Episode 39

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Published on:

11th Dec 2024

39: Befriending the Saints | Jana Zuniga

In this episode, Mari Wagner welcomes Jaina, a small Catholic business owner from January Jane Shop, to discuss the significance of saints in the Catholic faith. Jaina shares her journey of faith, the inspirations from saints, and practical ways to incorporate devotions to saints in daily life. With personal anecdotes and experiences, Jaina highlights the importance of viewing saints as companions and cheerleaders in our spiritual journey. The conversation also covers the theological distinction between worshiping God and venerating saints, offering insights to both Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

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Transcript
Speaker:

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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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Hey friends.

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Happy Wednesday.

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We're back again on ever be and this

time with a super special guest, a dear

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friend of mine and a fellow, uh, small

Catholic business owner, Instagram girly.

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We have so much in common and I'm so

glad that we've been able to get to know

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each other more over the past few years.

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So Jaina, why don't you go

ahead and introduce yourself?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Awesome.

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Hi everyone.

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And Mari, thank you so much for having me.

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So fun to be here.

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Um, yeah, my name is Jaina and I also

live in Colorado, um, Colorado Springs.

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I am a Catholic wife.

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I'm married to, um, a

wonderful man named Tim.

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Um, we've lived here in Colorado

for about five years, um, which

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is around the time that I.

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started my business called January Jane

Shop, and the start, or the, maybe the,

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the popularity of my business actually,

um, started because of the saints.

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I, um, when I opened my shop, I had a

handful of my art prints and then these

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saint Polaroid prints, which are pretty

much just, they look like Polaroid

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pictures, but they have Instead of a

photo of, you know, your friends that

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you know, it's a photo of a saint.

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And, um, yeah, those really

took off, um, five years ago.

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And since my shop has just

evolved into more of a Catholic

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lifestyle boutique, um, I love it.

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It's really fun.

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That's been my full time job for

the last, um, yeah, five years.

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And, um, other than that, I,

yeah, I'm a cradle Catholic, um,

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grew up in a big Catholic family.

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I love my faith.

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Um, I have loved the saints

since I was a young girl.

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So definitely excited to

share more about that.

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And, um, to talk about,

yeah, how awesome they are.

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So,

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yes, I'm so excited.

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I was telling Jana before we clicked

record here that I immediately thought

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of her when I knew I wanted to do a

podcast episode on the Saints because

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in my personal faith journey, you know,

I've, I've been a cradle Catholic,

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you know, I was a cradle Catholic

and I've been Catholic my whole life.

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But the saints weren't a very like

integral part of my personal faith.

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And I feel like it hasn't really

been until like the past year or so

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that I've really felt a desire to

nudge, to really like dive into like,

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what can I learn from the saints?

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Who are these amazing

role models that we have?

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How can I have a relationship with them?

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Um, and I think that they're, you know,

Catholics and not, there's people that,

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are just maybe intimidated by the saints

and maybe don't have a full understanding

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of like what their role is in our

lives or, you know, are intimidated

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by the fact that they are saints.

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So we have this idea that they

were just these like perfect

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people that never sinned.

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Um, and that's why they're in heaven.

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And I know that's far from the truth.

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And so I'm excited to talk today about.

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The saints, how do we befriend them?

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How do we have relationships with them

and how can we be inspired by them?

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Um, and I know that Jaina has

so much to share here and has

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just such a love for the saints.

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So she was a perfect guest to bring on.

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Um, so let's just kick it off.

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Why are the saints such an integral

part of our Catholic faith?

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What do you feel like, what kind of

role do they play and why does the

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church really encourage us to have

devotions to saints in the first place?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

yeah, so I am no theologian,

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but, um, I think one important

thing to recognize is that.

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the saints are a very, um, important

part of the mystical body of Christ.

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And when we talk about the mystical

body of Christ, um, we're talking

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about like three main categories, which

is the church suffering, the people

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in purgatory, the church militant,

which is all of us here on earth.

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And then the church triumphant,

um, who are the saints, people who,

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um, lived a life here on earth.

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And then.

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Went on to be in heaven.

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So they when we talk about the kingdom

of God we're also talking about the

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Saints and I think the church really

encourages devotion to them because

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Because they are such wonderful models

for us who are trying to figure out

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how to apply, um, the gospel to our

lives and we get to see how they did

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it and how beautifully they did it.

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And that's not to say they did it

perfectly or successfully, but, um,

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the church does encourage us to look

to them as role models in our faith.

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Obviously Jesus is our primary role model.

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Um, and he's a superstar and

You know, he was perfect.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

also where it's really beneficial to

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actually have some human examples of

people who who were trying to get to

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heaven who were not to the son of god,

you know Who um had to walk and deal

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with the same temptations that we all

have to face um, so Yeah, I think Yeah,

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the saints are just You I mean, we're

going to talk more about that, but, um,

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I think the church recognizes how useful

it is for us to look to their example.

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Um, so yeah, I think they're just

such a treasure to learn from.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm hmm.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

know it, sometimes it takes people a long

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time to realize that, but they truly are.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, absolutely.

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And I, maybe we can get into it too, as

we talk about different saints and stuff

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like that, but I think one thing that's

been helpful for me is when I actually

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learn more about a saint and I begin

to see maybe similarities in our lives,

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or even just like, like, like you said,

like just the humanity in their life of

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like, oh, they struggled with anxiety.

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Oh, like, yeah.

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They had a super crazy party life before

they converted, you know, you read these

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things and you're like, Oh, and yet

they became saints and got to heaven.

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So like, there's some really like

tangible things we can learn from and it

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gives us a lot of hope as well of like,

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: it's to

be a saint doesn't mean that you

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are like sinless from the time of

birth till the time that you die.

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Um, and we can learn that

from, from the saints.

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So yeah.

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In case there may be people who are

really new to the saints or maybe people

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who aren't catholic that are listening

Uh christian brothers and sisters.

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Can you kind of give us an explanation?

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What is the difference between worshiping

god and venerating a saint because we know

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as catholics, we're not Worshiping saints.

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Uh, we're not worshiping mary So how do we

kind of like differentiate how we approach

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god and how we approach the saints

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

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Yeah.

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So I am actually going to pull from the

Catechism for this because I think it's

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just important to be really specific.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: amazing?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

then we can talk a little bit further.

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But this is from paragraph

957 in the Catechism.

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And part of that says that Exactly as

Christian communion among our fellow

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pilgrims brings us closer to Christ.

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So just as like fellowship with

other Christians in our real

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life brings us closer to Christ.

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Our communion with the saints joins us

Christ from whom as from its fountain

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and head issues all grace and the

life of the people of God itself.

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And then there's a sub paragraph that

says we worship Christ as God's son.

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We love the martyrs as the Lord's

disciples and imitators and rightly

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so because of their matchless

devotion toward their king and master.

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May we also be their companions

and fellow disciples.

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So that says specifically we worship

Christ, but we love the saints.

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Like we have affection for them.

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we, we honor them.

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We think they're worthy of imitation.

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So We revere them.

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Um, but that's not the same as worship.

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Um, I think we do treat the saints,

or at least I have in my life, um, as

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real friends, um, and people who are

accompanying us on our journey to heaven.

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And so I think, yeah, there, that's

just a very clear distinction.

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Um, We're not, you know,

we're not worshiping them.

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We're not idolizing them.

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Um, I'm sure it's possible for

people to idolize them, but that's

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not what the church encourages.

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Um, it's really just

using them as examples.

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Um, and I always like to

call them my cheerleaders.

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Like I love to imagine them in heaven

cheering for me because they're there.

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know what I'm doing.

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They They can see my struggles

and they can relate to the

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struggles that I'm going through.

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And, um, and they want us

to be with them, you know?

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

like, they want to help us.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: totally

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

we talk about intercession, um, it's,

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that's also very similar to asking one

of your best friends to pray for you

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when you're struggling with a certain

sin, or can you hold me accountable?

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Or, um, I have this.

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You know, really big event coming up.

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I'm really nervous about

can you pray for me?

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Or i'm, you know, I have this diagnosis.

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That's really difficult.

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I'm struggling with hope.

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Can you pray for me?

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And that's exactly what we ask the

saints to do for us and because we

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believe that they're in heaven And

because we believe they're closer to

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jesus than our friends on earth are Um,

we believe that their intercession is

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all the more powerful because of that

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: That

was beautifully explained.

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Thank you.

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One thing that I loved, um, that you

pulled from the catechism there, I don't

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know that I've read that paragraph and

if you have it open still, correct me

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if I'm wrong, but I think it said that

like, we are their fellow or like, they're

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our fellow companions or like, we're

their fellow companions and disciples.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: That is beautiful.

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I loved that it, Described it that

way because my very first, like,

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Saint friend was Saint Faustina.

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And she's probably the Saint that

I have, besides Mary, like, just

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like the closest relationship to.

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Because during my reversion, like, six

years ago, I came across her diary.

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And that was at the same time that I

was just like, learning what prayer

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was, learning what it was like to have

a personal relationship with Jesus

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versus just like, A checkbox catholic

that just like went to mass once a week.

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You know what I mean?

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And I devoured Like every

page of that book st.

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Faustina's diary and I

mean don't get me wrong.

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It's a huge

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

diary,

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Okay.

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Okay.

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Well, I devoured, like,

hate, like, word by word.

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It's a huge book and I am only,

like, maybe halfway through,

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you know, six years later.

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It's going to take a

lifetime to get through.

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But I just remember, like, every

page was, like, so captivating to me.

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Because it showed me a way that

you could follow Jesus in a

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way that you could love Jesus.

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And what I always told people, I, I never

really felt like I had a mentor in faith.

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Like there was never anybody older than

me, like besides my parents, like there

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was never like an older sister or like a

friend that was a few years older than me

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or a friend that was like more into their

faith than I was that could like guide me.

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I didn't have missionaries

on my or anything like that.

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And so when I started reading

this diary, I truly felt like St.

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Faustina was discipling me and I truly

felt like through learning about her and

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through hearing, like reading her prayer

and how she spoke to Jesus and like what

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she brought to him and how she developed

her relationship with him, like all these

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things, I was like, Oh, I can do that.

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I can approach Jesus this way.

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Like, I can talk to him this way.

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And I felt like really, there was this

like relationship of discipleship in that.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: so.

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And I was like, I don't know if this

is like theologically correct to say,

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but I love hearing in the catechism

that's like, it's described that way.

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Cause that's definitely

been an experience for me.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

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Absolutely.

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That's so beautiful, all that.

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Yeah, that idea of her discipling you.

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I just love that image and I think

that's a very shared experience

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that people have with the saints of

like them becoming like their big

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brothers and big sisters in the faith.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, totally.

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And we hear these terms a lot of

like, Oh, like you said, like, I'm

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friends with the saints, you know,

like they're my best saint friend.

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Like, what does that really look

like in, in your faith life?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

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I mean, I think the word companionship

Friendship is perfect for that

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because it's really like, almost

feels like there's a particular

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saint that is journeying with you.

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And think you develop friendship with

the saints, um, or a particular saint,

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you know, if you're talking about a

saint friend or a saint buddy, um.

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Sometimes it happens because

you are drawn to them

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm.

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Mm.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

you know, maybe you find something

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common with them and you feel like

you see part of yourself in them.

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And then you start to develop a

relationship with them and you read,

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you know, if there's a book available

about their life story or something

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they wrote or a book about their

spirituality, Um, you just develop this

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closeness with that particular person,

and because they're real and they, they

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did live on this earth, like, I feel

like there's so much opportunity to, you

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know, learn about their real life, and

then feel like you actually know them.

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And now, with modern saints, we have

video footage of some saints who are

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in the process of being canonized.

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Um, And so, you know, whether or not it's

a newer saint or an old saint, I think

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it's, you know, having a saint friend

looks like, um, you know, learning about

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one particular saint and then asking

them to help you in the particular

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situations that you find difficult

in your walk with the Lord, you know,

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and asking for their intercession.

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And I think when people do that, that bond

becomes stronger with that saint because

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a lot of times they'll pray novena to that

saint and that saint will like send them

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a little god wink from heaven on the day

that their novena ended or they'll send

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them little signs from heaven, which is

so beautiful and I think that that like

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furthers your conviction that that saint

also in companionship with you like you're

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not just looking to them, but they have

their eyes on you on earth and they have

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you know, want to be close to you as well.

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And they want, um, to walk with you.

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So friendship with the saints, I

think is, um, just so beautiful

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and really can enrich, um, your

relationship with the Lord, because

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I think that's the whole point too.

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Like, I think it's important to

recognize that the whole point and

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the church says this, that like,

Friendship with the Saints is really

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the goal is to become closer to Christ.

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And because they're so close to Christ in

Heaven, like, getting to know them will

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naturally bring you closer to the Lord.

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Um, and naturally make you want

to grow in virtue and imitate

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the virtues that you see in them.

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And, um, gosh, Saints like Saint

Faustina, I mean they, Jesus

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appeared to her and spoke to her.

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And so like in the process

of learning about St.

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Faustina, you literally are

discovering things that the Lord

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spoke prophetically through her.

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And you're discovering about the

Lord, like so directly because

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: So true.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

spoke through her, you know?

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So yeah.

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Um, it's just beautiful.

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I think

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

so much opportunity, um, and

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becoming friends with the saints.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

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How did your journey begin?

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Getting to know the saints?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah, so as I mentioned,

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I'm a cradle Catholic.

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So grew up like I have a picture of

when I was, I don't know, probably

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one years old, maybe six months old.

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I don't even think I could walk.

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And I'm dressed like as, I don't

even know what saint it was,

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but I'm in the nun costume.

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And like, I have a picture of myself when

I'm nine years old, dressed as a nun.

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Elizabeth and Seton for the All

Saints Day parties at my church.

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And, um, so I have very early memories

of, you know, my parents really

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the saints to be our role models.

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And I'm so thankful for that.

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Um, my mom, she talks a lot about how

important it is for like adolescent

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kids, like young teenagers to have

people outside of the church, parents

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to look up to and to know, I think

at that age your parents aren't cool

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anymore and like you need Cool people to

follow who are also following the lord.

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Um, and

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Totally.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

who make holiness attractive,

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you know, and so Yeah, I think

it started at a very young age.

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Um, But I think it was a lot

more simple when I was younger.

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It was more like We learn about the

saints, we dress up as them for All

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Saints Day, and, um, my mom was, you

know, like, an avid Novena prayer, so,

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we were always praying different Novenas

to different saints, and asking them

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to intercede for us, um, not all of us

were named after saints, surprisingly,

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but, yeah, I think, of the first saints

I remember being very drawn to, I'm

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pretty sure I was, I don't know, 13,

maybe even younger, but I started

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learning about blessed Chiara Padano who

died of bone cancer at the age of 18.

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And so she was this teenager who had

so much joy for the Lord and wanted to

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offer all of our suffering for Jesus.

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She literally declined the opportunity

to have morphine when she was

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going through her chemotherapy.

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Um, because she wanted to like

offer more for the Lord, but it

331

:

talked about how she was super fun.

332

:

She loved to sing.

333

:

She loved to dance.

334

:

She loved to play tennis.

335

:

Like I loved sports and she played

soccer and I was like, I play soccer.

336

:

And I, you know, like there was just,

I could see myself in her because she

337

:

was so young and she was beautiful.

338

:

And so I remember really bring being

drawn to her when I was, um, a teenager.

339

:

And then John Paul II also, he

passed away when I was, I think 14.

340

:

And he was someone my parents had,

know, they just loved John Paul II.

341

:

He became Pope when they, um,

the year that they got married.

342

:

And so my family loved John Paul II

and then he quickly became a saint.

343

:

And so, I don't know at

what point he was canonized.

344

:

I don't remember how old I was.

345

:

But, um, he was someone

who I really looked up to.

346

:

And St.

347

:

Gianna was the other one who, um,

my mom named our young, or at the

348

:

time it was our youngest sibling.

349

:

Um, she named her after St.

350

:

Gianna.

351

:

And there's this whole other story

that would take too long to tell

352

:

you about, um, my sister Gianna,

but I was really involved in the

353

:

pro life movement, um, in college.

354

:

And so St.

355

:

Gianna then became of, yeah, like I

said, a cheerleader for me because,

356

:

um, she, if people aren't familiar

with her story, I will say quickly,

357

:

um, Gianna was, Diagnosed with cancer

when she was pregnant with her daughter

358

:

and the doctor said, you know You can

have an abortion so that we can you

359

:

know Give you the treatment you need

to save your life and she said no I

360

:

want to carry my baby to term and give

life to my child first and she did

361

:

that and then Sadly did not survive.

362

:

And so she passed away and a lot of

pro life advocates really um Asked for

363

:

the intercession and mothers, um, asked

for the intercession of Saint Gianna.

364

:

So She, you know, just naturally she

became it was she was someone I was

365

:

already very aware of growing up and

then Um as I got involved in the pro

366

:

life movement, it just made sense Um to

kind of ask for her intercession through

367

:

all of that Um, so anyways Yeah, there

has been always been these saints that

368

:

like, just naturally feel like I'm drawn

to them for some reason and then after

369

:

reading more about their lives, um,

I'm more inspired and want to continue

370

:

to ask them to help me get to heaven.

371

:

So, yeah, there's, you know, I feel

like depending on the season of

372

:

life I'm in, it kind of changes.

373

:

when people ask me my favorite

saint is, I'm always like, know.

374

:

Like there are so many amazing ones

and I don't know if I could choose.

375

:

And I feel like I have a different

favorite saint every couple of

376

:

years, you know, um, like Chiara,

servant of God, Chiara Petrillo.

377

:

Um, she lost two babies, um, and then

got cancer during her third pregnancy.

378

:

And she had, she suffered a ton and like

she's someone as now that I'm married, um,

379

:

and desperately desire to have children,

like she, her mother, her journey was so

380

:

painful and filled with so much suffering.

381

:

And so like now she's someone who

has increasingly became, um, a good

382

:

friend to me in just like knowing

about her story and knowing that she

383

:

suffered a lot too in her vocation.

384

:

So

385

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

386

:

I've been really wanting to read her book.

387

:

Um, people say it's a

really wonderful book.

388

:

Um,

389

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

not recommend it enough.

390

:

It's

391

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: think we have it.

392

:

I just haven't.

393

:

I'm such a bad reader.

394

:

Um, but I, that one is

definitely on my list.

395

:

Um, one thing I was going to say too, as

you were talking, thank you for sharing.

396

:

I mean, so beautiful to hear

just like specific saints and why

397

:

you have relationships with them

and why you're closest to them.

398

:

And one thing that came to mind

too, is that you hear how like the

399

:

saints like choose you sometimes.

400

:

To

401

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

402

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: I know you're

saying like, sometimes it's, uh, easier

403

:

to build a relationship with the saint

because there's something you relate

404

:

to, or there's like something you're

struggling with that they struggled

405

:

with and that you can connect and

draw like strength from their story.

406

:

And sometimes I feel like the

saints just choose us as well.

407

:

And like certain saints, um, yeah,

either just, you know, you'll hear

408

:

the term like saints docking and like,

they'll pop up everywhere or they'll

409

:

just like, Choose you and what I have

been reflecting on to is when I chose

410

:

a confirmation saying I got confirmed.

411

:

I think when I was like 16 or

something like that in high school,

412

:

and I hadn't I didn't really have

any relationships with any saints.

413

:

Um,

414

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

415

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: And

I ended up choosing St.

416

:

Gianna to be my patron saint, and she

is, I know she's the patron saint of

417

:

mothers, unborn babies, and I think even

like, people desiring motherhood is like,

418

:

camped into, um, what she's a patron

saint of, and, We've talked about this

419

:

and I've shared about this as well here

that we are also on a journey of like

420

:

trying to grow our family and desires

of motherhood and struggling to do so.

421

:

And I had no idea when I picked her to

be my patron saint when I was 16, like,

422

:

How much of a role she would play in my

life now in asking for her intercession

423

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah,

424

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: a few, a few, not

a few years ago, like a year and a half

425

:

ago, a friend of a friend of mine had

these, like, I think it was a second or.

426

:

A third class relic of St.

427

:

Gianna and it was the St.

428

:

Gianna earrings that had like touched

one of her relics and, um, there's just a

429

:

lot of beautiful stories of the earrings

that got passed around to different women

430

:

who were struggling and then they had

little miracles and, um, while we didn't,

431

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

know about the earrings.

432

:

What,

433

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: yeah,

434

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

what are the earrings?

435

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: there's

just, it's just these St.

436

:

Gianna earrings that

some, like these, like St.

437

:

Gianna medals, like, you

know, just like a St.

438

:

medal, it's a really small

medal and they like put them

439

:

onto like these earring clips.

440

:

Um, yeah.

441

:

Yeah.

442

:

And then those earrings, somebody

touched it to a relic of St.

443

:

Gianna.

444

:

So I think it became, I think it's

like a second or third class relic.

445

:

And

446

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

mhmh,

447

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: around.

448

:

Like they're in Denver, like

I'll try and get them for you.

449

:

They're in Denver and like just

different women have like passed them

450

:

around through the years as they've

gone through different difficult

451

:

motherhood journeys, either becoming

mothers or hard postpartum or whatever.

452

:

Um, And there's been just beautiful

miracles attributed to the people who

453

:

have worn the earrings and pray to St.

454

:

Gianna in their journey.

455

:

And so they found their way to my

jewelry box about a year and a half ago.

456

:

And I, while we, we never were pregnant

while I had them, I wore those earrings

457

:

to several really big and kind of

scary, like doctor's appointments

458

:

that I had to face and different

procedures that I had to go through.

459

:

And.

460

:

There was just this, like, strength

and this closeness that I drew from

461

:

having Just that little piece of St.

462

:

Gianna with me through this journey.

463

:

Um, and so to think back, like when I was

16 and I was trying to pick a confirmation

464

:

saying, and I was like, Oh, who do I pick?

465

:

And it was like, Oh, St.

466

:

Gianna sounds cool.

467

:

Um, I also picked her for the pro

life aspect as well, because I, my

468

:

mom was a teen pregnancy, basically

she was 19 and, um, she, she chose

469

:

life after some battling back

and forth of what she should do.

470

:

And so very grateful to.

471

:

Yeah, to the pro life saints as well.

472

:

So it's just really cool to know that

they, like, they know who you are too.

473

:

And they like sometimes choose

you as much as you choose them.

474

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah, absolutely.

475

:

That's so beautiful.

476

:

Gosh, instincts on picking Saint Gianna.

477

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

She was a good choice.

478

:

So what are some practical ways that

you can share for people to incorporate

479

:

devotions to saints in everyday life?

480

:

If somebody's like, okay, I'm really into

this podcast, I want to choose a saint to

481

:

be friends with or to like grow a devotion

to, what are some practical things

482

:

that people can do to grow a devotion?

483

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

484

:

I really think, I don't know, for me,

my devotion to the saints has felt so

485

:

natural because I have spent a lot of

time just getting to know their stories.

486

:

And so I think, like, if you have a saint

that, you know, just barely even interests

487

:

you, think, to find out if there's

a book about that saint and read it.

488

:

I feel like that, I don't know,

maybe reading a book is intimidating

489

:

to people, maybe that sounds like

a big step, but I feel like there

490

:

are so many really awesome books.

491

:

Books out there and make it part of like

I've always tried to make it part of my

492

:

like prayer routine so sometimes there's

books that are like a lot more spiritually

493

:

heavy like the um The diary of saint

faustina is like you're reading, you know

494

:

literally straight up words from jesus to

saint faustina and it's like Stuff that

495

:

you can really really pray with sometimes

it's more of just like a biography of

496

:

the saint But So depending, you know, I

don't want to say like it should totally

497

:

replace your prayer time with the Lord

and like conversation with God But I

498

:

think tacking on like a saint book or some

type of saint spirituality book um with

499

:

your prayer time is a really Um nice way

to just naturally build it in so you're

500

:

not like I have to like read this whole

book But just like i'm gonna read five

501

:

pages After my prayer time every day.

502

:

Um and And So yeah, I think picking a

saint book is a really good first step.

503

:

Um, and I think after that you start

to feel like you know that saint better

504

:

and you can ask them to help you.

505

:

Like, don't be afraid to actually

call upon their help, um, when you

506

:

need their help for a certain thing.

507

:

And it doesn't have to be related to

like, oh, they're the patron saint of,

508

:

you know, pregnancies, so I have to

like, choose one of the, like, I can

509

:

only ask them for help if I'm pregnant.

510

:

Like, no, you can ask them for help

in whatever you need help with.

511

:

Um, but I think that's also giving them

an opportunity to, and to like show up

512

:

for you in your life and to, um, I'm

actually not like the best at, you know,

513

:

doing novenas and you know, like I've

never done like the, know, pray to St.

514

:

Teresa of nine days and look for a rose.

515

:

Like, you know, a lot of people enjoy

doing that and you don't have to

516

:

do that, but that's like definitely

an option, um, of, you know, giving

517

:

that saint an opportunity to.

518

:

Send you a consolation from heaven,

you know, um, so those are the two

519

:

bigger things that come to my mind.

520

:

Um, I think it's really fun

to celebrate their feast days.

521

:

And so I think again, if you get

to know them, you genuinely grow

522

:

an affection for them and you

like genuinely feel love for them.

523

:

And I think.

524

:

In the same way that you want to

celebrate your, your friends on your

525

:

birthday, like we celebrate their heavenly

birthday and those, um, a lot of times

526

:

I think a feast day of a saint looks

like, you know, what would them happy?

527

:

And it's usually like, okay,

I'm going to go to mass.

528

:

I'm going to, um, know, go serve the

poor because they love serving the poor

529

:

or I'm going to pray a rosary because

they loved Mary and they also loved the

530

:

rosary and so it's like you know naturally

going to um It should naturally be

531

:

something that is prayerful and um a way

for you to You know be closer to Christ

532

:

on that day by also um being closer to

that saint and Doing things that they

533

:

would've done when they were alive, so,

534

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

That was really beautiful.

535

:

Now, question for you here.

536

:

What if somebody is like intimidated?

537

:

What if somebody is like, okay,

I want to get to know a saint.

538

:

Like, this sounds like, you

know, it's for everybody, you

539

:

know, it makes it sound like.

540

:

The saints would want to be friends

with everybody, or like, anybody can

541

:

have a relationship with a saint, but

what if, you know, what would you say

542

:

to someone who feels intimidated by the

idea of befriending a saint, and maybe

543

:

even, like, has a feeling of, like, I'm

not holy enough, you know, to have a

544

:

relationship with somebody in heaven, or

like, why would they be praying for me?

545

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

546

:

Yeah.

547

:

Yeah I would say first and foremost that

I think it's important to trust that you

548

:

were born for such a time as this and

like you the lord Chose you to be alive

549

:

at this point in history and I think that

You It's hard when we start comparing, you

550

:

know, comparing ourselves to saints who

completely different circumstances as us.

551

:

And I think each of us are, you know, we,

God gives each of us very unique gifts.

552

:

Um, each of us struggle

with unique temptations.

553

:

are each born into a very

specific family life.

554

:

Um, we each have, um, yeah,

a specific, you know, history

555

:

and we have specific wounds.

556

:

And so I think it's like, first mercy

on yourself and know that like the Lord

557

:

exactly what you're dealing with and

he knows exactly, um, crosses that he's

558

:

given you and I think Yeah, when we start

like looking at other saints know that

559

:

like we're not the same person as them

so holiness is going to look different

560

:

on everyone and Yeah, holiness on me

is gonna look different than holiness

561

:

on you marie and the next person.

562

:

Um, so like you know with looking at

I think it's really hard when we look

563

:

at saints who are like super super

old because like Like the culture

564

:

is totally different and our world

was totally different back then.

565

:

But like you were born to be a saint in

:

566

:

in this particular culture, in the digital

age and the specific temptations that

567

:

we have in, you know, our generation.

568

:

But also, God is asking you to be a saint.

569

:

in the particular circumstances

that he's placed you in, you know?

570

:

So I feel like that should give you

some freedom to know that like, I don't

571

:

have to look exactly like this saint.

572

:

I can take lessons from them.

573

:

I can learn from their example.

574

:

I can see, and it's good, I think, to

admire them and to aspire to, you know,

575

:

like someone who maybe seems like they're

holier than we are but we don't know like

576

:

what they were dealing with We don't know

What they said in confession like some

577

:

things we do know that they had a very

sinful past and I think it is refreshing

578

:

if you're feeling like shame about your

past or shame about Um, how holy you are

579

:

or whatever that you're not good enough.

580

:

Like I think there are a lot of saints

out there who maybe it is encouraging

581

:

for you to see like they you know have

a very rough past and a rough history

582

:

and By the grace of god, they were able

to become saints and I think that that's

583

:

something I like to emphasize a lot um

when I talk about aspiring to be a saint

584

:

is that like We should believe that We

all can become saints the grace of God.

585

:

And like, we should have that

confidence, um, to say that like we,

586

:

every single one of us has what it

takes and not by our own merits, but by

587

:

the graces that God wants to give us.

588

:

And so all of these saints, like, yes,

they had to do the work, but everyone who

589

:

was a saint was given tremendous grace.

590

:

And you should be asking for that

grace to become a saint and to be.

591

:

You know to grow in whatever virtue

you need to um It's it's not supposed

592

:

to come easily, you know but I think

if you're intimidated that is okay,

593

:

and that's normal but Um, yeah, I just

think it's important to know that like

594

:

you have a very specific um calling

that's unlike anyone else, you know

595

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

that's definitely encouraging

596

:

to hear and to think about too.

597

:

And I think that it does give you kind of

a different perspective and confidence in

598

:

like your journey and to know like, yeah,

the Lord chose me for such a time as this.

599

:

Like my life is going to

look different than St.

600

:

Therese's because I live in a completely

different timeline, you know, and I'm

601

:

going to struggle with different things

and I'm going to draw to the, to the Lord.

602

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

603

:

Yeah.

604

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: in different ways.

605

:

Um, and then I also loved how you were

talking about like praying for the

606

:

grace and like every saint was given

the grace necessary to become a saint.

607

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

608

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: going

to look different as well.

609

:

And not all saints, like, like

all saints weren't the same.

610

:

You know, like their story wasn't the same

and the way they got to heaven wasn't the

611

:

same and their crosses weren't the same

And so there was different levels of grace

612

:

that the lord desired to pour over them

different levels of suffering different

613

:

levels of desolation and consolation

That all added up to their journey to

614

:

heaven and so I think that's what is so

beautiful is like like you said, it's

615

:

just It's just our family in heaven.

616

:

It's just like made up of a bunch

of real humans who were on earth

617

:

who had real human experiences.

618

:

And just like our human

experiences vary, so did theirs.

619

:

And so you have St.

620

:

Paul, who used to be Saul and

went around killing Christians.

621

:

You'd never think someone like

that would be a saint, right?

622

:

But the Lord gave him the

necessary grace to turn his

623

:

life around and To be in heaven.

624

:

And then you have St.

625

:

Therese, who like the smallest little

thing, she would think she's like

626

:

the worst person alive, and you read

her story and you're like, oh no,

627

:

like, I'm nowhere near her, you know,

but the Lord gave her the necessary

628

:

suffering, the necessary grace.

629

:

For her journey to become a saint.

630

:

So it is encouraging to know that

everybody's walk is different.

631

:

Um, uh, I think I want to end

on just like some glory stories.

632

:

Like if you have any saint stories,

um, either in your life or friends

633

:

and family that you've heard, I would

love to hear those and share those

634

:

with our listeners so people can just

hear like the reality of how saints

635

:

are participating in our lives.

636

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

637

:

Yeah.

638

:

So,

639

:

bigger one that kind of comes to

my mind in just my own experience

640

:

is that I definitely hear stories

about other people all the time, but

641

:

one that I've experienced is, um,

just through the intercession of St.

642

:

Joseph.

643

:

So,

644

:

so yeah, before I met Tim, my husband,

um, I had decided I was kind of

645

:

like praying through my vocation

and my particular call to marriage.

646

:

And had recently just come to like

a new level of peace that I was.

647

:

to get married.

648

:

Um, and I decided to do

a 30 day novena to St.

649

:

Joseph, um, to find my future husband.

650

:

Um, this is a really beautiful novena.

651

:

I feel like not a lot of people

actually know about that, but it's

652

:

30 days for the 30, the 30 years

that Jesus spent with his family?

653

:

Yeah, right.

654

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

655

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

so 30 years that he presumably with St.

656

:

Joseph.

657

:

So

658

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

659

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

three fold pamphlet and

660

:

it's just a big long prayer.

661

:

So I was praying that, um, Novena,

this was in the summertime and long

662

:

story short, I ended up During, like,

literally in the middle of my Novena,

663

:

I ended up going to a wedding with Tim.

664

:

Um, and we had met two years prior, um,

but hadn't seen each other in two years.

665

:

And we had, like, kept in touch randomly.

666

:

And that's a whole nother story,

but reconnected at this wedding.

667

:

Um, and that was really the

start of our really like, not

668

:

immediately, but probably about a

month or so later we started dating.

669

:

Um, and it wasn't until like we were,

you know, like well into dating that I

670

:

realized like, Oh my gosh, I was literally

praying that Novena had to find my future

671

:

husband while like While our relationship

was pretty much re blossoming.

672

:

Um, so that was like,

really significant for me.

673

:

And because of that, St.

674

:

Joseph kind of became

our patron as a couple.

675

:

Um, and we prayed a novena to him,

like, while we were, um, engaged.

676

:

And, um, you know,

leading up to our wedding.

677

:

And Um, you know, have just

used him as a model for us.

678

:

Um, and so, and Tim's full name is Joseph.

679

:

So that was kind of cool too.

680

:

Um, but then when we got married, we,

um, started trying to have a baby right

681

:

away and, um, have been on this journey

of infertility and trying to conceive.

682

:

So last year we.

683

:

decided we were going to spend

Thanksgiving in Vermont with his family.

684

:

And that happened to only be about

three hours away from the Oratory of St.

685

:

Joseph, which is something that, uh, St.

686

:

Andre Bresset had built in his lifetime.

687

:

He had a huge devotion to St.

688

:

Joseph.

689

:

And it's the largest shrine to St.

690

:

Joseph in the world.

691

:

So we were like, we should probably go.

692

:

Um, we're only going to

be a couple hours away.

693

:

So we went over.

694

:

Montreal in Canada, across the border,

and we were able to pray, um, at

695

:

the tomb of Saint Andre Bessette

and, um, have mass in the crypt,

696

:

and it was a beautiful experience.

697

:

Um, but that was over Thanksgiving,

and then we conceived for the first

698

:

time the next month in December.

699

:

Um, and already know this,

Mari, that did not survive.

700

:

Sadly, we had a miscarriage, but was

a huge consolation for us because we

701

:

had been trying to conceive for three

and a half years leading up to that.

702

:

Um, and so while, you know, I could

say like, well, the prayers didn't

703

:

work, know, the baby didn't make it all

the way, but I still really feel like

704

:

that was a huge consolation that St.

705

:

Joseph gave us that we

were able to conceive.

706

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

707

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

and I still believe that he's

708

:

interceding for us and that he, um,

will not stop interceding for us.

709

:

But that was one of the first experiences

I had that felt like really directly,

710

:

like, you know, it was, just was

like you, you couldn't make that up.

711

:

Like it was like the very next day.

712

:

we could to get pregnant.

713

:

We were pregnant.

714

:

and so yeah, I will just continue

to have a huge love for St.

715

:

Joseph and we continue to ask for his

intercession for us and our family.

716

:

So

717

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: that is amazing.

718

:

I love that.

719

:

Thank you for sharing that.

720

:

That's so cool.

721

:

And St.

722

:

Joseph too, I feel like

he kind of lays low.

723

:

Like sometimes he doesn't really

get the recognition he deserves.

724

:

And so I love, I just love that

you're, yeah, this story was about St.

725

:

Joseph.

726

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Well, it doesn't help that we

727

:

like know nothing about him, you

728

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: I know.

729

:

Yeah, for sure.

730

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

very little to go off of, but,

731

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: True.

732

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

I think is, he's underrated for sure.

733

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Oh, that is amazing.

734

:

Well, Jaina, it's been so

wonderful chatting with you today.

735

:

Um, can you share where people

can find more about you?

736

:

I know that you have a book that

you wrote as well about the saints,

737

:

so can you share about that?

738

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

739

:

So I am on Instagram, uh, as

January Jane shop, and that's also

740

:

my website, January, Jane shop.

741

:

com.

742

:

Um, Mari is going to include a little

discount for you guys in the show notes.

743

:

Um, if you want a little

discount on your order,

744

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm hmm.

745

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

yeah, I, so I did self publish a book

746

:

last year called humans of heaven.

747

:

And If there's anyone who feels

intimidated by the saints, um, or

748

:

feels like, I just like don't get

why people like the saints, I'm just

749

:

not there, I feel like this book was

written for you because it's 50 short

750

:

stories of modern catholic saints.

751

:

So it's all saints that lived in

like the late 18th, 19th century.

752

:

Um, so.

753

:

definitely if you feel like you need

to find saints that are more relatable,

754

:

um, lots of relatable saints I think

because they're so modern in that book.

755

:

Um, they're all like

little tiny snapshots.

756

:

that I think can at least

spark your curiosity.

757

:

If you want to figure out like if you

want to go deeper with one of those

758

:

saints, you can kind of like go shopping

for a saint friend in that book.

759

:

Um, so yeah, I think also my favorite like

customer for this book are catechumens,

760

:

like people who, Are coming into the

faith and they want to get this book

761

:

because I feel like it is it's meant

to be really approachable I've had even

762

:

people who are not catholic purchase

this book um, which I think Yeah, I

763

:

think it's meant to feel like these are

stories of holy men and women who um

764

:

just, their lives are just so captivating.

765

:

Whether or not you, you know,

are also Catholic, I feel

766

:

like anyone can appreciate the

beauty, um, of these people.

767

:

So yeah, definitely check out the book and

we'll link that too, right, in the show

768

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, we'll

link it all in the show notes.

769

:

I don't know if you already said this or

not, but it's called Humans of Heaven.

770

:

It's like a gorgeous

coffee table book too.

771

:

Like it's got this like gorgeous

green linen cover and it's big.

772

:

And so, yeah, also a great decor item

for your home to make your, you know,

773

:

to catholify your home a little bit.

774

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

775

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214: All right.

776

:

Well, we will include all that

in the show notes and get y'all a

777

:

code to January Jean shop as well.

778

:

I believe that's going to be ever be 15.

779

:

Is that right?

780

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

All

781

:

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

We'll go check her out.

782

:

Gina.

783

:

Thanks so much for spending

time with us today.

784

:

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

right.

785

:

Thanks, Mari.

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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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