ST. LOUIS — “We are kind of monks on the move, so we live together but we are in the cities,” says Father Mark Mary.
They are not exactly what you think of when you hear…Catholic monks.
“We kind of live the monastic life, just where people are at.”
They are the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Founded in 1987 in the South Bronx, these friars dedicate their lives to prayer, service of the poor and evangelization. And now, their sharing of the gospel is reaching new heights. After running their Instagram page for a number of years, Father Mark-Mary had a call on his heart: podcasting. After talking to his Franciscan brothers and receiving a donation, everything almost fell into place.
“So she donated all of this podcast equipment, so I went to the guys and I said ‘ok so when do we want to get set up,’ and the response was ‘oh we did not really know you were serious about that.’ So, I ended up having all this podcasting equipment with no podcasters.”
But, little by little, he got his friends, Father Innocent, Father Angelus and Father PT on board. It is the Poco a Poco Podcast! Each week, the brothers discuss authentic faith in today’s world as they share stories from years of prayer, community life and work with the poor. It is an insight into their lives, but also, a refreshing reminder to take it day by day.
“Again, Poco a Poco means little by little, and it is kind of like ‘ok, step by step,’ and I think we want to take the next best step in our faith, and the next best step of pursuing our questions, praying or asking for God’s help. You do not have to figure it out all at once, and you do not have to do it all at once.”
For Father Mark-Mary, this new venture into digital evangelization has not only been rewarding for his spiritual life, but for his friendships, too.
“There is something about when you say something publicly you want to live it ya know. I love just being with the guys doing it with the bros and being with them.”
A podcast not with facts or rules, simply, friends sharing stories and reminding everyone no matter where you are on your spiritual journey just take it little by little.
“Our hope is in the Lord, our hope is not in our own selves to get it all together, our hope is not in world events coming together, our hope has to be in Jesus.”
You can listen to Poco A Poco Podcast on all streaming platforms. Learn more about the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal here.
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