Feeding Fathers

We fear we’re forming a whole generation that can defend every dogma online… yet never actually tremble in front of God.

We reacted to a video that argues the point that a religion without mysticism is just philosophy. Then we got honest about the difference between knowing about God and actually encountering Him.

We look to St. John of the Cross, Thomas Aquinas, and the quiet old man who simply looked at Jesus and let Jesus look back. We also explain why some of the most “courageous” online defenders of the faith are just being jerks in the name of orthodoxy.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Andy Younan, Fr. Augustine Joseph, Fr. Ankido Sipo

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00:00 Mysticism vs. Intellect

01:53 Defining Mysticism

05:20 Aquinas And Holy Silence

10:13 Heaven and the Body

13:39 Encounter Depends On God

16:29 Feelings And Retreat Highs

25:47 Beauty That Creates Awe

32:22 Calling Out Heresy Online

36:25 Prodigal Son Lessons

39:56 Joyful Christianity

41:19 Road Trip Story

43:01 Pizza!

44:24 Amazon Price Game

You can be completely alone and feel peace.
You can be surrounded by people and feel empty.

We get into solitude vs. loneliness, why your social battery dies as you get older, the quiet time parents with little kids desperately need (and how to actually get it), and the kind of loneliness Jesus felt in the Garden even though the disciples were right next to Him.

We talk about the people who scroll for hours while the lonely person is sitting in the next room, why cliques make the Church feel colder than it should, what to do if you’re the new one trying to break into a friend group without looking needy, and why the most Christian thing you can do is sometimes just walk up to the person sitting alone and start a conversation.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Andy Younan, Fr. Christopher Somo, Fr. Daniel Shaba

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We got back from Michigan a few days ago after witnessing two new priests, Fr. Brandon and Fr. Lucian, for the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas get ordained. The humidity was brutal, but the time with the Chaldean Sisters and our brother priests was very special.

This example of unity contrasts the recent SSPX news. We discuss what actually happened with the excommunications under Pope Leo, why consecrating bishops without the Holy See matters so much, and how the Church has always handled moments like this. We got into the difference between valid and illicit, why excommunication is meant to be temporary medicine instead of a final door slam, and what real obedience looks like when it costs something.

We also talked about organic development versus just breaking off when things get hard — and why staying in the Body, even when it’s hard, is the only way any of this actually holds together for the long haul.

We try some frozen yogurt from our friends at Yogurt Express and play the most chaotic game of describing Church stuff without saying the obvious words.

There always seems to be some tension between loving tradition and staying united, so tune in to learn how to process what’s happening in the Church right now.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Christopher Somo, Fr. Augustine Joseph, Fr. Roni Schamoun

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You know how something gets said in one corner of the community and somehow reaches the exact person it’s about in under two hours? Yeah… we’re that episode.

We get honest about why gossip moves so fast around here, how you literally can’t take words back once they’re out, and why “but it’s true though” still doesn’t get you off the hook.

We also talk about whether just being curious is a problem (Aquinas had some thoughts on that), the difference between venting to someone who will actually check you versus just spreading it, and why holding onto that grudge for three years might be hurting you more than the person you’re mad at.

It’s the conversation we’ve all kind of needed. And yes, we’re very aware of the irony of priests making an entire episode about gossip.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Andy Younan, Fr. Fadi Auro, Br. Sinan

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00:00 Travel Rumors and New Assignment
02:04 How Gossip Spreads
04:03 St Philip Neri Feather Lesson
07:59 Truth vs. Gossip vs. Slander
13:58 Gossip Can Ruin Lives
18:19 Forgiveness and Letting Go
26:59 Venting Is Still Gossip
30:41 Curiosity As A Vice
35:11 Wonder vs. Trivial Questions
37:48 Celebrity Knowledge Trap
42:33 Church Gossip And Family
43:27 Dream Dinner Draft

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What happens when most Chaldeans and Assyrians now live outside Iraq? Will our language disappear? How do we stop our culture from dissolving in the West without losing our Catholic Faith?

On this episode we talk about the Church itself as the glue holding our scattered people together — more than land, more than language — and why preserving our Eastern identity actually matters to the whole Catholic Church.

Fr. Simon and Fr. Tristan just got back from a pilgrimage in France where they visited St. Thomas Chaldean Church in Sarcelles and were blown away.

They describe the most beautiful Chaldean church they’ve ever seen, a packed Mass, and being welcomed with a massive lunch and full-on khigga dancing. They also met young French-born Chaldean priests who speak Sureth with a French twist and are fully living both worlds.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Tristan Farida, Abbot Ankido Sipo, Fr. Augustine Joseph

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