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How do we interpret and understand what God is calling us to, both in our vocation and in other life choices? Join Stacey Sumereau on coffee dates with Catholic friends for insight and inspiring guidance. From touring with Broadway hit shows to discerning religious life on Lifetime’s reality TV show ”The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns,” Stacey hasn’t stopped searching for God’s will! Original music by JF Church.
Episodes
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
Wednesday Oct 21, 2020
I admit; I envied other girls in high school terribly. (Hello, insecurity!) Unless I could have that girl’s hair, or that other girl’s confidence or whatever other quality I saw that I wanted, I wasn’t good enough. Ladies, been there? It didn’t occur to my immature teenage brain that I wasn’t supposed to be like anyone else. That there was something unique I had to do in the world. That appreciating other women’s qualities and building them up was much, much better than comparing myself to them. I had so much learning to do about how to be a woman. I never knew that my Catholic Faith had so much truth to offer about womanhood.
If you’re like me, you’ve heard the term “feminine genius” for years but never found out exactly what that means. I knew Liv Harrison, founder of the Genius Women’s Conference, would be the perfect person to talk about this beautiful concept coined by Pope St. John Paul II. Liv showed me the feminine genius in action back in March when I desperately needed help coordinating the massive Be Not Afraid Conference in just five days. She stepped in to volunteer and cheerlead me. So when I thought of who I’d like to have on the show to talk about the feminine genius, I knew there’d be no one better than Liv! She’s hilarious and wise- enjoy and be inspired! (p.s. Gentlemen, I think you'll get a lot out of this episode too!
Topics Discussed
- What is the feminine genius?
- How can women be both strong and classically feminine?
- What women bring to the world
- How the feminine genius meshes (and where it doesn’t mesh) with feminism
- Replacing competition and comparison with community
- Universal and specific aspects of the feminine genius
Resources
- Strength Finders Book
- Find Liv online: https://www.thelivharrison.com/
- Social @thelivharrison
- Find Liv's Talk to Me Podcast everywhere you find fine podcasts!
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
“If the bullets are going away from you, you’re going the wrong way!”
I'm fascinated by the life of Sr. Dede Byrne, today's guest. I first encountered her speaking at the Republican National Convention where she literally held up her rosary and called it her 'weapon of love.' Sr. Dede served as a Colonel in the Army for years before entering the community of the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. As a physician, she's given medical care to both Mother Teresa and members of the Taliban, and she served in the immediate aftermath of the Sep 11th attacks. Not only that, but she helps women who regret their decision to abort reverse the abortion pill and serves poor immigrants with free healthcare.
Enjoy this rich discussion. (Plus, I'll be sharing how quoting her got me Insta-banned...apparently being pro-life is hate speech...) Sr. Dede says, “the ultimate call is to be all for Jesus," and in these tumultuous days you'll love the inspiration she offers.
Topics Discussed
- Speaking truth in love: How Sr. Dede lovingly encourages her patients to change sinful habits and accompanies them to change
- Aftermath and reactions to her speech at the Republican National Convention
- Spiritual warfare: What the devil wants
- The war on speech: Stacey’s Instagram ban for quoting Sr. Dede in a pro-life post
- What people on all sides of the abortion debate can learn from Sr. Dede’s work helping women who regret taking an abortion pill
Resources
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Friday Sep 25, 2020
Gulp. Politics. Not gonna lie, folks; I’ve been terrified to podcast about voting. Many issues are highly incendiary and in our cancel culture it’s daunting. I know I'm not alone as I wrestle with answers to the hard questions. But as I read Clear Conscience, A Catholic Guide to Voting by Matthew Pinto, CEO and founder of Ascension Press, I gained hope knowing that in this confusing world there can be clarity. The Church and Matthew’s book won’t tell you for whom to vote, but it will empower you to think with the mind of 2,000 years of the Catholic Church's wisdom.
I think you’ll think, as I often did through the interview, "Wow, that just makes so much sense!" You don't often get clarity with politics, amen?? We didn’t get to cover every issue so you’ll just have to buy the book, but our convo is a great starting point!
Topics Discussed
- Prudential judgement and absolute moral imperatives: Which are which? (Hint: we generally have staggering freedom to form our own opinions!)
- Patriotism: how-to, warts and all
- Overwhelming emotion: the enemy to clear, reasoned thinking
- Black lives matter, but should we sign on for the Black Lives Matter movement?
- What to do if you agree with a candidate on everything except abortion issues
- Seeking truth free from emotion
- Compassion: do we care more about looking caring than actually being caring?
- Why it’s not usually the government’s job to care for the poor
- Who you CAN’T vote for in November based on the Church’s few absolute moral imperatives
Resources
Wanna see that Insta-banned post? Come on over to @staceysumereau on IG (and follow if you like what you see!)
Buy Clear Conscience: A Catholic Guide to Voting by Matthew Pinto and Ascension Press editors
Friday Sep 11, 2020
Friday Sep 11, 2020
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -
- The five levels of awareness and how to live at the highest, the level of purpose
- The permanence principle: How to discover your purpose
- Pier Giorgio Frassati's life teaches us why living backwards can make us happy
- Allow yourself to become dissatisfied- it's the first step to true happiness!
- The question that'll immediately make you understand what needs to change in your lifestyle
- The fundamental truth "We define everything by what it does, except ourselves," and why it matters
Resources
Wednesday Jul 15, 2020
Wednesday Jul 15, 2020
FREE Virtual Summit July 31-Aug 2 2020! A dream event about discerning ALL vocations featuring 40+ of your favorite speakers: Sr. Bethany Madonna, Jackie and Bobby Angel, Jason Evert, Sr. Helena Burns, Fr. Mark Goring, Joe Melendrez, Mary Lenaburg, Fr. Timothy Gallagher, Cameron Fradd, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, Matt and Erin Ingold, Katie Prejean McGrady, and MANY more! Also featuring the world's first virtual Meet and Greet for mission organizations and religious communities!
Sign up here: Staceysumereau.com/adventure
True North Course: Staceysumereau.com/true-north
PLEASE be a friend and help spread the word to anyone you know who could use this smorgasboard of wisdom. Nowhere else will you find an event or a course like this, designed especially for discerning life choices :) Thank you so much!
Thursday Jul 02, 2020
Thursday Jul 02, 2020
“Maybe you should start putting your life into two categories: a no or a hell yes.”
Many times I've wondered, "When do things stop changing? When do I get to stop re-adjusting and just be?" The answer is, never. Kathryn Whitaker, mom of six and author of Live Big, Love Bigger, has incredible perspective on coping when plans change. As a mom of six children, one of whom has dealt with ongoing health issues, and in dealing with health issues herself, Kathryn is a bastion of resilience and hope.
We also dive into her conversion and how she learned to hear God's calls as a Protestant youngster. I feel like Catholics can learn so much from the way many of our Protestant brothers and sisters listen for God's voice as though he wants to speak to them personally....because he does!
Topics Discussed
- “Attitude readjustment hour:” How-to
- How to course-correct faster every time plans change
- Building resilience
- Prioritizing in busy family life
Resources
- Live Big, Love Bigger by Kathryn Whitaker
- FREE God's Adventure Awaits Summit July 31-Aug 2- Register here!
This episode is sponsored by Guadalupe Roastery, a family-owned Catholic coffee company whose mission is to produce exceptional coffee and support fair wages for South American coffee farmers (most only make $5-7 per day!) You can score 10% off the most delicious coffee using code CAFFEINATED10. Visit www.guadaluperoastery.com and be an agent for positive change!
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
“All around us we see an impersonal lifestyle trying to invade the family and take away its richness, its culture, its ability to reflect the Trinity in its communion of persons. You’re not alone: you CAN find heaven in your home. It’s not just home base, a place to put your stuff, an entertainment center, or bricks and mortar. It’s a domestic church- a Trinity house!”
Catholicism and coffee are among my favorite things (in case you can't guess from the title of my podcast,) so when I found Trinity House Cafe, a Catholic coffee shop in Leesburg VA, I told my husband, "it's essentially what Heaven will be like for me!" Nothing could be more apt, because "Heaven in Your Home" is the tagline of Trinity House Founders Soren and Ever Johnson. Their masters degrees in theology inform the menu, atmosphere, ethos, and decor of their cafe to cultivate culture... starting with great sandwiches and coffee. Whatever your walk of life, you'll love our discussion about making your home a "trinity house."
We're not all called to be online entrepreneurs, start awareness movements, or be thought leaders. But all of us are called to love our neighbor, starting at home. Soren and Ever witnessed a poverty of family love and this is their initiative to make a difference, starting in their community. I think you'll be empowered by their "think globally, act locally" mindset, and you'll love the richness of the discussion. We get pretty theological in discussing Trinitarian relationships, so pour a good strong cup of coffee and enjoy!
Topics Discussed
- Moving from a cerebral faith into a familial, communal, cultural, “lived” faith.
- What does “heaven in your home” look like?
- The five levels of interpersonal communion
- Finding our identity in our relationship with each person of the Trinity
Resources
- Trinity House Café’s Website- If you live near Leesburg VA, go! (They are now reopened after coronavirus quarantine!)
- Trinity House Community
- Heaven in Your Home Workshops (I highly recommend signing up for a free workshop with Soren and Ever!)
- Arlington Catholic Herald Article about Soren and Ever's endeavor
- Christus Vivit by Pope Francis
- Stacey’s viral Facebook post on foot washing
Tuesday Jun 02, 2020
Tuesday Jun 02, 2020
"I’d encourage you to just enjoy messaging and talking to them and be grateful for every interaction- it’s good to be interacting with other brothers and sisters in Christ. And only good things will come from it if you approach it that way."
Are you considering online dating but are a bit weirded out by it? John and I were too, but we ended up finding each other through a dating site. We’re sharing our tips on how to get the most out of your online dating experience, stay mentally healthy, and ENJOY it! Then we're sharing our long-awaited story of what happened after Stacey's reality TV show "The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns" aired, and how we got engaged just 5 months after first meeting. We hope it'll alleviate stress and give clarity to our single friends. (p.s. we're not sponsored by any dating websites; this is just our honest testimony.)
Topics Discussed
- How to get the most out of online dating
- How to stay sane and mentally healthy and ENJOY online dating
- What women want from a man’s profile (and vice versa)
- For ladies: how to let a man take the lead online and deal with overwhelm
- How we knew we were called to marry each other
- Why discerning religious life wasn’t wasted time
You’re invited to the Called and Caffeinated Patreon Community! Access to Stacey’s Faith and Lifestyle Podcast Coffee Sips as well as monthly group video chats and other perks! Pledges start at just $5/month. Visit Patreon.com/CalledandCaffeinated to learn more.
SUBSCRIBE at staceysumereau.com
Tuesday May 19, 2020
Tuesday May 19, 2020
“You don’t have to ‘pray.’ Just sit and let Jesus love your heart.”
Apologies, tears, unfiltered opinions...all here. After all, we were on a reality show together....;)
It's the FIRST EVER cast reunion of "The Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns!" Christie Porter (Young,) Claire Halbur, Eseni Ellington, Francesca DiPaola, and Stacey Sumereau (Jackson) have had a lot going on in the last five years. Collectively there have been 2 marriages and 4 babies, entering and leaving the convent, appearing on more reality shows, consecrated virginity, liquor sales, public speaking, mission work, and a job with one of the orders of Sisters from the show.
Please join me in praying for Francesca's family: she lost her father to COVID-19 on Easter 2020 :(
Topics Discussed
- What Claire’s call to consecrated virginity looked like
- Our answer to the question: "How much of the TV show was real?"
- Our journeys leading up to getting on the TV show
- Our spiritual progress in the last five years
- Dealing with judgement from people who watched the show (p.s. non-Christians were WAY more judgmental of us than actual nuns were!)
- Stacey’s childhood ambition to be a trashman
Resources
- SALT Mission Program with the Carmelite Sisters
- Find us on social: Francesca @chescadipaola, Claire @clairejmh, Stacey @staceysumereau, Christie @christieyoung07, Eseni @eseniellington
Tuesday May 05, 2020
Tuesday May 05, 2020
"What if fear is along for the ride, but doesn't get to sit in the driver's seat?"
CALLED AND CAFFEINATED IS NOW ALSO ON YOUTUBE! WATCH HERE: https://youtu.be/tyEc3PVnUoI
The coronavirus pandemic is hugely limiting our access to in-person events, but ministry is still happening. Today I'm having coffee with three other innovators who heard the Holy Spirit's call as the world seemed to fall apart in March, and responded with creativity. God works fast in hard times, and we're sharing what that call looked and felt like.
In April, Matt and Erin Ingold of Metanoia Catholic founded the Virtual Catholic Conference with 64,000 people tuning in. They organized the dozens of presenters in a matter of weeks. Joe Condit, president of the Catholic Speakers Bureau, (the largest Catholic Speakers organization in the world,) started the Inspire Word series that's connected people with their favorite speakers around the world. And my Be Not Afraid Conference came together in five days with 43 presenters and over 13,000 attendees.
Enjoy!
Topics Discussed
- What the call to something new felt like
- How God's plan can involve all the skill sets you never thought you'd use
- Using what already exists in an innovative way
- Overcoming fear and self-doubt when attempting something new
Resources
- The Be Not Afraid Conference materials are still available for free here! Instant access to talks from amazing speakers like Jackie Francois, Fr. Rob Galea, Mary Lenaburg, Joe Melendrez, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, and so many more.
- Connect with Joe: www.catholicspeakers.com, www.inspireword.com
- Connect with Matt and Erin: www.metanoiacatholic.com, www.virtualcatholicconference.com