Off the Page
Claim This Podcastby Franciscan Media
Podcast Overview
<p>Franciscan Spirit brings listeners insightful conversations with authors, artists, and educators who explore faith, spirituality, and the human experience through a Franciscan lens. Each episode delves into thought-provoking topics, drawing inspiration from the values of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, to inspire a deeper connection with God and the world. Featuring a diverse range of guests, the podcast offers a blend of storytelling, reflection, and practical wisdom for living a life of harmony, joy, and simplicity. Visit Franciscan Media's website for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/off-the-page-by-franciscan-media/">show notes and episode page</a>.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/15/2024
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Recent Episodes
June 19, 2026
John Dear — Surrendering to the God of Peace: The Path of Total Nonviolence
<p>Longtime peace activist, priest, and author Fr. John Dear has been a leading voice for Gospel nonviolence for decades, drawing deeply from the examples of Jesus, St. Francis, Gandhi, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this conversation, Fr. John explores the inner and outer dimensions of violence and nonviolence, the radical call to surrender our will to the God of Peace, and what it truly means to live as extensions of God’s universal love in a world on the brink. He discusses his powerful new book, "Universal Love: Surrendering to the God of Peace," along with his Gospel commentary "The Gospel of Peace." Be sure to check out John’s work at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://BeatitudesCenter.org">BeatitudesCenter.org</a> and his global podcast, "The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast," available on all major platforms and featured on the front page of National Catholic Reporter. Reflection segments throughout the episode are brought to you by Ela Milewska, the Director of Evangelization at the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. </p><p>(00:00:01) Introduction </p><p>(00:01:47) Understanding Violence and Nonviolence </p><p>(00:06:29) The Inner Dimensions of Violence </p><p>(00:11:05) Reflection No. 1: Violence is Forgetting Who We Are </p><p>(00:14:50) Surrendering to God's Will </p><p>(00:20:57) What Fr. John Learned From Archbishop Desmond Tutu </p><p>(00:26:33) Reflection No. 2: Working Through Resentment </p><p>(00:30:27) Not My Will, But Yours Done </p><p>(00:37:37) What Fr. John Learned from Henri Nouwen </p><p>(00:39:36) Political Dimensions of Nonviolence </p><p>(00:50:26) Reflection No. 3: They Want Us to Be Angry </p><p>(00:55:14) Historical Context of Nonviolence </p><p>(00:59:12) Urgency of Nonviolence in Today's World </p><p>(01:03:14) New Book: Surrendering to the God of Peace </p><p>(01:11:23) Conclusion</p>
June 5, 2026
Mark Soehner — Grief, Grace, and Letting Go
<p>This episode contains a deeply personal and moving conversation with Father Mark Soehner, a Franciscan friar whose life has been shaped by decades of living the Gospel in community, among the poor, and through profound personal trials.</p><p>From his early rebellion and brief season of atheism, to discovering a God who doesn’t love us because we’re good—but makes us good because God loves us—Father Mark takes us through his journey into religious life. He shares stories of living with the homeless in Cincinnati, the healing power of brotherhood, and how the downward path of descent has continually drawn him closer to the heart of God. </p><p>We also walk with him through one of life’s darkest valleys: the murder of his sister and the long road of rage, grief, and forgiveness. And in a spirit of courageous honesty, Father Mark opens up about his recent diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s—and how he is learning, even now, to entrust every detail of his life into the hands of a humble, accompanying God. This is a conversation about expanding our view of God, embracing our full humanity, and daring to bring everything—our anger, our fear, our limitations—before the One who never leaves us. </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/becoming-church/"><strong>Read "Becoming Church," an article Father Mark wrote in reflecting on this conversation.</strong></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/podcast/grief-grace-and-letting-go/"><strong>Show notes are available here.</strong></a></p><p>- - - - - - - - - - </p><p>Mark Soehner, OFM, is a Franciscan friar and priest with over four decades of pastoral, formation, and leadership experience in the Order of Friars Minor. Throughout his ministry, Fr. Mark has served in diverse settings including homeless shelters (St. Vincent Hotel in Dayton and Zacchaeus Friary), campus ministry at the University of Cincinnati, and parish leadership. From 1995 to 2008 he served as Pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Detroit, guiding the community through significant change while also maintaining a licensed professional counseling practice (M.S. in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University Maryland). He has been deeply involved in Franciscan formation as a formator in Chicago and Cincinnati/Detroit, and served on the Provincial Council. In 2017 he was elected Provincial Minister of St. John the Baptist Province, and in 2023 was elected Vicar Provincial of the newly formed Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Known for his compassionate presence, commitment to those on the margins, and dedication to Franciscan life, Fr. Mark brings a wealth of wisdom, lived experience, and spiritual insight to conversations on faith, service, leadership, and community. </p><p>- - - - - - - - - - </p><p>(0:00:01) Introduction </p><p>(00:02:48) Childhood and Spiritual Background </p><p>(00:10:29) A Personal Faith: Evolving One's Godview </p><p>(00:20:11) Reflection No. 1: We Are God's Beloved </p><p>(00:21:39) When the Church is Alive </p><p>(00:24:45) Moses and the Burning Bush </p><p>(00:26:51) The Franciscan Way and the Path of Descent </p><p>(00:30:50) God's Poverty and Humility </p><p>(00:35:19) Reflection No. 2: The Path of Descent </p><p>(00:37:39) Bringing Our Full Selves to God and Our Community </p><p>(00:46:02) Being Converted by the Poor and Homeless </p><p>(00:50:16) Moving through Rage, Bitterness Toward Forgiveness </p><p>(00:58:27) Reflection No. 3: Being Vulnerable with God </p><p>(1:00:32) An Unknown Road Ahead: A Lifestyle of Surrender </p><p>(1:10:27) Trusting God's Embrace on the Path of Descent </p><p>(1:13:38) Final Words </p><p>(1:14:52) Conclusion</p>
May 7, 2026
Guesnerth Josué Perea — Lectio Divina: How Sacred Reading Can Transform Our Lives
<p>“Lectio Divina,” which means sacred reading, is one of the most ancient contemplative practices in the Christian tradition, dating back to the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who sought renewal away from the city in open desert spaces and relied on the Word for spiritual sustenance. What does it mean to root our lives in this kind of sacred reading? How does this reading extend beyond words? As many Franciscan theologians say, Creation is God’s “first book.” The Word is alive and active in sacred texts but also in and through the world around us. If the Word, the logos, the Universal Christ, is holding all things together, then all that is good and true and beautiful is constantly rising up in our world, in our lives, in the signs of the times, in our Bibles and liturgies, to be read and received. </p><p>Guesnerth Josue Perea is breaking open Lectio in a fun and unique way. Josue serves as Director of Black Lives and Contemplation for the Center for Spiritual Imagination and belongs to the Community of the Incarnation, a new monastic community which embodies and teaches engaged contemplative spirituality in response to what Father Bede Griffiths called “the universal call to contemplation.” Perea was part of the team that founded the AfroLatine Theology Project, and he was Executive Producer of the documentary "Faith in Blackness." His perspective has been featured in prominent publications such as the New York Times, the New Yorker, and USA Today, and his writing has been featured in Sojourners, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and numerous anthologies. A dedicated Brooklynite, he wholeheartedly believes that cultivating our inner lives through contemplative practice is instrumental for liberation, allowing us to embody Biggie's call to spread love "the Brooklyn way." </p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/podcast/lectio-divina-how-sacred-reading-can-transform-our-lives/"><strong>Show notes are available here.</strong></a></p><p>(00:00:01) Introduction </p><p>(00:03:10) Spiritual Background </p><p>(00:15:52) How Contemplation Informs Vocation </p><p>(00:20:04) What is Lectio Divina? </p><p>(00:25:23) Reflection No. 1: The Simplicity of Lectio </p><p>(00:29:12) What's the Point of Lectio and Contemplative Practice? </p><p>(00:36:29) Howard Thurman and "The Sound of the Genuine" </p><p>(00:40:55) Slowing Down and Remembering How to Read </p><p>(00:45:40) Ritual and the Heart </p><p>(00:48:15) Reflection No. 2: Franciscan Lectio </p><p>(00:52:14) Ritual: Reading As If for the First Time </p><p>(00:57:44) Hip-Hop Lectio, Kendrick, and Peeling Back Layers of Mystery </p><p>(1:10:42) Reflection No. 3: Thich Nhat Hanh and the Universe Within a Sheet of Paper </p><p>(01:13:45) The Power of Slowing and Reading with the Eye of the Heart </p><p>(01:18:41) Final Thoughts and the Play of Lectio </p><p>(01:22:45) Conclusion</p>
37 total episodes available
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- What is Off the Page?
<p>Franciscan Spirit brings listeners insightful conversations with authors, artists, and educators who explore faith, spirituality, and the human experience through a Franciscan lens. Each episode delves into thought-provoking topics, drawing inspiration from the values of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, to inspire a deeper connection with God and the world. Featuring a diverse range of guests, the podcast offers a blend of storytelling, reflection, and practical wisdom for living a life of harmony, joy, and simplicity. Visit Franciscan Media's website for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/off-the-page-by-franciscan-media/">show notes and episode page</a>.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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