https://simplecast.com A Word from Our Outpost, with Joseph and Crystal Gruber A podcast for Catholic disciples who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives. Joseph and Crystal were Catholic missionaries for over a decade with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, serving at MIT, UW Madison, Carnegie Mellon University, Western Washington University, and then at a parish in Jackson, Michigan. They're now the co-founders of Our Outpost Marriage Ministry, Inc., a marriage ministry seeking to awaken authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony, equipping Catholic men and women through formation and accompaniment. Check out their work at https://ouroutpost.org/ This podcast serves as a place for sharing the transformational ideas, books, scripture passages, and people that we've seen impacting our apostolate for the better, in the hopes of serving other Catholic missionary disciples. ©2018-2025 Joseph and Crystal Gruber en-us Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000 https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A Word from Our Outpost, with Joseph and Crystal Gruber https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/7e4d93fd-fd3e-4eaf-b3d9-6f2169b0c954/eb70bcc0-3641-4161-ad8d-52437c675c61/3000x3000/awfoo.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ episodic A podcast for Catholic disciples who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives. Joseph and Crystal were Catholic missionaries for over a decade with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, serving at MIT, UW Madison, Carnegie Mellon University, Western Washington University, and then at a parish in Jackson, Michigan. They're now the co-founders of Our Outpost Marriage Ministry, Inc., a marriage ministry seeking to awaken authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony, equipping Catholic men and women through formation and accompaniment. Check out their work at https://ouroutpost.org/ This podcast serves as a place for sharing the transformational ideas, books, scripture passages, and people that we've seen impacting our apostolate for the better, in the hopes of serving other Catholic missionary disciples. Joseph and Crystal Gruber false https://feeds.simplecast.com/SeTEJBpz catholic, discipleship, mission, evangelization, new evangelization, formation, apostolate, apostolic, laity, christian, matrimony, disciple, missionary, marriage, catholic culture, culture, catholic marriage, catholic marriage ministry, leisure, catholic mission, missionary formation, catholic marriage apostolate, marriage ministry, catholic missionary, lay apostolate, catholic themes, catholic podcasting, catholic podcast Joseph and Crystal Gruber ouroutpost@gmail.com 422081ff-2e0d-4669-a1a2-3454933a5b2c East, Easter, Eastest // Episode 277 Happy Easter! Christ is risen! 

While not technically a comparative, it's good to situate Easter as the in-between between what was and what will be.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Happy Easter! Christ is risen! 

While not technically a comparative, it's good to situate Easter as the in-between between what was and what will be.

As always, 

]]> East, Easter, Eastest // Episode 277 Joseph Gruber 00:13:56 Wherein Joseph talks about Easter as a celebration of already-but-not-yet. Wherein Joseph talks about Easter as a celebration of already-but-not-yet. false full 277 e15570b4-3298-4f26-b4f0-14c411258b25 Ups and Downs in the Christian Life // Episode 276 Joseph discusses what the ups and downs of the Christian life are like, and why we experience them.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph discusses what the ups and downs of the Christian life are like, and why we experience them.

As always, 

]]> Ups and Downs in the Christian Life // Episode 276 Joseph Gruber 00:20:40 Wherein Joseph discusses what the ups and downs of the Christian life are like, and why we experience them. Wherein Joseph discusses what the ups and downs of the Christian life are like, and why we experience them. false full 276 8ec65126-4894-45be-a034-33e7e605ee89 Ten Things to Enrich Our Experience of the Mass // Episode 275 We do a lot of things at Mass; here's a walk-through of some of them, and how we can find greater fruit in their practice.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We do a lot of things at Mass; here's a walk-through of some of them, and how we can find greater fruit in their practice.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Ten Things to Enrich Our Experience of the Mass // Episode 275 Joseph Gruber 00:42:41 Wherein Joseph talks about ten things that we do at Mass that can make the whole experience more enriching... Wherein Joseph talks about ten things that we do at Mass that can make the whole experience more enriching... catholic mass, how to go to mass false full 275 36d6742a-8c87-4287-98e9-875ae83d024b Three Reasons to Fast // Episode 274 There are a lot of good reasons to practice fasting; Joseph will share three of them in this episode. They won't make fasting any easier, but they'll at least help explain why fasting is hard...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There are a lot of good reasons to practice fasting; Joseph will share three of them in this episode. They won't make fasting any easier, but they'll at least help explain why fasting is hard...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Three Reasons to Fast // Episode 274 Joseph Gruber 00:20:43 Wherein Joseph shares three reasons to fast--they don't make fasting easier, but explain why it's hard... Wherein Joseph shares three reasons to fast--they don't make fasting easier, but explain why it's hard... catholic fasting, fasting false full 274 4f7ec873-0cd7-48b6-ae0b-021a1cf94af7 Three Kinds of Dating for Catholic Missionary Disciples // Episode 273 Lest you skip this episode because you think it's only for the singles out there, know that at least 1/3 of this episode will apply to everybody! Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Lest you skip this episode because you think it's only for the singles out there, know that at least 1/3 of this episode will apply to everybody! Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Three Kinds of Dating for Catholic Missionary Disciples // Episode 273 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:22:47 Wherein Joseph discusses three kinds of dating for Catholic missionary disciples... Wherein Joseph discusses three kinds of dating for Catholic missionary disciples... false full 273 78ce29ad-8527-414e-a660-90c307dd3e54 Intercessory Prayer and Social Media // Episode 272 Intercessory prayer=good. 

Our behavior online=not always so good.

What is intercessory prayer, and why should it have more of a place online?

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Intercessory prayer=good. 

Our behavior online=not always so good.

What is intercessory prayer, and why should it have more of a place online?

As always, 

]]> Intercessory Prayer and Social Media // Episode 272 Joseph Gruber 00:25:02 Wherein Joseph discusses intercessory prayer and why it's good, and how bad our use of social media is... Wherein Joseph discusses intercessory prayer and why it's good, and how bad our use of social media is... social media, intercessory prayer false full 272 21af5ea2-b343-4e5a-b89a-c1eb549f6903 "The Man Who was Thursday" and Mission // Episode 271 I recently re-read G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday, and recently had my heart blown wide open again. So I thought I'd share some lessons from this madcap novel about mission!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ I recently re-read G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday, and recently had my heart blown wide open again. So I thought I'd share some lessons from this madcap novel about mission!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> "The Man Who was Thursday" and Mission // Episode 271 Joseph Gruber 00:29:36 Wherein Joseph shares some lessons from "The Man Who Was Thursday." Wherein Joseph shares some lessons from "The Man Who Was Thursday." g.k. chesterton, chesterton, the man who was thursday false full 271 c8fb58d1-b60a-4d8e-b467-0e2fa546d65a Three Things to Give Up or Pursue for Lent // Episode 270 Almost all of us could safely fast from some element of social media/online consumption. But which element? And with what might we replace it?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Almost all of us could safely fast from some element of social media/online consumption. But which element? And with what might we replace it?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Three Things to Give Up or Pursue for Lent // Episode 270 Joseph Gruber 00:19:17 Wherein Joseph lists three things to give up and three things to pursue in their stead. Wherein Joseph lists three things to give up and three things to pursue in their stead. lenten fasts, social media fast, ash wednesday, lenten fasting, online consumption fast false full 270 9e44dfba-01e0-4c03-807b-27f0a688a2f4 Some Reflections on Genesis 1 // Episode 269 Genesis 1 often gets a bad reputation in Christian or atheist circles-- "Are you a science-denier or a God-denier" sort of rhetoric is often associated with it. Here are just some reflections about the beauty of Genesis 1 and things that I keep coming back to. 

I hope you enjoy it!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Genesis 1 often gets a bad reputation in Christian or atheist circles-- "Are you a science-denier or a God-denier" sort of rhetoric is often associated with it. Here are just some reflections about the beauty of Genesis 1 and things that I keep coming back to. 

I hope you enjoy it!

As always, 

]]> Some Reflections on Genesis 1 // Episode 269 Joseph Gruber 00:32:07 Wherein Joseph shares some of his favorite lessons from Genesis 1. Wherein Joseph shares some of his favorite lessons from Genesis 1. catholic mission, genesis 1, catholic commentary on genesis 1, catholic missionary, genesis false full 269 46c5143b-d035-4a9e-b446-3b0e9ab41e19 How Do We Think of Jesus // Episode 268 How we view Jesus changes how we talk to Him and talk about Him. So it's worth taking a minute and considering-- how do we think of Him? 
 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How we view Jesus changes how we talk to Him and talk about Him. So it's worth taking a minute and considering-- how do we think of Him? 
 

As always, 

]]> How Do We Think of Jesus // Episode 268 Joseph Gruber 00:21:51 Wherein Joseph talks about how we might view Christ, and why that matters. Wherein Joseph talks about how we might view Christ, and why that matters. false full 268 b9d849a5-ebca-4ff8-a491-b103a0405ef6 Do We Want To Be Holy? // Episode 267 If we don't want to be holy, and maybe are struggling to even want to want to be holy, here's something to do that will lift our sinking spirits and help us re-enter the fray!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If we don't want to be holy, and maybe are struggling to even want to want to be holy, here's something to do that will lift our sinking spirits and help us re-enter the fray!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Do We Want To Be Holy? // Episode 267 Joseph Gruber 00:20:42 Wherein Joseph gives something to do when our spirits are flagging. Wherein Joseph gives something to do when our spirits are flagging. false full 267 b129be10-e5a0-459b-a61b-60b90f366fd1 Getting Out of the Comparison Trap // Episode 266 Social media feeds comparison...and it doesn't have to.

We're offering a free workshop, "Escaping the Comparison Trap," on Sunday, January 25th, 2026 for Catholic married couples-- come check it out here: https://ouroutpost.kit.com/comparison

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Social media feeds comparison...and it doesn't have to.

We're offering a free workshop, "Escaping the Comparison Trap," on Sunday, January 25th, 2026 for Catholic married couples-- come check it out here: https://ouroutpost.kit.com/comparison

As always, 

]]> Getting Out of the Comparison Trap // Episode 266 Joseph Gruber 00:20:23 Wherein Joseph talks about different kinds of comparison and some things to do to get out. Wherein Joseph talks about different kinds of comparison and some things to do to get out. false full 266 0280f7be-d6b6-46d9-95a6-3c826aba57f2 Debatey Faith or Deep Faith // Episode 265 It's tempting (for me at least) to approach the Catholic faith in a debatey mindset, where I'm looking to be right and to find back-up for my points. But the reality of the faith is that it just is never done changing us.

Prompted in part by watching this debate on Capturing Christianity between Joe Heschmeyer and Jacob Hansen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nWfaX_iJ6I

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's tempting (for me at least) to approach the Catholic faith in a debatey mindset, where I'm looking to be right and to find back-up for my points. But the reality of the faith is that it just is never done changing us.

Prompted in part by watching this debate on Capturing Christianity between Joe Heschmeyer and Jacob Hansen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nWfaX_iJ6I

As always, 

]]> Debatey Faith or Deep Faith // Episode 265 Joseph Gruber 00:15:16 Wherein Joseph talks about a desire to be right and the need to be changed. Wherein Joseph talks about a desire to be right and the need to be changed. love of neighbor, love of god false full 265 10ab2ae4-a67d-45ca-9765-c1137d30698e 3 Take-aways from Die Hard for Catholics Today // Episode 264 Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Hard to say?

Are there lessons I took from it when I watched it during this Christmas season? Absolutely. And herein are three of those lessons!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Hard to say?

Are there lessons I took from it when I watched it during this Christmas season? Absolutely. And herein are three of those lessons!

 

As always, 

]]> 3 Take-aways from Die Hard for Catholics Today // Episode 264 Joseph Gruber 00:22:12 Wherein Joseph offers three take-aways from the epic action-packed blockbuster, Die Hard. Wherein Joseph offers three take-aways from the epic action-packed blockbuster, Die Hard. die hard, love of neighbor, catholic mission, love of god false full 264 1821054f-7852-4a35-bd82-0701ac56737e Life on Mission with Andrew Farnsworth // Episode 263 We have the delight of hosting Andrew Farnsworth, a husband and father who began his marriage as he began his time with FOCUS over ten years ago! 

Andrew works as the Director of Catholic Partnerships at Alliance Catholic Credit Union, and spent time both as a NET missionary and as a FOCUS missionary, serving at Wright State University, Central Michigan University, and Franciscan University in Steubenville. 

You can find out more about Alliance Catholic Credit Union here: https://allianceccu.com/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Andrew Farnsworth, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We have the delight of hosting Andrew Farnsworth, a husband and father who began his marriage as he began his time with FOCUS over ten years ago! 

Andrew works as the Director of Catholic Partnerships at Alliance Catholic Credit Union, and spent time both as a NET missionary and as a FOCUS missionary, serving at Wright State University, Central Michigan University, and Franciscan University in Steubenville. 

You can find out more about Alliance Catholic Credit Union here: https://allianceccu.com/

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Andrew Farnsworth // Episode 263 Andrew Farnsworth, Joseph Gruber 00:54:20 Wherein Joseph interviews FOCUS (and NET!) alum, Andrew Farnsworth! Wherein Joseph interviews FOCUS (and NET!) alum, Andrew Farnsworth! love of neighbor, focus missionary, focus alumni, love of god false full 263 316d1a35-12c5-4ea5-80f7-9d61f2798205 Have Yourself a Merry Big Christmas! // Episode 262 If there's one thing modern man has forgotten, it's how to celebrate. 

We've probably forgotten more than that one thing, but it's a good place to start again !

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If there's one thing modern man has forgotten, it's how to celebrate. 

We've probably forgotten more than that one thing, but it's a good place to start again !

As always, 

]]> Have Yourself a Merry Big Christmas! // Episode 262 Joseph Gruber 00:16:31 Wherein Joseph talks about different ways to celebrate all octave/twelve-day/season/old-season long! Wherein Joseph talks about different ways to celebrate all octave/twelve-day/season/old-season long! celebrating christmas, celebration how to, love of neighbor, true leisure, love of god, how to celebrate christmas, how to celebrate false full 262 a52e0f7f-207a-4f8e-804a-690681453be4 Practical Tips for Confession with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 261 it's a weird fact that, for laypeople, odds are good the only confessions they'll ever hear are their own. Priests get to hear quite a few more. So Joseph has his brother, Fr. Peter, on to talk through some practical tips for making a good confession, from a priest's perspective.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ it's a weird fact that, for laypeople, odds are good the only confessions they'll ever hear are their own. Priests get to hear quite a few more. So Joseph has his brother, Fr. Peter, on to talk through some practical tips for making a good confession, from a priest's perspective.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Practical Tips for Confession with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 261 Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber 01:27:28 Wherein Joseph talks to Fr. Peter about practical tips for the confessional from a priest's perspective. Wherein Joseph talks to Fr. Peter about practical tips for the confessional from a priest's perspective. confession tutorial, how to confess, how to go to confession, sacrament of reconciliation false full 261 35c23396-08fa-4950-b086-e4f9a0665a93 Things to Know When Seeking Spiritual Direction with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 260 Fr. Peter Gruber, CO, joins Joseph for an exploration of some core concepts that Fr. Peter has found time and again to be helpful for people seeking spiritual direction.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Fr. Peter Gruber, CO, joins Joseph for an exploration of some core concepts that Fr. Peter has found time and again to be helpful for people seeking spiritual direction.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Things to Know When Seeking Spiritual Direction with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 260 Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber 01:26:16 Wherein Joseph talks to Fr. Peter about what people may want to know when seeking spiritual direction. Wherein Joseph talks to Fr. Peter about what people may want to know when seeking spiritual direction. love of neighbor, spiritual direction for beginners, spiritual direction, love of god, spiritual direction basics false full 260 75c6a50d-7b08-460e-a9fc-cca149de522b Does Streaming Serve Us? // Episode 259 We have some amount of choice over what streams in front of us. Are we happy with the streams we decide to plant ourselves by?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We have some amount of choice over what streams in front of us. Are we happy with the streams we decide to plant ourselves by?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Does Streaming Serve Us? // Episode 259 Joseph Gruber 00:31:33 Wherein Joseph discusses what we allow to stream before us... Wherein Joseph discusses what we allow to stream before us... culture of consumption, scrolling, love of neighbor, isaiah 2, tree planted by streams of water, doom scrolling, psalm 1, love of god, john 4 false full 259 b8c12801-dd45-4710-adac-a5065b781b84 Right and Just to Give Thanks and Praise // Episode 258 In light the national call to give thanks this week, it's good to remember that thanksgiving is a command, and for good reason!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In light the national call to give thanks this week, it's good to remember that thanksgiving is a command, and for good reason!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Right and Just to Give Thanks and Praise // Episode 258 Joseph Gruber 00:16:04 Wherein Joseph talks about the obligation to give thanks. Wherein Joseph talks about the obligation to give thanks. catholic life, love of neighbor, catholic mission, love of god false full 258 5dfcc1c2-a485-419c-b822-4e0c6ba7fe99 Four Keys to Deeper Living // Episode 257 If someone offered a longer life or a deeper life, which would you choose? 

Unfortunately, we often choose a less-deep life without even the benefit of getting a longer life out of it...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If someone offered a longer life or a deeper life, which would you choose? 

Unfortunately, we often choose a less-deep life without even the benefit of getting a longer life out of it...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Four Keys to Deeper Living // Episode 257 Joseph Gruber 00:18:03 Wherein Joseph talks through four key areas to deeper living. Wherein Joseph talks through four key areas to deeper living. love of neighbor, catholic mission, confiteor, love of god, catholic apostolate false full 257 6608a5b0-f81b-4237-9e77-c88e57c6be5d A Curiously Modern Vice // Episode 256 We live in an upside-down kind of world, with technology in our pockets that would amaze and astound any other generation, and we use it to feed the vice of curiositas...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We live in an upside-down kind of world, with technology in our pockets that would amaze and astound any other generation, and we use it to feed the vice of curiositas...

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> A Curiously Modern Vice // Episode 256 Joseph Gruber 00:24:54 Wherein Joseph talks about a ubiquitous and unsettling vice. Wherein Joseph talks about a ubiquitous and unsettling vice. studiositas, curiositas false full 256 c405a072-03ed-461f-af7b-b57a243405c8 Made for Truth and Beauty and Goodness and Being // Episode 255 Most of us, when we think of the natural law, we're not thinking of how we're made to participate in transcendental realities...and yet, that's exactly what the natural law is about! 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Most of us, when we think of the natural law, we're not thinking of how we're made to participate in transcendental realities...and yet, that's exactly what the natural law is about! 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Made for Truth and Beauty and Goodness and Being // Episode 255 Joseph Gruber 00:19:16 Wherein Joseph gives a brief overview of the natural law. Wherein Joseph gives a brief overview of the natural law. natural law, servais pinckaers false full 255 bd845fb6-7769-4ffa-b45a-ce1eaa33a16e Life on Mission with Leanne Bowen // Episode 254 Delighted to interview Catholic artist and former FOCUS missionary, Leanne Bowen!

Check out her work at leannebowen.com!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Leanne Bowen, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Delighted to interview Catholic artist and former FOCUS missionary, Leanne Bowen!

Check out her work at leannebowen.com!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Leanne Bowen // Episode 254 Leanne Bowen, Joseph Gruber 01:18:41 Wherein Joseph interviews Catholic artist and former missionary, Leanne Bowen! Wherein Joseph interviews Catholic artist and former missionary, Leanne Bowen! focus stories, focus missionary, missionary stories, catholic artist, focus alumni false full 254 2c31255c-b095-4af6-a559-8a4cd5f77dcc Maybe People Just Don't Know That We're Called to Be Saints... // Episode 253 Maybe just maybe, a lot of the Christian life makes more sense if we know that we're called to be saints...and if we know what saints are, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Maybe just maybe, a lot of the Christian life makes more sense if we know that we're called to be saints...and if we know what saints are, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Maybe People Just Don't Know That We're Called to Be Saints... // Episode 253 Joseph Gruber 00:14:52 Maybe a big problem in the world is that people have that hope-thing going on... Maybe a big problem in the world is that people have that hope-thing going on... love of neighbor, love of god false full 253 16d632b9-146f-4acd-95ad-c548eb3ed94b Pray, Pay, and Obey // Episode 252 Maybe you've heard the line before: Pray, pay, and obey. Maybe the person saying it actually meant: Sit down and shut up. 

But what if it meant exactly what it said? What if those were three excellent admonitions for our life as Catholic Christians?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Maybe you've heard the line before: Pray, pay, and obey. Maybe the person saying it actually meant: Sit down and shut up. 

But what if it meant exactly what it said? What if those were three excellent admonitions for our life as Catholic Christians?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Pray, Pay, and Obey // Episode 252 Joseph Gruber 00:23:38 Wherein Joseph talks about the spiritual benefits of an old adage. Wherein Joseph talks about the spiritual benefits of an old adage. false full 252 e78a204a-b653-4e8d-a9cd-969a05af6fc4 Hatefulness and Phobias // Episode 251 The proliferation of 'hate-speech' and the slinging of phobic-motivations seems to just continue to rise, and I think there are interesting reasons for that.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The proliferation of 'hate-speech' and the slinging of phobic-motivations seems to just continue to rise, and I think there are interesting reasons for that.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Hatefulness and Phobias // Episode 251 Joseph Gruber 00:23:53 Wherein Joseph talks about why speech is sometimes reduced to either hatefulness or phobias when it disagrees with someone. Wherein Joseph talks about why speech is sometimes reduced to either hatefulness or phobias when it disagrees with someone. false full 251 42f19892-ae92-49a9-896d-af78a4ad3023 Some Reasons for Suffering // Episode 250 Joseph Ratzinger, in a 2000 instruction from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote on some of the reasons we suffer. Joseph goes over them, and adds a couple for good measure!

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html

As noted in the episode, knowing that there are reasons for suffering may not lessen the suffering, but it may help with understanding the meaning of the suffering.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph Ratzinger, in a 2000 instruction from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote on some of the reasons we suffer. Joseph goes over them, and adds a couple for good measure!

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html

As noted in the episode, knowing that there are reasons for suffering may not lessen the suffering, but it may help with understanding the meaning of the suffering.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Some Reasons for Suffering // Episode 250 Joseph Gruber 00:22:50 Wherein Joseph outlines seven reasons why we might be suffering... Wherein Joseph outlines seven reasons why we might be suffering... false full 249 54afa2cd-828d-43a6-9727-f4abf8f7f130 Meaning and Purpose // Episode 249 If we don't know the difference between meaning and purpose, we're liable to follow the world down a weird rabbit-hole of endless purposes with no meaning to ground them.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If we don't know the difference between meaning and purpose, we're liable to follow the world down a weird rabbit-hole of endless purposes with no meaning to ground them.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Meaning and Purpose // Episode 249 Joseph Gruber 00:17:05 Wherein Joseph distinguishes between meaning and purpose... Wherein Joseph distinguishes between meaning and purpose... catholic marriage, love of neighbor, catholic mission, purpose in life, meaning in life, true leisure, catholic worldview, love of god, leisure false full 248 c3ab5922-1996-4781-ad25-5c9cf8ffb9d3 Organize Your Life, Become Like God? // Episode 248 What if we took divinization seriously? What if our work, our thoughts, our feelings, were all meant to be divinized through and through? Andy Hickman, of Hēl, believes exactly that. 

Check out his electrifying essay here!

Check out opportunities to sample some of the work of hēl during the week of September 29th, 2025, here:

https://hel.co/workshops/hel-week-experience-organization/

 

And check out the upcoming workshop series that Joseph will be hosting for Catholic husbands here!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Crystal Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ What if we took divinization seriously? What if our work, our thoughts, our feelings, were all meant to be divinized through and through? Andy Hickman, of Hēl, believes exactly that. 

Check out his electrifying essay here!

Check out opportunities to sample some of the work of hēl during the week of September 29th, 2025, here:

https://hel.co/workshops/hel-week-experience-organization/

 

And check out the upcoming workshop series that Joseph will be hosting for Catholic husbands here!

As always, 

]]> Organize Your Life, Become Like God? // Episode 248 Crystal Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:29:41 Wherein we discuss the work of hēl and of Andy Hickman, and their import to our work/lives. Wherein we discuss the work of hēl and of Andy Hickman, and their import to our work/lives. catholic formation, catholic productivity, catholic organization, hēl, andy hickman false full 250 c0cd9670-ea2f-4acb-b974-39d3c9d9ae67 Focus on the 2050s, not the 1950s // Episode 247 A lot of people still talk about wanting things to be like the 1950s. Biggest problem with that? The 1950s not only weren't perfect, they were the set-up for the 1960s and everything that followed.

So why not focus on the 2050s, and doing what we can to build something great on whatever is good right now?

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A lot of people still talk about wanting things to be like the 1950s. Biggest problem with that? The 1950s not only weren't perfect, they were the set-up for the 1960s and everything that followed.

So why not focus on the 2050s, and doing what we can to build something great on whatever is good right now?

As always, 

]]> Focus on the 2050s, not the 1950s // Episode 247 Joseph Gruber 00:17:39 Wherein Joseph talks about the trap of nostalgia. Wherein Joseph talks about the trap of nostalgia. false full 247 11e5b9b8-df48-476b-84e1-0ff4dc3da965 Building a Tower // Episode 246 Through a bit of serendipity, Joseph recorded an episode about this coming Sunday's gospel, without realizing it until afterward!

The reading can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090725.cfm

Catholic husbands, check out a five-part series designed for you! https://youroutpost.stellarwebsystems.com/join?euuid=a0e6e22a-7d33-11f0-b441-16ffeab70ea9

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Through a bit of serendipity, Joseph recorded an episode about this coming Sunday's gospel, without realizing it until afterward!

The reading can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090725.cfm

Catholic husbands, check out a five-part series designed for you! https://youroutpost.stellarwebsystems.com/join?euuid=a0e6e22a-7d33-11f0-b441-16ffeab70ea9

As always, 

]]> Building a Tower // Episode 246 Joseph Gruber 00:16:11 Wherein Joseph talks about the upcoming Sunday's gospel reading... Wherein Joseph talks about the upcoming Sunday's gospel reading... luke 14, counting the cost, gospel of luke pericope, love of neighbor, studying scripture, love of god false full 246 5d37f98e-8f0d-4152-842c-d04ad26d9636 Studying Scripture and Wrestling with God and Man // Episode 245 There's a very cliched understanding of wanting to study the Bible the way that Jacob wrestled with God...which I wrestle with a little bit in this episode...

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's a very cliched understanding of wanting to study the Bible the way that Jacob wrestled with God...which I wrestle with a little bit in this episode...

As always, 

]]> Studying Scripture and Wrestling with God and Man // Episode 245 Joseph Gruber 00:19:13 Wherein Joseph wrestles with what it means to wrestle like Jacob... Wherein Joseph wrestles with what it means to wrestle like Jacob... wrestling like jacob, catholic bible study, love of neighbor, wrestling like israel, catholic mission, catholic missionary, catholics studying the bible, love of god, being like jacob, catholic apostolate false full 245 23bf23fb-0ef6-48f6-853b-9961654ca4e2 Basic Human Formation for the Apostolate // Episode 244 Apostolicam Actuositatem says we ought to have a certain human and well-rounded formation before being trained for the apostolate...and yet so often spiritual, intellectual, and practical formation for the apostolate is offered to people with no regard to their human formation.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Apostolicam Actuositatem says we ought to have a certain human and well-rounded formation before being trained for the apostolate...and yet so often spiritual, intellectual, and practical formation for the apostolate is offered to people with no regard to their human formation.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Basic Human Formation for the Apostolate // Episode 244 Joseph Gruber 00:18:00 We're not great at being human, and we should take that into account when we look for more formation. We're not great at being human, and we should take that into account when we look for more formation. missionary disciple, catholic formation, intellectual formation, apostolic formation, spiritual formation, catholic life, catholic mission, human formation, catholic missionary false full 244 f62fcdfb-c9d4-4e5e-aad4-650b94a2d26d Life on Mission with Benjamin Stenlund // Episode 243 I interview Benjamin Stenlund, former FOCUS missionary, current husband/father/craftsman, both about his time as a full-time missionary and what he's been up to since! 

Find his work at https://www.benjaminstenlund.com/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Benjamin Stenlund, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ I interview Benjamin Stenlund, former FOCUS missionary, current husband/father/craftsman, both about his time as a full-time missionary and what he's been up to since! 

Find his work at https://www.benjaminstenlund.com/

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Benjamin Stenlund // Episode 243 Benjamin Stenlund, Joseph Gruber 00:58:18 Wherein I interview former FOCUS missionary, Benjamin Stenlund, who joined FOCUS the same year as me! Wherein I interview former FOCUS missionary, Benjamin Stenlund, who joined FOCUS the same year as me! focus stories, focus story, focus missionary, catholic mission, fellowship of catholic university students, catholic missionary, focus alumni false full 243 337b170e-59f9-4832-9c92-8ddd0c140a67 Playfulness in the Christian Life // Episode 242 One of the coolest lines from Proverbs describes what Wisdom has been doing from the beginning: "[T]hen I was beside him, like a master worker, and I was daily his delight, playing before him always, playing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race" (Proverbs 8:30-31). Wisdom's playfulness and delight model for us a holy call to play in this world, even amongst its seriousness.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ One of the coolest lines from Proverbs describes what Wisdom has been doing from the beginning: "[T]hen I was beside him, like a master worker, and I was daily his delight, playing before him always, playing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race" (Proverbs 8:30-31). Wisdom's playfulness and delight model for us a holy call to play in this world, even amongst its seriousness.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Playfulness in the Christian Life // Episode 242 Joseph Gruber 00:23:07 Wherein Joseph discusses our call to be playful even while being sober-minded. Wherein Joseph discusses our call to be playful even while being sober-minded. catholic life, love of neighbor, catholic mission, catholic living, catholic missionary, love of god false full 242 5967ef60-42c5-43ca-8d9a-9bf20e998b80 Marriage on Mission with Mike and Alicia Hernon // Episode 241 Wherein Joseph and Crystal host Mike and Alicia Hernon from the Messy Family Project.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:07:34 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein Joseph and Crystal host Mike and Alicia Hernon from the Messy Family Project.

As always, 

]]> Marriage on Mission with Mike and Alicia Hernon // Episode 241 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:47:44 Wherein Joseph and Crystal host Mike and Alicia Hernon from the Messy Family Project. Wherein Joseph and Crystal host Mike and Alicia Hernon from the Messy Family Project. false full 241 252a356a-6a63-4486-9fda-2dc1016a1c0b For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free // Episode 240 Saint Paul's letter to the Galatians is a wild ride, and in between discussions about circumcision, kosher laws, and St. Peter making a fool of himself, is a section on what it is to be free. 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Saint Paul's letter to the Galatians is a wild ride, and in between discussions about circumcision, kosher laws, and St. Peter making a fool of himself, is a section on what it is to be free. 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free // Episode 240 Joseph Gruber 00:24:45 Wherein Joseph discusses two keys to freedom and what freedom means in Christ. Wherein Joseph discusses two keys to freedom and what freedom means in Christ. repentance, love of neighbor, catholic mission, freedom in christ, love of god, christian freedom, forgiveness, catholic freedom, catholic apostolate, galatians false full 240 e5bb859f-5b12-41c2-a0e9-e8c02053a463 Dating Like a Catholic // Episode 239 This is a talk we gave at Wright State University in Dayton in the spring of 2024-- it's a brief overview of some basic principles for Catholic singles on how to date like a Catholic. For those who miss Crystal on the podcast, this is a delightful taste of the back-and-forth that is our life!

If you go back to the mid-60s of our podcast, you'll find an 8-part series that'll go more in-depth on the topic.

We'll be delivering a three-part series on relationship formation in August at St. Thomas in Ann Arbor-- if you're Catholic and single/dating and able to make it, check it out! https://sta2.org/church/news/relationship-formation-for-catholics/

And if you want even more on the topic, we occasionally offer 1-day, 3-day, or 3-month formation opportunities for Catholic singles, especially in the southern-Michigan and other areas within easy travel! Send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org if you're interested in such opportunities!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber, Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This is a talk we gave at Wright State University in Dayton in the spring of 2024-- it's a brief overview of some basic principles for Catholic singles on how to date like a Catholic. For those who miss Crystal on the podcast, this is a delightful taste of the back-and-forth that is our life!

If you go back to the mid-60s of our podcast, you'll find an 8-part series that'll go more in-depth on the topic.

We'll be delivering a three-part series on relationship formation in August at St. Thomas in Ann Arbor-- if you're Catholic and single/dating and able to make it, check it out! https://sta2.org/church/news/relationship-formation-for-catholics/

And if you want even more on the topic, we occasionally offer 1-day, 3-day, or 3-month formation opportunities for Catholic singles, especially in the southern-Michigan and other areas within easy travel! Send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org if you're interested in such opportunities!

As always, 

]]> Dating Like a Catholic // Episode 239 Joseph Gruber, Crystal Gruber 00:56:49 A talk we gave at Wright State in Spring '24. A talk we gave at Wright State in Spring '24. catholic dating, catholic young adults, catholic marriage, catholic mission, dating formation, catholic singles, catholic courtship, sacrament of matrimony, catholic matrimony false full 239 0ab7a1bf-c3ba-4560-8cf5-2e75c58d600e Invitations and Holy Detachment // Episode 238 There's an epidemic of loneliness out there, a crisis of friendlessness, a dearth of relationships...and there doesn't have to be. The solution to so many problems begins with making an invitation, and letting people make a free response to it. That requires both the invitation, and a holy detachment from the result.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's an epidemic of loneliness out there, a crisis of friendlessness, a dearth of relationships...and there doesn't have to be. The solution to so many problems begins with making an invitation, and letting people make a free response to it. That requires both the invitation, and a holy detachment from the result.

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Invitations and Holy Detachment // Episode 238 Joseph Gruber 00:27:19 Wherein Joseph talks about making invitations and not being disheartened by responses. Wherein Joseph talks about making invitations and not being disheartened by responses. how to invite, love of neighbor, making invitations, catholic mission, catholic missionary, love of god, lay apostolate, catholic apostolate, how to make an invitation false full 238 100a8779-afb3-4d3e-be69-c916fdc2a51f Life on Mission with Sam Mazzarelli // Episode 237 Sam Mazzarelli gave fifteen years as a Catholic missionary with FOCUS-- hear how one invitation changed everything for him, how money and success aren't everything, and what makes for incredible and lasting friendships. He now works for SENT Ventures as the Chief Community Success Officer: https://www.sentventures.com/ We recommend checking them out and coming to the upcoming summit!

Not going to lie, Joseph was tearing up a little at one point in the interview, and when Joseph told Crystal the story, she started tearing up too. 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Sam Mazzarelli, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Sam Mazzarelli gave fifteen years as a Catholic missionary with FOCUS-- hear how one invitation changed everything for him, how money and success aren't everything, and what makes for incredible and lasting friendships. He now works for SENT Ventures as the Chief Community Success Officer: https://www.sentventures.com/ We recommend checking them out and coming to the upcoming summit!

Not going to lie, Joseph was tearing up a little at one point in the interview, and when Joseph told Crystal the story, she started tearing up too. 

 

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Sam Mazzarelli // Episode 237 Sam Mazzarelli, Joseph Gruber 00:52:35 Wherein Joseph interviews Sam Mazzarelli, Chief Community Success Officer at SENT Ventures. Wherein Joseph interviews Sam Mazzarelli, Chief Community Success Officer at SENT Ventures. focus stories, focus missionary, catholic business leader, sent ventures, catholic mission, catholic leadership, focus alumni, focus missionaries, catholic apostolate, catholic entrepreneur false full 237 cd631358-0f3c-43eb-8123-b71514d95923 Life on Mission with Mallory Smyth // Episode 236 Mallory Smyth, author of Rekindled, joins us again for a dive into her story and lessons learned while on mission! 

You can find Mallory's work here: 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Mallory Smyth, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Mallory Smyth, author of Rekindled, joins us again for a dive into her story and lessons learned while on mission! 

You can find Mallory's work here: 

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Mallory Smyth // Episode 236 Mallory Smyth, Joseph Gruber 00:53:39 Wherein Joseph hears Mallory Smyth's story of being on mission as a Catholic! Wherein Joseph hears Mallory Smyth's story of being on mission as a Catholic! the gospel &, focus stories, love of neighbor, focus missionary, catholic mission, catholic missionary, focus alumni, love of god, focus missionaries false full 236 b0deb029-1906-47f2-a623-8d29babe5733 Renew and Perfect the Temporal Order // Episode 235 A solution to clericalism is to dive deeper into what the role of the laity is-- this episode, we look at the second objective of the lay apostolate according to Vatican II's document, Apostolicam Actuositatem. We strongly recommend people (no matter their state in life) give this document a read; we also suggest you give this episode a listen, a share, and a review!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A solution to clericalism is to dive deeper into what the role of the laity is-- this episode, we look at the second objective of the lay apostolate according to Vatican II's document, Apostolicam Actuositatem. We strongly recommend people (no matter their state in life) give this document a read; we also suggest you give this episode a listen, a share, and a review!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Renew and Perfect the Temporal Order // Episode 235 Joseph Gruber 00:16:21 Wherein Joseph discusses a section from the Decree on the Lay Apostolate. Wherein Joseph discusses a section from the Decree on the Lay Apostolate. lay catholic, catholic laity, role of the laity, apostolate of the laity, catholic mission, catholic missionary, apostolicam actuositatem, decree on the lay apostolate, lay apostolate false full 235 30bb4811-a4a6-4144-bd84-03096fbf4244 My Reaction to the Jubilee Episodes with Michael Knowles and Jordan Peterson // Episode 234 I don't usually do reaction videos, but when I saw the same basic thing happen in two debates, I thought it at least worth calling out, especially because of how egregious it was, and how little people took note of it.

 

The Jordan Peterson episode in full can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwk5MPE_6zE&t=1983s

And the relevant clip from it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx9fSjo72wmxYWxpUh5WZgS4fkaRrhNgzo

The Michael Knowles Episode in full can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBoFwaTWm70&t=2462s

And the relevant piece begins here: https://youtu.be/yBoFwaTWm70?si=xM7uU8VWIHm1otL2&t=2647

The two-part Star Trek: TNG episode was Chain of Command. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ I don't usually do reaction videos, but when I saw the same basic thing happen in two debates, I thought it at least worth calling out, especially because of how egregious it was, and how little people took note of it.

 

The Jordan Peterson episode in full can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwk5MPE_6zE&t=1983s

And the relevant clip from it can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx9fSjo72wmxYWxpUh5WZgS4fkaRrhNgzo

The Michael Knowles Episode in full can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBoFwaTWm70&t=2462s

And the relevant piece begins here: https://youtu.be/yBoFwaTWm70?si=xM7uU8VWIHm1otL2&t=2647

The two-part Star Trek: TNG episode was Chain of Command. 

As always, 

]]> My Reaction to the Jubilee Episodes with Michael Knowles and Jordan Peterson // Episode 234 Joseph Gruber 00:25:35 Wherein Joseph talks about a major issue in two recent youtube videos featuring Jordan Peterson and Michael Knowles. Wherein Joseph talks about a major issue in two recent youtube videos featuring Jordan Peterson and Michael Knowles. jubilee, lord liar lunatic, catholic mission, cs lewis, jordan peterson, catholic missionary, josef pieper, surrounded, michael knowles, abuse of language abuse of power, lay apostolate false full 234 6811d17b-c27b-419f-87af-427abf324d22 The Difference the Mass Makes // episode 233 Something intensely meaningful happens at Mass; the summit of all meaning, in fact, happens at Mass. But many of us may miss the implications, so here's a little episode looking at some of them!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Something intensely meaningful happens at Mass; the summit of all meaning, in fact, happens at Mass. But many of us may miss the implications, so here's a little episode looking at some of them!

As always, 

]]> The Difference the Mass Makes // episode 233 Joseph Gruber 00:09:24 Wherein Joseph speak a bit about the Mass, the life of meaning and gratuity, and the difference it all makes. Wherein Joseph speak a bit about the Mass, the life of meaning and gratuity, and the difference it all makes. interior life, divine revelation, catholic mass, catholic liturgy, spirit of discretio, catholic missionary false full 233 ec233a6d-bdd7-4eb2-8bf3-2c7412230ae4 Life on Mission with AJ Garcia // Episode 232 AJ Garcia, parish regional director of FOCUS, joins us to talk about his decision to join FOCUS, to leave FOCUS, and to rejoin FOCUS!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (AJ Garcia, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ AJ Garcia, parish regional director of FOCUS, joins us to talk about his decision to join FOCUS, to leave FOCUS, and to rejoin FOCUS!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with AJ Garcia // Episode 232 AJ Garcia, Joseph Gruber 00:56:41 Wherein we are joined by Parish Regional Director of FOCUS, AJ Garcia! Wherein we are joined by Parish Regional Director of FOCUS, AJ Garcia! missionary journey, love of neighbor, focus missionary, catholic missionary story, love of god, focus missionary story, missionary story, catholic apostolate false full 232 25c1a10e-b405-4f51-94d6-9ea06b138a95 Life on Mission with Leanne Jarvis // Episode 231 Leanne Jarvis is a Certified FEMM Fertility & Hormone Coach, as well as a former FOCUS missionary! She shares her story of athletic ambitions crushed, faith gained, and mission lived both on campus and out in the world!

You can find her work at https://rosefem.com/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Leanne Jarvis, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Leanne Jarvis is a Certified FEMM Fertility & Hormone Coach, as well as a former FOCUS missionary! She shares her story of athletic ambitions crushed, faith gained, and mission lived both on campus and out in the world!

You can find her work at https://rosefem.com/

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Leanne Jarvis // Episode 231 Leanne Jarvis, Joseph Gruber 01:19:56 Wherein Leanne Jarvis, former missionary and current Certified FEMM Fertility & Hormone Coach, joins Joseph to tell her story! Wherein Leanne Jarvis, former missionary and current Certified FEMM Fertility & Hormone Coach, joins Joseph to tell her story! focus stories, catholic testimony, love of neighbor, focus missionary, catholic mission, uc berkeley testimony, focus alumni, love of god, catholic story, lifelong mission false full 231 1689a956-855d-4fab-873c-728fe5dfdefb Life on Mission with Luke and Megan Reetz // Episode 230 This is a rare treat! Luke and Megan Reetz join Joseph on this episode, and Luke was one of the most instrumental men in Joseph's deepening conversion in college. We get to hear how each of them ended up joining FOCUS, what they learned, and how their lives are playing out now on mission!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Luke Reetz, Megan Reetz, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This is a rare treat! Luke and Megan Reetz join Joseph on this episode, and Luke was one of the most instrumental men in Joseph's deepening conversion in college. We get to hear how each of them ended up joining FOCUS, what they learned, and how their lives are playing out now on mission!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Luke and Megan Reetz // Episode 230 Luke Reetz, Megan Reetz, Joseph Gruber 00:52:17 Wherein Luke and Megan Reetz join Joseph to tell the tales of their journey through FOCUS to beyond! Wherein Luke and Megan Reetz join Joseph to tell the tales of their journey through FOCUS to beyond! focus missionary, catholic missionary story, focus alumni, focus missionary journey, focus alum, lifelong mission false full 230 5b546490-7f88-430f-9bf2-144ae8da6dbd Life on Mission with Nathan Stanley // Episode 229 Nathan Stanley, the senior director of Talent and Leadership Development for FOCUS, joins Joseph for this episode, and what a delight it was! 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Nathan Stanley, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Nathan Stanley, the senior director of Talent and Leadership Development for FOCUS, joins Joseph for this episode, and what a delight it was! 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Nathan Stanley // Episode 229 Nathan Stanley, Joseph Gruber 00:52:20 Wherein Nathan Stanley, a veritable pillar of FOCUS, stops by to share his story! Wherein Nathan Stanley, a veritable pillar of FOCUS, stops by to share his story! living mission, focus story, love of neighbor, focus missionary, servant leadership, catholic mission, servant leader, catholic missionary, love of god false full 229 523de732-232a-4932-a73c-2d34f450383e Coached by the Curé with Kevin Wells // Episode 228 Joseph talks to author Kevin Wells about St. John Vianney and his lessons for parents today.

Purchase Kevin's book here: https://kevinwells.org/books

Kevin Wells is a Catholic writer, speaker, and former sports reporter with the Tampa Tribune, where he covered major-league baseball. He is the author of the best-selling Catholic book The Priests We Need to Save the Church (Sophia, 2019) and Burst, A Story of God’s Grace When Life Falls Apart (Servant). His most recent best-selling book, Priest and Begger, tells the story of the heroic life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, a priest from Washington DC who went on to serve the poor in South Korea. Within 15 years, Father Schwartz had changed the course of Korean history, founding and reforming orphanages, hospitals, hospices, clinics, schools, and the Sisters of Mary, a Korean religious order dedicated to the sickest of the sick and the poorest of the poor. All the while, he himself—like the Sisters—lived the same hard poverty as the people he served and loved.

Wells is currently the president of the Monsignor Thomas Wells Society for Vocations. He also serves a Director of Public Relations for World Villages of Children, which supports the works of Fr. Al Schwartz. His work with youths earned him the James Cardinal Hickey National Figure Award from the Archdiocese of Washington. He lives in Millersville, Md., with his wife and three children. Learn more at https://kevinwells.org/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Kevin Wells, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph talks to author Kevin Wells about St. John Vianney and his lessons for parents today.

Purchase Kevin's book here: https://kevinwells.org/books

Kevin Wells is a Catholic writer, speaker, and former sports reporter with the Tampa Tribune, where he covered major-league baseball. He is the author of the best-selling Catholic book The Priests We Need to Save the Church (Sophia, 2019) and Burst, A Story of God’s Grace When Life Falls Apart (Servant). His most recent best-selling book, Priest and Begger, tells the story of the heroic life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz, a priest from Washington DC who went on to serve the poor in South Korea. Within 15 years, Father Schwartz had changed the course of Korean history, founding and reforming orphanages, hospitals, hospices, clinics, schools, and the Sisters of Mary, a Korean religious order dedicated to the sickest of the sick and the poorest of the poor. All the while, he himself—like the Sisters—lived the same hard poverty as the people he served and loved.

Wells is currently the president of the Monsignor Thomas Wells Society for Vocations. He also serves a Director of Public Relations for World Villages of Children, which supports the works of Fr. Al Schwartz. His work with youths earned him the James Cardinal Hickey National Figure Award from the Archdiocese of Washington. He lives in Millersville, Md., with his wife and three children. Learn more at https://kevinwells.org/

As always, 

]]> Coached by the Curé with Kevin Wells // Episode 228 Kevin Wells, Joseph Gruber 01:02:42 Wherein Joseph talks to author Kevin Wells about St. John Vianney and his lessons for parents today. Wherein Joseph talks to author Kevin Wells about St. John Vianney and his lessons for parents today. inspirational catholic saint, catholic, catholic saint, cure d/ars, saint john vianney false full 228 2f7ff52f-d5d8-48d2-993d-f0add9099707 Do You Have Teammates? // Episode 227 Do you have a mission? And do you know who around you is working toward the same end?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Do you have a mission? And do you know who around you is working toward the same end?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Do You Have Teammates? // Episode 227 Joseph Gruber 00:07:45 Do you have a mission? And do you know who around you is working toward the same end? Do you have a mission? And do you know who around you is working toward the same end? catholic teamwork, catholic mission, catholic missionary false full 227 f02af829-b8f6-47fa-bbbf-72a60d4f8b78 Are You a Spy? // Episode 226 Happy Spy Wednesday?

Odds are good, we all operate as spies in the kingdom of God, from time to time. Today's a good day to repent and stop!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Happy Spy Wednesday?

Odds are good, we all operate as spies in the kingdom of God, from time to time. Today's a good day to repent and stop!

As always, 

]]> Are You a Spy? // Episode 226 Joseph Gruber 00:19:20 Wherein Joseph discusses the high probability that we are all of us spies in the Kingdom of God... Wherein Joseph discusses the high probability that we are all of us spies in the Kingdom of God... spy wednesday, love of neighbor, catholic mission, love of god, holy week false full 226 86ed39ae-f84a-43a1-8e0b-441a1777b79e Life on Mission with Jared Smyth // Episode 225 We had the delight of hosting Jared Smyth, vice president at Communio and former FOCUS missionary (and Joseph's former missionary!) for this episode!

For those in marriage ministry/parish ministry/diocesan ministry, check out Communio and let Jared know if you're interested in their services at jsmyth@communio.org!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Jared Smyth, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We had the delight of hosting Jared Smyth, vice president at Communio and former FOCUS missionary (and Joseph's former missionary!) for this episode!

For those in marriage ministry/parish ministry/diocesan ministry, check out Communio and let Jared know if you're interested in their services at jsmyth@communio.org!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Jared Smyth // Episode 225 Jared Smyth, Joseph Gruber 01:11:43 We had the delight of hosting Jared Smyth, vice president at Communio and former FOCUS missionary (and Joseph's former missionary!) for this episode! We had the delight of hosting Jared Smyth, vice president at Communio and former FOCUS missionary (and Joseph's former missionary!) for this episode! focus stories, love of neighbor, catholic missionaries, catholic mission, marriage ministry, communio, catholic missionary, focus alumni, love of god, catholic apostolate false full 225 d0c4e0ff-de56-498d-a534-c382f4d0d514 Life on Mission with John and Caitlin Wojtasek // Episode 224 John and Caitilin Wojtasek are two lovely former missionaries and we are delighted to have hosted them on the podcast!

They share their missionary journeys as well as their struggles with infertility as a married couple, and we hope you find their story to be a blessing to you!

You can find out more about John's work here: https://goldeneaglecreative.co/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ John and Caitilin Wojtasek are two lovely former missionaries and we are delighted to have hosted them on the podcast!

They share their missionary journeys as well as their struggles with infertility as a married couple, and we hope you find their story to be a blessing to you!

You can find out more about John's work here: https://goldeneaglecreative.co/

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with John and Caitlin Wojtasek // Episode 224 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:11:55 John and Caitilin Wojtasek are two lovely former missionaries and we are delighted to have hosted them on the podcast! They share their missionary journeys as well as their struggles with infertility as a married couple, and we hope you find their story to be a blessing to you! You can find out more about John's work here: https://goldeneaglecreative.co/ John and Caitilin Wojtasek are two lovely former missionaries and we are delighted to have hosted them on the podcast! They share their missionary journeys as well as their struggles with infertility as a married couple, and we hope you find their story to be a blessing to you! You can find out more about John's work here: https://goldeneaglecreative.co/ false full 224 e9bd2f2d-b14f-4453-9245-87f0346d9f7a Life on Mission with Thomas Ripplinger // Episode 223 Thomas Ripplinger spent two years as a full-time Catholic missionary at Michigan Technological University, and is still living mission today with his wife and children in a small town in Wisconsin. Join us for a delightful conversation!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Thomas Ripplinger, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Thomas Ripplinger spent two years as a full-time Catholic missionary at Michigan Technological University, and is still living mission today with his wife and children in a small town in Wisconsin. Join us for a delightful conversation!

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Thomas Ripplinger // Episode 223 Thomas Ripplinger, Joseph Gruber 00:48:55 Wherein we discuss Thomas Ripplinger's story and how he has been living out mission over the years. Wherein we discuss Thomas Ripplinger's story and how he has been living out mission over the years. focus stories, catholic missionary life, catholic missionary, focus alumni false full 223 6070ebd8-f293-4897-a0d6-27834500b280 Life on Mission with Amanda Teixeira // Episode 222 We're joined with Amanda Teixeira, co-founder of WalletWin, to talk about her time as a full-time missionary and the lessons and fruit that came from years with FOCUS and beyond! Hear how she was at the beginning of both FOCUS Greek and FOCUS Summer Projects! 

In January 2012, FOCUS missionary Amanda Teixeira, and her husband, Jonathan, had $25,000 in debt and a deep desire to break free. A short — and zealous — seven and half months later they wrote their last check to Sallie Mae and closed the doors on debt forever. Since kicking debt to the curb, they’ve focused on saving, investing and giving in a way that set them up for total financial peace for a lifetime.

Upon hearing their story, a few people asked them money questions — and they answered. That snowballed into hundreds of answers, speaking at events, providing financial coaching, and in 2017, founding WalletWin to provide Catholic financial formation for the whole family.

They are authors of How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Money, hosts of The Catholic Money Show, and creators of The Catholic Money Course, and The Catholic Family Emergency Binder. They have appeared on EWTN, FORMED.org, and are regular guests on Relevant Radio. Their financial formation programs are used by parishes, dioceses, and schools across the country.

Jonathan and Amanda live in Omaha, Nebraska with their four children.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Amanda Teixeira, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're joined with Amanda Teixeira, co-founder of WalletWin, to talk about her time as a full-time missionary and the lessons and fruit that came from years with FOCUS and beyond! Hear how she was at the beginning of both FOCUS Greek and FOCUS Summer Projects! 

In January 2012, FOCUS missionary Amanda Teixeira, and her husband, Jonathan, had $25,000 in debt and a deep desire to break free. A short — and zealous — seven and half months later they wrote their last check to Sallie Mae and closed the doors on debt forever. Since kicking debt to the curb, they’ve focused on saving, investing and giving in a way that set them up for total financial peace for a lifetime.

Upon hearing their story, a few people asked them money questions — and they answered. That snowballed into hundreds of answers, speaking at events, providing financial coaching, and in 2017, founding WalletWin to provide Catholic financial formation for the whole family.

They are authors of How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Money, hosts of The Catholic Money Show, and creators of The Catholic Money Course, and The Catholic Family Emergency Binder. They have appeared on EWTN, FORMED.org, and are regular guests on Relevant Radio. Their financial formation programs are used by parishes, dioceses, and schools across the country.

Jonathan and Amanda live in Omaha, Nebraska with their four children.

As always, 

]]> Life on Mission with Amanda Teixeira // Episode 222 Amanda Teixeira, Joseph Gruber 00:46:18 We're joined with Amanda Teixeira, co-founder of WalletWin, to talk about her time as a full-time missionary and the lessons and fruit that came from years with FOCUS and beyond! Hear how she was at the beginning of both FOCUS Greek and FOCUS Summer Projects! In January 2012, FOCUS missionary Amanda Teixeira, and her husband, Jonathan, had $25,000 in debt and a deep desire to break free. A short — and zealous — seven and half months later they wrote their last check to Sallie Mae and closed the doors on debt forever. Since kicking debt to the curb, they’ve focused on saving, investing and giving in a way that set them up for total financial peace for a lifetime. Upon hearing their story, a few people asked them money questions — and they answered. That snowballed into hundreds of answers, speaking at events, providing financial coaching, and in 2017, founding WalletWin to provide Catholic financial formation for the whole family. They are authors of How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Money, hosts of The Catholic Money Show, and creators of The Catholic Money Course, and The Catholic Family Emergency Binder. They have appeared on EWTN, FORMED.org, and are regular guests on Relevant Radio. Their financial formation programs are used by parishes, dioceses, and schools across the country. Jonathan and Amanda live in Omaha, Nebraska with their four children. We're joined with Amanda Teixeira, co-founder of WalletWin, to talk about her time as a full-time missionary and the lessons and fruit that came from years with FOCUS and beyond! Hear how she was at the beginning of both FOCUS Greek and FOCUS Summer Projects! In January 2012, FOCUS missionary Amanda Teixeira, and her husband, Jonathan, had $25,000 in debt and a deep desire to break free. A short — and zealous — seven and half months later they wrote their last check to Sallie Mae and closed the doors on debt forever. Since kicking debt to the curb, they’ve focused on saving, investing and giving in a way that set them up for total financial peace for a lifetime. Upon hearing their story, a few people asked them money questions — and they answered. That snowballed into hundreds of answers, speaking at events, providing financial coaching, and in 2017, founding WalletWin to provide Catholic financial formation for the whole family. They are authors of How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Money, hosts of The Catholic Money Show, and creators of The Catholic Money Course, and The Catholic Family Emergency Binder. They have appeared on EWTN, FORMED.org, and are regular guests on Relevant Radio. Their financial formation programs are used by parishes, dioceses, and schools across the country. Jonathan and Amanda live in Omaha, Nebraska with their four children. focus stories, missionary life, life lessons, focus missionaries false full 222 85877de9-5f41-454d-8ce9-722f443d205a Making a Trinity House with Soren Johnson // Episode 221 Soren and Ever Johnson are founders of Trinity House, and Joseph had a chance to sit down with Soren and discuss what makes a home really imitate the love of the Trinity.

The mission of Trinity House Community is to inspire families to make home a taste of heaven for the renewal of faith and culture. 

Consider launching a Trinity House Community Group for families at your parish. For just $499/year, this turn-key model offers families a "date night + family night" experience and is now blessing families at 34 parishes in 14 states! 

Subscribe to receive Soren & Ever's weekly Heaven in Your Home Lettershere. Every Tuesday, you'll receive inspiring stories and practical tools for your own "Trinity House."  

Check out their Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide: Inspiration & Tools for Building a Trinity House (Amazon, $24.99)

Print up the Heaven in Your Home Flowchart and hang it on your fridge as a reference point for your family's growing life in Christ! 

Visit their ministry's Trinity House Cafe + Market, which offers "a little taste of heaven at the corner of Church & Market Streets" in the heart of old town Leesburg, VA. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:34:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Soren Johnson, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Soren and Ever Johnson are founders of Trinity House, and Joseph had a chance to sit down with Soren and discuss what makes a home really imitate the love of the Trinity.

The mission of Trinity House Community is to inspire families to make home a taste of heaven for the renewal of faith and culture. 

Consider launching a Trinity House Community Group for families at your parish. For just $499/year, this turn-key model offers families a "date night + family night" experience and is now blessing families at 34 parishes in 14 states! 

Subscribe to receive Soren & Ever's weekly Heaven in Your Home Lettershere. Every Tuesday, you'll receive inspiring stories and practical tools for your own "Trinity House."  

Check out their Heaven in Your Home Letters & Guide: Inspiration & Tools for Building a Trinity House (Amazon, $24.99)

Print up the Heaven in Your Home Flowchart and hang it on your fridge as a reference point for your family's growing life in Christ! 

Visit their ministry's Trinity House Cafe + Market, which offers "a little taste of heaven at the corner of Church & Market Streets" in the heart of old town Leesburg, VA. 

As always, 

]]> Making a Trinity House with Soren Johnson // Episode 221 Soren Johnson, Joseph Gruber 00:52:17 We're delighted to have Soren Johnson, co-founder of Trinity House, on the show! We're delighted to have Soren Johnson, co-founder of Trinity House, on the show! false full 221 ca60e3d2-806e-4c0e-92f3-bc7371b3a967 Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori: A Lenten Episode // Episode 220 "Remember Man that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return!"

There's no time like Lent to reflect a little more deeply on death. 

 

Find the catechism section here: https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_two/chapter_three/article_11/ii_dying_in_christ_jesus.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ "Remember Man that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return!"

There's no time like Lent to reflect a little more deeply on death. 

 

Find the catechism section here: https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_two/chapter_three/article_11/ii_dying_in_christ_jesus.html

As always, 

]]> Tempus Fugit, Memento Mori: A Lenten Episode // Episode 220 Joseph Gruber 00:34:53 Wherein Joseph reads and reflects on the catechism's section on death. Wherein Joseph reads and reflects on the catechism's section on death. catholic, time flies remember death, memento mori, christian, lent false full 220 0c02f0f0-9250-4817-8b8a-474bd65148f8 The Father's Blessing with Deacon Luke Oestman // Episode 219 Deacon Luke Oestman, longtime missionary with FOCUS and director of St. Timothy Fellows, joins the podcast to share his passion for the Father's blessing!

You can find Deacon Luke here: https://focus.org/missionaries/luke-oestman/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Deacon Luke Oestman, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Deacon Luke Oestman, longtime missionary with FOCUS and director of St. Timothy Fellows, joins the podcast to share his passion for the Father's blessing!

You can find Deacon Luke here: https://focus.org/missionaries/luke-oestman/

As always, 

]]> The Father's Blessing with Deacon Luke Oestman // Episode 219 Deacon Luke Oestman, Joseph Gruber 00:55:46 Wherein Joseph talks with Deacon Luke Oestman about the Father's blessing. Wherein Joseph talks with Deacon Luke Oestman about the Father's blessing. the father's blessing, catholic, focus, christian false full 219 d1c15004-34e6-42a2-8d18-637d07f08e4f Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House, with Dana K. White // Episode 218 Crystal had the opportunity to interview her favorite podcaster, Dana K. White, host of the podcast "A Slob Comes Clean."

Dana just came out with a new book, Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy Home, and Crystal had a delightful time talking with her about it!

Dana is the creator of the No Mess Decluttering Method and (much to her own surprise) a Decluttering Expert. Dana shares realistic home management strategies and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy in her books: Organizing for the Rest of Us, Decluttering at the Speed of Life (a Wall Street Journal bestseller), and How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. Dana teaches her strategies through her blog, podcast, and videos at ASlobComesClean.com and trains coaches in her unique decluttering process at DeclutteringCoaches.com. 

You can find Dana's new book here: https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/jesus/

You can follow Dana here: https://www.youtube.com/danakwhite

https://www.facebook.com/ASlobComesClean/

https://www.instagram.com/aslobcomesclean

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Dana K. White, Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Crystal had the opportunity to interview her favorite podcaster, Dana K. White, host of the podcast "A Slob Comes Clean."

Dana just came out with a new book, Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy Home, and Crystal had a delightful time talking with her about it!

Dana is the creator of the No Mess Decluttering Method and (much to her own surprise) a Decluttering Expert. Dana shares realistic home management strategies and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy in her books: Organizing for the Rest of Us, Decluttering at the Speed of Life (a Wall Street Journal bestseller), and How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind. Dana teaches her strategies through her blog, podcast, and videos at ASlobComesClean.com and trains coaches in her unique decluttering process at DeclutteringCoaches.com. 

You can find Dana's new book here: https://www.aslobcomesclean.com/jesus/

You can follow Dana here: https://www.youtube.com/danakwhite

https://www.facebook.com/ASlobComesClean/

https://www.instagram.com/aslobcomesclean

As always, 

]]> Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House, with Dana K. White // Episode 218 Dana K. White, Crystal Gruber 01:00:46 Wherein Crystal interviews her favorite podcaster, Dana K. White, of "A Slob Comes Clean" Fame! Wherein Crystal interviews her favorite podcaster, Dana K. White, of "A Slob Comes Clean" Fame! decluttering without shame, slob comes clean, jesus and cleanliness, decluttering with jesus false full 218 6a2a6350-4e3f-4b9d-a10b-5bc4efe8e84c Turning the Hearts of Fathers to Their Children with Peter Herbeck // Episode 217 We had the delight of having Peter Herbeck, executive vice president of Renewal Ministries, on the podcast to unpack the last line of the last OT prophet, "He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents" (Malachi 4:6a). 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Peter Herbeck, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We had the delight of having Peter Herbeck, executive vice president of Renewal Ministries, on the podcast to unpack the last line of the last OT prophet, "He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents" (Malachi 4:6a). 

As always, 

]]> Turning the Hearts of Fathers to Their Children with Peter Herbeck // Episode 217 Peter Herbeck, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:03:47 Wherein Joseph and Crystal discuss with Peter Herbeck from Renewal Ministries a passage from Malachi chapter 4. Wherein Joseph and Crystal discuss with Peter Herbeck from Renewal Ministries a passage from Malachi chapter 4. false full 217 7df2fa39-18a1-4fbc-872d-ec05b822999d Family Huddles and Families of Character // Episode 216 What if having a family were a team sport? What if a lot of the loneliness and frustration of the home were from someone being guilty of poor sportsmanship? Jordan Langdon joins us to share her story of transformation, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Check out her work at https://www.familiesofcharacter.com/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (jordan langdon, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ What if having a family were a team sport? What if a lot of the loneliness and frustration of the home were from someone being guilty of poor sportsmanship? Jordan Langdon joins us to share her story of transformation, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Check out her work at https://www.familiesofcharacter.com/

As always, 

]]> Family Huddles and Families of Character // Episode 216 jordan langdon, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:55:05 Wherein Joseph and Crystal have a delightful conversation with Jordan Langdon, CEO of Families of Character, about her personal transformation in the home! Wherein Joseph and Crystal have a delightful conversation with Jordan Langdon, CEO of Families of Character, about her personal transformation in the home! catholic marriage, catholic, catholic family life, love of neighbor, love of god, sanctifying the home false full 216 3ea8c247-d5bf-4756-874a-fa2ac3f1e587 Spiritual Homelessness // Episode 215 This topic probably deserves a longer episode treating it, but I really wanted to get some thoughts about feeling homeless from the two primary institutions (family and Church), and especially from feeling so from within the institutions. There are a great number of people who come to Mass and don't feel at home, just as there are a great many who live at an address that doesn't feel all that homely. 

This isn't to dismiss the tragedy of being physically homeless-- I think I mentioned in the episode that physical homelessness is more visible, and after the fact, remembered that a great many homeless disguise their homelessness by roving from one friend's/family member's house to another-- what I meant was moreso that there is a physical malady there, and it is point-to-able in a way that spiritual homelessness isn't. 

Anywho, I still recommend the book True Leadership: https://amzn.to/4ju0AmI (and this link actually earns us a commission! Crystal set it up recently!) 

**These are Amazon affiliate links which provide a small commission to this channel via anything purchased via these links

As always, 

]]> Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This topic probably deserves a longer episode treating it, but I really wanted to get some thoughts about feeling homeless from the two primary institutions (family and Church), and especially from feeling so from within the institutions. There are a great number of people who come to Mass and don't feel at home, just as there are a great many who live at an address that doesn't feel all that homely. 

This isn't to dismiss the tragedy of being physically homeless-- I think I mentioned in the episode that physical homelessness is more visible, and after the fact, remembered that a great many homeless disguise their homelessness by roving from one friend's/family member's house to another-- what I meant was moreso that there is a physical malady there, and it is point-to-able in a way that spiritual homelessness isn't. 

Anywho, I still recommend the book True Leadership: https://amzn.to/4ju0AmI (and this link actually earns us a commission! Crystal set it up recently!) 

**These are Amazon affiliate links which provide a small commission to this channel via anything purchased via these links

As always, 

]]> Spiritual Homelessness // Episode 215 Joseph Gruber 00:20:25 Wherein Joseph explores the idea of being spiritually homeless from within the Church. Wherein Joseph explores the idea of being spiritually homeless from within the Church. false full 215 7bdbcd5a-8232-4091-bac1-66934c807e8d Invitations as a Key to Transformation // Episode 214 When we make invitations, we're making several statements all at once-- that we have something worth offering, that the other might receive, and that they're free to make a choice one way or another. If we don't make invitations, all three of those statements get called at least into question. 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ When we make invitations, we're making several statements all at once-- that we have something worth offering, that the other might receive, and that they're free to make a choice one way or another. If we don't make invitations, all three of those statements get called at least into question. 

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Invitations as a Key to Transformation // Episode 214 Joseph Gruber 00:27:28 Wherein Joseph talks about the power of making invitations. Wherein Joseph talks about the power of making invitations. false full 214 e5f44c69-40ae-476a-b7ed-6059f7a432b6 Reasons to Improve // Episode 213 Why would we want to improve?

Joseph goes through the three main reasons-- and the third might not be what you expected!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Why would we want to improve?

Joseph goes through the three main reasons-- and the third might not be what you expected!

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Reasons to Improve // Episode 213 Joseph Gruber 00:18:58 Wherein Joseph outlines three reasons we might be motivated to improve! Wherein Joseph outlines three reasons we might be motivated to improve! catholic podcast, catholic missionary, love of god false full 213 b7b3868d-5b0b-4cc5-9479-a1e96ab45860 Readiness to Change // Episode 212 In Dietrich von Hildebrand's epic tome, Transformation in Christ, he writes that the thing without which there is not the Christian life is a readiness to change. Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In Dietrich von Hildebrand's epic tome, Transformation in Christ, he writes that the thing without which there is not the Christian life is a readiness to change. Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Readiness to Change // Episode 212 Joseph Gruber 00:24:06 Wherein Joseph talks about a sine qua non of the Christian life, a readiness to change. Wherein Joseph talks about a sine qua non of the Christian life, a readiness to change. catholic, dietrich von hildebrand, growth mindset, love of neighbor, transformation in christ, catholic podcast, love of god, christian life false full 212 cc5f9365-8d31-47c7-8a84-88643fb6401c Christmas Message To Our Listeners! // Episode 211 Merry Christmas, from Our Outpost to Yours!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Merry Christmas, from Our Outpost to Yours!

As always, 

]]> Christmas Message To Our Listeners! // Episode 211 Joseph Gruber 00:16:28 Wherein Joseph lists some things he's grateful for, and challenges the listeners (for whom he is grateful!) to do similarly... Wherein Joseph lists some things he's grateful for, and challenges the listeners (for whom he is grateful!) to do similarly... love of neighbor, marriage, marriage ministry, gratitude, catholic ministry, love of god, catholic matrimony, catholic marriage ministry false full 211 03e78a3a-58e2-431e-a328-5f279abe06e8 Am I My Brother's Keeper? w/ Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 210 Am I my brother's keeper? Is he mine?

What responsibility do we have to one another?

Is the answer to Cain's question all that straightforward?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Am I my brother's keeper? Is he mine?

What responsibility do we have to one another?

Is the answer to Cain's question all that straightforward?

Listen in to find out more!

As always, 

]]> Am I My Brother's Keeper? w/ Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 210 Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:42:40 Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss some of the ambiguities in the fourth chapter of Genesis. Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss some of the ambiguities in the fourth chapter of Genesis. love of neighbor, cain and abel, riddles of man, tiller of earth, keeper of sheep, love of god, riddles of god, genesis, cain false full 210 b67dc2ae-39ea-4707-856a-f38d5685a410 Openness to Life w/ Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 209 A sixth-born and a twelfth-born walk onto a podcast...

Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob, reflect on what openness to life means and goodness of having a large family.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A sixth-born and a twelfth-born walk onto a podcast...

Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob, reflect on what openness to life means and goodness of having a large family.

As always, 

]]> Openness to Life w/ Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 209 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:33:14 Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob reflect on their own existence and the call to be open to life. Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob reflect on their own existence and the call to be open to life. false full 209 a8af2306-73e4-4d5b-a921-825ae8185320 Is it Too Early To Be Celebrating Christmas? // Episode 208 Signs of Christmas are starting to appear everywhere-- in stores, on the radio, on lawns and across roofs, in homes, and we're wondering: is that a bad thing?

Listen in to a  discussion between Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob, about celebrating Christmas outside the Christmas season!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Signs of Christmas are starting to appear everywhere-- in stores, on the radio, on lawns and across roofs, in homes, and we're wondering: is that a bad thing?

Listen in to a  discussion between Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob, about celebrating Christmas outside the Christmas season!

As always, 

]]> Is it Too Early To Be Celebrating Christmas? // Episode 208 Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:41:28 Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss the propriety of celebrating Christmas outside the season. Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss the propriety of celebrating Christmas outside the season. catholic, love of neighbor, advent season, how to celebrate advent, nightmare before christmas, feast of the nativity of our lord, love of god, christian, celebrating christmas too soon, nativity of our lord, getting into the christmas spirit too soon false full 207 43825f8d-68c9-4157-85b6-a66b4aeda784 Pre-Advent Review of Salvation History // Episode 207 Scripture is shallow enough for a lamb to wade and deep enough for an elephant to bathe, so saith St. Gregory the Great. So for this episode, we'll do a shallow review of salvation history with little vignettes that show some of the depths to be plumbed.

There are six main salvation history moments before Christ: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the Babylonian Exile. Listen in for takeaways that still endlessly fascinate Joseph!

Let us know if these takeaways are new to you! Leave a comment or send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org with what struck you!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Scripture is shallow enough for a lamb to wade and deep enough for an elephant to bathe, so saith St. Gregory the Great. So for this episode, we'll do a shallow review of salvation history with little vignettes that show some of the depths to be plumbed.

There are six main salvation history moments before Christ: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the Babylonian Exile. Listen in for takeaways that still endlessly fascinate Joseph!

Let us know if these takeaways are new to you! Leave a comment or send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org with what struck you!

As always, 

]]> Pre-Advent Review of Salvation History // Episode 207 Joseph Gruber 00:32:22 Wherein Joseph goes through six main salvation-history moments/figures and some takeaways you might not have considered... Wherein Joseph goes through six main salvation-history moments/figures and some takeaways you might not have considered... adam, salvation history, noah, catholic, history of salvation, abraham, king david, babylonian exile, missionary, love of god, christian, scripture review false full 208 4d71122f-6640-47e0-bf7e-e99b329f824c Christ Is King (and why that's a good thing) // Episode 206 Christ is king, but not like any other king. His authority comes from a completely different way of conceptualizing power. The constrained vision of authority as a permanent power struggle is something Christ totally side-steps, and that changes how we understand Him, our role in the world, and our role in our homes.

Listen in to find out more!

 

And if you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for time with me: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Christ is king, but not like any other king. His authority comes from a completely different way of conceptualizing power. The constrained vision of authority as a permanent power struggle is something Christ totally side-steps, and that changes how we understand Him, our role in the world, and our role in our homes.

Listen in to find out more!

 

And if you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for time with me: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Christ Is King (and why that's a good thing) // Episode 206 Joseph Gruber 00:37:10 In light of the recent discourse around Christ's kingship and the impending feast of Christ the King, here is an episode about Christ's authority and how He makes it known on earth and what that means for us! In light of the recent discourse around Christ's kingship and the impending feast of Christ the King, here is an episode about Christ's authority and how He makes it known on earth and what that means for us! catholic family, christ as king, feast of christ the king, catholic marriage, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, christ is king, divine authority, missionary, love of god, christian, authority false full 206 bbee1454-9eef-4368-abc5-f7a1a7e18082 Intercessory Prayer // Episode 205 If we believe in a God Who hears us, intercessory prayer makes all the sense in the world. And yet. And yet, sometimes we relegate intercessory prayer to the background. This episode explores three reasons Joseph might do so-- maybe one or more might strike home with you, too!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If we believe in a God Who hears us, intercessory prayer makes all the sense in the world. And yet. And yet, sometimes we relegate intercessory prayer to the background. This episode explores three reasons Joseph might do so-- maybe one or more might strike home with you, too!

 

As always, 

]]> Intercessory Prayer // Episode 205 Joseph Gruber 00:38:18 Wherein Joseph talks about why we might not lean into intercessory prayer the way we ought to... Wherein Joseph talks about why we might not lean into intercessory prayer the way we ought to... christian prayer, catholic, catholic prayers, apostolate, praying for other people, catholics praying, missionary, intercessory prayer, christian, how to pray false full 205 9ef0085c-8292-4f77-8b26-2d8a8acb7281 What is the Gospel? // Episode 204 Creation, Fall, Incarnation, Salvation. 

The gospel, if anything, is a response to the brokenness we all experience (and participate in...). 

Here's a way to talk about it!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Creation, Fall, Incarnation, Salvation. 

The gospel, if anything, is a response to the brokenness we all experience (and participate in...). 

Here's a way to talk about it!

As always, 

]]> What is the Gospel? // Episode 204 Joseph Gruber 00:29:45 Wherein Joseph shares his favorite way to talk about the gospel. Wherein Joseph shares his favorite way to talk about the gospel. catholic gospel, apostolate, how to present the gospel, love of neighbor, catholic missionary, love of god, good news, gospel message, good news about jesus, adam and eve and jesus false full 204 5c58c55f-1ee9-4ae0-bb3c-1d42a2a01df2 Cycle of Trust and Evangelization // Episode 203 Evangelization has become something of a buzz-word in Catholic circles today. Worse than that, sometimes it takes on an inhuman and mechanistic tone that couldn't be further from the truth. So Joseph unpacks what he means by evangelization, and what he suspects the Church also means...

Here's the cycle in picture form!

 

If you're a Catholic husband and would like 45 minutes with Joseph, sign up here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Evangelization has become something of a buzz-word in Catholic circles today. Worse than that, sometimes it takes on an inhuman and mechanistic tone that couldn't be further from the truth. So Joseph unpacks what he means by evangelization, and what he suspects the Church also means...

Here's the cycle in picture form!

 

If you're a Catholic husband and would like 45 minutes with Joseph, sign up here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Cycle of Trust and Evangelization // Episode 203 Joseph Gruber 00:31:39 Wherein Joseph shows how evangelization comes down to four kinds of trust. Wherein Joseph shows how evangelization comes down to four kinds of trust. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, trust in god, missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 203 4bbf8c44-5b56-417c-b799-dbdf8dde1e61 "Lord, Don't Trust Philip Today" // Episode 202 "Lord, don't trust Philip today." 

Simple, profound, hilarious, and supremely useful, this prayer has long been a favorite of Joseph's, and in this episode, he shares why.

 

If you're a Catholic husband, you can sign up for 45 minutes with Joseph here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ "Lord, don't trust Philip today." 

Simple, profound, hilarious, and supremely useful, this prayer has long been a favorite of Joseph's, and in this episode, he shares why.

 

If you're a Catholic husband, you can sign up for 45 minutes with Joseph here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> "Lord, Don't Trust Philip Today" // Episode 202 Joseph Gruber 00:24:02 Wherein Joseph shares his second-favorite prayer, a prayer of St. Philip Neri. Wherein Joseph shares his second-favorite prayer, a prayer of St. Philip Neri. catholic, st. philip neri, trust in god, missionary, christian false full 202 8014cc07-13ca-4edb-a151-73fb5a7fa616 The Rich Young Man and Marriage // Episode 201 This past Sunday's gospel reading was about the rich young man, and one thing that may not have been immediately evident is how tied it is to the notion of marriage. Listen in to find out more!

If you're a Catholic husband, you can sign up for 45 minutes with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This past Sunday's gospel reading was about the rich young man, and one thing that may not have been immediately evident is how tied it is to the notion of marriage. Listen in to find out more!

If you're a Catholic husband, you can sign up for 45 minutes with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> The Rich Young Man and Marriage // Episode 201 Joseph Gruber 00:18:00 Wherein Joseph shows the connection between the story of the rich young man and marriage. Wherein Joseph shows the connection between the story of the rich young man and marriage. catholic marriage, christ the bridegroom, rich young man, christ as bridegroom, free total faithful fruitful, catholic matrimony, proles fides sacramentum false full 201 48c4cf1d-4243-4595-a4f7-2adc06888119 Marriage as an Apostolic Institution // Episode 200 Happy 200th episode, everybody!!

Christ instituted seven sacraments. Three of them are sacraments of initiation, two of them are for healing, and two, friends, are ordered toward the salvation of other people. Those two sacraments are holy orders (deacons, priests, and bishops) and matrimony. Hear how we unpack how matrimony is meant to be an apostolic institution, truly missionary in its beauty!

Just a little about us-- we're here to help husbands and wives to become more competent and confident at running beautiful evangelical homes. Our podcasts, retreats, workshops, guides, blogs, books (forthcoming!), and more are all for that purpose!

For those near Jackson, MI, here are some events we have planned for the near future: https://ouroutpost.org/events/

For Catholic husbands, if you'd like 45 minutes with Joseph, you can grab that here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

For our other podcast, check out this page, which will take you to links to all the platforms on which that podcast (and this podcast) reside: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Crystal Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Happy 200th episode, everybody!!

Christ instituted seven sacraments. Three of them are sacraments of initiation, two of them are for healing, and two, friends, are ordered toward the salvation of other people. Those two sacraments are holy orders (deacons, priests, and bishops) and matrimony. Hear how we unpack how matrimony is meant to be an apostolic institution, truly missionary in its beauty!

Just a little about us-- we're here to help husbands and wives to become more competent and confident at running beautiful evangelical homes. Our podcasts, retreats, workshops, guides, blogs, books (forthcoming!), and more are all for that purpose!

For those near Jackson, MI, here are some events we have planned for the near future: https://ouroutpost.org/events/

For Catholic husbands, if you'd like 45 minutes with Joseph, you can grab that here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

For our other podcast, check out this page, which will take you to links to all the platforms on which that podcast (and this podcast) reside: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/

As always, 

]]> Marriage as an Apostolic Institution // Episode 200 Crystal Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:42:13 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about how marriage is an apostolic institution... Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about how marriage is an apostolic institution... apostolic, matrimony, catholic, marriage, missionary, christian false full 200 e7aa981a-2f9d-458f-9da3-417bb6616dff Testimonies vs. Stories // Episode 199 Have you ever been to a talk on evangelizing and been told that everyone has a testimony to share? 

It's partially true. But where it's partially false, it can be extremely damaging to people.

Because not everyone has a testimony to share right now, but everyone is in the midst of the greatest love story ever told. 

 

If you're a Catholic husband, feel encouraged to sign up for some time to talk with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Have you ever been to a talk on evangelizing and been told that everyone has a testimony to share? 

It's partially true. But where it's partially false, it can be extremely damaging to people.

Because not everyone has a testimony to share right now, but everyone is in the midst of the greatest love story ever told. 

 

If you're a Catholic husband, feel encouraged to sign up for some time to talk with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Testimonies vs. Stories // Episode 199 Joseph Gruber 00:32:43 Wherein testimonies and stories are contrasted. We all have stories, while many don't have testimonies. Wherein testimonies and stories are contrasted. We all have stories, while many don't have testimonies. testimony sharing, saint paul, catholic, road to damascus, testimony, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 199 24a9e0db-5cb7-4d11-a2d0-8fb87aaaf1ea Conversation Starters // Episode 198 One thing missionaries need to be able to do is to start friendly conversations. Joseph may not be the most charming and extroverted fellow, but he spent years thinking and trying out different ways to start conversations with strangers-- here are some thoughts on the process!

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ One thing missionaries need to be able to do is to start friendly conversations. Joseph may not be the most charming and extroverted fellow, but he spent years thinking and trying out different ways to start conversations with strangers-- here are some thoughts on the process!

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

As always, 

]]> Conversation Starters // Episode 198 Joseph Gruber 00:24:53 Wherein Joseph talks about some of his favorite conversation starters as a missionary. Wherein Joseph talks about some of his favorite conversation starters as a missionary. false full 198 f30d61e1-44bc-4323-bb73-94b7348574b7 "What have you been reading recently?" // Episode 197 One of Joseph's favorite questions to ask people is "What have you been reading recently?" It's both prompted great conversation, as well as produced a number of awkward moments. 

Matthew Kelly has said, "We become the books we read"-- so if we're interested in who people are and who they're becoming, what they're reading is incredibly important!

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ One of Joseph's favorite questions to ask people is "What have you been reading recently?" It's both prompted great conversation, as well as produced a number of awkward moments. 

Matthew Kelly has said, "We become the books we read"-- so if we're interested in who people are and who they're becoming, what they're reading is incredibly important!

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> "What have you been reading recently?" // Episode 197 Joseph Gruber 00:27:14 Wherein Joseph unpacks one of his favorite questions, and shows what it reveals and where you can take it. Wherein Joseph unpacks one of his favorite questions, and shows what it reveals and where you can take it. false full 197 9ad99dfd-fced-47db-a15d-2167741c8f15 Rethinking Failure // Episode 196 We're in a pretty failure-averse world. There's not much mercy and not much margin for error in a world where our mistakes can be plastered across screens throughout the world. 

So how do we wrap our heads around failure, and what kinds of failure are out there? Turns out, there's at least three kinds of failures-- one for when we're learning and growing, one for when we unintentionally wander, and one for when we intentionally do the wrong thing. 

I think it's pretty helpful to have categories for failure, and over it all, a merciful and patient heart. Just my two cents...

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're in a pretty failure-averse world. There's not much mercy and not much margin for error in a world where our mistakes can be plastered across screens throughout the world. 

So how do we wrap our heads around failure, and what kinds of failure are out there? Turns out, there's at least three kinds of failures-- one for when we're learning and growing, one for when we unintentionally wander, and one for when we intentionally do the wrong thing. 

I think it's pretty helpful to have categories for failure, and over it all, a merciful and patient heart. Just my two cents...

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Rethinking Failure // Episode 196 Joseph Gruber 00:32:54 Wherein Joseph talks about three different kinds of failures-- mistakes, errors, and faults. Wherein Joseph talks about three different kinds of failures-- mistakes, errors, and faults. false full 196 0e14da98-ce57-48b2-81f5-450bfcfbe138 The Midas Touch and the Screenification and Sterilization of the World // Episode 195 Nathaniel Hawthorne has a lovely version of the story of King Midas, called "The Golden Touch," and Joseph read it aloud to his kids recently. While it's ostensibly about greed, it's also about exchanging real life for sterile, un-smellable, un-tasteable, un-nourishing shiny facsimiles. In other, unrelated news, how's your smartphone looking these days?

 

Here's Hawthorne's story: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35377/35377-h/35377-h.htm#THE_GOLDEN_TOUCH but it's public domain, so you can find it many places...

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Nathaniel Hawthorne has a lovely version of the story of King Midas, called "The Golden Touch," and Joseph read it aloud to his kids recently. While it's ostensibly about greed, it's also about exchanging real life for sterile, un-smellable, un-tasteable, un-nourishing shiny facsimiles. In other, unrelated news, how's your smartphone looking these days?

 

Here's Hawthorne's story: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35377/35377-h/35377-h.htm#THE_GOLDEN_TOUCH but it's public domain, so you can find it many places...

Here's a link for Catholic husbands to spend 45 minutes with Joseph: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Here's a link for the Joseph Pearce talk on October 19th in Jackson, MI: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> The Midas Touch and the Screenification and Sterilization of the World // Episode 195 Joseph Gruber 00:17:09 Wherein Joseph reflects on some of the lessons of King Midas, our use of screens, and our culture's obsession with sterilizing. Wherein Joseph reflects on some of the lessons of King Midas, our use of screens, and our culture's obsession with sterilizing. false full 195 a9e63aad-d0e8-4164-9011-2524f8ac1df3 Life is Worth Living, Sharing, and Multiplying // Episode 194 It's weird how scandalous it sounds, that life is worth living, sharing, and multiplying. But these are ways we're inclined to be, to behave, and to desire as human beings. So saith Aristotle, Aquinas, and me, your friendly neighborhood podcaster.

(Joseph did mis-speak-- it's in question 94, article 2, not question 86, of first part of the second part of the Summa: https://www.newadvent.org/summa/2094.htm#:~:text=Thirdly%2C%20there%20is%20in%20man,law%3B%20for%20instance%2C%20to%20shun)

Joseph unpacks these inclinations a bit, and hopefully conveys the main point that YOUR life is worth living, sharing, and multiplying.

For the Catholic husbands, find time to chat with Joseph here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph⁠https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

 

And the Joseph Pearce event at the Chesterton Academy in Jackson, MI can be RSVP'd for here: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's weird how scandalous it sounds, that life is worth living, sharing, and multiplying. But these are ways we're inclined to be, to behave, and to desire as human beings. So saith Aristotle, Aquinas, and me, your friendly neighborhood podcaster.

(Joseph did mis-speak-- it's in question 94, article 2, not question 86, of first part of the second part of the Summa: https://www.newadvent.org/summa/2094.htm#:~:text=Thirdly%2C%20there%20is%20in%20man,law%3B%20for%20instance%2C%20to%20shun)

Joseph unpacks these inclinations a bit, and hopefully conveys the main point that YOUR life is worth living, sharing, and multiplying.

For the Catholic husbands, find time to chat with Joseph here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph⁠https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

 

And the Joseph Pearce event at the Chesterton Academy in Jackson, MI can be RSVP'd for here: https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Life is Worth Living, Sharing, and Multiplying // Episode 194 Joseph Gruber 00:19:58 Wherein Joseph talks about the inclinations of the natural law. Wherein Joseph talks about the inclinations of the natural law. false full 194 465be87c-3bf7-4c7b-8048-add6076fd476 Importance of Invitations // Episode 193 Our social fabric is threadbare these days, and making invitations is our way of re-enforcing, patching, and strengthening society.

Joseph talks about having invite-to-able lives, about making clear invitations, and handling rejection. Those are the things he needs to hear, so he's guessing you might too!

 

On our website, if Catholic husbands have a minute (or 45) to talk with Joseph about some of his upcoming projects, that'd be appreciated: https://ouroutpost.org/youroutpost/ and scroll down to the link to find a time with Joseph.

If you're in the southern Michigan area, check out this upcoming event hosted by the Chesterton Academy of St. George! (this is an impersonal invitation, btw): https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Our social fabric is threadbare these days, and making invitations is our way of re-enforcing, patching, and strengthening society.

Joseph talks about having invite-to-able lives, about making clear invitations, and handling rejection. Those are the things he needs to hear, so he's guessing you might too!

 

On our website, if Catholic husbands have a minute (or 45) to talk with Joseph about some of his upcoming projects, that'd be appreciated: https://ouroutpost.org/youroutpost/ and scroll down to the link to find a time with Joseph.

If you're in the southern Michigan area, check out this upcoming event hosted by the Chesterton Academy of St. George! (this is an impersonal invitation, btw): https://www.castgeorge.com/events/pearce

As always, 

]]> Importance of Invitations // Episode 193 Joseph Gruber 00:36:37 Wherein Joseph talks about having invite-to-able lives, making clear invitations, and handling rejection. Wherein Joseph talks about having invite-to-able lives, making clear invitations, and handling rejection. false full 193 c516ab12-e16a-43f5-8f92-e715b2abc285 Three Tests for Pride // Episode 192 How proud am I? 

Do I think I'm wiser than I really am?

Do I think I'm stronger than I really am?

Do I think I'm more excusable than I really am?

Probably. And that, my friends, is prideful.

Listen in to find out more!

Here's the website for Catholic singles (aged 22-35ish): https://ouroutpost.org/dating/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Aug 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How proud am I? 

Do I think I'm wiser than I really am?

Do I think I'm stronger than I really am?

Do I think I'm more excusable than I really am?

Probably. And that, my friends, is prideful.

Listen in to find out more!

Here's the website for Catholic singles (aged 22-35ish): https://ouroutpost.org/dating/

As always, 

]]> Three Tests for Pride // Episode 192 Joseph Gruber 00:15:52 Wherein Joseph talks about three tests for whether we're struggling with pride (because, quite likely, we are...). Wherein Joseph talks about three tests for whether we're struggling with pride (because, quite likely, we are...). false full 192 30f3d8af-58de-4abe-afd9-f5614ee8cc82 What It Takes to Live in the City of God // Episode 191 If we want to live in harsh conditions, we could wear appropriate equipment, we could change the conditions, or (maybe impossibly) we could change ourselves to adapt to those conditions. If we want to live in perfect love, there's a temptation to either become superficial or water down what it means to live perfect love, while the only real option is the seemingly-impossible one: we need to change.

In this episode, Joseph talks about the three significant changes that happen to us to allow us to live in the city of God: the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 31 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If we want to live in harsh conditions, we could wear appropriate equipment, we could change the conditions, or (maybe impossibly) we could change ourselves to adapt to those conditions. If we want to live in perfect love, there's a temptation to either become superficial or water down what it means to live perfect love, while the only real option is the seemingly-impossible one: we need to change.

In this episode, Joseph talks about the three significant changes that happen to us to allow us to live in the city of God: the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. 

As always, 

]]> What It Takes to Live in the City of God // Episode 191 Joseph Gruber 00:13:49 Wherein Joseph talks about what it takes to live in the city of God. Wherein Joseph talks about what it takes to live in the city of God. false full 191 948dbd6b-558c-45ef-a7a1-873eab8dcca7 Three Reasons Catholic Singles Should Consider Marriage // Episode 190 Marriage can be great for many reasons, but its greatness is not one of the reasons Joseph talks about getting married.

What does he talk about? The sacrament of marriage fundamentally re-orients us to with respect to time, it stitches together a broken society, and the process of finding a spouse can and should help raise the collective bar for men and women-- so will call single men and women to be better.

Just fyi-- we're interviewing Catholic singles right now, and we'll be starting an online program for Catholic singles soon. If you're male and single, sign up with Joseph for a 45 minute call here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/lite/joseph-serving-singles and if you're female and single, sign up with Crystal for a 45 minute call here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/lite/crystal-serving-singles

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Marriage can be great for many reasons, but its greatness is not one of the reasons Joseph talks about getting married.

What does he talk about? The sacrament of marriage fundamentally re-orients us to with respect to time, it stitches together a broken society, and the process of finding a spouse can and should help raise the collective bar for men and women-- so will call single men and women to be better.

Just fyi-- we're interviewing Catholic singles right now, and we'll be starting an online program for Catholic singles soon. If you're male and single, sign up with Joseph for a 45 minute call here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/lite/joseph-serving-singles and if you're female and single, sign up with Crystal for a 45 minute call here: https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/lite/crystal-serving-singles

 

As always, 

]]> Three Reasons Catholic Singles Should Consider Marriage // Episode 190 Joseph Gruber 00:17:31 Wherein Joseph talks about three reasons Catholic singles should consider marriage. Wherein Joseph talks about three reasons Catholic singles should consider marriage. false full 190 583141d0-8b52-47e4-a6d4-43c48f22b42a Jesus Asleep in the Boat // Episode 189 Here's the text of the passage from Mark 4:35-41:

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Here's the text of the passage from Mark 4:35-41:

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

As always, 

]]> Jesus Asleep in the Boat // Episode 189 Joseph Gruber 00:14:21 Wherein Joseph shares some reflections about Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm. Wherein Joseph shares some reflections about Jesus asleep in the boat during the storm. false full 189 a749210d-081b-4611-bd41-530b4afc4ef0 Importance of Different Kinds of Friendship // Episode 188 Aristotle writes about three different kinds of friendship in the Nicomachean Ethics. It's not uncommon to hear talks about friendship, and how of the three kinds, the best/truest kind of friendship needs to be focused on. We even have some episodes about that very thing. 

But what Joseph noticed recently is that we're suffering not just from a lack of virtuous/true friends. We're suffering, too, from a singular lack of all three kinds of friends. In our overly-technologized society, where we'd rather watch other people have pleasant lives than do so ourselves, we actually need a return of the useful and the pleasant friendships, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Aristotle writes about three different kinds of friendship in the Nicomachean Ethics. It's not uncommon to hear talks about friendship, and how of the three kinds, the best/truest kind of friendship needs to be focused on. We even have some episodes about that very thing. 

But what Joseph noticed recently is that we're suffering not just from a lack of virtuous/true friends. We're suffering, too, from a singular lack of all three kinds of friends. In our overly-technologized society, where we'd rather watch other people have pleasant lives than do so ourselves, we actually need a return of the useful and the pleasant friendships, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Importance of Different Kinds of Friendship // Episode 188 Joseph Gruber 00:16:16 Wherein Joseph describes the three kinds of friendship, and why we need all three. Wherein Joseph describes the three kinds of friendship, and why we need all three. false full 188 97493dab-4418-4e8b-ba13-f2e9e64ea3fa Men's Ministry, Knights of Columbus, and the Cor Initiative // Episode 187 While the Grubers have started a marriage ministry, that also serves Catholic singles, Joseph has been moonlighting as one of the pilot-ers of the pilot initiative of the Knights of Columbus, Cor. 

It's been a very different way to serve men in the community, both from what the Knights have been doing as well as from what Joseph has been doing. You can see some of what he's been up to here: jacksoncor.org.

Men's ministries as a whole have been something Joseph has been interested in-- it's been really unclear what they are, who they're for, and what difference they're supposed to make. Cor, so far, has made sense to him!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ While the Grubers have started a marriage ministry, that also serves Catholic singles, Joseph has been moonlighting as one of the pilot-ers of the pilot initiative of the Knights of Columbus, Cor. 

It's been a very different way to serve men in the community, both from what the Knights have been doing as well as from what Joseph has been doing. You can see some of what he's been up to here: jacksoncor.org.

Men's ministries as a whole have been something Joseph has been interested in-- it's been really unclear what they are, who they're for, and what difference they're supposed to make. Cor, so far, has made sense to him!

As always, 

]]> Men's Ministry, Knights of Columbus, and the Cor Initiative // Episode 187 Joseph Gruber 00:33:52 Wherein Joseph talks about a fun side project he's been working on the past eight months or so. Wherein Joseph talks about a fun side project he's been working on the past eight months or so. false full 187 c45db432-a6ad-482f-abfa-1ee4c8827234 Changing the Dating Culture with MaryRose Depperschmidt // Episode 186 We are delighted to share a conversation with MaryRose Depperschmidt with you all! She is the host of two podcasts, The Crab and the Cross and The Catholic Dating Podcast.

Our conversation ranged all over, getting some of her story, her takes on the dating culture, and some really interesting dives into issues facing men and women today. We hope you enjoy!

You can find MaryRose on Instagram @thecrabandthecrosspodcast  and @thecatholicbachelorette

And her podcasts can be found on Spotify and on Apple podcasts: The Crab and the Cross and The Catholic Dating Podcast 

For those in and around southern Michigan who are single, Crystal and Joseph will be leading a one day retreat on June 22, 2024 in Jackson, MI: http://bit.ly/june22retreat

And for all Catholic singles, we'll be hosting a 12-week program called Save the Date starting the second week of July: https://ouroutpost.org/dating/ Please share with your single friends-- it's designed to help people grow in a community, date with freedom and clarity, and live their vocations joyfully!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:28:03 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (MaryRose Depperschmidt, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We are delighted to share a conversation with MaryRose Depperschmidt with you all! She is the host of two podcasts, The Crab and the Cross and The Catholic Dating Podcast.

Our conversation ranged all over, getting some of her story, her takes on the dating culture, and some really interesting dives into issues facing men and women today. We hope you enjoy!

You can find MaryRose on Instagram @thecrabandthecrosspodcast  and @thecatholicbachelorette

And her podcasts can be found on Spotify and on Apple podcasts: The Crab and the Cross and The Catholic Dating Podcast 

For those in and around southern Michigan who are single, Crystal and Joseph will be leading a one day retreat on June 22, 2024 in Jackson, MI: http://bit.ly/june22retreat

And for all Catholic singles, we'll be hosting a 12-week program called Save the Date starting the second week of July: https://ouroutpost.org/dating/ Please share with your single friends-- it's designed to help people grow in a community, date with freedom and clarity, and live their vocations joyfully!

As always, 

]]> Changing the Dating Culture with MaryRose Depperschmidt // Episode 186 MaryRose Depperschmidt, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:02:07 Wherein we talk with MaryRose Depperschmidt, host of two podcasts, about her life and about the world of dating. Wherein we talk with MaryRose Depperschmidt, host of two podcasts, about her life and about the world of dating. false full 186 709e5446-4b5b-44bf-a3e7-9969408c7d5e How to Organize Your Life and Make Sense of Your Vocation with Andy Hickman // Episode 185 We're delighted to be joined by Andy Hickman, whose approach to work and organization somehow, and we're not sure how, contains elements that appeal to both Joseph and Crystal, who have...very different approaches to work and organization. 

Andy Hickman is the Founder of hēl, a ground breaking art form for clarifying thoughts, healing emotions, and regenerating creativity. 

After losing his mind in a neurotic breakdown at age 17, Andy found the four specific behaviors that create overwhelm, foster apathy, and sterilize playfulness.  These four negative behaviors each have a positive counterpart. Instead of overwhelm, they create clarity and presence of mind. Instead of fostering apathy, they reenergize you by reconnecting you with your core self and desires. Instead of sterilizing your playfulness, they animate and organize your creative faculties. These four core positive behaviors form a simple and practical ecosystem that unlocks your personal development and transforms your life. This ecosystem, called hēl, is the organic and natural alternative to overly complex and stressful productivity systems. It is designed to be used in both your personal and professional life. It is the rare and middle way between the path of control and the path of chaos. Find out more here: https://hel.co/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Andy Hickman, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're delighted to be joined by Andy Hickman, whose approach to work and organization somehow, and we're not sure how, contains elements that appeal to both Joseph and Crystal, who have...very different approaches to work and organization. 

Andy Hickman is the Founder of hēl, a ground breaking art form for clarifying thoughts, healing emotions, and regenerating creativity. 

After losing his mind in a neurotic breakdown at age 17, Andy found the four specific behaviors that create overwhelm, foster apathy, and sterilize playfulness.  These four negative behaviors each have a positive counterpart. Instead of overwhelm, they create clarity and presence of mind. Instead of fostering apathy, they reenergize you by reconnecting you with your core self and desires. Instead of sterilizing your playfulness, they animate and organize your creative faculties. These four core positive behaviors form a simple and practical ecosystem that unlocks your personal development and transforms your life. This ecosystem, called hēl, is the organic and natural alternative to overly complex and stressful productivity systems. It is designed to be used in both your personal and professional life. It is the rare and middle way between the path of control and the path of chaos. Find out more here: https://hel.co/

As always, 

]]> How to Organize Your Life and Make Sense of Your Vocation with Andy Hickman // Episode 185 Andy Hickman, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:18:05 Wherein we discuss work/creativity, organization, and discernment with the one and only Andy Hickman! Wherein we discuss work/creativity, organization, and discernment with the one and only Andy Hickman! false full 185 40c07dda-6e09-4d1c-85d7-d40eaf6d2c7b "Late Have I Loved You" with John Michael Talbot // Episode 184 John Michael Talbot joins us for an engaging conversation about his life, his conversion, and his thoughts on Christian community and how lacking the American church is in contemplative prayer and the contemplative life.

Joseph read his latest book, an autobiography, and recommends it to all of our listeners! If you haven't heard John Michael Talbot's work before, Joseph recommends doing what he did-- read the book, and every time John Michael Talbot mentions a song, take a pause and find it and listen to it. 

Links to all the work that John Michael Talbot is up to can be found below!

www. JohnMichaelTalbot.com

https://www.inner-room-school.org/ 

https://troubadourforthelord.net/store/ols/products/late-have-i-loved-you-book

https://troubadourforthelord.net/store/ols/products/late-have-i-loved-you-cd

https://littleportionbakery.org/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (John Michael Talbot, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ John Michael Talbot joins us for an engaging conversation about his life, his conversion, and his thoughts on Christian community and how lacking the American church is in contemplative prayer and the contemplative life.

Joseph read his latest book, an autobiography, and recommends it to all of our listeners! If you haven't heard John Michael Talbot's work before, Joseph recommends doing what he did-- read the book, and every time John Michael Talbot mentions a song, take a pause and find it and listen to it. 

Links to all the work that John Michael Talbot is up to can be found below!

www. JohnMichaelTalbot.com

https://www.inner-room-school.org/ 

https://troubadourforthelord.net/store/ols/products/late-have-i-loved-you-book

https://troubadourforthelord.net/store/ols/products/late-have-i-loved-you-cd

https://littleportionbakery.org/

As always, 

]]> "Late Have I Loved You" with John Michael Talbot // Episode 184 John Michael Talbot, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:43:35 Wherein John Michael Talbot joins us to share his story and thoughts about building Christian community. Wherein John Michael Talbot joins us to share his story and thoughts about building Christian community. false full 184 fa82154c-f62c-4a4c-93c7-33fc54c8e2b3 The Creed of Saint Paul: An Avuncular Episode // Episode 183 If you asked Saint Paul to boil down his beliefs-- where they came from, what they are, and who they're for-- you couldn't get much better than what he offers at the end of 1 Corinthians. We're blessed with a Catholic anthropologist uncle again on this episode, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If you asked Saint Paul to boil down his beliefs-- where they came from, what they are, and who they're for-- you couldn't get much better than what he offers at the end of 1 Corinthians. We're blessed with a Catholic anthropologist uncle again on this episode, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! 

As always, 

]]> The Creed of Saint Paul: An Avuncular Episode // Episode 183 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:42:47 Wherein we do a deep dive in 1 Corinthians 15 with a Catholic anthropologist uncle. Wherein we do a deep dive in 1 Corinthians 15 with a Catholic anthropologist uncle. false full 183 43bdd6c1-5a03-4afb-87d8-a473763fe813 A Clear Path of Discipleship with Jim Jansen // Episode 182 Jim Jansen, an accomplished evangelist, author, and all-around good guy, joins us for a conversation revolving around his book, "A Clear Path of Discipleship."

We talk about what most parishes are missing, and also talk about how to apply the principles that he lays out in his book to family life, too.

Heartily recommend giving this episode a listen, checking out his book (which can be found here: https://clearpathbook.com/ ), and sharing this episode far and wide. More about Jim below...

Jim is a cradle Catholic from Omaha, Nebraska, with over 20 years of experience in evangelization and parish renewal. 

At the invitation of his roommate at Benedictine College, Jim joined one of the first FOCUS Bible studies in 1999. After graduation, he became a FOCUS missionary on the founding team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his 18 years on staff with FOCUS, Jim served as a campus missionary, team director, and regional director. 

Jim returned to Omaha in 2017. Captivated by the vision of One Church: Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy, Jim now leads the Archdiocese of Omaha’s efforts to coach pastors and train disciples for mission.  

Jim is also the host of EquipCast, a podcast produced by the Archdiocese of Omaha, designed to help pastors and leaders transform culture.

Jim holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Madonna University in partnership with Ave Maria University.  He and his wife, Kim, live in Bellevue, Nebraska, with their six children. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Jim Jansen, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Jim Jansen, an accomplished evangelist, author, and all-around good guy, joins us for a conversation revolving around his book, "A Clear Path of Discipleship."

We talk about what most parishes are missing, and also talk about how to apply the principles that he lays out in his book to family life, too.

Heartily recommend giving this episode a listen, checking out his book (which can be found here: https://clearpathbook.com/ ), and sharing this episode far and wide. More about Jim below...

Jim is a cradle Catholic from Omaha, Nebraska, with over 20 years of experience in evangelization and parish renewal. 

At the invitation of his roommate at Benedictine College, Jim joined one of the first FOCUS Bible studies in 1999. After graduation, he became a FOCUS missionary on the founding team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his 18 years on staff with FOCUS, Jim served as a campus missionary, team director, and regional director. 

Jim returned to Omaha in 2017. Captivated by the vision of One Church: Encountering Jesus, Equipping Disciples and Living Mercy, Jim now leads the Archdiocese of Omaha’s efforts to coach pastors and train disciples for mission.  

Jim is also the host of EquipCast, a podcast produced by the Archdiocese of Omaha, designed to help pastors and leaders transform culture.

Jim holds a master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Madonna University in partnership with Ave Maria University.  He and his wife, Kim, live in Bellevue, Nebraska, with their six children. 

As always, 

]]> A Clear Path of Discipleship with Jim Jansen // Episode 182 Jim Jansen, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:47:47 Wherein we talk about missing pieces in parishes and in homes with Jim Jansen, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis at Archdiocese of Omaha. Wherein we talk about missing pieces in parishes and in homes with Jim Jansen, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis at Archdiocese of Omaha. false full 182 57544625-6126-45b3-9083-62d5296d8b33 Music in the Home and the Liturgy with JohnMarc Skoch // Episode 181 We're joined with JohnMarc Skoch-- musician, missionary, man of God, and all-around great guy-- to talk about the role of music in the home and in the liturgy.

JohnMarc Skoch is the Director of Music for FOCUS, as well as a Senior Regional Director in FOCUS. Not only did he compose the music that he permitted to be used in our intro and outro, he was trained by Adam Bartlett, of Source and Summit hymnal fame, and oversees the music at all of the major FOCUS events.

Check out his missionary page here: https://focus.org/missionaries/johnmarc-skoch/

Check out his music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LQ166KWgN5KLIqT20qe12?si=q58VbxQ-RcWbIcDmm2kNQA

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (JohnMarc Skoch, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're joined with JohnMarc Skoch-- musician, missionary, man of God, and all-around great guy-- to talk about the role of music in the home and in the liturgy.

JohnMarc Skoch is the Director of Music for FOCUS, as well as a Senior Regional Director in FOCUS. Not only did he compose the music that he permitted to be used in our intro and outro, he was trained by Adam Bartlett, of Source and Summit hymnal fame, and oversees the music at all of the major FOCUS events.

Check out his missionary page here: https://focus.org/missionaries/johnmarc-skoch/

Check out his music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LQ166KWgN5KLIqT20qe12?si=q58VbxQ-RcWbIcDmm2kNQA

As always, 

]]> Music in the Home and the Liturgy with JohnMarc Skoch // Episode 181 JohnMarc Skoch, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:01:43 Wherein we talk with JohnMarc Skoch, the man behind our intro/outro music, about music in his life and in the liturgy. Wherein we talk with JohnMarc Skoch, the man behind our intro/outro music, about music in his life and in the liturgy. false full 181 e4debb6b-8ff7-4cc0-a455-9a6debb906b4 Fostering Healthy Masculinity with John Bishop // Episode 180 How do we foster healthy masculinity in a world that is skeptical that such a thing even exists?

We have John Bishop, founder of FORGE, on for an exciting discussion of things men can do to form the next generation of men. His website is here: https://myforge.org/

John started his professional career working at the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). During his tenure with FOCUS John served as campus missionary; compiled and/or wrote a variety of resources; and taught on a variety of topics. He oversaw several departments at FOCUS’ international headquarters but is best known for co-founding and scaling FOCUS Summer Projects, an intensive collegiate summer formation program. While working for FOCUS, John earned his doctorate from the Catholic University of America, writing his dissertation on the nature of masculine virtue.

Inspired by the thought of John Paul II, John is now fighting for men and for the family as Founder and Executive Director of FORGE. John lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife Katelyn and their two children.

You can find the course "Fathers and Sons: Conversations on Sex Ed, Marriage, and Masculinity" here: https://myforge.org/courses-content/#feature-course

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (John Bishop, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How do we foster healthy masculinity in a world that is skeptical that such a thing even exists?

We have John Bishop, founder of FORGE, on for an exciting discussion of things men can do to form the next generation of men. His website is here: https://myforge.org/

John started his professional career working at the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). During his tenure with FOCUS John served as campus missionary; compiled and/or wrote a variety of resources; and taught on a variety of topics. He oversaw several departments at FOCUS’ international headquarters but is best known for co-founding and scaling FOCUS Summer Projects, an intensive collegiate summer formation program. While working for FOCUS, John earned his doctorate from the Catholic University of America, writing his dissertation on the nature of masculine virtue.

Inspired by the thought of John Paul II, John is now fighting for men and for the family as Founder and Executive Director of FORGE. John lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his wife Katelyn and their two children.

You can find the course "Fathers and Sons: Conversations on Sex Ed, Marriage, and Masculinity" here: https://myforge.org/courses-content/#feature-course

As always, 

]]> Fostering Healthy Masculinity with John Bishop // Episode 180 John Bishop, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:51:31 Wherein we discuss healthy masculinity and ways to foster it with John Bishop, founder of FORGE. Wherein we discuss healthy masculinity and ways to foster it with John Bishop, founder of FORGE. apostolic, catholich, healthy masculinity, christian false full 180 a1d3fbdd-a9d1-4836-b1c9-24eac9f489d3 Friendship: A Talk // Episode 179 Friendship! It's one of those things that, without which, we can't really say we're happy.

We gave a talk to a group of missionaries a few weeks ago on this topic, and we cover not only the standard friendships of use/pleasure/virtue, but also what the levels of intimacy are, and how to communicate truth, goodness, and beauty to a friend on the regular.

Just fyi, for all you married folks out there, we're doing a lenten series, called Love Your Marriage Lent, on all of the Sunday evenings of Lent. Find out more here! https://youroutpost.stellarwebsystems.com/join?euuid=741eb19c-b470-11ee-8f3a-16256db603cb

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Friendship! It's one of those things that, without which, we can't really say we're happy.

We gave a talk to a group of missionaries a few weeks ago on this topic, and we cover not only the standard friendships of use/pleasure/virtue, but also what the levels of intimacy are, and how to communicate truth, goodness, and beauty to a friend on the regular.

Just fyi, for all you married folks out there, we're doing a lenten series, called Love Your Marriage Lent, on all of the Sunday evenings of Lent. Find out more here! https://youroutpost.stellarwebsystems.com/join?euuid=741eb19c-b470-11ee-8f3a-16256db603cb

As always, 

]]> Friendship: A Talk // Episode 179 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:49:16 Wherein we share with a group of Catholic missionaries basics about friendship, the levels of intimacy, and how to give one another feedback. Wherein we share with a group of Catholic missionaries basics about friendship, the levels of intimacy, and how to give one another feedback. false full 179 7fc703a9-dccc-48ee-9773-b63dfa700061 Why People Aren't Getting Married, with Pete Burak // Episode 178 Marriage, that bedrock of society, is a little bit crumbling these days. So we invited Pete Burak, from Renewal Ministries, to talk with us about it. 
Pete has spent many years investing deeply in that vaguely defined group known as Catholic Young Adults, so if anyone has a clue about what's going on with this demographic, it's probably him. 

Find more about what he's up to here!

 

Also, for those who are already married, it's probably good for you to know that we'll be offering a Lenten series each Sunday night of Lent-- it'll be $59 for 6 Sunday nights, 8:30pm EST. Sign up here! Let your friends know-- we've got a lot of epic material to work through with you over Lent!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Pete Burak, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Marriage, that bedrock of society, is a little bit crumbling these days. So we invited Pete Burak, from Renewal Ministries, to talk with us about it. 
Pete has spent many years investing deeply in that vaguely defined group known as Catholic Young Adults, so if anyone has a clue about what's going on with this demographic, it's probably him. 

Find more about what he's up to here!

 

Also, for those who are already married, it's probably good for you to know that we'll be offering a Lenten series each Sunday night of Lent-- it'll be $59 for 6 Sunday nights, 8:30pm EST. Sign up here! Let your friends know-- we've got a lot of epic material to work through with you over Lent!

As always, 

]]> Why People Aren't Getting Married, with Pete Burak // Episode 178 Pete Burak, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:52:20 Wherein we talk with Pete Burak about why young adults are, generally, not getting married. Wherein we talk with Pete Burak about why young adults are, generally, not getting married. false full 178 c9049733-41d4-4217-b42f-837e187a0fbc The Sacrifice of Isaac: An Avuncular Episode with a Catholic Anthropologist // Episode 177 One of the most jarring stories of all of Scripture, the sacrifice of Isaac invites deeper and deeper exploration. Come with us and an uncle as we go line by line through this densely told story from Genesis!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ One of the most jarring stories of all of Scripture, the sacrifice of Isaac invites deeper and deeper exploration. Come with us and an uncle as we go line by line through this densely told story from Genesis!

As always, 

]]> The Sacrifice of Isaac: An Avuncular Episode with a Catholic Anthropologist // Episode 177 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:14:52 Wherein we do a deep dive on Genesis 22 with a special guest, one of Joseph's uncles! Wherein we do a deep dive on Genesis 22 with a special guest, one of Joseph's uncles! false full 177 074222a2-9563-4670-a592-33f11f6356df Hopes and Dreams for the New Year // Episode 176 'Tis the season to make goals, resolutions, pacts, vows, and Exoduses... And if you haven't taken time to consider what your hopes and dreams are, maybe now is a good time!

We talk about common reasons to avoid our hopes and dreams, and then why it might be a good idea for them to see the light of day.

Happy New Year!

If you want some help to re-connect with your dreams, we're co-hosting a "Plan Your Year" virtual video workshop with Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira (founders of WalletWin) this coming Saturday, December 30th, from 10am to 1pm eastern time (and yes, it will be recorded). Check it out here: ⁠https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147754273/po42YcGp

As always, 

]]> Thu, 28 Dec 2023 21:18:24 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ 'Tis the season to make goals, resolutions, pacts, vows, and Exoduses... And if you haven't taken time to consider what your hopes and dreams are, maybe now is a good time!

We talk about common reasons to avoid our hopes and dreams, and then why it might be a good idea for them to see the light of day.

Happy New Year!

If you want some help to re-connect with your dreams, we're co-hosting a "Plan Your Year" virtual video workshop with Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira (founders of WalletWin) this coming Saturday, December 30th, from 10am to 1pm eastern time (and yes, it will be recorded). Check it out here: ⁠https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147754273/po42YcGp

As always, 

]]> Hopes and Dreams for the New Year // Episode 176 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:18:12 Wherein we talk about hopes and dreams, and why we might not take that step back to look at them, and then why it might be a good idea to take time to do so! Wherein we talk about hopes and dreams, and why we might not take that step back to look at them, and then why it might be a good idea to take time to do so! false full 176 a80e4889-61ec-4597-b211-63f84d8300cd Romans, Sacrifice, and Us with Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 175 Romans 12:1-2 sounds an awful like we're all priests in the new covenant, with no room for a set-apart priesthood a la Leviticus...or does it?

Always a joy to have Fr. Jacob with us, and we hope you enjoy as well! If you've been missing us (and we've been missing you too), we'll be offering a live video workshop with the founders of WalletWin!

Plan your 2024 with the Grubers and the Teixeira's on Saturday, December 30th, 2024! https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147754273/po42YcGp

Or if you want more of a bundle with the workshop, go here: https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147526831/po42YcGp

 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Romans 12:1-2 sounds an awful like we're all priests in the new covenant, with no room for a set-apart priesthood a la Leviticus...or does it?

Always a joy to have Fr. Jacob with us, and we hope you enjoy as well! If you've been missing us (and we've been missing you too), we'll be offering a live video workshop with the founders of WalletWin!

Plan your 2024 with the Grubers and the Teixeira's on Saturday, December 30th, 2024! https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147754273/po42YcGp

Or if you want more of a bundle with the workshop, go here: https://courses.walletwin.com/a/2147526831/po42YcGp

 

As always, 

]]> Romans, Sacrifice, and Us with Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 175 Fr. Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:53:07 Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss the sacrificial logic of the Old Testament carried into the New. Wherein Joseph and Fr. Jacob discuss the sacrificial logic of the Old Testament carried into the New. false full 175 d423cbb9-5cf8-4c71-8bda-22b1de3c16fc Freedom from Pornography with Steve Pokorny // Episode 174 Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, we don't recommend listening with children present (you probably figured that out by the title, though...)

We are delighted to have Steve Pokorny on our podcast to talk about his story and his mission!

Steve Pokorny is the founder of Freedom Coaching (found at freedom-coaching.net), a one-to-one mission for both men & women to break the chain & shame of attachment to pornography & unchaste behavior. Steve holds an MA in theology and a specialization in catechetics from Franciscan University of Steubenville, as well as an MTS from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies in Washington D.C. Steve is a Certified Life Coach from the Life Coach Training Institute. Author of "Redeemed Vision: Setting the Blind Freed from the Pornified Culture”, Host of “The Redeemed Vision Podcast”, and Host of the 12-part video series on Formed “Redeeming Our Vision”, Steve also is an internationally-known speaker, speaking with a wide variety of audiences on many topics. He is married and lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Steve Pokorny, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, we don't recommend listening with children present (you probably figured that out by the title, though...)

We are delighted to have Steve Pokorny on our podcast to talk about his story and his mission!

Steve Pokorny is the founder of Freedom Coaching (found at freedom-coaching.net), a one-to-one mission for both men & women to break the chain & shame of attachment to pornography & unchaste behavior. Steve holds an MA in theology and a specialization in catechetics from Franciscan University of Steubenville, as well as an MTS from the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies in Washington D.C. Steve is a Certified Life Coach from the Life Coach Training Institute. Author of "Redeemed Vision: Setting the Blind Freed from the Pornified Culture”, Host of “The Redeemed Vision Podcast”, and Host of the 12-part video series on Formed “Redeeming Our Vision”, Steve also is an internationally-known speaker, speaking with a wide variety of audiences on many topics. He is married and lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.

 

As always, 

]]> Freedom from Pornography with Steve Pokorny // Episode 174 Steve Pokorny, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:53:24 Wherein we have a conversation with coach Steve Pokorny about his journey from addiction to freedom from pornography. Wherein we have a conversation with coach Steve Pokorny about his journey from addiction to freedom from pornography. pornography, porn addiction, catholic, porn recovery, freedom true full 174 e7a62732-33a5-4619-8521-b68cea3a775f Apostolic Mission with Daniel Boyd // Episode 173 We have a great guest on, Daniel Boyd, who has spent years working to support the Catholic Church, with everything from campus ministry through RCIA through consulting to having a lovely marriage. And, almost needless to say, he has spent years letting the Catholic Church support him.

We talk about some of the ideas from Msgr. Shea's little book, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission.

You can find more of Daniel Boyd here and everywhere podcasts are: https://beingandmakingdisciples.buzzsprout.com/

Check out our work at our website: ouroutpost.org

And follow us on Instagram! 

Please rate, review, and share!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Daniel Boyd, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We have a great guest on, Daniel Boyd, who has spent years working to support the Catholic Church, with everything from campus ministry through RCIA through consulting to having a lovely marriage. And, almost needless to say, he has spent years letting the Catholic Church support him.

We talk about some of the ideas from Msgr. Shea's little book, From Christendom to Apostolic Mission.

You can find more of Daniel Boyd here and everywhere podcasts are: https://beingandmakingdisciples.buzzsprout.com/

Check out our work at our website: ouroutpost.org

And follow us on Instagram! 

Please rate, review, and share!

As always, 

]]> Apostolic Mission with Daniel Boyd // Episode 173 Daniel Boyd, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:11 Wherein we talk about paradigmatic shifts from Christendom to Apostolic Mission with Daniel Boyd. Wherein we talk about paradigmatic shifts from Christendom to Apostolic Mission with Daniel Boyd. mission, apostolic, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, christendom false full 173 d3efee54-f459-4bb4-946e-a228ca529653 Creative Word of God in Genesis 1 // Episode 172 Speech is creative. It creates attitudes, relationships, tension, release, stories, purpose, etc.

And when God speaks, He literally creates everything else.

So we talk about the speech of God in Genesis 1.

 

Check us out at ouroutpost.org, email us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and check out our instagram at @ouroutpost.

And if you would be so kind, please review, rate, and share!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Speech is creative. It creates attitudes, relationships, tension, release, stories, purpose, etc.

And when God speaks, He literally creates everything else.

So we talk about the speech of God in Genesis 1.

 

Check us out at ouroutpost.org, email us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and check out our instagram at @ouroutpost.

And if you would be so kind, please review, rate, and share!

As always, 

]]> Creative Word of God in Genesis 1 // Episode 172 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:21:53 Wherein we talk about God talking in Genesis 1. Wherein we talk about God talking in Genesis 1. apostolic, catholic, discipleship, communication, speech, creation, missionary, god, christian, genesis false full 172 de513bb6-986e-4347-b115-4c6d3e6d38d3 The Three Stages of Moral Education! // Episode 171 For whatever reason, our nature as humans seems to handle groups of three pretty well. Three stages to the spiritual life, three stages to acquiring knowledge according to classical education, three stages to a moral education...the list probably goes on, but those are the three groups of three we'll be talking about!

We reference the book Morality: The Catholic View by Servais Pinckaers.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ For whatever reason, our nature as humans seems to handle groups of three pretty well. Three stages to the spiritual life, three stages to acquiring knowledge according to classical education, three stages to a moral education...the list probably goes on, but those are the three groups of three we'll be talking about!

We reference the book Morality: The Catholic View by Servais Pinckaers.

As always, 

]]> The Three Stages of Moral Education! // Episode 171 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:11 Wherein we discuss the three stages of moral education according to Servais Pinckaers' work, Morality: The Catholic View. Wherein we discuss the three stages of moral education according to Servais Pinckaers' work, Morality: The Catholic View. catholic, apostolate, purgative way, love of neighbor, moral education, servais pinckaers, morality, classical education, missionary, illuminative way, unitive way, love of god, christian, three stages of the spiritual life false full 171 04e6b0cc-5d88-4996-9fe3-84668f7a6842 A Key to Deeper Relationships // Episode 170 There's a crisis of loneliness in the world, and a lot of it has to do with being closed off to other people. If we want to be open to other people, it means we need to live in a world that's big enough for people to disagree. 

Being open to potential conflict and disagreement is a necessary step to having a deeper relationship. 

The book we mention is "The Seven Levels of Intimacy" by Matthew Kelly, flavored a little bit by Diedrich von Hildebrand's "Liturgy and Personality" and Mortimer Adler's "Aristotle for Everybody".

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's a crisis of loneliness in the world, and a lot of it has to do with being closed off to other people. If we want to be open to other people, it means we need to live in a world that's big enough for people to disagree. 

Being open to potential conflict and disagreement is a necessary step to having a deeper relationship. 

The book we mention is "The Seven Levels of Intimacy" by Matthew Kelly, flavored a little bit by Diedrich von Hildebrand's "Liturgy and Personality" and Mortimer Adler's "Aristotle for Everybody".

As always, 

]]> A Key to Deeper Relationships // Episode 170 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:18 Wherein we talk about a key inflection point in the organic unfolding of relationships (or where relationships dare not go!). Wherein we talk about a key inflection point in the organic unfolding of relationships (or where relationships dare not go!). apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, relationships, missionary, friendships, apologetics, love of god, christian false full 170 ef63a2c5-f16f-45d1-b7e2-c0f74ca46c96 Why We're Running a Marriage Ministry // Episode 169 We don't think it's alarmist talk to say that the whole idea of marriage today is, well, fraying. And without strong marriages, there can be no strong society. 

And that's pretty well why we left our job as parish missionaries to start a marriage ministry. There's an enormous need out there, and when it gets as bad as it is now, even our help may be required...

We don't want to use this podcast very often for our marriage ministry in particular, but there's a lot going on right now and we thought you all would want to hear a bit more! 

We're running a cool workshop for married couples this week, called 'Vision for Marriage'-- you can still sign up for it here: https://ouroutpost.ck.page/workshop

We're also launching a monthly membership for married couples, called Your Outpost! You can find out more here: ouroutpost.org/youroutpost

And you can just check out the other things we're doing at ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We don't think it's alarmist talk to say that the whole idea of marriage today is, well, fraying. And without strong marriages, there can be no strong society. 

And that's pretty well why we left our job as parish missionaries to start a marriage ministry. There's an enormous need out there, and when it gets as bad as it is now, even our help may be required...

We don't want to use this podcast very often for our marriage ministry in particular, but there's a lot going on right now and we thought you all would want to hear a bit more! 

We're running a cool workshop for married couples this week, called 'Vision for Marriage'-- you can still sign up for it here: https://ouroutpost.ck.page/workshop

We're also launching a monthly membership for married couples, called Your Outpost! You can find out more here: ouroutpost.org/youroutpost

And you can just check out the other things we're doing at ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Why We're Running a Marriage Ministry // Episode 169 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:17:56 Wherein we discuss some of the reasons we've been devoting a large part of our time and energy recently to the sacrament of matrimony. Wherein we discuss some of the reasons we've been devoting a large part of our time and energy recently to the sacrament of matrimony. matrimony, catholic, accompaniment, love of neighbor, marriage membership, marriage workshop, love of god, christian, sacrament of matrimony, formation false full 169 e4b8b29f-e8c4-4d34-8caa-781cb7760eb9 Building Community w/Alison De Lima Fernandez // Episode 168 Joseph sits down to talk with friend, former teammate, and civil-engineer-by-training, Alison De Lima Fernandez, to talk about community, zoning, suburbia, and the like. 

 

Alison referenced Jane Jacobs, who advocated for such things as mixed-use development, bottom-up planning, and treating a city as an entire ecosystem. Joseph had never heard of Jane Jacobs, but her wikipedia is here, so now you don't have any excuse either: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Alison De Lima Fernandez, Joseph Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph sits down to talk with friend, former teammate, and civil-engineer-by-training, Alison De Lima Fernandez, to talk about community, zoning, suburbia, and the like. 

 

Alison referenced Jane Jacobs, who advocated for such things as mixed-use development, bottom-up planning, and treating a city as an entire ecosystem. Joseph had never heard of Jane Jacobs, but her wikipedia is here, so now you don't have any excuse either: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs

As always, 

]]> Building Community w/Alison De Lima Fernandez // Episode 168 Alison De Lima Fernandez, Joseph Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:49:18 Wherein Joseph talks with former teammate and civil engineer by training, Alison De Lima Fernandez, about suburbia, fostering encounters, and other such things. Wherein Joseph talks with former teammate and civil engineer by training, Alison De Lima Fernandez, about suburbia, fostering encounters, and other such things. suburbia, apostolic, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, civil engineering, missionary, urban planning, love of god, christian false full 168 1826d98b-9673-4dde-ba53-5aa997c8eb08 Why It's Good We Can Be Wrong // Episode 167 We may not like being wrong, but if there were no way to tell right from wrong, that seems a worse scenario.

Joseph has been re-reading a book by Hilaire Belloc, called The Great Heresies, and he wanted to talk both about the book and the fact that Catholics belong to a substantial tradition and ascribe to a real body of teaching, to which we can be in alignment or out of alignment. And he's glad that that exists.

You can find the full digital text of the book here: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/great-heresies-3103

Or a paper copy here: https://ignatius.com/the-great-heresies-grhep/ or various other places...

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We may not like being wrong, but if there were no way to tell right from wrong, that seems a worse scenario.

Joseph has been re-reading a book by Hilaire Belloc, called The Great Heresies, and he wanted to talk both about the book and the fact that Catholics belong to a substantial tradition and ascribe to a real body of teaching, to which we can be in alignment or out of alignment. And he's glad that that exists.

You can find the full digital text of the book here: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/great-heresies-3103

Or a paper copy here: https://ignatius.com/the-great-heresies-grhep/ or various other places...

As always, 

]]> Why It's Good We Can Be Wrong // Episode 167 Joseph Gruber 00:48:42 Wherein Joseph talks about heresy, some examples, and why he's glad there's a Magisterium as part of the Catholic Church. Wherein Joseph talks about heresy, some examples, and why he's glad there's a Magisterium as part of the Catholic Church. albigensianism, heresy, mohammedanism, catholic, love of neighbor, magisterium, hilaire belloc, protestantism, love of god, arianism, christian, modern heresy, heresies false full 167 71214c75-179f-4ae4-9bb9-43f175d5f263 Doubts and Difficulties // Episode 166 Some people are embarrassed by doubts and difficulties, whether their own or others'.
Some people people are inclined to find resolution to their doubts and difficulties in the faith on their own.

And some people make it an adventure worth sharing with others. 

 

So we talk about the kind of desire for truth that gives us the confidence to say, "I don't understand this yet, but I'd love to have you with me as I figure it out!"

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Some people are embarrassed by doubts and difficulties, whether their own or others'.
Some people people are inclined to find resolution to their doubts and difficulties in the faith on their own.

And some people make it an adventure worth sharing with others. 

 

So we talk about the kind of desire for truth that gives us the confidence to say, "I don't understand this yet, but I'd love to have you with me as I figure it out!"

As always, 

]]> Doubts and Difficulties // Episode 166 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:12:40 Wherein we talk about what to do with doubts and difficulties with the faith. Wherein we talk about what to do with doubts and difficulties with the faith. apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, difficulties with faith, missionary, love of god, christian, doubts false full 166 3fd266dc-754d-4f36-b8a4-688d7775a52e The Difference a Holy Hour Makes, with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 165 Joseph and Father Peter talk about making time for Eucharistic adoration, and the difference it has made in their lives.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph and Father Peter talk about making time for Eucharistic adoration, and the difference it has made in their lives.

As always, 

]]> The Difference a Holy Hour Makes, with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 165 Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber 01:07:42 Wherein Joseph and Father Peter talk about making time for Eucharistic adoration, and the difference it has made in their lives. Wherein Joseph and Father Peter talk about making time for Eucharistic adoration, and the difference it has made in their lives. eucharistic adoration, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, prayer, eucharist, missionary, love of god, christian, holy hour false full 165 23f7ae7a-24e4-4eaf-963c-83309d3e3d92 Is Eucharistic Adoration a Step Backwards? with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 164 Eucharistic adoration: where did it come from and is it still of use? 

We get into the history and the relevance of Eucharistic adoration, using as our stepping-off point an article from September 2009 about Eucharistic adoration returning to perpetual status in Boston's Back Bay. This article was especially poignant for Joseph, as he spent many an hour at the shrine in Boston in question, as he arrived as a missionary at MIT in August of 2009! But it is also especially not helpful for understanding the history and trajectory of Eucharistic adoration, as we explore in this episode... https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/perpetual-eucharistic-adoration

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Eucharistic adoration: where did it come from and is it still of use? 

We get into the history and the relevance of Eucharistic adoration, using as our stepping-off point an article from September 2009 about Eucharistic adoration returning to perpetual status in Boston's Back Bay. This article was especially poignant for Joseph, as he spent many an hour at the shrine in Boston in question, as he arrived as a missionary at MIT in August of 2009! But it is also especially not helpful for understanding the history and trajectory of Eucharistic adoration, as we explore in this episode... https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/essays-theology/perpetual-eucharistic-adoration

As always, 

]]> Is Eucharistic Adoration a Step Backwards? with Fr. Peter Gruber // Episode 164 Fr. Peter Gruber, Joseph Gruber 01:01:30 Wherein Joseph and Fr. Peter Gruber address whether Eucharistic Adoration is a step backwards doctrinally, theologically, and spiritually. Wherein Joseph and Fr. Peter Gruber address whether Eucharistic Adoration is a step backwards doctrinally, theologically, and spiritually. eucharistic adoration, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, eucharistic revival, eucharist, missionary, adoration, love of god, christian, holy hour false full 164 557e06a8-6e8b-4710-861a-3da817bbb445 Hebrews, the Priesthood, and Mediation vs. Alienation with Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 163 Have you ever read the Letter to the Hebrews? It's beautiful, it clarifies so much of the connections between the Old Testament and the New, and is supremely preoccupied with Jesus as the new high priest. 

And did you ever wonder, while reading it, whether it had anything to say about the ministerial priesthood? About the men who offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass? About men set aside for such service? 

Probably not so much, likely because you were pretty settled on whether there should (or shouldn't) be a ministerial priesthood before you picked up the letter. And it doesn't seem to make much mention of a ministerial priesthood in the New Covenant, one way or the other. 

So you probably weren't thinking about that question at all. But my brother, Fr. Jacob (recently ordained!) thought about it a good bit, and wrote a paper about it! So I had him on to talk through some of the questions.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 6 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Jacob Gruber, Jacob Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Have you ever read the Letter to the Hebrews? It's beautiful, it clarifies so much of the connections between the Old Testament and the New, and is supremely preoccupied with Jesus as the new high priest. 

And did you ever wonder, while reading it, whether it had anything to say about the ministerial priesthood? About the men who offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass? About men set aside for such service? 

Probably not so much, likely because you were pretty settled on whether there should (or shouldn't) be a ministerial priesthood before you picked up the letter. And it doesn't seem to make much mention of a ministerial priesthood in the New Covenant, one way or the other. 

So you probably weren't thinking about that question at all. But my brother, Fr. Jacob (recently ordained!) thought about it a good bit, and wrote a paper about it! So I had him on to talk through some of the questions.

As always, 

]]> Hebrews, the Priesthood, and Mediation vs. Alienation with Fr. Jacob Gruber // Episode 163 Fr. Jacob Gruber, Jacob Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:00:46 Wherein Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob Gruber, discuss the Letter to the Hebrews and the ministerial priesthood. Wherein Joseph and his brother, Fr. Jacob Gruber, discuss the Letter to the Hebrews and the ministerial priesthood. mediation, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, hebrews, alienation, priesthood, ministerial priesthood, love of god, christian, letter to the hebrews false full 163 c4f21f5a-ea3e-4653-82e4-a3649587751c Evangelizing in a Car-Proportioned World // Episode 162 Does it ever feel like the world is against building up true community? Depending on where you live, the world around you might truly be physically constructed to be antithetical to building true community. So you're not crazy that it's hard!

 

We talk about suburbia, zoning, the rise of the automobile, and the desire to have so little "not in my backyard" that we just don't have anything in our backyards anymore worth walking to. Which, incidentally, impacts evangelization...

 

The book Joseph is still in midst of listening to is called Arbitrary Lines, and can be found here. It's a popular book, in that it's written for someone with no experience in the history of zoning, which suits Joseph just fine, as he is a beginner. If you are further along and want to continue his education, email us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Does it ever feel like the world is against building up true community? Depending on where you live, the world around you might truly be physically constructed to be antithetical to building true community. So you're not crazy that it's hard!

 

We talk about suburbia, zoning, the rise of the automobile, and the desire to have so little "not in my backyard" that we just don't have anything in our backyards anymore worth walking to. Which, incidentally, impacts evangelization...

 

The book Joseph is still in midst of listening to is called Arbitrary Lines, and can be found here. It's a popular book, in that it's written for someone with no experience in the history of zoning, which suits Joseph just fine, as he is a beginner. If you are further along and want to continue his education, email us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Evangelizing in a Car-Proportioned World // Episode 162 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:54 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about the inherent frustrations of suburban life, especially as Catholics who want to love neighbors well, and what we can do about it. Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about the inherent frustrations of suburban life, especially as Catholics who want to love neighbors well, and what we can do about it. suburbia, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, zoning, walkability, missionary, love of god, christian false full 162 4e57122d-2c6f-4d4a-b428-fc8b97c9d28f 3 Burning Questions about the Power of the Gospel // Episode 161 In 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote an apostolic exhortation called Evangelii Nuntiandi, or Evangelization in the Modern World. He asks 3 burning, important questions, so Joseph shares them and comments on them a bit!

The full encyclical can be found here: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote an apostolic exhortation called Evangelii Nuntiandi, or Evangelization in the Modern World. He asks 3 burning, important questions, so Joseph shares them and comments on them a bit!

The full encyclical can be found here: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html

As always, 

]]> 3 Burning Questions about the Power of the Gospel // Episode 161 Joseph Gruber 00:14:05 Wherein Joseph shares a quote from Pope Paul VI's exhortation, Evangelization in the Modern World, which includes 3 "burning questions". Wherein Joseph shares a quote from Pope Paul VI's exhortation, Evangelization in the Modern World, which includes 3 "burning questions". gospel, apostolate, love of neighbor, pope paul vi, missionary, love of god, evangelization, evangelii nuntiandi, evangelization in the modern world false full 161 fcad7a0c-c59e-4c43-869f-12722a3773fe Job and the Character of God and the Pattern of Being Chosen, Part 2 with Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 160 Joseph and Deacon Jacob finish their discussion of the book of Job! Apparently there's a hugely significant pattern to life with God that is both good to recognize and good to live out! 

Again, the scholar we rely on quite a bit is Jon D. Levenson.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber, Deacon Jacob Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph and Deacon Jacob finish their discussion of the book of Job! Apparently there's a hugely significant pattern to life with God that is both good to recognize and good to live out! 

Again, the scholar we rely on quite a bit is Jon D. Levenson.

As always, 

]]> Job and the Character of God and the Pattern of Being Chosen, Part 2 with Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 160 Joseph Gruber, Deacon Jacob Gruber 00:36:18 Wherein we apply the pattern from last week's episode to the book of Job. Wherein we apply the pattern from last week's episode to the book of Job. apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, book of job, love of god, christian false full 160 63615b2c-e45f-43de-ba28-209ba955daa5 Job and the Character of God and the Pattern of Being Chosen, Part 1 with Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 159 Joseph's seminarian brother, Deacon Jacob, hopped on a call to talk about the book of Job-- in part because it's featured in the Liturgy of Hours' Office of Readings right now, in part because it's an intriguing book, and in part because Deacon Jacob wrote a paper on the book of Job this past semester.

The main thrust of his argument flows from the scholar Jon D. Levenson. We went a little long, so will post part 2 of the conversation next week!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Deacon Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph's seminarian brother, Deacon Jacob, hopped on a call to talk about the book of Job-- in part because it's featured in the Liturgy of Hours' Office of Readings right now, in part because it's an intriguing book, and in part because Deacon Jacob wrote a paper on the book of Job this past semester.

The main thrust of his argument flows from the scholar Jon D. Levenson. We went a little long, so will post part 2 of the conversation next week!

As always, 

]]> Job and the Character of God and the Pattern of Being Chosen, Part 1 with Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 159 Deacon Jacob Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:41:06 Wherein Joseph and Jacob outline some of the main readings of the book of Job, and start to outline a pattern that may apply. Wherein Joseph and Jacob outline some of the main readings of the book of Job, and start to outline a pattern that may apply. apostolic, job, catholic, love of neighbor, book of job, judeo-christian, love of god, christian false full 159 73e936ab-bedb-4b51-b4b1-3e5d834fce44 Love of Self // Episode 158 Jesus gave us three great loves for our lives-- God, neighbor, and self. But what does love of self mean? 

Listen in to find out more!

 

Please feel free to review, rate, and share this episode!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Jesus gave us three great loves for our lives-- God, neighbor, and self. But what does love of self mean? 

Listen in to find out more!

 

Please feel free to review, rate, and share this episode!

As always, 

]]> Love of Self // Episode 158 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:21:18 Wherein we talk about the tail-end of the greatest commandments, the love of self. Wherein we talk about the tail-end of the greatest commandments, the love of self. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, love of self, missionary, love of god, christian false full 158 a0f2415b-bb80-45a7-8ace-b7f9ab3d9100 Being Physically Spiritual with Andrew Reinhart // Episode 157 We had a delightful time reconnecting with Andrew Reinhart, who is doing really great work both in Toledo, OH and in the podcasting world with his podcast "Physically Spiritual." His work is predominantly to explore the links between health and holiness, and to help others to become truly gift.

His story is both intriguing and instructive. His website is here: https://www.becominggift.com/ and his podcast can probably be found on whatever you're using to listen to this episode! How handy is that!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Andrew Reinhart, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We had a delightful time reconnecting with Andrew Reinhart, who is doing really great work both in Toledo, OH and in the podcasting world with his podcast "Physically Spiritual." His work is predominantly to explore the links between health and holiness, and to help others to become truly gift.

His story is both intriguing and instructive. His website is here: https://www.becominggift.com/ and his podcast can probably be found on whatever you're using to listen to this episode! How handy is that!

 

As always, 

]]> Being Physically Spiritual with Andrew Reinhart // Episode 157 Andrew Reinhart, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:02:23 Wherein we get the story of a deeply thoughtful Catholic podcaster and thinker, Andrew Reinhart, who explores the links between health and holiness, body and soul. Wherein we get the story of a deeply thoughtful Catholic podcaster and thinker, Andrew Reinhart, who explores the links between health and holiness, body and soul. apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, missionary, spirituality, love of god, christian, physically spiritual false full 157 740a84b2-1a65-4d52-aa16-727808487c0d Opting In vs. Opting Out in Evangelization // Episode 156 When we talk about evangelization, what images come to mind? Going door to door, or hosting an event? Talking to a stranger at a coffee shop, or standing behind a table and handing out coffee to passers-by? There's a fundamental difference between the kind of evangelization that says, "We're here, if anybody's interested!" and the kind that says, "You're here! I'm interested!"

Anyway, we talk about those two paradigms, how they showed up on the college campus, how they're baked into the differences between Youtube and TikTok, and how they impact our vision of evangelization in the everyday world. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ When we talk about evangelization, what images come to mind? Going door to door, or hosting an event? Talking to a stranger at a coffee shop, or standing behind a table and handing out coffee to passers-by? There's a fundamental difference between the kind of evangelization that says, "We're here, if anybody's interested!" and the kind that says, "You're here! I'm interested!"

Anyway, we talk about those two paradigms, how they showed up on the college campus, how they're baked into the differences between Youtube and TikTok, and how they impact our vision of evangelization in the everyday world. 

As always, 

]]> Opting In vs. Opting Out in Evangelization // Episode 156 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:25:18 Wherein we discuss the tensions between an opting-in version of evangelization and an opting-out version of evangelization. Wherein we discuss the tensions between an opting-in version of evangelization and an opting-out version of evangelization. mission, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, eucatastrophe, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 156 9868f934-3f06-4f74-9424-44be1e137ccc The Difficulty in Beginning // Episode 155 It's likely a truism that the statements "This is difficult" and "This is easy" are the two sides of most endeavors-- the beginning and the state of mastery. But instead of seeing difficult things as invitations to the journey toward mastery, we (and perhaps others) often recoil from the difficulty. 

We talk about beginnings, and beginning well, and setting ourselves up for success in this episode. We also tried recording it visually, so that we could post it on youtube. Wish us luck in that endeavor!

Feel free to drop us a line at hello@ouroutpost.org!

 

We did upload it to youtube! https://youtu.be/Y8mM0Z-5lfE

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's likely a truism that the statements "This is difficult" and "This is easy" are the two sides of most endeavors-- the beginning and the state of mastery. But instead of seeing difficult things as invitations to the journey toward mastery, we (and perhaps others) often recoil from the difficulty. 

We talk about beginnings, and beginning well, and setting ourselves up for success in this episode. We also tried recording it visually, so that we could post it on youtube. Wish us luck in that endeavor!

Feel free to drop us a line at hello@ouroutpost.org!

 

We did upload it to youtube! https://youtu.be/Y8mM0Z-5lfE

As always, 

]]> The Difficulty in Beginning // Episode 155 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:28:38 Wherein we talk about things feeling difficult. Wherein we talk about things feeling difficult. nunc coepi, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, beginning, love of god, christian, beginning again false full 155 12b9fbd5-45aa-49d6-bff6-cabacc0d91dc Matrimony as Evangelical // Episode 154 Holy matrimony is a pretty great thing. We think so, and it seems like God does too, what with blessing it with a three-fold blessing and all. In this episode, we talk about how there's an evangelical dimension of each of the blessings of marriage-- procreation/education of children, fidelity, and the sacrament itself, or as St. Augustine put it, proles, fides, et sacramentum.

We reference Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI, which is well worth a read, and pretty short. https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html

And we reference Casti Connubii by Pope Pius XI, which is also well worth a read, but a bit longer. He really does a deep dive into those three goods of marriage, though. https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19301231_casti-connubii.html  (Joseph was off by one day in the episode-- Pope Pius XI promulgated the letter on December 31st, 1930. But it was probably 1931 over by the international date line by the time it went to print...)

Feel free to drop us a line at hello@ouroutpost.org!

And our website is www.ouroutpost.org

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Holy matrimony is a pretty great thing. We think so, and it seems like God does too, what with blessing it with a three-fold blessing and all. In this episode, we talk about how there's an evangelical dimension of each of the blessings of marriage-- procreation/education of children, fidelity, and the sacrament itself, or as St. Augustine put it, proles, fides, et sacramentum.

We reference Humanae Vitae by Pope Paul VI, which is well worth a read, and pretty short. https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html

And we reference Casti Connubii by Pope Pius XI, which is also well worth a read, but a bit longer. He really does a deep dive into those three goods of marriage, though. https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19301231_casti-connubii.html  (Joseph was off by one day in the episode-- Pope Pius XI promulgated the letter on December 31st, 1930. But it was probably 1931 over by the international date line by the time it went to print...)

Feel free to drop us a line at hello@ouroutpost.org!

And our website is www.ouroutpost.org

As always, 

]]> Matrimony as Evangelical // Episode 154 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:16:31 Wherein we discuss the evangelical dimension of the sacrament of matrimony. Wherein we discuss the evangelical dimension of the sacrament of matrimony. apostolic, matrimony, catholic, love of neighbor, sacramentum, fides, holy matrimony, proles, evangelical, love of god, christian, casti connubii, humanae vitae false full 154 3f17ff82-6f5c-4508-8c86-91f8ecc3b7b8 A Week with Doubting Thomas The famous atheistic/Nietzchean cry that God is dead, and we killed him, is lived liturgically from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. But from Easter Sunday to Divine Mercy Sunday, we can live liturgically through a strange period of agnosticism alongside Thomas the Apostle. 

While we'd love to say that arguments for the divinity of Christ and the historicity of the Resurrection are airtight, and definitely convincing, the reality is that Thomas the Apostle had all of the basic arguments before him-- ten apostles witnessing, two disciples with all of the arguments from the Old Testament, an empty tomb, and no reason for anyone to have faked it-- and none of the arguments, nor the accumulated force of all of them, swayed Thomas. If that's not worth sitting with for a bit, then this episode definitely isn't worth listening to or sharing. (On the other hand, if it is worth sitting with for a bit, it may be worth listening to this episode and worth sharing it...)

 

Oh, and we didn't bring this up on the episode, but Joseph once wrote an entire retreat on the Holy Spirit based around the events of Good Friday through the martyrdom of Stephen. It never got a chance to be piloted, as COVID happened, and then it got covered in dust, but that's a thing we might put on sometime, if there's interest...

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The famous atheistic/Nietzchean cry that God is dead, and we killed him, is lived liturgically from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. But from Easter Sunday to Divine Mercy Sunday, we can live liturgically through a strange period of agnosticism alongside Thomas the Apostle. 

While we'd love to say that arguments for the divinity of Christ and the historicity of the Resurrection are airtight, and definitely convincing, the reality is that Thomas the Apostle had all of the basic arguments before him-- ten apostles witnessing, two disciples with all of the arguments from the Old Testament, an empty tomb, and no reason for anyone to have faked it-- and none of the arguments, nor the accumulated force of all of them, swayed Thomas. If that's not worth sitting with for a bit, then this episode definitely isn't worth listening to or sharing. (On the other hand, if it is worth sitting with for a bit, it may be worth listening to this episode and worth sharing it...)

 

Oh, and we didn't bring this up on the episode, but Joseph once wrote an entire retreat on the Holy Spirit based around the events of Good Friday through the martyrdom of Stephen. It never got a chance to be piloted, as COVID happened, and then it got covered in dust, but that's a thing we might put on sometime, if there's interest...

As always, 

]]> A Week with Doubting Thomas Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:20:56 Wherein we talk about the strange week between Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday, or the week that gives us something in common with agnostics. Wherein we talk about the strange week between Easter Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday, or the week that gives us something in common with agnostics. apostolic, christianity, thomas the apostle, agnosticism, catholicism, missionary, gospel of john, atheism, doubting thomas, easter week false full 153 052419e3-5792-4d19-8c92-b64e4899b69b Consuming or Contemplating Are we taking time to be leisurely? Are we free to study the true, good, and beautiful? Are we liberated enough to spend time on the liberal arts? Or are we stuck in a consumer culture that pushes a sterile curiosity? All this and more on this episode!

 

Joseph referenced a book by Paul Griffiths, called Intellectual Appetite. We recommend it!  https://www.cuapress.org/9780813216867/intellectual-appetite/

And we referenced Josef Pieper's Leisure: The Basis of Culture-- also highly recommended! https://ignatius.com/leisure-lbcp/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Are we taking time to be leisurely? Are we free to study the true, good, and beautiful? Are we liberated enough to spend time on the liberal arts? Or are we stuck in a consumer culture that pushes a sterile curiosity? All this and more on this episode!

 

Joseph referenced a book by Paul Griffiths, called Intellectual Appetite. We recommend it!  https://www.cuapress.org/9780813216867/intellectual-appetite/

And we referenced Josef Pieper's Leisure: The Basis of Culture-- also highly recommended! https://ignatius.com/leisure-lbcp/

As always, 

]]> Consuming or Contemplating Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:17:49 Wherein we discuss the difference between the studious and the curious. Wherein we discuss the difference between the studious and the curious. love of neighbor, true good and beautiful, studiositas, studiousness, contemplation, love of god, leisure, transcendentals, curiositas, curiosity false full 152 55e79f3a-ccec-447d-924b-ee8c15de1dc3 Holy Week Thoughts Just some thoughts about Holy Week from Joseph and Crystal Gruber.

 

Feel free to reach out to us a hello@ouroutpost.org, and while we're still getting other resources put together, there's a mostly-complete course on dating like a Catholic that you can check out here: dating.ouroutpost.org

 

Happy Holy Week!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Just some thoughts about Holy Week from Joseph and Crystal Gruber.

 

Feel free to reach out to us a hello@ouroutpost.org, and while we're still getting other resources put together, there's a mostly-complete course on dating like a Catholic that you can check out here: dating.ouroutpost.org

 

Happy Holy Week!

As always, 

]]> Holy Week Thoughts Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:28 Wherein we talk a bit about Holy Week. Wherein we talk a bit about Holy Week. catholic, love of neighbor, palm sunday, love of god, christian, holy week false full 151 076c2a16-9adc-408a-b4a0-84bb362beb1d A Thought on Sola Scriptura Joseph listened to a Catholic/Protestant debate about sola scriptura recently, and was struck by how both sides seemed detached from the Catholic sensibility about where scripture comes from.

The quote he shared is from G.K. Chesterton's The Catholic Church and Conversion:  https://ignatius.com/the-catholic-church-and-conversion-ccacp/?gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6ES1t3UdpbJ9Q_ysbl-J-FpQminmh2pfPORS9GXOyKr46EBhYpZ0ZxoCUmsQAvD_BwE 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph listened to a Catholic/Protestant debate about sola scriptura recently, and was struck by how both sides seemed detached from the Catholic sensibility about where scripture comes from.

The quote he shared is from G.K. Chesterton's The Catholic Church and Conversion:  https://ignatius.com/the-catholic-church-and-conversion-ccacp/?gclid=CjwKCAjwq-WgBhBMEiwAzKSH6ES1t3UdpbJ9Q_ysbl-J-FpQminmh2pfPORS9GXOyKr46EBhYpZ0ZxoCUmsQAvD_BwE 

As always, 

]]> A Thought on Sola Scriptura Joseph Gruber 00:08:01 Wherein Joseph shares a thought on sola scriptura, as well as a quote from Chesterton's work, The Catholic Church and Conversion. Wherein Joseph shares a thought on sola scriptura, as well as a quote from Chesterton's work, The Catholic Church and Conversion. sola scriptura, catholic, worship, chesterton, scripture alone, missionary, apologetics, christian false full 150 48fefe41-9831-459a-b9bc-080b889448a8 Fasting and Its Benefits // Episode 149 Is fasting good for us more than just spiritually? Is that even a question, and is Joseph just a gnostic at heart? 

Crystal has been reading a book about the health benefits of fasting, which prompted today's episode. 

We reference the book Eat, Fast, Feast by Jay Richards: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/eat-fast-feast-jay-w-richards?variant=32207678439458 

As an aside, we also referenced Gary Paulsen's classic YA novel, Hatchet, as the main character loses all body fat throughout his adventure: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hatchet/Gary-Paulsen/9781481486293

And Joseph wanted to bring up a story by Franz Kafka, called "A Hunger Artist", but we ran out of time and maybe it wasn't at all relevant in the first place...: https://www.kafka-online.info/a-hunger-artist.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Is fasting good for us more than just spiritually? Is that even a question, and is Joseph just a gnostic at heart? 

Crystal has been reading a book about the health benefits of fasting, which prompted today's episode. 

We reference the book Eat, Fast, Feast by Jay Richards: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/eat-fast-feast-jay-w-richards?variant=32207678439458 

As an aside, we also referenced Gary Paulsen's classic YA novel, Hatchet, as the main character loses all body fat throughout his adventure: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Hatchet/Gary-Paulsen/9781481486293

And Joseph wanted to bring up a story by Franz Kafka, called "A Hunger Artist", but we ran out of time and maybe it wasn't at all relevant in the first place...: https://www.kafka-online.info/a-hunger-artist.html

As always, 

]]> Fasting and Its Benefits // Episode 149 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:22:48 Wherein we discuss some of the health benefits of fasting, but also the question of whether fasting should be good for us more than just spiritually? Wherein we discuss some of the health benefits of fasting, but also the question of whether fasting should be good for us more than just spiritually? christian practices, liturgical life, catholic, fasting, love of neighbor, fast, eat fast feast, gnostic at heart, love of god, jay richards, christian, lent false full 149 a2dc014f-e3a1-492b-849e-6b4d5f8fb0fa The 'Our Father' and Honesty // Episode 148 The most perfect prayer, taught by the perfect Teacher, is the Our Father. But we're not perfect pray-ers, and it's worth taking some time to look at the prayer taught by Christ and see what lessons we still have to learn from it. 

Because, guaranteed, none of us are able to pray the Our Father with our desires rightly ordered, yet. St. Augustine wrote, "The entire life of a good Christian is in fact an exercise of holy desire" and we still need a fair bit of exercise...

 

Feel free to get in touch with us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and check out what we're up to at www.ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The most perfect prayer, taught by the perfect Teacher, is the Our Father. But we're not perfect pray-ers, and it's worth taking some time to look at the prayer taught by Christ and see what lessons we still have to learn from it. 

Because, guaranteed, none of us are able to pray the Our Father with our desires rightly ordered, yet. St. Augustine wrote, "The entire life of a good Christian is in fact an exercise of holy desire" and we still need a fair bit of exercise...

 

Feel free to get in touch with us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and check out what we're up to at www.ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> The 'Our Father' and Honesty // Episode 148 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:18:55 Wherein we talk about the Our Father and being honest with God. Wherein we talk about the Our Father and being honest with God. our father, catholic, love of neighbor, honesty in prayer, prayer, honesty, love of god, christian false full 148 4268b760-e5e1-4e53-ac29-ddac91f62fae Almsgiving and Mercy // Episode 147 https://www.etymonline.com/word/alms#etymonline_v_10906

Apparently, the word almsgiving comes from the Greek word for mercy. Who knew? Our pastor knew. So he told us that on Ash Wednesday, and Joseph has been thinking of that off and on for the past week. 

In other news, you can always reach us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and we welcome your correspondence! We're starting a new ministry, so please keep us in your prayers! You can check out www.ouroutpost.org for more info.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ https://www.etymonline.com/word/alms#etymonline_v_10906

Apparently, the word almsgiving comes from the Greek word for mercy. Who knew? Our pastor knew. So he told us that on Ash Wednesday, and Joseph has been thinking of that off and on for the past week. 

In other news, you can always reach us at hello@ouroutpost.org, and we welcome your correspondence! We're starting a new ministry, so please keep us in your prayers! You can check out www.ouroutpost.org for more info.

 

As always, 

]]> Almsgiving and Mercy // Episode 147 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:17:53 Wherein we talk about the Lenten practice of almsgiving and mercy. Wherein we talk about the Lenten practice of almsgiving and mercy. catholic, mercy, almsgiving, christian, lent false full 147 86e7906f-12df-4dbf-8008-0d31586c3d34 Our Outpost // Episode 146 On February 1st, we started to work full-time on Our Outpost-- we're just trying to awaken an authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony. That's it.

This episode, we thought we'd tell you a bit more about that, and why we feel called to work on it, and to give you a preview of things to come.

Check out our website at www.ouroutpost.org 

And you can check out our funding page at https://www.xaviermissionfund.org/partners/our-outpost

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ On February 1st, we started to work full-time on Our Outpost-- we're just trying to awaken an authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony. That's it.

This episode, we thought we'd tell you a bit more about that, and why we feel called to work on it, and to give you a preview of things to come.

Check out our website at www.ouroutpost.org 

And you can check out our funding page at https://www.xaviermissionfund.org/partners/our-outpost

As always, 

]]> Our Outpost // Episode 146 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:50 Wherein we discuss what we're now up to, and why you might be interested! It's just working to awaken an authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony. That's it. Wherein we discuss what we're now up to, and why you might be interested! It's just working to awaken an authentic Catholic culture through holy matrimony. That's it. launching, marriage enrichment, matrimony, catholic, ministry, love of neighbor, marriage, dating prep, love of god, marriage prep, christian false full 146 b6e6dd26-ca21-4433-9e71-1dcacac28b5c On Judging People // Episode 145 Judging people. It's easy to do, easy to justify, and yet, somehow, it's still probably not all that good for us or for others.

So we talk about judging others, and why we might judge people, and what we can do to ameliorate our judgy-ness. 

Bonus-- Crystal is back! 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Judging people. It's easy to do, easy to justify, and yet, somehow, it's still probably not all that good for us or for others.

So we talk about judging others, and why we might judge people, and what we can do to ameliorate our judgy-ness. 

Bonus-- Crystal is back! 

As always, 

]]> On Judging People // Episode 145 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:25 Wherein we discuss why and how we judge others, and what to do about it. Wherein we discuss why and how we judge others, and what to do about it. catholic, judging other people, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, lay apostolate false full 145 36a8f0db-548c-49ca-b423-eaf3e9904d69 The Temple of the Burning Furnace w/ Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 144 3 young men are thrown into a fiery furnace, 3 young men walk out. What happened while they were there? How does it prepare the way to understand the Crucifixion? How does it dispose our hearts to bear suffering? 

Joseph and Deacon Jacob sit down to figure it out!

The full chapter can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3

If you'd like Deacon Jacob Gruber's full paper, find the pdf here! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlYFmP6TiFkatsFP1LKccYeF0ymtgtnl/view?usp=sharing 

 

Check out our dating formation here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/

And our website here: https://ouroutpost.org/

As always, 

]]> Thu, 5 Jan 2023 00:56:10 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber, Jacob Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ 3 young men are thrown into a fiery furnace, 3 young men walk out. What happened while they were there? How does it prepare the way to understand the Crucifixion? How does it dispose our hearts to bear suffering? 

Joseph and Deacon Jacob sit down to figure it out!

The full chapter can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3

If you'd like Deacon Jacob Gruber's full paper, find the pdf here! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlYFmP6TiFkatsFP1LKccYeF0ymtgtnl/view?usp=sharing 

 

Check out our dating formation here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/

And our website here: https://ouroutpost.org/

As always, 

]]> The Temple of the Burning Furnace w/ Deacon Jacob Gruber // Episode 144 Joseph Gruber, Jacob Gruber 00:42:12 Wherein Joseph and Deacon Jacob do a deep dive on Daniel chapter 3, on King Nebuchadnezzar and the three Israelites thrown into the fiery furnace! Wherein Joseph and Deacon Jacob do a deep dive on Daniel chapter 3, on King Nebuchadnezzar and the three Israelites thrown into the fiery furnace! shadrach, catholic, meschach, apostolate, love of neighbor, bible, prophet daniel, fiery furnace, abednego, missionary, love of god, christian, nebuchadnezzar false full 144 1eba0ac6-9888-4a12-b37a-179ad5afc9fd Advent Thoughts // Episode 143 Advent is almost over, and I for one don’t feel like I did a great job getting into the spirit. But what is the spirit of Advent? And what are other thoughts that I have about it? Listen in to find out more!

 

If you're a Catholic single, check out the course we've put together on dating like a Catholic: dating.ouroutpost.org

If you're married, we'll be coming out with content for you in the new year! 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Advent is almost over, and I for one don’t feel like I did a great job getting into the spirit. But what is the spirit of Advent? And what are other thoughts that I have about it? Listen in to find out more!

 

If you're a Catholic single, check out the course we've put together on dating like a Catholic: dating.ouroutpost.org

If you're married, we'll be coming out with content for you in the new year! 

As always, 

]]> Advent Thoughts // Episode 143 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Joseph Gruber 00:29:15 Wherein Joseph offers a few thoughts about Christ coming in the past, the present, and the future. Wherein Joseph offers a few thoughts about Christ coming in the past, the present, and the future. catholic, advent, love of neighbor, advent thoughts, christmas, missionary, advent reflection, love of god, christian, second coming false full 143 f436a3fd-7400-4f67-b4a5-8d47052c1682 On the Rise and Fall of Satanism // Episode 142 In the Illinois Capital Rotunda, there are a series of religious displays currently out-- most significantly, a menorah, a Nativity scene, and a display for Sol Invictus that includes a crocheted serpent around crocheted apples and a copy of Copernicus' "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres". I've heard the story mentioned a few places, and wanted to offer three notes that I've not been hearing: firstly, the iconography of the menorah and the Nativity are a lesson for how to conquer the third image of the serpent; secondly, that the Satanic Temple display ought to arouse sorrow in our hearts; and thirdly, the inclusion of Copernicus' book with the serpent is shallow and frankly absurd. 

A story about the display is here: https://www.capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/holiday-displays-including-the-satanic-temples-return-to-illinois-capitol

Hopefully, this will all serve as a decent Advent reflection for you as well!

Please rate, review, and share this podcast! We'll be starting our own ministry in the next couple of months, and we would love to continue serving you as well as to serve as many people as possible in our work! 

If you're a Catholic young adult (i.e., single), we have a course for how to date like a Catholic that you may be interested in! Go to dating.ouroutpost.org to learn more and to sign up!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In the Illinois Capital Rotunda, there are a series of religious displays currently out-- most significantly, a menorah, a Nativity scene, and a display for Sol Invictus that includes a crocheted serpent around crocheted apples and a copy of Copernicus' "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres". I've heard the story mentioned a few places, and wanted to offer three notes that I've not been hearing: firstly, the iconography of the menorah and the Nativity are a lesson for how to conquer the third image of the serpent; secondly, that the Satanic Temple display ought to arouse sorrow in our hearts; and thirdly, the inclusion of Copernicus' book with the serpent is shallow and frankly absurd. 

A story about the display is here: https://www.capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/holiday-displays-including-the-satanic-temples-return-to-illinois-capitol

Hopefully, this will all serve as a decent Advent reflection for you as well!

Please rate, review, and share this podcast! We'll be starting our own ministry in the next couple of months, and we would love to continue serving you as well as to serve as many people as possible in our work! 

If you're a Catholic young adult (i.e., single), we have a course for how to date like a Catholic that you may be interested in! Go to dating.ouroutpost.org to learn more and to sign up!

As always, 

]]> On the Rise and Fall of Satanism // Episode 142 Joseph Gruber 00:27:35 Wherein Joseph talks about a strange display at the Illinois Capital Rotunda, and what the odd iconography can teach us. Wherein Joseph talks about a strange display at the Illinois Capital Rotunda, and what the odd iconography can teach us. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, sol invictus, missionary, love of god, nativity scene, christian, nativity, serpent, menorah, satanism, illinois capital rotunda false full 142 38943c0a-30ef-41a1-b5ce-3ea10c2a659a SEEK23 Podcast // Episode 141 We had the great honor to be invited to be SEEK podcasters this year! This is the episode we recorded to also go out on the SEEK23 podcast, where you can also find other sponsored podcasts as well as recordings from previous conferences!

SEEK is a 5-day Catholic conference in St. Louis, this January 2-6. We'll be there, with all of our kids, and it would be delightful to see you there as well! Find out more at seek.focus.org.

You can still sign up for our course on dating like a Catholic at dating.ouroutpost.org, and in the new year, we'll be rolling out marriage content again too!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Dec 2022 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We had the great honor to be invited to be SEEK podcasters this year! This is the episode we recorded to also go out on the SEEK23 podcast, where you can also find other sponsored podcasts as well as recordings from previous conferences!

SEEK is a 5-day Catholic conference in St. Louis, this January 2-6. We'll be there, with all of our kids, and it would be delightful to see you there as well! Find out more at seek.focus.org.

You can still sign up for our course on dating like a Catholic at dating.ouroutpost.org, and in the new year, we'll be rolling out marriage content again too!

 

As always, 

]]> SEEK23 Podcast // Episode 141 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:47:06 Wherein we talk about FOCUS' annual conference, the importance of persons, and depth in relationships. Wherein we talk about FOCUS' annual conference, the importance of persons, and depth in relationships. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, fellowship of catholic university students, catholic relationships, focus, catholic missionary, seekconference, seek23, love of god, christian false full 141 78f48912-7c12-4023-817f-c6e7cfcd4785 Praying with Others as a Gift // Episode 140 If you've never read anything by Frank Sheed, we have two recommendations for you right off the bat- Theology for Beginners, and Theology and Sanity!

Joseph wanted to talk about an insight Frank Sheed had in Theology and Sanity, about how original man was gifted with not only a helpmate for the work of the world, but also a helpmate for the work of worship. Our neighbor, our spouse, our friends, our family, our fellow-parishioners-- these are all given to us as gifts, and one way to experience their giftedness is to be joined in prayer with them.

We're also keeping our course on dating like a Catholic open-- check it out here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If you've never read anything by Frank Sheed, we have two recommendations for you right off the bat- Theology for Beginners, and Theology and Sanity!

Joseph wanted to talk about an insight Frank Sheed had in Theology and Sanity, about how original man was gifted with not only a helpmate for the work of the world, but also a helpmate for the work of worship. Our neighbor, our spouse, our friends, our family, our fellow-parishioners-- these are all given to us as gifts, and one way to experience their giftedness is to be joined in prayer with them.

We're also keeping our course on dating like a Catholic open-- check it out here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/

As always, 

]]> Praying with Others as a Gift // Episode 140 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:02 Wherein we talk about an insight from a theology book that adds a twist to understanding the importance of praying with others. Wherein we talk about an insight from a theology book that adds a twist to understanding the importance of praying with others. catholic, worship, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, liturgy, disciple, praying with others, missionary, love of god, christian, original man, catholic theology false full 140 a9cda3cc-ed3a-47a9-88fe-acfb0a9e113f Hopes and Dreams and Family Life // Episode 139 Sometimes we lose a little perspective. Sometimes we miss the things that are right in front of our faces. Hopes and dreams are very good things-- granted! But for those raising a family, or hoping to raise a family, it's worth taking a step back and weighing which is the greater good: a particular dream, or the reality of what marriage and family call forth from us?

Sometimes we hear in Catholic circles that we need to be willing to sacrifice hopes and dreams for our family-- but then we often miss the fact that we do so because our family is so much more important than most other hopes and dreams: it's actually worth sacrificing for! And sometimes we miss the fact that not every hope or dream is lost in a family-- sometimes our families need us to be working toward another good so that we are at our best, sometimes we just need to tell our dreams "not yet", and sometimes we could actually include our families more in our hopes and dreams. 

Which is all to say, if we want to live in a family without resentment, we need to be able to talk about our hopes and dreams with our loved ones, and be willing to pursue or not pursue them depending on the season our family is in, because ever "season" of life comes with its own "reasons" for making decisions together.

Also-- we started an online course! For formation for dating like a Catholic! Check out dating.ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Sometimes we lose a little perspective. Sometimes we miss the things that are right in front of our faces. Hopes and dreams are very good things-- granted! But for those raising a family, or hoping to raise a family, it's worth taking a step back and weighing which is the greater good: a particular dream, or the reality of what marriage and family call forth from us?

Sometimes we hear in Catholic circles that we need to be willing to sacrifice hopes and dreams for our family-- but then we often miss the fact that we do so because our family is so much more important than most other hopes and dreams: it's actually worth sacrificing for! And sometimes we miss the fact that not every hope or dream is lost in a family-- sometimes our families need us to be working toward another good so that we are at our best, sometimes we just need to tell our dreams "not yet", and sometimes we could actually include our families more in our hopes and dreams. 

Which is all to say, if we want to live in a family without resentment, we need to be able to talk about our hopes and dreams with our loved ones, and be willing to pursue or not pursue them depending on the season our family is in, because ever "season" of life comes with its own "reasons" for making decisions together.

Also-- we started an online course! For formation for dating like a Catholic! Check out dating.ouroutpost.org!

As always, 

]]> Hopes and Dreams and Family Life // Episode 139 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:26 Wherein we discuss hopes and dreams, and how to have a better perspective when they "conflict" with having a family. Wherein we discuss hopes and dreams, and how to have a better perspective when they "conflict" with having a family. catholic family, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, dreams, disciple, missionary, hopes and dreams, love of god, family, christian, hopes false full 139 15595115-2bd6-4116-99e8-7380669403dc In the World but Not of It // Episode 138 We dive into another paragraph of Vatican II's decree Ad Gentes (found here: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html)

This one is all about the laity and our role in the Church. Turns out, if we're not living out our faith in the world, the Church won't grow-- but if we do live out our faith in the world, that opens up the possibility for real organic growth of the culture to embrace the gospel, and for grace to really and truly build on nature.

Speaking of grace building on nature, we're offering a course on dating like a Catholic: dating.ouroutpost.org

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We dive into another paragraph of Vatican II's decree Ad Gentes (found here: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html)

This one is all about the laity and our role in the Church. Turns out, if we're not living out our faith in the world, the Church won't grow-- but if we do live out our faith in the world, that opens up the possibility for real organic growth of the culture to embrace the gospel, and for grace to really and truly build on nature.

Speaking of grace building on nature, we're offering a course on dating like a Catholic: dating.ouroutpost.org

 

As always, 

]]> In the World but Not of It // Episode 138 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:12 Wherein we discuss the role of the laity to be in the world and not of it, as we dive into a paragraph from Vatican II's decree Ad Gentes. Wherein we discuss the role of the laity to be in the world and not of it, as we dive into a paragraph from Vatican II's decree Ad Gentes. false full 138 6d48295d-e739-4f3c-8a1d-61bd9abbe4ea What is the Plan of God? // Episode 137 In discussing God, there's always more to be said. But we get a conversation going about a pretty incredible paragraph of the Second Vatican Council's document, Ad Gentes. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html

Hopefully, it spurs on good conversation for you and your friends! As I'm writing this description, I'm thinking of all the avenues we didn't go down, and how hopeful I am that it serves as encouragement for you to keep the conversation going wherever you are!

If you're interested in dating formation for Catholics, check this out! https://dating.ouroutpost.org/ Over the course of six months, we can provide a fairly decent foundation of principles and practicals for dating that has served friends, family members, and complete strangers well so far!

And as always, feel free and encouraged to rate, review, subscribe to, and share this podcast!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In discussing God, there's always more to be said. But we get a conversation going about a pretty incredible paragraph of the Second Vatican Council's document, Ad Gentes. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651207_ad-gentes_en.html

Hopefully, it spurs on good conversation for you and your friends! As I'm writing this description, I'm thinking of all the avenues we didn't go down, and how hopeful I am that it serves as encouragement for you to keep the conversation going wherever you are!

If you're interested in dating formation for Catholics, check this out! https://dating.ouroutpost.org/ Over the course of six months, we can provide a fairly decent foundation of principles and practicals for dating that has served friends, family members, and complete strangers well so far!

And as always, feel free and encouraged to rate, review, subscribe to, and share this podcast!

As always, 

]]> What is the Plan of God? // Episode 137 Joseph Gruber, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Crystal Gruber 00:35:05 Wherein we discuss the plan of God. Mysterious-sounding, eh? I.e., a source of inexhaustible discussion and contemplation... Wherein we discuss the plan of God. Mysterious-sounding, eh? I.e., a source of inexhaustible discussion and contemplation... our father, will of god, catholic, evangelize, blessed virgin mary, plan of god, apostolate, vatican ii, love of neighbor, ad gentes, missionary, missionary work, catholic missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization, second vatican council false full 137 f1a1fdde-c1c0-49c9-954e-6fbce4658232 Thor: Film Negative of Jesus? // Episode 136 By now, most people are somewhat aware of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But how aware are we of the stories being told in the MCU and their effect on us? What level of storytelling are we listening for? How does watching movies figure into being a missionary outpost? Listen in as we discuss those questions in the context of breaking down the 2011 classic MCU movie, Thor!

Joseph has only been waiting for about four years to do this episode. It is time!

We're also launching a monthly membership for Catholic Dating Formation, which you can find more about at dating.ouroutpost.org ! Our first cohort begins on October 22nd, 2022, the feast of St. John Paul II-- we'll be teaching the principles and practicals of dating like a Catholic over the course of about six-ish months!

Feel free to rate, review, and subscribe, and if you have suggestions for what else we could talk about (or requests for breakdowns of other MCU films), feel free to email us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ By now, most people are somewhat aware of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But how aware are we of the stories being told in the MCU and their effect on us? What level of storytelling are we listening for? How does watching movies figure into being a missionary outpost? Listen in as we discuss those questions in the context of breaking down the 2011 classic MCU movie, Thor!

Joseph has only been waiting for about four years to do this episode. It is time!

We're also launching a monthly membership for Catholic Dating Formation, which you can find more about at dating.ouroutpost.org ! Our first cohort begins on October 22nd, 2022, the feast of St. John Paul II-- we'll be teaching the principles and practicals of dating like a Catholic over the course of about six-ish months!

Feel free to rate, review, and subscribe, and if you have suggestions for what else we could talk about (or requests for breakdowns of other MCU films), feel free to email us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

 

As always, 

]]> Thor: Film Negative of Jesus? // Episode 136 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:26 Wherein we discuss the 2011 classic MCU film, Thor, and what watching movies and talking about them has to do with being a missionary outpost. Wherein we discuss the 2011 classic MCU film, Thor, and what watching movies and talking about them has to do with being a missionary outpost. mission, marvel cinematic universe, antigospel, christianity, missionary outpost, mcu, catholic, evangelize, gospel, apostolate, love of neighbor, anti-gospel, loki, thor, missionary, catholic missionary, love of god, evangelization false full 136 7da331f0-3517-4acf-9def-643344ac78bd We Are God's Workmanship // Episode 135 It's been a while since we dove into Scripture together, so here we are! Ephesians is an incredible letter, and we spend some time talking through one of our favorite parts of it! 

Some links for you!

--Catholic Dating Foundations: https://ouroutpost.org/formation/

--Email list sign-up where you also get an essay on Chastity and Beauty that Joseph wrote: ouroutpost.org/chastity

--Our survey: https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

--Bible Project video on Ephesians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71r-T98E2Q

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's been a while since we dove into Scripture together, so here we are! Ephesians is an incredible letter, and we spend some time talking through one of our favorite parts of it! 

Some links for you!

--Catholic Dating Foundations: https://ouroutpost.org/formation/

--Email list sign-up where you also get an essay on Chastity and Beauty that Joseph wrote: ouroutpost.org/chastity

--Our survey: https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

--Bible Project video on Ephesians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71r-T98E2Q

 

As always, 

]]> We Are God's Workmanship // Episode 135 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:43:35 Wherein we talk about Ephesians 2, and our favorite verse in that chapter. Wherein we talk about Ephesians 2, and our favorite verse in that chapter. catholic dating, catholic, evangelize, apostolate, love of neighbor, catholic mission, missionary, catholic missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 135 8448d83a-9dc6-4b5e-8e25-f4616cf204b0 Dating Like a Catholic Formation Opportunity!! // Episode 134 The dating world has gotten...messy? Awful? Confusing? Heart-breaking? 

And it doesn't have to be that way. We (Joseph and Crystal) have been teaching Catholic young adults (that weird category of over-18-and-under-40-but-what-we-really-mean-is-unmarried-Catholics) how to date for many years, and now we want to offer our formation to you! We've seen happier, holier marriages as a result, but most of all, we've seen men and women have more peace, clarity, and freedom in their discernment! 

Go to formation.ouroutpost.org and sign up (either $10 a month or $100 for the year) to receive training in how to date like a Catholic. We'll be guiding you through six-ish months of formation, with community Zoom calls, videos, articles, links to a private podcast playlist, and more. The Catholic Church teaches that there's this whole field of formation for the sacrament of matrimony, this proximate preparation for the sacrament, and we'd like to offer as much of that formation as we are able!

If you'd like to get emails about it, and hear more, and get a 2-page unpacking of the virtue of chastity that Joseph wrote for you, go here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/ and sign up for the email list! 
 

And here is the survey link! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The dating world has gotten...messy? Awful? Confusing? Heart-breaking? 

And it doesn't have to be that way. We (Joseph and Crystal) have been teaching Catholic young adults (that weird category of over-18-and-under-40-but-what-we-really-mean-is-unmarried-Catholics) how to date for many years, and now we want to offer our formation to you! We've seen happier, holier marriages as a result, but most of all, we've seen men and women have more peace, clarity, and freedom in their discernment! 

Go to formation.ouroutpost.org and sign up (either $10 a month or $100 for the year) to receive training in how to date like a Catholic. We'll be guiding you through six-ish months of formation, with community Zoom calls, videos, articles, links to a private podcast playlist, and more. The Catholic Church teaches that there's this whole field of formation for the sacrament of matrimony, this proximate preparation for the sacrament, and we'd like to offer as much of that formation as we are able!

If you'd like to get emails about it, and hear more, and get a 2-page unpacking of the virtue of chastity that Joseph wrote for you, go here: https://dating.ouroutpost.org/ and sign up for the email list! 
 

And here is the survey link! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

 

 

As always, 

]]> Dating Like a Catholic Formation Opportunity!! // Episode 134 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:20:20 Wherein we launch training for how to date like a Catholic. Wherein we launch training for how to date like a Catholic. catholic dating, catholic, evangelize, apostolate, love of neighbor, dating training, missionary, love of god, marriage prep, christian, evangelization, sacrament of matrimony, proximate formation false full 134 a0424601-89dc-43f2-bb5f-5bf1e013cfe9 2 Ways to Understand the Effects of Sin // Episode 133 Turns out, sin is bad. But in what ways is it bad? I think some people have heard that sin "darkens the intellect, weakens the will, and disorders the passions", but how often do we think about what that looks like, in practice?

For a great secular treatment of sin, check out the book "Leadership and Self-Deception"!

 

Here's the link to the survey to help us know who you are and how we can better serve you! It should only take a minute or two, and we'd be very appreciative if you filled it out! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

Also, be on the lookout-- we're launching a paid membership option soon for people interested in more formation around the topic of dating! Our next episode will have more info!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Turns out, sin is bad. But in what ways is it bad? I think some people have heard that sin "darkens the intellect, weakens the will, and disorders the passions", but how often do we think about what that looks like, in practice?

For a great secular treatment of sin, check out the book "Leadership and Self-Deception"!

 

Here's the link to the survey to help us know who you are and how we can better serve you! It should only take a minute or two, and we'd be very appreciative if you filled it out! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

Also, be on the lookout-- we're launching a paid membership option soon for people interested in more formation around the topic of dating! Our next episode will have more info!

As always, 

]]> 2 Ways to Understand the Effects of Sin // Episode 133 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:44 Wherein we discuss sin and how it warps our reality and damages us and our relationships. Turns out sin is bad, folks! Wherein we discuss sin and how it warps our reality and damages us and our relationships. Turns out sin is bad, folks! effects of sin, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, sin, missionary, love of god, christian false full 133 907b89ea-029e-4857-8882-0e1fde41f6ba 4-ish Things about Hopes and Dreams and Desires // Episode 132 Alright, we didn't do a good job counting the different things about hopes and dreams that we talked about in this episode, but we offer it to you, our listeners, in the hope that it spawns many more than four things about hopes and dreams discussed among you and your friends.

Here's the link to the survey to help us know who you are and how we can better serve you! It should only take a minute or two, and we'd be very appreciative if you filled it out! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Sep 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Alright, we didn't do a good job counting the different things about hopes and dreams that we talked about in this episode, but we offer it to you, our listeners, in the hope that it spawns many more than four things about hopes and dreams discussed among you and your friends.

Here's the link to the survey to help us know who you are and how we can better serve you! It should only take a minute or two, and we'd be very appreciative if you filled it out! https://forms.gle/rmftaYHPQmakKZ3r9

As always, 

]]> 4-ish Things about Hopes and Dreams and Desires // Episode 132 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:38:01 Wherein we talk about how rightly ordered desires move us to action. Hopes, dreams, etc. are important things to sift through! Wherein we talk about how rightly ordered desires move us to action. Hopes, dreams, etc. are important things to sift through! catholic, apostolate, desire, love of neighbor, dreams, missionary, love of god, christian, hopes false full 132 0ba5f8d6-35e5-4fdb-9a58-a78cd021f6d6 4 Stages of Growth // Episode 131 Classically, there are four stages of growth in the moral life, as well as in the acquisition of any habit/skill. Knowing what they are, and going in with our eyes wide open, makes growth a much less intimidating notion.

 

Find out more about the Chesterton Academy of St. George here: www.castgeorge.com--It's opening next week!!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:33:22 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Classically, there are four stages of growth in the moral life, as well as in the acquisition of any habit/skill. Knowing what they are, and going in with our eyes wide open, makes growth a much less intimidating notion.

 

Find out more about the Chesterton Academy of St. George here: www.castgeorge.com--It's opening next week!!

 

As always, 

]]> 4 Stages of Growth // Episode 131 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:20:27 Wherein we talk about the progression from vice to virtue, and connect it also with how teams grow. Wherein we talk about the progression from vice to virtue, and connect it also with how teams grow. vice, incontinence, continence, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, teamwork, missionary, virtue, love of god, christian, growth false full 131 acd806f6-51cf-46bd-ba11-8862eb56fcc2 4 Ways to Receive Truth // Episode 130 When we learn something, how are we disposed to receive it? We talk about 4 basic stances we can take toward learning, and why it's important.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ When we learn something, how are we disposed to receive it? We talk about 4 basic stances we can take toward learning, and why it's important.

As always, 

]]> 4 Ways to Receive Truth // Episode 130 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:28:41 Wherein we talk about four fundamental ways to receive truth things. Super original, highly relevant, maybe a little bit stealing the notion from the person most worth stealing from... Wherein we talk about four fundamental ways to receive truth things. Super original, highly relevant, maybe a little bit stealing the notion from the person most worth stealing from... catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, education, missionary, learning, love of god, christian, formation false full 130 5acee3ab-e064-4e0c-8ee6-2cdd9a0f4f24 Having the Tools for Life // Episode 129 Recently, a brother-in-law came to visit and brought a trunk full of power tools. In the course of a weekend, we knocked out a number of projects that have been hanging over our heads for the past year. 

This seemed like a really rich image for so many challenges that face us in life-- we have some idea of what needs to be done, but until we have the tools, and have seen them used, and even asked for help, the challenges facing us end up ignored and put on the back burner, and we get by without addressing problems or gaining ground on new projects. 

There are tools out there, and people who use them well, and there are ways to invite the people and obtain the tools. That's our big takeaway!

And our challenge for the week: let us know one thing you're going to take off the back burner, and how you'll invite someone who knows what they're doing, and how you'll obtain the tools to address that one thing. Email us at hello@ouroutpost.org! 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Recently, a brother-in-law came to visit and brought a trunk full of power tools. In the course of a weekend, we knocked out a number of projects that have been hanging over our heads for the past year. 

This seemed like a really rich image for so many challenges that face us in life-- we have some idea of what needs to be done, but until we have the tools, and have seen them used, and even asked for help, the challenges facing us end up ignored and put on the back burner, and we get by without addressing problems or gaining ground on new projects. 

There are tools out there, and people who use them well, and there are ways to invite the people and obtain the tools. That's our big takeaway!

And our challenge for the week: let us know one thing you're going to take off the back burner, and how you'll invite someone who knows what they're doing, and how you'll obtain the tools to address that one thing. Email us at hello@ouroutpost.org! 

As always, 

]]> Having the Tools for Life // Episode 129 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:21:07 Wherein we reflect on the difference of having actual power tools makes to household projects, and stretch the analogy to cover a host of challenges. Wherein we reflect on the difference of having actual power tools makes to household projects, and stretch the analogy to cover a host of challenges. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, problem-solving, inspirational false full 129 34670466-63e4-439a-8013-845692575810 Who, Exactly, Are You? // Episode 128 Hello, dear listener! We've been podcasting for a few years now, and we'd love a chance to learn who, exactly, we've been talking to!

If you have our phone numbers, please let us know that you're one of our listeners, and what it is you listen for. If you don't have our numbers, please email us at hello@ouroutpost.org and let us know who you are, what you listen for, and what you'd like to hear more of. Especially, if you could tell us the kinds of episodes you're most likely to share with others (length, topic, style, etc.), that would be helpful, too.

We have a fair bit to say on topics ranging from evangelization/discipleship, marriage, dating, theology, scripture, formation, and education, and we're trying to feel out which way to go. My personal guess is mostly marriage and ongoing formation-y topics, but 

I'm also in the middle of writing several books (one on virtue, one on Genesis, and one on marriage), and before going to a publisher, I'd really like to be able to say that we both have a large enough audience to warrant them publishing someone new, and that the audience is looking for such-and-such material from us already. We're also hoping to give more talks and workshops and the like in the future (we've really enjoyed doing so thus far, and have no reason to think we wouldn't continue to do so), and so we're depending on you, faithful listeners, to help us grow. 

Promotion is not our strongest suit; if it is the strongest suit for any of you, and you'd like to talk to us about how to go about doing it, please let us know!

****A quick note-- on relistening, it sounded as if the story of the friend reaching out to his neighbors and bringing communion to them might have been the same friend who is an agnostic. Those are in fact different friends (and it would have been unusual had they been the same person...). The agnostic I've known to be a sometime-listener for a while now, while the neighboring-story-friend is someone I just found out is a listener. Sorry if there was confusion!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Hello, dear listener! We've been podcasting for a few years now, and we'd love a chance to learn who, exactly, we've been talking to!

If you have our phone numbers, please let us know that you're one of our listeners, and what it is you listen for. If you don't have our numbers, please email us at hello@ouroutpost.org and let us know who you are, what you listen for, and what you'd like to hear more of. Especially, if you could tell us the kinds of episodes you're most likely to share with others (length, topic, style, etc.), that would be helpful, too.

We have a fair bit to say on topics ranging from evangelization/discipleship, marriage, dating, theology, scripture, formation, and education, and we're trying to feel out which way to go. My personal guess is mostly marriage and ongoing formation-y topics, but 

I'm also in the middle of writing several books (one on virtue, one on Genesis, and one on marriage), and before going to a publisher, I'd really like to be able to say that we both have a large enough audience to warrant them publishing someone new, and that the audience is looking for such-and-such material from us already. We're also hoping to give more talks and workshops and the like in the future (we've really enjoyed doing so thus far, and have no reason to think we wouldn't continue to do so), and so we're depending on you, faithful listeners, to help us grow. 

Promotion is not our strongest suit; if it is the strongest suit for any of you, and you'd like to talk to us about how to go about doing it, please let us know!

****A quick note-- on relistening, it sounded as if the story of the friend reaching out to his neighbors and bringing communion to them might have been the same friend who is an agnostic. Those are in fact different friends (and it would have been unusual had they been the same person...). The agnostic I've known to be a sometime-listener for a while now, while the neighboring-story-friend is someone I just found out is a listener. Sorry if there was confusion!

As always, 

]]> Who, Exactly, Are You? // Episode 128 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:18:30 Wherein we ask the question, "Who are you?" to our listeners. Wherein we ask the question, "Who are you?" to our listeners. catholic, apostolate, who are you, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian false full 128 325f8af2-cedd-4f8c-87ef-4fe579aba0fc Neighboring Well (or Poorly) // Episode 127 Meeting people is hard. Having worthwhile discussions with them is harder. Doing so in an environment where neither one of us can really escape is harder still, and that's the crux of the problem with reaching out to one's neighbor. It's never urgent, always important, and just difficult enough to delay and delay and delay.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Meeting people is hard. Having worthwhile discussions with them is harder. Doing so in an environment where neither one of us can really escape is harder still, and that's the crux of the problem with reaching out to one's neighbor. It's never urgent, always important, and just difficult enough to delay and delay and delay.

As always, 

]]> Neighboring Well (or Poorly) // Episode 127 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:19:38 Wherein we talk about our experiences reaching out to neighbors, and some of the difficulties in doing so. Wherein we talk about our experiences reaching out to neighbors, and some of the difficulties in doing so. apostolic, catholic, evangelize, apostolate, love of neighbor, laity, catholic mission, missionary, neighbor, catholic missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization, lay apostolate false full 127 b2895558-1b93-4780-83e2-3be0223038b8 Ignatian Contemplation Lecture // Episode 126 This is the second of two classes that Joseph taught to new missionaries this summer. Ignatian contemplation, or the imaginative entering into a scene of scripture, is a classic way to pray, and we hope that this helps you!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 29 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This is the second of two classes that Joseph taught to new missionaries this summer. Ignatian contemplation, or the imaginative entering into a scene of scripture, is a classic way to pray, and we hope that this helps you!

As always, 

]]> Ignatian Contemplation Lecture // Episode 126 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:41:03 Wherein Joseph shares with new missionaries how to pray using Ignatian contemplation (imaginatively praying with Scripture). Wherein Joseph shares with new missionaries how to pray using Ignatian contemplation (imaginatively praying with Scripture). catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, prayer, ignatian contemplation, scripture, praying with scripture, imaginative prayer, missionary, ignatian spirituality, love of god, christian, how to pray false full 126 75039a04-0820-4c82-91e7-4a0d482f0917 Lectio Divina Lecture // Episode 125 This past month, Joseph was invited to summer training for the missionaries of FOCUS to teach two classes on prayer. This is his class on lectio divina.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This past month, Joseph was invited to summer training for the missionaries of FOCUS to teach two classes on prayer. This is his class on lectio divina.

 

As always, 

]]> Lectio Divina Lecture // Episode 125 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:07 Wherein Joseph teaches missionaries how to pray lectio divina. Wherein Joseph teaches missionaries how to pray lectio divina. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, prayer, bible, scripture, missionary, love of god, lectio divina, christian, how to pray false full 125 2dd00c28-da0a-4368-ba8a-846a94e7a36e Q&A about Dating Part 3 // Episode 124 For our last batch of questions, we answer some heavy-hitters:

  • What are healthy expectations to have in terms of a man's leadership in a dating and married relationship?
  • How can I as a woman encourage the leadership of a man and communicate my desires without being controlling or overstep?
  • Joseph, you realized that you could not just attend to your wife's needs of pleasure and making her feel good. So what did you do? How do you care for her deeper needs?
  • How do you grow in Divine Intimacy together as a dating couple and married couple?

The book that I mention is called Turn the Ship Around, by L. David Marquet: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/314163/turn-the-ship-around-by-l-david-marquet/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Jun 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ For our last batch of questions, we answer some heavy-hitters:

  • What are healthy expectations to have in terms of a man's leadership in a dating and married relationship?
  • How can I as a woman encourage the leadership of a man and communicate my desires without being controlling or overstep?
  • Joseph, you realized that you could not just attend to your wife's needs of pleasure and making her feel good. So what did you do? How do you care for her deeper needs?
  • How do you grow in Divine Intimacy together as a dating couple and married couple?

The book that I mention is called Turn the Ship Around, by L. David Marquet: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/314163/turn-the-ship-around-by-l-david-marquet/

As always, 

]]> Q&A about Dating Part 3 // Episode 124 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:56 Wherein we finish the questions about dating from the dating retreat; I think the answers were on the whole pretty good! Wherein we finish the questions about dating from the dating retreat; I think the answers were on the whole pretty good! apostolic, dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, marriage, missionary, love of god, christian false full 124 1bc9d282-3558-4cf9-988e-c95f95b16209 On Loving Children and Suffering Well with Kate Gallimore // Episode 123 Crystal brings on a friend, Kate Gallimore, to talk about children and how to love them, about suffering, and no one knows what else! 

Literally. I haven't listened to the episode yet, so I'll know as much as you do when we all decide to press play and listen to these two friends talk. Crystal told me that it was about loving our children well, and also about suffering, and then about some other things, so that is going to be the description!

Kate Gallimore's blog can be found here: https://thefamilygal.wordpress.com/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 May 2022 14:44:59 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Crystal Gruber, Kate Gallimore) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Crystal brings on a friend, Kate Gallimore, to talk about children and how to love them, about suffering, and no one knows what else! 

Literally. I haven't listened to the episode yet, so I'll know as much as you do when we all decide to press play and listen to these two friends talk. Crystal told me that it was about loving our children well, and also about suffering, and then about some other things, so that is going to be the description!

Kate Gallimore's blog can be found here: https://thefamilygal.wordpress.com/

As always, 

]]> On Loving Children and Suffering Well with Kate Gallimore // Episode 123 Crystal Gruber, Kate Gallimore 00:53:35 Wherein Crystal hosts her friend, Kate, and they talk about loving children, suffering, and I'm not sure what else yet-- I just made sure the volume levels were good throughout, and I'll find out what it's about around the same time that you, dear listeners, find out! Wherein Crystal hosts her friend, Kate, and they talk about loving children, suffering, and I'm not sure what else yet-- I just made sure the volume levels were good throughout, and I'll find out what it's about around the same time that you, dear listeners, find out! parenting, apostolic, suffering, catholic, love of neighbor, missionary, parent, love of god, children, christian false full 123 eec7ee3e-627a-4c81-b090-842451dad146 Q&A about Dating Part 2 // Episode 122 To continue honoring our commitment to answer all of the questions asked on a recent retreat, here is another segment of us answering questions about dating!

We recommend listening to at least the overview of dating that we did a couple episodes ago, or for the ambitious, the whole 8-part series on dating we did back in the 60s and 70s (of episodes, not decades). 

Here are the questions we address:

  • How does future tripping play into an active romantic relationship?  Is it appropriate to plan into the future with your significant other, if yes what does that look like?
  • What does emotional chastity look like in a relationship?
  • How do my boyfriend and I create and seek common interests?
  • How can my boyfriend and I encourage a continual conversion of heart in each other?

It's good to be back to regular podcasting! For those for whom dating is not a pressing topic, consider sharing these episodes with friends for whom it is pressing, and rest assured that we will finish up with all of the dating questions after next week! Next week's questions will include a couple of heavy hitters!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 May 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ To continue honoring our commitment to answer all of the questions asked on a recent retreat, here is another segment of us answering questions about dating!

We recommend listening to at least the overview of dating that we did a couple episodes ago, or for the ambitious, the whole 8-part series on dating we did back in the 60s and 70s (of episodes, not decades). 

Here are the questions we address:

  • How does future tripping play into an active romantic relationship?  Is it appropriate to plan into the future with your significant other, if yes what does that look like?
  • What does emotional chastity look like in a relationship?
  • How do my boyfriend and I create and seek common interests?
  • How can my boyfriend and I encourage a continual conversion of heart in each other?

It's good to be back to regular podcasting! For those for whom dating is not a pressing topic, consider sharing these episodes with friends for whom it is pressing, and rest assured that we will finish up with all of the dating questions after next week! Next week's questions will include a couple of heavy hitters!

As always, 

]]> Q&A about Dating Part 2 // Episode 122 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:56 Wherein we answer more questions about dating like a Catholic! Wherein we answer more questions about dating like a Catholic! dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian false full 122 097024cd-2255-405d-8194-8dba3f5109fb Q&A about Dating Part 1 // Episode 121 Here are the questions we answered, all having something to do with before getting into a romantic relationship:

-If women should usually go on a date when asked, should men also ask women out when they see that a woman is interested?

-If a woman is very clearly interested in you. and you don't want to ask her out on a date, what does the conversation look like of communicating this to her?

-What do you do if you ask a girl out and she doesn't give a clear response?

-What if you've never been asked out and worry that it will never happen?

-How do we help our friends not future trip when they have feelings for someone?

-What do you do when you have a crush on someone else and a guy asks you out? it feels like a disservice to the guys who do have the courage to ask you out...

-Can you still pursue a long-term relationship with someone who doesn't have Christ in their life?

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Here are the questions we answered, all having something to do with before getting into a romantic relationship:

-If women should usually go on a date when asked, should men also ask women out when they see that a woman is interested?

-If a woman is very clearly interested in you. and you don't want to ask her out on a date, what does the conversation look like of communicating this to her?

-What do you do if you ask a girl out and she doesn't give a clear response?

-What if you've never been asked out and worry that it will never happen?

-How do we help our friends not future trip when they have feelings for someone?

-What do you do when you have a crush on someone else and a guy asks you out? it feels like a disservice to the guys who do have the courage to ask you out...

-Can you still pursue a long-term relationship with someone who doesn't have Christ in their life?

As always, 

]]> Q&A about Dating Part 1 // Episode 121 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:59 Wherein we answer leftover questions from a retreat on dating that we recently led. Wherein we answer leftover questions from a retreat on dating that we recently led. dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, romantic relationships, missionary, love of god, christian false full 121 bda80a0b-439f-4faa-a42f-8c7c98d5604a An Overview of 'Dating, Like a Catholic' // Episode 120 A bit ago, we went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to lead a retreat. This retreat was called "Dating, Like a Catholic". I think some people were confused a bit about why a Catholic retreat would be on the topic of dating. If we think that there is such a thing as the sacrament of matrimony, though, then a retreat on dating is a little bit like sacramental prep. 

We had given this same retreat 3.5 years ago, in the fall of 2018. We weren't sure how well it was received back then. Freshmen from that retreat are now seniors, and some of them came to this retreat with their fiances! So we're hopeful that it was received even better this time around!

We reference prior episodes a fair bit in this one: episodes 65 through 73 (skipping one of the episodes that was an interview with Dr. Scott Powell) are our episodes on dating. This current episode is meant to be a kind of compendium of those episodes, and is to be a precursor to episodes wherein we'll unpack some of the questions we received at the retreat. So if you like this episode, feel free to jump back to episode 63 and listen from there for a while. And also, if you like this episode, feel free to rate and review the podcast, and share it with a friend!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A bit ago, we went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to lead a retreat. This retreat was called "Dating, Like a Catholic". I think some people were confused a bit about why a Catholic retreat would be on the topic of dating. If we think that there is such a thing as the sacrament of matrimony, though, then a retreat on dating is a little bit like sacramental prep. 

We had given this same retreat 3.5 years ago, in the fall of 2018. We weren't sure how well it was received back then. Freshmen from that retreat are now seniors, and some of them came to this retreat with their fiances! So we're hopeful that it was received even better this time around!

We reference prior episodes a fair bit in this one: episodes 65 through 73 (skipping one of the episodes that was an interview with Dr. Scott Powell) are our episodes on dating. This current episode is meant to be a kind of compendium of those episodes, and is to be a precursor to episodes wherein we'll unpack some of the questions we received at the retreat. So if you like this episode, feel free to jump back to episode 63 and listen from there for a while. And also, if you like this episode, feel free to rate and review the podcast, and share it with a friend!

As always, 

]]> An Overview of 'Dating, Like a Catholic' // Episode 120 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:33:46 Wherein Joseph and Crystal give the broad-strokes overview of a retreat they recently gave on the topic of dating. We try to just hit the main points. Also, Crystal is back! Wherein Joseph and Crystal give the broad-strokes overview of a retreat they recently gave on the topic of dating. We try to just hit the main points. Also, Crystal is back! retreat, matrimony, dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, sacramental prep, how to date, missionary, love of god, christian false full 120 c70185dc-5499-4020-b186-d12aa05e4930 The Whys and Hows of Studying the Bible with People // Episode 119 Every once in a while, it's good to step back and to examine why we do what we do, and how we do it. Getting together with people and studying the Bible seems, at face value, a good thing to do (provided one is either Christian or interested in the questions raised in Christianity). Refining the why and the how  is a way to make a good thing better, and possibly will also serve to reinvigorate interest is something that may have been left behind in one's life. 

I reference Augustine's "On the Catechizing of the Uninstructed", which is a delightful overview of both pedagogy and salvation history, and can be found here: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1303.htm

 

We hope to get back into the regular swing of things on our podcast soon. One of the wrinkles is that I started a weekly radio show with a friend, which currently can only be found on-air at our local Catholic radio station and on soundcloud, here:  https://goodshepherdcatholicradio.org/radio-show/two-master-of-theology/

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:48:33 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Every once in a while, it's good to step back and to examine why we do what we do, and how we do it. Getting together with people and studying the Bible seems, at face value, a good thing to do (provided one is either Christian or interested in the questions raised in Christianity). Refining the why and the how  is a way to make a good thing better, and possibly will also serve to reinvigorate interest is something that may have been left behind in one's life. 

I reference Augustine's "On the Catechizing of the Uninstructed", which is a delightful overview of both pedagogy and salvation history, and can be found here: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1303.htm

 

We hope to get back into the regular swing of things on our podcast soon. One of the wrinkles is that I started a weekly radio show with a friend, which currently can only be found on-air at our local Catholic radio station and on soundcloud, here:  https://goodshepherdcatholicradio.org/radio-show/two-master-of-theology/

As always, 

]]> The Whys and Hows of Studying the Bible with People // Episode 119 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:22:51 Wherein Joseph delivers a talk at Toastmasters on the whys and hows of studying the Bible with people. The word of the day at Toastmasters was "replenish"-- so even though I didn't use the word in my speech, I hope it replenishes you. Wherein Joseph delivers a talk at Toastmasters on the whys and hows of studying the Bible with people. The word of the day at Toastmasters was "replenish"-- so even though I didn't use the word in my speech, I hope it replenishes you. study, apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, bible, scripture, missionary, love of god, christian, bible study false full 119 46d50193-9016-4331-85f8-a8717d0c62bf Personal Influence as the Means of Propagating the Truth with Fr. Peter Gruber, CO // Episode 118 How does truth propagate in the world? How can it stand up to the manifold errors that assail it? How can we come to distinguish truth from error in a whole philosophy, a whole way of living? In two words, personal influence. In more than  two words, this podcast episode!

Joseph's brother, Fr. Peter, was in town, and had just given a talk on this topic to Catholic students at Hillsdale College, so we dove in and discussed  the main ideas.

The sermon of Newman's that we're pulling from the most--"Personal Influence as the Means of Propagating the Faith"-- as well as essentially everything else St. John Henry Newman ever published, can be found here: https://newmanreader.org/

 

More information about the classical high school that Joseph is helping to start in Jackson, MI, can be found here: https://www.castgeorge.com/

 

Joseph took a quick look for the image of Diogenes on a world full of torches, and couldn't find it. He definitely heard it in his philosophy of science class in undergrad to underscore the issue of finding a scientific paradigm that could really go the distance, and it stuck with him since then, but he can't recall if it was in Thomas Kuhn's work on scientific paradigms, or if it was just a fun image the professor  had cooked up.  

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Dec 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Fr. Peter Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How does truth propagate in the world? How can it stand up to the manifold errors that assail it? How can we come to distinguish truth from error in a whole philosophy, a whole way of living? In two words, personal influence. In more than  two words, this podcast episode!

Joseph's brother, Fr. Peter, was in town, and had just given a talk on this topic to Catholic students at Hillsdale College, so we dove in and discussed  the main ideas.

The sermon of Newman's that we're pulling from the most--"Personal Influence as the Means of Propagating the Faith"-- as well as essentially everything else St. John Henry Newman ever published, can be found here: https://newmanreader.org/

 

More information about the classical high school that Joseph is helping to start in Jackson, MI, can be found here: https://www.castgeorge.com/

 

Joseph took a quick look for the image of Diogenes on a world full of torches, and couldn't find it. He definitely heard it in his philosophy of science class in undergrad to underscore the issue of finding a scientific paradigm that could really go the distance, and it stuck with him since then, but he can't recall if it was in Thomas Kuhn's work on scientific paradigms, or if it was just a fun image the professor  had cooked up.  

As always, 

]]> Personal Influence as the Means of Propagating the Truth with Fr. Peter Gruber, CO // Episode 118 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Fr. Peter Gruber 01:20:56 Wherein Joseph and his brother, Fr. Peter Gruber, discuss a sermon of St. John Henry Newman, as well as sundry other things. Wherein Joseph and his brother, Fr. Peter Gruber, discuss a sermon of St. John Henry Newman, as well as sundry other things. reverence, catholic, discipleship, love of neighbor, saint john henry newman, newmanreader.org, john henry newman, truth, missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 118 683b9f5f-d404-4874-9322-bf18fed59031 College Like a Catholic // Episode 117 'Way back  in the mid-30s of this podcast, we released five episodes on the college campus as an institution built for building a community of scholars, and how it was well-built to also be a place of evangelization (little wonder, as it is at its root a Catholic institution...). Recently, Joseph had a chance to condense those ideas and give a talk to real live college students. This is that talk, with a few deletions where either there was more audience interaction or where Joseph misspoke.

There was a powerpoint going on throughout. Hopefully the clicking noise doesn't bother you. Here's a link to the powerpoint to make up for the clicking: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19SDXnLfkBKvsmGgkNAk3xH3_rtaeC_Xp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109347061461753442400&rtpof=true&sd=true 

We just moved into a new house, and our baby is starting to sleep more, so I'm hopeful we'll have more of the Joseph and Crystal dynamism soon!

In the meanwhile, please feel free to rate and review the podcast and share this episode. It may not appeal to you in your state in life, but you may know people that it could appeal to!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 29 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ 'Way back  in the mid-30s of this podcast, we released five episodes on the college campus as an institution built for building a community of scholars, and how it was well-built to also be a place of evangelization (little wonder, as it is at its root a Catholic institution...). Recently, Joseph had a chance to condense those ideas and give a talk to real live college students. This is that talk, with a few deletions where either there was more audience interaction or where Joseph misspoke.

There was a powerpoint going on throughout. Hopefully the clicking noise doesn't bother you. Here's a link to the powerpoint to make up for the clicking: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19SDXnLfkBKvsmGgkNAk3xH3_rtaeC_Xp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109347061461753442400&rtpof=true&sd=true 

We just moved into a new house, and our baby is starting to sleep more, so I'm hopeful we'll have more of the Joseph and Crystal dynamism soon!

In the meanwhile, please feel free to rate and review the podcast and share this episode. It may not appeal to you in your state in life, but you may know people that it could appeal to!

As always, 

]]> College Like a Catholic // Episode 117 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:29:44 Wherein Joseph gives a talk to a room of 80-90 college students from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University (and potentially Chatham University...). Wherein Joseph gives a talk to a room of 80-90 college students from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University (and potentially Chatham University...). catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, institution, community of scholars, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, college false full 117 129c9ce5-5e3a-4e0a-8d2d-f6effe569820 Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 4- How to Not Receive Someone // Episode 116 We're hopefully just days away from moving into our new house, so please excuse the repeated episode! We think it's still good and applicable!

The original description:

"I'd like to think I'm a good listener. In fact, let me tell you a story about me being a great listener...rather than actually listen to you." It's an oft-experienced phenomenon-- we start to think maybe genuine sharing of selves is about to happen, and then out of nowhere, we throw up a roadblock to real intimacy. 

It's good to know about these roadblocks, and why they hinder real, meaningful conversations, so we share three of them. We referenced another pretty heavily in the third part of the vulnerability series, and that one is the giving of advice (when not asked for). 

They're not always bad, and sometimes even good, but when we habitually turn a conversation into a storytime, or start praising someone evaluatively, or start reassuring them, we're thoughtlessly turning conversations into discussions about ourselves, our opinions, and our convictions, rather than giving the other a chance to share their side. 

If you'd like to hear about more of them, let us know, or check out where we got them from: We're pulling from a book called People Skills, by Robert Bolton: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BFXAS0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

It's a good book. It's not perfect, but it's ok.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're hopefully just days away from moving into our new house, so please excuse the repeated episode! We think it's still good and applicable!

The original description:

"I'd like to think I'm a good listener. In fact, let me tell you a story about me being a great listener...rather than actually listen to you." It's an oft-experienced phenomenon-- we start to think maybe genuine sharing of selves is about to happen, and then out of nowhere, we throw up a roadblock to real intimacy. 

It's good to know about these roadblocks, and why they hinder real, meaningful conversations, so we share three of them. We referenced another pretty heavily in the third part of the vulnerability series, and that one is the giving of advice (when not asked for). 

They're not always bad, and sometimes even good, but when we habitually turn a conversation into a storytime, or start praising someone evaluatively, or start reassuring them, we're thoughtlessly turning conversations into discussions about ourselves, our opinions, and our convictions, rather than giving the other a chance to share their side. 

If you'd like to hear about more of them, let us know, or check out where we got them from: We're pulling from a book called People Skills, by Robert Bolton: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BFXAS0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

It's a good book. It's not perfect, but it's ok.

As always, 

]]> Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 4- How to Not Receive Someone // Episode 116 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:14 Wherein we re-publish the episode where we talk about some of the more common ways we derail a conversation just when someone is trying to share. We're guilty of these, and we'd like to not be-- see if they hit anywhere close to home for you! Wherein we re-publish the episode where we talk about some of the more common ways we derail a conversation just when someone is trying to share. We're guilty of these, and we'd like to not be-- see if they hit anywhere close to home for you! catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, listening, love of god, christian false full 116 6d44c26b-f542-4748-9122-d2e067448d47 Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 3- How to Receive Someone // Episode 115 Ladies and gentlemen, we're 3/4 of the way through our reposting of our series on vulnerability. Then we hope to be back to our contemporary-yet-still-timeless content habit of posting fresh content. But we had a baby two months ago, and bought a house six weeks ago, and are milking both of those excuses this month...

It's vulnerable to share with someone. It's also vulnerable to be the one receiving someone, and to avoid that discomfort, we tend to practice poor listening skills. Actually taking the time and energy to hear someone may take practice, but it's effort that is worth it.

Also, we talk at the end about how a certain Catholic practice tells us what receiving people should look like, ideally.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 15 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Ladies and gentlemen, we're 3/4 of the way through our reposting of our series on vulnerability. Then we hope to be back to our contemporary-yet-still-timeless content habit of posting fresh content. But we had a baby two months ago, and bought a house six weeks ago, and are milking both of those excuses this month...

It's vulnerable to share with someone. It's also vulnerable to be the one receiving someone, and to avoid that discomfort, we tend to practice poor listening skills. Actually taking the time and energy to hear someone may take practice, but it's effort that is worth it.

Also, we talk at the end about how a certain Catholic practice tells us what receiving people should look like, ideally.

As always, 

]]> Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 3- How to Receive Someone // Episode 115 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:45 Wherein we re-post our discussion of how to listen to someone while they are being vulnerable. Wherein we re-post our discussion of how to listen to someone while they are being vulnerable. catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, listening, love of god, christian false full 115 426b4784-39a5-4932-8d87-9b5e8cc07a41 Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 2- What is Vulnerable? // Episode 114 About 40 episodes and almost a year ago, we sat down and did a 3-part series on vulnerability. We're re-publishing them over the three weeks that we're in the middle of now!

Joseph recently went back and listened to the first one, and liked it enough that he decided to re-share it and its siblings with the world. As an aside, we're still not quite back to where we can reliably record an episode together with a new baby around...

The episode's original description is below:

What is most vulnerable about you? Probably what is most vulnerable about me, or any other human. We know each others' weak spots, because we know where we are weak.

We name a fair number of them, though we don't pretend to having the exhaustive list. These are the things we talk about amongst people we trust, and the things we hide from people we don't.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ About 40 episodes and almost a year ago, we sat down and did a 3-part series on vulnerability. We're re-publishing them over the three weeks that we're in the middle of now!

Joseph recently went back and listened to the first one, and liked it enough that he decided to re-share it and its siblings with the world. As an aside, we're still not quite back to where we can reliably record an episode together with a new baby around...

The episode's original description is below:

What is most vulnerable about you? Probably what is most vulnerable about me, or any other human. We know each others' weak spots, because we know where we are weak.

We name a fair number of them, though we don't pretend to having the exhaustive list. These are the things we talk about amongst people we trust, and the things we hide from people we don't.

 

As always, 

]]> Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 2- What is Vulnerable? // Episode 114 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:29 Wherein we re-release the second vulnerability episode, wherein we talk about the things in our life that are most vulnerable (the categories, not the specifics...). Wherein we re-release the second vulnerability episode, wherein we talk about the things in our life that are most vulnerable (the categories, not the specifics...). catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian false full 114 cbf08bca-0166-4c99-b6bd-eccd907edc14 Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 1- Why Be Vulnerable? // Episode 113 About 40 episodes and almost a year ago, we sat down and did a 3-part series on vulnerability. We'll be re-publishing them over the next 3 weeks!

Joseph recently went back and listened to the first one, and liked it enough that he decided to re-share it and its siblings with the world. As an aside, we're still not quite back to where we can reliably record an episode together with a new baby around...

The episode's original description is below:

Wherein we talk about the need for vulnerability in relationships, and talk a bit about what vulnerability is.

Being human means we stand in relationship with others. In so standing, we are capable of being hurt. That capacity to be hurt is the risk we take in being in a relationship. 

This isn't to say that the reason to be in a relationship is to get hurt, but if we were un-hurt-able, we'd also be untouchable, and ultimately un-love-able.

Here is the link to the Brene Brown TED talk: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 Sep 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ About 40 episodes and almost a year ago, we sat down and did a 3-part series on vulnerability. We'll be re-publishing them over the next 3 weeks!

Joseph recently went back and listened to the first one, and liked it enough that he decided to re-share it and its siblings with the world. As an aside, we're still not quite back to where we can reliably record an episode together with a new baby around...

The episode's original description is below:

Wherein we talk about the need for vulnerability in relationships, and talk a bit about what vulnerability is.

Being human means we stand in relationship with others. In so standing, we are capable of being hurt. That capacity to be hurt is the risk we take in being in a relationship. 

This isn't to say that the reason to be in a relationship is to get hurt, but if we were un-hurt-able, we'd also be untouchable, and ultimately un-love-able.

Here is the link to the Brene Brown TED talk: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

As always, 

]]> Re-Release of Vulnerability Part 1- Why Be Vulnerable? // Episode 113 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:19:04 Wherein we republish the first of three vulnerability-related episodes because Joseph likes them and thinks they could use a dusting off. Wherein we republish the first of three vulnerability-related episodes because Joseph likes them and thinks they could use a dusting off. catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 113 5921d937-c097-468f-9954-e3af200a53ec Finding a Voice // Episode 112 We're speaking animals. It's a defining attribute. Yet when I look at how I speak, I realize that I could be better. This episode proposes  a way to become a better speaker (and yes, it has to do with God. Everything to do with God, actually. It also was an excuse to do some Marvel voices. Not MCU-Marvel, just comics-book-Marvel...)

(and yes, this is another episode that is doubling as practice for my Toastmasters speech.)

 

The one quote is from paragraph 22 of Gaudium et Spes: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're speaking animals. It's a defining attribute. Yet when I look at how I speak, I realize that I could be better. This episode proposes  a way to become a better speaker (and yes, it has to do with God. Everything to do with God, actually. It also was an excuse to do some Marvel voices. Not MCU-Marvel, just comics-book-Marvel...)

(and yes, this is another episode that is doubling as practice for my Toastmasters speech.)

 

The one quote is from paragraph 22 of Gaudium et Spes: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html

As always, 

]]> Finding a Voice // Episode 112 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:06:40 Wherein Joseph displays made-up voices for characters, problems with his own voice, and a solution. Wherein Joseph displays made-up voices for characters, problems with his own voice, and a solution. apostolic, voice, catholic, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian false full 112 c91dc610-b6e8-445f-8bd6-0c1bc10194e5 How To Not Be Tiresome and Know Nothing, with Jacob Gruber // Episode 111 Recording an episode with a newborn is slightly trickier than we remembered from last time, so fortunately Joseph's brother Jacob was coming through town, and stopped to record an episode with Joseph!

We use as a launching point two paragraphs from Plato's Phaedrus, reproduced here, including the bit that the title of this episode alludes to at the end of the quote:

"At the Egyptian city of Naucratis, there was a famous old god, whose name was Theuth; the bird which is called the Ibis is sacred to him, and he was the inventor of many arts, such as arithmetic and calculation and geometry and astronomy and draughts and dice, but his great discovery was the use of letters. Now in those days the god Thamus was the king of the whole country of Egypt; and he dwelt in that great city of Upper Egypt which the Hellenes call Egyptian Thebes, and the god himself is called by them Ammon. To him came Theuth and showed his inventions, desiring that the other Egyptians might be allowed to have the benefit of them; he enumerated them, and Thamus enquired about their several uses, and praised some of them and censured others, as he approved or disapproved of them. It would take a long time to repeat all that Thamus said to Theuth in praise or blame of the various arts. But when they came to letters, This, said Theuth, will make the Egyptians wiser and give them better memories; it is a specific both for the memory and for the wit. Thamus replied: O most ingenious Theuth, the parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them. And in this instance, you who are the father of letters, from a paternal love of your own children have been led to attribute to them a quality which they cannot have; for this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves. The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality."

 

With that as the launching point, you can imagine that our discussion was quite lively. I imagine that were you to use this passage as a launching point, your discussions would be lively as well!

Feel free to rate, review, share, and subscribe to this podcast. In so doing, you may be aiding in the reclamation of wonder and conversation in our world.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Jacob Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Recording an episode with a newborn is slightly trickier than we remembered from last time, so fortunately Joseph's brother Jacob was coming through town, and stopped to record an episode with Joseph!

We use as a launching point two paragraphs from Plato's Phaedrus, reproduced here, including the bit that the title of this episode alludes to at the end of the quote:

"At the Egyptian city of Naucratis, there was a famous old god, whose name was Theuth; the bird which is called the Ibis is sacred to him, and he was the inventor of many arts, such as arithmetic and calculation and geometry and astronomy and draughts and dice, but his great discovery was the use of letters. Now in those days the god Thamus was the king of the whole country of Egypt; and he dwelt in that great city of Upper Egypt which the Hellenes call Egyptian Thebes, and the god himself is called by them Ammon. To him came Theuth and showed his inventions, desiring that the other Egyptians might be allowed to have the benefit of them; he enumerated them, and Thamus enquired about their several uses, and praised some of them and censured others, as he approved or disapproved of them. It would take a long time to repeat all that Thamus said to Theuth in praise or blame of the various arts. But when they came to letters, This, said Theuth, will make the Egyptians wiser and give them better memories; it is a specific both for the memory and for the wit. Thamus replied: O most ingenious Theuth, the parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions to the users of them. And in this instance, you who are the father of letters, from a paternal love of your own children have been led to attribute to them a quality which they cannot have; for this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners' souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves. The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality."

 

With that as the launching point, you can imagine that our discussion was quite lively. I imagine that were you to use this passage as a launching point, your discussions would be lively as well!

Feel free to rate, review, share, and subscribe to this podcast. In so doing, you may be aiding in the reclamation of wonder and conversation in our world.

As always, 

]]> How To Not Be Tiresome and Know Nothing, with Jacob Gruber // Episode 111 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Jacob Gruber 00:52:06 Wherein Joseph and Jacob discuss a provocative Platonic passage, the value and dangers of the written word, and more. Wherein Joseph and Jacob discuss a provocative Platonic passage, the value and dangers of the written word, and more. letters, plato, catholic, phaedrus, apostolate, love of neighbor, writing, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, luddite false full 111 0258ab60-02ba-42b6-800b-0884adb5244e On the Value of Failure // Episode 110 Failure is a funny thing-- very few people like it, but it can teach us so much if we let it.

I suppose this is inspired in part by Carol Dweck's book Mindset, but it's also inspired by the Christian life and the virtue of hope and the virtue of humility. And it's short-- I'm still wondering if shorter episodes are the way to go, or episodes like last week that went over an hour are more the way we ought to go. Shorter episodes are much easier to record and edit and upload, but I enjoy our longer conversations. 

Regardless, we'll see how I manage the next few weeks while Crystal continues to recuperate from having grown and birthed a person. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Jul 2021 07:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Failure is a funny thing-- very few people like it, but it can teach us so much if we let it.

I suppose this is inspired in part by Carol Dweck's book Mindset, but it's also inspired by the Christian life and the virtue of hope and the virtue of humility. And it's short-- I'm still wondering if shorter episodes are the way to go, or episodes like last week that went over an hour are more the way we ought to go. Shorter episodes are much easier to record and edit and upload, but I enjoy our longer conversations. 

Regardless, we'll see how I manage the next few weeks while Crystal continues to recuperate from having grown and birthed a person. 

As always, 

]]> On the Value of Failure // Episode 110 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:07:40 Wherein Joseph discusses the master lesson from failure. Wherein Joseph discusses the master lesson from failure. failure, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, lessons learned, dreams, hope, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, success false full 110 c84fd0b6-43c9-4038-b052-a98517e5f6cc Entrepreneurship and Catholic Social Teaching with Jacob Gruber // Episode 109 This time, the shownotes are going to be much more like a works cited page and less a description. This is in part because we've got a newborn to tend to, and in part because Jacob and I referenced a lot of things. But as a general overview, Joseph read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad recently, and started talking to Jacob over the phone about some ideas related to both that book and Catholic social teaching, and then asked Jacob if he'd hold his thoughts for a few days so we could record them. And here we are!

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles

Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII-- this is the one Jacob recommended everyone read and Joseph seconds that idea

Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict XVI

Nov. 18 2018 General Audience with Pope Francis

Laborem Exercens by Pope John Paul II

Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin

And then another good intro to the idea of subsidiarity: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/solidarity

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Jul 2021 04:16:23 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Jacob Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This time, the shownotes are going to be much more like a works cited page and less a description. This is in part because we've got a newborn to tend to, and in part because Jacob and I referenced a lot of things. But as a general overview, Joseph read the book Rich Dad Poor Dad recently, and started talking to Jacob over the phone about some ideas related to both that book and Catholic social teaching, and then asked Jacob if he'd hold his thoughts for a few days so we could record them. And here we are!

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles

Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII-- this is the one Jacob recommended everyone read and Joseph seconds that idea

Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict XVI

Nov. 18 2018 General Audience with Pope Francis

Laborem Exercens by Pope John Paul II

Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin

And then another good intro to the idea of subsidiarity: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/solidarity

As always, 

]]> Entrepreneurship and Catholic Social Teaching with Jacob Gruber // Episode 109 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Jacob Gruber 01:04:19 Wherein Joseph and his brother Jacob discuss the role of entrepreneurship after setting a context of some of the content of Catholic social teaching. Wherein Joseph and his brother Jacob discuss the role of entrepreneurship after setting a context of some of the content of Catholic social teaching. economics, entrepreneurship, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, common good, missionary, love of god, christian, social teaching, entrepreneur, solidarity, pope leo xiii, rerum novarum false full 109 0ff4ae14-7340-4784-850b-3a8e82e2116c Conversing about "The Catholic Church and Conversion" // Episode 108 Before you get too far, know that this episode is predicated upon you listening to episode 106, "The Catholic Church and Conversion". So if you haven't listened to that one, please do so! It's taken from Chesterton's book by that name, and is quite good.

We're back for a longer-length episode this time, with an unpremeditated discussion of some of Chesterton's best work. I say 'unpremeditated' because Crystal and I often touch base about major points we'd like to discuss, and I pressed the 'record' button before we had a chance to do so, because recording with a full-term-plus-four-days woman is a chancy thing, not to be delayed. And I say 'best work' because I think he hit upon something about conversion that so many atheists and agnostics see, and so many cultural Christians/cradle Catholics miss, which is that it's a terrifying thing to say yes to something as bold as the claims of the Catholic Church. And I say 'discussion' because there were times neither of us were quite sure where we were going, but we were glad to keep going until we got there.

Anywho, we hope you enjoy!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Jul 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Before you get too far, know that this episode is predicated upon you listening to episode 106, "The Catholic Church and Conversion". So if you haven't listened to that one, please do so! It's taken from Chesterton's book by that name, and is quite good.

We're back for a longer-length episode this time, with an unpremeditated discussion of some of Chesterton's best work. I say 'unpremeditated' because Crystal and I often touch base about major points we'd like to discuss, and I pressed the 'record' button before we had a chance to do so, because recording with a full-term-plus-four-days woman is a chancy thing, not to be delayed. And I say 'best work' because I think he hit upon something about conversion that so many atheists and agnostics see, and so many cultural Christians/cradle Catholics miss, which is that it's a terrifying thing to say yes to something as bold as the claims of the Catholic Church. And I say 'discussion' because there were times neither of us were quite sure where we were going, but we were glad to keep going until we got there.

Anywho, we hope you enjoy!

As always, 

]]> Conversing about "The Catholic Church and Conversion" // Episode 108 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:28 Wherein we discuss our takeaways and applications from Chesterton's "The Catholic Church and Conversion" from two episodes ago. Wherein we discuss our takeaways and applications from Chesterton's "The Catholic Church and Conversion" from two episodes ago. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, chesterton, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, conversion false full 108 004833ef-9caf-439b-8c10-86783d778358 Holy Leisure // Episode 107 Holy leisure-- what is it and why do it?

We did a short little video for something else, and as noted on other episodes, we are very close to holding the baby that's been residing in Crystal's womb. So we thought you wouldn't mind hearing something short and to the point and includes both of us!

 

I'm reading through Dietrich von Hildebrand's Ethics with some people, and it's just plain good. Von Hildebrand definitely  influenced this episode. Probably my life as well. http://www.hildebrandproject.org/literature/ethics

As does Josef Pieper continue to influence me (Leisure: The Basis of Culture -- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AYEYFQG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 )

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Jun 2021 17:08:32 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Holy leisure-- what is it and why do it?

We did a short little video for something else, and as noted on other episodes, we are very close to holding the baby that's been residing in Crystal's womb. So we thought you wouldn't mind hearing something short and to the point and includes both of us!

 

I'm reading through Dietrich von Hildebrand's Ethics with some people, and it's just plain good. Von Hildebrand definitely  influenced this episode. Probably my life as well. http://www.hildebrandproject.org/literature/ethics

As does Josef Pieper continue to influence me (Leisure: The Basis of Culture -- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AYEYFQG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 )

 

As always, 

]]> Holy Leisure // Episode 107 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:03:28 Wherein we do a very short talk on holy leisure for something else, and also post it as a podcast episode! Wherein we do a very short talk on holy leisure for something else, and also post it as a podcast episode! catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, leisure, christian false full 107 382bdf84-c13a-4c53-8ffe-49603157244c The Catholic Church and Conversion // Episode 106 I've heard a lot of different ways people talk about conversion, but there's something about the three stages that Chesterton outlines from his own conversion that I very much appreciate and have seen in many stories. He captures in his inimitable style some aspects of the path of conversion that I don't hear spoken of elsewhere. So I decided to just read passages from Chesterton wherein he describes these three stages of becoming fair to the Church, then fond of the Church, and then, penultimately, fearful of the Church. (Ultimately, the last stage is becoming faithful, but he's not talking about that in this chapter of his book.) 

And the book is The Catholic Church and Conversion, and can be found here in text form: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/the-catholic-church-and-conversion-13705

and here in book form: https://www.ignatius.com/The-Catholic-Church-and-Conversion-P239.aspx

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:30:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ I've heard a lot of different ways people talk about conversion, but there's something about the three stages that Chesterton outlines from his own conversion that I very much appreciate and have seen in many stories. He captures in his inimitable style some aspects of the path of conversion that I don't hear spoken of elsewhere. So I decided to just read passages from Chesterton wherein he describes these three stages of becoming fair to the Church, then fond of the Church, and then, penultimately, fearful of the Church. (Ultimately, the last stage is becoming faithful, but he's not talking about that in this chapter of his book.) 

And the book is The Catholic Church and Conversion, and can be found here in text form: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/the-catholic-church-and-conversion-13705

and here in book form: https://www.ignatius.com/The-Catholic-Church-and-Conversion-P239.aspx

As always, 

]]> The Catholic Church and Conversion // Episode 106 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:14:49 Wherein Joseph reads passages from Chesterton's book, The Catholic Church and Conversion, outlining the three stages that Chesterton himself went through in his conversion, which may be what other converts go through... Wherein Joseph reads passages from Chesterton's book, The Catholic Church and Conversion, outlining the three stages that Chesterton himself went through in his conversion, which may be what other converts go through... g.k. chesterton, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, chesterton, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, conversion false full 106 5ba73426-043f-46f7-a405-56bfeccf262e 3 Habits of Missionary Disciples // Episode 105 In Matthew 22, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment. He answers with not only the greatest commandment, but also with the one that follows it, and then follows that with the whole apparatus for handing those commandments down to others. Anytime Jesus tells us something is the greatest, or best, or first, it should probably give us reason to listen more attentively.

These commandments to love God and to love neighbor, and the corresponding notion that these are ideas worth passing on, form the nucleus of what it is to be a missionary disciple. As our podcast is for Catholic disciples wrestling to be missionary-minded, we thought it would be a good idea to at least begin to comment on these habits, or ways of being. The habit of being in right relationship with God, and then the habit of acting rightly with respect to friends, and then the habit of helping others to live this way as well, are not only missionary discipleship in a nutshell, they're also invitations into a reality of reciprocal love and getting-outside-of-ourselves/transcendant living. In FOCUS, these habits are called divine intimacy, authentic friendship, and clarity and conviction for spiritual multiplication. Call them what you want, they describe a well-ordered life.

We read from Matthew 22:34-39 and Mark 12:28-34. 

We reference a book by Curtis Martin, Making Missionary Disciples, and we'll list two links for buying (one has bulk buying options, but both at the time of publishing are out of stock, unless you want to buy a Kindle version...):

https://shopfocus.org/products/making-missionary-disciples-hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Missionary-Disciples-Curtis-Martin/dp/0692177493

We also reference an apostolic exhortation from Pope Benedict XV (yes, fifteenth-- from 1919) called Maximum Illud: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xv/en/apost_letters/documents/hf_ben-xv_apl_19191130_maximum-illud.html

(It's debatable whether the Maximum Illud reference really aided the conversation, but Joseph had considered doing an episode on this document earlier, and it was on his mind, and seemed to make sense in his head, though now he fears that it was not as relevant as he hoped and both he and our dear listeners will discover that on listening, but perhaps it will also encourage people to read this document, which is filled with wisdom and quirkiness...)

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ In Matthew 22, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment. He answers with not only the greatest commandment, but also with the one that follows it, and then follows that with the whole apparatus for handing those commandments down to others. Anytime Jesus tells us something is the greatest, or best, or first, it should probably give us reason to listen more attentively.

These commandments to love God and to love neighbor, and the corresponding notion that these are ideas worth passing on, form the nucleus of what it is to be a missionary disciple. As our podcast is for Catholic disciples wrestling to be missionary-minded, we thought it would be a good idea to at least begin to comment on these habits, or ways of being. The habit of being in right relationship with God, and then the habit of acting rightly with respect to friends, and then the habit of helping others to live this way as well, are not only missionary discipleship in a nutshell, they're also invitations into a reality of reciprocal love and getting-outside-of-ourselves/transcendant living. In FOCUS, these habits are called divine intimacy, authentic friendship, and clarity and conviction for spiritual multiplication. Call them what you want, they describe a well-ordered life.

We read from Matthew 22:34-39 and Mark 12:28-34. 

We reference a book by Curtis Martin, Making Missionary Disciples, and we'll list two links for buying (one has bulk buying options, but both at the time of publishing are out of stock, unless you want to buy a Kindle version...):

https://shopfocus.org/products/making-missionary-disciples-hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Missionary-Disciples-Curtis-Martin/dp/0692177493

We also reference an apostolic exhortation from Pope Benedict XV (yes, fifteenth-- from 1919) called Maximum Illud: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xv/en/apost_letters/documents/hf_ben-xv_apl_19191130_maximum-illud.html

(It's debatable whether the Maximum Illud reference really aided the conversation, but Joseph had considered doing an episode on this document earlier, and it was on his mind, and seemed to make sense in his head, though now he fears that it was not as relevant as he hoped and both he and our dear listeners will discover that on listening, but perhaps it will also encourage people to read this document, which is filled with wisdom and quirkiness...)

As always, 

]]> 3 Habits of Missionary Disciples // Episode 105 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:41 Wherein we discuss three habits of missionary disciples. Wherein we discuss three habits of missionary disciples. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, spiritual multiplication false full 105 7182fc04-9f16-4227-aa88-2470391756d3 Heroes, Mentors, and Coaches // Episode 104 Wherein we discuss the differences between heroes, mentors, and coaches, and why we need them...and a bit about becoming them.

If we want to become better, one of the easiest ways is to stand on the shoulders of giants. There seem to be three basic ways to benefit from other people's journeys-- have them teach us what they did, have them coax out of us our own way forward, or simply have them as a model to emulate: coach, mentor, and hero, respectively.

There are all sorts of ways to go with these three-- when do we go for one over another? which helps us the most? which is the most scaleable of the three? which do I hope to be? which do I dread to be? which do I resist seeking out and why? etc.--but we don't answer these questions. We leave them in the hope that they prompt good discussion for you!

Joseph borrows the distinction between mentors and coaches from Toastmasters International, which so far has been a very fine organization, and he commends it to you.

We reference the work of Seth Godin. His podcast is called Akimbo, and unfortunately neither names nor descriptions of episodes are very descriptive, and there's no guarantee that he talks about the heroes/mentors controversy on that show, but a link to it is here: https://www.akimbo.link/

Seth Godin does talk about it on an interview with John O'Leary, though, that Joseph listened to rather randomly... https://johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/seth-godin/

I don't unreservedly recommend Seth Godin-- from what I've seen, he's pretty thoughtful, and provocative, so look to him if you want interesting topics of conversation to be examined with friends. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Jun 2021 12:25:57 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the differences between heroes, mentors, and coaches, and why we need them...and a bit about becoming them.

If we want to become better, one of the easiest ways is to stand on the shoulders of giants. There seem to be three basic ways to benefit from other people's journeys-- have them teach us what they did, have them coax out of us our own way forward, or simply have them as a model to emulate: coach, mentor, and hero, respectively.

There are all sorts of ways to go with these three-- when do we go for one over another? which helps us the most? which is the most scaleable of the three? which do I hope to be? which do I dread to be? which do I resist seeking out and why? etc.--but we don't answer these questions. We leave them in the hope that they prompt good discussion for you!

Joseph borrows the distinction between mentors and coaches from Toastmasters International, which so far has been a very fine organization, and he commends it to you.

We reference the work of Seth Godin. His podcast is called Akimbo, and unfortunately neither names nor descriptions of episodes are very descriptive, and there's no guarantee that he talks about the heroes/mentors controversy on that show, but a link to it is here: https://www.akimbo.link/

Seth Godin does talk about it on an interview with John O'Leary, though, that Joseph listened to rather randomly... https://johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/seth-godin/

I don't unreservedly recommend Seth Godin-- from what I've seen, he's pretty thoughtful, and provocative, so look to him if you want interesting topics of conversation to be examined with friends. 

As always, 

]]> Heroes, Mentors, and Coaches // Episode 104 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:39:06 Wherein we discuss the differences between heroes, mentors, and coaches, and why we need them...and a bit about becoming them. Wherein we discuss the differences between heroes, mentors, and coaches, and why we need them...and a bit about becoming them. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, mentor, coach, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, hero false full 104 eae14648-de92-449c-a083-4c4661c49a25 Why Did Jesus Curse That Fig Tree? // Episode 103 It's a confusing story, dark, even. Jesus takes a look at a fig tree, finds it to be unsatisfying, and curses it, after which it withers and dies. 

Is it the story of a capricious and arbitrary God-man smiting something that doesn't go His way? Or can we read it in its context as a story in Holy Week that deepens our understanding of Who Jesus is, what He comes to do, and how He is going to accomplish it?

Joseph references some scripture, so here's as much as he can recall:

Matthew 21:18-22--Jesus curses the fig tree

Mark 11:12-14--Jesus curses the fig tree

Psalm 1--A blessed man is like a tree by a stream

Ezekiel 47:8-12--A blessed tree is planted by the stream coming from the Temple of Ezekiel's vision

Hosea 6:6--God desiring mercy, not sacrifice

John 4:32+34--Jesus' food is the will of the Father

John 4:6-7--So technically Jesus doesn't say He's thirsty, but He does ask for a drink here from the Samaritan woman

John 19:28--Jesus thirsts

Matthew 4:2--Jesus fasted and was hungry

John 19:34--Blood and water flow from Jesus' side

 

And here's a link to a random blog that has a lot of pictures showing the Kidron valley, the Temple Mount, and the Mount of Olives: https://collecting-maps.blogspot.com/2015/12/kidron-valley-mount-of-olives-map.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Jun 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's a confusing story, dark, even. Jesus takes a look at a fig tree, finds it to be unsatisfying, and curses it, after which it withers and dies. 

Is it the story of a capricious and arbitrary God-man smiting something that doesn't go His way? Or can we read it in its context as a story in Holy Week that deepens our understanding of Who Jesus is, what He comes to do, and how He is going to accomplish it?

Joseph references some scripture, so here's as much as he can recall:

Matthew 21:18-22--Jesus curses the fig tree

Mark 11:12-14--Jesus curses the fig tree

Psalm 1--A blessed man is like a tree by a stream

Ezekiel 47:8-12--A blessed tree is planted by the stream coming from the Temple of Ezekiel's vision

Hosea 6:6--God desiring mercy, not sacrifice

John 4:32+34--Jesus' food is the will of the Father

John 4:6-7--So technically Jesus doesn't say He's thirsty, but He does ask for a drink here from the Samaritan woman

John 19:28--Jesus thirsts

Matthew 4:2--Jesus fasted and was hungry

John 19:34--Blood and water flow from Jesus' side

 

And here's a link to a random blog that has a lot of pictures showing the Kidron valley, the Temple Mount, and the Mount of Olives: https://collecting-maps.blogspot.com/2015/12/kidron-valley-mount-of-olives-map.html

As always, 

]]> Why Did Jesus Curse That Fig Tree? // Episode 103 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:10 Wherein Joseph discusses the dark and somewhat enigmatic story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. Was this just an example of a capricious and arbitrary God-man smiting something that didn't go His way? Or something else? Spoiler alert: Joseph goes with "something else"... Wherein Joseph discusses the dark and somewhat enigmatic story of Jesus cursing the fig tree. Was this just an example of a capricious and arbitrary God-man smiting something that didn't go His way? Or something else? Spoiler alert: Joseph goes with "something else"... blood and water, catholic, cursing, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, bible, fig tree, scripture, disciple, eucharist, missionary, cursing fig tree, love of god, christian, divine mercy false full 103 17c8df4b-69fa-473d-a406-5f53c101e480 Data // Episode 102 Very simply, "data" comes from the Latin "dare", meaning to give. 
Data is that which is given.

With that in our back pocket, we can let that change how we approach the world, each other, and, yes, our relationship with God.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 May 2021 12:18:49 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Very simply, "data" comes from the Latin "dare", meaning to give. 
Data is that which is given.

With that in our back pocket, we can let that change how we approach the world, each other, and, yes, our relationship with God.

As always, 

]]> Data // Episode 102 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:08:05 Wherein Joseph talks a bit about data, and how it is a personal thing, an interpersonal thing, and that it touches upon something divine. Wherein Joseph talks a bit about data, and how it is a personal thing, an interpersonal thing, and that it touches upon something divine. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, data, missionary, gift, love of god, christian false full 102 b0f445e9-4f1b-437f-9d4c-e256cd342484 Discussing Chesterton's Essay on the Family // Episode 101 There's a lot in G.K. Chesterton's essay, "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family", and we set out to discuss some of it in this episode!

From the reserved style, to the fear of the other, to the problem of evil, to our sincere desire to sit and talk with Chesterton himself, our conversation on this essay was freeform, a free-for-all, and free for all. 

A book that is mentioned is Uniformity with God's Will, by St. Alphonsus Liguori. It can be found as an e-text and audio text here: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/alphonsus/uniformity.html or for purchase here: https://tanbooks.com/sanctification/spiritual-master-books/uniformity-with-gods-will/

We hope you get a chance to discuss this essay with others as well! More than that, we hope it will awaken in you the thing that we know needs to be re-awoken in us-- a profound love of neighbor that gets us over ourselves.

Feel free to rate, review, and share this episode!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's a lot in G.K. Chesterton's essay, "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family", and we set out to discuss some of it in this episode!

From the reserved style, to the fear of the other, to the problem of evil, to our sincere desire to sit and talk with Chesterton himself, our conversation on this essay was freeform, a free-for-all, and free for all. 

A book that is mentioned is Uniformity with God's Will, by St. Alphonsus Liguori. It can be found as an e-text and audio text here: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/alphonsus/uniformity.html or for purchase here: https://tanbooks.com/sanctification/spiritual-master-books/uniformity-with-gods-will/

We hope you get a chance to discuss this essay with others as well! More than that, we hope it will awaken in you the thing that we know needs to be re-awoken in us-- a profound love of neighbor that gets us over ourselves.

Feel free to rate, review, and share this episode!

As always, 

]]> Discussing Chesterton's Essay on the Family // Episode 101 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:46 Wherein we discuss the essay that we read aloud for last week's episode, written by that inimitable and amiable fellow, G.K. Chesterton, on the topic of neighbors and family. Wherein we discuss the essay that we read aloud for last week's episode, written by that inimitable and amiable fellow, G.K. Chesterton, on the topic of neighbors and family. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, chesterton, institution, missionary, love of god, family, christian false full 101 e22d5960-c5ab-406f-99cd-b67bcfd942fe "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family" by G.K. Chesterton // Episode 100 Free will, clubs, cliques, modernity, family, community, weakness, perspective-- all of these things are covered in G.K. Chesterton's wonderful essay "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family". For our 100th episode, we go back and forth reading it aloud for you. You can find the text here (and I copy/pasted it below as well):

http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/heretics/ch14.html

Joseph got together with a group of men recently and read through this essay with them. Many of them were less familiar with Chesterton, but most agreed it was a good use of time. 

At some point, Joseph should have Crystal write these notes, because she would probably focus on the guy who took the essay home and read it several more times, including once aloud with his wife, and is letting the lessons from the essay change how he's interacting with his neighbors, and is living a changed life because of it, and inspiring other people to do so as well. Alas, Joseph is writing this, and he's letting you know that most of the guys at least thought it was an okay essay.

Hopefully, this spurs good conversation for you! We'll probably record a conversation about it soon as well!

Here is the chapter in full, if you would like to read along within the show notes:

XIV. On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family

The family may fairly be considered, one would think, an ultimate human institution. Every one would admit that it has been the main cell and central unit of almost all societies hitherto, except, indeed, such societies as that of Lacedaemon, which went in for "efficiency," and has, therefore, perished, and left not a trace behind. Christianity, even enormous as was its revolution, did not alter this ancient and savage sanctity; it merely reversed it. It did not deny the trinity of father, mother, and child. It merely read it backwards, making it run child, mother, father. This it called, not the family, but the Holy Family, for many things are made holy by being turned upside down. But some sages of our own decadence have made a serious attack on the family. They have impugned it, as I think wrongly; and its defenders have defended it, and defended it wrongly. The common defence of the family is that, amid the stress and fickleness of life, it is peaceful, pleasant, and at one. But there is another defence of the family which is possible, and to me evident; this defence is that the family is not peaceful and not pleasant and not at one.

It is not fashionable to say much nowadays of the advantages of the small community. We are told that we must go in for large empires and large ideas. There is one advantage, however, in the small state, the city, or the village, which only the wilfully blind can overlook. The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world. He knows much more of the fierce varieties and uncompromising divergences of men. The reason is obvious. In a large community we can choose our companions. In a small community our companions are chosen for us. Thus in all extensive and highly civilized societies groups come into existence founded upon what is called sympathy, and shut out the real world more sharply than the gates of a monastery. There is nothing really narrow about the clan; the thing which is really narrow is the clique. The men of the clan live together because they all wear the same tartan or are all descended from the same sacred cow; but in their souls, by the divine luck of things, there will always be more colours than in any tartan. But the men of the clique live together because they have the same kind of soul, and their narrowness is a narrowness of spiritual coherence and contentment, like that which exists in hell. A big society exists in order to form cliques. A big society is a society for the promotion of narrowness. It is a machinery for the purpose of guarding the solitary and sensitive individual from all experience of the bitter and bracing human compromises. It is, in the most literal sense of the words, a society for the prevention of Christian knowledge.

We can see this change, for instance, in the modern transformation of the thing called a club. When London was smaller, and the parts of London more self-contained and parochial, the club was what it still is in villages, the opposite of what it is now in great cities. Then the club was valued as a place where a man could be sociable. Now the club is valued as a place where a man can be unsociable. The more the enlargement and elaboration of our civilization goes on the more the club ceases to be a place where a man can have a noisy argument, and becomes more and more a place where a man can have what is somewhat fantastically called a quiet chop. Its aim is to make a man comfortable, and to make a man comfortable is to make him the opposite of sociable. Sociability, like all good things, is full of discomforts, dangers, and renunciations. The club tends to produce the most degraded of all combinations-- the luxurious anchorite, the man who combines the self-indulgence of Lucullus with the insane loneliness of St. Simeon Stylites.

If we were to-morrow morning snowed up in the street in which we live, we should step suddenly into a much larger and much wilder world than we have ever known. And it is the whole effort of the typically modern person to escape from the street in which he lives. First he invents modern hygiene and goes to Margate. Then he invents modern culture and goes to Florence. Then he invents modern imperialism and goes to Timbuctoo. He goes to the fantastic borders of the earth. He pretends to shoot tigers. He almost rides on a camel. And in all this he is still essentially fleeing from the street in which he was born; and of this flight he is always ready with his own explanation. He says he is fleeing from his street because it is dull; he is lying. He is really fleeing from his street because it is a great deal too exciting. It is exciting because it is exacting; it is exacting because it is alive. He can visit Venice because to him the Venetians are only Venetians; the people in his own street are men. He can stare at the Chinese because for him the Chinese are a passive thing to be stared at; if he stares at the old lady in the next garden, she becomes active. He is forced to flee, in short, from the too stimulating society of his equals--of free men, perverse, personal, deliberately different from himself. The street in Brixton is too glowing and overpowering. He has to soothe and quiet himself among tigers and vultures, camels and crocodiles. These creatures are indeed very different from himself. But they do not put their shape or colour or custom into a decisive intellectual competition with his own. They do not seek to destroy his principles and assert their own; the stranger monsters of the suburban street do seek to do this. The camel does not contort his features into a fine sneer because Mr. Robinson has not got a hump; the cultured gentleman at No. 5 does exhibit a sneer because Robinson has not got a dado. The vulture will not roar with laughter because a man does not fly; but the major at No. 9 will roar with laughter because a man does not smoke. The complaint we commonly have to make of our neighbours is that they will not, as we express it, mind their own business. We do not really mean that they will not mind their own business. If our neighbours did not mind their own business they would be asked abruptly for their rent, and would rapidly cease to be our neighbours. What we really mean when we say that they cannot mind their own business is something much deeper. We do not dislike them because they have so little force and fire that they cannot be interested in themselves. We dislike them because they have so much force and fire that they can be interested in us as well. What we dread about our neighbours, in short, is not the narrowness of their horizon, but their superb tendency to broaden it. And all aversions to ordinary humanity have this general character. They are not aversions to its feebleness (as is pretended), but to its energy. The misanthropes pretend that they despise humanity for its weakness. As a matter of fact, they hate it for its strength.

Of course, this shrinking from the brutal vivacity and brutal variety of common men is a perfectly reasonable and excusable thing as long as it does not pretend to any point of superiority. It is when it calls itself aristocracy or aestheticism or a superiority to the bourgeoisie that its inherent weakness has in justice to be pointed out. Fastidiousness is the most pardonable of vices; but it is the most unpardonable of virtues. Nietzsche, who represents most prominently this pretentious claim of the fastidious, has a description somewhere--a very powerful description in the purely literary sense--of the disgust and disdain which consume him at the sight of the common people with their common faces, their common voices, and their common minds. As I have said, this attitude is almost beautiful if we may regard it as pathetic. Nietzsche's aristocracy has about it all the sacredness that belongs to the weak. When he makes us feel that he cannot endure the innumerable faces, the incessant voices, the overpowering omnipresence which belongs to the mob, he will have the sympathy of anybody who has ever been sick on a steamer or tired in a crowded omnibus. Every man has hated mankind when he was less than a man. Every man has had humanity in his eyes like a blinding fog, humanity in his nostrils like a suffocating smell. But when Nietzsche has the incredible lack of humour and lack of imagination to ask us to believe that his aristocracy is an aristocracy of strong muscles or an aristocracy of strong wills, it is necessary to point out the truth. It is an aristocracy of weak nerves.

We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next-door neighbour. Hence he comes to us clad in all the careless terrors of nature; he is as strange as the stars, as reckless and indifferent as the rain. He is Man, the most terrible of the beasts. That is why the old religions and the old scriptural language showed so sharp a wisdom when they spoke, not of one's duty towards humanity, but one's duty towards one's neighbour. The duty towards humanity may often take the form of some choice which is personal or even pleasurable. That duty may be a hobby; it may even be a dissipation. We may work in the East End because we are peculiarly fitted to work in the East End, or because we think we are; we may fight for the cause of international peace because we are very fond of fighting. The most monstrous martyrdom, the most repulsive experience, may be the result of choice or a kind of taste. We may be so made as to be particularly fond of lunatics or specially interested in leprosy. We may love negroes because they are black or German Socialists because they are pedantic. But we have to love our neighbour because he is there-- a much more alarming reason for a much more serious operation. He is the sample of humanity which is actually given us. Precisely because he may be anybody he is everybody. He is a symbol because he is an accident.

Doubtless men flee from small environments into lands that are very deadly. But this is natural enough; for they are not fleeing from death. They are fleeing from life. And this principle applies to ring within ring of the social system of humanity. It is perfectly reasonable that men should seek for some particular variety of the human type, so long as they are seeking for that variety of the human type, and not for mere human variety. It is quite proper that a British diplomatist should seek the society of Japanese generals, if what he wants is Japanese generals. But if what he wants is people different from himself, he had much better stop at home and discuss religion with the housemaid. It is quite reasonable that the village genius should come up to conquer London if what he wants is to conquer London. But if he wants to conquer something fundamentally and symbolically hostile and also very strong, he had much better remain where he is and have a row with the rector. The man in the suburban street is quite right if he goes to Ramsgate for the sake of Ramsgate--a difficult thing to imagine. But if, as he expresses it, he goes to Ramsgate "for a change," then he would have a much more romantic and even melodramatic change if he jumped over the wall into his neighbours garden. The consequences would be bracing in a sense far beyond the possibilities of Ramsgate hygiene.

Now, exactly as this principle applies to the empire, to the nation within the empire, to the city within the nation, to the street within the city, so it applies to the home within the street. The institution of the family is to be commended for precisely the same reasons that the institution of the nation, or the institution of the city, are in this matter to be commended. It is a good thing for a man to live in a family for the same reason that it is a good thing for a man to be besieged in a city. It is a good thing for a man to live in a family in the same sense that it is a beautiful and delightful thing for a man to be snowed up in a street. They all force him to realize that life is not a thing from outside, but a thing from inside. Above all, they all insist upon the fact that life, if it be a truly stimulating and fascinating life, is a thing which, of its nature, exists in spite of ourselves. The modern writers who have suggested, in a more or less open manner, that the family is a bad institution, have generally confined themselves to suggesting, with much sharpness, bitterness, or pathos, that perhaps the family is not always very congenial. Of course the family is a good institution because it is uncongenial. It is wholesome precisely because it contains so many divergencies and varieties. It is, as the sentimentalists say, like a little kingdom, and, like most other little kingdoms, is generally in a state of something resembling anarchy. It is exactly because our brother George is not interested in our religious difficulties, but is interested in the Trocadero Restaurant, that the family has some of the bracing qualities of the commonwealth. It is precisely because our uncle Henry does not approve of the theatrical ambitions of our sister Sarah that the family is like humanity. The men and women who, for good reasons and bad, revolt against the family, are, for good reasons and bad, simply revolting against mankind. Aunt Elizabeth is unreasonable, like mankind. Papa is excitable, like mankind Our youngest brother is mischievous, like mankind. Grandpapa is stupid, like the world; he is old, like the world.

Those who wish, rightly or wrongly, to step out of all this, do definitely wish to step into a narrower world. They are dismayed and terrified by the largeness and variety of the family. Sarah wishes to find a world wholly consisting of private theatricals; George wishes to think the Trocadero a cosmos. I do not say, for a moment, that the flight to this narrower life may not be the right thing for the individual, any more than I say the same thing about flight into a monastery. But I do say that anything is bad and artificial which tends to make these people succumb to the strange delusion that they are stepping into a world which is actually larger and more varied than their own. The best way that a man could test his readiness to encounter the common variety of mankind would be to climb down a chimney into any house at random, and get on as well as possible with the people inside. And that is essentially what each one of us did on the day that he was born.

This is, indeed, the sublime and special romance of the family. It is romantic because it is a toss-up. It is romantic because it is everything that its enemies call it. It is romantic because it is arbitrary. It is romantic because it is there. So long as you have groups of men chosen rationally, you have some special or sectarian atmosphere. It is when you have groups of men chosen irrationally that you have men. The element of adventure begins to exist; for an adventure is, by its nature, a thing that comes to us. It is a thing that chooses us, not a thing that we choose. Falling in love has been often regarded as the supreme adventure, the supreme romantic accident. In so much as there is in it something outside ourselves, something of a sort of merry fatalism, this is very true. Love does take us and transfigure and torture us. It does break our hearts with an unbearable beauty, like the unbearable beauty of music. But in so far as we have certainly something to do with the matter; in so far as we are in some sense prepared to fall in love and in some sense jump into it; in so far as we do to some extent choose and to some extent even judge--in all this falling in love is not truly romantic, is not truly adventurous at all. In this degree the supreme adventure is not falling in love. The supreme adventure is being born. There we do walk suddenly into a splendid and startling trap. There we do see something of which we have not dreamed before. Our father and mother do lie in wait for us and leap out on us, like brigands from a bush. Our uncle is a surprise. Our aunt is, in the beautiful common expression, a bolt from the blue. When we step into the family, by the act of being born, we do step into a world which is incalculable, into a world which has its own strange laws, into a world which could do without us, into a world that we have not made. In other words, when we step into the family we step into a fairy-tale.

This colour as of a fantastic narrative ought to cling to the family and to our relations with it throughout life. Romance is the deepest thing in life; romance is deeper even than reality. For even if reality could be proved to be misleading, it still could not be proved to be unimportant or unimpressive. Even if the facts are false, they are still very strange. And this strangeness of life, this unexpected and even perverse element of things as they fall out, remains incurably interesting. The circumstances we can regulate may become tame or pessimistic; but the "circumstances over which we have no control" remain god-like to those who, like Mr. Micawber, can call on them and renew their strength. People wonder why the novel is the most popular form of literature; people wonder why it is read more than books of science or books of metaphysics. The reason is very simple; it is merely that the novel is more true than they are. Life may sometimes legitimately appear as a book of science. Life may sometimes appear, and with a much greater legitimacy, as a book of metaphysics. But life is always a novel. Our existence may cease to be a song; it may cease even to be a beautiful lament. Our existence may not be an intelligible justice, or even a recognizable wrong. But our existence is still a story. In the fiery alphabet of every sunset is written, "to be continued in our next." If we have sufficient intellect, we can finish a philosophical and exact deduction, and be certain that we are finishing it right. With the adequate brain-power we could finish any scientific discovery, and be certain that we were finishing it right. But not with the most gigantic intellect could we finish the simplest or silliest story, and be certain that we were finishing it right. That is because a story has behind it, not merely intellect which is partly mechanical, but will, which is in its essence divine. The narrative writer can send his hero to the gallows if he likes in the last chapter but one. He can do it by the same divine caprice whereby he, the author, can go to the gallows himself, and to hell afterwards if he chooses. And the same civilization, the chivalric European civilization which asserted freewill in the thirteenth century, produced the thing called "fiction" in the eighteenth. When Thomas Aquinas asserted the spiritual liberty of man, he created all the bad novels in the circulating libraries.

But in order that life should be a story or romance to us, it is necessary that a great part of it, at any rate, should be settled for us without our permission. If we wish life to be a system, this may be a nuisance; but if we wish it to be a drama, it is an essential. It may often happen, no doubt, that a drama may be written by somebody else which we like very little. But we should like it still less if the author came before the curtain every hour or so, and forced on us the whole trouble of inventing the next act. A man has control over many things in his life; he has control over enough things to be the hero of a novel. But if he had control over everything, there would be so much hero that there would be no novel. And the reason why the lives of the rich are at bottom so tame and uneventful is simply that they can choose the events. They are dull because they are omnipotent. They fail to feel adventures because they can make the adventures. The thing which keeps life romantic and full of fiery possibilities is the existence of these great plain limitations which force all of us to meet the things we do not like or do not expect. It is vain for the supercilious moderns to talk of being in uncongenial surroundings. To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance. Of all these great limitations and frameworks which fashion and create the poetry and variety of life, the family is the most definite and important. Hence it is misunderstood by the moderns, who imagine that romance would exist most perfectly in a complete state of what they call liberty. They think that if a man makes a gesture it would be a startling and romantic matter that the sun should fall from the sky. But the startling and romantic thing about the sun is that it does not fall from the sky. They are seeking under every shape and form a world where there are no limitations--that is, a world where there are no outlines; that is, a world where there are no shapes. There is nothing baser than that infinity. They say they wish to be, as strong as the universe, but they really wish the whole universe as weak as themselves.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 12 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Free will, clubs, cliques, modernity, family, community, weakness, perspective-- all of these things are covered in G.K. Chesterton's wonderful essay "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family". For our 100th episode, we go back and forth reading it aloud for you. You can find the text here (and I copy/pasted it below as well):

http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/heretics/ch14.html

Joseph got together with a group of men recently and read through this essay with them. Many of them were less familiar with Chesterton, but most agreed it was a good use of time. 

At some point, Joseph should have Crystal write these notes, because she would probably focus on the guy who took the essay home and read it several more times, including once aloud with his wife, and is letting the lessons from the essay change how he's interacting with his neighbors, and is living a changed life because of it, and inspiring other people to do so as well. Alas, Joseph is writing this, and he's letting you know that most of the guys at least thought it was an okay essay.

Hopefully, this spurs good conversation for you! We'll probably record a conversation about it soon as well!

Here is the chapter in full, if you would like to read along within the show notes:

XIV. On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family

The family may fairly be considered, one would think, an ultimate human institution. Every one would admit that it has been the main cell and central unit of almost all societies hitherto, except, indeed, such societies as that of Lacedaemon, which went in for "efficiency," and has, therefore, perished, and left not a trace behind. Christianity, even enormous as was its revolution, did not alter this ancient and savage sanctity; it merely reversed it. It did not deny the trinity of father, mother, and child. It merely read it backwards, making it run child, mother, father. This it called, not the family, but the Holy Family, for many things are made holy by being turned upside down. But some sages of our own decadence have made a serious attack on the family. They have impugned it, as I think wrongly; and its defenders have defended it, and defended it wrongly. The common defence of the family is that, amid the stress and fickleness of life, it is peaceful, pleasant, and at one. But there is another defence of the family which is possible, and to me evident; this defence is that the family is not peaceful and not pleasant and not at one.

It is not fashionable to say much nowadays of the advantages of the small community. We are told that we must go in for large empires and large ideas. There is one advantage, however, in the small state, the city, or the village, which only the wilfully blind can overlook. The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world. He knows much more of the fierce varieties and uncompromising divergences of men. The reason is obvious. In a large community we can choose our companions. In a small community our companions are chosen for us. Thus in all extensive and highly civilized societies groups come into existence founded upon what is called sympathy, and shut out the real world more sharply than the gates of a monastery. There is nothing really narrow about the clan; the thing which is really narrow is the clique. The men of the clan live together because they all wear the same tartan or are all descended from the same sacred cow; but in their souls, by the divine luck of things, there will always be more colours than in any tartan. But the men of the clique live together because they have the same kind of soul, and their narrowness is a narrowness of spiritual coherence and contentment, like that which exists in hell. A big society exists in order to form cliques. A big society is a society for the promotion of narrowness. It is a machinery for the purpose of guarding the solitary and sensitive individual from all experience of the bitter and bracing human compromises. It is, in the most literal sense of the words, a society for the prevention of Christian knowledge.

We can see this change, for instance, in the modern transformation of the thing called a club. When London was smaller, and the parts of London more self-contained and parochial, the club was what it still is in villages, the opposite of what it is now in great cities. Then the club was valued as a place where a man could be sociable. Now the club is valued as a place where a man can be unsociable. The more the enlargement and elaboration of our civilization goes on the more the club ceases to be a place where a man can have a noisy argument, and becomes more and more a place where a man can have what is somewhat fantastically called a quiet chop. Its aim is to make a man comfortable, and to make a man comfortable is to make him the opposite of sociable. Sociability, like all good things, is full of discomforts, dangers, and renunciations. The club tends to produce the most degraded of all combinations-- the luxurious anchorite, the man who combines the self-indulgence of Lucullus with the insane loneliness of St. Simeon Stylites.

If we were to-morrow morning snowed up in the street in which we live, we should step suddenly into a much larger and much wilder world than we have ever known. And it is the whole effort of the typically modern person to escape from the street in which he lives. First he invents modern hygiene and goes to Margate. Then he invents modern culture and goes to Florence. Then he invents modern imperialism and goes to Timbuctoo. He goes to the fantastic borders of the earth. He pretends to shoot tigers. He almost rides on a camel. And in all this he is still essentially fleeing from the street in which he was born; and of this flight he is always ready with his own explanation. He says he is fleeing from his street because it is dull; he is lying. He is really fleeing from his street because it is a great deal too exciting. It is exciting because it is exacting; it is exacting because it is alive. He can visit Venice because to him the Venetians are only Venetians; the people in his own street are men. He can stare at the Chinese because for him the Chinese are a passive thing to be stared at; if he stares at the old lady in the next garden, she becomes active. He is forced to flee, in short, from the too stimulating society of his equals--of free men, perverse, personal, deliberately different from himself. The street in Brixton is too glowing and overpowering. He has to soothe and quiet himself among tigers and vultures, camels and crocodiles. These creatures are indeed very different from himself. But they do not put their shape or colour or custom into a decisive intellectual competition with his own. They do not seek to destroy his principles and assert their own; the stranger monsters of the suburban street do seek to do this. The camel does not contort his features into a fine sneer because Mr. Robinson has not got a hump; the cultured gentleman at No. 5 does exhibit a sneer because Robinson has not got a dado. The vulture will not roar with laughter because a man does not fly; but the major at No. 9 will roar with laughter because a man does not smoke. The complaint we commonly have to make of our neighbours is that they will not, as we express it, mind their own business. We do not really mean that they will not mind their own business. If our neighbours did not mind their own business they would be asked abruptly for their rent, and would rapidly cease to be our neighbours. What we really mean when we say that they cannot mind their own business is something much deeper. We do not dislike them because they have so little force and fire that they cannot be interested in themselves. We dislike them because they have so much force and fire that they can be interested in us as well. What we dread about our neighbours, in short, is not the narrowness of their horizon, but their superb tendency to broaden it. And all aversions to ordinary humanity have this general character. They are not aversions to its feebleness (as is pretended), but to its energy. The misanthropes pretend that they despise humanity for its weakness. As a matter of fact, they hate it for its strength.

Of course, this shrinking from the brutal vivacity and brutal variety of common men is a perfectly reasonable and excusable thing as long as it does not pretend to any point of superiority. It is when it calls itself aristocracy or aestheticism or a superiority to the bourgeoisie that its inherent weakness has in justice to be pointed out. Fastidiousness is the most pardonable of vices; but it is the most unpardonable of virtues. Nietzsche, who represents most prominently this pretentious claim of the fastidious, has a description somewhere--a very powerful description in the purely literary sense--of the disgust and disdain which consume him at the sight of the common people with their common faces, their common voices, and their common minds. As I have said, this attitude is almost beautiful if we may regard it as pathetic. Nietzsche's aristocracy has about it all the sacredness that belongs to the weak. When he makes us feel that he cannot endure the innumerable faces, the incessant voices, the overpowering omnipresence which belongs to the mob, he will have the sympathy of anybody who has ever been sick on a steamer or tired in a crowded omnibus. Every man has hated mankind when he was less than a man. Every man has had humanity in his eyes like a blinding fog, humanity in his nostrils like a suffocating smell. But when Nietzsche has the incredible lack of humour and lack of imagination to ask us to believe that his aristocracy is an aristocracy of strong muscles or an aristocracy of strong wills, it is necessary to point out the truth. It is an aristocracy of weak nerves.

We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next-door neighbour. Hence he comes to us clad in all the careless terrors of nature; he is as strange as the stars, as reckless and indifferent as the rain. He is Man, the most terrible of the beasts. That is why the old religions and the old scriptural language showed so sharp a wisdom when they spoke, not of one's duty towards humanity, but one's duty towards one's neighbour. The duty towards humanity may often take the form of some choice which is personal or even pleasurable. That duty may be a hobby; it may even be a dissipation. We may work in the East End because we are peculiarly fitted to work in the East End, or because we think we are; we may fight for the cause of international peace because we are very fond of fighting. The most monstrous martyrdom, the most repulsive experience, may be the result of choice or a kind of taste. We may be so made as to be particularly fond of lunatics or specially interested in leprosy. We may love negroes because they are black or German Socialists because they are pedantic. But we have to love our neighbour because he is there-- a much more alarming reason for a much more serious operation. He is the sample of humanity which is actually given us. Precisely because he may be anybody he is everybody. He is a symbol because he is an accident.

Doubtless men flee from small environments into lands that are very deadly. But this is natural enough; for they are not fleeing from death. They are fleeing from life. And this principle applies to ring within ring of the social system of humanity. It is perfectly reasonable that men should seek for some particular variety of the human type, so long as they are seeking for that variety of the human type, and not for mere human variety. It is quite proper that a British diplomatist should seek the society of Japanese generals, if what he wants is Japanese generals. But if what he wants is people different from himself, he had much better stop at home and discuss religion with the housemaid. It is quite reasonable that the village genius should come up to conquer London if what he wants is to conquer London. But if he wants to conquer something fundamentally and symbolically hostile and also very strong, he had much better remain where he is and have a row with the rector. The man in the suburban street is quite right if he goes to Ramsgate for the sake of Ramsgate--a difficult thing to imagine. But if, as he expresses it, he goes to Ramsgate "for a change," then he would have a much more romantic and even melodramatic change if he jumped over the wall into his neighbours garden. The consequences would be bracing in a sense far beyond the possibilities of Ramsgate hygiene.

Now, exactly as this principle applies to the empire, to the nation within the empire, to the city within the nation, to the street within the city, so it applies to the home within the street. The institution of the family is to be commended for precisely the same reasons that the institution of the nation, or the institution of the city, are in this matter to be commended. It is a good thing for a man to live in a family for the same reason that it is a good thing for a man to be besieged in a city. It is a good thing for a man to live in a family in the same sense that it is a beautiful and delightful thing for a man to be snowed up in a street. They all force him to realize that life is not a thing from outside, but a thing from inside. Above all, they all insist upon the fact that life, if it be a truly stimulating and fascinating life, is a thing which, of its nature, exists in spite of ourselves. The modern writers who have suggested, in a more or less open manner, that the family is a bad institution, have generally confined themselves to suggesting, with much sharpness, bitterness, or pathos, that perhaps the family is not always very congenial. Of course the family is a good institution because it is uncongenial. It is wholesome precisely because it contains so many divergencies and varieties. It is, as the sentimentalists say, like a little kingdom, and, like most other little kingdoms, is generally in a state of something resembling anarchy. It is exactly because our brother George is not interested in our religious difficulties, but is interested in the Trocadero Restaurant, that the family has some of the bracing qualities of the commonwealth. It is precisely because our uncle Henry does not approve of the theatrical ambitions of our sister Sarah that the family is like humanity. The men and women who, for good reasons and bad, revolt against the family, are, for good reasons and bad, simply revolting against mankind. Aunt Elizabeth is unreasonable, like mankind. Papa is excitable, like mankind Our youngest brother is mischievous, like mankind. Grandpapa is stupid, like the world; he is old, like the world.

Those who wish, rightly or wrongly, to step out of all this, do definitely wish to step into a narrower world. They are dismayed and terrified by the largeness and variety of the family. Sarah wishes to find a world wholly consisting of private theatricals; George wishes to think the Trocadero a cosmos. I do not say, for a moment, that the flight to this narrower life may not be the right thing for the individual, any more than I say the same thing about flight into a monastery. But I do say that anything is bad and artificial which tends to make these people succumb to the strange delusion that they are stepping into a world which is actually larger and more varied than their own. The best way that a man could test his readiness to encounter the common variety of mankind would be to climb down a chimney into any house at random, and get on as well as possible with the people inside. And that is essentially what each one of us did on the day that he was born.

This is, indeed, the sublime and special romance of the family. It is romantic because it is a toss-up. It is romantic because it is everything that its enemies call it. It is romantic because it is arbitrary. It is romantic because it is there. So long as you have groups of men chosen rationally, you have some special or sectarian atmosphere. It is when you have groups of men chosen irrationally that you have men. The element of adventure begins to exist; for an adventure is, by its nature, a thing that comes to us. It is a thing that chooses us, not a thing that we choose. Falling in love has been often regarded as the supreme adventure, the supreme romantic accident. In so much as there is in it something outside ourselves, something of a sort of merry fatalism, this is very true. Love does take us and transfigure and torture us. It does break our hearts with an unbearable beauty, like the unbearable beauty of music. But in so far as we have certainly something to do with the matter; in so far as we are in some sense prepared to fall in love and in some sense jump into it; in so far as we do to some extent choose and to some extent even judge--in all this falling in love is not truly romantic, is not truly adventurous at all. In this degree the supreme adventure is not falling in love. The supreme adventure is being born. There we do walk suddenly into a splendid and startling trap. There we do see something of which we have not dreamed before. Our father and mother do lie in wait for us and leap out on us, like brigands from a bush. Our uncle is a surprise. Our aunt is, in the beautiful common expression, a bolt from the blue. When we step into the family, by the act of being born, we do step into a world which is incalculable, into a world which has its own strange laws, into a world which could do without us, into a world that we have not made. In other words, when we step into the family we step into a fairy-tale.

This colour as of a fantastic narrative ought to cling to the family and to our relations with it throughout life. Romance is the deepest thing in life; romance is deeper even than reality. For even if reality could be proved to be misleading, it still could not be proved to be unimportant or unimpressive. Even if the facts are false, they are still very strange. And this strangeness of life, this unexpected and even perverse element of things as they fall out, remains incurably interesting. The circumstances we can regulate may become tame or pessimistic; but the "circumstances over which we have no control" remain god-like to those who, like Mr. Micawber, can call on them and renew their strength. People wonder why the novel is the most popular form of literature; people wonder why it is read more than books of science or books of metaphysics. The reason is very simple; it is merely that the novel is more true than they are. Life may sometimes legitimately appear as a book of science. Life may sometimes appear, and with a much greater legitimacy, as a book of metaphysics. But life is always a novel. Our existence may cease to be a song; it may cease even to be a beautiful lament. Our existence may not be an intelligible justice, or even a recognizable wrong. But our existence is still a story. In the fiery alphabet of every sunset is written, "to be continued in our next." If we have sufficient intellect, we can finish a philosophical and exact deduction, and be certain that we are finishing it right. With the adequate brain-power we could finish any scientific discovery, and be certain that we were finishing it right. But not with the most gigantic intellect could we finish the simplest or silliest story, and be certain that we were finishing it right. That is because a story has behind it, not merely intellect which is partly mechanical, but will, which is in its essence divine. The narrative writer can send his hero to the gallows if he likes in the last chapter but one. He can do it by the same divine caprice whereby he, the author, can go to the gallows himself, and to hell afterwards if he chooses. And the same civilization, the chivalric European civilization which asserted freewill in the thirteenth century, produced the thing called "fiction" in the eighteenth. When Thomas Aquinas asserted the spiritual liberty of man, he created all the bad novels in the circulating libraries.

But in order that life should be a story or romance to us, it is necessary that a great part of it, at any rate, should be settled for us without our permission. If we wish life to be a system, this may be a nuisance; but if we wish it to be a drama, it is an essential. It may often happen, no doubt, that a drama may be written by somebody else which we like very little. But we should like it still less if the author came before the curtain every hour or so, and forced on us the whole trouble of inventing the next act. A man has control over many things in his life; he has control over enough things to be the hero of a novel. But if he had control over everything, there would be so much hero that there would be no novel. And the reason why the lives of the rich are at bottom so tame and uneventful is simply that they can choose the events. They are dull because they are omnipotent. They fail to feel adventures because they can make the adventures. The thing which keeps life romantic and full of fiery possibilities is the existence of these great plain limitations which force all of us to meet the things we do not like or do not expect. It is vain for the supercilious moderns to talk of being in uncongenial surroundings. To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance. Of all these great limitations and frameworks which fashion and create the poetry and variety of life, the family is the most definite and important. Hence it is misunderstood by the moderns, who imagine that romance would exist most perfectly in a complete state of what they call liberty. They think that if a man makes a gesture it would be a startling and romantic matter that the sun should fall from the sky. But the startling and romantic thing about the sun is that it does not fall from the sky. They are seeking under every shape and form a world where there are no limitations--that is, a world where there are no outlines; that is, a world where there are no shapes. There is nothing baser than that infinity. They say they wish to be, as strong as the universe, but they really wish the whole universe as weak as themselves.

As always, 

]]> "On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family" by G.K. Chesterton // Episode 100 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:01 Wherein we read Joseph's favorite G.K. Chesterton essay, which is a chapter from his book "Heretics". You can find the essay in the show notes. Wherein we read Joseph's favorite G.K. Chesterton essay, which is a chapter from his book "Heretics". You can find the essay in the show notes. g.k. chesterton, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, heretics, love of god, family false full 100 9e34719e-aa8c-476e-b373-473f4e9e97dc Why Read More? // Episode 99 Reading changes us. Why not choose who we want to change us, and read their works?

Several things to note for this episode:

  • Yes, this is another episode that doubles as me practicing for a Toastmasters meeting;
  • Yes, I could have mentioned the Bible in both this episode and in Toastmasters, but didn't, and fought myself on that one. For one, I think there are some people who are intimidated by reading the Bible, and if my goal was to persuade, I wanted to choose a more manageable actionable item for them. For another, I have sometimes gotten into a strange rut where I don't read much, but I will keep reading the Bible, and I need to remember to read other things too, and a part of every episode is making sure I say the things that I know future-me will need to hear. And third, I wanted my action item to be immediately delightful, rather than the multi-valanced response Scripture often receives. Going along with that third point is that if people aren't used to grappling with a text, starting them on familiar ground may make them better readers in the long run, and prepare them for grappling with Scripture at some later date;
  • I also generally recommend that people read books within a community of readers, but did not mention that in this episode. I still recommend it though!
  • I'm pretty sure we'll be back to longer-form episodes soon. And Crystal-populated episodes. It's just been a weird couple of weeks.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 May 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Reading changes us. Why not choose who we want to change us, and read their works?

Several things to note for this episode:

  • Yes, this is another episode that doubles as me practicing for a Toastmasters meeting;
  • Yes, I could have mentioned the Bible in both this episode and in Toastmasters, but didn't, and fought myself on that one. For one, I think there are some people who are intimidated by reading the Bible, and if my goal was to persuade, I wanted to choose a more manageable actionable item for them. For another, I have sometimes gotten into a strange rut where I don't read much, but I will keep reading the Bible, and I need to remember to read other things too, and a part of every episode is making sure I say the things that I know future-me will need to hear. And third, I wanted my action item to be immediately delightful, rather than the multi-valanced response Scripture often receives. Going along with that third point is that if people aren't used to grappling with a text, starting them on familiar ground may make them better readers in the long run, and prepare them for grappling with Scripture at some later date;
  • I also generally recommend that people read books within a community of readers, but did not mention that in this episode. I still recommend it though!
  • I'm pretty sure we'll be back to longer-form episodes soon. And Crystal-populated episodes. It's just been a weird couple of weeks.

As always, 

]]> Why Read More? // Episode 99 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:04:25 Wherein Joseph appeals to ethos to encourage our listeners (and himself) to read more. Wherein Joseph appeals to ethos to encourage our listeners (and himself) to read more. why read, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, reading false full 99 da642210-6663-4a19-b007-2021e971330f Compatibility // Episode 98 'Compatibility' often sounds rather bland. Sure, it seems important in a relationship, whether romantic or platonic, that there be some level of compatibility. But without understanding the levels of compatibility, it's really difficult to assess it, or find it, or achieve it. This episode explores the depths and the heights of compatibility. 

The book referenced is Liturgy and Personality by Dietrich von Hildebrand. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ 'Compatibility' often sounds rather bland. Sure, it seems important in a relationship, whether romantic or platonic, that there be some level of compatibility. But without understanding the levels of compatibility, it's really difficult to assess it, or find it, or achieve it. This episode explores the depths and the heights of compatibility. 

The book referenced is Liturgy and Personality by Dietrich von Hildebrand. 

As always, 

]]> Compatibility // Episode 98 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:09:08 Wherein Joseph discusses the depths and the heights of what it is to be compatible. Wherein Joseph discusses the depths and the heights of what it is to be compatible. compatibility, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, compatible, missionary, love of god, christian false full 98 af40e712-e103-4db3-bce1-cb4963bbf21a Make New Friends... // Episode 97 Crystal informed Joseph just before we recorded that there's a song that goes, "Make new friends, but keep the old-- one is silver and the other is gold." We don't sing it on this episode, but we stole part of the first line for the title!

Meeting new people can seem scary, or uncomfortable, or in our perilous times, downright dangerous and life-threatening. But it isn't usually that bad. We talk about the basics of meeting people and why to do so.

We reference briefly the movie Peanut Butter Falcon, which we recommend, but because of language, would not recommend for kids. We also reference Brideshead Revisited, both the book and the BBC miniseries (also not kid material). And I don't remember for sure if we reference the musical Wicked, but I'm pretty sure we did. It's been a long time, but I have a recollection that it might be debatable whether it is kid-appropriate. I mean, there's pretty blatant natural-law flouting, what with the defying of gravity and all, and characters end up being a bit more complex than in the Judy-Garland-starring film Wizard of Oz, so  there's that. And it deviates wildly from the L. Frank Baum world of Oz, which is filled with wonderful characters like the Patchwork Girl of Oz, and Ozma of Oz, and Tik-Tok of Oz, and Scarecrow becomes the mayor of the Emerald City for a time, and all of that has to become non-canonical for Wicked to work. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Crystal informed Joseph just before we recorded that there's a song that goes, "Make new friends, but keep the old-- one is silver and the other is gold." We don't sing it on this episode, but we stole part of the first line for the title!

Meeting new people can seem scary, or uncomfortable, or in our perilous times, downright dangerous and life-threatening. But it isn't usually that bad. We talk about the basics of meeting people and why to do so.

We reference briefly the movie Peanut Butter Falcon, which we recommend, but because of language, would not recommend for kids. We also reference Brideshead Revisited, both the book and the BBC miniseries (also not kid material). And I don't remember for sure if we reference the musical Wicked, but I'm pretty sure we did. It's been a long time, but I have a recollection that it might be debatable whether it is kid-appropriate. I mean, there's pretty blatant natural-law flouting, what with the defying of gravity and all, and characters end up being a bit more complex than in the Judy-Garland-starring film Wizard of Oz, so  there's that. And it deviates wildly from the L. Frank Baum world of Oz, which is filled with wonderful characters like the Patchwork Girl of Oz, and Ozma of Oz, and Tik-Tok of Oz, and Scarecrow becomes the mayor of the Emerald City for a time, and all of that has to become non-canonical for Wicked to work. 

As always, 

]]> Make New Friends... // Episode 97 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:08 Wherein we talk about a very basic human activity-- meeting new friends. It requires getting out of our comfort zone, though, so this might not be your cup of tea, if you'd rather stay there. Enjoy your cup of tea, if that's the case! Wherein we talk about a very basic human activity-- meeting new friends. It requires getting out of our comfort zone, though, so this might not be your cup of tea, if you'd rather stay there. Enjoy your cup of tea, if that's the case! make new friends, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, introductions, missionary, love of god, christian false full 97 27c60bc9-fd21-4fa8-a309-2cffeaf8a59f A Conversation with a Catholic Social Media Influencer w/ Maclaine Capshew // Episode 96 We were delighted to sit down and talk with Maclaine Capshew, an Instagrammer and Catholic missionary, to discuss the role of social media in evangelization.

We try not to use our medium to talk about the medium of podcasting, but every once in a while, it's good to step back and examine the structure that all of this is resting on. 

This is one of our longer episodes, and quite clearly, there's more still to be discussed. But that's the case with all of our episodes, and we leave it to you, dear listener, to continue the discussion with friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors!

You can follow Maclaine's work on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/acatholicconvo/ 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Apr 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Maclaine Capshew) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We were delighted to sit down and talk with Maclaine Capshew, an Instagrammer and Catholic missionary, to discuss the role of social media in evangelization.

We try not to use our medium to talk about the medium of podcasting, but every once in a while, it's good to step back and examine the structure that all of this is resting on. 

This is one of our longer episodes, and quite clearly, there's more still to be discussed. But that's the case with all of our episodes, and we leave it to you, dear listener, to continue the discussion with friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors!

You can follow Maclaine's work on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/acatholicconvo/ 

 

As always, 

]]> A Conversation with a Catholic Social Media Influencer w/ Maclaine Capshew // Episode 96 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Maclaine Capshew 00:58:21 Wherein we talk about social media and evangelization with Maclaine Capshew, a Catholic Instagram influencer with over 23 thousand followers. Wherein we talk about social media and evangelization with Maclaine Capshew, a Catholic Instagram influencer with over 23 thousand followers. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, social media, digital media, love of god, christian, evangelization false full 96 6f8e24f3-234c-4864-a43e-868887451d82 Why Climb a Tree? // Episode 95 Holy Week is busy. Here's a short episode!

Fundamentally, there seem to be two reasons to climb a tree. Listen in to find out more! 

If the show notes are much longer, they'll be longer than the episode!

Please do feel free to share and rate and review our podcast. This one might be especially fun to share!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full disclosure-- Joseph recently joined Toastmasters, a speech-giving club, and this is a speech he'll be giving soon after publishing this episode. It's the speech where he's supposed to use a lot of body language, so try to imagine him climbing trees throughout the episode...

As always, 

]]> Wed, 31 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Holy Week is busy. Here's a short episode!

Fundamentally, there seem to be two reasons to climb a tree. Listen in to find out more! 

If the show notes are much longer, they'll be longer than the episode!

Please do feel free to share and rate and review our podcast. This one might be especially fun to share!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full disclosure-- Joseph recently joined Toastmasters, a speech-giving club, and this is a speech he'll be giving soon after publishing this episode. It's the speech where he's supposed to use a lot of body language, so try to imagine him climbing trees throughout the episode...

As always, 

]]> Why Climb a Tree? // Episode 95 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:04:00 Wherein Joseph briefly reflects on why we climb trees. Wherein Joseph briefly reflects on why we climb trees. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, fall of man, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, tree climbing, christian false full 95 e27f1985-2953-461e-b1d1-ea6e3d3ebc31 Matthew 18: Jesus' Sermon on Life in the Church // Episode 94 Jesus gives five major sermons in Matthew's Gospel-- the sermon on the mount, the sending of the twelve, the parables, this sermon in Matthew 18, and a final one with a lot of woe and destruction. Of the five, I think we know which one gets the most talked about, and it rhymes with the merman on the fount. But this sermon, Matthew 18, is worth a look at too. In it, Jesus lays out what we should expect if we live in the Church.

It's not immediately obvious that Jesus should paint the picture that He does. In fact, it's pretty counter-intuitive. Become like children. Scandal and temptation are going to come. People will sin against us. Repeatedly. We need to face those who wound us. They still might not concede an inch. We probably will have the right to insist on our own way, and on receiving our due, and yet somehow, there may be a better way. God doesn't want any of the lost to be lost, even the ones who have hurt us. 

Not intuitive stuff. 

Enjoy!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 Mar 2021 09:30:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Jesus gives five major sermons in Matthew's Gospel-- the sermon on the mount, the sending of the twelve, the parables, this sermon in Matthew 18, and a final one with a lot of woe and destruction. Of the five, I think we know which one gets the most talked about, and it rhymes with the merman on the fount. But this sermon, Matthew 18, is worth a look at too. In it, Jesus lays out what we should expect if we live in the Church.

It's not immediately obvious that Jesus should paint the picture that He does. In fact, it's pretty counter-intuitive. Become like children. Scandal and temptation are going to come. People will sin against us. Repeatedly. We need to face those who wound us. They still might not concede an inch. We probably will have the right to insist on our own way, and on receiving our due, and yet somehow, there may be a better way. God doesn't want any of the lost to be lost, even the ones who have hurt us. 

Not intuitive stuff. 

Enjoy!

As always, 

]]> Matthew 18: Jesus' Sermon on Life in the Church // Episode 94 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:41:41 Wherein we discuss Matthew chapter 18, which is Jesus' sermon on what life in the Church looks like. Joseph has been studying it with some men for the past month, and there's just a whole lot in it worth talking through. Wherein we discuss Matthew chapter 18, which is Jesus' sermon on what life in the Church looks like. Joseph has been studying it with some men for the past month, and there's just a whole lot in it worth talking through. life in the church, apostolate, discipleship, life in the early church, love of neighbor, studying the bible, life in the modern church, gospel of matthew, missionary, matthew 18, love of god, bible study false full 94 7bf180cd-9084-4f08-bbf2-9f7b4e4486c7 Our Thoughts on Natural Family Planning // Episode 93 This is a controversial topic in Catholic circles, and we try to treat the topic fairly and as fully as we can. Because it touches on questions of life and love and marriage and children and decisions in the past as well as decisions in the present and future, we ask that you listen with an open mind and heart. 

Catholic couples sometimes approach natural family planning (NFP) with an odd mindset, almost like they've got a solution and now are looking for a problem to justify using it. Another unfortunate mindset in approaching NFP is to see it as a solution to a problem that they're not willing to admit to having, for fear that people might judge them. There are issues to both sides, and we hope we've been able to set out a third mindset, in which marriage is fundamentally for the procreation and education of children as well as the sanctification of the couple. Natural family planning, or the deliberate use of infertile periods in a woman's cycle for the marital act and deliberate exclusion of the fertile periods in order to avoid pregnancy, figures into that vision as a legitimate means to allow for the addressing of the serious reasons that prompted the need to avoid another pregnancy. Something is legitimately wrong, and needs to be addressed, for NFP to make sense in this context, otherwise the wedding vows don't make much sense. 

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

Hopefully you've been able to listen to the "Charting Cycles of Fertility" and "Humanae Vitae" episodes, because this builds on them! We think you can listen to this episode on its own, but if we're wrong, you'll want to go back to the last two episodes!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This is a controversial topic in Catholic circles, and we try to treat the topic fairly and as fully as we can. Because it touches on questions of life and love and marriage and children and decisions in the past as well as decisions in the present and future, we ask that you listen with an open mind and heart. 

Catholic couples sometimes approach natural family planning (NFP) with an odd mindset, almost like they've got a solution and now are looking for a problem to justify using it. Another unfortunate mindset in approaching NFP is to see it as a solution to a problem that they're not willing to admit to having, for fear that people might judge them. There are issues to both sides, and we hope we've been able to set out a third mindset, in which marriage is fundamentally for the procreation and education of children as well as the sanctification of the couple. Natural family planning, or the deliberate use of infertile periods in a woman's cycle for the marital act and deliberate exclusion of the fertile periods in order to avoid pregnancy, figures into that vision as a legitimate means to allow for the addressing of the serious reasons that prompted the need to avoid another pregnancy. Something is legitimately wrong, and needs to be addressed, for NFP to make sense in this context, otherwise the wedding vows don't make much sense. 

Let us know your thoughts by emailing us at hello@ouroutpost.org!

Hopefully you've been able to listen to the "Charting Cycles of Fertility" and "Humanae Vitae" episodes, because this builds on them! We think you can listen to this episode on its own, but if we're wrong, you'll want to go back to the last two episodes!

As always, 

]]> Our Thoughts on Natural Family Planning // Episode 93 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:36:59 Wherein we talk about natural family planning-- what it is, why people use it, and trying to think with the mind of the Church in how to pursue it. Wherein we talk about natural family planning-- what it is, why people use it, and trying to think with the mind of the Church in how to pursue it. matrimony, catholic, natural family planning, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, missionary, love of god, contraception, family, christian, humanae vitae false full 93 5b8712d2-99ec-416d-adf8-213182b034e1 Humanae Vitae: A Brief History and Some Thoughts // Episode 92 When Pope Paul VI wrote Humanae Vitae, he flabbergasted the world, especially parts of the Catholic world. Many expected him to signal a change to almost-two-thousand years of Catholic teaching regarding human sexuality, and when he didn't bend, he faced widespread rejection and ridicule. 

Despite the reception, the encyclical itself is a beautiful presentation of the call of married couples to remain true to their vows and true to their natures. It's a sticky subject when we are culturally averse to permanent commitments and to conceding that we have inherent natures, and so for those for whom those are leaps too far, his encyclical may be of little interest. For those who think that natural law applies even now, and that wedding vows are not just empty words, this encyclical is eye-opening and beautiful!

(As an aside, Crystal asks Joseph for an analogy around the four-minute mark. He does provides it, but not until around the 20-minute mark, with a lot of intervening commentary in between.)


We hope you enjoy our discussion of it; it's just Crystal's favorite encyclical. It's also a relatively short work, so check it out if you have the time! 

http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ When Pope Paul VI wrote Humanae Vitae, he flabbergasted the world, especially parts of the Catholic world. Many expected him to signal a change to almost-two-thousand years of Catholic teaching regarding human sexuality, and when he didn't bend, he faced widespread rejection and ridicule. 

Despite the reception, the encyclical itself is a beautiful presentation of the call of married couples to remain true to their vows and true to their natures. It's a sticky subject when we are culturally averse to permanent commitments and to conceding that we have inherent natures, and so for those for whom those are leaps too far, his encyclical may be of little interest. For those who think that natural law applies even now, and that wedding vows are not just empty words, this encyclical is eye-opening and beautiful!

(As an aside, Crystal asks Joseph for an analogy around the four-minute mark. He does provides it, but not until around the 20-minute mark, with a lot of intervening commentary in between.)


We hope you enjoy our discussion of it; it's just Crystal's favorite encyclical. It's also a relatively short work, so check it out if you have the time! 

http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html

As always, 

]]> Humanae Vitae: A Brief History and Some Thoughts // Episode 92 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:39:02 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about Pope Paul VI's contentious encyclical, Humanae Vitae-- its context, reception, and enduring legacy. Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about Pope Paul VI's contentious encyclical, Humanae Vitae-- its context, reception, and enduring legacy. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, on human life, pope paul vi, missionary, responsible parenthood, love of god, contraception, christian, humanae vitae false full 92 9668fdfe-59d4-453f-8b2c-8d719daca9f1 Charting Cycles of Fertility // Episode 91 There's a controversial topic in some Catholic circles-- NFP-- Natural Family Planning. Some Catholics think it's just like contraception, so wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. Some Catholics think it's a lot harder than the contraceptives they're using, so wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. Or so we've noticed...

This isn't an episode on that. Instead, it's a step or two before that topic-- why women benefit from knowing how their bodies work, and a bit about why men are better off knowing some of that, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's a controversial topic in some Catholic circles-- NFP-- Natural Family Planning. Some Catholics think it's just like contraception, so wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. Some Catholics think it's a lot harder than the contraceptives they're using, so wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole. Or so we've noticed...

This isn't an episode on that. Instead, it's a step or two before that topic-- why women benefit from knowing how their bodies work, and a bit about why men are better off knowing some of that, too.

 

As always, 

]]> Charting Cycles of Fertility // Episode 91 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:39 Wherein we talk about why roughly half of the population might benefit from knowing their cycles of fertility better, and a bit about why the other half are better off knowing some basics, too. Wherein we talk about why roughly half of the population might benefit from knowing their cycles of fertility better, and a bit about why the other half are better off knowing some basics, too. ovulation, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, charting cycles, charting, fertility, missionary, love of god, christian false full 91 349fecab-6095-407e-8413-e1f6efe75ff4 More Liturgy of the Hours with Fr. Steven Oetjen // Episode 90 We felt like we had some missing pieces in our last episode, and so we called in a ringer-- Fr. Steven Oetjen. 

We talk about his experience in learning the liturgy of the hours, as well as a couple of meta-lessons in learning. 

We also talk a bit about controversial parts of the Psalms that are currently not part of the Psalter. 

And ultimately, we talk about not just the benefits, but the deepest reason to pray the liturgy of the hours.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Fr. Steven Oetjen, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We felt like we had some missing pieces in our last episode, and so we called in a ringer-- Fr. Steven Oetjen. 

We talk about his experience in learning the liturgy of the hours, as well as a couple of meta-lessons in learning. 

We also talk a bit about controversial parts of the Psalms that are currently not part of the Psalter. 

And ultimately, we talk about not just the benefits, but the deepest reason to pray the liturgy of the hours.

As always, 

]]> More Liturgy of the Hours with Fr. Steven Oetjen // Episode 90 Fr. Steven Oetjen, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:48:33 Wherein we continue to discuss the liturgy of the hours alongside Fr. Steven Oetjen, priest of the diocese of Arlington, Virginia! Wherein we continue to discuss the liturgy of the hours alongside Fr. Steven Oetjen, priest of the diocese of Arlington, Virginia! liturgy of the hours, apostolic, catholic, love of neighbor, prayer, liturgy, divine office, love of god false full 90 e6a8a500-309c-4c09-81a4-a973433b4b2e An Intro to the Liturgy of the Hours // Episode 89 If you've ever looked at other religions and thought, "Man, I wish we had set times where we would stop whatever we were doing and joined in a communal prayer," then have we got a Christian prayer for you!

If you've ever wanted a way to pray through (most of) the Psalms over the course of four weeks, have we got a prayer for you!

If you've ever wanted to pray with a spouse or a roommate or housemate, but couldn't agree on a private devotional, then have we got a public devotional for you!

Here’s a link to the iBreviary app!  

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibreviary-ts-plus/id422601705

 

We're not experts on the liturgy of the hours. But what we have, we'll share. And for our next episode, we'll bring on someone even more conversant with the liturgy of the hours!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If you've ever looked at other religions and thought, "Man, I wish we had set times where we would stop whatever we were doing and joined in a communal prayer," then have we got a Christian prayer for you!

If you've ever wanted a way to pray through (most of) the Psalms over the course of four weeks, have we got a prayer for you!

If you've ever wanted to pray with a spouse or a roommate or housemate, but couldn't agree on a private devotional, then have we got a public devotional for you!

Here’s a link to the iBreviary app!  

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ibreviary-ts-plus/id422601705

 

We're not experts on the liturgy of the hours. But what we have, we'll share. And for our next episode, we'll bring on someone even more conversant with the liturgy of the hours!

As always, 

]]> An Intro to the Liturgy of the Hours // Episode 89 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:00 Wherein we talk about the second-most important liturgical prayer, the liturgy of the hours, or the divine office. Wherein we talk about the second-most important liturgical prayer, the liturgy of the hours, or the divine office. liturgy of the hours, the divine office, catholic, psalms, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, scripture, liturgy, love of god, christian false full 89 be1787d6-9c90-42aa-a41e-0d9a22006772 Not Taking the Psalms for Granted // Episode 88 Did you ever wonder why the Bible comes with a song-book in the middle? 

It didn't have to. In fact, people were Israelites and worshipped God without an official songbook for some time before David came along. Looking at the Psalms as gratuitous can be helpful for us to foster gratitude and avoid taking them for granted.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Did you ever wonder why the Bible comes with a song-book in the middle? 

It didn't have to. In fact, people were Israelites and worshipped God without an official songbook for some time before David came along. Looking at the Psalms as gratuitous can be helpful for us to foster gratitude and avoid taking them for granted.

 

As always, 

]]> Not Taking the Psalms for Granted // Episode 88 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:29:31 Wherein we talk about the Psalms, what they are, and why it's not obvious that they should be in a Bible, and what to do with them. Wherein we talk about the Psalms, what they are, and why it's not obvious that they should be in a Bible, and what to do with them. catholic, psalms, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, love of god, christian false full 88 6bf8b456-8181-48f4-a4b8-c118ece58d44 Judah and Tamar // Episode 87 Interrupting the flow of the Joseph narrative at the end of Genesis is this one-chapter interlude, telling us how it came to be that Judah has descendants. Onanism and prostitution are mentioned, so not exactly an episode that would make sense for younger ears. Levirate marriage is also discussed, but that probably isn't as big of a deal for younger listeners...

And yes, this is another story in salvation history where the characters go through something that looks pretty bad, and potentially is pretty bad, but it gets redeemed in the end with the advent of Christ. If you've been noticing a theme for every time we've dipped our toes into the Torah, you would be right!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Interrupting the flow of the Joseph narrative at the end of Genesis is this one-chapter interlude, telling us how it came to be that Judah has descendants. Onanism and prostitution are mentioned, so not exactly an episode that would make sense for younger ears. Levirate marriage is also discussed, but that probably isn't as big of a deal for younger listeners...

And yes, this is another story in salvation history where the characters go through something that looks pretty bad, and potentially is pretty bad, but it gets redeemed in the end with the advent of Christ. If you've been noticing a theme for every time we've dipped our toes into the Torah, you would be right!

As always, 

]]> Judah and Tamar // Episode 87 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:14 Wherein we discuss the events of Genesis 38, which is the story of Judah, his daughter-in-law Tamar, and how she receives two sons though married to a dead man. Wherein we discuss the events of Genesis 38, which is the story of Judah, his daughter-in-law Tamar, and how she receives two sons though married to a dead man. torah, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, scripture, love of god, christian, genesis, judah true full 87 4c558268-f565-4eeb-be45-5237210d3967 An Intro to Lectio Divina // Episode 86 Lectio Divina, or the prayerful reading of scripture, is often mentioned in Catholic circles. We've found, though, that many times people will talk about lectio divina without really knowing what it is or how to do it. In fact, that may well be the story of one of us podcasters...but we don't go into that. Instead, we talk about the steps, or movements, or rungs, or stages of lectio divina. If we think that the Bible contains the word of God, we're sorta forced to admit that we do hear God speak, everytime we read scripture. The question isn't whether God is speaking, then; the question is whether we are responding. Lectio divina is one way to frame how to respond to God's speech.

Incidentally, part of it elucidates the stages we should go through when we read 'most anything. Part of it is also a handy diagram of how we ought to respond to anyone who is speaking to us, so by teaching us how to pray, it also may teach us how to relate to 'most any person. Combine the two, and it's lectio divina.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Jan 2021 05:05:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Lectio Divina, or the prayerful reading of scripture, is often mentioned in Catholic circles. We've found, though, that many times people will talk about lectio divina without really knowing what it is or how to do it. In fact, that may well be the story of one of us podcasters...but we don't go into that. Instead, we talk about the steps, or movements, or rungs, or stages of lectio divina. If we think that the Bible contains the word of God, we're sorta forced to admit that we do hear God speak, everytime we read scripture. The question isn't whether God is speaking, then; the question is whether we are responding. Lectio divina is one way to frame how to respond to God's speech.

Incidentally, part of it elucidates the stages we should go through when we read 'most anything. Part of it is also a handy diagram of how we ought to respond to anyone who is speaking to us, so by teaching us how to pray, it also may teach us how to relate to 'most any person. Combine the two, and it's lectio divina.

As always, 

]]> An Intro to Lectio Divina // Episode 86 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:47 Wherein we talk about the traditional Christian devotional practice of praying with scripture, also known as lectio divina. Wherein we talk about the traditional Christian devotional practice of praying with scripture, also known as lectio divina. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, bible, praying with scripture, love of god, lectio divina, christian false full 86 c195f269-0f98-466f-a478-a590091f978d A Rekindled Faith with Mallory Smyth // Episode 85 Bad homilies. Scandalous public figures. Awkward teachings, hypocritically taught. Most Catholics have had to face these aspects of being in the Catholic Church, and it has left many wondering why they should stay. We interview one woman, Mallory Smyth, who has written a book devoted to explaining why she stays Catholic when confronted with the same reasons many others have had to leave. 

I had marked many passages that we wanted to discuss with her, but somehow didn't bring up my favorite passage from her new book, Rekindled:  

"They began with the bad news: 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Rom 3:23). Bad news? I remember thinking, this is great news. If everyone has fallen short of the glory of God, if each one of us has gone our own way, then we are all starting from the same place. This truth set me free. I could stop trying to be better than other people. In reality, I was no better than them anyway." (Rekindled p. 7)

The whole book is filled with twists on what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the Catholic Church that breathe new life into teachings that many have found stale, difficult, or confusing. We greatly enjoyed our discussion with her, and only wish that we had time to talk further. We hope you enjoy both the conversation and her book!

Check out a free preview of her book here: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08G89MBR3&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_SVccGbXZJF3SS 

And order a copy of her book here: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/rekindled

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:46:47 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Mallory Smyth, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Bad homilies. Scandalous public figures. Awkward teachings, hypocritically taught. Most Catholics have had to face these aspects of being in the Catholic Church, and it has left many wondering why they should stay. We interview one woman, Mallory Smyth, who has written a book devoted to explaining why she stays Catholic when confronted with the same reasons many others have had to leave. 

I had marked many passages that we wanted to discuss with her, but somehow didn't bring up my favorite passage from her new book, Rekindled:  

"They began with the bad news: 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Rom 3:23). Bad news? I remember thinking, this is great news. If everyone has fallen short of the glory of God, if each one of us has gone our own way, then we are all starting from the same place. This truth set me free. I could stop trying to be better than other people. In reality, I was no better than them anyway." (Rekindled p. 7)

The whole book is filled with twists on what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the Catholic Church that breathe new life into teachings that many have found stale, difficult, or confusing. We greatly enjoyed our discussion with her, and only wish that we had time to talk further. We hope you enjoy both the conversation and her book!

Check out a free preview of her book here: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08G89MBR3&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_SVccGbXZJF3SS 

And order a copy of her book here: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/rekindled

 

As always, 

]]> A Rekindled Faith with Mallory Smyth // Episode 85 Mallory Smyth, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:42:19 Wherein we talk with Mallory Smyth about her new book, Rekindled, which is an exploration of many of the common reasons Catholics leave their faith, and why she hasn't. Wherein we talk with Mallory Smyth about her new book, Rekindled, which is an exploration of many of the common reasons Catholics leave their faith, and why she hasn't. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, mallory smyth, missionary, love of god, christian, rekindled false full 85 a574cd71-ab40-4b0a-acf4-d94d7403a756 Casti Connubii Part 3: Remedies for Marriage // Episode 84 Marriage is beautiful, marriage is under attack, and marriage can be remedied. Those are the principle messages of Casti Connubii, and in this episode, we consider the final part of Pope Pius XI's encyclical. 

After all of the problems presented in the last episode, you might expect a specific solution to each particular problem. Instead, Pope Pius XI shows that the solution is a mix of personal, communal, ecclesial, and civil responsibility and cooperation. 

Here's an outline of the whole encyclical, to aid you in your reading!

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Jan 2021 12:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Marriage is beautiful, marriage is under attack, and marriage can be remedied. Those are the principle messages of Casti Connubii, and in this episode, we consider the final part of Pope Pius XI's encyclical. 

After all of the problems presented in the last episode, you might expect a specific solution to each particular problem. Instead, Pope Pius XI shows that the solution is a mix of personal, communal, ecclesial, and civil responsibility and cooperation. 

Here's an outline of the whole encyclical, to aid you in your reading!

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

As always, 

]]> Casti Connubii Part 3: Remedies for Marriage // Episode 84 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:55 Wherein we discuss the final part of Casti Connubii, concerning remedies for the problems of marriage. Wherein we discuss the final part of Casti Connubii, concerning remedies for the problems of marriage. apostolic, matrimony, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, sacrament, marriage, love of god, christian, pope pius xi, casti connubii false full 84 a8df1db9-90ca-461f-8c8f-4e544cb94567 Casti Connubii Part 2: Attacks on Marriage // Episode 83 It might have been when we first pressed record that we realized that all of the attacks on marriage listed by Pope Pius XI's encyclical Casti Connubii are all hot-button issues. Who knew? When people talk about moral problems, 90-95% of the time, they're talking about issues relating to the nature of marriage. So, in some 37 minutes, we try to address: contraception, sterile sex, abortion, eugenics, sterilization, adultery, open marriages, a false understanding of the emancipation of women, disordered households, mixed-faith marriages, and divorce. Clearly, we don't pretend to have addressed them all perfectly, but that wasn't our intent. Our intent is to invite you to consider that maybe, just maybe, it could be possible that the teachings of the Church might lead to better marriages, as the common wisdom of the day just doesn't seem to cut it. These ideas do cut against the grain of the spirit of the world. But maybe we're meant for something grander than the spirit of the world can deliver!

Please find below an outline of Casti Connubii to aid you in your reading!

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Jan 2021 03:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It might have been when we first pressed record that we realized that all of the attacks on marriage listed by Pope Pius XI's encyclical Casti Connubii are all hot-button issues. Who knew? When people talk about moral problems, 90-95% of the time, they're talking about issues relating to the nature of marriage. So, in some 37 minutes, we try to address: contraception, sterile sex, abortion, eugenics, sterilization, adultery, open marriages, a false understanding of the emancipation of women, disordered households, mixed-faith marriages, and divorce. Clearly, we don't pretend to have addressed them all perfectly, but that wasn't our intent. Our intent is to invite you to consider that maybe, just maybe, it could be possible that the teachings of the Church might lead to better marriages, as the common wisdom of the day just doesn't seem to cut it. These ideas do cut against the grain of the spirit of the world. But maybe we're meant for something grander than the spirit of the world can deliver!

Please find below an outline of Casti Connubii to aid you in your reading!

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

As always, 

]]> Casti Connubii Part 2: Attacks on Marriage // Episode 83 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:39 Wherein we discuss the second part of Casti Connubii, the attacks on marriage. Funnily enough, all of the attacks on marriage that Pope Pius XI writes about in his encyclical are hot-button issues. Who knew? Wherein we discuss the second part of Casti Connubii, the attacks on marriage. Funnily enough, all of the attacks on marriage that Pope Pius XI writes about in his encyclical are hot-button issues. Who knew? adultery, open marriage, false emancipation of women, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, divorce, sterilization, missionary, love of god, contraception, christian, eugenics, casti connubii, disordered households, mixed-faith marriage, abortion false full 83 d5912f9a-1d79-4e93-a8f2-34d6518bcac9 The Ideal Week with Lisa Canning // Episode 82 As we approach a new year, some resolutions we may have could be to be more organized, more disciplined, more routine, more productive, etc. We talk to Lisa Canning about an approach to living more intentionally called the ideal week.

 

Full disclosure-- we recorded this a while back, so we didn't have New Year's Eve Eve in mind for publication. But it seems fitting!

 

If you'd like to buy Conquor Your Calendar, you can do so here (full disclosure, this is an affiliate link): https://learn.thepossibilitymom.com/conquer-your-calendar?cd=12

Check out her work here: http://lisacanning.ca/ 

And her book, The Possibility Mom.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Lisa Canning) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ As we approach a new year, some resolutions we may have could be to be more organized, more disciplined, more routine, more productive, etc. We talk to Lisa Canning about an approach to living more intentionally called the ideal week.

 

Full disclosure-- we recorded this a while back, so we didn't have New Year's Eve Eve in mind for publication. But it seems fitting!

 

If you'd like to buy Conquor Your Calendar, you can do so here (full disclosure, this is an affiliate link): https://learn.thepossibilitymom.com/conquer-your-calendar?cd=12

Check out her work here: http://lisacanning.ca/ 

And her book, The Possibility Mom.

As always, 

]]> The Ideal Week with Lisa Canning // Episode 82 Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Lisa Canning 00:48:01 Wherein we discuss the idea of an ideal week with Lisa Canning, author of The Possibility Mom. Wherein we discuss the idea of an ideal week with Lisa Canning, author of The Possibility Mom. catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, ideal week, love of god, family, christian false full 82 a5e068b7-d25b-457e-b9bd-afe94d9cb8f9 Casti Connubii Part 1: The Three Blessings of Marriage // Episode 81 What's so good about marriage, anyway? Three things, in fact, according to people like St. Augustine, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Pius XI, the last of whom wrote Casti Connubii, an encyclical on marriage. These three blessings, or marks, of matrimony are offspring, conjugal fidelity, and the sacramental character of marriage (including its indissolubility).

Here's a handy outline of Casti Connubii, if you want to dive into it on your own! We'll be talking about the two other main parts of this encyclical in episodes to come!

 

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

 

 

 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Dec 2020 05:05:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ What's so good about marriage, anyway? Three things, in fact, according to people like St. Augustine, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Pius XI, the last of whom wrote Casti Connubii, an encyclical on marriage. These three blessings, or marks, of matrimony are offspring, conjugal fidelity, and the sacramental character of marriage (including its indissolubility).

Here's a handy outline of Casti Connubii, if you want to dive into it on your own! We'll be talking about the two other main parts of this encyclical in episodes to come!

 

Casti Connubii

Unofficially and Unmagisterially Outlined by Joseph Gruber

Outline

I. Introduction- paragraphs 1-9

II. The Three Marks of Marriage- paragraph 10

a. Offspring- paragraphs 11-18

b. Conjugal Fidelity- paragraphs 19-30

c. Sacrament- paragraphs 31-43

III. Attacks on Marriage- paragraphs 44-52

a. Specifically on Offspring- paragraphs 53

i. Contraceptive/Sterile Sex- paragraphs 54-62

ii. Abortion- paragraphs 63-67

iii. Eugenics- paragraphs 68-69

iv. Sterilization- paragraphs 70-71

b. Specifically on Conjugal Fidelity- paragraph 72

i. Adultery/Open marriages- paragraph 73

ii. A disordered household/false emancipation of women- paragraphs 74-78

c. Specifically on the Sacrament- paragraphs 79-81

i. Mixed Marriages- paragraphs 82-84

ii. Divorce- paragraphs 85-93

IV. Remedies

a. Return to the Original Plan- paragraphs 94-96

b. Combat Lust- paragraphs 97-101

c. Have the Church Teach the Truth- paragraphs 102-109

d. Each Couple Takes Ownership- paragraphs 110-111

e. Prepare Couples Ahead of Time- paragraphs 112-115

f. Support the Poor and Needy- paragraphs 116-122

g. Church and State Should Cooperate- paragraphs 123-127

V. Conclusion- paragraphs 128-130

 

 

 

 

As always, 

]]> Casti Connubii Part 1: The Three Blessings of Marriage // Episode 81 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:12 Wherein we discuss the first part of Casti Connubii, an encyclical on marriage by Pope Pius XI from 1930. We'll be going through the second and third parts in later episodes! Wherein we discuss the first part of Casti Connubii, an encyclical on marriage by Pope Pius XI from 1930. We'll be going through the second and third parts in later episodes! conjugal fidelity, matrimony, apostolate, love of neighbor, offspring, sacrament, marriage, three marks of matrimony, love of god, casti connubii false full 81 664757af-e5ff-48c4-956b-f320c1e153d6 Dating and Casti Connubii // Episode 80 Pope Pius XI wrote Casti Connubii in 1930, detailing what marriage is, what attacks it is suffering, and then he discusses remedies for marriage. One of the remedies he proposes is (in the opinion of Joseph, at least) a little cheeky-- do a better job picking a spouse. 

For those of us are married, it's too late for us-- we're stuck. For everyone out there in single-dom, listening to what he has to say may prove fruitful. We're hopeful, at least!

We look specifically at paragraphs 112-115 of Casti Connubii. 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Dec 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Pope Pius XI wrote Casti Connubii in 1930, detailing what marriage is, what attacks it is suffering, and then he discusses remedies for marriage. One of the remedies he proposes is (in the opinion of Joseph, at least) a little cheeky-- do a better job picking a spouse. 

For those of us are married, it's too late for us-- we're stuck. For everyone out there in single-dom, listening to what he has to say may prove fruitful. We're hopeful, at least!

We look specifically at paragraphs 112-115 of Casti Connubii. 

As always, 

]]> Dating and Casti Connubii // Episode 80 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:26 Wherein we discuss a section from Casti Connubii that addresses the importance of dating well in order to marry well. Wherein we discuss a section from Casti Connubii that addresses the importance of dating well in order to marry well. dating, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian, pope pius xi, casti connubii false full 80 ac6bd641-4281-42b7-b9d4-87fe5ddd53c3 Genesis 9-- Noah, Ham, Canaan, and Christ // Episode 79 There are those who tend to treat the story of Noah as a kid's story. While we don't use explicit language, the content we will be discussing is not child-friendly, and we don't recommend listening to it with children around. Because the end of the story of Noah is not child-friendly. It is filled with drunkenness, rebellion, nakedness, incest, cursing, and a baby born into a very broken family. 

We reference Leviticus 18, Genesis 35, and 2 Samuel 16, and then later we reference Luke 1 and John 19. 

We also reference the movie A Hidden Life, but in large part because it's hard to not think about it after we saw it a few days ago. If you want your heart to hurt, give that movie a watch.

Biggest takeaway: The story of mankind's brokenness is met with the grace of God, which brings light into darkness.

Let us know what you think! You can check our our Facebook page/group, or send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org. Feel free to also share, rate, review, and talk to others about this!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Dec 2020 16:21:33 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There are those who tend to treat the story of Noah as a kid's story. While we don't use explicit language, the content we will be discussing is not child-friendly, and we don't recommend listening to it with children around. Because the end of the story of Noah is not child-friendly. It is filled with drunkenness, rebellion, nakedness, incest, cursing, and a baby born into a very broken family. 

We reference Leviticus 18, Genesis 35, and 2 Samuel 16, and then later we reference Luke 1 and John 19. 

We also reference the movie A Hidden Life, but in large part because it's hard to not think about it after we saw it a few days ago. If you want your heart to hurt, give that movie a watch.

Biggest takeaway: The story of mankind's brokenness is met with the grace of God, which brings light into darkness.

Let us know what you think! You can check our our Facebook page/group, or send us an email at hello@ouroutpost.org. Feel free to also share, rate, review, and talk to others about this!

As always, 

]]> Genesis 9-- Noah, Ham, Canaan, and Christ // Episode 79 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:25:24 Wherein we break down what happens at the end of the story of Noah, and talk about its implications for understanding Christ and ourselves. Not recommended for children. Wherein we break down what happens at the end of the story of Noah, and talk about its implications for understanding Christ and ourselves. Not recommended for children. allegorical sense, noah, catholic, ham, apostolate, discipleship, bible, missionary, canaan, christian true full 79 23892fbf-9dc7-4502-89d7-b7e0a89202cc Vulnerability Part 4- How to Not Receive Someone // Episode 78 "I'd like to think I'm a good listener. In fact, let me tell you a story about me being a great listener...rather than actually listen to you." It's an oft-experienced phenomenon-- we start to think maybe genuine sharing of selves is about to happen, and then out of nowhere, we throw up a roadblock to real intimacy. 

It's good to know about these roadblocks, and why they hinder real, meaningful conversations, so we share three of them. We referenced another pretty heavily in the third part of the vulnerability series, and that one is the giving of advice (when not asked for). 

They're not always bad, and sometimes even good, but when we habitually turn a conversation into a storytime, or start praising someone evaluatively, or start reassuring them, we're thoughtlessly turning conversations into discussions about ourselves, our opinions, and our convictions, rather than giving the other a chance to share their side. 

If you'd like to hear about more of them, let us know, or check out where we got them from: We're pulling from a book called People Skills, by Robert Bolton: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BFXAS0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

It's a good book. It's not perfect, but it's ok.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ "I'd like to think I'm a good listener. In fact, let me tell you a story about me being a great listener...rather than actually listen to you." It's an oft-experienced phenomenon-- we start to think maybe genuine sharing of selves is about to happen, and then out of nowhere, we throw up a roadblock to real intimacy. 

It's good to know about these roadblocks, and why they hinder real, meaningful conversations, so we share three of them. We referenced another pretty heavily in the third part of the vulnerability series, and that one is the giving of advice (when not asked for). 

They're not always bad, and sometimes even good, but when we habitually turn a conversation into a storytime, or start praising someone evaluatively, or start reassuring them, we're thoughtlessly turning conversations into discussions about ourselves, our opinions, and our convictions, rather than giving the other a chance to share their side. 

If you'd like to hear about more of them, let us know, or check out where we got them from: We're pulling from a book called People Skills, by Robert Bolton: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BFXAS0/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

It's a good book. It's not perfect, but it's ok.

As always, 

]]> Vulnerability Part 4- How to Not Receive Someone // Episode 78 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:14 Wherein we talk about some of the more common ways we derail a conversation just when someone is trying to share. We're guilty of these, and we'd like to not be-- see if they hit anywhere close to home for you! Wherein we talk about some of the more common ways we derail a conversation just when someone is trying to share. We're guilty of these, and we'd like to not be-- see if they hit anywhere close to home for you! catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 78 fb313689-eeb9-4089-89ab-578b44f941b4 Vulnerability Part 3- How to Receive Someone // Episode 77 It's vulnerable to share with someone. It's also vulnerable to be the one receiving someone, and to avoid that discomfort, we tend to practice poor listening skills. Actually taking the time and energy to hear someone may take practice, but it's effort that is worth it.

Also, we talk at the end about how a certain Catholic practice tells us what receiving people should look like, ideally.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ It's vulnerable to share with someone. It's also vulnerable to be the one receiving someone, and to avoid that discomfort, we tend to practice poor listening skills. Actually taking the time and energy to hear someone may take practice, but it's effort that is worth it.

Also, we talk at the end about how a certain Catholic practice tells us what receiving people should look like, ideally.

As always, 

]]> Vulnerability Part 3- How to Receive Someone // Episode 77 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:45 Wherein we discuss how to listen to someone while they are being vulnerable. Wherein we discuss how to listen to someone while they are being vulnerable. catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 77 772de6a2-4218-4ce5-b9f9-c38ddc292595 Christian Anthropology and the Emotions // Episode 76 We invited our friend and philosopher Josh Taccolini to join us to talk about what it is to be human, and how our emotions are essential to a full human life. A prior episode, episode 37, called A Basic Christian Anthropology, was sadly lacking in an account of the emotions, and we were so glad to have been able to discuss them with Josh!

We reference Dietrich von Hildebrand, who can be wikipedia'd here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_von_Hildebrand

We will get back to the topic of vulnerability in the coming weeks!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Josh Taccolini, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We invited our friend and philosopher Josh Taccolini to join us to talk about what it is to be human, and how our emotions are essential to a full human life. A prior episode, episode 37, called A Basic Christian Anthropology, was sadly lacking in an account of the emotions, and we were so glad to have been able to discuss them with Josh!

We reference Dietrich von Hildebrand, who can be wikipedia'd here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_von_Hildebrand

We will get back to the topic of vulnerability in the coming weeks!

As always, 

]]> Christian Anthropology and the Emotions // Episode 76 Josh Taccolini, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:46 Wherein we discuss the role of the emotions for a fully human life with guest and friend, Josh Taccolini. Wherein we discuss the role of the emotions for a fully human life with guest and friend, Josh Taccolini. apostolic, catholic, diedrich von hildebrand, love of neighbor, disciple, emotions, missionary, love of god, christian, anthropology false full 76 e72def10-c8e7-4c10-841e-42e40671a95e Vulnerability Part 2- What is Vulnerable? // Episode 75 What is most vulnerable about you? Probably what is most vulnerable about me, or any other human. We know each others' weak spots, because we know where we are weak.

We name a fair number of them, though we don't pretend to having the exhaustive list. These are the things we talk about amongst people we trust, and the things we hide from people we don't.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Nov 2020 08:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ What is most vulnerable about you? Probably what is most vulnerable about me, or any other human. We know each others' weak spots, because we know where we are weak.

We name a fair number of them, though we don't pretend to having the exhaustive list. These are the things we talk about amongst people we trust, and the things we hide from people we don't.

As always, 

]]> Vulnerability Part 2- What is Vulnerable? // Episode 75 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:29 Wherein we talk about the things in our life that are most vulnerable (the categories, not the specifics...). Wherein we talk about the things in our life that are most vulnerable (the categories, not the specifics...). catholic, vulnerability, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god, christian false full 75 da9e4d8f-6d57-4230-b0c7-e01f7210e882 Vulnerability Part 1- Why Be Vulnerable? // Episode 74 Being human means we stand in relationship with others. In so standing, we are capable of being hurt. That capacity to be hurt is the risk we take in being in a relationship. 

This isn't to say that the reason to be in a relationship is to get hurt, but if we were un-hurt-able, we'd also be untouchable, and ultimately un-love-able.

Here is the link to the Brene Brown TED talk: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Being human means we stand in relationship with others. In so standing, we are capable of being hurt. That capacity to be hurt is the risk we take in being in a relationship. 

This isn't to say that the reason to be in a relationship is to get hurt, but if we were un-hurt-able, we'd also be untouchable, and ultimately un-love-able.

Here is the link to the Brene Brown TED talk: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

 

As always, 

]]> Vulnerability Part 1- Why Be Vulnerable? // Episode 74 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:19:04 Wherein we talk about the need for vulnerability in relationships, and talk a bit about what vulnerability is. Wherein we talk about the need for vulnerability in relationships, and talk a bit about what vulnerability is. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, formation false full 74 ea11d733-d23d-4cfd-9ac1-dc8f3b9608af Catholic Dating Part 8-- Our Love Story // Episode 73 Every couple has a story, not every couple has a podcast to tell it on. Well, 73 episodes in, we did it-- we told our love story, with approximately 75% of the awkwardness and  ?% of the charm. 

We can't say we lived at every moment by every principle we talked about in  parts 1-7, but we can say that when we made it to the altar, we were free and clear about what we were getting into!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Every couple has a story, not every couple has a podcast to tell it on. Well, 73 episodes in, we did it-- we told our love story, with approximately 75% of the awkwardness and  ?% of the charm. 

We can't say we lived at every moment by every principle we talked about in  parts 1-7, but we can say that when we made it to the altar, we were free and clear about what we were getting into!

 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 8-- Our Love Story // Episode 73 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:53:29 Wherein we tell the tale of how we wed! Wherein we tell the tale of how we wed! apostolic, dating, catholic, love of neighbor, disciple, love story, missionary, freedom, clarity, love of god, christian false full 73 7554da5d-20bb-4ce9-b893-c750574d7b2a Catholic Dating Part 7-- Some Special Circumstances // Episode 72 Some popular questions about dating that have come up (or that we made up...) are questions about dating non-Catholics/non-Christians, and dating people with addictions/mental health issues/family of origin issues/relationship baggage. So we took a bit of time and addressed them.  I'd like to stress the 'little bit of time' part here, because these podcasts are meant to be conversation starters, rather than conversation end-all-and-be-alls. 

There's really two things to keep in mind-- we need to treat people as people, and not as labels, and we should be looking to see where people are going, not just where they are or where they have been. If we do those two things, we'll be able to be free and clear with those we date. 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Some popular questions about dating that have come up (or that we made up...) are questions about dating non-Catholics/non-Christians, and dating people with addictions/mental health issues/family of origin issues/relationship baggage. So we took a bit of time and addressed them.  I'd like to stress the 'little bit of time' part here, because these podcasts are meant to be conversation starters, rather than conversation end-all-and-be-alls. 

There's really two things to keep in mind-- we need to treat people as people, and not as labels, and we should be looking to see where people are going, not just where they are or where they have been. If we do those two things, we'll be able to be free and clear with those we date. 

 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 7-- Some Special Circumstances // Episode 72 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:36:00 Wherein we talk about some special circumstances that may come up in dating: dating non-Catholics/non-Christians, dating people with addictions, dating people with mental health issues, dating people with family of origin issues, and dating people with relationship baggage. Wherein we talk about some special circumstances that may come up in dating: dating non-Catholics/non-Christians, dating people with addictions, dating people with mental health issues, dating people with family of origin issues, and dating people with relationship baggage. apostolic, dating, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 72 c00d71cf-ad46-4225-9617-e055e8753d7d Catholic Dating Part 6--Getting Engaged // Episode 71 Sometimes, it seems that our culture gets  things out of order. In matters of romance, it seems especially liable to do so. We talk about when and why to get engaged, and a bit about how engagement is not a time for less freedom and clarity, but rather time for even more freedom and clarity.

Also, we make a few bold claims, such as co-habitating prior to marriage makes an engagement nonsensical, and that for the vast majority of cases, when Catholics marry they should be 'ready' to have children. (What 'readiness' really means is somewhat of a mystery-- my son can say he's not ready to go to the park, because he doesn't have shoes on, but he can also say he's not ready to leave the park, and have no answer as to what readiness would look like. We guess most couples are a bit more like the latter than the former when they talk about being 'ready' for kids. Controversial, I know...) 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Oct 2020 07:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Sometimes, it seems that our culture gets  things out of order. In matters of romance, it seems especially liable to do so. We talk about when and why to get engaged, and a bit about how engagement is not a time for less freedom and clarity, but rather time for even more freedom and clarity.

Also, we make a few bold claims, such as co-habitating prior to marriage makes an engagement nonsensical, and that for the vast majority of cases, when Catholics marry they should be 'ready' to have children. (What 'readiness' really means is somewhat of a mystery-- my son can say he's not ready to go to the park, because he doesn't have shoes on, but he can also say he's not ready to leave the park, and have no answer as to what readiness would look like. We guess most couples are a bit more like the latter than the former when they talk about being 'ready' for kids. Controversial, I know...) 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 6--Getting Engaged // Episode 71 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:23 Wherein we talk about why to get engaged (hint: it's because we want what marriage is). We also talk about engagement as a privileged time of discernment and preparation. Wherein we talk about why to get engaged (hint: it's because we want what marriage is). We also talk about engagement as a privileged time of discernment and preparation. dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, engagement, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 71 cddeed90-1783-4224-b1a1-45d1baf02f72 Catholic Dating Part 5-- Breaking Up // Episode 70 How many of us have had a messy break-up? How many of us have let the idea of a messy break-up keep us in a relationship longer than we should have been, or kept us from starting a relationship in the first place?

We talk through some of the reasons break-ups are messy, and what to do instead. 

Breaking up is hard, because it involves vulnerability, but so does all of life, so we know you can do it if you have to! And knowing that you can break up is helpful in maintaining freedom while dating.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Sep 2020 07:00:04 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How many of us have had a messy break-up? How many of us have let the idea of a messy break-up keep us in a relationship longer than we should have been, or kept us from starting a relationship in the first place?

We talk through some of the reasons break-ups are messy, and what to do instead. 

Breaking up is hard, because it involves vulnerability, but so does all of life, so we know you can do it if you have to! And knowing that you can break up is helpful in maintaining freedom while dating.

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 5-- Breaking Up // Episode 70 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:03 Wherein we talk about breaking up, and how it doesn't necessarily have to lead to broken hearts. Wherein we talk about breaking up, and how it doesn't necessarily have to lead to broken hearts. dating, catholic, apostolate, breaking up, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 70 88511a6c-6a47-4beb-b1b0-447607def011 A Catholic View of Scripture with Dr. Scott Powell // Episode 69 How do Catholics view Scripture? Where is the best context for hearing the word of God?  Why is Scripture the opposite of dry, boring, sentimental, or irrelevant?

We talk with Dr. Scott Powell, co-host of the Lanky Guys podcast, a weekly podcast in which he and Fr. Peter Mussett discuss the upcoming Sunday readings. Rather than diving into any particular passage with Scott, we talk about a Catholic view of Scripture in general, or rather, his view of Scripture, which has been formed by the Catholic Church over the course of his lifetime. 

It was great fun to record, and we hope it is as good for you as it was for us!

Find his podcast here or on Apple Podcasts: http://www.lankyguys.org/ 

Find his full-time work at the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought here: https://www.thomascenter.org/aboutaict

And to find out more about his  Catholic outdoor adventure program,  Camp Wojtyla (voy-tee-wa), here: http://www.camp-w.com/

As always, 

]]> Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:30:41 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Dr. Scott Powell, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How do Catholics view Scripture? Where is the best context for hearing the word of God?  Why is Scripture the opposite of dry, boring, sentimental, or irrelevant?

We talk with Dr. Scott Powell, co-host of the Lanky Guys podcast, a weekly podcast in which he and Fr. Peter Mussett discuss the upcoming Sunday readings. Rather than diving into any particular passage with Scott, we talk about a Catholic view of Scripture in general, or rather, his view of Scripture, which has been formed by the Catholic Church over the course of his lifetime. 

It was great fun to record, and we hope it is as good for you as it was for us!

Find his podcast here or on Apple Podcasts: http://www.lankyguys.org/ 

Find his full-time work at the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought here: https://www.thomascenter.org/aboutaict

And to find out more about his  Catholic outdoor adventure program,  Camp Wojtyla (voy-tee-wa), here: http://www.camp-w.com/

As always, 

]]> A Catholic View of Scripture with Dr. Scott Powell // Episode 69 Dr. Scott Powell, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:39:29 Wherein we talk about scripture with noted teacher, speaker, theologian, author, and podcast host--Dr. Scott Powell. Scott shares his thoughts on the upcoming Sunday's readings each week on his podcast; we sit down with him and talk about his thoughts on scripture as a whole! Wherein we talk about scripture with noted teacher, speaker, theologian, author, and podcast host--Dr. Scott Powell. Scott shares his thoughts on the upcoming Sunday's readings each week on his podcast; we sit down with him and talk about his thoughts on scripture as a whole! lanky guys, catholic, love of neighbor, bible, scripture, scott powell, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 69 9341c82b-29e3-4795-a028-ab1a2d145330 Catholic Dating Part 4-- How Far is Too Far and a Better Question Instead // Episode 68 "How far is too far?" some people have asked us. That seems a less-good question, in part because Joseph struggles to see how distance plays into the heart of the question. There are better questions to ask, and we explore one of them in this episode.

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2020 01:56:16 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ "How far is too far?" some people have asked us. That seems a less-good question, in part because Joseph struggles to see how distance plays into the heart of the question. There are better questions to ask, and we explore one of them in this episode.

 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 4-- How Far is Too Far and a Better Question Instead // Episode 68 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:21:26 Wherein we discuss the question of how far is too far while dating...just kidding, we have a better question that we've found so much more helpful! Wherein we discuss the question of how far is too far while dating...just kidding, we have a better question that we've found so much more helpful! dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 68 6689a1c2-b252-4c31-a23f-1558e6435030 Catholic Dating Part 3-- What Some Would Call the DTR Episode (except we didn't...) // Episode 67 We talk about conversations that could happen in order to keep dating someone. There's an expression, 'define the relationship', or DTR-- this episode is sort of about that, except we don't use that term, and think that it's less about defining, and more about describing what is going on from each person's perspective.

Let's say the first date went well, in your estimation. Literally, let's say it. Gentlemen, if it went well, say, "This date went well, in my estimation." Ladies, if you enjoyed your time on a date, you can let him know it, too. It turns out men can't read women's minds, and women can't read men's minds. And there's a weird workaround for that shortcoming-- talking. 

We also talk a bit about meeting each other's families (if families there be), and the move toward exclusive dating. 

We haven't exhausted the topic, for sure, and it's our hope that these episodes begin fruitful conversations with others on the topic of dating. Expect an episode on intimacy whilst dating, as well as an episode on breaking up, in the near future.

And if happy holy marriages result from this series, drop us a line sometime!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 9 Sep 2020 03:27:14 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We talk about conversations that could happen in order to keep dating someone. There's an expression, 'define the relationship', or DTR-- this episode is sort of about that, except we don't use that term, and think that it's less about defining, and more about describing what is going on from each person's perspective.

Let's say the first date went well, in your estimation. Literally, let's say it. Gentlemen, if it went well, say, "This date went well, in my estimation." Ladies, if you enjoyed your time on a date, you can let him know it, too. It turns out men can't read women's minds, and women can't read men's minds. And there's a weird workaround for that shortcoming-- talking. 

We also talk a bit about meeting each other's families (if families there be), and the move toward exclusive dating. 

We haven't exhausted the topic, for sure, and it's our hope that these episodes begin fruitful conversations with others on the topic of dating. Expect an episode on intimacy whilst dating, as well as an episode on breaking up, in the near future.

And if happy holy marriages result from this series, drop us a line sometime!

 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 3-- What Some Would Call the DTR Episode (except we didn't...) // Episode 67 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:18 Wherein we discuss the importance of (you guessed it) clarity and freedom in a continuing romantic relationship. I think people call these conversations "DTRs", but we didn't in this episode, and would advocate more of a "describe the relationship" than "define the relationship" approach... Wherein we discuss the importance of (you guessed it) clarity and freedom in a continuing romantic relationship. I think people call these conversations "DTRs", but we didn't in this episode, and would advocate more of a "describe the relationship" than "define the relationship" approach... dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian, dtr false full 67 2bf7945c-a7d0-4682-b411-64dd05d00033 Catholic Dating Part 2-- Leading up to a First Date // Episode 66 Beginning anything can seem intimidating, especially if we don't really know where we're going or how to get there. In our three-part series on Catholic marriage and the apostolic life, we tried to describe where romantic relationships should be leading to. In this series, we're trying to talk about how to get there. And the first step to beginning is, well, in this case, all the work that precedes beginning. We talk about how important it is to be living a full life before we start seeking out a romantic interest. We talk about what to do when romantic interests come up. And then we describe what a first date might look like.

We'll cover more about the actual process of dating in later episodes; in the meanwhile, if you have feedback, please feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and also feel free to rate, review, and share!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Aug 2020 22:49:41 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Beginning anything can seem intimidating, especially if we don't really know where we're going or how to get there. In our three-part series on Catholic marriage and the apostolic life, we tried to describe where romantic relationships should be leading to. In this series, we're trying to talk about how to get there. And the first step to beginning is, well, in this case, all the work that precedes beginning. We talk about how important it is to be living a full life before we start seeking out a romantic interest. We talk about what to do when romantic interests come up. And then we describe what a first date might look like.

We'll cover more about the actual process of dating in later episodes; in the meanwhile, if you have feedback, please feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and also feel free to rate, review, and share!

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 2-- Leading up to a First Date // Episode 66 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:36:21 Wherein we discuss helpful things to do leading up to (and including) a first date. Wherein we discuss helpful things to do leading up to (and including) a first date. dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 66 a9b9e787-8d58-4fe5-b546-aeadfde741e6 Catholic Dating Part 1-- Freedom and Clarity // Episode 65 Have you ever noticed that people don't know how to date anymore? Well, we realized that 1) we were never taught how to date, and 2) nor did almost anyone else. So we'd like to share some of the lessons we've learned. We're not experts, but we give what we have!

We'll be doing a series on dating, and we start with two principles that Joseph really stressed while we were dating-- freedom and clarity. We break down what we mean when we use those words, and talk a little bit about our experience in applying them. 

As a fun bit of trivia, which may help to explain why the dating scene is so very off now, the etymology of "dating" is from a word meaning "to give"-- so something that should be done freely and for the other. Unfortunately, that root has lost its clarity of late...

Feel free to share these with those you know who are dating or desirous of dating!

As always, 

]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2020 19:17:56 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Have you ever noticed that people don't know how to date anymore? Well, we realized that 1) we were never taught how to date, and 2) nor did almost anyone else. So we'd like to share some of the lessons we've learned. We're not experts, but we give what we have!

We'll be doing a series on dating, and we start with two principles that Joseph really stressed while we were dating-- freedom and clarity. We break down what we mean when we use those words, and talk a little bit about our experience in applying them. 

As a fun bit of trivia, which may help to explain why the dating scene is so very off now, the etymology of "dating" is from a word meaning "to give"-- so something that should be done freely and for the other. Unfortunately, that root has lost its clarity of late...

Feel free to share these with those you know who are dating or desirous of dating!

As always, 

]]> Catholic Dating Part 1-- Freedom and Clarity // Episode 65 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:20:32 Wherein we discuss Catholic dating-- talking a very little bit about our experiences, and about two guiding principles, freedom and clarity. As a fun bit of trivia, which may help to explain why the dating scene is so very off now, the etymology of "dating" is from a word meaning "to give"-- so something that should be done freely and for the other. Unfortunately, that root has lost its clarity of late... Wherein we discuss Catholic dating-- talking a very little bit about our experiences, and about two guiding principles, freedom and clarity. As a fun bit of trivia, which may help to explain why the dating scene is so very off now, the etymology of "dating" is from a word meaning "to give"-- so something that should be done freely and for the other. Unfortunately, that root has lost its clarity of late... catholic dating, dating, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, christian false full 65 8dd7c05d-bb8c-4408-84e1-e7feb1d02579 Vocations: A Brief Overview // Episode 64 There's nothing like a podcast on summertime vocations...That pun is for Crystal...

Seriously, though, there are those that take the notion of vocational discernment out of the larger context of the calls God places on our hearts, and out of context, discerning things like marriage or religious life is well-nigh impossible. Having a well-ordered understanding of God's calls, and discerning them properly, and acting rightly in the moment, are extraordinarily important in living out a full Catholic life.

We rely heavily on a book put out by the Habinger Institute for Catholic Leadership, of the University of St. Thomas, called True Leadership. The pdf can be found here: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipClunyEdition.pdf

And you can purchase the book here or https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717 .

 

 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 16 Jul 2020 20:35:06 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's nothing like a podcast on summertime vocations...That pun is for Crystal...

Seriously, though, there are those that take the notion of vocational discernment out of the larger context of the calls God places on our hearts, and out of context, discerning things like marriage or religious life is well-nigh impossible. Having a well-ordered understanding of God's calls, and discerning them properly, and acting rightly in the moment, are extraordinarily important in living out a full Catholic life.

We rely heavily on a book put out by the Habinger Institute for Catholic Leadership, of the University of St. Thomas, called True Leadership. The pdf can be found here: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipClunyEdition.pdf

And you can purchase the book here or https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717 .

 

 

As always, 

]]> Vocations: A Brief Overview // Episode 64 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:28:14 Wherein we discuss vocations, heavily referencing a book by the name of True Leadership. Some people tie themselves up in knots trying to discern their future; a broader view of vocations might, just maybe, loosen some of those knots... Wherein we discuss vocations, heavily referencing a book by the name of True Leadership. Some people tie themselves up in knots trying to discern their future; a broader view of vocations might, just maybe, loosen some of those knots... apostolic, vocation, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, disciple, missionary, love of god, discernment, christian false full 64 955771a9-cc10-4800-9eb1-3b2ba8490f25 Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 3-- Next Steps! // Episode 63 Two episodes ago, we painted a picture of the apostolic life that married Catholic couples are called to; last episode, we talked about common obstacles to leading an apostolic life as a married couple; this episode, we talk about taking next steps toward that vision from where we are right now.

We reference the book The Anatomy of Peace, as well as the book The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family. We also reference magisterial documents such as Familiaris Consortio, Arcanum Divinae, Humanae Vitae, and the social teachings of the Church (starting with Rerum Novarum and going all the way to Laudato Si).

We also reference a few episodes of our own podcast: Transcendental Friendship and Hospitality. 

 

And as an added note, we are neither counselors nor psychologists, nor do we have any training specifically for addressing marital issues, nor do we guarantee in any way any of the things we've said.  All we offer is what we've learned thus far, and part of that is to encourage couples to seek help if they need it from competent sources, and another part is the encouragement to continue to seek growth in general.

If you're interested in more things we have to say about marriage, go here: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/ and sign up for more information!

As always, 

]]> Thu, 9 Jul 2020 21:19:54 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Two episodes ago, we painted a picture of the apostolic life that married Catholic couples are called to; last episode, we talked about common obstacles to leading an apostolic life as a married couple; this episode, we talk about taking next steps toward that vision from where we are right now.

We reference the book The Anatomy of Peace, as well as the book The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family. We also reference magisterial documents such as Familiaris Consortio, Arcanum Divinae, Humanae Vitae, and the social teachings of the Church (starting with Rerum Novarum and going all the way to Laudato Si).

We also reference a few episodes of our own podcast: Transcendental Friendship and Hospitality. 

 

And as an added note, we are neither counselors nor psychologists, nor do we have any training specifically for addressing marital issues, nor do we guarantee in any way any of the things we've said.  All we offer is what we've learned thus far, and part of that is to encourage couples to seek help if they need it from competent sources, and another part is the encouragement to continue to seek growth in general.

If you're interested in more things we have to say about marriage, go here: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/ and sign up for more information!

As always, 

]]> Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 3-- Next Steps! // Episode 63 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:58 Wherein we discuss next steps to both living out a more apostolic life as a married couple, as well as ways to encourage other couples to do so. Wherein we discuss next steps to both living out a more apostolic life as a married couple, as well as ways to encourage other couples to do so. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, marriage, disciple, missionary, love of god false full 63 226b7867-0708-439d-b860-b3a1acf94c2f Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 2-- Problems! // Episode 62 Marriage, we've heard, is hard. But it's probably harder than it needs to be. We talk about what good marriage formation looks like (well, insofar as we talk about how most of us don't receive what the Catholic Church has in mind for being fully prepared for marriage...), and then five really common issues that plague couples that desire to be missionary-minded in their ordinary, everyday lives.

For reading more about the stages of marriage preparation, we recommend strongly Familiaris Consortio, by St. John Paul II, specifically paragraphs 66 and 69. 

http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html

For more about solutions to the problems we've outline...subscribe, and see how we do next week!

 

For those who noticed this came out a few days later than normal...two babies woke up in the middle of our recording session, and that pushed production back. If you notice a difference in audio in the middle, it's because we tried to pick up from where we left off...

As always, 

]]> Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:48:16 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Marriage, we've heard, is hard. But it's probably harder than it needs to be. We talk about what good marriage formation looks like (well, insofar as we talk about how most of us don't receive what the Catholic Church has in mind for being fully prepared for marriage...), and then five really common issues that plague couples that desire to be missionary-minded in their ordinary, everyday lives.

For reading more about the stages of marriage preparation, we recommend strongly Familiaris Consortio, by St. John Paul II, specifically paragraphs 66 and 69. 

http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html

For more about solutions to the problems we've outline...subscribe, and see how we do next week!

 

For those who noticed this came out a few days later than normal...two babies woke up in the middle of our recording session, and that pushed production back. If you notice a difference in audio in the middle, it's because we tried to pick up from where we left off...

As always, 

]]> Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 2-- Problems! // Episode 62 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:38 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about issues both in marriage formation and in marriage as it is lived out. As this is part 2 of a trilogy, and the point of the part 2 of a trilogy is to set up the characters for the absolute worst for them to conquer in the final installment, we're not going to feel too bad that we mostly talked about things going wrong this time. We have only to say that we'll talk about addressing issues next time! Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about issues both in marriage formation and in marriage as it is lived out. As this is part 2 of a trilogy, and the point of the part 2 of a trilogy is to set up the characters for the absolute worst for them to conquer in the final installment, we're not going to feel too bad that we mostly talked about things going wrong this time. We have only to say that we'll talk about addressing issues next time! missionary disciple, matrimony, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, missionary, god, love of god, christian false full 62 fe14bc0b-0646-4d8b-988d-034384ba0e6b Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 1 // Episode 61 Marriage is good. So good, in fact, that its goodness is supposed to overflow into the lives of the children it produces and the community in which it finds itself. And a Catholic marriage, ideally, is supposed to foster not just natural life, but also the supernatural life of faith. We don't hear too many people talking about marriage this way, so we thought we'd put it out there...

We talk about marriage as a school for the apostolate, and for reference, check out paragraph 30 of Apostolicam Actuositatem ("In the family parents have the task of training their children from childhood on to recognize God's love for all men. By example especially they should teach them little by little to be solicitous for the material and spiritual needs of their neighbor. The whole family in its common life, then, should be a sort of apprenticeship for the apostolate.")

Then we talk about families and marriages as culture-creators, and how Christ comes to sanctify the culture, and for reference, check out Apostolicam Actuositatem paragraph 5 ("Christ's redemptive work, while essentially concerned with the salvation of men, includes also the renewal of the whole temporal order. Hence the mission of the Church is not only to bring the message and grace of Christ to men but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel."). The fact that families both can and ideally do create culture may sound foreign, but we've been conditioned by generations of consumable culture rather than family-created culture.

Then we talk about the family as a place and even a source of order. We really recommend Patrick Lencioni's book, The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family for that (and we even led a workshop on it, which can be found in this facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gruberworkshop/ )

And finally we talk about husbands and wives being of mutual help to each other. We quote Arcanum Divinae, an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII, paragraph 26: "If, then, we consider the end of the divine institution of marriage, we shall see very clearly that God intended it to be a most fruitful source of individual benefit and of public welfare, Not only, in strict truth, was marriage instituted for the propagation of the human race, but also that the lives of husbands and wives might be made better and happier. This comes about in many ways: by their lightening each other's burdens through mutual help;by constant and faithful love; by having all their possessions in common; and by the heavenly grace which flows from the sacrament." Basically, we marry both our permanent mission field and our permanent missionary teammate when we marry in the Catholic Church.

Crystal was referencing Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1642 at some point in the podcast: "In the joys of their love and family life he [Jesus] gives them here on earth a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb."

Again, we hope to do at least two more episodes as  a sort of mini-series on marriage-- the next one will hit common obstacles and their impact on apostolic activity, and the third will hit things we can do to build up our own marriage and help others as well.

Feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2020 20:14:26 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Marriage is good. So good, in fact, that its goodness is supposed to overflow into the lives of the children it produces and the community in which it finds itself. And a Catholic marriage, ideally, is supposed to foster not just natural life, but also the supernatural life of faith. We don't hear too many people talking about marriage this way, so we thought we'd put it out there...

We talk about marriage as a school for the apostolate, and for reference, check out paragraph 30 of Apostolicam Actuositatem ("In the family parents have the task of training their children from childhood on to recognize God's love for all men. By example especially they should teach them little by little to be solicitous for the material and spiritual needs of their neighbor. The whole family in its common life, then, should be a sort of apprenticeship for the apostolate.")

Then we talk about families and marriages as culture-creators, and how Christ comes to sanctify the culture, and for reference, check out Apostolicam Actuositatem paragraph 5 ("Christ's redemptive work, while essentially concerned with the salvation of men, includes also the renewal of the whole temporal order. Hence the mission of the Church is not only to bring the message and grace of Christ to men but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel."). The fact that families both can and ideally do create culture may sound foreign, but we've been conditioned by generations of consumable culture rather than family-created culture.

Then we talk about the family as a place and even a source of order. We really recommend Patrick Lencioni's book, The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family for that (and we even led a workshop on it, which can be found in this facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gruberworkshop/ )

And finally we talk about husbands and wives being of mutual help to each other. We quote Arcanum Divinae, an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII, paragraph 26: "If, then, we consider the end of the divine institution of marriage, we shall see very clearly that God intended it to be a most fruitful source of individual benefit and of public welfare, Not only, in strict truth, was marriage instituted for the propagation of the human race, but also that the lives of husbands and wives might be made better and happier. This comes about in many ways: by their lightening each other's burdens through mutual help;by constant and faithful love; by having all their possessions in common; and by the heavenly grace which flows from the sacrament." Basically, we marry both our permanent mission field and our permanent missionary teammate when we marry in the Catholic Church.

Crystal was referencing Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1642 at some point in the podcast: "In the joys of their love and family life he [Jesus] gives them here on earth a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb."

Again, we hope to do at least two more episodes as  a sort of mini-series on marriage-- the next one will hit common obstacles and their impact on apostolic activity, and the third will hit things we can do to build up our own marriage and help others as well.

Feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Catholic Marriage and Apostolic Life Part 1 // Episode 61 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:27:17 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about how marriage fits into the apostolic life. We'll address some common obstacles to an evangelically-fruitful marriage in our next episode, and practical things to do to help in a third. So this is part 1 of 3. Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about how marriage fits into the apostolic life. We'll address some common obstacles to an evangelically-fruitful marriage in our next episode, and practical things to do to help in a third. So this is part 1 of 3. catholic marriage, matrimony, catholic, evangelize, apostolate, love of neighbor, marriage, disciple, missionary, love of god, catholic culture, evangelization, sacrament of matrimony false full 61 05809be2-44c5-4379-bdc3-7d154d834c21 An Invitation to Ordinary Time // Episode 60 'Ordinary' has had a bad rap these days. But when the Church, year after year, designates some to to being 'ordinary', it's worth dusting off the word and seeing some more potential to it.

We used the Online Etymology Dictionary for this one— check it out and see why it’s Joseph’s favorite website! https://www.etymonline.com/ 

We talk about ordinariness as it relates to being well-ordered (ordered by whom, according to what principle, and to what end, you ask? We address all three questions!), its relationship etymologically to ordination and our role as participants in a kind of priesthood united to Christ, its relationship to harmony and our call to become harmonious, and finally ordinariness's relationship to adornment and ornamentation and how we can become beautiful this Ordinary Time.

If you liked the part about beauty, we have two other episodes touching on the topic-- one on Chastity and Beauty, and one on Beauty and Wonder. 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2020 19:51:04 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ 'Ordinary' has had a bad rap these days. But when the Church, year after year, designates some to to being 'ordinary', it's worth dusting off the word and seeing some more potential to it.

We used the Online Etymology Dictionary for this one— check it out and see why it’s Joseph’s favorite website! https://www.etymonline.com/ 

We talk about ordinariness as it relates to being well-ordered (ordered by whom, according to what principle, and to what end, you ask? We address all three questions!), its relationship etymologically to ordination and our role as participants in a kind of priesthood united to Christ, its relationship to harmony and our call to become harmonious, and finally ordinariness's relationship to adornment and ornamentation and how we can become beautiful this Ordinary Time.

If you liked the part about beauty, we have two other episodes touching on the topic-- one on Chastity and Beauty, and one on Beauty and Wonder. 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> An Invitation to Ordinary Time // Episode 60 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:41:51 Wherein we talk about different approaches to understanding the word 'ordinary' so as to better enter into Ordinary Time. Wherein we talk about different approaches to understanding the word 'ordinary' so as to better enter into Ordinary Time. missionary disciple, ordinary time, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, ordinary, disciple, love of god, christian false full 60 2ae70f13-66fd-4ea4-b563-d830c692ccf5 Beatitude(s) // Episode 59 Paragraph 1 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that God created us so we could share in His own blessed life. About 1700 paragraphs later, the Catechism gets around to defining that state of blessing, commenting on Jesus' words at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, for those who are counting).

I noticed looking at them a couple of weeks ago that I like everything about them...except the parts where I have to make a choice. I like blessing, I like kingdoms, I like earth, I like comfort, I like being satisfied...but the path to get there, not so much. So I talk a bit about how I've been trying to approach them. 

If Crystal were here for it, I'd probably be forced to talk about more real-life applications. But I think with the world being in the state that it's in right now, applications may just occur to our listeners spontaneously.

The parenthetical arrangement around the 's' in the title was meant to convey that the podcast was going to talk about blessing broadly, and the beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount specifically.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Fri, 5 Jun 2020 19:37:54 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Paragraph 1 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that God created us so we could share in His own blessed life. About 1700 paragraphs later, the Catechism gets around to defining that state of blessing, commenting on Jesus' words at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, for those who are counting).

I noticed looking at them a couple of weeks ago that I like everything about them...except the parts where I have to make a choice. I like blessing, I like kingdoms, I like earth, I like comfort, I like being satisfied...but the path to get there, not so much. So I talk a bit about how I've been trying to approach them. 

If Crystal were here for it, I'd probably be forced to talk about more real-life applications. But I think with the world being in the state that it's in right now, applications may just occur to our listeners spontaneously.

The parenthetical arrangement around the 's' in the title was meant to convey that the podcast was going to talk about blessing broadly, and the beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount specifically.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Beatitude(s) // Episode 59 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:18:20 Wherein Joseph pulls a solo act together and presents some thoughts on beatitude and the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount. Wherein Joseph pulls a solo act together and presents some thoughts on beatitude and the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount. lanky guys, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, scripture, missionary, beatitude, blessing, catechism, god, sermon on the mount, love of god, christian false full 59 747ede23-cded-40b7-b1bd-3bbee57170bf The Sacrifice of Isaac Part 2 // Episode 58 There is so much to say about this story! Two episodes clearly will not exhaust the topic. In the first part, we offered what the story wasn't about. In this second part, we offer the positive side, about several readings of the story that show what it is about. 

We use the lenses of the four senses of Scripture, which we've podcasted on before (https://ouroutpost.simplecast.com/episodes/25), to approach the story. We packed a lot into this one. Sorry about that. It might be worth listening to more than once. That sounds presumptuous of me, I know, but I think I'll listen to it more than once, and I recorded it.

And as a reminder, this podcast is for Catholic disciples wrestling to be missionary-minded in their ordinary, everyday lives. We're recording this two-parter because, 1. as missionary disciples, we will likely come across people with very different readings on this story, and should be able to talk to them intelligibly, and 2. there's a lot in this for us to take to prayer, which is great, because all apostolic work is an overflow of our interior lives.

We also plug our marriage workshop (twice, if I recall rightly), which is going on on a Facebook group near you (https://www.facebook.com/groups/gruberworkshop/ ). Feel free to ask to join (it's pitched for married couples, but the underlying principles are still good for single people and any team-related activities).

We left some things unsaid. One that I feel especially bad about I'll just tell you here in the description: we talk about Cain and Abel in the episode, and I throw out the parallel language from Genesis 3:16 and Genesis 4:7, which I think is fascinating but was losing Crystal on. I meant to go on and talk about how one way to read Cain and Abel is that after Cain's initial sacrifice was not acceptable, his solution was to sacrifice Abel-- this isn't to defend Cain, but really to make it worse, since it only served to distance him from God even more. It's like when my two-year-old is doing something he oughtn't, and we tell him no, so he goes over and does something even worse (noteably, that's how we went from milk-spilling to maple-syrup-spilling a few days ago...). The offering of the acceptable one, though, is a precursor to the story of Abraham and Isaac, as well as a precursor to Christ. 

The other thing I left out was an allusion to Gene Wolfe's duology, The Wizard/Knight. In it, a knight loves a fae queen so much, that he would literally do anything to be with her. However, in order for her to be willing to be with him, he has to refrain from anything that would dishonor himself. So there's both a reckless abandonment to be with the one he loves, tempered by the need to still be fit to be in her presence. It's a fascinating story told over two volumes (soon to be released in one volume), and I think gets at the heart of our desire to be with what we hold as the ultimate good, and the limits of that desire such that we act in such a way that is consistent with being with that ultimate good. I think it's an interesting light to read Abraham in, and am sad that we didn't get to it in the podcast.

As we're figuring out technology, I'd be open to doing more on our Facebook group. We could even occasionally do Facebook lives to address questions or elaborate on topics. Check out the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/awordfromouroutpost/

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 May 2020 15:55:43 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There is so much to say about this story! Two episodes clearly will not exhaust the topic. In the first part, we offered what the story wasn't about. In this second part, we offer the positive side, about several readings of the story that show what it is about. 

We use the lenses of the four senses of Scripture, which we've podcasted on before (https://ouroutpost.simplecast.com/episodes/25), to approach the story. We packed a lot into this one. Sorry about that. It might be worth listening to more than once. That sounds presumptuous of me, I know, but I think I'll listen to it more than once, and I recorded it.

And as a reminder, this podcast is for Catholic disciples wrestling to be missionary-minded in their ordinary, everyday lives. We're recording this two-parter because, 1. as missionary disciples, we will likely come across people with very different readings on this story, and should be able to talk to them intelligibly, and 2. there's a lot in this for us to take to prayer, which is great, because all apostolic work is an overflow of our interior lives.

We also plug our marriage workshop (twice, if I recall rightly), which is going on on a Facebook group near you (https://www.facebook.com/groups/gruberworkshop/ ). Feel free to ask to join (it's pitched for married couples, but the underlying principles are still good for single people and any team-related activities).

We left some things unsaid. One that I feel especially bad about I'll just tell you here in the description: we talk about Cain and Abel in the episode, and I throw out the parallel language from Genesis 3:16 and Genesis 4:7, which I think is fascinating but was losing Crystal on. I meant to go on and talk about how one way to read Cain and Abel is that after Cain's initial sacrifice was not acceptable, his solution was to sacrifice Abel-- this isn't to defend Cain, but really to make it worse, since it only served to distance him from God even more. It's like when my two-year-old is doing something he oughtn't, and we tell him no, so he goes over and does something even worse (noteably, that's how we went from milk-spilling to maple-syrup-spilling a few days ago...). The offering of the acceptable one, though, is a precursor to the story of Abraham and Isaac, as well as a precursor to Christ. 

The other thing I left out was an allusion to Gene Wolfe's duology, The Wizard/Knight. In it, a knight loves a fae queen so much, that he would literally do anything to be with her. However, in order for her to be willing to be with him, he has to refrain from anything that would dishonor himself. So there's both a reckless abandonment to be with the one he loves, tempered by the need to still be fit to be in her presence. It's a fascinating story told over two volumes (soon to be released in one volume), and I think gets at the heart of our desire to be with what we hold as the ultimate good, and the limits of that desire such that we act in such a way that is consistent with being with that ultimate good. I think it's an interesting light to read Abraham in, and am sad that we didn't get to it in the podcast.

As we're figuring out technology, I'd be open to doing more on our Facebook group. We could even occasionally do Facebook lives to address questions or elaborate on topics. Check out the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/awordfromouroutpost/

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> The Sacrifice of Isaac Part 2 // Episode 58 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:45:57 Wherein Joseph and Crystal dive back into the story of the sacrifice of Isaac from Genesis 22. Last dive, we took the negative approach, about what the story wasn't saying. This dive, we take the positive approach, and offer several readings of the story that we hope are helpful! Wherein Joseph and Crystal dive back into the story of the sacrifice of Isaac from Genesis 22. Last dive, we took the negative approach, about what the story wasn't saying. This dive, we take the positive approach, and offer several readings of the story that we hope are helpful! missionary disciple, sacrifice, lanky guys, love, catholic, bishop barron, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, abraham, bible, scripture, word on the hill, sacrifice of isaac, trinity, eucharist, missionary, apologetics, love of god, christian, genesis, four senses of scripture false full 58 4474fd12-d528-49cc-892f-f1822a94dc3d A Marriage Workshop Advertisement // Episode 57 We've been using principles from Pat Lencioni's book, The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family, for years now to help us accomplish goals and be united in common purpose. As we've done so, we've also learned a lot more about what a household is, and what the Catholic Church has to say about what families are for. So during the staying-at-home, we've put together a workshop that we'd love to offer any and all who are interested, which will be hosted on a Facebook group and delivered via Facebook live videos. This podcast, in fact, was also Facebook live- streamed before it ever reached the podcast server: https://www.facebook.com/ouroutpost/videos/2613945228864297/

We'll post them live on May 21st at 9am EST, May 25th at 9am EST, May 28th at 9am EST, and May 31st at 8pm EST, but people can catch the videos anytime after that. To sign up, go here: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/90f3ca313c?fbclid=IwAR32VDhnuF2-ps9ZZd_JTkSJhGAK0A9iPpGaxULOfyTlSiyG8tAgRcPdRoE

Pat Lencioni's book can be found here: https://www.tablegroup.com/books/frantic/

And our Facebook group for this is called "Less Frantic. More Focused." To enter the group, click the sign up link and then the ensuing email: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/90f3ca313c?fbclid=IwAR32VDhnuF2-ps9ZZd_JTkSJhGAK0A9iPpGaxULOfyTlSiyG8tAgRcPdRoE

 

Also, we will get back to the sacrifice of Isaac. There's so much to be unpacked in that story!

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 May 2020 17:37:22 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We've been using principles from Pat Lencioni's book, The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family, for years now to help us accomplish goals and be united in common purpose. As we've done so, we've also learned a lot more about what a household is, and what the Catholic Church has to say about what families are for. So during the staying-at-home, we've put together a workshop that we'd love to offer any and all who are interested, which will be hosted on a Facebook group and delivered via Facebook live videos. This podcast, in fact, was also Facebook live- streamed before it ever reached the podcast server: https://www.facebook.com/ouroutpost/videos/2613945228864297/

We'll post them live on May 21st at 9am EST, May 25th at 9am EST, May 28th at 9am EST, and May 31st at 8pm EST, but people can catch the videos anytime after that. To sign up, go here: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/90f3ca313c?fbclid=IwAR32VDhnuF2-ps9ZZd_JTkSJhGAK0A9iPpGaxULOfyTlSiyG8tAgRcPdRoE

Pat Lencioni's book can be found here: https://www.tablegroup.com/books/frantic/

And our Facebook group for this is called "Less Frantic. More Focused." To enter the group, click the sign up link and then the ensuing email: https://gruberworkshop.ck.page/90f3ca313c?fbclid=IwAR32VDhnuF2-ps9ZZd_JTkSJhGAK0A9iPpGaxULOfyTlSiyG8tAgRcPdRoE

 

Also, we will get back to the sacrifice of Isaac. There's so much to be unpacked in that story!

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> A Marriage Workshop Advertisement // Episode 57 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:09:01 Wherein Joseph and Crystal invite the listeners to attend a series of workshops on marriage and familial organizational health hosted on a Facebook group and delivered via Facebook live videos. Wherein Joseph and Crystal invite the listeners to attend a series of workshops on marriage and familial organizational health hosted on a Facebook group and delivered via Facebook live videos. missionary disciple, marriage enrichment, catholic, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, pat lencioni, rallying cry, missionary, organizational health, meeting, love of god, family, christian, apsostolate, household false full 57 77525c98-2bbe-4f63-9806-11c0305e7c03 The Sacrifice of Isaac Part 1 // Episode 56 The story of the sacrifice of Isaac, found in Genesis 22, has been appropriated by theologians, philosophers, atheists, agnostics, and now even by Joseph and Crystal. Hear a bit of our take on the story, starting with a bare bones sketch and why it's such a surprising story (not for the reasons people usually act surprised by it). We then go on to add more flesh to the story, as well as more context, to see that it's actually an incredibly dense story packed with details that should encourage us to keep wrestling with it. We hope to return to this story again, which is why it's a part 1. 

We reference the author Gene Wolfe, and Neil Gaimain's guide to reading Gene Wolfe (it'll make more sense in the context of the podcast, for those of you who like to read the description before listening): https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/2007/gwng0704.htm

We also reference a few other of our prior podcasts, namely "There's Something About Eve // Episode  30" and "I Know There is More to This Story // Episode 16". These episodes can be found on our podcast, as episodes 30 and 16, respectively. And at the end, we reference one of our yet-to-be-recorded-podcasts, which may either be episode 57 or episode [later], where we go even deeper into this story.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 May 2020 15:04:28 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The story of the sacrifice of Isaac, found in Genesis 22, has been appropriated by theologians, philosophers, atheists, agnostics, and now even by Joseph and Crystal. Hear a bit of our take on the story, starting with a bare bones sketch and why it's such a surprising story (not for the reasons people usually act surprised by it). We then go on to add more flesh to the story, as well as more context, to see that it's actually an incredibly dense story packed with details that should encourage us to keep wrestling with it. We hope to return to this story again, which is why it's a part 1. 

We reference the author Gene Wolfe, and Neil Gaimain's guide to reading Gene Wolfe (it'll make more sense in the context of the podcast, for those of you who like to read the description before listening): https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/2007/gwng0704.htm

We also reference a few other of our prior podcasts, namely "There's Something About Eve // Episode  30" and "I Know There is More to This Story // Episode 16". These episodes can be found on our podcast, as episodes 30 and 16, respectively. And at the end, we reference one of our yet-to-be-recorded-podcasts, which may either be episode 57 or episode [later], where we go even deeper into this story.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> The Sacrifice of Isaac Part 1 // Episode 56 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:25 Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about the story of the sacrifice of Isaac from Genesis 22, starting with the bare bones of the story out of context, and gradually adding more flesh and more context. A few episodes ago, Joseph and Crystal talked about an obscure chapter of Genesis that doesn't come with much baggage; this time, they'd thought it would be good to talk about a well-known chapter that is really heavily laden. Wherein Joseph and Crystal talk about the story of the sacrifice of Isaac from Genesis 22, starting with the bare bones of the story out of context, and gradually adding more flesh and more context. A few episodes ago, Joseph and Crystal talked about an obscure chapter of Genesis that doesn't come with much baggage; this time, they'd thought it would be good to talk about a well-known chapter that is really heavily laden. lanky guys, bishop barron, bible, sacrifice of isaac, disciple, christian, genesis false full 56 8574f5c6-75e2-4ab9-b2a1-c659e9cb3be6 Theology of the Body and Gift // Episode 55 Do we see the world as gift? Do we see each other as gift? Do we see ourselves as a gift? 

Joseph and Crystal talk about the element of the Christian worldview that suffuses everyone and everything with wonder and should inspire gratitude. 

"You can't give what you don't have" and you can't have anything unless you accept the world as gift. We talk about why receive people and things as gift, and what the other options are as far as basic attitudes toward reality. Then we talk about the Giver of all gifts, and how we can receive from Him more of what He wants to give.

Then we talk about the quality of givenness in other relationships. We get a little hung up on the question of how we have choice in regard to our relationships, but I think we got to a clearer point by the end.

If you'd like to read more, there's a meditation on givenness by St. John Paul II, called "A Meditation on Givenness": https://www.communio-icr.com/files/jpii41-4.pdf

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 May 2020 10:27:56 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Do we see the world as gift? Do we see each other as gift? Do we see ourselves as a gift? 

Joseph and Crystal talk about the element of the Christian worldview that suffuses everyone and everything with wonder and should inspire gratitude. 

"You can't give what you don't have" and you can't have anything unless you accept the world as gift. We talk about why receive people and things as gift, and what the other options are as far as basic attitudes toward reality. Then we talk about the Giver of all gifts, and how we can receive from Him more of what He wants to give.

Then we talk about the quality of givenness in other relationships. We get a little hung up on the question of how we have choice in regard to our relationships, but I think we got to a clearer point by the end.

If you'd like to read more, there's a meditation on givenness by St. John Paul II, called "A Meditation on Givenness": https://www.communio-icr.com/files/jpii41-4.pdf

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Theology of the Body and Gift // Episode 55 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:35:57 Wherein Joseph and Crystal discuss the concept of gift, especially in St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body. Wherein Joseph and Crystal discuss the concept of gift, especially in St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body. missionary disciple, catholic, apostolate, love of neighbor, missionary, love of god false full 55 9c255e51-028c-4d48-87c7-9ee623c45a0c Intimacy and Acts 2:42 // Episode 54 Sometimes sacraments just aren't available-- e.g., being deployed in the military, being too sick to go to Mass, having to take care of someone who is ill,  having to keep enough people not-sick so that we don't overwhelm hospitals, or some other lack (St. John of the Cross was imprisoned by his own religious order for nine months!). 

When these times of physical distance come up, we can use them to grow in intimacy with Jesus, rather than grow apart. 

In romantic relationships, there are many times when physical intimacy is not an option (e.g., being deployed in the military, being too sick, taking care of a spouse who is sick, or some other lack), but that doesn't mean that couples can't grow closer together in other dimensions of life. We talk about how the four basic dimensions of intimacy in romantic love-- the physical, the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual-- have a correspondence with the dimensions of our relationship with Jesus.

We reference Acts 2:42 and 1 Corinthians 7:5.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2020 14:19:16 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Sometimes sacraments just aren't available-- e.g., being deployed in the military, being too sick to go to Mass, having to take care of someone who is ill,  having to keep enough people not-sick so that we don't overwhelm hospitals, or some other lack (St. John of the Cross was imprisoned by his own religious order for nine months!). 

When these times of physical distance come up, we can use them to grow in intimacy with Jesus, rather than grow apart. 

In romantic relationships, there are many times when physical intimacy is not an option (e.g., being deployed in the military, being too sick, taking care of a spouse who is sick, or some other lack), but that doesn't mean that couples can't grow closer together in other dimensions of life. We talk about how the four basic dimensions of intimacy in romantic love-- the physical, the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual-- have a correspondence with the dimensions of our relationship with Jesus.

We reference Acts 2:42 and 1 Corinthians 7:5.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Intimacy and Acts 2:42 // Episode 54 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:22:35 Wherein we talk about that time when most people had to be without the sacraments, and how it's an opportunity to grow in greater intimacy with Jesus in other ways. Wherein we talk about that time when most people had to be without the sacraments, and how it's an opportunity to grow in greater intimacy with Jesus in other ways. missionary disciple, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, pandemic, intimacy, eucharist, missionary, love of god, christian, fellowship false full 54 769004ab-8ee4-46cb-a4d9-fd66c101968a Domestic Dreams and Domestic Gardens with the Schnieders // Episode 53 We invited Bill and Angela Schnieders on to talk to us about their stories and how they have been pursuing their dreams. Bill left a stress-filled job in the tech industry to live on productive land, and Angela has pursued ongoing formation and her dreams for years...and then they met and got married!

I don't think we reference as many works in this episode, but here are some things to check out:

Bill and Angela are Catholic speakers, and here is their website: http://billandangela.com/

Angela is also very involved with the Woman School: https://thewomanschool.teachable.com/

If you'd like to read a super-short book about the power of dreams and connecting what we're doing now to the dreams we have, check out Matthew Kelly's book The Dream Manager: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401303706/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_zF1NEbEJFYKK3

As a final note, we talk a lot about 'desire' in the podcast, and we talked with Bill and Angela after we finished recording how a lot of people are uncomfortable with the language of entertaining our desires. Perhaps the better word would be 'hopes', as a hope is a desire that will take effort/risk, and that's the category of desire that I think we're talking about. There is some equivocation on the word 'desire', as both a generic word for something that moves us to action, and a particular word for what our passions produce in us. Clearly, we were talking about desires that move us, and the process of discerning what is worth submitting to our intellectual appetite, i.e. our will.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:03:51 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Bill Schnieders, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Angela Schnieders) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We invited Bill and Angela Schnieders on to talk to us about their stories and how they have been pursuing their dreams. Bill left a stress-filled job in the tech industry to live on productive land, and Angela has pursued ongoing formation and her dreams for years...and then they met and got married!

I don't think we reference as many works in this episode, but here are some things to check out:

Bill and Angela are Catholic speakers, and here is their website: http://billandangela.com/

Angela is also very involved with the Woman School: https://thewomanschool.teachable.com/

If you'd like to read a super-short book about the power of dreams and connecting what we're doing now to the dreams we have, check out Matthew Kelly's book The Dream Manager: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401303706/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_zF1NEbEJFYKK3

As a final note, we talk a lot about 'desire' in the podcast, and we talked with Bill and Angela after we finished recording how a lot of people are uncomfortable with the language of entertaining our desires. Perhaps the better word would be 'hopes', as a hope is a desire that will take effort/risk, and that's the category of desire that I think we're talking about. There is some equivocation on the word 'desire', as both a generic word for something that moves us to action, and a particular word for what our passions produce in us. Clearly, we were talking about desires that move us, and the process of discerning what is worth submitting to our intellectual appetite, i.e. our will.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Domestic Dreams and Domestic Gardens with the Schnieders // Episode 53 Bill Schnieders, Joseph and Crystal Gruber, Angela Schnieders 00:51:13 Wherein we talk with Catholic couple Bill and Angela Schnieders about their stories, the following of dreams, the richness of the life agricultural, and other things besides. Wherein we talk with Catholic couple Bill and Angela Schnieders about their stories, the following of dreams, the richness of the life agricultural, and other things besides. missionary disciple, agriculture, catholic, domestic church, desire, love of neighbor, dreams, dream, hope, disciple, missionary, love of god, permaculture, christian, evangelization, garden false full 53 3df1187c-5d74-4d1b-a545-d3a6008642fa Theology of the Body: Icons and Idols // Episode 52 We talk about St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and then more particularly how things of this world are meant to be icons, not idols. We talk especially about marriage and parenting as icons that sometimes become idols, and about the fall of the Israelites at Mt. Sinai as they worshiped an idol instead of God. 

At some point, Joseph references a podcast from Joseph Pearce, called Faith and Culture, and this particular episode of it: https://www.faithandculture.com/home/2020/03/16-the-heros-quest-with-father-longenecker

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:42:19 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We talk about St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and then more particularly how things of this world are meant to be icons, not idols. We talk especially about marriage and parenting as icons that sometimes become idols, and about the fall of the Israelites at Mt. Sinai as they worshiped an idol instead of God. 

At some point, Joseph references a podcast from Joseph Pearce, called Faith and Culture, and this particular episode of it: https://www.faithandculture.com/home/2020/03/16-the-heros-quest-with-father-longenecker

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Theology of the Body: Icons and Idols // Episode 52 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:33:52 Wherein we give a brief overview of St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and talk about the distinction between icons and idols. We talk specifically about marriage, parenting, and a golden calf, with the understanding that any icon we look to rather than through can become an idol. Wherein we give a brief overview of St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and talk about the distinction between icons and idols. We talk specifically about marriage, parenting, and a golden calf, with the understanding that any icon we look to rather than through can become an idol. parenting, missionary disciple, john paul ii, catholic, icons, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, theology of the body, disciple, missionary, golden calf, idols, love of god, christian false full 52 1d7387ae-ad9e-4ac6-8843-5a5850e51d3e Fatherhood // Episode 51 Wherein we discuss the topic of fatherhood, especially in light of the many cultural portrayals ancient and modern of less-than-admirable fathers, and the role of the Judeo-Christian conception of God as Father in shaping our expectations.

Joseph just finished reading John W. Miller's book, Calling God 'Father': Essays on the Bible, Fatherhood, and Culture, so we decided to talk about it. In a Christian bubble, it's easy to take fatherhood for granted. Outside of that bubble (and even in some parts of that bubble), the conditions for fatherhood are dissipating. We talk about what those conditions are (and reference the as-of-yet-incomplete trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicles to do so, though the reference is in book 2...). 

Joseph begins by referencing Hesiod's Theogony-- it's been around long enough you can find public domain translations, but you may want to find a bound copy...It's usually one of the first books listed in most 100-greatest-books-of-western-civilization, so it might be worth having...

Big picture idea-- fatherhood is a pretty vulnerable cultural feature, and one that we don't often get right. Our modern ideas of fatherhood, and the kind of expectations we have for fathers, can be linked to the influence of Judaism and Christianity, and while they raise the bar for men, they also reassure us that God is the best of all fathers, and He makes up for what is lacking.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 2 Apr 2020 20:18:03 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the topic of fatherhood, especially in light of the many cultural portrayals ancient and modern of less-than-admirable fathers, and the role of the Judeo-Christian conception of God as Father in shaping our expectations.

Joseph just finished reading John W. Miller's book, Calling God 'Father': Essays on the Bible, Fatherhood, and Culture, so we decided to talk about it. In a Christian bubble, it's easy to take fatherhood for granted. Outside of that bubble (and even in some parts of that bubble), the conditions for fatherhood are dissipating. We talk about what those conditions are (and reference the as-of-yet-incomplete trilogy The Kingkiller Chronicles to do so, though the reference is in book 2...). 

Joseph begins by referencing Hesiod's Theogony-- it's been around long enough you can find public domain translations, but you may want to find a bound copy...It's usually one of the first books listed in most 100-greatest-books-of-western-civilization, so it might be worth having...

Big picture idea-- fatherhood is a pretty vulnerable cultural feature, and one that we don't often get right. Our modern ideas of fatherhood, and the kind of expectations we have for fathers, can be linked to the influence of Judaism and Christianity, and while they raise the bar for men, they also reassure us that God is the best of all fathers, and He makes up for what is lacking.

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Fatherhood // Episode 51 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:46:19 Wherein we discuss the topic of fatherhood, especially in light of the many cultural portrayals ancient and modern of less-than-admirable fathers, and the role of the Judeo-Christian conception of God as Father in shaping our expectations. Wherein we discuss the topic of fatherhood, especially in light of the many cultural portrayals ancient and modern of less-than-admirable fathers, and the role of the Judeo-Christian conception of God as Father in shaping our expectations. missionary disciple, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, quarantine, god, fatherhood, love of god, evangelization, father, new evangelization false full 51 67bffe0d-abd0-435a-974f-8d9e1b7727af The Battle of the Nine Armies, Salvation, and Thanksgiving: Genesis 14 // Episode 50 Usually, when something in the Bible is filled with a bunch of names and places we don't recognize, we're tempted to skip ahead to more familiar parts. We take a few minutes to break down what happens in a particularly name-thick chapter, chapter 14 of Genesis, and unpack what it means and how it relates to our lives. Some themes we touch on are fatherhood, salvation, thanksgiving, the Eucharist, Mass, friendship, rebellion, being bound by sin, and the difficulty of admitting we need help from others.

In Genesis 14, then-Abram has to rise to meet a large military force to rescue his misguided nephew Lot. It culminates in the sacrifice of bread and wine by Melchizedek, which many know of without realizing the fullness of the context of that moment. This chapter also gives more context for how Sodom and Gomorrah get to be so bad later in Genesis.

For more about the thanksgiving sacrifice of bread and wine, check out this article by Tim Gray: https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/apologetics/from-jewish-passover-to-christian-eucharist-the-story-of-the-todah.html

For some maps of what was happening, check out this site: https://www.casualenglishbible.com/genesis-14/

 

Also, this is by far the longest name we've given a podcast. We maybe should have trimmed it down...

Also also, please do leave a review and rate the podcast, if you have a chance. In this current era of pandemic and people sheltering, if this is worth sharing, please share!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Tue, 24 Mar 2020 18:21:17 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Usually, when something in the Bible is filled with a bunch of names and places we don't recognize, we're tempted to skip ahead to more familiar parts. We take a few minutes to break down what happens in a particularly name-thick chapter, chapter 14 of Genesis, and unpack what it means and how it relates to our lives. Some themes we touch on are fatherhood, salvation, thanksgiving, the Eucharist, Mass, friendship, rebellion, being bound by sin, and the difficulty of admitting we need help from others.

In Genesis 14, then-Abram has to rise to meet a large military force to rescue his misguided nephew Lot. It culminates in the sacrifice of bread and wine by Melchizedek, which many know of without realizing the fullness of the context of that moment. This chapter also gives more context for how Sodom and Gomorrah get to be so bad later in Genesis.

For more about the thanksgiving sacrifice of bread and wine, check out this article by Tim Gray: https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/apologetics/from-jewish-passover-to-christian-eucharist-the-story-of-the-todah.html

For some maps of what was happening, check out this site: https://www.casualenglishbible.com/genesis-14/

 

Also, this is by far the longest name we've given a podcast. We maybe should have trimmed it down...

Also also, please do leave a review and rate the podcast, if you have a chance. In this current era of pandemic and people sheltering, if this is worth sharing, please share!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> The Battle of the Nine Armies, Salvation, and Thanksgiving: Genesis 14 // Episode 50 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:44:29 Wherein we discuss an often-overlooked segment of the story of Abraham. In Genesis 14, then-Abram has to rise to meet a large military force to rescue his misguided nephew Lot. It culminates in the sacrifice of bread and wine by Melchizedek, which many know of without realizing the fullness of the context of that moment. This chapter also gives more context for how Sodom and Gomorrah get to be so bad later in Genesis. Wherein we discuss an often-overlooked segment of the story of Abraham. In Genesis 14, then-Abram has to rise to meet a large military force to rescue his misguided nephew Lot. It culminates in the sacrifice of bread and wine by Melchizedek, which many know of without realizing the fullness of the context of that moment. This chapter also gives more context for how Sodom and Gomorrah get to be so bad later in Genesis. missionary disciple, discipleship, abram, love of neighbor, abraham, sodom and gomorrah, thanksgiving, melchizedek, eucharist, missionary, love of god, evangelization, genesis, new evangelization false full 50 41befed0-ea58-49d0-8be1-21e4b0601ecc The Domestic School // Episode 49 There's a lot to the topic of education, and we talk a bit about what C.S. Lewis thought of as one of the goals of education, a different way to consider what a school is, and how the home is, ideally, also a school of sorts.

We reference an essay by C.S. Lewis, and I think the ideas are found in a collection of his essays by the name of Education and History. But if it's not in there, I've sent you on a wild ride of exploring ideas with C.S. Lewis, and for that, I am not sad.

We also reference a fellow named John Senior, who wrote both The Death of Christian Culture and The Restoration of Christian Culture. The distinction we reference is in neither of those works, however; as I recall, it may be found in one of his unpublished manuscripts, which helps you, our listener, not much at all...

We're also joined by our friend Kathryn! 

We'll be praying for you all!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Sat, 21 Mar 2020 20:58:31 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There's a lot to the topic of education, and we talk a bit about what C.S. Lewis thought of as one of the goals of education, a different way to consider what a school is, and how the home is, ideally, also a school of sorts.

We reference an essay by C.S. Lewis, and I think the ideas are found in a collection of his essays by the name of Education and History. But if it's not in there, I've sent you on a wild ride of exploring ideas with C.S. Lewis, and for that, I am not sad.

We also reference a fellow named John Senior, who wrote both The Death of Christian Culture and The Restoration of Christian Culture. The distinction we reference is in neither of those works, however; as I recall, it may be found in one of his unpublished manuscripts, which helps you, our listener, not much at all...

We're also joined by our friend Kathryn! 

We'll be praying for you all!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> The Domestic School // Episode 49 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:02 Wherein we discuss some aspects of school that are less-often considered, and how they impact our view of the role of the family in education, and how the home is, ideally, a school. Wherein we discuss some aspects of school that are less-often considered, and how they impact our view of the role of the family in education, and how the home is, ideally, a school. missionary disciple, domestic church, discipleship, love of neighbor, school, disciple, love of god, evangelization, homeschool, new evangelization false full 49 d8ca9c6a-703c-4446-a461-2292fe9d8257 Gratitude in the Midst of Suffering // Episode 48 On January 18, 2020, Joseph took our 4-year-old daughter, Gisela, to the ER on account of labored/painful breathing and lethargy, only to discover that she would need emergency surgery for what turned out to be a necrotic and perforated stomach. Since then, we've been bouncing between the pediatric ICU, the Ronald McDonald House (a free housing service for families with kiddos in the hospital), and occasionally home. But we made some time to record another podcast! And this is that podcast! We talk about having gratitude when suffering comes. As Catholics, gratitude is the best option we can choose when reality is presented to us, even if it seems quixotic or too difficult.

We talk about Crystal's blog, wherein more details on Gisela may be found (the link is to the first entry on her medical emergency-- you can then read on from there...): https://mydaughtersdignity.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/on-the-mend-from-a-really-bad-medical-emergency/

Joseph wrote a couple of entries as well, notably one on some lesser-discussed reasons of why we ought not do hard drugs, which we mention in the episode. He thinks it's revelatory and relevant. And he's the one writing this episode description...

https://mydaughtersdignity.wordpress.com/2020/03/01/guest-post-dont-do-drugs/

We also used a quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy"-- and as Joseph said in the podcast, he heard someone attribute it to C.S. Lewis. But it turns out it's a Teddy Roosevelt quote. Who knew? Google knew. 

C.S. Lewis has become like Augustine-- when in doubt, say [famous Christian writer] said it. If they've written enough (like St. Augustine and C.S. Lewis), they probably said something like that, somewhere...

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Mar 2020 19:36:52 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ On January 18, 2020, Joseph took our 4-year-old daughter, Gisela, to the ER on account of labored/painful breathing and lethargy, only to discover that she would need emergency surgery for what turned out to be a necrotic and perforated stomach. Since then, we've been bouncing between the pediatric ICU, the Ronald McDonald House (a free housing service for families with kiddos in the hospital), and occasionally home. But we made some time to record another podcast! And this is that podcast! We talk about having gratitude when suffering comes. As Catholics, gratitude is the best option we can choose when reality is presented to us, even if it seems quixotic or too difficult.

We talk about Crystal's blog, wherein more details on Gisela may be found (the link is to the first entry on her medical emergency-- you can then read on from there...): https://mydaughtersdignity.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/on-the-mend-from-a-really-bad-medical-emergency/

Joseph wrote a couple of entries as well, notably one on some lesser-discussed reasons of why we ought not do hard drugs, which we mention in the episode. He thinks it's revelatory and relevant. And he's the one writing this episode description...

https://mydaughtersdignity.wordpress.com/2020/03/01/guest-post-dont-do-drugs/

We also used a quote, "Comparison is the thief of joy"-- and as Joseph said in the podcast, he heard someone attribute it to C.S. Lewis. But it turns out it's a Teddy Roosevelt quote. Who knew? Google knew. 

C.S. Lewis has become like Augustine-- when in doubt, say [famous Christian writer] said it. If they've written enough (like St. Augustine and C.S. Lewis), they probably said something like that, somewhere...

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

 

As always, 

]]> Gratitude in the Midst of Suffering // Episode 48 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:28:28 Wherein Crystal and Joseph offer a brief update on the 6-ish week hiatus we've taken, largely due to our daughter's harrowing medical emergency; also, we talk about gratitude. We're pretty sure that if being Catholic means anything, it means a fundamental disposition of gratitude. Wherein Crystal and Joseph offer a brief update on the 6-ish week hiatus we've taken, largely due to our daughter's harrowing medical emergency; also, we talk about gratitude. We're pretty sure that if being Catholic means anything, it means a fundamental disposition of gratitude. missionary disciple, suffering, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, gratitude, missionary, love of god, christian false full 48 879a4ee0-d185-40cd-b0c5-48fac0cd2d23 The Domestic Church with Rich Budd // Episode 47 We have on a special guest, Rich Budd, who is the Director of Marriage and Family Life in the Lansing diocese, talking to us about one of his favorite topics, the domestic church.  You may know Rich Budd as one of the hosts of The Armchair Catholic!

We live in an odd era-- when the Church was new, St. Paul used the image of the family to help understand what the Church is; now, we work backwards from what the Church is to see what the family is supposed to be. Listen in as Rich Budd unpacks for us ways in which the Church and the home are analogous.

Rich breaks it down to show how the Church and the domestic church have similar natures, similar structures, and similar missions. 

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Thu, 16 Jan 2020 17:29:34 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Rich Budd, Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We have on a special guest, Rich Budd, who is the Director of Marriage and Family Life in the Lansing diocese, talking to us about one of his favorite topics, the domestic church.  You may know Rich Budd as one of the hosts of The Armchair Catholic!

We live in an odd era-- when the Church was new, St. Paul used the image of the family to help understand what the Church is; now, we work backwards from what the Church is to see what the family is supposed to be. Listen in as Rich Budd unpacks for us ways in which the Church and the home are analogous.

Rich breaks it down to show how the Church and the domestic church have similar natures, similar structures, and similar missions. 

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> The Domestic Church with Rich Budd // Episode 47 Rich Budd, Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:55:36 Wherein we hear from Rich Budd, Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Lansing, talking to us about how to understand what the phrase 'domestic church' means. You may know Rich Budd as one of the hosts of The Armchair Catholic! Wherein we hear from Rich Budd, Director of Marriage and Family Life for the Diocese of Lansing, talking to us about how to understand what the phrase 'domestic church' means. You may know Rich Budd as one of the hosts of The Armchair Catholic! missionary disciple, domestic church, discipleship, love of neighbor, marriage, missionary, love of god, family, evangelization, new evangelization false full 47 ba99d904-67f6-47f9-9964-db56e847d316 Our Take on Hospitality // Episode 46 Hospitality is a very Christian virtue, especially in this Advent season, when we remember the welcome Mary gives to Jesus, and the lack of welcome the Holy Family received in Bethlehem. In this episode, we don't talk about the Holy Family at all; instead, we just talk about how we've been approaching hospitality as a less-holy family. We know people who are better than us at hospitality, and we are hoping to interview some of them in the future. In the meanwhile, we offer the best that we have!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 11 Dec 2019 02:04:16 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Hospitality is a very Christian virtue, especially in this Advent season, when we remember the welcome Mary gives to Jesus, and the lack of welcome the Holy Family received in Bethlehem. In this episode, we don't talk about the Holy Family at all; instead, we just talk about how we've been approaching hospitality as a less-holy family. We know people who are better than us at hospitality, and we are hoping to interview some of them in the future. In the meanwhile, we offer the best that we have!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Our Take on Hospitality // Episode 46 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:44:46 Wherein we discuss the why, where, what, and the with whom of hospitality, at least insofar as we have been trying to practice it. Wherein we discuss the why, where, what, and the with whom of hospitality, at least insofar as we have been trying to practice it. missionary disciple, catholic, apostolate, holy, discipleship, love of neighbor, love of god, christian, evangelization, hospitality, new evangelization false full 46 17704077-d578-4f50-8806-c65bc846eec3 2nd Q&A with the Grubers // Episode 45 We had enough fun with our first Q&A that we decided to do a second one! The second question of the podcast addresses some of the issues concerning the papacy, bishops, scandal, infiltrating ideologies, and our trust in the institution of the Church, which is a great topic if you want to practice conflict-resolution skills at your church!

We address the following questions:

"What is one 'life dream' you've had to let die due to the reality of sharing your life with others? (Marriage, kids, etc)"-- Answer at 2:20

"Why should a Catholic trust the Pope if we know it is and has been the marxists goal to infiltrate it?"-- Answer at 9:00

"If favorite movies do in fact say something about who people are, what does your favorite movie say about you?"-- Answer at 24:29

"If you could own and manage any business, what would it be and why?"-- Answer at 30:10

If you have questions you'd like us to answer, feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com-- we can either reply to the email, or address it in another mailbag (but not our next episode...we recorded an extra episode for when baby was born, and baby was born this week!).

Also, feel free to share episodes with friends (the Transcendent Friendship and the Apostolic Direction episodes are especially friend-friendly), rate, and review so more people might find this.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 4 Dec 2019 03:11:27 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We had enough fun with our first Q&A that we decided to do a second one! The second question of the podcast addresses some of the issues concerning the papacy, bishops, scandal, infiltrating ideologies, and our trust in the institution of the Church, which is a great topic if you want to practice conflict-resolution skills at your church!

We address the following questions:

"What is one 'life dream' you've had to let die due to the reality of sharing your life with others? (Marriage, kids, etc)"-- Answer at 2:20

"Why should a Catholic trust the Pope if we know it is and has been the marxists goal to infiltrate it?"-- Answer at 9:00

"If favorite movies do in fact say something about who people are, what does your favorite movie say about you?"-- Answer at 24:29

"If you could own and manage any business, what would it be and why?"-- Answer at 30:10

If you have questions you'd like us to answer, feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com-- we can either reply to the email, or address it in another mailbag (but not our next episode...we recorded an extra episode for when baby was born, and baby was born this week!).

Also, feel free to share episodes with friends (the Transcendent Friendship and the Apostolic Direction episodes are especially friend-friendly), rate, and review so more people might find this.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> 2nd Q&A with the Grubers // Episode 45 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:35:49 Wherein Joseph and Crystal answer several more user-submitted questions. Wherein Joseph and Crystal answer several more user-submitted questions. missionary disciple, pope, catholic, apostolate, holy, discipleship, love of neighbor, question and answer, love of god, evangelization, bishops, new evangelization false full 45 ed12765e-fc20-49fc-a02b-8def4e823d22 Q&A with the Grubers // Episode 44 We asked a few listeners to submit questions, and we answer a random assortment of them!


"If you had to describe Hope to an alien species who were unfamiliar with the concept, knew nothing of religion, and your description had to fit on a single post-it note what would you write?" Answer: 1:36

"Any tips for accompanying friends/family who are pulling away from the church?" Answer: 2:06

"How do you find good, unbiased news media? " Answer: 9:35

"Do you foresee a rise in Catholic homeschooling as more Catholic private/parochial schools close due to financial struggles?" Answer 14:47

"How do you strike a balance between seeking out supportive Catholic friendships and isolating yourself in a Catholic ghetto?" Answer: 19:51

If you have questions you'd like us to answer, feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com-- we can either reply to the email, or address it in another mailbag (but not the next one...we recorded the second mailbag episode right after the first one, since we received a lot of questions, and may be having a baby any day now...).

Also, feel free to share episodes with friends (the Transcendent Friendship and the Apostolic Direction episodes are especially friend-friendly), rate, and review so more people might find this.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:04:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We asked a few listeners to submit questions, and we answer a random assortment of them!


"If you had to describe Hope to an alien species who were unfamiliar with the concept, knew nothing of religion, and your description had to fit on a single post-it note what would you write?" Answer: 1:36

"Any tips for accompanying friends/family who are pulling away from the church?" Answer: 2:06

"How do you find good, unbiased news media? " Answer: 9:35

"Do you foresee a rise in Catholic homeschooling as more Catholic private/parochial schools close due to financial struggles?" Answer 14:47

"How do you strike a balance between seeking out supportive Catholic friendships and isolating yourself in a Catholic ghetto?" Answer: 19:51

If you have questions you'd like us to answer, feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com-- we can either reply to the email, or address it in another mailbag (but not the next one...we recorded the second mailbag episode right after the first one, since we received a lot of questions, and may be having a baby any day now...).

Also, feel free to share episodes with friends (the Transcendent Friendship and the Apostolic Direction episodes are especially friend-friendly), rate, and review so more people might find this.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Q&A with the Grubers // Episode 44 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:59 Wherein we answer some listener-submitted questions. Wherein we answer some listener-submitted questions. missionary disciple, catholic, apostolate, holy, discipleship, love of neighbor, answer, missionary, love of god, christian, evangelization, question, new evangelization false full 44 9caa8d4b-4a49-41fc-b587-8510a980a24d Transcendent Friendship // Episode 43 What's the difference between a useful or pleasant friendship and a virtuous friendship? And what's a practice that aids us in growing virtue whether we're the givers or the receivers of it? These two questions, and maybe others, are answered in this podcast...

We reference Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (again), and John Cuddeback's True Friendship, as well as St. John Paul II's Love and Responsibility (I'll give the actual quote right...now):
"This is what is called unrequited love, which as everyone knows is fraught with pain and suffering. If a love of this kind persists, as it sometimes does, for a very long time, this is because of some inner obstinacy, which however tends to distort love and rob it of its proper character." I think I said something to the effect that unrequited love can turn monstrous-- JPII just says distorted and robbed of its proper character. Like a monster.

The breakdown for feedback is as follows:

The True: objectively, what was done, and subjectively, how I received it and how I felt as a result
The Good: The person I'm talking to is good, is called to greatness, and I am there, saying these things, to work toward their good, not mine, all for the glory of God
The Beautiful: Invite them into the next step with me in this life we're sharing

And the response: Thank you! Even if the feedback is off, or we disagree with it, or they leave out some or most of the steps, we can be grateful that they had the courage and love to give it. (If they did skip some or most steps, now is not the time to teach them-- but don't put it off too long...)

For giving us feedback, feel free to leave a review, or to contact us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. Also, feel free to share this episode, or its contents, or use the form of feedback when next you're needing to communicate something difficult to a friend, and let us know how it goes!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Tue, 12 Nov 2019 20:17:55 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ What's the difference between a useful or pleasant friendship and a virtuous friendship? And what's a practice that aids us in growing virtue whether we're the givers or the receivers of it? These two questions, and maybe others, are answered in this podcast...

We reference Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (again), and John Cuddeback's True Friendship, as well as St. John Paul II's Love and Responsibility (I'll give the actual quote right...now):
"This is what is called unrequited love, which as everyone knows is fraught with pain and suffering. If a love of this kind persists, as it sometimes does, for a very long time, this is because of some inner obstinacy, which however tends to distort love and rob it of its proper character." I think I said something to the effect that unrequited love can turn monstrous-- JPII just says distorted and robbed of its proper character. Like a monster.

The breakdown for feedback is as follows:

The True: objectively, what was done, and subjectively, how I received it and how I felt as a result
The Good: The person I'm talking to is good, is called to greatness, and I am there, saying these things, to work toward their good, not mine, all for the glory of God
The Beautiful: Invite them into the next step with me in this life we're sharing

And the response: Thank you! Even if the feedback is off, or we disagree with it, or they leave out some or most of the steps, we can be grateful that they had the courage and love to give it. (If they did skip some or most steps, now is not the time to teach them-- but don't put it off too long...)

For giving us feedback, feel free to leave a review, or to contact us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. Also, feel free to share this episode, or its contents, or use the form of feedback when next you're needing to communicate something difficult to a friend, and let us know how it goes!

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Transcendent Friendship // Episode 43 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:58:43 Wherein we discuss the three levels of friendship and a handy way to think through how to give feedback to a friend (or to a potential friend!). Wherein we discuss the three levels of friendship and a handy way to think through how to give feedback to a friend (or to a potential friend!). missionary disciple, virtuous, friendship, transcendent, catholic, beauty, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, truth, virtue, love of god, goodness, christian, evangelization, feedback, new evangelization false full 43 e473762d-d8b0-401b-9f69-81774eb48a2c Beauty and Wonder // Episode 42 We discuss the necessity of beauty for the attractiveness of the good and the true, and beauty's role in moving us toward God. We're joined by Jacob Gruber, a seminarian, whose contributions to the discussion are great indeed.

We reference Hans Urs von Balthasar right off the bat:
https://www.amazon.com/Glory-Lord-Vol-2nd-Ed/dp/1586173219/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hans+urs+von+balthasar&qid=1573075352&sr=8-16

And here is the quote: "In a world without beauty-- even if people cannot dispense with the word and constantly have it on the tip of their tongues in order to abuse it-- in a world which is perhaps not wholly without beauty, but which can no longer see it or reckon with it: in such a world the good also loses its attractiveness, the self-evidence of why it must be carried out. Man stands before the good and asks himself why it must be done and not rather its alternative, evil. For this, too, is a possibility, and even the more exciting one: Why not investigate Satan's depths? In a world that no longer has enough confidence in itself to affirm the beautiful, the proofs of the truth have lost their cogency. In other words, syllogisms may still dutifully clatter away like rotary presses or computers which infallibly spew out an exact number of answers by the minute. But the logic of these answers is itself a mechanism which no longer captivates anyone. The very conclusions are no longer conclusive. And if this is how the transcendentals fare because one of them has been banished, what will happen with Being itself?"

We also reference Josef Pieper's Only the Lover Sings: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0898703026/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9

And St. Dionysius's On the Divine Names: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Names-Mystical-Theology/dp/1785165356/ref=sr_1_15?qid=1573075779&refinements=p_27%3ADionysius+the+Areopagite&s=books&sr=1-15&text=Dionysius+the+Areopagite

(We're listing the above with the caveat that I didn't check with Jacob as to which translation of this work is best...)

***

Edit: Jacob recommends the translation by C.E. Rolt: https://www.amazon.com/Dionysius-Areopagite-Divine-Mystical-Theology/dp/0892540958/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/144-2902010-6046411?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0892540958&pd_rd_r=7997486f-494e-4c68-9a38-283eb07edb73&pd_rd_w=6Cs6r&pd_rd_wg=ndCHQ&pf_rd_p=52b7592c-2dc9-4ac6-84d4-4bda6360045e&pf_rd_r=W7V8045VENT15P3KQB6S&psc=1&refRID=W7V8045VENT15P3KQB6S

And he did recommend Thomas Dubay's book on beauty: The Evidential Power of Beauty: https://www.amazon.com/Evidential-Power-Beauty-Science-Theology/dp/0898707528/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=thomas+dubay+beauty&qid=1573489921&s=books&sr=1-1

***

And the 10 Commandments. And perhaps a few more resources.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Nov 2019 21:37:33 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We discuss the necessity of beauty for the attractiveness of the good and the true, and beauty's role in moving us toward God. We're joined by Jacob Gruber, a seminarian, whose contributions to the discussion are great indeed.

We reference Hans Urs von Balthasar right off the bat:
https://www.amazon.com/Glory-Lord-Vol-2nd-Ed/dp/1586173219/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=hans+urs+von+balthasar&qid=1573075352&sr=8-16

And here is the quote: "In a world without beauty-- even if people cannot dispense with the word and constantly have it on the tip of their tongues in order to abuse it-- in a world which is perhaps not wholly without beauty, but which can no longer see it or reckon with it: in such a world the good also loses its attractiveness, the self-evidence of why it must be carried out. Man stands before the good and asks himself why it must be done and not rather its alternative, evil. For this, too, is a possibility, and even the more exciting one: Why not investigate Satan's depths? In a world that no longer has enough confidence in itself to affirm the beautiful, the proofs of the truth have lost their cogency. In other words, syllogisms may still dutifully clatter away like rotary presses or computers which infallibly spew out an exact number of answers by the minute. But the logic of these answers is itself a mechanism which no longer captivates anyone. The very conclusions are no longer conclusive. And if this is how the transcendentals fare because one of them has been banished, what will happen with Being itself?"

We also reference Josef Pieper's Only the Lover Sings: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0898703026/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9

And St. Dionysius's On the Divine Names: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Names-Mystical-Theology/dp/1785165356/ref=sr_1_15?qid=1573075779&refinements=p_27%3ADionysius+the+Areopagite&s=books&sr=1-15&text=Dionysius+the+Areopagite

(We're listing the above with the caveat that I didn't check with Jacob as to which translation of this work is best...)

***

Edit: Jacob recommends the translation by C.E. Rolt: https://www.amazon.com/Dionysius-Areopagite-Divine-Mystical-Theology/dp/0892540958/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/144-2902010-6046411?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0892540958&pd_rd_r=7997486f-494e-4c68-9a38-283eb07edb73&pd_rd_w=6Cs6r&pd_rd_wg=ndCHQ&pf_rd_p=52b7592c-2dc9-4ac6-84d4-4bda6360045e&pf_rd_r=W7V8045VENT15P3KQB6S&psc=1&refRID=W7V8045VENT15P3KQB6S

And he did recommend Thomas Dubay's book on beauty: The Evidential Power of Beauty: https://www.amazon.com/Evidential-Power-Beauty-Science-Theology/dp/0898707528/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=thomas+dubay+beauty&qid=1573489921&s=books&sr=1-1

***

And the 10 Commandments. And perhaps a few more resources.

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Beauty and Wonder // Episode 42 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:53:30 Wherein we discuss Beauty with a seminarian that happens to be Joseph's brother. Wherein we discuss Beauty with a seminarian that happens to be Joseph's brother. missionary disciple, apostolic, catholic, beauty, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, missionary, von balthasar, aquinas, josef pieper, love of god, christian, evangelization, wonder, new evangelization false full 42 7913eccb-c015-4bdb-8845-5779bc6e427d Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand // Episode 41 Repentance gets a bad rap, as it is so often preached without reference to the great goodness that repentance is. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached repentance, and when they did  so, it was accompanied by the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven really was at hand, that God really was drawing close to His people, and that real change was possible.  We talk about the great gift of confession, the transformation of repentance, and great good of sharing these things with others.

We talk about many things, but two things that are referenced are here:

the examination of conscience that Fr. John Hardon wrote up: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/examination-of-conscience-12577

and the Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/

We'd also love to hear from you! Feel free to send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com especially if you have questions or comments. If you've been liking the podcast, please feel free to share it and rate it. If all we've done is facilitate intellectual consumerism rather than opportunities and ammunition for encounters, then that would be pretty sad. But if we've been helping you in living out a missionary life, that would be grand! And we would love to hear about it!

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Fri, 25 Oct 2019 04:28:40 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Repentance gets a bad rap, as it is so often preached without reference to the great goodness that repentance is. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached repentance, and when they did  so, it was accompanied by the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven really was at hand, that God really was drawing close to His people, and that real change was possible.  We talk about the great gift of confession, the transformation of repentance, and great good of sharing these things with others.

We talk about many things, but two things that are referenced are here:

the examination of conscience that Fr. John Hardon wrote up: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/examination-of-conscience-12577

and the Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/

We'd also love to hear from you! Feel free to send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com especially if you have questions or comments. If you've been liking the podcast, please feel free to share it and rate it. If all we've done is facilitate intellectual consumerism rather than opportunities and ammunition for encounters, then that would be pretty sad. But if we've been helping you in living out a missionary life, that would be grand! And we would love to hear about it!

 

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able!

As always, 

]]> Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand // Episode 41 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:52:17 Wherein we discuss the virtue of repentance. Wherein we discuss the virtue of repentance. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, repentance, discipleship, love of neighbor, sacrament, confession, repent, disciple, reconciliation, love of god, good news, evangelization, forgiveness, new evangelization false full 41 99337d90-991f-4d20-ace5-de2e4cf6987b Chastity: Window to Beauty // Episode 40 "Beauty will save the world," says Prince Myshkin, in Dostoevsky's less-famous novel, The Idiot. We talk about how chastity is the virtue that chooses the beautiful over the merely pleasant, the icon over the spectacle, the person over the object. When we see others rightly, as ends unto themselves, we become as we ought to be. When we become pure, as we ought to be, then we can see God (cf. Matthew 5:8). 

We reference Thor: Ragnarok, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Truman Show. And Lego Movie 2. If you thought we'd be pulling in a lot of JPII, Love and Responsibility, and ToB, you're half-right-- we kept it on the down-low this episode. It's there, but not as explicitly as the movie references...

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able! And if you'd like to reach out, we can be contacted most easily at ouroutpost@gmail.com. 

 

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Oct 2019 18:52:19 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ "Beauty will save the world," says Prince Myshkin, in Dostoevsky's less-famous novel, The Idiot. We talk about how chastity is the virtue that chooses the beautiful over the merely pleasant, the icon over the spectacle, the person over the object. When we see others rightly, as ends unto themselves, we become as we ought to be. When we become pure, as we ought to be, then we can see God (cf. Matthew 5:8). 

We reference Thor: Ragnarok, The Shawshank Redemption, and The Truman Show. And Lego Movie 2. If you thought we'd be pulling in a lot of JPII, Love and Responsibility, and ToB, you're half-right-- we kept it on the down-low this episode. It's there, but not as explicitly as the movie references...

And feel free to subscribe to this podcast as well as share it with others. Our goal is to produce faithful, formative, and conversation-starting content for Catholic disciples of Jesus who are wrestling to be missionary-minded in their normal, everyday lives-- so if that applies to you or a friend of yours, we're hoping to serve you as best as we're able! And if you'd like to reach out, we can be contacted most easily at ouroutpost@gmail.com. 

 

As always, 

]]> Chastity: Window to Beauty // Episode 40 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:46:58 Wherein we discuss chastity and its relationship to the beautiful. Wherein we discuss chastity and its relationship to the beautiful. transcendent, catholic, beauty, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, chastity, virtue, love of god, icon, spectacle, new evangelization false full 40 e12113cf-ab3c-4c25-90ff-cb5a315a49ec Excellence: From Goodness to Goodness // Episode 39 We're in the middle of a four-part series on three virtues that correspond to our ability to be sensitive to the transcendent: sobriety, excellence, and chastity. Excellence, as a general virtue, is in large part a response to the goodness of reality, and more particularly, a response to the good Creator of that reality. We talk about why we struggle to pursue excellence, struggling to be excellent, and next steps to take to embrace goodness.

We reference Brene Brown, and here is a link to a TED talk she gave some years ago: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en 

We also reference her book, Daring Greatly, and more generally, Crystal recommends her books: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592408419/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 04:05:48 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We're in the middle of a four-part series on three virtues that correspond to our ability to be sensitive to the transcendent: sobriety, excellence, and chastity. Excellence, as a general virtue, is in large part a response to the goodness of reality, and more particularly, a response to the good Creator of that reality. We talk about why we struggle to pursue excellence, struggling to be excellent, and next steps to take to embrace goodness.

We reference Brene Brown, and here is a link to a TED talk she gave some years ago: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en 

We also reference her book, Daring Greatly, and more generally, Crystal recommends her books: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592408419/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

 

As always, 

]]> Excellence: From Goodness to Goodness // Episode 39 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:45:03 Wherein we discuss how we might pursue excellence from moment to moment. Wherein we discuss how we might pursue excellence from moment to moment. transcendent, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, virtue, excellence, love of god, christian, evangelization, new evangelization false full 39 43645f80-2907-44e7-a419-44b1352afceb Sobriety: Gateway to Truth // Episode 38 Last week, we went over a basic Christian anthropology, with the upshot being that a fully alive, happy, and integrated person is a person a virtue-- who is prudent, just, fortitudinous, and temperate. This week, we'll begin to unpack how our ability to perceive the transcendent depends in part on embracing three virtues. Only the sober can know truth, only the excellent can choose the good, and only the chaste can be touched by beauty. In this episode, we dive into the virtue of sobriety as the gateway to the truth. 

Our reason is one of the most precious gifts we have, and sins against sobriety cut against this very gift. But the virtue of sobriety is not merely not cutting against our reason, but growing in awareness of and appreciation for reality as it is.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 3 Oct 2019 02:10:42 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Last week, we went over a basic Christian anthropology, with the upshot being that a fully alive, happy, and integrated person is a person a virtue-- who is prudent, just, fortitudinous, and temperate. This week, we'll begin to unpack how our ability to perceive the transcendent depends in part on embracing three virtues. Only the sober can know truth, only the excellent can choose the good, and only the chaste can be touched by beauty. In this episode, we dive into the virtue of sobriety as the gateway to the truth. 

Our reason is one of the most precious gifts we have, and sins against sobriety cut against this very gift. But the virtue of sobriety is not merely not cutting against our reason, but growing in awareness of and appreciation for reality as it is.

As always, 

]]> Sobriety: Gateway to Truth // Episode 38 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:48:15 Wherein we discuss the relationship of sobriety to our ability to receive truth, and more largely, how sobriety, excellence, and chastity are the virtues that safeguard our ability to encounter the transcendent. Wherein we discuss the relationship of sobriety to our ability to receive truth, and more largely, how sobriety, excellence, and chastity are the virtues that safeguard our ability to encounter the transcendent. sobriety, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, virtue, love of god, christian, evangelization, new evangelization false full 38 985faaa6-5786-40d5-9e0b-dacd9c0baefd A Basic Christian Anthropology // Episode 37 If you have the feeling that the modern world has everything upside-down, this episode will give that feeling the teeth of thought. Pope Benedict XVI has been famously quoted as saying "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." And he was right on all counts. 

We reference the four cardinal virtues, which can be found explicated at length in a book by Josef Pieper called (appropriately enough) The Four Cardinal Virtues, which can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0268001030/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1). 

If you want a shorter explanation by Pieper, check out his book The Christian Idea of Man (I may have inadvertently said The Christian Ideal of Man. Mea culpa!), which can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587311127/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9

We also mention the work of Fr. Robert Spitzer, which can be found here: 
https://magiscenter.com/
https://spitzercenter.org/

And the Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle. And Chesterton's body of work, insofar as he talks quite a bit about Christianity turning everything right-side-up (technically, as I've discussed with my six-year-old, turning everything up-side-up-- right-side-up just means to put things sideways on top of the left side, if you think about it...). 

As always, 

]]> Thu, 26 Sep 2019 04:08:29 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ If you have the feeling that the modern world has everything upside-down, this episode will give that feeling the teeth of thought. Pope Benedict XVI has been famously quoted as saying "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." And he was right on all counts. 

We reference the four cardinal virtues, which can be found explicated at length in a book by Josef Pieper called (appropriately enough) The Four Cardinal Virtues, which can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0268001030/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1). 

If you want a shorter explanation by Pieper, check out his book The Christian Idea of Man (I may have inadvertently said The Christian Ideal of Man. Mea culpa!), which can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1587311127/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9

We also mention the work of Fr. Robert Spitzer, which can be found here: 
https://magiscenter.com/
https://spitzercenter.org/

And the Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle. And Chesterton's body of work, insofar as he talks quite a bit about Christianity turning everything right-side-up (technically, as I've discussed with my six-year-old, turning everything up-side-up-- right-side-up just means to put things sideways on top of the left side, if you think about it...). 

As always, 

]]> A Basic Christian Anthropology // Episode 37 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:33 Wherein Joseph discusses the four cardinal virtues, what it is they are perfecting, happiness, and evangelical conversations. Wherein Joseph discusses the four cardinal virtues, what it is they are perfecting, happiness, and evangelical conversations. catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization, happiness false full 37 495915bd-b866-4b98-96e1-fd15f757b5b8 Soulful Apostolate // Episode 36 The active life is supposed to be the overflow from the interior life... and yet here we are, trying to do things without swift recourse to a life of prayer. We talk through what has helped us to remember to put prayer first, as well as that sense of dis-integration we have when we don't first pray. 

We reference The Soul of the Apostolate, which can be found here. 

We also reference the podcast The Thomistic Institute, which can be found on different podcasting services, as well as here. The episode referenced was "Evangelizing with Failure: Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.". 

And we reference a blog, Bacon from Acorns, by Dr. John Cuddeback, which can be found here. His introductory articles as to what makes a household are so clear and helpful.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 18 Sep 2019 03:37:27 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The active life is supposed to be the overflow from the interior life... and yet here we are, trying to do things without swift recourse to a life of prayer. We talk through what has helped us to remember to put prayer first, as well as that sense of dis-integration we have when we don't first pray. 

We reference The Soul of the Apostolate, which can be found here. 

We also reference the podcast The Thomistic Institute, which can be found on different podcasting services, as well as here. The episode referenced was "Evangelizing with Failure: Fr. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B.". 

And we reference a blog, Bacon from Acorns, by Dr. John Cuddeback, which can be found here. His introductory articles as to what makes a household are so clear and helpful.

As always, 

]]> Soulful Apostolate // Episode 36 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:44:01 Wherein we talk about what Crystal has been wrestling with recently, which happens to be the Soul of the Apostolate, by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard... Wherein we talk about what Crystal has been wrestling with recently, which happens to be the Soul of the Apostolate, by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard... missionary disciple, catholic, soul of the apostolate, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 36 e465c407-9a26-44f0-b49a-698bd6592186 The College's Duration // Episode 35 While it seems a matter of course to many that college should last approximately four years, it's worth wondering if there is something more to the degree than 8 semesters (or 12 quarters) worth of classes. The inherent inequality of seniors and their accummulated experience rubbing shoulders with freshman who have the disadvantage of less experience gives the opportunity for the handing on of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, skills, and traditions. Seniors can become benefactors and those more junior can become beneficiaries in a system that keeps cycling people through it, teaching the values of first following and then leading.
We usually reference more than we did in this episode, but I don't think we referenced much outside of our thoughts on the topic...
If you would like a digital copy of the booklet Joseph wrote on the themes of the last few episodes, send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com. Feel free to rate, subscribe, and share the show!

As always, 

]]> Thu, 5 Sep 2019 18:03:12 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ While it seems a matter of course to many that college should last approximately four years, it's worth wondering if there is something more to the degree than 8 semesters (or 12 quarters) worth of classes. The inherent inequality of seniors and their accummulated experience rubbing shoulders with freshman who have the disadvantage of less experience gives the opportunity for the handing on of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, skills, and traditions. Seniors can become benefactors and those more junior can become beneficiaries in a system that keeps cycling people through it, teaching the values of first following and then leading.
We usually reference more than we did in this episode, but I don't think we referenced much outside of our thoughts on the topic...
If you would like a digital copy of the booklet Joseph wrote on the themes of the last few episodes, send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com. Feel free to rate, subscribe, and share the show!

As always, 

]]> The College's Duration // Episode 35 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:57 Wherein we discuss the significance of most colleges and universities asking for four years of their students, and the opportunities afforded to those students as a result. Wherein we discuss the significance of most colleges and universities asking for four years of their students, and the opportunities afforded to those students as a result. apostolic, catholic, missionary disciples, discipleship, love of neighbor, university, missionary, love of god, time, evangelization, college, new evangelization false full 35 c67e8a0c-3f31-4030-8472-d866c5e815a2 The College Clubs // Episode 34 Clubs: we paid part of our tuition so that they would exist and be funded. What good are they, and how ought a Catholic approach them?
We definitely didn't and definitely could have talked about Chesterton's take on the differences between clubs and neighbors, but that doesn't have to stop you from googling it and finding out his thoughts.
As always, feel free to drop us a line at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and feel free/encouraged to talk about these ideas with people around you. Podcasts were never meant to be a replacement for discussion, but rather fodder for better discussion ('better' here meaning better than we did at discussing it, and maybe even better than you would have done had you not listened to the podcast).

As always, 

]]> Thu, 29 Aug 2019 18:39:07 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Clubs: we paid part of our tuition so that they would exist and be funded. What good are they, and how ought a Catholic approach them?
We definitely didn't and definitely could have talked about Chesterton's take on the differences between clubs and neighbors, but that doesn't have to stop you from googling it and finding out his thoughts.
As always, feel free to drop us a line at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and feel free/encouraged to talk about these ideas with people around you. Podcasts were never meant to be a replacement for discussion, but rather fodder for better discussion ('better' here meaning better than we did at discussing it, and maybe even better than you would have done had you not listened to the podcast).

As always, 

]]> The College Clubs // Episode 34 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:50 Wherein we discuss the role of clubs on the college campus in forming students. Wherein we discuss the role of clubs on the college campus in forming students. apostolic, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, clubs, university, extracurriculars, love of god, evangelization, college, new evangelization false full 34 523602bf-6dea-4909-a0ed-491338bc2a0b The College Dorm // Episode 33 Wherein we discuss the role of the dorm in forming communities and humans, and how we might lean into such institutions to become holy.
Other than some Chesterton quotes and a Newman quote (which I now looked up. It is: "In a higher world it is otherwise, but here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often" and is apparently from Newman's Development of Christian Doctrine and can be found here: http://www.newmanreader.org/works/development/index.html It's possible he says it elsewhere, as well, and having never read this particular work myself, I am not suggesting everyone needs to read it; I'm just letting you know the provenance of the quote), we don't reference very much outside our own experiences in and around dorms, as well as a booklet Joseph wrote up on the college campus. If you're interested in that booklet, just email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and we can send it along to you!
Speaking of references, if you've never read anything by Jean Vanier, he's awesome on talking about life in community-- this book is incredible: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0809133415/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
We definitely did not reference Jean Vanier at all in the podcast, which is a shame, since we were talking about him earlier over dinner. Feel free to make up for our lack by reading something by him sometime!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 21 Aug 2019 15:17:40 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the role of the dorm in forming communities and humans, and how we might lean into such institutions to become holy.
Other than some Chesterton quotes and a Newman quote (which I now looked up. It is: "In a higher world it is otherwise, but here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often" and is apparently from Newman's Development of Christian Doctrine and can be found here: http://www.newmanreader.org/works/development/index.html It's possible he says it elsewhere, as well, and having never read this particular work myself, I am not suggesting everyone needs to read it; I'm just letting you know the provenance of the quote), we don't reference very much outside our own experiences in and around dorms, as well as a booklet Joseph wrote up on the college campus. If you're interested in that booklet, just email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, and we can send it along to you!
Speaking of references, if you've never read anything by Jean Vanier, he's awesome on talking about life in community-- this book is incredible: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0809133415/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
We definitely did not reference Jean Vanier at all in the podcast, which is a shame, since we were talking about him earlier over dinner. Feel free to make up for our lack by reading something by him sometime!

As always, 

]]> The College Dorm // Episode 33 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:46:14 Wherein we discuss the role of the dorm in forming communities and humans, and how we might lean into such institutions to become holy. Wherein we discuss the role of the dorm in forming communities and humans, and how we might lean into such institutions to become holy. mission, criticism, catholic, discipleship, love of neighbor, campus, dorm, disciple, university, missionary, love of god, evangelization, college, dormitory, feedback, new evangelization false full 33 05d78fa1-4423-4b70-8282-a3c6014b27be The College Dining Hall // Episode 32 Wherein we discuss the opportunities for Christian charity in the college dining hall, and the importance of meals with people in general.
While we usually reference worthwhile works to read to bolster your experience, today's episode is brought to you in large part through our experience of this reality. If and when Joseph publishes a book on the topic of the college campus, you'll be some of the first to hear about it, oh faithful listener.
[In the course of spot-checking, I did come across one reference, which is to Matthew Kelly's book, The Seven Levels of Intimacy, and because it's a Matthew Kelly book, we'll give the Dynamic Catholic link: https://dynamiccatholic.com/the-seven-levels-of-intimacy-paperback.]
In the meanwhile, feel free to leave a review, send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com, or post a comment on our facebook page, A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 14 Aug 2019 03:55:25 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the opportunities for Christian charity in the college dining hall, and the importance of meals with people in general.
While we usually reference worthwhile works to read to bolster your experience, today's episode is brought to you in large part through our experience of this reality. If and when Joseph publishes a book on the topic of the college campus, you'll be some of the first to hear about it, oh faithful listener.
[In the course of spot-checking, I did come across one reference, which is to Matthew Kelly's book, The Seven Levels of Intimacy, and because it's a Matthew Kelly book, we'll give the Dynamic Catholic link: https://dynamiccatholic.com/the-seven-levels-of-intimacy-paperback.]
In the meanwhile, feel free to leave a review, send us an email at ouroutpost@gmail.com, or post a comment on our facebook page, A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber.

As always, 

]]> The College Dining Hall // Episode 32 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:23 Wherein we discuss the opportunities for Christian charity in the college dining hall, and the importance of meals with people in general. Wherein we discuss the opportunities for Christian charity in the college dining hall, and the importance of meals with people in general. catholic, meals, discipleship, love of neighbor, disciple, love of god, evangelization, table fellowship, college, new evangelization, dining hall false full 32 48952a91-1ab1-4a0f-b6c2-a4e7827e93df The College Classroom // Episode 31 Wherein we discuss the role of the college classroom in meeting people and beginning relationships.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 7 Aug 2019 04:00:25 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the role of the college classroom in meeting people and beginning relationships.

As always, 

]]> The College Classroom // Episode 31 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:09 Wherein we discuss the role of the college classroom in meeting people and beginning relationships. Wherein we discuss the role of the college classroom in meeting people and beginning relationships. class, catholic, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, campus, introductions, love of god, college, new evangelization false full 31 7781fa69-4e48-43d8-8bda-db104ac4ffe0 There's Something about Eve... // Episode 30 Wherein we discuss the command to be fruitful and multiply, the prophetic utterance of the coming of the Messiah in the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, and how Eve gets things wrong. And how Mary and Joseph got it right. And how we're supposed to get it right, too.

References:
The Book of Genesis, chapters 1-6

As always, 

]]> Thu, 25 Jul 2019 21:27:45 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the command to be fruitful and multiply, the prophetic utterance of the coming of the Messiah in the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, and how Eve gets things wrong. And how Mary and Joseph got it right. And how we're supposed to get it right, too.

References:
The Book of Genesis, chapters 1-6

As always, 

]]> There's Something about Eve... // Episode 30 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:36:16 Wherein we discuss the command to be fruitful and multiply, the prophetic utterance of the coming of the Messiah in the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, and how Eve gets things wrong. And how Mary and Joseph got it right. And how we're supposed to get it right, too. References: The Book of Genesis, chapters 1-6 Wherein we discuss the command to be fruitful and multiply, the prophetic utterance of the coming of the Messiah in the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, and how Eve gets things wrong. And how Mary and Joseph got it right. And how we're supposed to get it right, too. References: The Book of Genesis, chapters 1-6 biological multiplication, catholic, discipleship, love of neighbor, catholicism, spiritual fruitfulness, love of god, evangelization, spiritual multiplication, new evangelization false full 30 6ea28a98-7def-4ff0-8276-92cd86aaee7b Ongoing Intellectual Formation // Episode 29 Wherein we go more deeply into the third pillar of apostolic formation, which is intellectual formation, and specifically talk about growing in our understanding of ethics, philosophy, and theology.
Joseph also addresses a few of the issues people brought up with the apologetics classes...
Works we reference:
C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, esp. the Hillsdale course on it: https://lp.hillsdale.edu/aristotle-enroll/
Steven J. Jensen, Living the Good Life: A Beginner's Thomistic Ethics
Servais Pinckaers, O.P., Morality: The Catholic View
Peter Kreeft, The Journey; and others as well...
Josef Pieper,Leisure: The Basis of Culture; Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power; Josef Pieper: An Anthology; The Cardinal Virtues; The Theological Virtues and whatever else you come across of his...
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Introduction to Christianity; "Jesus of Nazareth*; and anything else you can get your hands on
Catechism of the Catholic Church; going through the footnotes and going deeper with the Catechism as the springboard
The Bible

As always, 

]]> Thu, 18 Jul 2019 03:50:31 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we go more deeply into the third pillar of apostolic formation, which is intellectual formation, and specifically talk about growing in our understanding of ethics, philosophy, and theology.
Joseph also addresses a few of the issues people brought up with the apologetics classes...
Works we reference:
C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, esp. the Hillsdale course on it: https://lp.hillsdale.edu/aristotle-enroll/
Steven J. Jensen, Living the Good Life: A Beginner's Thomistic Ethics
Servais Pinckaers, O.P., Morality: The Catholic View
Peter Kreeft, The Journey; and others as well...
Josef Pieper,Leisure: The Basis of Culture; Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power; Josef Pieper: An Anthology; The Cardinal Virtues; The Theological Virtues and whatever else you come across of his...
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Introduction to Christianity; "Jesus of Nazareth*; and anything else you can get your hands on
Catechism of the Catholic Church; going through the footnotes and going deeper with the Catechism as the springboard
The Bible

As always, 

]]> Ongoing Intellectual Formation // Episode 29 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:45:20 Wherein we go more deeply into the third pillar of apostolic formation, which is intellectual formation, and specifically talk about growing in our understanding of ethics, philosophy, and theology. Joseph also addresses a few of the issues people brought up with the apologetics classes... Works we reference: C.S. Lewis, *The Abolition of Man* Aristotle, *Nicomachean Ethics*, esp. the Hillsdale course on it: https://lp.hillsdale.edu/aristotle-enroll/ Steven J. Jensen, *Living the Good Life: A Beginner's Thomistic Ethics* Servais Pinckaers, O.P., *Morality: The Catholic View* Peter Kreeft, *The Journey*; and others as well... Josef Pieper,*Leisure: The Basis of Culture*; *Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power*; *Josef Pieper: An Anthology*; *The Cardinal Virtues*; *The Theological Virtues* and whatever else you come across of his... Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, *Introduction to Christianity*; "Jesus of Nazareth*; and anything else you can get your hands on *Catechism of the Catholic Church*; going through the footnotes and going deeper with the *Catechism* as the springboard *The Bible* Wherein we go more deeply into the third pillar of apostolic formation, which is intellectual formation, and specifically talk about growing in our understanding of ethics, philosophy, and theology. Joseph also addresses a few of the issues people brought up with the apologetics classes... Works we reference: C.S. Lewis, *The Abolition of Man* Aristotle, *Nicomachean Ethics*, esp. the Hillsdale course on it: https://lp.hillsdale.edu/aristotle-enroll/ Steven J. Jensen, *Living the Good Life: A Beginner's Thomistic Ethics* Servais Pinckaers, O.P., *Morality: The Catholic View* Peter Kreeft, *The Journey*; and others as well... Josef Pieper,*Leisure: The Basis of Culture*; *Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power*; *Josef Pieper: An Anthology*; *The Cardinal Virtues*; *The Theological Virtues* and whatever else you come across of his... Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, *Introduction to Christianity*; "Jesus of Nazareth*; and anything else you can get your hands on *Catechism of the Catholic Church*; going through the footnotes and going deeper with the *Catechism* as the springboard *The Bible* intellectual formation, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, theology, love of god, evangelization, ethics, formation, philosophy, new evangelization false full 29 55cfa12d-01c7-4dfd-8e61-7f01720f4763 Christianity as the One True Religion // Episode 28 Wherein Joseph will present on how Christians can maintain that Jesus is Who He said He is, which means the Church is who He said she is.
Chesterton is referenced a bit-- I always recommend starting with Orthodoxy with him. Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus is an excellent reference as well. I also recommend being familiar with all of salvation history-- at some point, I'd like to write a good reference book for you for that.
Also, this is the last apologetics episode we'll do for awhile, unless there is clamor for more.
As always, you can reach us at ouroutpost@gmail.com.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 11 Jul 2019 02:27:49 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein Joseph will present on how Christians can maintain that Jesus is Who He said He is, which means the Church is who He said she is.
Chesterton is referenced a bit-- I always recommend starting with Orthodoxy with him. Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus is an excellent reference as well. I also recommend being familiar with all of salvation history-- at some point, I'd like to write a good reference book for you for that.
Also, this is the last apologetics episode we'll do for awhile, unless there is clamor for more.
As always, you can reach us at ouroutpost@gmail.com.

As always, 

]]> Christianity as the One True Religion // Episode 28 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:43:40 Wherein Joseph will present on how Christians can maintain that Jesus is Who He said He is, which means the Church is who He said she is. Chesterton is referenced a bit-- I always recommend starting with Orthodoxy with him. Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus is an excellent reference as well. I also recommend being familiar with all of salvation history-- at some point, I'd like to write a good reference book for you for that. Also, this is the last apologetics episode we'll do for awhile, unless there is clamor for more. As always, you can reach us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. Wherein Joseph will present on how Christians can maintain that Jesus is Who He said He is, which means the Church is who He said she is. Chesterton is referenced a bit-- I always recommend starting with Orthodoxy with him. Brant Pitre's The Case for Jesus is an excellent reference as well. I also recommend being familiar with all of salvation history-- at some point, I'd like to write a good reference book for you for that. Also, this is the last apologetics episode we'll do for awhile, unless there is clamor for more. As always, you can reach us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. salvation history, jesus, discipleship, love of neighbor, case for christianity, apologetics, love of god, new evangelization false full 28 4c34cd70-ee2f-42d1-9645-f959364978cf Does God Exist? // Episode 27 Wherein Joseph originally presented some arguments for the existence of God for the training of missionaries, and thus now presents it to you, the listener, as additional training for you.
A book that is obliquely referenced is Frank Sheed's "Theology and Sanity," as well as the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Jul 2019 02:42:48 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein Joseph originally presented some arguments for the existence of God for the training of missionaries, and thus now presents it to you, the listener, as additional training for you.
A book that is obliquely referenced is Frank Sheed's "Theology and Sanity," as well as the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas.

As always, 

]]> Does God Exist? // Episode 27 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:35:11 Wherein Joseph originally presented some arguments for the existence of God for the training of missionaries, and thus now presents it to you, the listener, as additional training for you. A book that is obliquely referenced is Frank Sheed's "Theology and Sanity," as well as the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. Wherein Joseph originally presented some arguments for the existence of God for the training of missionaries, and thus now presents it to you, the listener, as additional training for you. A book that is obliquely referenced is Frank Sheed's "Theology and Sanity," as well as the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. via pulchritudinis, unmoved mover, love of neighbor, moral argument, teleological argument, existence of god, apologetics, love of god, way of beauty, evangelization, new evangelization false full 27 ebb54cd0-9301-46d0-8d87-3f9cc46fa39e Relativism // Episode 26 Wherein Joseph gives a presentation to missionaries about relativism, and arguments against it.
Books referenced: "Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power," by Josef Pieper, and "The Abolition of Man," by C.S. Lewis. Both are very short, and the Pieper book, believe it or not, is a little more readable.
The work of Jean Vanier is also mentioned-- he has a number of books extant as well, and they are also worth a look.

As always, 

]]> Sat, 29 Jun 2019 04:52:07 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein Joseph gives a presentation to missionaries about relativism, and arguments against it.
Books referenced: "Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power," by Josef Pieper, and "The Abolition of Man," by C.S. Lewis. Both are very short, and the Pieper book, believe it or not, is a little more readable.
The work of Jean Vanier is also mentioned-- he has a number of books extant as well, and they are also worth a look.

As always, 

]]> Relativism // Episode 26 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:42 Wherein Joseph gives a presentation to missionaries about relativism, and arguments against it. Books referenced: "Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power," by Josef Pieper, and "The Abolition of Man," by C.S. Lewis. Both are very short, and the Pieper book, believe it or not, is a little more readable. The work of Jean Vanier is also mentioned-- he has a number of books extant as well, and they are also worth a look. Wherein Joseph gives a presentation to missionaries about relativism, and arguments against it. Books referenced: "Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power," by Josef Pieper, and "The Abolition of Man," by C.S. Lewis. Both are very short, and the Pieper book, believe it or not, is a little more readable. The work of Jean Vanier is also mentioned-- he has a number of books extant as well, and they are also worth a look. objective morality, love of neighbor, relativism, catholic morality, apologetics, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization, happiness false full 26 2b866c2a-9aab-47a9-8f38-ecbcf2981d6e The Four Senses // Episode 25 Wherein we discuss the four senses of Scripture.
The relevant section from catechism is this:

The senses of Scripture

115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church.

116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal."

117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.

  1. the allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism.
  2. the moral sense. the events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction".
  3. the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading"). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem.

118 A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four senses:

The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.

119 "It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgement of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God."

But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 5 Jun 2019 17:29:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the four senses of Scripture.
The relevant section from catechism is this:

The senses of Scripture

115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church.

116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal."

117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.

  1. the allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism.
  2. the moral sense. the events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction".
  3. the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading"). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem.

118 A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four senses:

The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.

119 "It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgement of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God."

But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.

As always, 

]]> The Four Senses // Episode 25 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:50 Wherein we discuss the four senses of Scripture. The relevant section from catechism is this: The senses of Scripture 115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church. 116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal." 117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs. 1. the allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism. 2. the moral sense. the events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction". 3. the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading"). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem. 118 A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four senses: The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith; The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny. 119 "It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgement of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God." But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me. Wherein we discuss the four senses of Scripture. The relevant section from catechism is this: The senses of Scripture 115 According to an ancient tradition, one can distinguish between two senses of Scripture: the literal and the spiritual, the latter being subdivided into the allegorical, moral and anagogical senses. the profound concordance of the four senses guarantees all its richness to the living reading of Scripture in the Church. 116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal." 117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs. 1. the allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism. 2. the moral sense. the events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction". 3. the anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading"). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem. 118 A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four senses: The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith; The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny. 119 "It is the task of exegetes to work, according to these rules, towards a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture in order that their research may help the Church to form a firmer judgement. For, of course, all that has been said about the manner of interpreting Scripture is ultimately subject to the judgement of the Church which exercises the divinely conferred commission and ministry of watching over and interpreting the Word of God." But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me. four senses, apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, scripture, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 25 0ba44ee0-2757-4c98-8db9-b84d23d8578b Aids in Training // Episode 24 Wherein we finish up the Decree of the Lay Apostolate's chapter on formation for the apostolate. We talk about resources for training, of which there are just a ton, as well as the feeling that there is a ton, and the feeling that we don't know what we don't know so we don't know what to do next.

We really recommend the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law, Rerum Novarum, Mater et Magistra by John XXIII, anything by Pope Leo XIII, the encyclicals of Benedict XV, and to have time to go on merry jaunts following footnotes to new documents and new insights alongside other people.
Mater et Magistra teaches that we need to look at our context, judge according to the principles we learn, and then act. We hope that as you pursue your ongoing formation, you take the time to look, judge, and act!

32 There are many aids for lay persons devoted to the apostolate, namely, study sessions, congresses, periods of recollection, spiritual exercises, frequent meetings, conferences, books, and periodicals directed toward the acquisition of a deeper knowledge of sacred Scripture and Catholic doctrine, the nourishment.of spiritual life, the discernment of world conditions, and the discovery and development of suitable methods.(8)

These aids in formation take into consideration the various types of the apostolate in the milieu where it is exercised.

For this purpose also centers or higher institutes have been erected, and they have already proved highly successful.

The most holy council rejoices over projects of this kind which are already flourishing in certain areas, and it desires that they may be promoted also in other areas where they may be needed. Furthermore, centers of documentation and study not only in theology but also in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and methodology should be established for all fields of the apostolate for the better development of the natural capacities of the laity-men and women, young persons and adults.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 23 May 2019 15:52:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we finish up the Decree of the Lay Apostolate's chapter on formation for the apostolate. We talk about resources for training, of which there are just a ton, as well as the feeling that there is a ton, and the feeling that we don't know what we don't know so we don't know what to do next.

We really recommend the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law, Rerum Novarum, Mater et Magistra by John XXIII, anything by Pope Leo XIII, the encyclicals of Benedict XV, and to have time to go on merry jaunts following footnotes to new documents and new insights alongside other people.
Mater et Magistra teaches that we need to look at our context, judge according to the principles we learn, and then act. We hope that as you pursue your ongoing formation, you take the time to look, judge, and act!

32 There are many aids for lay persons devoted to the apostolate, namely, study sessions, congresses, periods of recollection, spiritual exercises, frequent meetings, conferences, books, and periodicals directed toward the acquisition of a deeper knowledge of sacred Scripture and Catholic doctrine, the nourishment.of spiritual life, the discernment of world conditions, and the discovery and development of suitable methods.(8)

These aids in formation take into consideration the various types of the apostolate in the milieu where it is exercised.

For this purpose also centers or higher institutes have been erected, and they have already proved highly successful.

The most holy council rejoices over projects of this kind which are already flourishing in certain areas, and it desires that they may be promoted also in other areas where they may be needed. Furthermore, centers of documentation and study not only in theology but also in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and methodology should be established for all fields of the apostolate for the better development of the natural capacities of the laity-men and women, young persons and adults.

As always, 

]]> Aids in Training // Episode 24 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:11 Wherein we finish up the Decree of the Lay Apostolate's chapter on formation for the apostolate. We talk about resources for training, of which there are just a ton, as well as the feeling that there is a ton, and the feeling that we don't know what we don't know so we don't know what to do next. We really recommend the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law, Rerum Novarum, Mater et Magistra by John XXIII, anything by Pope Leo XIII, the encyclicals of Benedict XV, and to have time to go on merry jaunts following footnotes to new documents and new insights alongside other people. Mater et Magistra teaches that we need to look at our context, judge according to the principles we learn, and then act. We hope that as you pursue your ongoing formation, you take the time to look, judge, and act! 32. There are many aids for lay persons devoted to the apostolate, namely, study sessions, congresses, periods of recollection, spiritual exercises, frequent meetings, conferences, books, and periodicals directed toward the acquisition of a deeper knowledge of sacred Scripture and Catholic doctrine, the nourishment.of spiritual life, the discernment of world conditions, and the discovery and development of suitable methods.(8) These aids in formation take into consideration the various types of the apostolate in the milieu where it is exercised. For this purpose also centers or higher institutes have been erected, and they have already proved highly successful. The most holy council rejoices over projects of this kind which are already flourishing in certain areas, and it desires that they may be promoted also in other areas where they may be needed. Furthermore, centers of documentation and study not only in theology but also in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and methodology should be established for all fields of the apostolate for the better development of the natural capacities of the laity-men and women, young persons and adults. Wherein we finish up the Decree of the Lay Apostolate's chapter on formation for the apostolate. We talk about resources for training, of which there are just a ton, as well as the feeling that there is a ton, and the feeling that we don't know what we don't know so we don't know what to do next. We really recommend the Bible, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law, Rerum Novarum, Mater et Magistra by John XXIII, anything by Pope Leo XIII, the encyclicals of Benedict XV, and to have time to go on merry jaunts following footnotes to new documents and new insights alongside other people. Mater et Magistra teaches that we need to look at our context, judge according to the principles we learn, and then act. We hope that as you pursue your ongoing formation, you take the time to look, judge, and act! 32. There are many aids for lay persons devoted to the apostolate, namely, study sessions, congresses, periods of recollection, spiritual exercises, frequent meetings, conferences, books, and periodicals directed toward the acquisition of a deeper knowledge of sacred Scripture and Catholic doctrine, the nourishment.of spiritual life, the discernment of world conditions, and the discovery and development of suitable methods.(8) These aids in formation take into consideration the various types of the apostolate in the milieu where it is exercised. For this purpose also centers or higher institutes have been erected, and they have already proved highly successful. The most holy council rejoices over projects of this kind which are already flourishing in certain areas, and it desires that they may be promoted also in other areas where they may be needed. Furthermore, centers of documentation and study not only in theology but also in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and methodology should be established for all fields of the apostolate for the better development of the natural capacities of the laity-men and women, young persons and adults. apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, materials, love of neighbor, prayer, aids, disciple, missionary, resources, love of god, evangelization, formation, new evangelization false full 24 8f5c5775-9f38-4d44-8ea7-43c872ebdf69 Specially Suitable Formation // Episode 23 Wherein we discuss the three areas within which Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree on the Lay Apostolate) recommends receiving especial formation.
The whole document from Vatican II can be found here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
And the paragraph we discuss is paragraph 31:
31. Various types of the apostolate demand also a specially suitable formation.

a) In regard to the apostolate for evangelizing and sanctifying men, the laity must be specially formed to engage in conversation with others, believers, or non-believers, in order to manifest Christ's message to all men.(5)

Since in our times, different forms of materialism are spread far and wide even among Catholic, the laity should not only learn doctrine more diligently, especially those main points which are the subjects of controversy, but should also exhibit the witness of an evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism.

b) In regard to the Christian renewal of the temporal order, the laity should be instructed in the true meaning and value of temporal things, both in themselves and in relation to all the aims of the human person. They should be trained in the right use of things and the organization of institutions, attentive always to the common good in line with the principles of the moral and social teaching of the Church. Laymen should above all learn the principles and conclusions of the social doctrine so as to become capable of working for the development of this doctrine to the best of their ability and of rightly applying these same principles and conclusions to individual cases.(6)

c) Since the works of charity and mercy express the most striking testimony of the Christian life, apostolic formation should lead also to the performance of these works so that the faithful may learn from childhood on to have compassion for their brethren and to be generous in helping those in need.(7)

As always, 

]]> Thu, 16 May 2019 02:42:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the three areas within which Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree on the Lay Apostolate) recommends receiving especial formation.
The whole document from Vatican II can be found here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
And the paragraph we discuss is paragraph 31:
31. Various types of the apostolate demand also a specially suitable formation.

a) In regard to the apostolate for evangelizing and sanctifying men, the laity must be specially formed to engage in conversation with others, believers, or non-believers, in order to manifest Christ's message to all men.(5)

Since in our times, different forms of materialism are spread far and wide even among Catholic, the laity should not only learn doctrine more diligently, especially those main points which are the subjects of controversy, but should also exhibit the witness of an evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism.

b) In regard to the Christian renewal of the temporal order, the laity should be instructed in the true meaning and value of temporal things, both in themselves and in relation to all the aims of the human person. They should be trained in the right use of things and the organization of institutions, attentive always to the common good in line with the principles of the moral and social teaching of the Church. Laymen should above all learn the principles and conclusions of the social doctrine so as to become capable of working for the development of this doctrine to the best of their ability and of rightly applying these same principles and conclusions to individual cases.(6)

c) Since the works of charity and mercy express the most striking testimony of the Christian life, apostolic formation should lead also to the performance of these works so that the faithful may learn from childhood on to have compassion for their brethren and to be generous in helping those in need.(7)

As always, 

]]> Specially Suitable Formation // Episode 23 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:37:17 Wherein we discuss the three areas within which Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree on the Lay Apostolate) recommends receiving especial formation. The whole document from Vatican II can be found here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html And the paragraph we discuss is paragraph 31: 31. Various types of the apostolate demand also a specially suitable formation. a) In regard to the apostolate for evangelizing and sanctifying men, the laity must be specially formed to engage in conversation with others, believers, or non-believers, in order to manifest Christ's message to all men.(5) Since in our times, different forms of materialism are spread far and wide even among Catholic, the laity should not only learn doctrine more diligently, especially those main points which are the subjects of controversy, but should also exhibit the witness of an evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism. b) In regard to the Christian renewal of the temporal order, the laity should be instructed in the true meaning and value of temporal things, both in themselves and in relation to all the aims of the human person. They should be trained in the right use of things and the organization of institutions, attentive always to the common good in line with the principles of the moral and social teaching of the Church. Laymen should above all learn the principles and conclusions of the social doctrine so as to become capable of working for the development of this doctrine to the best of their ability and of rightly applying these same principles and conclusions to individual cases.(6) c) Since the works of charity and mercy express the most striking testimony of the Christian life, apostolic formation should lead also to the performance of these works so that the faithful may learn from childhood on to have compassion for their brethren and to be generous in helping those in need.(7) Wherein we discuss the three areas within which Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree on the Lay Apostolate) recommends receiving especial formation. The whole document from Vatican II can be found here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html And the paragraph we discuss is paragraph 31: 31. Various types of the apostolate demand also a specially suitable formation. a) In regard to the apostolate for evangelizing and sanctifying men, the laity must be specially formed to engage in conversation with others, believers, or non-believers, in order to manifest Christ's message to all men.(5) Since in our times, different forms of materialism are spread far and wide even among Catholic, the laity should not only learn doctrine more diligently, especially those main points which are the subjects of controversy, but should also exhibit the witness of an evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism. b) In regard to the Christian renewal of the temporal order, the laity should be instructed in the true meaning and value of temporal things, both in themselves and in relation to all the aims of the human person. They should be trained in the right use of things and the organization of institutions, attentive always to the common good in line with the principles of the moral and social teaching of the Church. Laymen should above all learn the principles and conclusions of the social doctrine so as to become capable of working for the development of this doctrine to the best of their ability and of rightly applying these same principles and conclusions to individual cases.(6) c) Since the works of charity and mercy express the most striking testimony of the Christian life, apostolic formation should lead also to the performance of these works so that the faithful may learn from childhood on to have compassion for their brethren and to be generous in helping those in need.(7) conversation, apostolic, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, mercy, disciple, temporal order, missionary, charity, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 23 6bb258f6-4dbb-43fc-9009-8e161c090a69 Lifelong Formation // Episode 22 Continuing our look at Chapter 6 of Apostolicam Actuositatem, we go through paragraph 30 of the document, which outlines a lifetime of formation for the apostolate. We also mention family life, schools, lay groups, discipleship, and the Trapp Family Singers.
Check out Maria Augusta von Trapp's book, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers-Augusta/dp/0397000189/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APK1YZGFGSEC5101QTXY
And read the Decree on the Lay Apostolate along with us by following this link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
On the same Vatican website, also check out Gravissimum Educationis, if you have the time!

The text of paragraph 30:
30. The training for the apostolate should start with the children's earliest education. In a special way, however, adolescents and young persons should be initiated into the apostolate and imbued with its spirit. This formation must be perfected throughout their whole life in keeping with the demands of new responsibilities. It is evident, therefore, that those who have the obligation to provide a Christian education also have the duty of providing formation for the apostolate.

In the family parents have the task of training their children from childhood on to recognize God's love for all men. By example especially they should teach them little by little to be solicitous for the material and spiritual needs of their neighbor. The whole family in its common life, then, should be a sort of apprenticeship for the apostolate. Children must be educated, too, in such fashion that transcending the family circle, they may open their minds to both ecclesiastical and temporal communities. They should be so involved in the local community of the parish that they will acquire a consciousness of being living and active members of the people of God. Priests should focus their attention on the formation of the laity for the apostolate in their catechetics, their ministry of the word, their direction of souls, and in their other pastoral services.

Schools, colleges, and other Catholic educational institutions also have the duty to develop a Catholic sense and apostolic activity in young persons. If young people lack this formation either because they do not attend these schools or because of any other reason, all the more should parents, pastors of souls, and apostolic organizations attend to it. Teachers and educators on the other hand, who carry on a distinguished form of the apostolate of the laity by their vocation and office, should be equipped with that learning and pedagogical skill that are needed for imparting such education effectively.

Likewise, lay groups and associations dedicated to the apostolate or other supernatural goals, should carefully and assiduously promote formation for the apostolate in keeping with their purpose and condition.(4) Frequently these groups are the ordinary vehicle for harmonious formation for the apostolate inasmuch as they provide doctrinal, spiritual, and practical formation. Their members meet in small groups with their associates or friends, examine the methods and results of their apostolic activity, and compare their daily way of life with the Gospel.

Formation of this type must be so organized that it takes into account the whole lay apostolate, which must be carried on not only among the organized groups themselves but also in all circumstances throughout one's whole life, especially one's professional and social life. Indeed, everyone should diligently prepare himself for the apostolate, this preparation being the more urgent in adulthood. For the advance of age brings with it a more open mind, enabling each person to detect more readily the talents with which God has enriched his soul and to exercise more effectively those charisms which the Holy Spirit has bestowed on him for the good of his brethren.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 8 May 2019 03:38:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Continuing our look at Chapter 6 of Apostolicam Actuositatem, we go through paragraph 30 of the document, which outlines a lifetime of formation for the apostolate. We also mention family life, schools, lay groups, discipleship, and the Trapp Family Singers.
Check out Maria Augusta von Trapp's book, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers-Augusta/dp/0397000189/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APK1YZGFGSEC5101QTXY
And read the Decree on the Lay Apostolate along with us by following this link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
On the same Vatican website, also check out Gravissimum Educationis, if you have the time!

The text of paragraph 30:
30. The training for the apostolate should start with the children's earliest education. In a special way, however, adolescents and young persons should be initiated into the apostolate and imbued with its spirit. This formation must be perfected throughout their whole life in keeping with the demands of new responsibilities. It is evident, therefore, that those who have the obligation to provide a Christian education also have the duty of providing formation for the apostolate.

In the family parents have the task of training their children from childhood on to recognize God's love for all men. By example especially they should teach them little by little to be solicitous for the material and spiritual needs of their neighbor. The whole family in its common life, then, should be a sort of apprenticeship for the apostolate. Children must be educated, too, in such fashion that transcending the family circle, they may open their minds to both ecclesiastical and temporal communities. They should be so involved in the local community of the parish that they will acquire a consciousness of being living and active members of the people of God. Priests should focus their attention on the formation of the laity for the apostolate in their catechetics, their ministry of the word, their direction of souls, and in their other pastoral services.

Schools, colleges, and other Catholic educational institutions also have the duty to develop a Catholic sense and apostolic activity in young persons. If young people lack this formation either because they do not attend these schools or because of any other reason, all the more should parents, pastors of souls, and apostolic organizations attend to it. Teachers and educators on the other hand, who carry on a distinguished form of the apostolate of the laity by their vocation and office, should be equipped with that learning and pedagogical skill that are needed for imparting such education effectively.

Likewise, lay groups and associations dedicated to the apostolate or other supernatural goals, should carefully and assiduously promote formation for the apostolate in keeping with their purpose and condition.(4) Frequently these groups are the ordinary vehicle for harmonious formation for the apostolate inasmuch as they provide doctrinal, spiritual, and practical formation. Their members meet in small groups with their associates or friends, examine the methods and results of their apostolic activity, and compare their daily way of life with the Gospel.

Formation of this type must be so organized that it takes into account the whole lay apostolate, which must be carried on not only among the organized groups themselves but also in all circumstances throughout one's whole life, especially one's professional and social life. Indeed, everyone should diligently prepare himself for the apostolate, this preparation being the more urgent in adulthood. For the advance of age brings with it a more open mind, enabling each person to detect more readily the talents with which God has enriched his soul and to exercise more effectively those charisms which the Holy Spirit has bestowed on him for the good of his brethren.

As always, 

]]> Lifelong Formation // Episode 22 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:03 Continuing our look at Chapter 6 of Apostolicam Actuositatem, we go through paragraph 30 of the document, which outlines a lifetime of formation for the apostolate. We also mention family life, schools, lay groups, discipleship, and the Trapp Family Singers. Check out Maria Augusta von Trapp's book, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers-Augusta/dp/0397000189/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APK1YZGFGSEC5101QTXY And read the Decree on the Lay Apostolate along with us by following this link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html On the same Vatican website, also check out Gravissimum Educationis, if you have the time! Continuing our look at Chapter 6 of Apostolicam Actuositatem, we go through paragraph 30 of the document, which outlines a lifetime of formation for the apostolate. We also mention family life, schools, lay groups, discipleship, and the Trapp Family Singers. Check out Maria Augusta von Trapp's book, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers-Augusta/dp/0397000189/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=APK1YZGFGSEC5101QTXY And read the Decree on the Lay Apostolate along with us by following this link: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html On the same Vatican website, also check out Gravissimum Educationis, if you have the time! apostolic, catholic, lay organizations, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, school, disciple, missionary, love of god, family, evangelization, formation, new evangelization, lifelong false full 22 50228ec9-6cc3-40aa-8a41-6d1d96c45daf Pillars of Formation // Episode 21 The Vatican II document Apostolicam Actuositatem lays out the main categories lay people need for their formation for the apostolate. Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Apostolic formation-- these are four pillars of formation lay people need.
We spend a bit of time going through them-- it's all there in paragraph 29 of Apostolicam Actuositatem-- check it out here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html

And yes, it sounds a bit redundant to summarize one of the pillars for formation for the apostolate as "apostolic formation", but we don't mind.

We also briefly mention "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta von Trapp:
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers/dp/0060005777/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556676898&sr=1-1
And we mention "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586172565/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
And "The Restoration of Christian Culture" by John Senior:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932528164/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

The full text of the paragraph:
29. Since the laity share in their own way in the mission of the Church, their apostolic formation is specially characterized by the distinctively secular and particular quality of the lay state and by its own form of the spiritual life.

The formation for the apostolate presupposes a certain human and well-rounded formation adapted to the natural abilities and conditions of each lay person. Well-informed about the modern world, the lay person should be a member of his own community and adjusted to its culture.

However, the lay person should learn especially how to perform the mission of Christ and the Church by basing his life on belief in the divine mystery of creation and redemption and by being sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God and who urges all to love God the Father as well as the world and men in Him. This formation should be deemed the basis and condition for every successful apostolate.

In addition to spiritual formation, a solid doctrinal instruction in theology, ethics, and philosophy adjusted to differences of age, status, and natural talents, is required. The importance of general culture along with practical and technical formation should also be kept in mind.

To cultivate good human relations, truly human values must be fostered, especially the art of living fraternally and cooperating with others and of striking up friendly conversation with them.

Since formation for the apostolate cannot consist in merely theoretical instruction, from the beginning of their formation the laity should gradually and prudently learn how to view, judge and do all things in the light of faith as well as to develop and improve themselves along with others through doing, thereby entering into active service to the Church.(2) This formation, always in need of improvement because of the increasing maturity of the human person and the proliferation of problems, requires an ever deeper knowledge and planned activity. In the fulfillment of all the demands of formation, the unity and integrity of the human person must be kept in mind at all times so that his harmony and balance may be safeguarded and enhanced.

In this way the lay person engages himself wholly and actively in the reality of the temporal order and effectively assumes his role in conducting the affairs of this order. At the same time, as a living member and witness of the Church, he renders the Church present and active in the midst of temporal affairs.(3)

As always, 

]]> Wed, 1 May 2019 02:08:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The Vatican II document Apostolicam Actuositatem lays out the main categories lay people need for their formation for the apostolate. Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Apostolic formation-- these are four pillars of formation lay people need.
We spend a bit of time going through them-- it's all there in paragraph 29 of Apostolicam Actuositatem-- check it out here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html

And yes, it sounds a bit redundant to summarize one of the pillars for formation for the apostolate as "apostolic formation", but we don't mind.

We also briefly mention "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta von Trapp:
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers/dp/0060005777/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556676898&sr=1-1
And we mention "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586172565/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
And "The Restoration of Christian Culture" by John Senior:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932528164/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

The full text of the paragraph:
29. Since the laity share in their own way in the mission of the Church, their apostolic formation is specially characterized by the distinctively secular and particular quality of the lay state and by its own form of the spiritual life.

The formation for the apostolate presupposes a certain human and well-rounded formation adapted to the natural abilities and conditions of each lay person. Well-informed about the modern world, the lay person should be a member of his own community and adjusted to its culture.

However, the lay person should learn especially how to perform the mission of Christ and the Church by basing his life on belief in the divine mystery of creation and redemption and by being sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God and who urges all to love God the Father as well as the world and men in Him. This formation should be deemed the basis and condition for every successful apostolate.

In addition to spiritual formation, a solid doctrinal instruction in theology, ethics, and philosophy adjusted to differences of age, status, and natural talents, is required. The importance of general culture along with practical and technical formation should also be kept in mind.

To cultivate good human relations, truly human values must be fostered, especially the art of living fraternally and cooperating with others and of striking up friendly conversation with them.

Since formation for the apostolate cannot consist in merely theoretical instruction, from the beginning of their formation the laity should gradually and prudently learn how to view, judge and do all things in the light of faith as well as to develop and improve themselves along with others through doing, thereby entering into active service to the Church.(2) This formation, always in need of improvement because of the increasing maturity of the human person and the proliferation of problems, requires an ever deeper knowledge and planned activity. In the fulfillment of all the demands of formation, the unity and integrity of the human person must be kept in mind at all times so that his harmony and balance may be safeguarded and enhanced.

In this way the lay person engages himself wholly and actively in the reality of the temporal order and effectively assumes his role in conducting the affairs of this order. At the same time, as a living member and witness of the Church, he renders the Church present and active in the midst of temporal affairs.(3)

As always, 

]]> Pillars of Formation // Episode 21 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:37 The Vatican II document Apostolicam Actuositatem lays out the main categories lay people need for their formation for the apostolate. Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Apostolic formation-- these are four pillars of formation lay people need. We spend a bit of time going through them-- it's all there in paragraph 29 of Apostolicam Actuositatem-- check it out here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html And yes, it sounds a bit redundant to summarize one of the pillars for formation for the apostolate as "apostolic formation", but we don't mind. We also briefly mention "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta von Trapp: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers/dp/0060005777/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556676898&sr=1-1 And we mention "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586172565/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 And "The Restoration of Christian Culture" by John Senior: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932528164/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 The Vatican II document Apostolicam Actuositatem lays out the main categories lay people need for their formation for the apostolate. Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Apostolic formation-- these are four pillars of formation lay people need. We spend a bit of time going through them-- it's all there in paragraph 29 of Apostolicam Actuositatem-- check it out here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html And yes, it sounds a bit redundant to summarize one of the pillars for formation for the apostolate as "apostolic formation", but we don't mind. We also briefly mention "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta von Trapp: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Trapp-Family-Singers/dp/0060005777/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1556676898&sr=1-1 And we mention "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" by Josef Pieper: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586172565/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 And "The Restoration of Christian Culture" by John Senior: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932528164/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 spiritual, apostolic, direction, pillars, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, laity, disciple, missionary, human, love of god, intellectual, evangelization, formation, new evangelization false full 21 854f2212-bdb2-413e-bd30-73d8fb5bf315 Apostolicam Actu... Actually Really Good // Episode 20 We get nerdy about the document called Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (AKA Aostolicam Actuositatem). We summarize chapter 6 of the document which is called “formation for the Apostolate”, talk with a bit more depth about the introduction to this chapter, and reveal our plans to discuss the subsequent paragraphs in the next few podcasts!

The document can be found online here:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
And the paragraph in question is here:
28. The apostolate can attain its maximum effectiveness only through a diversified and thorough formation. This is demanded not only by the continuous spiritual and doctrinal progress of the lay person himself but also by the accommodation of his activity to circumstances varying according to the affairs, persons, and duties involved. This formation for the apostolate should rest upon those bases which have been stated and proclaimed by this most holy council in other documents.(1) In addition to the formation which is common for all Christians, many forms of the apostolate demand also a specific and particular formation because of the variety of persons and circumstances.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 25 Apr 2019 02:28:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We get nerdy about the document called Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (AKA Aostolicam Actuositatem). We summarize chapter 6 of the document which is called “formation for the Apostolate”, talk with a bit more depth about the introduction to this chapter, and reveal our plans to discuss the subsequent paragraphs in the next few podcasts!

The document can be found online here:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html
And the paragraph in question is here:
28. The apostolate can attain its maximum effectiveness only through a diversified and thorough formation. This is demanded not only by the continuous spiritual and doctrinal progress of the lay person himself but also by the accommodation of his activity to circumstances varying according to the affairs, persons, and duties involved. This formation for the apostolate should rest upon those bases which have been stated and proclaimed by this most holy council in other documents.(1) In addition to the formation which is common for all Christians, many forms of the apostolate demand also a specific and particular formation because of the variety of persons and circumstances.

As always, 

]]> Apostolicam Actu... Actually Really Good // Episode 20 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:07 We get nerdy about the document called Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (AKA Aostolicam Actuositatem). We summarize chapter 6 of the document which is called “Formation for the Apostolate”, talk with a bit more depth about the introduction to this chapter, and reveal our plans to discuss the subsequent paragraphs in the next few podcasts! The document can be found online here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html We get nerdy about the document called Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (AKA Aostolicam Actuositatem). We summarize chapter 6 of the document which is called “Formation for the Apostolate”, talk with a bit more depth about the introduction to this chapter, and reveal our plans to discuss the subsequent paragraphs in the next few podcasts! The document can be found online here: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19651118_apostolicam-actuositatem_en.html apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, vatican ii, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, laity, disciple, missionary, apostolicam actuositatem, love of god, magisterial documents, evangelization, formation, new evangelization false full 20 75c065f5-3f39-4245-b8a3-35a6b4440773 Feel the Urgency // Episode 19 Wherein we reflect on the urgency of the Christian mission, especially in light of death. We also discuss one of the insights from the book "Leadership and Self-Deception", and link it to the notion of simplicity. We look too to the example of Christ, Whose urgency is expressed in doing the right thing at the right time.

As always, 

]]> Thu, 18 Apr 2019 02:55:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we reflect on the urgency of the Christian mission, especially in light of death. We also discuss one of the insights from the book "Leadership and Self-Deception", and link it to the notion of simplicity. We look too to the example of Christ, Whose urgency is expressed in doing the right thing at the right time.

As always, 

]]> Feel the Urgency // Episode 19 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:13:31 Wherein we reflect on the urgency of the Christian mission, especially in light of death. We also discuss one of the insights from the book "Leadership and Self-Deception", and link it to the notion of simplicity. We look especially to the example of Christ, Whose urgency is expressed in doing the right thing at the right time. Wherein we reflect on the urgency of the Christian mission, especially in light of death. We also discuss one of the insights from the book "Leadership and Self-Deception", and link it to the notion of simplicity. We look especially to the example of Christ, Whose urgency is expressed in doing the right thing at the right time. apostolic, simplicity, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, urgency, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 19 26440822-9f8c-421c-a0a3-961adf0fb7b4 The Good News Gets Real // Episode 18 The episode where talking about sharing the gospel, and actually sharing the gospel with each other goes a little differently than expected. Joseph and Crystal get real about encountering Jesus... for real.
Also, just fyi, we usually edit out the silences, and the average podcast we edit loses about 5 minutes of dead air. This one had over 20 minutes of silence sprinkled throughout that we cut. A lot of tense or awkward or Crystal-had-to-blow-her-nose-and-Joseph-had-to-get-her-tissues moments that you'll just have to imagine.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2019 02:17:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ The episode where talking about sharing the gospel, and actually sharing the gospel with each other goes a little differently than expected. Joseph and Crystal get real about encountering Jesus... for real.
Also, just fyi, we usually edit out the silences, and the average podcast we edit loses about 5 minutes of dead air. This one had over 20 minutes of silence sprinkled throughout that we cut. A lot of tense or awkward or Crystal-had-to-blow-her-nose-and-Joseph-had-to-get-her-tissues moments that you'll just have to imagine.

As always, 

]]> The Good News Gets Real // Episode 18 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:43:25 The episode where talking about sharing the gospel, and actually sharing the gospel with each other goes a little differently than expected. Joseph and Crystal get real about encountering Jesus... for real. Also, just fyi, we usually edit out the silences, and the average podcast we edit loses about 5 minutes of dead air. This one had over 20 minutes of silence sprinkled throughout that we cut. A lot of tense or awkward or Crystal-had-to-blow-her-nose-and-Joseph-had-to-get-her-tissues moments that you'll just have to imagine. The episode where talking about sharing the gospel, and actually sharing the gospel with each other goes a little differently than expected. Joseph and Crystal get real about encountering Jesus... for real. Also, just fyi, we usually edit out the silences, and the average podcast we edit loses about 5 minutes of dead air. This one had over 20 minutes of silence sprinkled throughout that we cut. A lot of tense or awkward or Crystal-had-to-blow-her-nose-and-Joseph-had-to-get-her-tissues moments that you'll just have to imagine. apostolic, gospel sharing, catholic, evangelize, jesus, gospel, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 18 538386e0-fb75-4ebe-abc1-2677eafe0795 Contraceptive Spirituality // Episode 17 Wherein we discuss how we can fall prey to contraceptive thinking in our daily lives and in our relationship with God. Not just for married people, we discuss what barriers are to bearing fruit for the Lord, and how to remove those barriers.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 3 Apr 2019 01:42:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss how we can fall prey to contraceptive thinking in our daily lives and in our relationship with God. Not just for married people, we discuss what barriers are to bearing fruit for the Lord, and how to remove those barriers.

As always, 

]]> Contraceptive Spirituality // Episode 17 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:36:44 Not just for married people! Wherein we discuss how we can fall prey to contraceptive thinking in our daily lives and in our relationship with God. We discuss what barriers are to bearing fruit for the Lord, and a bit about how to remove those barriers. Not just for married people! Wherein we discuss how we can fall prey to contraceptive thinking in our daily lives and in our relationship with God. We discuss what barriers are to bearing fruit for the Lord, and a bit about how to remove those barriers. apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, spirituality, bearing fruit, love of god, contraception, evangelization, new evangelization false full 17 1642bc78-e77a-495d-8f02-dfa4ab67b57a I Know There is More to This Story // Episode 16 Stories are powerful things...most of the time. Sometimes, people get off track, and tell stories that didn't go anywhere, or didn't take the conversation anywhere. Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about what to do when this happens, and why stories are so important.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Mar 2019 01:20:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Stories are powerful things...most of the time. Sometimes, people get off track, and tell stories that didn't go anywhere, or didn't take the conversation anywhere. Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about what to do when this happens, and why stories are so important.

As always, 

]]> I Know There is More to This Story // Episode 16 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:29:13 Stories are powerful things...most of the time. Sometimes, people get off track, and tell stories that didn't go anywhere, or didn't take the conversation anywhere. Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about what to do when this happens, and why stories are so important. Stories are powerful things...most of the time. Sometimes, people get off track, and tell stories that didn't go anywhere, or didn't take the conversation anywhere. Joseph and Crystal talk a bit about what to do when this happens, and why stories are so important. awkward conversation, apostolic, pointless stories, storytelling, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, stories, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, story, new evangelization false full 16 2901b10a-e191-4465-8c92-8a47001c739f Simplicity // Episode 15 Wherein we discuss simplicity with Keith and Tracy Gatzke. Besides being a fad right now and a desire in our hearts, simplicity may also be integral to the Christian life. More than that, it may in fact be the integrating factor, as well as a gauge of our souls and a path to evangelization. Whether it is or not, we had a great time talking about it with friends.

Of things referenced, we do bring up Marie Kondo's Netflix show. We're trying to think-- we might not have referenced any books, which is doubly surprising, as Keith and Tracy are also bibliophiles. Quadruply surprising? Marie Kondo has written books: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy, to name them. But we mention the show...And we're not necessarily even promoting the show. Just illustrating our culture's interest in simplifying.

Feel welcome to leave a review and let us know what you thought; you can also comment on our facebook page. Or if you know us, give us a ring and we can chat for a bit. If you don't know us, and would like to give us a ring, let's start with email. Email is good for a first introduction. Ouroutpost@gmail.com.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 Mar 2019 02:58:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss simplicity with Keith and Tracy Gatzke. Besides being a fad right now and a desire in our hearts, simplicity may also be integral to the Christian life. More than that, it may in fact be the integrating factor, as well as a gauge of our souls and a path to evangelization. Whether it is or not, we had a great time talking about it with friends.

Of things referenced, we do bring up Marie Kondo's Netflix show. We're trying to think-- we might not have referenced any books, which is doubly surprising, as Keith and Tracy are also bibliophiles. Quadruply surprising? Marie Kondo has written books: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy, to name them. But we mention the show...And we're not necessarily even promoting the show. Just illustrating our culture's interest in simplifying.

Feel welcome to leave a review and let us know what you thought; you can also comment on our facebook page. Or if you know us, give us a ring and we can chat for a bit. If you don't know us, and would like to give us a ring, let's start with email. Email is good for a first introduction. Ouroutpost@gmail.com.

As always, 

]]> Simplicity // Episode 15 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:32:43 Wherein we discuss simplicity with Keith and Tracy Gatzke. Besides being a fad right now and a desire in our hearts, simplicity may also be integral to the Christian life. More than that, it may in fact be the integrating factor, as well as a gauge of our souls and a path to evangelization. Whether it is or not, we had a great time talking about it with friends. Of things referenced, we do bring up Marie Kondo's Netflix show. We're trying to think-- we might not have referenced any books, which is doubly surprising, as Keith and Tracy are also bibliophiles. Quadruply surprising? Marie Kondo has written books: *The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up* and *Spark Joy*, to name them. But we mention the show...And we're not necessarily even promoting the show. Just illustrating our culture's interest in simplifying. Feel welcome to leave a review and let us know what you thought; you can also comment on our facebook page. Or if you know us, give us a ring and we can chat for a bit. If you don't know us, and would like to give us a ring, let's start with email. Email is good for a first introduction. Ouroutpost@gmail.com. Wherein we discuss simplicity with Keith and Tracy Gatzke. Besides being a fad right now and a desire in our hearts, simplicity may also be integral to the Christian life. More than that, it may in fact be the integrating factor, as well as a gauge of our souls and a path to evangelization. Whether it is or not, we had a great time talking about it with friends. Of things referenced, we do bring up Marie Kondo's Netflix show. We're trying to think-- we might not have referenced any books, which is doubly surprising, as Keith and Tracy are also bibliophiles. Quadruply surprising? Marie Kondo has written books: *The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up* and *Spark Joy*, to name them. But we mention the show...And we're not necessarily even promoting the show. Just illustrating our culture's interest in simplifying. Feel welcome to leave a review and let us know what you thought; you can also comment on our facebook page. Or if you know us, give us a ring and we can chat for a bit. If you don't know us, and would like to give us a ring, let's start with email. Email is good for a first introduction. Ouroutpost@gmail.com. apostolic, simplicity, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, simple, detachment, disciple, missionary, complicated, love of god, evangelization, attachment, new evangelization false full 15 a3142523-9fd6-408e-b74a-a4f7b8b48fc3 Holding Fast // Episode 14 Wherein we discuss the practice of fasting. As one of the three practices associated with Lent, and the one that most people talk about when Ash Wednesday rolls around, it still seems to need some more unpacking. Or maybe, we still needed to unpack it some more for ourselves.. As usual, spending some time talking through the topic was enlightening for us, the podcasters-- we hope that the episode sparks conversations that are life-changing for you, as well!

We make two literary references: The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dune, by Frank Herbert. Definitely recommend the first one; I think we also recommend the second one. But not to the same degree. Not knocking Dune, just putting it in its place.

Feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, to leave a review (or at least rate the podcast...), and to share the episode with friends. I think we also asked a question--something to the effect that we'd love to hear if you have better things to say about fasting, because we're not all that good at it-- that you can answer on facebook on our page, "A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber". Provided you're not fasting from facebook...

Happy penitential season!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:39:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we discuss the practice of fasting. As one of the three practices associated with Lent, and the one that most people talk about when Ash Wednesday rolls around, it still seems to need some more unpacking. Or maybe, we still needed to unpack it some more for ourselves.. As usual, spending some time talking through the topic was enlightening for us, the podcasters-- we hope that the episode sparks conversations that are life-changing for you, as well!

We make two literary references: The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dune, by Frank Herbert. Definitely recommend the first one; I think we also recommend the second one. But not to the same degree. Not knocking Dune, just putting it in its place.

Feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, to leave a review (or at least rate the podcast...), and to share the episode with friends. I think we also asked a question--something to the effect that we'd love to hear if you have better things to say about fasting, because we're not all that good at it-- that you can answer on facebook on our page, "A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber". Provided you're not fasting from facebook...

Happy penitential season!

As always, 

]]> Holding Fast // Episode 14 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:28:43 Wherein we discuss the practice of fasting. As one of the three practices associated with Lent, and the one that most people talk about when Ash Wednesday rolls around, it still seems to need some more unpacking. Or maybe, we still needed to unpack it some more for ourselves.. As usual, spending some time talking through the topic was enlightening for us, the podcasters-- we hope that the episode sparks conversations that are life-changing for you, as well! We make two literary references: *The Lord of the Rings*, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and *Dune*, by Frank Herbert. Definitely recommend the first one; I think we also recommend the second one. But not to the same degree. Not knocking *Dune*, just putting it in its place. Feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, to leave a review (or at least rate the podcast...), and to share the episode with friends. I think we also asked a question--something to the effect that we'd love to hear if you have better things to say about fasting, because we're not all that good at it-- that you can answer on facebook on our page, "A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber". Provided you're not fasting from facebook... Happy penitential season! Wherein we discuss the practice of fasting. As one of the three practices associated with Lent, and the one that most people talk about when Ash Wednesday rolls around, it still seems to need some more unpacking. Or maybe, we still needed to unpack it some more for ourselves.. As usual, spending some time talking through the topic was enlightening for us, the podcasters-- we hope that the episode sparks conversations that are life-changing for you, as well! We make two literary references: *The Lord of the Rings*, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and *Dune*, by Frank Herbert. Definitely recommend the first one; I think we also recommend the second one. But not to the same degree. Not knocking *Dune*, just putting it in its place. Feel free to email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com, to leave a review (or at least rate the podcast...), and to share the episode with friends. I think we also asked a question--something to the effect that we'd love to hear if you have better things to say about fasting, because we're not all that good at it-- that you can answer on facebook on our page, "A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber". Provided you're not fasting from facebook... Happy penitential season! apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, fasting, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, fast, disciple, almsgiving, missionary, love of god, evangelization, lent, new evangelization false full 14 bd31d76c-b09d-4e6a-a495-4a71a5a5107d Our Father Who... // Episode 13 We talk about the Our Father and the Lenten practice of prayer. The cornerstone of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' counsels on piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; the cornerstone of those counsels is prayer; the cornerstone of prayer is the Our Father. It's a prayer that teaches us what to ask of God, in what order, and in so doing, makes us into children who relate to God and the world rightly.

We reference Matthew 6:1-18. The Catechism is also chock-full of things about the Our Father in its last section, including really excellent quotes from Tertullian and Aquinas and Augustine. We recommend it, too.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 6 Mar 2019 01:51:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We talk about the Our Father and the Lenten practice of prayer. The cornerstone of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' counsels on piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; the cornerstone of those counsels is prayer; the cornerstone of prayer is the Our Father. It's a prayer that teaches us what to ask of God, in what order, and in so doing, makes us into children who relate to God and the world rightly.

We reference Matthew 6:1-18. The Catechism is also chock-full of things about the Our Father in its last section, including really excellent quotes from Tertullian and Aquinas and Augustine. We recommend it, too.

As always, 

]]> Our Father Who... // Episode 13 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:24:21 We talk about the Our Father and the Lenten practice of prayer. The cornerstone of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' counsels on piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; the cornerstone of those counsels is prayer; the cornerstone of prayer is the Our Father. It's a prayer that teaches us what to ask of God, in what order, and in so doing, makes us into children who relate to God and the world rightly. We reference Matthew 6:1-18. The Catechism is also chock-full of things about the Our Father in its last section, including really excellent quotes from Tertullian and Aquinas and Augustine. We recommend it, too. We talk about the Our Father and the Lenten practice of prayer. The cornerstone of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' counsels on piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; the cornerstone of those counsels is prayer; the cornerstone of prayer is the Our Father. It's a prayer that teaches us what to ask of God, in what order, and in so doing, makes us into children who relate to God and the world rightly. We reference Matthew 6:1-18. The Catechism is also chock-full of things about the Our Father in its last section, including really excellent quotes from Tertullian and Aquinas and Augustine. We recommend it, too. our father, apostolic, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, lord's prayer, disciple, missionary, pater noster, sermon on the mount, love of god, evangelization, lent, new evangelization false full 13 25d0d802-a870-4012-aa32-96dc2cdf5e5a Giving Priorities // Episode 12 There are so many good causes out there in need of different types of support. As missionary disciples, we often feel the call to give financially to some of these things. In this episode we discuss how to sort through which things YOU should give to. There's a reason that some issues in the world break your heart and that you're passionate about certain causes-- these are often the things we're called to give to, whether it be through service or gift!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 27 Feb 2019 02:49:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ There are so many good causes out there in need of different types of support. As missionary disciples, we often feel the call to give financially to some of these things. In this episode we discuss how to sort through which things YOU should give to. There's a reason that some issues in the world break your heart and that you're passionate about certain causes-- these are often the things we're called to give to, whether it be through service or gift!

As always, 

]]> Giving Priorities // Episode 12 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:34:11 We discuss how to determine where to give when you are donating money... and a bit about how much. There are so many good causes out there in need of different types of support. As missionary disciples, we often feel the call to give financially to some of these things. In this episode we discuss how to sort through which things YOU should give to. There's a reason that some issues in the world break your heart and that you're passionate about certain causes-- these are often the things we're called to give to, whether it be through service or gift! We discuss how to determine where to give when you are donating money... and a bit about how much. There are so many good causes out there in need of different types of support. As missionary disciples, we often feel the call to give financially to some of these things. In this episode we discuss how to sort through which things YOU should give to. There's a reason that some issues in the world break your heart and that you're passionate about certain causes-- these are often the things we're called to give to, whether it be through service or gift! generosity, money, apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, financial giving, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 12 7c395596-8ad7-4649-9361-c28b562d69a5 Curiosity Killed the...? // Episode 11 We discuss the difference between curiosity and studiousness, or the hatred of unknowing versus the love of reality as gift. We also discuss our media consumption and our love of people, most especially as they relate to our being disciples of Jesus.

References:
Matthew 11:28-30 and
The Intellectual Appetite by Paul Griffiths, at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813216869/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

As always, 

]]> Wed, 20 Feb 2019 02:53:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We discuss the difference between curiosity and studiousness, or the hatred of unknowing versus the love of reality as gift. We also discuss our media consumption and our love of people, most especially as they relate to our being disciples of Jesus.

References:
Matthew 11:28-30 and
The Intellectual Appetite by Paul Griffiths, at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813216869/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

As always, 

]]> Curiosity Killed the...? // Episode 11 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:31:37 We discuss the difference between curiosity and studiousness, or the hatred of unknowing versus the love of reality as gift. We also discuss our media consumption and our love of people, most especially as they relate to our being disciples of Jesus. References: Matthew 11:28-30 and *The Intellectual Appetite* by Paul Griffiths, at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813216869/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 We discuss the difference between curiosity and studiousness, or the hatred of unknowing versus the love of reality as gift. We also discuss our media consumption and our love of people, most especially as they relate to our being disciples of Jesus. References: Matthew 11:28-30 and *The Intellectual Appetite* by Paul Griffiths, at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813216869/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 study, media, scholar, apostolic, studious, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, consumption, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, curiosity, curious false full 11 1042c9f1-bd84-402c-bf37-b7d6ada2b2d9 Redeeming Institutions // Episode 10 Joseph and Crystal have a conversation about institutions, what they are, why they’re important, and how we can best participate in them. Their long term end, or telos, as well as their short term purpose, or scope, is discussed as well as how that affects our perception of the goodness (or lack thereof) within particular institutions.

This conversation will (hopefully) help to redeem the way we think about institutions and how they can help shape us for the better, into the saints we were made to be.

Inspired by the book True Leadership from the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipFinal.pdf and https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717

As always, 

]]> Wed, 13 Feb 2019 02:52:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Joseph and Crystal have a conversation about institutions, what they are, why they’re important, and how we can best participate in them. Their long term end, or telos, as well as their short term purpose, or scope, is discussed as well as how that affects our perception of the goodness (or lack thereof) within particular institutions.

This conversation will (hopefully) help to redeem the way we think about institutions and how they can help shape us for the better, into the saints we were made to be.

Inspired by the book True Leadership from the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipFinal.pdf and https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717

As always, 

]]> Redeeming Institutions // Episode 10 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:29:52 Joseph and Crystal have a conversation about institutions, what they are, why they’re important, and how we can best participate in them. Their long term end, or telos, as well as their short term purpose, or scope, is discussed as well as how that affects our perception of the goodness (or lack thereof) within particular institutions. This conversation will (hopefully) help to redeem the way we think about institutions and how they can help shape us for the better, into the saints we were made to be. Inspired by the book True Leadership from the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipFinal.pdf and https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717 Joseph and Crystal have a conversation about institutions, what they are, why they’re important, and how we can best participate in them. Their long term end, or telos, as well as their short term purpose, or scope, is discussed as well as how that affects our perception of the goodness (or lack thereof) within particular institutions. This conversation will (hopefully) help to redeem the way we think about institutions and how they can help shape us for the better, into the saints we were made to be. Inspired by the book True Leadership from the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipFinal.pdf and https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717 apostolic, church, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, love of god, family, evangelization, institutions, true leadership, new evangelization false full 10 60a7d44e-e84f-4545-ac58-5cd62512a00a #Winning // Episode 9 How do we win people over to Jesus? And can we do it in a way that keeps winning us over to Him too? Joseph and Crystal gave a talk at a parish on this topic last year; because their daughter is currently in the hospital with some respiratory issues, they're sharing one of their first forays into giving talks together with you, their listener.
Feel free/welcome/encouraged to leave us a review if you like what you hear, and if you don't like what you hear, please email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. You can leave a review, too, but we'd love to hear specifics!
(For this episode in particular, we know the sound quality is a little erratic-- we were recording using an iPhone next to us while we stood at a singular microphone. Not the best conditions nor the best equipment! But we hope the content is helpful!)

As always, 

]]> Tue, 5 Feb 2019 19:55:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ How do we win people over to Jesus? And can we do it in a way that keeps winning us over to Him too? Joseph and Crystal gave a talk at a parish on this topic last year; because their daughter is currently in the hospital with some respiratory issues, they're sharing one of their first forays into giving talks together with you, their listener.
Feel free/welcome/encouraged to leave us a review if you like what you hear, and if you don't like what you hear, please email us at ouroutpost@gmail.com. You can leave a review, too, but we'd love to hear specifics!
(For this episode in particular, we know the sound quality is a little erratic-- we were recording using an iPhone next to us while we stood at a singular microphone. Not the best conditions nor the best equipment! But we hope the content is helpful!)

As always, 

]]> #Winning // Episode 9 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 01:01:57 How do we win people over to Jesus? And can we do it in a way that keeps winning us over to Him too? How do we win people over to Jesus? And can we do it in a way that keeps winning us over to Him too? winning, apostolic, catholic, win, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, outreach, encounter, disciple, build, missionary, go, love of god, parish, evangelization, grow, send, new evangelization false full 9 33bf9584-9369-4720-ab55-2b4799e24c74 Failing Some More // Episode 8 A discussion about growth and fixed mindsets in light of humility and pride. We talk about why failure is necessary and what it has to do with being human. Jesus' death and resurrection are a source of hope for us as we contemplate our sins and short comings and in our pursuit of holiness.

Still referencing Carol Dweck's book, Mindset!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2019 02:35:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ A discussion about growth and fixed mindsets in light of humility and pride. We talk about why failure is necessary and what it has to do with being human. Jesus' death and resurrection are a source of hope for us as we contemplate our sins and short comings and in our pursuit of holiness.

Still referencing Carol Dweck's book, Mindset!

As always, 

]]> Failing Some More // Episode 8 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:30:28 Where we talk more about growth and fixed mindsets in light of humility and pride. Where we talk more about growth and fixed mindsets in light of humility and pride. humility, outpost, limitations, failure, catholic, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, cross, sin, disciple, missionary, mindsets, crucifixion, evangelization, pride, weakness, new evangelization false full 8 c6bf8c14-a8ff-4290-9aaa-50a33c732313 Failing Well // Episode 7 Crystal and Joseph discuss failing well. The difference between having a growth mindset and having a fixed mindset is the difference between being able to grow from failure and being crushed/defined by failure. How we identify ourselves, and what we allow our identities to get wrapped up in also gets tangled into the topic.

The book we referenced is called Mindset by Carol Dweck:
https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322/ref=nodl_

As always, 

]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2019 02:28:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Crystal and Joseph discuss failing well. The difference between having a growth mindset and having a fixed mindset is the difference between being able to grow from failure and being crushed/defined by failure. How we identify ourselves, and what we allow our identities to get wrapped up in also gets tangled into the topic.

The book we referenced is called Mindset by Carol Dweck:
https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322/ref=nodl_

As always, 

]]> Failing Well // Episode 7 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:26:29 Failing well, or having a growth mindset, can help us become who God created us to be! Failing well, or having a growth mindset, can help us become who God created us to be! mindset, apostolic, direction, failure, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization, growth false full 7 d37abb7b-5fd9-4772-9694-e2686e633b5e A Deacon's Tale // Episode 6 Join us as we're joined by Deacon Dave and Marcia Etters, sharing their story of conversion and reversion. Hopefully, we'll have them on again to unpack more of the key moments, as well as to talk about formation, family, and parish life.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:00:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Join us as we're joined by Deacon Dave and Marcia Etters, sharing their story of conversion and reversion. Hopefully, we'll have them on again to unpack more of the key moments, as well as to talk about formation, family, and parish life.

As always, 

]]> A Deacon's Tale // Episode 6 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:45 Join us as we're joined by Deacon Dave and Marcia Etters, sharing their story of conversion and reversion. Join us as we're joined by Deacon Dave and Marcia Etters, sharing their story of conversion and reversion. deacon, apostolic, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, reversion, love of god, conversion, evangelization, new evangelization false full 6 3460346e-dc82-44c8-b323-fa13b166b276 Letting Talks Change Lives // Episode 5 Wherein we talk with Thomas Ripplinger and Allie Slough about all of our take-aways from SEEK2019 this past weekend.
SEEK2019 is a 5-day conference, including some of the most well-known Catholic speakers in the United States. Originally for college students, now more and more material has been added for those pursuing lifelong Catholic mission. Daily Mass, confession, adoration, large keynote speakers, small-group time, concurrent impact sessions, and many mini-reunions and introductions make up a pretty incredible five days. Crystal and Joseph went with their children as well as 16 parishioners from their parish. Thomas and Allie are friends who stopped by for a chat who also attended the conference. What were our takeaways and why? What would have happened if we never shared them? (I'm not sure, but I'm glad we did...)

As always, 

]]> Thu, 10 Jan 2019 01:10:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Wherein we talk with Thomas Ripplinger and Allie Slough about all of our take-aways from SEEK2019 this past weekend.
SEEK2019 is a 5-day conference, including some of the most well-known Catholic speakers in the United States. Originally for college students, now more and more material has been added for those pursuing lifelong Catholic mission. Daily Mass, confession, adoration, large keynote speakers, small-group time, concurrent impact sessions, and many mini-reunions and introductions make up a pretty incredible five days. Crystal and Joseph went with their children as well as 16 parishioners from their parish. Thomas and Allie are friends who stopped by for a chat who also attended the conference. What were our takeaways and why? What would have happened if we never shared them? (I'm not sure, but I'm glad we did...)

As always, 

]]> Letting Talks Change Lives // Episode 5 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:45:01 Wherein we talk with Thomas Ripplinger and Allie Slough about all of our take-aways from SEEK2019 this past weekend. Wherein we talk with Thomas Ripplinger and Allie Slough about all of our take-aways from SEEK2019 this past weekend. apostolic, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, mary, trinity, disciple, seek2019, missionary, holy spirit, love of god, focus conference, son, evangelization, seek, father, new evangelization false full 5 33f956e3-3786-489c-bcad-12a23630a5f9 Starting Small // Episode 4 We can’t eat an elephant all at once - nor can we have an perfect prayer life tomorrow, or bring our neighbor into full communion with the Church yesterday. In this podcast we talk about why starting small - taking baby steps - is so important. Practical tips on how to start small with love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self are also included, along with basic principles for growing, especially in virtue.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 2 Jan 2019 03:16:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ We can’t eat an elephant all at once - nor can we have an perfect prayer life tomorrow, or bring our neighbor into full communion with the Church yesterday. In this podcast we talk about why starting small - taking baby steps - is so important. Practical tips on how to start small with love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self are also included, along with basic principles for growing, especially in virtue.

As always, 

]]> Starting Small // Episode 4 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:40:52 Taking baby steps to live out God’s plan for your life. Taking baby steps to live out God’s plan for your life. catholic, jesus, discipleship, prayer, sainthood, virtue, baby steps false full 4 3b2fa00b-57fe-4eb3-9be1-88dbe312ea64 Apostolic Direction // Episode 3 Where we talk about 'apostolic direction', which is a kind of meeting that brings greater clarity as to how we are being missionary minded, in the hopes that it helps you do the same!

As always, 

]]> Wed, 26 Dec 2018 02:50:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ Where we talk about 'apostolic direction', which is a kind of meeting that brings greater clarity as to how we are being missionary minded, in the hopes that it helps you do the same!

As always, 

]]> Apostolic Direction // Episode 3 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:47:25 How to have an intentional meeting with a friend (and/or spouse!) that helps direct our apostolate How to have an intentional meeting with a friend (and/or spouse!) that helps direct our apostolate apostolic, direction, catholic, evangelize, jesus, apostolate, discipleship, love of neighbor, prayer, disciple, missionary, love of god, evangelization, new evangelization false full 3 40baf824-0bd9-4d3d-ba85-6c40df86defd The Drama of Prayer // Episode 2 God wants YOU - the real you - to show up to prayer. He wants to enter into the drama of your life! We talk about what that means, and how to approach the drama of prayer, in this episode.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Dec 2018 03:41:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ God wants YOU - the real you - to show up to prayer. He wants to enter into the drama of your life! We talk about what that means, and how to approach the drama of prayer, in this episode.

As always, 

]]> The Drama of Prayer // Episode 2 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:33:21 Prayer having drama matters! Prayer having drama matters! catholic, jesus, discipleship, prayer, god false full 2 605f9c8f-de32-4cb0-b83b-dcd42a54c287 What’s in a Name // Episode 1 This episode is a bit more meta then we plan for the rest to be, however, we take the time here to explain why we have chosen the name “A Word from Our Outpost” for our podcast.

As always, 

]]> Wed, 19 Dec 2018 02:57:00 +0000 ouroutpost@gmail.com (Joseph and Crystal Gruber) https://ouroutpost.simplecast.fm/ This episode is a bit more meta then we plan for the rest to be, however, we take the time here to explain why we have chosen the name “A Word from Our Outpost” for our podcast.

As always, 

]]> What’s in a Name // Episode 1 Joseph and Crystal Gruber 00:19:08 Why this podcast is called “A Word from Our Outpost” Why this podcast is called “A Word from Our Outpost” catholic, discipleship, missionary false full 1