Our Lady of Mt Carmel - Carmel, IN - April 2026

Audio Recording from Talk, April 30th, 2026

Parenting Goals Talk from Ryan O'Hara at OLMC, Carmel, IN
Ryan O'Hara

Thursday April 30, 2026 - Key Ideas 📌

  • Summary

    • Family culture is the often invisible but deeply influential force that shapes what children come to value, believe, and ultimately become, raising the question of whether a family is merely “Catholic” in name or truly centered on a lived Catholic identity.

    • Rather than adding faith onto competing priorities like sports, academics, or comfort, the call is to build a distinctly Catholic culture that rightly orders all other goods around God.

    • Parents play a decisive role in this, since they are the primary educators of the faith, and their children will largely reflect the depth, authenticity, and priorities of their own spiritual lives.

    • This requires intentionality—continually examining what they are truly aiming for (earthly success or eternal destiny) and shaping daily family life according to the Gospel.

    • Ultimately, a Catholic family culture is built through concrete practices of love, virtue, generosity, forgiveness, and prayer, where habits - especially consistent family prayer - become the foundation that forms hearts and aligns the family with God’s purposes.

  • Key Scripture

    • Romans 12:9-18 - “9 Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. 11 Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. 14 [a]Bless those who persecute [you], bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with all.”

Reflection Questions 🤔

  1. Growing up, what word would’ve described the culture of your family?  How about now – what one word comes to mind that describes your family today?

  2. Read through the verses again from Romans 12.  Which one of those verses would you like your family (now, or in the future) to put into practice? And why?

  3. What’s one practical way you could start (or strengthen) praying together as a family?

Pray 🙏

In the talk you were asked to name with one word the ‘culture’ of your home. Bring that word to mind. What word would you like to be the word that describes the ‘culture’ of your home? Talk to God about the difference or the gap. Ask God for strength, courage, and wisdom build your family culture anew.

Share in the Comments Below 👇👇👇

  • If you were at the talk, what stuck with you - something that challenged the way you see things and/or the way you live?

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

St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center - West Lafayette, IN - April 2026

Wednesday April 29, 2026 - Key Ideas 📌

  • Summary

    • Modern dating is often experienced as complicated—both because of cultural factors and because Catholics must also discern God’s will and multiple layers of vocation, not just marriage itself.

    • The Christian vision clarifies this by placing dating within a larger framework: first the universal call to holiness, then a personal mission, and only then the discernment of one’s state in life.

    • Dating with marriage in mind therefore means approaching relationships with intentionality, focusing on deeper forms of attraction, integrated intimacy, honest communication, and wise boundaries.

    • Ultimately, the foundation of all dating and marriage is trust in God, recognizing that no relationship can fulfill the deepest desires of the human heart - only God can.

    • When God is rightly placed at the center, both dating and marriage become places where love can truly grow and thrive.

  • Key Scriptures

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

Audio Recording of Talk

Dating with Marriage in Mind (St Tom's)
Ryan O'Hara

Reflection Questions 🤔

  1. How are you currently approaching dating - more as something casual and reactive, or as something intentional with a clear vision toward marriage?

  2. Which of the three vocations (holiness, personal mission, or state in life) have you been focusing on most - and which might God be inviting you to pay more attention to right now?

  3. Where might you need clearer boundaries or greater intentionality (time, setting, communication) to better align your dating life with your values?

  4. Do you truly trust God with your future in relationships, or do you find yourself trying to control outcomes, and what would it look like to grow in that trust?

Pray 🙏

Take time to talk with God about his plan and purpose for your life. Mention out loud to him, specifically, what excites you and frightens you. Remain in attentive silence for a few minutes listening for the ways God speaks to you about what you have shared. If you keep a prayer journal write down what you heard.

Share in the Comments Below 👇👇👇

  • If you were at the talk, what stuck with you - something that challenged the way you see things and/or the way you live?

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

Church of the Blessed Sacrament - West Lafayette, IN - April 2026

Tuesday April 28, 2026 - Key Ideas 📌

Summary

  • Human existence is a miracle. Each of us were intentionally and lovingly created by God. Because God meant each person to be here, every life carries a purpose and a mission that is inseparably united to discipleship in Christ.

  • That mission is personal and discoverable at the intersection of one’s gifts, passions, and the real needs of the Church and the world,

  • This is lived out as a “missionary disciple” rooted in prayer and relationship with God.

  • The key then to knowing God’s plan and purpose for our lives is to “know the one who knows” and that happens, first and foremost in prayer.

  • For prayer to be successful and repeatable each day we need a consistent time, a quite place, and a simple plan.

Reflection Questions 🤔

  1. Where in your own life do you see signs that your existence is not random, but intentional—and how does that challenge or affirm how you see yourself?

  2. What would it look like, in practical terms, to begin living as a “missionary disciple” rather than just someone trying to be a good person?

  3. Where do your gifts, passions, and the real needs around you overlap right now—and what might that be pointing to as a possible mission?

How to Pray with Someone Else

  • First, ask the person “what do you want to ask of God?”

  • Second, ask “is it okay if I lay hands on your shoulders as we pray?”

  • Third, begin praying 

    • The person being prayed with opens their hands and heart to receive the gift that God wants to give.

    • The “pray-er” begins praying .  This spontaneous prayer, from this one person, continues for 30-90 seconds.

      • Gratitude – Thank God for the person you’re praying with—their life, gifts, and even their challenges. Recognize that this moment of prayer is a gift from God before it is anything else. Gratitude grounds the prayer in humility.

      • Intimacy – Ask God to draw them into a deeper, personal relationship with Him. Pray that they would hear His voice more clearly and experience His love, mercy, and closeness in a real way.

      • Virtue – Ask for a renewal in faith, hope, and/or love.

        • Faith trusts that God can act (doubt is its opposite),

        • Hope trusts that God will act (despair is its opposite),

        • Love chooses self-gift and sacrifice (opposed by pride and selfishness).

  • Fourth, close with an Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be

  • Finally, afterwards, ask the person, being prayed with, to share anything that God brought to mind while we were praying.

Summary

  • Daily prayer is a foundational habit that shapes and transforms a person’s entire spiritual life, much like other daily routines shape physical health.

  • Drawing from the example and teachings of Jesus, prayer is not just something we do, but the expression of an ongoing relationship with God—where consistency matters more than intensity.

  • This relationship grows through intentional structure: a consistent time, a quiet place, and a simple plan that allows for real, two-way communication with God through Scripture. Over time, this habit reorients the heart and life around God’s presence and voice.

  • The invitation is to replace lesser habits with the life-giving habit of daily prayer, trusting that even a small, faithful commitment—just 1% of the day—can lead to lasting spiritual change.

Audio Recording of Talk - April 29th, 2026

Power of Daily Prayer - Church of the Blessed Sacrament April 2026
Ryan O'Hara

Share in the Comments Below 👇👇👇

  • If you were at the talk, what stuck with you - something that challenged the way you see things and/or the way you live?

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

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

Talk 1 - Friday April 24, 2026 - Key Ideas 📌

  • Summary

    • 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?

Pray

For the next week, begin your daily prayer by slowly reciting the “Prayer of Offering” above from St Ignatius of Loyola. Pay attention to the lines and phrases that stick out to you, each day.

Talk 2: Why are We Here? (April 25)

  • Human existence is a miracle. Each of us were intentionally and lovingly created by God. Because God meant each person to be here, every life carries a purpose and a mission that is inseparably united to discipleship in Christ.

  • That mission is personal and discoverable at the intersection of one’s gifts, passions, and the real needs of the Church and the world,

  • This is lived out as a “missionary disciple” rooted in prayer and relationship with God.

  • The key then to knowing God’s plan and purpose for our lives is to “know the one who knows” and that happens, first and foremost in prayer.

  • For prayer to be successful and repeatable each day we need a consistent time, a quite place, and a simple plan.

Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your own life do you see signs that your existence is not random, but intentional—and how does that challenge or affirm how you see yourself?

  2. What would it look like, in practical terms, to begin living as a “missionary disciple” rather than just someone trying to be a good person?

  3. Where do your gifts, passions, and the real needs around you overlap right now—and what might that be pointing to as a possible mission?

Share in the Comments Below 👇👇👇

  • If you were at the talk, what stuck with you - something that challenged the way you see things and/or the way you 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.