Dcn. Bob, a deacon for the Archdiocese of Detroit, came to know the Lord through a conversion experience he had in his twenties, but it was the Eucharist that sustained him. On this episode of the I AM HERE podcast, listen as he describes the role the Eucharist played in his family life, his discernment of the diaconate, and his daily life today.

Show notes:

(00:43) We meet Dcn. Bob Calleja, who briefly shares about his upbringing, how he met his wife, and a conversion experience he had when he was in his twenties. He shares about the inspiration his Grandmother was to his faith.

(03:29) Fr. Mario highlights how the Lord has worked powerfully to eventually lead him to become a husband and father and serve the church as a deacon. Dcn. Bob shares the impact that his parents had on his faith life as a young person. He also shares about experiencing a season of “wandering” in his twenties and how the Lord was still close during that time.

(06:18) Dcn. Bob talks about how he sought wisdom in his twenties and his desire to find a sense of purpose. He shares the sense of feeling that something was missing despite having good friends and a happy life. He goes into more detail about the conversion experience he had in his twenties, the role that his wife played on his journey to the Church, and describes his experience in RCIA.

(10:03) He shares how, after getting married, he and his wife leaned on Jesus in the Eucharist when they sought to grow their family. He shares a powerful experience that he and his wife had before the Eucharist. He then shared how, soon after, he and his wife were somewhat miraculously given the opportunity to adopt their daughter. He describes how he shares his faith, especially in the Eucharist, with his daughter.

(18:43) Dcn. Bob describes how he spends his time when he visits Jesus in the adoration chapel. He talks about the gift of being able to work for the Church and go to adoration fairly regularly. He shares the role that adoration had on his discerning the call to serve as a deacon. He shares a bit about that journey.

(24:21) Fr. Mario comments on the way Dcn. Bob (and his brothers, whom he mentions) all use their gifts to serve the Church and how he has seen God use them. Dcn. Bob describes the prayerful aspect he brings to his work and how it can unite him to the Lord.

Dcn. Bob, a deacon for the Archdiocese of Detroit, came to know the Lord through a conversion experience he had in his twenties, but it was the Eucharist that sustained him. On this episode of the I AM HERE podcast, listen as he describes the role the Eucharist played in his family life, his discernment of the diaconate, and his daily life today.

Show notes:

(00:43) We meet Dcn. Bob Calleja, who briefly shares about his upbringing, how he met his wife, and a conversion experience he had when he was in his twenties. He shares about the inspiration his Grandmother was to his faith.

(03:29) Fr. Mario highlights how the Lord has worked powerfully to eventually lead him to become a husband and father and serve the church as a deacon. Dcn. Bob shares the impact that his parents had on his faith life as a young person. He also shares about experiencing a season of “wandering” in his twenties and how the Lord was still close during that time.

(06:18) Dcn. Bob talks about how he sought wisdom in his twenties and his desire to find a sense of purpose. He shares the sense of feeling that something was missing despite having good friends and a happy life. He goes into more detail about the conversion experience he had in his twenties, the role that his wife played on his journey to the Church, and describes his experience in RCIA.

(10:03) He shares how, after getting married, he and his wife leaned on Jesus in the Eucharist when they sought to...

For Jim Musgrave, he believes that everything he needs can be found in the Eucharist, but it wasn’t always this way. In this episode, we hear how Jim, who grew up without much faith, ultimately encountered Jesus primarily in the Mass during a low point in his life. Listen as he describes how this encounter led him to seek the Lord more earnestly, pursue a life of discipleship, and ultimately open his heart to discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

Show notes:

(01:10) We meet our guest, Jim Musgrave, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit. He shares his background and briefly describes how his faith developed throughout his life. He shares what led him to become Catholic when he was 25 and some of his first experiences with the Catholic faith.

(06:05) Jim describes what he refers to as his lowest point, when he wasn’t sure where he was going in life, and he found himself finding peace at Mass. He shares how he encountered Jesus during this difficult season of life.

(09:25) He shares the impact that Alpha had on him as a young adult and describes how supportive his young adult community at his parish was. He talks about how these both led him to begin serving at his parish, volunteering with RCIA, and living with a missionary zeal. He was eventually asked to share his testimony at Alpha. He shares how, afterward, Fr. John Riccardo, who had been leading the retreat, sought him out and challenged him to spend more time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

(14:33) Jim describes what began to change when he started spending time with the Eucharist regularly, as Jesus ministered to him. As his relationship with the Lord developed, he shares how this helped him to open his heart to the discerning the priesthood.

(18:32) Fr. Mario points out how, even for those who don’t have thirty minutes or an hour a day to spend before the Eucharist, God is generous and will meet us where we are to minister to us.

(19:48) Jim shares how he had to learn to surrender control to allow God to work in his life. He shares how he could sense the Lord speaking to him in adoration and through the Scriptures. He also talks about his sincere desire to be a faithful disciple and how, even in seminary, he is still trying to do that each day.

(22:22) Jim shares how the Eucharist is woven into his life each day as a seminarian and the impact that has had on him and his discernment.

(28:16) Jim shares advice that he would give to anyone lost and seeking to know the Lord more deeply.

Being raised in the Hindu faith, Rakhi didn’t come to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist until she was in college. Hear how the witness of a faithful Christian introduced her to the mercy of Christ, and listen as she unpacks how she came to know his real presence in the Eucharist through a mystical encounter with him during her first Mass.

(00:44) We meet our guest, Rakhi McCormick, who previously co-hosted the Beyond Sunday podcast, has been involved in several ministries throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit, and is a wife and mother to three children. She briefly shares her current work with the Coming Home Network.

(02:53) Rakhi describes her early life of faith, growing up Hindu and feeling that faith and community were not part of her everyday life. She shares how she began to explore faith more seriously in college and describes a profound encounter with a young Christian Marine while passing out Christmas presents to homeless families.

(07:40) Fr. Mario highlights the power of our personal witness, noting how this young man’s faith planted the seeds for Rakhi to continue to seek Christ. Rakhi shares how she continued searching and ultimately accepted her friend’s invitation to Mass. She describes a life-changing mystical encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist that changed her life forever.

(13:31) She talks about how she has received similar experiences from the Lord since that time but also highlights how she has relied on those moments of consolation in the times when she does not feel or sense his presence so profoundly.

(17:57) Rakhi talks about her decision to join the Catholic faith and some of the impact that her campus minister had on her RCIA experience. She shares about how moving away from community and losing her father shortly after becoming Catholic impacted her and how her relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist grounded her over time.

(21:22) Rakhi shares about coming to understand the practice of adoration and accepting that receiving the Eucharist means she is sent out to share Christ with others. She and Fr. Mario also highlight how communion can help us through the grief of losing loved ones, recognizing that heaven and earth come together in the Eucharist.

(27:03) She describes how she incorporates Eucharistic prayer into her life today and shares her motherly heart and desire that her children would have transformative encounters with Jesus in the Eucharist.