Feeding Fathers

You ever sit at a Chaldean/Assyrian funeral gathering and feel like something about it just doesn’t sit right, even though everybody’s there for a good reason?

We get into what actually happens in those halls — the way the room splits, the "hired" wailers doing their thing to get people crying, and how the men usually end up talking business or church stuff while the women are on the other side. We discuss the pressure that falls on the women especially, the black clothes, the 40 days, the skipping weddings and celebrations, and how that can turn into something heavier than anyone meant it to be.

We also call out the part that’s harder to say out loud: how mourning can quietly become a competition, or how family drama and judgment show up right when people are already hurting. And the question that keeps coming back is the one that matters most — where is Jesus in the middle of all of it?

If you’ve ever left one of these and felt like the traditions were running the show more than the actual grief or the faith, this conversation is gonna feel familiar.

Featuring: Fr. Christopher Somo, Fr. Andy Younan, Abbot Ankido Sipo, Fr. Daniel Shaba

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00:00 Wailing and Grief
08:36 Gender Split Dynamics
10:51 Black Clothing Pressure
14:37 Faith Over Formalities
17:56 Grieving With Structure
24:59 Hope Versus Despair
27:26 Praying for the Dead
28:46 Guardian Angel Myth
32:52 Legacy and Being Forgotten
36:08 Do Dogs Go Heaven
39:46 Mexican Food!
43:05 "30-Second Homily" Game

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▶️ Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/lhLN-AP03Jw

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Coming off the heals of the latest "Emmaus Retreat," Fr. Augustine shares how he converted through this retreat years ago when he was barely showing up to Church. Now he leads them.

That part is strong on its own. But what we really got into is what happens after a retreat for most people. You come home on fire, then real life shows up. The feeling starts to fade. Your family looks at you like they don’t quite recognize you. And you catch yourself wondering how much of it was even real once you’re back in your normal routine.

We talked about the honest parts that usually don’t get said out loud. Why chasing the good feeling can actually pull you in the wrong direction. What it costs when you try to go back to your old life after something real happened inside you. And whether you even have to be “ready” before you sign up for a retreat in the first place.

If you’ve ever left a retreat or any kind of spiritual experience feeling close to God and then watched it slip away once you got home, you’ll probably recognize a lot of what we said.

For the young Chaldean Catholic adults in our diocese, the youth convention is coming up: https://spyouthconvention.org

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Augustine Joseph, Fr. Christoper Somo, Fr. Fadi Auro

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00:00 Back from Emmaus
03:16 Emmaus Passage Walkthrough
08:48 Why Retreats Matter
13:03 Retreat Versus Vacation
18:51 After The Spiritual High
23:07 Consolation And Desolation
34:16 Am I Ready For a Retreat
40:53 Perpetual Conversion
47:07 Youth Convention Preview
49:16 Burrito "Draft Day" & Kanafa
53:22 Leo Elects First Female Prefect

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In his very first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV tackles artificial intelligence and the massive technological shift happening right now — comparing it directly to the upheaval of the Industrial Revolution 135 years ago when Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum.

We walk through the heart of the letter: how AI risks turning human dignity into a “social score” based on productivity, the dangers of transhumanism and posthumanism, and why the Pope says our limitations, struggles, and relationships are actually the most beautiful and important parts of being human.

You’ll hear about the Tower of Babel versus the rebuilding of Jerusalem, why AI can never replace real friendship or creativity, the need for real limits and oversight on this technology, and what Catholic social teaching has to say about building a civilization of love in the digital age.

What do you think — is AI just a powerful tool, or is it quietly reshaping who we are? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Abbot Ankido Sipo, Fr. Fadi Auro, Fr. Christopher Somo

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With Pentecost Sunday right around the corner, we sit down to talk about the Holy Spirit and why the "upper-room moment" still matters for everyday Catholics.

We cover the Acts passage about the violent wind, tongues of fire, and the apostles suddenly speaking in other languages—but we take it further than the usual explanation.

We get real and practical about evangelization and why yelling the truth, winning online arguments, or nagging your adult kids about church usually backfires, and why just being a normal, sincere human being who listens and builds real relationships actually works.

New episode every week—subscribe and join the table!

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Andy Younan, Fr. Tristan Farida, Fr. Augustine Joseph

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His Beatitude Mar Paulos III Nona is now leading the Chaldean Church, and it feels like we’re stepping into a genuinely hopeful new chapter. In this episode we talk about the direction he’s already setting for our Church, what it really means to have a patriarch, and how our ancient structure is meant to carry us forward.

We walk through the patriarch’s role as father of the Church, how the synod actually governs, and how we live in full communion with Rome while staying true to our own tradition. We also get real about life in the diaspora — where the vast majority of Chaldeans and Assyrians now live — and what it’s going to take to keep our liturgy, the ancient Anaphora of Addai and Mari, our language, music, and entire patrimony alive far from our historical homeland.

One of the most exciting parts of the conversation is the real hope for deeper unity and eventual reintegration with the Assyrian Church of the East — returning together to our shared roots in the historic Church of the East. We also talk about the Sons of the Covenant Monastery and how communities like this are living out our consecrated life and identity right here in the diaspora.

This is an honest, hopeful conversation about where our Church is headed. The installation of Patriarch Mar Apolos III Nona is May 29th — please keep him and the entire Chaldean Church in your prayers.

Featuring: Fr. Simon Esshaki, Fr. Daniel Shaba, Abbot Ankido Sipo, Fr. Fadi Auro

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00:00 Meet the New Patriarch
03:04 What Makes a Patriarch
05:13 Patriarchs vs Major Archbishops
06:04 Synods East and West
07:50 Patriarchal See and Origins
18:45 Preserving Tradition in Exile
22:04 Ecumenism and Reintegration Vision
26:59 Language Loss and Identity
32:42 Reviving Chaldean Monasticism
43:03 Diaspora Distinctions
46:52 'Hot Takes' Game

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