Lauri Hauser is our guest on this episode. She is a wife and the mother of two grown boys and was also a high school teacher. Twenty years ago, Lauri and her family started a family chant about God.

Little did Lauri know, God would turn that family chant into a burgeoning ministry for His glory. In this episode you will find the answers to the following questions:

· What does IC2KG mean and how did it get started?

· In what ways did her son Joe contribute significantly to the establishment of IC2KG?

· How do “Know, Love, Share, and Serve” play a pivotal role in the IC2KG ministry?

· How did faith and sports play a role in Lauri’s young life and her current life as a wife and mother?

· What is a “God Rock”? What is Lauri’s God Rock?

· How did IC2KG pull Lauri out of her comfort zone and who encouraged her to start IC2KG?

· When Lauri attended the SEEK 2026 Conference, what did she think of it? What is a SEEK Conference?

· What are the future plans for the IC2KG ministry?

Website: https://www.ic2kg.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ic2kg/

SEEK 2026: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/seek-2026-set-to-kick-off-in-3-cities

Link to article by Francesca Pollio Fenton: https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/catholic-mom-spreads-ic2kg-message-to-youth-attends-first-seek-conference

Chris Vander Woude is one of seven sons of Tom Vander Woude and is our guest on this episode. Tom died saving his son, Joseph, who fell in a septic tank on the family farm. Family, friends, and the Diocese of Arlington have started the process that, they hope and pray, will lead to Tom’s eventual canonization as a saint in the Catholic Church.

In this episode you will find answers to the following questions:

· Who was Tom Vander Woude?

· Did Tom and his wife, Mary Ellen, foster a spiritual family?

· Were faith and sports important in the Vander Woude family?

· How was Tom’s life as a husband and father extraordinary?

· What was special about their youngest son, Joseph?

· What was the relationship like between Tom and Joseph?

· What happened to Joseph that led to Tom’s death?

· What was extraordinary about Tom’s funeral?

· Who is St. Gianna Molla and why was the Walk of Life important to Tom?

· What stage is Tom’s canonization process in?

· What is the Tom Vander Woude Guild and how is the Diocese of Arlington involved in Tom’s process?

· How can you be involved with Tom Vander Woude’s journey toward sainthood?

Tom Vander Woude Guild

St. Gianna Beretta Molla | EWTN

Walk for Life 2026 Schedule - Walk for Life West Coast

Saints | USCCB : Information about the process of sainthood in the Catholic Church

#catholicsports, #vanderwoudiewitness, #vanwoudiesacrifice, #vanderwoudiejourney

Fr. Matthew Hincks is a priest with the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross in the diocese of Steubenville, Ohio and is our guest on this episode. One of the ministries of the Canons Regular is Opus Angelorum or Work of the Angels, which is the topic of our discussion with Fr. Matthew. In particular, Father talks about our guardian angels and sports.

In this episode you will find answers to the following questions:

· Was Fr. Hincks involved in sports?

· Can participation in sports help my spiritual life?

· Are there any commonalities between sports and my spiritual life? Is it important to have a plan for both?

· What is Opus Angelorum and how did it start?

· What is a stigmata and what does it mean when a person receives it?

· Is it possible to know and have a relationship with my guardian angel?

· What can my guardian angel do for me?

· Can I give my guardian angel a name?

· In 1 Corinthians 9:23-27, St. Paul compares his ministry to athletics. What games might he be referring to?

· How can Opus Angelorum help me learn about my guardian angel?

· Is it possible to consecrate myself to my guardian angel?

· Why is it important to have a relationship with my guardian angel and the angels in general, now, in this life?

Opus Sanctorum Angelorum - Work of the Holy Angels

Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross

Isthmian Games - Wikipedia

#catholicsports, #opusangelorum, #workoftheangels, #guardianangel

Rachael Popcak Isaac developed the Success and Performance Coaching Program and is our guest on this episode. Rachael grew up as a competitive figure skater and dancer, so she knows the love of competition. She has also experienced the intense pressure, anxiety, and stress inherent in sports or any high-pressure endeavor and this is the part of competition she did not like. Early in Rachael’s career, she leaned on her faith and the love God had for her, and something shifted in her spirit and this new perspective changed her life. Rachael was able to enjoy and flourish in her God-given talents.

Rachael is the daughter of Dr. Greg Popcak, founder of CatholicCounselors.com and the Success and Performance Coaching Program is a division of her father’s company. Rachael is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and uses her skills and experience to help people who are in highly competitive, high-performance, high-pressure, high expectation, and/or high stress professions. Her clientele ranges from high school to professional athletes, dancers, doctors, lawyers, executives, anyone who has a position with high responsibility and high expectations. Common among these are people who have unbalanced competitive professions where stress and anxiety are the norm and which, if left unchecked, can lead to unhappy, anxious, and stress-filled lives apart from their field of endeavor. That is where Rachael’s new program can help.

Like the other services offered on CatholicCounselor.com, the Success and Performance Coaching Program uses tele-services to help clients achieve their goals. Unlike sports psychologists or other secular counseling services, CatholicCounselors.com bases their services on St. John Paul II’s teaching on the Theology of the Body. Rachael explains the importance of integrating mind, body, and spirit in the life of a competitor. Disintegration in a competitor can lead to failure, stress, and frustration in their endeavor and can spread to other areas of a person’s life. Integration can lead to a sense of calm and confidence that can make success much more attainable and offers a more fulfilling life outside a person’s field of endeavor. Rachael explains what to expect in counseling and the benefit of incorporating faith in the process. An added gem, Rachael explains her favorite definition of “confidence” and why it’s important in the life of a competitor (or anybody). Rachael also talks about how most competitors experience unique pressures, expectations, experiences, and their language might be a little different than people with other counseling needs and that’s the niche the Success and Performance Coaching Program aims to fill.

For everyone who enjoys participating in sports, or those who enjoy watching sports, Rachael suggests fostering and maintaining healthy relationships around sports is most important. Rachael ends with a heartfelt story where she experienced a time when fierce competition got in the way of enjoying her God-given gifts and those of others. It’s summed up in her adopted motto “I have nothing to prove and everything to share” and where it should lead us all… toward true confidence in relationships with others. It’s a motto that works everywhere, on or off the field.

Links:

Success and Performance Coaching - Catholic Counselors

Home - Catholic Counselors

https://catholiccounselors.com/playing-for-glory-how-theology-of-the-body-transforms-the-way-athletes-compete/

#catholicsports, #coachingforsuccess, #successandperformancecoaching, #godandathletes, #sportstheologyofthebody

Raquel Rose is the founder of the Little Rose Shop and is our guest on this episode. In addition to running her own business, Raquel is a wife and the mother of one girl and three boys. Growing up, she liked all sports, especially basketball. She tried to make the basketball team in college, even as a walk-on, but didn’t make it. Raquel and her friend tried out for the rugby team and made it. She recalls her experiences as a rugby player. Even though she didn’t make the basketball team, Raquel’s experience with getting on the rugby team taught her that your plan is not always God’s plan. She learned that God provides other opportunities.

At age 21, Raquel found out that she was pregnant and shares the feelings she had at that time in her life. It was at Mass, during the consecration of the Eucharist, that Raquel thought she was a failure but felt the deep love Jesus had for her. She explains what she experienced at this life-changing time in her life. Raquel also found acceptance from her parents and the few friends she confided in. Her experience at Mass and with the Eucharist caused a powerful “reconversion” in her faith journey and her life would be forever changed. As a single mother, Raquel began coaching and observed that while the drive to win and achieve success is common in sports, she found and emphasized that sports also provide opportunities for personal development.

Raquel started to make items to help remind her to pray often. She also made things to keep her little daughter busy and quiet during Mass. This led to her founding the Little Rose Shop. Raquel eventually got married and had more children. She launched herself into being a faithful wife, full-time mother and successful business owner. Raquel explains the mission of her business and what the Little Rose Shop offers. She holds a master’s degree in School Counseling and applies her knowledge and faith to the development of the products at the Little Rose Shop. Raquel talks about the how the “Ignatius Examen” was corroborated by her counseling studies as a great way to reduce anxiety and depression in life. Raquel also talks about how St. Thérèse of Lisieux is important to her.

Although the Little Rose Shop is predominantly geared toward moms, Raquel discusses how the website offers a few things for men. She also suggests that men can find gifts to help uplift the woman in their lives. Raquel talks about how sports can help children learn healthy virtues and relationships, sporting events can also bring families together. Raquel ends by encouraging listeners to say “yes” to God all the time, even when it's difficult. Her initial “yes” to God has brought much fruition into her life: a great marriage, family, and a thriving business.

Raquel’s life is a great example of Romans 8:28: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Links:

Little Rose Shop: Catholic Christian gift and book shop for moms, kids, and baby

The Eucharist | USCCB

The Daily Examen - IgnatianSpirituality.com

St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Little Flower Who Showed Us the Way of Love – Catholic Online News

#catholicsports, #littleroseshop, #trustingod, #godneverfails

NOVUS 1:12 Project - Dominican Republic - Baseball & Volleyball in Banica, Dominican Republic

Our guest on this episode is Joey Pontarelli who is the founder and president of Restored, a ministry that helps teens and young adults who come from divorced or dysfunctional families heal and build virtue so they can avoid repeating that cycle and build a better life. Joey holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Franciscan University of Steubenville and an MBA from Benedictine College. Joey recalls growing up in a large Italian family with five boys and one girl. His early life was permeated with sports, whether he was goofing around with his siblings or playing an organized sport. He played club volleyball in college.

Around age 11, Joey’s life drastically changed when his parents separated and eventually divorced. He recounts the feelings, problems, and struggles he encountered during this time in his life.

Joey explains what changed in his life and how his return to God and the Church helped him. Joey felt there was a lack of resources for him when his parents divorced. After much prayer and spiritual direction, he felt called to start Restored. Joey is passionate about helping teens and young adults with resources which he highlights on the Restored website. The most popular resource on the Restored website is the podcast.

Other popular resources are a book entitled “It’s Not Your Fault” and a guide “7 Tips on Building a Thriving and Divorce-Proof Marriage”. These are only a few of many resources on the Restored website. Joey also talks about how sports is a great tool to help the healing process while building virtues necessary for healthy relationships.

Joey ends the podcast with practical advice for people who are, or were, in broken families and for people who are in intact families who want to help a friend who might be going through a difficult time in their family. If you find yourself anywhere on this continuum (that’s practically everybody), this podcast and Restored just might be for you.

Link: Restored - About — Restored

Resources discussed by Joey:

Jason Evert – author/speaker: Purified; Books by Jason Evert (Author of Saint John Paul the Great); Jason Evert - Wikipedia

Retreat: Lifegiving Wounds (Catholic), focus on adults whose parents were divorced: Life-Giving Wounds

Dr. Greg Bottaro – Catholic Psych Institute: Faith-Aligned Online Therapy at CatholicPsych Institute

Bob Schutts, PhD. – John Paul II Healing Center – Transformation in the Heart of the Church; Catholic Sportsman Show: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-h779y-16b68c3

Sr. Miriam: Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT - The GIVEN Institute

Fr. John Burns: Fr. John Burns - The GIVEN Institute

Leila Miller- author: Primal Loss: The Now-Adult Children of Divorce Speak - https://a.co/d/4jRcz3C

Leila Miller: Impossible - Marriages Redeemed, They Didn’t End the Story in the Middle - https://a.co/d/fCXLIfu

Fr. Mike Schmitz: Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen - https://youtu.be/0NOTU1g0Z8w

Greg and Julie Alexander: authors - Marriage 911: How God Saved Our Marriage and Can Save Yours Too - https://a.co/d/clwhJxH

Alexander House: Hope & Healing for Marriage

#catholicsports, #childrenofdivorcedfamilies, #childrenhealingfromdivorce, #dontletdivorcewin