Saint John Henry Newman: The Courage to Follow Truth

 

Saint John Henr

y Newman: The Courage to Follow Truth

The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns

What happens when following the truth leads you down a path you never expected?

In this inspiring episode of The Catholic Journey, we explore the remarkable life of Saint John Henry Newman—a brilliant theologian, Anglican priest, and spiritual seeker whose relentless pursuit of truth eventually led him into the Catholic Church.

Newman's journey was not easy. He faced criticism, lost friendships, and sacrificed much of what was familiar to him. Yet his story reminds us that authentic faith requires courage, humility, and a willingness to follow God wherever He leads.

Through Newman's life and teachings, we discover that faith is not simply about having all the answers. It is about trusting God enough to keep searching, growing, and listening to His voice.

Sometimes the greatest act of faith is having the courage to change.

Join Deacon Pat Kearns as we reflect on the extraordinary life of Saint John Henry Newman and what his journey can teach us about conscience, conversion, and the lifelong pursuit of holiness.

🎧 Listen to The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns.

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The Price of Forgiveness

 

The Man Who Thought Heaven Wasn't for Him

Episode 4 of 5: The Price of Forgiveness

What happens when God forgives you, but the people you've hurt are still carrying the pain?

Thomas Callahan has finally found his way back to Christ. After decades of guilt, shame, and regret, he has experienced the extraordinary mercy of God.

But forgiveness is only the beginning.

Determined to make something meaningful of the years he has left, Thomas begins serving the homeless, helping former prisoners, and offering hope to people the world has forgotten.

Then, one day, a letter arrives.

It's from Rebecca Mercer—the little girl who lost her father because of Thomas's terrible crime more than thirty years earlier.

Her words will bring Thomas to his knees and teach him something profound about repentance, forgiveness, and the true meaning of redemption.

God's mercy doesn't simply make us feel better about our past. It calls us to live differently in the present.

Join me for this deeply emotional fourth episode of our five-part fictional series about sin, grace, second chances, and the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

And remember...

No matter how far we've wandered, God still knows the way home.

Listen to The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns.

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Marriage: Where God Teaches Us to Love

 

Marriage: Where God Teaches Us to Love

We enter marriage hoping to be loved, and along the way, God teaches us how to love. In this episode of The Catholic Journey, Deacon Pat Kearns explores how everyday moments—the disagreements, apologies, quiet sacrifices, and choices to listen—can become opportunities to grow in holiness.

Through a relatable story and practical reflection, discover how Christ’s grace helps imperfect people grow in patience, forgiveness, and compassion, one ordinary day at a time.

🎧 Listen and share with someone who could use encouragement in their marriage.

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“Will There Be Enough Oil in Your Lamp?”

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homily: “Will There Be Enough Oil in Your Lamp?”
Gospel: Matthew 25:1–13

What if tomorrow were your last day on earth? Would you be ready to meet Jesus?

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins—five wise and five foolish. All were invited to the wedding feast, but only five were prepared when the bridegroom arrived.

Through a moving modern-day story of a man who loses his younger brother unexpectedly, this homily challenges us to examine our own lives and ask an important question: Do I truly have a relationship with Jesus, or have I simply spent my life knowing about Him?

So often, we tell ourselves that we'll pray more, return to confession, forgive someone, or grow closer to God when life slows down. But what if that tomorrow never comes?

Jesus reminds us that faith isn't something we prepare for at the last minute. It's something we nurture every day through prayer, love, forgiveness, and the sacraments.

Don't wait until the end of your life to build the relationship with Jesus that you will need for eternity.

Join me for this reflection on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, and ask yourself one simple question: Is there enough oil in my lamp?

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The Little Girl Who Saw a Saint

 

The Man Who Thought Heaven Wasn't for Him
Episode 3 of 5: The Little Girl Who Saw a Saint

What if the person who helps you find your way back to God is someone who knows nothing about your past?

For more than thirty years, Thomas Callahan believed that his sins were too terrible to be forgiven. Haunted by the life he had taken and the family he had destroyed, he lived trapped in guilt, shame, and loneliness.

But then came Emily.

A nine-year-old girl with a red coat, an innocent heart, and a faith so simple that it began breaking through the walls Thomas had built around himself.

One day, she asked him a question that would change everything:

❤️ "If Jesus forgave the people who nailed Him to the cross, why wouldn't He forgive you?"

Those words begin an extraordinary journey that leads Thomas back into a Catholic church, into the confessional, and ultimately into the loving mercy of Jesus Christ.

But accepting God's forgiveness is only the beginning. Thomas must now find the courage to confront the family whose lives he destroyed.

Join me for this deeply emotional third episode of our five-part fictional series about sin, redemption, unlikely friendships, and the transforming power of God's grace.

Because no matter how far we've wandered, God still knows the way home.

🎧 Listen to The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns.

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❤️ I Didn't Know Love Could Feel Like This ❤️

 

❤️ I Didn't Know Love Could Feel Like This ❤️

Last night, we had a wonderful visit from my son and his new girlfriend, along with one of his childhood friends and his recently married wife.

As I watched these young couples together, I found myself thinking about love, relationships, and how beautiful it is when someone comes into your life who genuinely cares about you.

Sometimes people go through relationships that leave them hurt, questioning their worth, or wondering if they'll ever find someone who truly appreciates them. And then, one day, someone comes along who changes all of that. Someone who is kind, patient, thoughtful, and makes them feel good about who they are.

That visit inspired me to write this new song, "I Didn't Know Love Could Feel Like This."

It's about discovering that real love isn't supposed to make you feel small, afraid, or unworthy. Real love helps you become the best version of yourself.

And perhaps one of the greatest gifts in life is finding someone who reminds you that you were always worthy of being loved.

I hope this song touches your heart, especially if you've ever been hurt by love but found the courage to open your heart again.

❤️ Because sometimes the right person doesn't just make you fall in love with them... they help you fall in love with yourself again.

🎶 Enjoy the song, and God bless!

The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns

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Twenty-Eight Years of Darkness

 

The Man Who Thought Heaven Wasn't for Him
Episode 2 of 5: Twenty-Eight Years of Darkness

Can a man who has done something unforgivable ever find his way back to God?

For twenty-eight years, Thomas Callahan lived behind prison walls, haunted by the innocent life he had taken and the family he had destroyed.

An elderly priest refused to give up on him, even when Thomas had given up on himself. But after his release, Thomas remained trapped in a prison of guilt, shame, and loneliness.

Then one cold November afternoon, something extraordinary happened.

A nine-year-old girl in a red coat needed help fixing her bicycle. Her name was Emily, and she had no idea that her simple act of friendship would begin to change a broken man's life forever.

❤️ Sometimes God's grace doesn't arrive through a great miracle. Sometimes it arrives through a little girl with a broken bicycle.

Join me for Episode 2 of this emotional five-part fictional series about sin, forgiveness, redemption, and the extraordinary mercy of God.

Because no matter how far we've wandered, God still knows the way home.

🎧 Listen to The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns.

#TheCatholicJourney #DeaconPatKearns #CatholicPodcast #GodsMercy #Redemption #Forgiveness #Faith #Hope #CatholicFaith #NeverTooLate