Many of us will say that we have learned how to be generous from our parents.  That is a wonderful thing.  But some of us have learned this virtuous trait by that special person that modeled generosity so earnestly. It might just be that you learned how to be kind, caring and generous from your neighbor, a friend, a boss, a teacher or maybe your beloved spouse.  Share with us and the world who taught you generosity and maybe provide some examples that you witnessed that left an impact on you.  Call Jerry and Debbie at 1-800-585-9396.

On Monday, call and share with Jerry and Debbie – and the world – how your love for your spouse has grown over the years or decades, in spite of him or her getting older, gaining weight, struggling with sin, turning out to not be “perfect,” losing his hair, having obnoxious relatives, etc. Should be a truly inspiring conversation. Be sure you’re part of it!

AUDIO ARCHIVE: 

There is nothing like experiencing something in life for the very first time.  First Holy Communion, driving a car, going off to college, getting married, having your first child.  These events in life are filled with joy, excitement and a sense of awe for what life and our faith has to offer.  We are also presented with activities and encounters on a daily basis that we enter into routinely.  So many of us go on auto pilot because we know what to expect from these day-to-day events.  The challenge is how to keep routine things from becoming mundane.  We should be mindful of the present moment and embrace all our experiences as if they were brand new to us.  This includes spending time with family and friends, attending Mass, praying the rosary.  Call in to Friday’s Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie and share how you have kept things anew in your life.  Remember, what you share can impact another soul in a profound way.  1-800-585-9396.

The secular marketplace tells us that we need to “keep up with the Joneses.” Is it all that important? Do you feel that you need to upgrade when something new comes out in order to get your work done or keep up with life? Or, how do you resist the temptation to spend thousands on a regular basis in order to do this? Perhaps you are among the many who believe that “planned obsolescence” is the name of the game, and that technology manufacturers intentionally build their items to run out of life after a certain period of time. Share your take on this on Thursday’s show.

It seems God knows exactly the time and place when just the right things line up and you are present for a conversation that dramatically changes your life forever.  Maybe it was a chance encounter that led to this life-changing conversation.  Or maybe it was a friend that finally had the courage to approach you out of love and concern.  Or maybe it was just a casual group conversation that impacted you in a deep and profound way. We never know when an encounter with another person is going to reveal things about us or our lives that can have a profound impact. Share your take with Jerry and Debbie on Wednesday.

It has been often said, that if you have just one friend then you are truly blessed.  This idea of a “circle of trust” is an interesting concept.  It was first made popular by Robert De Niro in the movie, Meet the Parents.  This is a coveted group to be a part of.  To have someone’s trust is quite an honor and privilege.  To have a sense of loyalty in a friendship is admirable.  Share with us your thoughts about trusted friends.  What qualities are important to you for your circle of trust.  Should we even hold people to such high standards in friendships or are we setting ourselves up for disappointment.  Share your “take” on this by calling 1-800-585-9396.

Being attached to material things or even activities can leave us bound, unable to soar in our spiritual life.  Detachment gives us the space to grow in faith, to become spiritually mature.  When we purge the lesser things of life to make room for the magnificent gifts of God, we experience a freedom that is beyond words.  Yet, the art of detachment can be hard to master.  This world and the things of it are very alluring. Our own pride and sinfulness can be a stumbling block when it comes to detaching.  We must make a conscious effort to remove the things that are holding us back from God.  So what is keeping you from soaring?  That is what we will be discussing together on Monday’s Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie.  If you want to be on the show, just call us at 1-800-585-9396.

Jerry is traveling on Friday, so Debbie will be taking your calls for the monthly Unscripted show.  Debbie will be joined by a hometown guest and catechetical leader in the Diocese of Phoenix, Tom Perna.  Unscripted is your chance to revisit past shows, suggest future topics, or just talk about whatever is on your mind and heart.  This open forum moves rather quickly so if you want to be on the show, call in early at 1-800-585-9396.

Almost everyone uses social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and countless other platforms. The ways in which people use those media are as varied as the people who use them. We post all kinds of things. But do we sometimes say things that are on our minds and hearts in ways that make it difficult for readers to get the true meaning of what we’re saying? Cryptic messages? Veiled criticism of others? Political or social statements that aren’t easy to decipher? What has been your experience of interacting with your family, friends and colleagues on social media? Do you find that you sometimes have to read between the lines to get the deeper messages that people are posting? Share your take on this topic with Jerry and Debbie on Thursday’s show.

Jerry is on location in New Orleans at this year’s gathering of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors. He’s here with a couple hundred vocation directors from across the United States and around the world, along with numerous other priests, religious and laypeople dedicated to the cause of promoting priestly vocations. He’ll be joined on Wednesday by Rose Sullivan, Executive Director of the NCDVD, as well as a couple of young vocation directors. You’re invited to call and share what you’re doing to help bring about an increase in vocations in your part of the world. Here is Jerry with Grant Aasen, a seminarian at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, before Mass on Tuesday. Grant recently decided to forego his final year of eligibility as the punter on Georgia Tech’s football team to become a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.