 00:49:52,877

trick right until the demon shows up.

:

00:49:52,947 --> 00:49:54,417

Like I've literally gone to

:

00:49:55,257 --> 00:49:58,237

So it literally cut out here again,

this is what I'm seeing you guys,

:

00:49:58,267 --> 00:50:01,667

like right when we're talking about

Ouija boards and new age practices

:

00:50:01,667 --> 00:50:03,347

and occult practices, like, come on.

:

00:50:04,037 --> 00:50:08,807

Um, father was saying that he's literally

gone to different, uh, college homes or

:

00:50:08,807 --> 00:50:13,617

fraternities or sororities where students

have come to him saying like there are

:

00:50:13,637 --> 00:50:17,167

people in the house or a roommate or

somebody that lives right above them or

:

00:50:17,167 --> 00:50:22,117

something that they know does this whole

Ouija board thing a lot or has just kind

:

00:50:22,117 --> 00:50:27,417

of like, you know, weird occult practices

that go on in there, um, and there's

:

00:50:27,417 --> 00:50:28,627

weird things happening in the house.

:

00:50:28,637 --> 00:50:31,607

And so they've like asked father to come

bless it and all that kind of stuff.

:

00:50:31,607 --> 00:50:35,557

And father kind of goes into

how as Christians, we have the

:

00:50:35,557 --> 00:50:40,107

right to stand up for our beliefs

and our practices, just as.

:

00:50:40,857 --> 00:50:43,627

Other people have the right to say

that to us, you know, and I think

:

00:50:43,627 --> 00:50:49,617

it's very common common in today's

culture for People who maybe act in

:

00:50:49,627 --> 00:50:51,247

the opposite way of Christians, right?

:

00:50:51,257 --> 00:50:55,487

More a more worldly way for them

to be like Hey, like your Christian

:

00:50:55,487 --> 00:50:59,307

religion isn't for me and I like

you can't expect me to do these

:

00:50:59,317 --> 00:51:00,597

things Like I'm not a Christian.

:

00:51:00,607 --> 00:51:01,657

This isn't my lifestyle.

:

00:51:01,657 --> 00:51:05,342

I'm not comfortable with this With

all these things you have the same

:

00:51:05,342 --> 00:51:09,002

right and have the same expectation

to be like, hey I'm a christian

:

00:51:09,002 --> 00:51:10,992

and this violates my religion.

:

00:51:10,992 --> 00:51:15,302

This violates My lifestyle

like please respect that and

:

00:51:15,342 --> 00:51:16,932

like please do this elsewhere

:

00:51:17,195 --> 00:51:19,455

-:

the same expectation for them Like as a

:

00:51:19,825 --> 00:51:20,375

-:

:

00:51:20,675 --> 00:51:21,525

-:

violates my beliefs.

:

00:51:21,535 --> 00:51:22,485

So you need to change it.

:

00:51:23,185 --> 00:51:26,065

one else has any problem telling us that

we should have no problem telling them.

:

00:51:26,085 --> 00:51:31,065

So I would say those like a cult new

age practices are problematic, but,

:

00:51:31,115 --> 00:51:34,655

um, honestly, the biggest way that the

devil affects us is through mortal sin.

:

00:51:35,605 --> 00:51:38,485

Which is kind of a like fire and

brimstone answer, but it's true.

:

00:51:38,655 --> 00:51:41,465

It's like the best way that the

devil can get ahold of you is just

:

00:51:41,465 --> 00:51:42,995

to get you knee deep in mortal sin.

:

00:51:43,975 --> 00:51:48,135

So that's in my top 10 worrying about

helping people overcome mortal sin.

:

00:51:48,615 --> 00:51:50,505

Occult and new age practices are big.

:

00:51:51,170 --> 00:51:53,740

And then I'll give you a spicy

controversial take if you want.

:

00:51:53,835 --> 00:51:54,040

-:

:

00:51:54,225 --> 00:51:55,020

Let's do it.

:

00:51:55,320 --> 00:51:56,040

-:

all right, great.

:

00:51:56,080 --> 00:52:00,030

So, you know, every year Halloween

rolls around and everybody loves

:

00:52:00,030 --> 00:52:01,950

watching like super freaky movies.

:

00:52:01,970 --> 00:52:04,680

They want to watch the conjuring and

all this demonic movies and stuff.

:

00:52:05,450 --> 00:52:07,430

a big believer in like,

not watching those.

:

00:52:07,765 --> 00:52:08,235

-:

:

00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:10,020

-:

I like thrillers.

:

00:52:10,050 --> 00:52:11,120

I like suspenseful movies.

:

00:52:11,140 --> 00:52:13,190

I like scary stuff, but.

:

00:52:13,620 --> 00:52:15,130

Um, here's the thing.

:

00:52:15,160 --> 00:52:18,870

I don't think it's good for

us to be like entertained and

:

00:52:18,870 --> 00:52:20,690

fascinated by the devil or by

:

00:52:20,715 --> 00:52:21,545

-:

:

00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:23,540

-:

here's the thing, like, our

:

00:52:23,690 --> 00:52:27,040

intellect and our will are the two

sanctuaries that are reserved to God.

:

00:52:27,160 --> 00:52:31,660

Like, God alone gets access to

those with us, but a doorway into

:

00:52:31,660 --> 00:52:33,420

those things is our imagination.

:

00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:36,740

And so the more that we're putting into

our imagination, especially demonic

:

00:52:36,750 --> 00:52:40,580

things is the more like Plato material

that the devil has to use against us.

:

00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:45,370

if you've ever had just some like

horrible, like demonic dreams, and

:

00:52:45,370 --> 00:52:46,430

you're like, where did that come from?

:

00:52:46,430 --> 00:52:47,590

That felt so real.

:

00:52:48,030 --> 00:52:50,550

A lot of times that we've

seen, and he's able to,

:

00:52:51,490 --> 00:52:52,750

I cut again out here.

:

00:52:52,790 --> 00:52:57,220

So what father was saying was that if

you've ever had these horrible demonic

:

00:52:57,220 --> 00:53:01,560

dreams Sometimes they could be that

it's not coming from nowhere You know

:

00:53:01,560 --> 00:53:06,310

if you have exposed yourself in some way

like he's saying to these movies or to

:

00:53:06,310 --> 00:53:11,485

different occult practices You know It

opens a door, in a sense, for the evil

:

00:53:11,485 --> 00:53:15,595

one to maybe, like, use your imagination

and enter into your imagination.

:

00:53:15,615 --> 00:53:20,585

Um, so those dreams sometimes aren't just

nothing, you know, it might be evil at

:

00:53:20,585 --> 00:53:22,845

work trying to torment you, in a way.

:

00:53:22,905 --> 00:53:26,535

Um, so, I think that's kind of all

he was saying there, and now we're

:

00:53:26,545 --> 00:53:31,665

gonna get into his big challenge to

just not watch these movies at all.

:

00:53:32,220 --> 00:53:34,790

-:

I could challenge everybody demonic movies

:

00:53:34,900 --> 00:53:36,550

because there's nothing for you there.

:

00:53:38,205 --> 00:53:39,655

-:

And they're scary as heck, man.

:

00:53:39,655 --> 00:53:40,715

I can't watch one.

:

00:53:42,955 --> 00:53:44,785

I think, I think I've watched one.

:

00:53:44,785 --> 00:53:47,835

I watched one when I was in high

school and yeah, I definitely had

:

00:53:47,835 --> 00:53:50,715

nightmares and I was like, never

again, literally never again.

:

00:53:50,716 --> 00:53:52,640

Yeah.

:

00:53:52,640 --> 00:53:54,565

Yeah.

:

00:53:55,500 --> 00:53:57,300

-:

It's like Jesus trampled the devil

:

00:53:57,300 --> 00:54:01,430

underfoot our lady Like just don't

want to live in fear running like I

:

00:54:01,430 --> 00:54:06,110

don't want to live in fear of him or

his minions And so like, why don't I

:

00:54:06,110 --> 00:54:07,410

choose the things that are gonna help

:

00:54:08,010 --> 00:54:09,210

-:

:

00:54:09,220 --> 00:54:13,590

In the last few minutes, is there

something that you want to share?

:

00:54:13,590 --> 00:54:16,950

Is there something that you're like,

I would love your listeners to know

:

00:54:16,950 --> 00:54:21,160

this or that I think young people

should know, um, whether it's a

:

00:54:21,160 --> 00:54:25,790

specific topic or something about their

faith or whatever is on your heart.

:

00:54:25,850 --> 00:54:26,160

Yeah.

:

00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:27,350

What would you want to share with them?

:

00:54:27,685 --> 00:54:29,455

-:

Hey, in my time as a priest, something

:

00:54:29,455 --> 00:54:33,755

that I've learned is I think the

primary way that the devil really

:

00:54:33,755 --> 00:54:38,895

attacks people and the enemy is trying

to win souls over himself is shame.

:

00:54:39,715 --> 00:54:41,585

Shame is just like the tool of the enemy.

:

00:54:41,605 --> 00:54:42,305

He loves it.

:

00:54:42,335 --> 00:54:45,965

And you know, guilt is I feel bad

about what I've done, which is good.

:

00:54:45,965 --> 00:54:50,685

Like if you don't have guilt, you probably

get a Netflix documentary made about you.

:

00:54:50,685 --> 00:54:52,245

Like that's, we should have guilt.

:

00:54:52,275 --> 00:54:52,985

I've done something bad.

:

00:54:52,985 --> 00:54:53,805

I feel bad about it.

:

00:54:54,275 --> 00:54:56,725

Um, but shame is I feel

bad about who I am.

:

00:54:57,205 --> 00:54:58,193

Not I feel bad about what I did.

:

00:54:58,205 --> 00:54:59,465

I feel bad about who I am.

:

00:55:00,105 --> 00:55:04,735

And, uh, the enemy just loves to dump

that upon us, like just cover us in shame.

:

00:55:04,795 --> 00:55:09,615

And it is such an impediment to

our living in fullness with Jesus.

:

00:55:10,055 --> 00:55:12,205

You know, Jesus does not

want us to live in shame.

:

00:55:12,235 --> 00:55:14,715

And you look all

throughout the scriptures.

:

00:55:15,097 --> 00:55:17,825

I mean, I'm thinking of like the woman

caught in adultery, and Jesus does not

:

00:55:17,825 --> 00:55:19,455

want us to listen to a woman in John 4.

:

00:55:19,895 --> 00:55:21,015

Um, those two examples,

:

00:55:21,065 --> 00:55:23,945

like the Lord is coming to these

women that are just covered in shame.

:

00:55:23,995 --> 00:55:27,965

So that's something I feel very passionate

about is like, got to call out shame

:

00:55:28,035 --> 00:55:31,905

and attack it with all the fervor that

we have because it ruins relationships.

:

00:55:33,335 --> 00:55:33,905

-:

I love that.

:

00:55:34,445 --> 00:55:34,955

So good.

:

00:55:36,835 --> 00:55:36,945

-:

:

00:55:36,975 --> 00:55:38,535

-:

have anything else to say about that.

:

00:55:39,405 --> 00:55:40,375

-:

yeah, that's good.

:

00:55:40,675 --> 00:55:41,085

-:

:

00:55:41,385 --> 00:55:43,415

-:

Um, let's see Something that's

:

00:55:43,415 --> 00:55:46,825

helpful to know about priests is

that priests are just normal people.

:

00:55:47,065 --> 00:55:48,365

You know, we have normal hobbies.

:

00:55:48,395 --> 00:55:52,085

I, these next few days, I'm

going to go on vacation with

:

00:55:52,085 --> 00:55:53,415

some other priests and just golf.

:

00:55:53,885 --> 00:55:54,745

Like, I

:

00:55:55,045 --> 00:55:56,205

-:

:

00:55:56,785 --> 00:55:58,135

-:

I like to hang out with my friends.

:

00:55:58,625 --> 00:56:01,225

I watched Cars the movie the

other day on Disney Plus.

:

00:56:01,255 --> 00:56:04,905

Like, we do normal things mostly, and it

was actually better than I remembered it.

:

00:56:04,925 --> 00:56:06,765

I was like, I can't believe I'm

watching this right now, but

:

00:56:07,065 --> 00:56:07,835

-:

good movie.

:

00:56:07,845 --> 00:56:08,265

I think,

:

00:56:08,565 --> 00:56:09,190

-:

He's the GOAT.

:

00:56:09,320 --> 00:56:09,645

So,

:

00:56:09,945 --> 00:56:11,705

-:

feel like you cross a certain age

:

00:56:11,735 --> 00:56:13,935

and all of a sudden like the kids

movies become entertaining again.

:

00:56:14,490 --> 00:56:14,680

-:

:

00:56:14,720 --> 00:56:15,400

-:

:

00:56:15,750 --> 00:56:18,960

-:

So, priests are just, uh, the

:

00:56:18,960 --> 00:56:20,520

most part, pretty normal guys.

:

00:56:20,570 --> 00:56:21,970

Like they're, they're trying.

:

00:56:22,350 --> 00:56:24,600

And, uh, we try imperfectly,

but we're trying.

:

00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:25,580

-:

:

00:56:26,240 --> 00:56:27,230

It is a beautiful gift.

:

00:56:27,950 --> 00:56:28,220

Yeah.

:

00:56:28,250 --> 00:56:28,560

-:

:

00:56:28,570 --> 00:56:29,310

-:

We wouldn't have our

:

00:56:29,310 --> 00:56:30,200

faith without the priests.

:

00:56:30,620 --> 00:56:31,350

Absolutely.

:

00:56:31,470 --> 00:56:31,830

-:

:

00:56:32,820 --> 00:56:33,230

-:

:

00:56:33,240 --> 00:56:33,830

Thanks, Father.

:

00:56:33,830 --> 00:56:35,800

This has been such a good conversation.

:

00:56:36,230 --> 00:56:36,550

Yeah.

:

00:56:36,570 --> 00:56:38,500

Thanks for We're going to

have to have you on again.

:

00:56:38,500 --> 00:56:39,450

Thanks for being our friend.

:

00:56:40,200 --> 00:56:41,500

-:

Yes, I know.

:

00:56:41,500 --> 00:56:43,120

I can't wait to see you

guys in person next.

:

00:56:44,070 --> 00:56:44,370

-:

:

00:56:44,370 --> 00:56:45,390

Maybe it'll be SEEK.

:

00:56:45,860 --> 00:56:46,590

Are you going to SEEK?

:

00:56:47,400 --> 00:56:47,670

-:

Oh Oh yeah.

:

00:56:47,670 --> 00:56:48,590

I'll be at SEEK.

:

00:56:48,640 --> 00:56:49,490

We'll see you guys there.

:

00:56:49,790 --> 00:56:50,240

-:

:

00:56:50,280 --> 00:56:51,570

We'll at least see you at SEEK.

:

00:56:52,890 --> 00:56:53,330

Awesome.

:

00:56:53,870 --> 00:56:55,790

You want to close in a

quick prayer, Father?

:

00:56:55,850 --> 00:56:56,560

Oh yeah.

:

00:56:57,570 --> 00:56:59,290

-:

the father and the son, the Holy spirit.

:

00:56:59,320 --> 00:56:59,800

Amen.

:

00:57:00,820 --> 00:57:04,530

Father in heaven, we praise you and thank

you for your goodness, for your love

:

00:57:04,530 --> 00:57:06,150

and the ways in which you care for us.

:

00:57:07,105 --> 00:57:10,115

And ask Lord that you just send forth

your Holy Spirit upon every person

:

00:57:10,125 --> 00:57:14,285

that hears this podcast and allow

shame to be ripped away from their

:

00:57:14,295 --> 00:57:18,085

hearts and instead to live in the

joyful love that you've created us for.

:

00:57:19,085 --> 00:57:21,135

And we ask all of this

through Christ our Lord.

:

00:57:23,010 --> 00:57:24,030

-:

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About the Podcast

Ever Be
A faith and lifestyle podcast.
The Ever Be Podcast is a faith and lifestyle podcast filled with meaningful conversations and practical tips that will inspire and empower you to live a Christ centered life in today’s modern world. Through her own experience of surrendering completely to God and finding true fullness of life, your host Mari Wagner, has committed to having God’s praise “ever be” on her lips and sharing that message with the world. Listen in for insightful, real life conversations and actionable steps on how to claim the full life God created you for.

With over 100K followers and counting, Instagram content creator and founder of the popular Catholic lifestyle brand, West Coast Catholic, Mari Wagner is showing the world how to live a bold, attractive, and fulfilling Catholic life by being in the world but not of it. On the podcast you’ll get a combination of heartfelt solo episodes with Mari, interviews with exciting guests, and up-close and personal time with both the Wagner’s—Mari and Trey. What more could you ask for?!

Finally! Answers to questions you’ve been asking like:
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Host Mari Wagner covers topics that you actually care about from faith life, to relationships and marriage, to homemaking, to healthy living. Each episode is crafted to resonate with your challenges and aspirations as a modern Christian woman seeking purpose, balance, and joy.

Tune into the Ever Be Podcast for valuable advice, relatable stories, expert insights and just some fun girl chats with someone who really gets you. Hit play to get out of the rut you constantly feel yourself in, and subscribe to join the community and experience the fullness of life Jesus has in store for you.

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Mari Wagner