Connecting Scripture and Life

Connecting Scripture and Life

by Connecting Scripture and Life

Religion & Spirituality

Episode 10: Go and Make Disciples - OCIA with Teenagers

The OCIA Rite offers rites for adults and children, but what about our teenagers? Those ages 13-17 have different needs and questions. This podcast featuring Dayrin Perez, Lead Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Fr. Juan Ochoa, Director of the Office of Divine Worship offers great wisdom from experience as a parent and as ministers to help catechists find practical ways of evangelizing our young people and their parents. Please join this important conversation so we can guide our youth toward becoming missionary disciples of Jesus.

Episode 9: Go and Make Disciples - OCIA with Children

The OCIA Rite adapts for Children ages 7-12 who have not been baptized. Often their parents are not Catholic or the child desires to enter into full sacramental participation with the Church. In this podcast with Deacon Douglas Zuniga, Coordinator of Elementary Catechesis for the Archdiocese of Los Angles and Fr. Juan Ochoa share their wisdom and insights about how we walk with children and parents towards full communion and formation as disciples of Jesus. Please join us!

Episode 56: Ash Wednesday and the Temptation in the Dessert

Ash Wednesdays offers each of us the blessing of God's loving forgiveness. Jesus in his time in the desert shows us that we can resist the temptations of the world. Holy Scripture leads us along the narrow path and offers a road back when we stray. What greater gift is there than Lent, a time to concentrate our minds, hearts, and strength on the love God has for His people.

Episode 8: Go and Make Disciples-Exorcisms and Blessings - The Minor Rites

The minor rites of the catechumenate are beautiful prayers that help to free the minds of the catechumens and all who participate from the wiles of sin and temptation. Simple yet beautiful in the love for God and God's love for us. Please join Fr. Juan Ochoa, Fr. Chris Bazyouros, Adrian Aralar, and Leticia Perez who share their experience of OCIA and the rite's power to transform lives and hearts.

Episode 55: First Gathering Together in Community of Worship - Exodus 19

This is a powerful story of Israel gathering together at the foot of Sinai awaiting the Law of God. They have just arrived on the third new moon and a boundary has been set for them not to pass. Until now they have sought food and shelter, but here, at God's mountain they are gathered together to prepare for God to come down from the mountain after three days of purification. This chapter shows that worship in community is even more important than creature comforts, that it is the stuff of life, and we see this kingdom of priests, this holy nation come together in praise: the birth of the religion. What seems harsh and hard to bear at first reveals itself to be a promise of God's fidelity.

Episode 7: Go and Make Disciples- Right of Calling

The Rite of Calling to Continuing Conversion is for Catholics who were baptized as infants, but have not been catechized or fully initiated, and for those who were baptized into other Christian traditions. They are already part of the Christian community and in this rite are called to ongoing conversion that will last their lifetime. Please join us as we share the importance of this rite for those who wish to participate fully in the Sacramental life of the Catholic Church.

Episode 6: Go and Make Disciples- Right of Election

The Rite of Election at the Cathedral brings together literally thousands of people who desire to be part of the Sacramental life of the Catholic Church. To see them gathered together gives all of us hope that the Church is alive and well and ready to enter the world to love God with all our hearts, souls and might and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We see our mother Church reflected in those who come to the table of the Lord with open hearts, praise and thanksgiving.

Episode 54: The Song of the Sea - Exodus 15

This is a song of prayer by Moses and the Israelites after God separated them from their Egyptian masters forever. It extols the steadfast love of God for His people. The language may be archaic but the deliverer, the savior, God, remains the same and love for his people is eternal, to the ends of the earth.

Episode 5: Go and Make Disciples - History of Christian Initiation

Fr. Pedro Lopez walks us through the history of what we know today as Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. He shows us the development of the process from our Jewish roots, through times of growth, waning, and revival. Please join us for this fascinating podcast that helps us to understand that OCIA did not start in 1972. It began with the birth of the Church herself. The same truth brought to a new generation.

Episode 53: Jonah - More Than A Whale of a Story! - Part 3

Jonah is a mirror. Not just the character, but the whole book. We are at once Jonah, the sailors, and the Ninivites. We are asleep in the hold of the ship and running around tossing things overboard. We are obstinate then obedient, rabble rousing yet able to hear the voice of God and repent. The story of Jonah reflects our complex humanity. It is like an icon, the faithful being the point of vanishing. The strange seemingly unfinished ending continues with us.

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