Good Shepherd Catholic Church - Golden Valley, MN - April 2026

Talk 1 - Friday April 24, 2026

  • Love for God is meant to be the organizing principle of the human heart, shaping everything we are and do when it is truly placed first.

  • The heart is the interior center of the person, where thoughts, emotions, desires, and decisions converge, and it constantly reveals what we ultimately live for.

  • Because we carry both “now desires” and “ultimate desires,” the spiritual life involves reordering our loves so that eternal goods—God, holiness, and mission—take precedence and begin to shape everyday choices.

  • Key Scriptures:

    •  “You shall love the LORD YOUR GOD with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”  - Luke 10:27

    • “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness  and all these things will be added to you, as well.” – Matthew 6:33

  • Prayer of Offering from St Ignatius (also known as the “Suscipe”)

    • “Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will; all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To you, O lord, I return it.  All is yours, dispose of it wholly according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace, for that is sufficient for me.”

Reflection Questions

  1. If someone looked at your daily choices, what would they say your “ultimate desire” actually is—God or something else?

  2. Where do you most feel the tension between your “now desires” and your “ultimate desires,” and how is that shaping your decisions?

  3. What is one concrete habit that could begin to bridge the gap between what you say you want to love and how you actually live?

Please do share your ideas / musings / further questions below in the comments!! 👇👇👇

Call Me: Series on Dating and Discernment of Marriage

Talk 1: Dating with Marriage in Mind

Summary

  • This talk reframes modern dating through a Catholic lens, acknowledging both the real complexities of today’s culture and the deeper clarity of God’s design.

  • Participants will explore three essential vocations—holiness, mission, and state in life—and how their proper order brings freedom and focus to dating.

  • Through four practical dynamics, this session offers a grounded, actionable vision for building relationships rooted in faith, intentionality, and trust in God.

Desired Outcome

Talk 2: It’s Not You, It’s Me Actually: For Men

  • This talk challenges men to take ownership of their readiness for marriage by focusing on who they are becoming before they ever say “I do.”

  • Drawing from the example of St. Joseph, participants will explore three essential areas of readiness—personal, spiritual, and financial—and how each one shapes their future as a husband and father.

  • With practical guidance and honest self-assessment, this session calls men to grow in virtue, deepen their relationship with God, and live with responsibility and intentionality now.

(Note: This talk could be modified for a mixed audience of men and women.)

Talk 3: Three Big Questions Every Couple Needs to Ask Before Engagement

  • Rooted in the example of Adam and Eve and the Church’s marriage rite, this talk walks couples through three essential questions that reveal readiness for engagement: freedom, faithfulness, and fruitfulness.

  • Audience will learn how these pillars move beyond feelings or compatibility and into the deeper reality of sacrificial, lifelong love.

  • With practical insight and honest reflection, this session equips couples to discern not just if they love each other—but if they are prepared to live marriage as God designed it.