Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

MFP 398: Discovering Your Child's Unique Gifts

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." — Proverbs 22:6 Summary With so many sports, clubs, arts programs, school ch

MFP 397: The No-Resentment Rosary

"The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together." —St. John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mari

MFP 396: The Great Family Reboot

"Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." - James Clear Summary Is your family running on good routines—or on lost shoes, late-night

MFP 395: Who Comes First? Navigating the Hard Choices of Family Life

Family life is full of competing needs, responsibilities, and relationships. And sometimes there isn't one obvious "right" answer. Summary In this listener questions

MFP 394: NFP- Love, Life, and Learning Self-Control

Catholic couples don't discern if they should have a child, they discern if they should postpone pregnancy. These are two different conversations.    Summary This re-

MFP 393: Helping Kids Grow Through Hard Things

High expectations along with high support produces resilient kids. Summary In this episode, Mike and Alicia focus on the challenge of raising resilient kids in a cultur

MFP 392: Faith at Home: No Degree Required

Parents need to awaken in children their sacramental imagination within the home. This takes time. - Steven Serafin Summary In this episode, we talk with Steven Serafin

MFP 391: Jesus Take the Wheel! Being Overwhelmed

Summary This re-release of a 2016 episode focuses on the experience of feeling overwhelmed as a parent and reframes it as a sign that your current responsibilities have e

MFP 390: What Happens After the Romance Fades?

Summary Have you ever felt distant from your spouse, like you're simply coexisting in the same house or experiencing dryness in your marriage? Every marriage goes through

MFP 389: 33 Days to Consecration to the Holy Family

Consecration is about living your daily family life in union with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, right in the middle of the mess. Summary What if your family life, in all its

MFP 388: Your Husband is Not a Home Improvement Project

"A complaint focuses on a specific behavior, but criticism attacks a person's very character." - John Gottman Summary This episode focuses on how criticism in marriage,

MFP 387: The Truth about Toddlers

The strength of even the smallest children is more than we imagine, but it must have a free play in order to reveal itself" - Maria Montessori Summary This episode focu

MFP 386: How to Have a Whole and Happy Marriage

When you feel you can't give any more, ask yourself, "Can I say YES to one act of connection?" - Pat and Kenna Millea Summary If you've ever wondered why communication

MFP 385: Fighting the Slow Drift in Marriage

Relationships are built with the material of time. Summary Strong marriages don't happen by accident—they require intentional time, attention, and sacrifice. This episo

MFP 384: Paul McCusker and the Power of Story

"Kids are always processing what happens around them. Stories give them a way to do that." - Paul McCusker   Summary Today on the podcast we welcome Paul McCusker, an

MFP 383: How Play Time Shapes Prayer Time

For more information about the Play + Pray Challenge visit our website: https://messyfamilyproject.org/challenge/ If you want to pray with your kids, you need to play w

MFP 382: The Shape of a Growing Family

"Some call it chaos, we call it family." Summary In this listener-driven episode we will tackle the real-life tension of raising a big family through changing seasons.

MFP 381: The Secret to Raising Kids Who Love the Sacraments

"First Communion is about far more than a single day—it's about nurturing a lifelong relationship with Jesus." - Katie McGrady   Summary Preparing your child for Firs

MFP 380: The Hidden Power of Family Culture and How to Shape It

Family culture is more than a mission statement, it's a way of life that communicates powerfully.    Summary What are you really cultivating in your home? In this epi

MFP 379: Lord, Save Me from the Complaining Child!

Your child is not a problem to be solved, but a person to be known.   Summary If you've ever thought, "How can one small human make this much noise… about EVERYTHING?