28: Cultivating a Catholic Identity in Your Home with The Heights Podcast
Join Brendan host of The Heights Podcast as he welcomes Trey and Mari Wagner, co-founders of West Coast Catholic. This episode, recorded for The Heights Podcast and repurposed for The Ever Be Podcast, dives into the concept of Catholic identity and how to cultivate it within the home. Trey and Mari discuss their journey with West Coast Catholic, practical tips for creating a prayerful environment, and the importance of recognizing our brokenness and need for a Savior. They also explore what Catholic identity is and how to incorporate your Catholic identity into your home. Listen in for insights on the significance of Catholic traditions, the power of holy water, and fostering both personal and family prayer life.
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Transcript
mari-wagner_1_09-25-2024_095656: we
just recently recorded an episode with
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:some good friends of ours on their
podcast called the heights podcast.
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:You might also know Brendan and Connor
from human project on Instagram.
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:And we had an amazing conversation
on their podcast about Catholic
5
:identity and establishing that
Catholic identity in your home.
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:And I just thought this conversation
was so fruitful and so wonderful.
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:That my listeners would
love to hear it as well.
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:So for this week's episode, we are
just going to be playing the recording
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:from the heights podcast episodes.
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:You can listen in on that conversation.
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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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:What's up everyone.
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:Welcome back to the Heights podcast today.
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:We have on Trey and Mari Wagner, who are
the co founders of West Coast Catholic.
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:And Maria has launched a podcast is
the host of ever be podcast, right?
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:So, we're excited to have them on.
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:So, just first, Troy and Mari, maybe
share a little bit more about who you
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:are, how you guys started West Coast
Catholic, and what you guys are up to.
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:Yeah, thanks for having us, Brendan.
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:We always love chatting with you,
so this is going to be a fun convo.
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:Yeah, we're excited to be here.
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:We started West Coast Catholic in 2019
it all really started back in:
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:when I started my personal Instagram blog.
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:Um, really it was just in the midst of
a reversion that I was going through
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:in my life and the Lord placed it on
my heart to share how I was choosing
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:to live my faith out in college.
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:Um, as a young 20 something year old.
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:Um, so I started doing that on an
Instagram page called West coast Catholic.
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:Uh, I grew up in the West coast and kind
of felt like I didn't really ever have
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:a lot of Catholic community out there.
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:Hence why I chose to be the West coast
Catholic to represent, um, that side of
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:the country and eventually it just, it
just kept growing and continued to grow.
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:And about a year into having this blog,
Trey, uh, gave me a handmade rosary that
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:he made for my birthday and the beauty
of that rosary and the intentionality,
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:With which I knew that it was made
drew me to prayer so much that I kind
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:of unlocked like a spiritual life hack
like beauty beauty draws us to prayer.
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:Um, And it is a transcendental so
it's true and there's something about
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:beauty that just lifts our eyes and
our souls and our minds to god and
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:so I was so drawn to the rosary just
Through the beauty of the item, um,
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:and that inspired us to start making
rosaries, uh, to bless the people that
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:were following along on our Instagram.
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:And at the time we were
also discerning engagement.
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:And so we also may have been trying to
save up for a ring at the same time.
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:And so we thought that
selling a few rosaries.
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:Blessings and people with beautiful prayer
tools, and then hopefully saving up for a
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:ring would help set us up for the future.
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:And the Lord had very different plans.
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:I mean, the Lord, uh, just continue
to bless those rosaries and what
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:we thought would just be selling a
few rosaries as a one time thing.
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:Um, just kind of continuing to snowball
into what it is today, six years later.
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:And now we're a full on Catholic
lifestyle brand and it's
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:Trey and I's full time work.
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:So yeah, it's our ministry.
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:And the Lord has blessed us
abundantly and it's so much fun,
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:so much fun working with my wife.
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:Spoiler alert, we did get married.
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:Yes, it worked out great.
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:How long have you guys been married now?
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:Three and a half years.
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:Three and a half years.
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:And it all kind of really started
when Trey made that rosary.
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:Is that, am I right?
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:I made one rosary and she's
like, oh my gosh, a Catholic man.
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:I I always prayed for a Catholic
boyfriend, and I didn't know that
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:that's what it would be like, but when
he gave me that rosary, I was like,
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:this is, this is what I prayed for.
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:Yeah, I was looking at your guys
website right before this, actually,
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:and I loved, uh, the little saying,
experience a foretaste of heaven.
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:Yes.
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:And So maybe, could you just share
briefly about that and how that reflects
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:what you guys do at West Coast Catholic?
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:Yeah, that was the tagline that we came
up with for this brand that we created.
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:And really what it is, is
experience a foretaste of heaven.
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:So what is heaven?
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:Heaven is ultimately communion with God.
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:And that is what we're trying to
inspire everybody here through our
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:products and through our lifestyle
goods and prayer tools that we sell.
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:Is to inspire a prayer
life within the consumer.
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:And so, uh, through prayer, we're able
to obtain community with God, which
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:is like a little foretaste of heaven.
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:It's because heaven is community with God.
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:Prayer is community with God.
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:A way that we can experience that little,
little taste of heaven here on earth.
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:And so.
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:Everything we create is, uh, created
with that intention in mind to
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:inspire prayer and to our customers.
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:Yeah.
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:Whether it's a, you know, actual prayer
tool, like a rosary or a devotional
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:or holy water, or whether it's.
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:A lifestyle item, like a belt bag
or a necklace or an accessory.
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:It is all intentionally designed with
like a faith infused, um, intention with
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:the design and something in it, right?
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:Whether it's prayer or the meaning
of the product in some way, it's
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:supposed to elevate us to the Lord
and elevate our souls to the Lord
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:and help us find that communion.
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:And like Trey said, the
bottom line is prayer.
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:We're always trying to encourage people
to build a prayer life and to say,
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:relationship with the Lord through prayer.
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:Cause that's really
what is transformative.
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:And once we find that it's like, we find
this little taste of heaven here on earth
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:and the more that we're able to meet the
Lord in that intimate space of prayer,
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:the more we're able to get a little taste
of what it's going to be like one day.
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:Sweet.
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:I love it.
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:So in this podcast, we're going to be
talking about the home and establishing
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:a Catholic identity in the home.
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:And a lot of your guys products at West
Coast Catholic, Helps facilitate that.
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:So, you know, we are all formed by what we
consume or, you know, become what you eat.
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:What's the saying?
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:Is it you, yeah, you become
what you eat type of deal.
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:Okay.
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:But just in general, like what we,
what we take in, you know, the music we
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:listen to the shows, how we, everything
we take in forms us and the home in
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:general, I mean, that's where, that's
where you live, you know, that's,
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:that's So I think it's so interesting,
particularly with this topic, that we're
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:going to talk about just the home and
how actually like decorating your home.
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:Or how you set it up, like how
you, I don't know if you guys made
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:this up, but like to qualify or
something you did, what is it called?
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:I mean, I don't know if I made it
up, but yeah, I had to see, I have
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:a series called Catholify your home.
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:And so I feel like the
term has really stuck.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:Okay.
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:I mean, it just popped up in my mind.
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:I wasn't even planning
on saying that, but yeah.
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:So, you know, we talk about.
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:You know, we can talk about these things,
but it actually affects who we are in
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:our identity, particularly as Catholics.
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:So before we kind of dive into, you
know, how a married couple or just
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:a single person, whoever has a home
or an apartment, wherever you live,
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:how you can set that up to actually
foster a deeper Catholic identity.
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:First, I just want to ask you guys, what,
you know, what would you say it means to
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:actually have a Catholic identity or to
be Yeah, that's a great question, Brandon.
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:Um, Yeah, we are still figuring that out.
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:I think every day is, uh, you know,
we're learning more and more what that
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:means, but I would say fundamentally,
I would say what it means to be
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:Catholic is one recognizing your own
brokenness and your own humanness.
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:Uh, I think the, the best way that
I've been able to resonate with this
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:is actually through something that St.
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:Paul said, I don't even know what, in what
book, I think maybe Romans, but I can't
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:remember, but he says something along the
lines of like, I can't do what I want.
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:And I always do what I don't want
to do and I think that's a very like
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:human experience that we all feel.
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:I know that I feel that very deeply.
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:And so I think 1st, it's recognizing that
we are broken because it's not until you
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:recognize your brokenness that then you
can even acknowledge a need for a savior.
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:And so then that's the second half
of the coin is acknowledging the need
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:for a savior and, uh, recognizing that
our savior is Jesus and that he did
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:through the cross actually redeem us.
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:And then it's given us the, the
power and the grace through the
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:Holy spirit, uh, to become like him.
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:And like, ultimately the Christian
journey is becoming like Christ.
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:And so ultimately it's the
gospel message is what is like
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:what it means to be Catholic.
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:And there are some like unique ways that.
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:We're able to live that out through
our Catholic faith, um, through the
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:sacraments, through tradition, um, and
all the teachings that I know that you
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:were talking about, you want to share
a little bit more about that, Mari?
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:Yeah, no, I, I love what you were
saying about the gospel message, because
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:although that obviously is like the
heart of all Christianity, I think
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:what you were saying is so unique.
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:About us Catholics, just like
recognizing our brokenness and also
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:just, um, in the, in the gospel.
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:So we were missionaries with focus.
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:And so we like, learned this
like way to share the gospel.
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:Right.
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:And so it's like, um, if you want to
help me out here, you are, uh, in perfect
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:relationship with the Lord, right.
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:In the very beginning.
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:Right.
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:And then sin enters the world and
there's this huge chasm that comes in.
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:We like, we're sinful.
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:There's this brokenness and
it separates us from God.
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:Right.
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:all we long for is to like be back
in that perfect union with God.
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:But unfortunately, like in our
humanness, there's nothing we can
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:do to be like, fully reconciled
with the most perfect divine being.
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:And so we clearly need a savior.
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:So, so first of all, it's
that acknowledgement of
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:like we need a savior and.
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:The Lord in his love and mercy and just
like desire to be with us and united
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:with us once more sends himself down
in the form of his son to reconcile us.
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:And the way the reason that
works is because Jesus is both
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:fully human and fully God.
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:And so in his human is
he's able to repair.
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:Uh, he's able to like bear the weight of
our sins, but because of his divinity,
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:he's able to repair that infinite
chasm that is between us and the Lord.
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:Um, and he not only came to do
that for us to just save us, but
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:actually to transform our lives.
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:And that's what I love most
about the gospel message.
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:And that's where I kind of want to
tie it into Catholicism a little bit,
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:because while What I see a lot in
Protestant Christianity is just the need
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:to acknowledge that you're saved and
that you have a savior and that's it.
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:However, we, as Catholics
believe that both faith and work
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:play a role in salvation and.
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:In this gospel message that we
share, we share that Jesus came
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:to transform our whole lives.
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:And so he not only just wants to like
wipe us clean and be like, you're good.
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:I did the work for you, but he actually
wants to change us inside out to transform
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:us, to change the way that we live and the
way that we live those works that we do.
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:And that you see on the outside.
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:set us apart as Catholics.
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:And as we were chatting a little bit
about these questions, before we got on,
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:one thing that you said was that, um, at
one point in time, all these people that
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:were following Christ started to live
very differently than everybody else.
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:So much so that they had to give
them a name to identify them.
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:And they called them Christians.
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:And they were like, you
people that are so different.
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:And, Strange and are following this man.
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:We're going to call you Christians.
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:Um, and so I think that ties in a
little bit to kind of this reflection
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:on like faith and works and how like our
works truly, um, play a role in this.
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:And I feel like is a foundational
part about being Catholic and
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:how that kind of ties into.
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:The church in a sense is really the
sacramental life I feel like as well
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:and how as Catholics We both follow and
are guided by scripture and tradition
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:and that like wholeness of the way that
we practice our faith Really sets us
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:apart in our Catholic identity and is
something so beautiful that I feel like
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:we're so blessed that the church has
given us So many avenues to experience
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:like this tangible faith Do you want
to talk more about sacraments at all?
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:Yeah, I mean, it's the way that we're
able to experience God, it's the gifts
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:that the church has given us, uh, so
obviously because of our brokenness, like
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:we can't achieve the salvation on our own.
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:And so we have these wonderful gifts to
help us along the way and to help us, like
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:you were saying, Mari, to be transformed
from the inside out to become like Christ.
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:And so through confession, through
the Eucharist, uh, those are like
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:the primary sacraments that we can.
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:receive weekly, monthly, uh, that help
us on that road to salvation for sure.
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:That's great.
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:Yeah.
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:I, well, it was just coming to
my mind was to like be Catholic.
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:If we live the Catholic faith and truly
let it sink in, we will become more
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:fully ourselves and more fully human.
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:You know, the, I believe as the
Vatican two council said, you know,
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:uh, that Christ, um, by the revelation
of the mystery of the fodder father
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:and his love for us fully reveals
man to man himself and makes a
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:supreme calling clear, but Christ
himself is the man who's fully alive.
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:Like he reveals what it means to be human.
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:And I mean, I think the claim that
we would make is to be Catholic is
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:to actually be fully yourself, to
be fully human, which is revealed in
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:light of Christ and, and that means.
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:Oh, yeah, yeah, I said, and I think
that, like, if we are as Catholics.
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:supposed to be fully alive, like we
should be attractive, like we should have
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:attractive lives that people are drawn to.
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:And clearly Jesus did.
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:That's why people were drawn to him.
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:And if, if being Catholic is being
fully alive in Christ, then like
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:that should say something about
that, the way that we live our life.
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:Trying to hold in that sneeze.
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:I couldn't.
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:I usually sneeze in twos, but.
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:I think we're good on just the one.
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:You can keep going.
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:One big one.
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:Um, but yeah, that's all I was saying.
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:It was, I think in light of that,
like we should live attractive lives.
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:And I think, I don't know, maybe
there's, like, ways that, like, we as
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:Catholics can, like, improve that and,
like, make this faith more attractive
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:because of the way that we're living.
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:Yeah, and I think, I just, I relate
to that so much on a personal
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:level, like what you were saying
about, like, becoming, like,
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:fully human, fully yourselves.
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:And that's, like, equivalent to,
like, the fullness of Catholicism.
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:Because in my life, when I, fully
embraced my Catholic faith and Changed
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:my life to be centered around Christ
and the sacraments like I became fully
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:myself and I remember like in that whole
experience like sharing with Trey and my
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:friends of like I have never felt more
mari in my entire life i'm like this is
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:like Fully and upon unapologetically,
like who I am in every way.
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:And I just experienced like the fullness
of joy, the fullness of freedom, the
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:fullness of peace, like in so many
aspects, like in every aspect of my life.
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:And it, and it's, it wasn't
truly until I like fully.
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:lived out my Catholic faith
when I, when I felt that.
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:So like, even just on a very personal
human experience, like practical
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:level, like that is so true.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:I, sorry.
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:I just, my phone just dropped.
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:Um, but, uh, Yeah, it's and we're
not saying I want to make this clear.
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:We're not saying when you talked about
Trey like, hey, we're called to be,
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:you know, attractive and even beautiful
and therefore I'm going to wear this.
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:We're not, you know, we're not being
pharisaical in the sense of, you know,
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:Catholics are all about just the law and
looking good doing the works, but inside,
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:um, We're full of, you know, extortion as,
as Christ says, like, no, the, the outside
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:reflects the inside, but the inside also
reflects the, the outside and, you know,
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:so to be Catholic, you know, therefore
we should act and behave in certain ways.
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:Even if we don't want to at
the time, we need a reordering.
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:We need a retuning of our,
of our hearts, you know?
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:And, and I'm just thinking of like, okay,
why do we dress modestly as Catholics?
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:Well, because we believe that the human
body has a great dignity and value.
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:Uh, why do I, why am I
going to love my neighbor?
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:Well, well, Christ told me so.
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:And because I'm most fully
myself, most fully alive.
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:So we can apply that now to just the
home and lifestyle and even like, okay.
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:And like decorating, setting up a home
environment that's attractive, that's
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:welcoming for people to come in, but also
just yourselves and like living in it.
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:So maybe we can kind of segue into.
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:The home, you know, why, why is the home
so important to fostering one's self and
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:one's life and one's Catholic identity?
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:Yeah.
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:I love this topic.
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:So I'm excited to chat about it.
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:Um, you guys, you guys aren't saying
like, Hey, you need to put up incense.
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:So when people walk in,
it's all foggy and smoky.
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:I mean, are you, you're not
saying anything like that?
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:No, no, no.
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:Um, no, but I love, I love
this topic and your question.
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:Why is a home so important?
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:Truly comes from this idea
of the domestic church.
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:Um, and that's something that we
believe as Catholics and that the
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:church teaches that the primary, um,
catechist of the faith start in the home.
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:So, like, the, the parents, the guardians
of the family in the home are the ones
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:who have that primary responsibility
to teach the children and to teach
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:the family of the faith and pastor.
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:Down those traditions, um, those
practices and that love for the faith,
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:um, that knowledge of the faith.
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:And there's many different ways that
we can do this, but I think once we
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:recognize that we recognize first of
all, that we have a responsibility
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:to bring the church into our home.
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:And I love this term domestic church.
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:Like how are we bringing different
pieces of the church, both in
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:like practice and essence and both
like physically, like aspects of.
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:The beauty of the church, how is that
being represented in our home once we
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:realize we have that responsibility like
We actually begin to do things and we
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:don't think just like, Oh, the priest
on Sunday will raise my family in the
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:faith, you know, hopefully my kids will
get something out of the homily or like,
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:hopefully, like, you know, we'll just talk
about the faith after like on the drive
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:home from church and that'll be good.
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:No, once you really realize, like, the
home is truly where faith is, like,
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:fostered and nurtured and developed.
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:You.
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:Begin to recognize the weight
of, like, what it looks like
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:to really have a Catholic home.
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:Like, what are different ways that I
can actually foster this in my home?
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:And so, um, there's, there's so
many different ways to do that.
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:And like you said, uh, physically, like,
decorating for sure is 1 way that we
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:love to bring the church into our home.
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:Um, but.
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:Very simply like having a, like a
home altar or like a prayer space
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:because that firstly nurtures you like
our marriage and our family is being
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:nurtured through prayer in the home.
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:And so, whether that's like, we have our
own spaces where we like to pray or having
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:a crucifix up on a wall where we like to
pray or prayer cards or a prayer candle.
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:You can have it spread out around the
house, but, like, we really recommend,
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:like, having a good place that, like,
you consistently go pray to and kind of
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:foster that environment, kind of like
you would go sit in a chapel or a church.
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:Um, and as well as, uh, like.
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:spiritually fostering those practices
as a family, like having set aside time
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:to pray and fostering like different
ways to pray with each other or to
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:have spiritual conversations, whether
that be maybe reading the Sunday gospel
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:together or doing a family rosary or
just discussing, you know, topics of
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:the faith over dinner or something.
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:Those are little practical ways that
you begin to bring the essence of the
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:faith and the church into your home so
that like your family and your, like the
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:spiritual environment of your family is
being fostered primarily in the home.
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:They're being like, their cups are being
filled in the home so that when they go
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:out, it's clear that they're Christians.
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:It's clear that they're Catholics
and they're, they're going out into
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:the world from a place of like, Being
nourished spiritually and being formed
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:in their faith And they can stand
firmly in their faith when they go out
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:into the world um I want to give you
all a space to talk because i'm like
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:I could keep going but keep going.
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:I want to know your
thoughts Brendan, go ahead.
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:You got anything?
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:Yeah.
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:Well, I was My mind went to Genesis
for some reason, uh, where it
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:reminded me that, okay, you know, St.
377
:Therese says, you know, the earth is,
is thy ship, not thy home, you know,
378
:or, but my mind went to, okay, in
Genesis, actually the picture of the
379
:garden of Eden and the whole universe,
the cosmos is in, is temple imagery.
380
:Actually God's dwelling,
which is ultimately the
381
:temple and the holy of holies.
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:It's where God dwells Genesis It's where
man and God walked with one another
383
:and so the whole universe understood
biblically is Should be the dwelling
384
:place the most high God kind of And
then you take that to like a city, like
385
:how we should order architecture, like
food and, uh, society just as a whole
386
:should have everything orient ourselves
to communion with God and vice versa.
387
:And my professor was, is just mad at
the architecture that most people are
388
:building nowadays, because it's just.
389
:It all has to do with the dollar and
efficiency and, uh, you know, so all
390
:that being said, so my mind went to
Genesis, the universe, cities, and
391
:architecture, and then it went to the
home of like, okay, you said it's the
392
:domestic church, which is a mini church
that ultimately it's, it's a place where,
393
:uh, The family communes with God and
God communes with the family and then
394
:my mind went to theology the body stuff
Okay, what's the marriage bed the holy
395
:of holies of the the house, you know,
it's it That's just where my brain goes.
396
:But and then I'm thinking like oh
does that you know should should
397
:You know the bridal chamber be
decorated in a way that's more holy.
398
:I don't know.
399
:That's where my mind was
going No, I love that.
400
:I don't I mean, but here's maybe a
question that that I have for you guys
401
:Is you know my mom In her home has
crosses everywhere, like everywhere.
402
:Like you go into the kitchen and there's
crosses circling the whole entire walls.
403
:And everyone knows that about my mom
and my mom loves to decorate their, the
404
:home is also a place to welcome people
who aren't Catholic at all or not.
405
:Don't believe in God at all.
406
:You know, it's also a
place of evangelization.
407
:So.
408
:Is there a way where you can go too
far with how you catholify your home
409
:that makes people uncomfortable?
410
:Or, you know, like how, I don't,
Is there a middle ground of
411
:where, where it's welcoming and
they, they, they feel welcome.
412
:They feel, Oh, there's
something attractive here.
413
:Um, to where, uh, they, they're
not feeling comfortable.
414
:You're, you're overdoing it.
415
:You're hyper spiritualizing your home.
416
:You know, I don't know if you
guys have any thoughts on that.
417
:That is an interesting question.
418
:My first thought was,
yes, you could overdo it.
419
:But then, I'm thinking of like the,
the beautiful cathedrals all across the
420
:world, especially in Europe, the ones
that are older and that are like huge
421
:tourist destinations, like millions
of people who don't believe in God are
422
:going into those hyper Catholic spaces.
423
:That are beautiful and like there is
a reality I mean this is what you love
424
:to talk about like that beauty and what
you talked about at the beginning is
425
:that beauty leads us to God and there
is a reality that the beauty of those
426
:Spaces and these beautiful churches
are leading people to christ um and and
427
:people whether they believe in god or
not objectively know These are beautiful
428
:sacred spaces and that's why they're
going all around the world to visit
429
:them And yeah, and I think a lot of them
would probably like Recognize there's
430
:something different about this space
and maybe if they're not religious, they
431
:won't be able to put like a finger on it.
432
:But like, even our one friend like
walked into, I've had this happen to two
433
:different friends that, um, I think, I
mean, they do have faith, but they like
434
:walk into a Catholic church and they're
like, Something is different here.
435
:I don't, I can't really like put a finger
on it, but like, I do recognize that
436
:there is a difference here and we're like,
well, it's just the presence of Christ.
437
:Those were Protestant friends who
walked into a Catholic church and
438
:specifically said that they're
like, I just feel different when
439
:I walk in to a Catholic church.
440
:And I was like, well, the beauty
one leads us to that transcendental
441
:of heaven to the Eucharist is here.
442
:So, so to answer your question, like
you maybe could, if it's like, You
443
:could maybe overdo it and maybe you
have thoughts on that specifically for
444
:like decorating, but I think it's, it's
more so the people inside the home.
445
:Like, are they, is their personality,
is the way that they're interacting
446
:with the people walking into their home
is like, is that overdoing it where
447
:they're over spiritualizing everything?
448
:They're like kind of shoving the
faith down somebody's throat.
449
:It's like, that is way different.
450
:Of an experience.
451
:And I think the people in the
home will make the experience
452
:more or less overbearing, uh,
than the actual home itself.
453
:But I don't know.
454
:You have thoughts.
455
:Yeah.
456
:Well, I, I love the, um, concept of
like evangelizing with your home.
457
:And I mean, that's the essence
of everything we do at West
458
:Coast Catholic and our products.
459
:Um, something that we, we don't use
as like an official tagline, right.
460
:But it's kind of like, it's not your
grandma's Catholic home, you know,
461
:it, it's, it's, It's designed in
a way that is kind of a modern day
462
:aesthetic while keeping the rich beauty
of tradition of the Catholic church.
463
:Um, And this is for people, you know,
young families of today so that they
464
:can evangelize with their home so they
can build their domestic church in a
465
:way that they resonate with in the way
that's attractive and beautiful to them.
466
:And although there is an innate beauty
to these more traditional Catholic
467
:items, and some people, some young
people today, like that might be their
468
:style still that that's totally fine
and beautiful for that to be your style.
469
:Um, But we do have a more modern aesthetic
in what we do in our brand, precisely for
470
:this reason, for people to resonate with
it, that are young Catholics of today
471
:and to spark those conversations with the
people you welcome into, into your home.
472
:So.
473
:I'm going to talk about a lot of
things and I'm going to hit all your
474
:points, but I'm going to get there.
475
:Um, so with these items, I mean, what
we've seen is, you know, you have, we
476
:have a beautiful like concrete candle
that's, uh, kind of the modern version
477
:of your classic, like Guadalupe candle.
478
:It's like the vertical, like tall
candle that usually has like all
479
:these like bright colors, which is
very like traditional and like the
480
:Mexican culture and everything.
481
:Um, and I mean, you can find these candles
like at the store for like a dollar.
482
:Um, but it's like that
iconic Catholic candle.
483
:Um, if you're more like me and you
like a little bit more like muted
484
:neutral style, we made this candle in a
beautiful like concrete material that's
485
:kind of like a cream color and it's
got the same vertical shape as that
486
:prayer candle and it has an imprint
of our Lady Guadalupe on the front.
487
:People walk in and they're like, Oh
my gosh, that candle is so beautiful.
488
:Like, what is it?
489
:And you have an opportunity to be
like, Oh, like this is a prayer candle.
490
:This is Our Lady of Guadalupe.
491
:Like we light it when we pray a
family rosary, or have you heard
492
:of the incredible story of the
tilma at Our Lady of Guadalupe?
493
:Um, those items allow for like these
like sparks of conversation about
494
:the faith to enter the conversation.
495
:In a very easy and natural way where
you're not necessarily always the
496
:one opening the conversation of like,
Would you like to talk about the
497
:miraculous apparition in guadalupe?
498
:Like That's kind of weird and so one
yes, like there's so many beautiful ways
499
:to evangelize with our home and I do
think that as catholics like Somebody
500
:who's not catholic should walk into your
home and know These people are Catholic.
501
:Again, like we are Christians and
we are set apart and we're not
502
:supposed to blend in with the world.
503
:We're not supposed to like hide
ourselves and mask ourselves to
504
:be relatable like everybody else.
505
:We are supposed to stand out and have
kind of like a higher standard of like the
506
:way that we live and the way that, um, we
foster and nurture the faith in our homes.
507
:So I do think that like you should walk in
and you should know it's a Catholic home.
508
:Now your question of
like, can you overdo it?
509
:I think that honestly, like in my
heart, I feel like the pri Mary, the
510
:primary choice is like to nurture
your family and to foster your family.
511
:And the home is more than just like
a structure of like four walls.
512
:It's really like the sacred
space where family life happens.
513
:And if you're like, Usually the father
of the home, the father provides like
514
:protection and the mother like, you know,
uh, gosh, there's like a saying like
515
:you provide protection and I like bring
like love into the home or whatever.
516
:It's like he provides and she like
makes it beautiful, makes it a
517
:beautiful space to be in and to gather.
518
:And so like, if the mother of the home
or the wife of the home has like chosen
519
:to, Create this environment in that way
like your mom like putting the crosses
520
:like all across The kitchen or i've seen
people have like the the crucifix walls
521
:and they buy a crucifix wherever they go
And this is like giant mural of crucifix.
522
:That was my mom Yeah, you haven't seen it
because that was before we did a remodel
523
:but in the kitchen there's like one huge
wall That was just covered with And I
524
:think like if that's the choice I don't
want to, I don't want to say like you're
525
:overdoing it because it's coming from a
place of genuine faith and love and like
526
:wanting to express that in the home.
527
:Um, but I love what Trey was saying
about like, how, how is your posture
528
:and your interactions with people
around you that aren't Catholic?
529
:How is that like, being inviting
while still being strong in your
530
:Christian faith at the same time?
531
:How are you opening conversation in just
very normal ways, very casual ways that
532
:then give you opportunities to build
trust, to build friendship, to lead into
533
:Sharing about what your experience was
at mass on Sunday and what you, what you
534
:got from the homily or sharing what your
prayer life has been recently, or maybe
535
:like a God moment that you had while you
were like, trying to discern something
536
:and make a decision, building those
relationships, establishing that trust
537
:and that friendship, I feel like it's
really important when you're evangelizing
538
:because it's going to be received.
539
:So much better, um, and so much
less of like skepticism that you
540
:just have an agenda, but instead
you're like, Oh, I love this person.
541
:I understand that like, the faith
is really important to them.
542
:So like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna hear
what they have to say about it
543
:because it's important to them.
544
:And I love this person as a friend.
545
:Um, So I hope that kind of answers the
questions like, yes, super important
546
:to have items in your home that
express your Catholic faith and that
547
:welcome a conversation and evangelize
almost without you having to do much.
548
:But then at the same time, I think
the way that you interact with
549
:people that you're inviting into
your home almost matters more.
550
:What comes to mind with when
you're saying that is the tool
551
:will never replace the action.
552
:Like the tools that you're using
in your home, the decorations
553
:are never going to replace the
action of evangelizing like that.
554
:That is done human to human.
555
:Um, so there are tools that are
helpful, but they can't replace.
556
:Yeah.
557
:Yeah.
558
:Do you guys have like, well, the,
the one thing I loved what you
559
:said, Maury was, you know, people
should know just by walking into
560
:your home, this is who they are.
561
:They're they're Catholic.
562
:And so often, um, You know, I remember
back in like high school, it's like,
563
:I wouldn't do the sign of the cross at
when I'm having lunch or, you know, why,
564
:because, well, someone's going to make
a comment, someone's going to judge me.
565
:And, you know, I think that's something
we all should reflect on is like, is my
566
:social media accounts is do my classmates.
567
:Do, do people know just by how I present
myself that this is who they are and
568
:what they're about and especially the
home, you know, are people walking in
569
:and not, whoa, this person's radical
or uncomfortable, get uncomfortable,
570
:but okay, there's something welcoming,
but yes, I know that they're Catholic.
571
:Do you guys have like, do you
guys have an example or a story?
572
:Maybe it's just even between
yourselves, whether it's something
573
:that you've done within your home to.
574
:To cultivate that Catholic identity or
ultimately to cultivate that union with
575
:God, like whether it's like a crucifix,
maybe, maybe you're going to bed at night
576
:and you're tired, you feel desolate, and
you saw the crucifix in your home, and
577
:all of a sudden it gave you hope and.
578
:Or was there someone who maybe you
invited a friend into your guys's home
579
:and just how you guys have arranged
your house and who you are, where
580
:it actually, um, aided in a deeper
encounter with that person's faith.
581
:Do you guys have any, any example
or story that you could share?
582
:Yeah, or you share a story.
583
:I'm just gonna share a separate story.
584
:That is, I'm not related to us, but when
we first moved to this neighborhood,
585
:we were meeting our neighbors
across the street and somehow
586
:it came up pretty naturally.
587
:They probably asked us what we
do for work and then it's like,
588
:okay, well, now you're Catholic.
589
:Yeah.
590
:So that's just a funny side note.
591
:Like anytime anybody asks us
what we do for work, then they'll
592
:immediately know we're Catholic.
593
:It's like impossible.
594
:Oh, what do you do?
595
:We own a Catholic lifestyle brand.
596
:Yeah.
597
:It's impossible for us to hide that
we're Catholic anyways, because
598
:everything we do is related to the faith.
599
:But anyway, so the neighbor is
like, learns that we're Catholic.
600
:He's like, Oh, like you're going
to like the neighbors, like.
601
:Three houses down that way.
602
:Like they were like one day I saw so
much smoke coming out of their house
603
:that I called the fire department on them
because I thought their house was on fire.
604
:And so like I ran over there to check to
make sure that their house wasn't on fire.
605
:And it turns out they were just doing
like a house blessing, but we're going
606
:hard on the incense for the house.
607
:Like so much incense.
608
:Could you imagine the amount of incense
that had to have been in that house
609
:for it to come out of like the windows.
610
:Where the neighbor ran over to check
to make sure everything was okay.
611
:They're Filipino Catholics.
612
:And I think I, I don't know where
we heard this and this may be true,
613
:may not be true, but that like,
that's pretty common in like Filipino
614
:Catholic household blessings.
615
:Like they do, like, I think he said
like black incense, like it was like
616
:intense incense, but so anyways, they
obviously, you can, you know, that
617
:that house, the whole neighborhood.
618
:Yeah, it was pretty funny.
619
:Um, what I was going to
say, yes, a few experiences.
620
:One, I love the crucifix.
621
:And this is just because the
past few years, the Lord has
622
:taught me in a whole new way.
623
:What suffering is.
624
:And I never in my life really
had experienced suffering.
625
:And so looking at a crucifix has
a whole like new meaning to me.
626
:Like, and truly, I feel like
that is so innate to Catholicism.
627
:Like we're often like poked fun at
for like being the ones that are
628
:always about suffering, but I'm
like, no, but you don't understand.
629
:It's so transformational, like it's good.
630
:And so having a crucifix in your home,
in several places in your home, Has
631
:honestly made an impact on me personally.
632
:I think of two things that come
to mind one in our bedroom We have
633
:a crucifix that's on the wall.
634
:We're like our our bed is up again so
like right above us and Every morning
635
:when I wake up, I open my eyes and I
see the crucifix on the wall And that
636
:reminds me to do a quick morning offering.
637
:And I noticed sometimes we use that
crucifix for photos cause it's the one
638
:that we have in our shop and everything.
639
:And sometimes I'll take it down to
like take a quick video and I'll
640
:forget to put it up the next day.
641
:And I noticed that when I,
when it's not there, I forget.
642
:And when it is there, I
wake up and I'm reminded.
643
:This like today is the Lord's
day that he's given me.
644
:I'm going to offer my day to the Lord.
645
:And I thank him for a good night
of rest for another day of life.
646
:And I offer my day to the Lord.
647
:So a simple reminder of that, my
life is centered around Christ.
648
:And that my, when I opened my eyes, the
first thing I see is Jesus on the cross.
649
:And then we have a crucifix in
the kitchen, which is helpful for
650
:me because I hate doing dishes.
651
:And so for me, it's like a
reminder that like our vocation.
652
:Is the most beautiful thing and at the
same time it's our cross like our vocation
653
:is our path to heaven And just like the
lord opened the gates of heaven through
654
:the cross like so Will we reach heaven?
655
:Hopefully one day through our own crosses
and your vocation comes through many
656
:little ways of dying to yourself when
you're, when you're married of dying to
657
:your selfishness and your own desires
and thinking of your spouse before
658
:yourself and doing the things you don't
want to do out of love for your spouse.
659
:And so putting the crucifix in the
kitchen where so much life happens, where
660
:chores are to be done, where cleaning
is to be done, where, um, Conversations
661
:happen and just so much is going on.
662
:It's a reminder to me of like, my
vocation is dying to myself and
663
:serving and loving my husband.
664
:And that's like, even just for me, it's
transformational and not even, that
665
:wasn't even a story of like somebody
entering my home, but just even for me,
666
:that's like very edifying for my faith.
667
:Well, I was, I was also going to share,
um, we have a, another neighbor who.
668
:Well, maybe cut that out,
because what if she listens?
669
:Okay.
670
:Cut that part out.
671
:We have no, no, no.
672
:The part I'm about to where I, where
I just said, we have a neighbor.
673
:I'm just going to say we have a friend or
just like a friend entered our home once.
674
:Okay, so another story is we have a
friend that, like, has entered our home
675
:before who's Protestant and we have these,
like, rosaries around our house, because.
676
:We have a lot of rosaries in our house.
677
:Um, and yeah, those always kind of
draw attention because there are
678
:these like beautiful beads and we
have them displayed like in our
679
:coffee table and in our front table.
680
:And so often people who aren't Catholic,
like we'll come in, like grab it and she's
681
:like, wow, like this is so beautiful.
682
:And a rosary is and a
lot of times they don't.
683
:And I've had the same experience.
684
:Even recently, I went to coffee with
another friend who's Protestant and she
685
:saw on Instagram that I did something with
rosaries and she's like, Asked if I had
686
:one she like wanted to see it and it's the
same experience every time of like well,
687
:this rosary is so beautiful like these
beads like and they're not catholic, but
688
:they're like Can I, like, can I pray it?
689
:Like, as a Christian, can I pray a rosary?
690
:Is that allowed?
691
:Like, can I do that?
692
:Like, I want one.
693
:And so again, I think it just draws that,
that tie of, like, beauty draws us to God.
694
:And that's just like a simple example
of how, like, a beautiful rosary in
695
:our home or in my purse, um, kind of
drew that connection for someone to
696
:Catholicism that maybe, like, wouldn't
have had that connection before.
697
:That's awesome.
698
:So what, what would you say just to
kind of, To wrap this up, what would
699
:you say are like the basics, practical
basics of what a person can do or, you
700
:know, parents, couple that they could
do in their home to, it's funny this
701
:catholifies now in my head, but to
catholify the home, what are just some
702
:basic, uh, practicals, kind of like
step one, this is what, what you need.
703
:Mm.
704
:Trey, do you want to say anything
or do you want me to just go?
705
:This is all you.
706
:Okay.
707
:This is your dominion.
708
:Um, first thing, I would have
your home blessed by a priest.
709
:So I would have your priest at the parish,
um, invite them over for dinner one
710
:night and invite them to bless your home.
711
:Um, and then I would put up a
crucifix and some holy water.
712
:Um, it's important to mark our homes
physically with like the statement of
713
:whose we are, um, and we are Christ.
714
:So come in, bless your home, have holy
water and a crucifix in your home.
715
:And I would say like, that's, your bare
minimum that I would say that you need.
716
:Um, you can always have
it in multiple places.
717
:We have holy water in our entryway table.
718
:That's close to the front door.
719
:And then we have holy water on our bedside
as well, so that we can pray with it.
720
:If we want to bless each other with holy
water before bed, or we're going on a trip
721
:or something, and we want to bless our
home or bless our travels or whatever.
722
:Um, those are very practical things to do.
723
:And then.
724
:I mean, if you want to elevate it, next
step I would say is like have a home
725
:altar or a prayer space, again, to like
cultivate that personal relationship
726
:with God, because that's where you're
going to find that transformation
727
:is through that prayer, through
that personal relationship with God.
728
:So this can look many different ways.
729
:Some people have just like a shelf and
they have a prayer candle and maybe a
730
:crucifix or a rosary or an image of Mary.
731
:Some people like to do like a little like
table, um, kind of like an altar almost.
732
:Like, like a table and they put a little
tablecloth on it and they have all the
733
:things, um, you could just do like a
prayer wall, um, where you like, put
734
:different pictures up, uh, you can even
put a shelf up on the prayer wall, but
735
:you have your Marian image, your statue,
uh, maybe you hang up a rosary, um,
736
:having a prayer space where you can go
and be with the Lord is very important.
737
:And that will too make
you want to pray more.
738
:If you have a spot that you enjoy,
that's like set up for that, it'll
739
:encourage you to pray more, practically.
740
:Yeah, um, and we recommend having like
a family Bible, um, so like we have a
741
:few like big Bibles, um, And I, I mean,
I'm working, I still need to get the
742
:little, like, table that I want to do
this downstairs, but I really want to,
743
:like, buy, like, a little Bible, like,
display, like, a little, like, stand
744
:where you can lay the Bible, like, open.
745
:And I think that will also
invite more opportunities to
746
:pray with scripture as a family.
747
:If you have that, like,
outwardly displayed.
748
:So your basics, crucifix, holy water.
749
:Marian image, um, Bible and prayer candle.
750
:That's five.
751
:Well, and yeah, you can have the
rosary sitting out somewhere.
752
:In the rosary, yes.
753
:Then I'll just remind
you to pray as a family.
754
:Yeah.
755
:That's great.
756
:I want to just share one thing about
holy water because so often I and
757
:others, we don't realize the power of
holy water and actually what it has.
758
:Especially if you're Catholic,
you dip it in every day.
759
:Time you go to mass, Oh, it's just water
that I just do this ritualistic thing.
760
:So I have a friend who's spiritual
director, uh, can see, uh, angels and
761
:demons, you know, has that, has that gift.
762
:And, um, he told her a story about
this young, these young college
763
:students were experiencing crazy
things happening in their house.
764
:some demonic stuff, you know, whether
it's pictures flying off the walls
765
:or, and they called up the priest.
766
:Hey father, we need you, your help.
767
:Come on.
768
:We're scared.
769
:We need you.
770
:So the priest goes in and he starts
doing holy water in every single room.
771
:Yeah.
772
:Bedroom, the living room.
773
:He goes every single room.
774
:The final one is the laundry room.
775
:He sprinkles the holy water.
776
:A demon shoots by him, do, do,
do, do, do bounces every room
777
:and shoots back out the door.
778
:And no one else saw it, but him.
779
:We're just like, Whoa.
780
:Yeah.
781
:Yeah.
782
:It shoots past him and the holy
water made the demon basically like
783
:just scatter throughout the whole.
784
:And then it's like, Oh, this whole
place is filled with holy water.
785
:So they went out the door.
786
:Yeah.
787
:I remember.
788
:I, and then I, uh, I traveled
once with Christopher West for
789
:one of his made for more events.
790
:I don't think we went to a hotel.
791
:I stayed at, obviously I
was in a different room.
792
:He was another room and he knocks
on my door at night, right.
793
:Before I'm going to bed.
794
:And he's like, do you have holy water?
795
:And I was like, no.
796
:And he had some, he's like, you need it.
797
:And he starts spraying it in my room.
798
:He's like, you have no idea
what's happened in here.
799
:And he starts spraying
it and then he left.
800
:And it was like a reminder for me
of like, okay, even if I'm like
801
:traveling, like that's something I
should do and what I should have.
802
:So that's yeah.
803
:Holy water's powerful.
804
:But any, any final thoughts from
the both of you before we conclude?
805
:Two, two final thoughts, hence why.
806
:My number one thing was get your
house blessed as like, if you've never
807
:gotten your house blessed or if it's
been a long time since you've gotten
808
:your house blessed, like 100 percent
do that because the priest does that.
809
:He goes around and he, uh, puts holy
water everywhere and sometimes even
810
:like blessed salt, um, which I think
has other meanings, but I don't fully
811
:understand the blessed salt yet.
812
:Um, and then the other thing
I was going to say was, um,
813
:Do you want to talk about it?
814
:The holy water spritzer, your genius idea.
815
:You can share why though.
816
:So great though.
817
:Well, okay.
818
:For the longest time, Trey had told
me like I was cause Catholic, like we
819
:have to launch this, like holy water
spritzer, like a small, like spritzer
820
:that you can take holy water with you.
821
:And I don't know why I was just like,
I don't know, Trey, like, I don't know
822
:if that's going to like do the best.
823
:Like, I don't know if like,
that's really going to land well.
824
:And, and we did it.
825
:And it is one of our top best sellers.
826
:It's a small little travel sized.
827
:Holy water bottle that look kind of if
you're a woman you would know like like
828
:a travel perfume bottle It's got like a
little spritzer at the top And you it's
829
:like you can travel with it because it's
less than three ounces Like you can put
830
:it in your purse in your car in your
bag And that's like the exact an exact
831
:situation when you could use it brendan
where you you're going on a trip And you
832
:got to bless your airbnb or your hotel
or whatever Yeah, you go like you put
833
:it on like perfume Well, with reverence.
834
:Okay.
835
:But yes.
836
:Um, or like if you're a mom and you're
like spritzing your kids, like with holy
837
:water, uh, while they're out the door to
go to school, you know, you do a little
838
:sign of the cross, a little holy water go.
839
:Um, there's so much power in holy water.
840
:And I so resonate with what you said as
Catholics, we just like, we've been around
841
:it so much and it's such a mundane thing.
842
:I feel like for cradle
Catholics that like, we don't
843
:recognize the power of it, but.
844
:It is very powerful and highly
encourage you to have it around
845
:you in your home and, uh, grab a
holy water spritzer so you can.
846
:Travel with it as well.
847
:Awesome.
848
:So I, I like it.
849
:Everyone go check out the Holy water
spritzers and get yourself as a spritzer.
850
:So where can, if they, if, if people
want to get involved with what you
851
:guys are doing, uh, where would they,
where would you, where would they go?
852
:Yeah, so our website is
West coast catholic.co.
853
:Um, and then you can find me on
Instagram at mari dot c dot Wagner.
854
:That's my personal blog.
855
:Or the shop is at West Coast Catholic.
856
:And then if you wanna hear more of
my voice, if you're not sick of it
857
:yet, you can go tune into the podcast
. It's called The Ever Be Podcast, and
858
:it's a Catholic lifestyle podcast.
859
:Um, so that is ever be on.
860
:Spotify, Apple podcasts,
all that kind of things.
861
:And then we have an
Instagram for that too.
862
:At ever be podcast.
863
:Awesome.
864
:Thanks for coming on the heights podcast.