The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast

BONUS: Delving Deep: Healing Addiction by Tracing its Roots and Mending Wounds

The Emmaus Pastorate is happy to provide our listeners with an extra bonus episode this week!  As we near the end of March, which is Problem Gambling Addiction Awareness Month, we share an episode from Road to Purity’s podcast, Tell Them for Me.  Titled Delving Deep: Healing Addiction by Tracing its Roots and Mending Wounds, this is excellent food for thought as we continue our journey through March and the season of Lent!  The full, original episode description is below, and we appreciate Road to Purity for allowing us to share their content.  You can find Tell Them for Me on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, and YouTube.  We welcome any feedback on this or other episodes on The Emmaus Pastorate’s Podcast through our website: www.vibrantcatholic.com/contact.

 

Delving Deep: Healing Addiction by Tracing its Roots and Mending Wounds

by Road to Purity

In this episode we delve into the underpinnings of addictive behaviors, the significance of childhood wounds, and the construction of false identities.  With a focus on how childhood experiences shape our behaviors and beliefs, we uncover the importance of resolving false identities and healing emotional wounds.  Delving into the spiritual dimension, we discuss the role of spiritual warfare in the healing process and the profound insights found in the Theology of the Body.  We also discuss the profound acts of forgiveness, renouncing lies, and tackling addiction and complex family dynamics as part of a comprehensive program we’ve developed.

Take Our Anonymous Survey to help shape our new program for families and Win $100: https://roadtopurity.com/surveygiveaway

Road to Purity is a Catholic nonprofit organization offering hope, healing, and guidance for individuals and families seeking growth in purity.  Our mission is to address the struggles of pornography and sexual addiction by healing the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—while fostering a community rooted in God’s grace and purity.

Our Programs Include:

-Restoring God’s Foundation: A recovery program providing tools, healing strategies, and spiritual guidance for individuals struggling with sexual sin.

-Support for Clergy: Equipping priests and deacons with resources to assist their parishioners in overcoming challenges to sexual purity.

-COMING SOON: Family Programs: Educating parents to protect their children from exposure while fostering healthy, open conversations about sexuality and faith.

By engaging in these programs, participants can expect growth in purity, deeper understanding of intimacy, and the strength to make informed, God-centered decisions in today’s culture.

For more information, join the mission of building an Empire of Purity and find freedom through Road to Purity. Visit roadtopurity.com

Bonus: Homily from 3-30-25

Why can't we just come to our senses?!  The prodigal son did!  Why can't we?  God will love and forgive us no matter what sins we commit so long as we're repentant.  So come home, repent, and enjoy the party!

We thank Fr. Carl Ries for celebrating Mass for us and preaching this weekend.  Fr. Carl filled in for Fr. John as he continues his recovery from a recent heart attack.  Please join us on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 for confessions at St. Mark Parish in Edgewood, IA.  A meal will be served from 5:30pm-7:30pm in the Parish Hall, and confessions will be heard by at least 8 priests from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the Church.

Homily on 3-30-25

Forgive everyone everything.  Plain and simple.  Not always easy, but plain and simple!  It's sometimes hard to let go of grudges, fears, resentments, and hurts.  But if we want the reward of a life well lived (aka heaven), we need to forgive others and ourselves of the sins we all commit.  And when we find it hard, God is always there to help us!  We can never say that we can never forgive someone.  We can always be forgiven and can always forgive others - but only if we want - and only if we ask!

Homily on 3-23-25 #2

Fr. Dustin Vu visited St. Joseph Parish in Elkader this weekend as Fr. John continues his recovery.  Thank you for your ministry, Fr. Vu!

In this homily, Fr. Vu gives us the landowner's quarrel.  Are we getting better?  Or are we getting worse?  If we're not getting better, then we are useless, perhaps even worse.  Maybe we take up space and resources from others!  Come judgement day, the landowner - aka God - will make his decision on where we go.  But if we're getting better throughout our lives, perhaps the landowner decides to let us stay and flourish!  As we continue on our Lenten journey, let's ask ourselves - even if bit by bit - whether we're getting better at being Jesus' disciples or getting worse.

Homily on 3-23-25

Tend the ground.  Actually, tend the holy ground.  Sometimes we forget that the ground, the places on which we stand, are holy.  Sure, churches, cemeteries, maybe other "holy" places are holy.  But if God is everywhere, if God dwells in us all day long, then everywhere we go is a holy place.  And if that's true, we have a lot of ground to tend!  Let's let God into our lives by spreading some of the fertilizer and tending our seeds!

Homily on 3-16-25

To what do you listen?  On what or whom are you focused?  As we continue the journey of Lent, we continue thinking about the ways we're tending the ground in our hearts, how we are (or aren't) making good, fertile places for growth.  And this week after hearing the story of the Transfiguration, we can ask ourselves whether or not we're listening to God's voice or something or someone else.  Just as Jesus was transfigured on the mountaintop, we can be transformed into something entirely new and divine too, but only if we let God work in our hearts!

BONUS: Homily on 3-9-25

Fr. Marvin Bries celebrated Mass on the First Sunday of Lent as Fr. John recovers and continues his cardiac rehab.  In his homily, Fr. Bries reminds us of the power of the holy name of Jesus.  Whenever you're in trouble, simply think, whisper, or shout his name, and all your troubles will abate!

Homily from 3-9-25 with Song and Prayer

Tend the Ground.  What does it mean to tend the ground?  Farming is more than just planting and harvesting.  The field works also needs to be done.  The ground itself needs tending.  And so it is with our hearts.  It's so easy to take the easy road, to go through the motions, to keep a stony heart.  But this Lent, hopefully we aim for something more.  Hopefully we're ready to tend the ground in our hearts so they're ready for God to grow and transform us.

Beginning today's episode is the St. Joseph Choir in Elkader, IA singing Tend the Ground by Steven Curtis.  This is the song on which we'll focus over the next few weeks and referenced by Fr. John in his homily.  Permission to stream and reprint this content is granted under ONE LICENSE #A-626030.

Fr. John also referenced the prayer he wrote for Lent 2025, and recording of that is included at the end of today's episode.  The text follows: 

Dear Jesus, I come before you in these holy days and this is my request:

Help me tend the ground.

The ground is my entire life and indeed, it needs tending.

The weeds of distraction have overgrown my heart, and my sinful habits have produced a hard, well-worn path where your love cannot find a space to grow.

Help me tend the ground.

Plow through my apathy or my fear of change and break up the clods of pride and the need to be right.  Open up my mind and heart and plant your Word deep within, to grow and flourish.  Sharpen my awareness that I might see the small green shoots of hope sprouting up through the darkness of my rebellious heart.  Make of my life a fertile field yielding the fruits of justice and compassion and love. 

I come before you in these holy days of Lent and this is my request:

Help me tend the ground, that I might become the person you’ve called me to be.

AMEN.

~ Rev. John Haugen 2025

Ash Wednesday Homily 2025`

As we mark the beginning of Lent, let us take time to consider the ways in which we'll tend the ground in our hearts through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  In this homily, Deacon Paul mentions the Rice Bowl program offered by Catholic Relief Services.  If you'd like to participate, visit one of our parishes or one near you to receive a Rice Bowl and bring back to church after Lent.

Homily from 3-2-25

The gift of sight is wonderful and makes life very enjoyable for those who possess it.  But many things we encounter everyday have the ability to cloud our vision.  It could be bad weather, poor eyesight, dirty glasses, or someone poking us.  And our spiritual lives have eyes that long to see, too, eyes that long to see with the eyes of faith.  And that sight can be clouded by many things too, mostly sin.  And sin is everywhere in 2025!  As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, may we consider the places where sin dwells in our lives so we can allow Christ to clean them.  Then we might just be able to see with his eyes!