 Right you love. Hey friends, this is behind the scenes the vine intimacy radio and My question to you today is will your parish? Be the next parish to close Pretty dark Question isn't a pretty dark question There's a reason I'm asking that question that's and I'm not being hyperbolic not exaggerating There's something on the horizon here that is Stunning in its proportions and how little it's being talked about. I know a few Catholic outlets talked about it from time to time But not enough and not enough is being done and I'm actually shocked at how little is really actually being done pause It did it again Okay, so are we we lot we're still good what was Debbie having issues. She's at the window there, okay? So internet's good. Should I just repeat everything? I just said, okay? Hey friends is Dan Burke You're watching to find behind the scenes divine intimacy radio and we're gonna be talking about today is whether or not your parish will close And this isn't clickbait. This isn't hyperbole And some of you are thinking well, we have a lot of people might perish and we're we don't have debt and we have plenty of money And you might be surprised many parishes have closed with that under that same Category but the question is will your parish close? It's part of what we're gonna be talking about today. There is the answer is Way more likely than you think And we'll get into why that is it's pretty Apocalyptic in nature. It's it's in deeply disturbing, but God be praised. There's an answer to the problem That's what I talked about So let's go before we jump into the show today We have our second annual Rosary Crusade against this kind of junk going around and in the in the church outside of the church You know the sickness that we face Rosary Crusade to pray and push back the darkness Cardinal Arborellius all the way from Sweden will be joining us one senior Rosetti from the St. Michael Center Kathleen Beckman father Josh Johnson Lila Rose Just killed it on Dr. Phil's show recently arguing against abortion father Ignatius Switzer Dr. Mark Miravalle the renowned expert on Mary and spirituality Kimberley Han Much more to come so October 7th is we're gonna all get together and pray spiritualdirection.com forward slash events Hey, our our guests today, which I'm not I'm gonna announce her first and then again and What time is that Rosary? What what time do we start praying the Rosary together with all these cool people? 630 central 630 central very good St. Michael's Center had a back out last minute So they won't be in there but pray for them because they've got work. They got to do important work They deal with exorcism. We got a tough case. I imagine October 7th join us in prayer spiritualdirection.com forward slash events Did I say that loud enough or clear enough spiritual direction? Dot-com forward slash events and all of our events are out there. So we'll start to show now On your market set go this on your market set go This is Dan Burke with divine intimacy radio your radio haven of rest Stephanie would say if she was here your hermitage of heart and I would say you're a monastery of the mind Where we lift our hearts and minds to heaven To draw on the wisdom of the saints to give us wisdom and perspective on how we navigate this incredibly difficult and Challenging life. God be praised. We are not alone in this challenge. We have the saints. We have the blessed Trinity We have Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit We have all we need to triumph in the midst of the darkness and help others to do the same We are not victims. We are victors. God be praised But we must fight we must know how to fight this shows about how to fight and Today we're going to be talking about fighting some of the most heinous junk Going on in the in the in the church some of the most difficult one of the most difficult problems I've seen outside of the the crisis related to abuse is a Crisis we're going to be talking about today before I jump in and do that when introduced might get well first You're asking where Stephanie I'm getting you're getting ripped off she's not here, but She's actually visiting family in Costa Rica. That's where her family is from and So she's happily down there in Central America With a bunch of lovely people whom I when they speak I don't understand what they're saying But I just smile and pretend I do I'll be heading down there In a week or so but anyway today we have a special guest her name is Super it's her first name middle name and last name vernik and is the director of mission engagement for the Avala Foundation Which means her job is to help people understand our mission and Join in the mission and welcome to divine intimacy radio Thank you so much for having me here Dan So and go ahead. Are you we're gonna I don't mean to interrupt you. You're good So and you you have a lot on your heart You know we talked briefly before the show about what you wanted to share We're gonna talk about this crisis that We're facing and how to get past it, but I know you wanted to touch on the theme of suffering which which of course this The it is a profound suffering to see recently a hundred parishes closed in one diocese We just I just read an article That the Netherlands Diocese in the Netherlands has decided that It's just too expensive to have mass every Sunday. So we're just gonna skip it You know, we got to save money for other things that are way less and way more important than giving Jesus to people And so they decided now we're not doing mass every Sunday an entire diocese This is coming to America friends. This is a this is a corporate suffering that is going to devastate thousands tens of thousands of Catholics It's already actually happening in America hundred parishes closed not long ago in one major diocese You don't hear about it because people hate talking about it a hundred Parishes thousands of people got a letter that said the parish you grew up in the parish You are married in the parish you baptize your children in is closing It's gonna get worse but before it gets better. This is a corporate suffering and You want there's an answer hang in for the answer you got to listen to the show to get the answer And but you want to talk about personal suffering a bit Yeah, and I mean Dan I think you've shared a number of times before our answer is really not to get all Riled up about this but to really just grow closer to Jesus And as we talk about this kind of crisis we have going on and what our role is in that it really is to say yes to God and Grow closer to him the more we can do that There's practical ways that we can we're gonna talk about ways we can help specifically But that really is the the mission of avil foundation and why I'm here now We were chatting earlier before this episode. It was funny. It was like why why why are you even here? And what are you doing here working here and it came to me after we talked It's like, you know the reason I'm here There's a long story, but the reason I'm working here is because I became a monthly donor to the high-calling program I remember the first email you sent out back in probably 2015-2016 saying we got to do this for peace and I signed up then and started to be giving monthly and It I know that that's part of the reason why God has really drawn me close. I've You know my own personal experience with suffering and just my story Coming here to Avila and saying yes in a deeper way. I wish I could tell you have a crazy conversion story, but I've been saying yes to Jesus my whole life, but I Coming into Avila and engaging in the mission here Saying yes to what we what we do and starting giving to it is really what has drawn me in such a deeper way and It's funny when we think about mission and mission engagement and just you know the work of the mission of Avila foundation There's really just to help souls know Jesus deeper But it's really knowing your identity and who you are the child of God and if you actually say yes to that and receive that how God can use you to change the world and So and my personal experience with all that it's it's really changed me and yes I've experienced some profound suffering within all of that and We're we're always trying to help you guys draw closer in too So that is a resource we want to give to you guys. We're gonna be sending that out tomorrow So if you haven't signed up for spiritual direction calm our email list make sure you guys go Spiritual direction calm just scroll the bottom of the page and you can sign up for your email there We're gonna give you a little download on seven steps to suffering Seven steps to deal to facing suffering Yeah, so, you know something you said I can hear some of our audience members especially the more Chromaginally of them going oh You know Loving Jesus is fine, but that's not gonna solve the crisis But I I think Your misunderstanding if that's what you think Anne is saying or another one. I've heard literally I heard a Catholic commentator say this If you're just praying you're not doing anything and I thought so you're saying that if I If if I'm spending time with the king of kings the Lord of lords if if if he has so ordered the universe such that he has desired ends and chosen means and Prayer as a chosen means for the outcomes he wants that if I Participate in that design. I'm doing nothing. I think you've been drinking something or Maybe something happened to your IQ that really did some damage to the way you think That's that's not what and say and is saying When you draw from the greatest source of grace When you do spend time with the king of kings the Lord of lords when you are holier Then when you rise from your knees to act which you have to have both contemplation and action prayer and action When you rise from your knees and act you rise in the power of God in the wisdom of God in the in the grace of God and That's Anne knows that very well because she's also part of the possibly be a community and and we teach these things at a very deep level so and Personal suffering is is a big deal, you know There's difficult times of the year which which kind of these things are harder like you know Christmas time that sort of thing But we're also in the midst of I think a crisis in the church there. There's there's and I say I think I know there's a crisis in the church The crisis that we're Discussing in the one that you one of the reasons that you came to work for for the Avala Foundation was because of the high calling program What is the high calling program high calling initially is a discernment program where we take guys and And work with vocation directors and dioceses and help them for a year through in-depth formation and conversation And to discern if they're called to the priesthood. God be praised. We just I just got word we added the MIC's the Father Galloway's Callaway I'm sorry and oh Gosh, who's the other one that's kind of famous to the priest Consecration to Mary so consecration to st. Joseph consecration to Mary anyway They just either religious order that just said hey, we want you guys to help us help our guys to discern So that's where the program began But what it's expanding to now is what I'm most excited about which is solving this problem so let me let me dive into the problem and and You jump in whatever you think so I mentioned before the show That in the Netherlands they decided a diocese decided that They're not going to do mass every Sunday anymore because just too expensive So so money is more important than bringing Jesus to people talk about suffering of those parishes Who are no longer going to have a mass? They were only having one mass a week as it is now they get one every other week And you know it's just too expensive now, of course the other side of the coin is they don't have enough priests and The question is how did they end up with that problem? Well, they ended up with that problem by acting the way we are in the United States right now Oh, we just got a we just got a note from someone say we were just informed last Sunday at mass our County in Missouri. We have 18 churches, which will be reduced to three with only six priests Are you serious, right? So the reason that the Netherlands got to this place is because they were once where we are now and they didn't do something about it It wasn't seen as a drastic problem as of something all energy should be focused up against So I want to tell you I want to give you three numbers 38 0 and 67 38 0 and 67 38 is the number of dioceses in the United States that had zero Ordinated zero ordinations or yeah zero ordinations in this past year zero 38 diocese at zero now you might say well Were those small dioceses? No, two of them were some of the largest populations of Catholics in terms of density the arst diocese in New York and Detroit zero the next number is 67. That's the average age of priests Do you see the collision coming with that number and is it obvious to you or I mean am I being crazy with how strong? I'm speaking about this problem No, you're not Dan. It's it's kind of absurd and But the as as much as as strong as you're being with the problem I feel I feel and I really believe The high-calling program is even stronger in its solution. I agree. Yeah, when we get back from the break Let's talk about the solution. I know you've been involved with communicating this And trying to bring clarity to those who can help and there is a way that every single person listening can help We're gonna tell them which way when we when we get back from the break. We'll be talking about a new Expansion of the high-calling program to help solve this epic Vocations crisis that is going to have us emptying churches and cancelling masses all over the United States But there is an answer if we will act and we'll talk about that when we get right when we come back Before we jump back in guys. I want to tell you about seems a little like not right to Talk about these other things when we have such a serious thing, but these are important to 2023 Abel the summit the Mary and mystery in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart, which is also part of the solution So I don't feel so bad now that I read what I was what I was gonna what I was gonna say 2023 Abel the summit the Mary and mystery in the triumph of the Immaculate Heart Shrine of the most blessed sacrament in Hansville, Alabama October of 2023 Clare Dwyer father John Burns Father Ignatius Schweitzer sister Regina Marie Gorman Bishop William Kerry Very exciting part of the answer in a huge way is the Blessed Mother and Her prayers and the graces that the Lord has given her to give to us Is a bit is a huge thing last thing I'll mention is masterpiece Masterpiece of the divine artist st. Edis Steins artistic vision of God Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell is teaching this. I just want to tell you I could listen to her all day every day Friday October 28th is when the you have to apply to the course by at the abela-institute.org Can you put that comment back up on the screen? Jordan Friday, so anyway Abel the summit go spiritual direction.com forward slash Events and then Abel a dash Institute.org. Okay back to the topic at hand. So on your markets that go This is Dan Burke. Welcome back to divine intimacy radio I'm here with Anne verneg. She is the head of mission engagement, which means Her job is to help you get engaged in solving problems in the church and helping people to be holy and all that good stuff So and we got a note from Darren Hayes Something same thing happening here in Newfoundland, Canada They're selling off churches the community had put here years ago selling off churches by the way That millions of dollars of donations built and millions of dollars funded One of those one of those happened in Colorado and it's now a restaurant Which is very I didn't really know what was going on until I went in and sat down and was eating and I'm like This looks like a church and found out it was a church and I it broke my heart But that's gonna happen all over the United States. I Mentioned for the break and 38 067 the 67 is the retirement age So when you when you when you say we have way too few vocations Way too few ordinations and we're aging fast and What that means to Anne is that? Young priests who Would have normally had a reasonable schedule to deal with in terms of the number of parishioners they're dealing with Now have way more put on their shoulders. What does that do to their spiritual lives? It Excuse me. It kills it. I was actually just talking to a young priest the other day who's been ordained for four months and In already is on the edge of burnout there's been being so much put on him that it's been really hard for him to enter into prayer and You know having to get really serious about making that commitment to keep making sure that they're praying every day because otherwise the Ministry and the tasks and the administration just becomes so much on top of what they're doing Yeah, so in couple that with what is the average vocation director? Do on a daily basis? People might think oh well, they they they find vocations. I wish I had a buzzer noise Do we we can we get noises we can add producer someday buzzer. He's just smiling at me buzzer noise What most of them do is multiple jobs and I don't know about you But if you've ever tried to do multiple jobs Well, even if you're amazing because all all these vocation directors we work with are amazing If you didn't know by the way listening we work with around 40 dioceses and a number of religious orders To help them with our discernment program for for men heading into Formation the other day we had a kickoff and was I with one of the vocation directors Mentioned how cool it was for the guys to come into a room where there were 75 other men because they're they're from all over but they're coming to us together and Seeing all these like one, you know the power of a guy who's alone in a diocese and he's the only vocation, right? Coming into a room with 75 other guys were from all over. It's like oh wow There's others of me, you know, we're in this together. I can do this. Oh, he looks like me. He talks like me Oh, he thinks like me. Oh, there's another one, you know, we can do this. So we're encouraging guys, but I want to ship to a New phase in the high-calling program that I'm super excited about we just did a webinar about it the other day And that is our high-calling vocations development App that we're producing along with a national advertising campaign So what does that mean? It means that because we've for years been forming guys in discernment We gained a lot of wisdom about how they think and we're beginning to understand actually we're very clear about why Vocations is not working out as well as it could in diocese. Some dioceses are doing fantastic But overall we have a serious problem. So and again vocation directors are amazing awesome guys They're not the problem, but there's this huge cultural shift. It's happening at a pace that we haven't seen since the 60s It's causing a total disconnect even between 35 year old priests and 18 year olds discerning the priesthood. That's not a huge gap. You would think But it is causing a huge disconnect But because we're with these guys all the time because we're forming them We're learning and we've created an app designed with their feedback You could say an app designed by them Which then we're going to do put behind a national campaign Advertising campaign which we can also do locally if a diocese wanted us to do that locally Where we're gonna draw through Social media that the guys mostly on we've done the studies on which of the most Which apps that they use the most and it's Instagram is is by far number one So we can reach these guys through an advertising campaign bring them to this app Which is one step removed from the diocese. Why is that important and and jump in anytime? You know, I have too many words today. So the the the app is one step removed from the diocese Why is that good a vocation director actually said that's really good Because a lot of time guys are afraid to talk to a vocation director They think they have a magic power to suck them into a to a To take them captive and suck them into a clerics and now make them a priest against their will or they're just afraid of You know, you know dealing with the process, right? So we become a a neutral third party Where or a second party whatever the right terminology is yet third party where they can come safely in an anonymity with us Ask questions we can help them discern if it's religious or diocese in life We can help reduce their fears increase their confidence and and through personal conversation and then we we hand them over to religious congregation vocation director or a diocesan vocation director And this is all new and launching as we speak the website just or the the app is just about done Yeah, and Dan if I could just like get back to what we were saying before with all of this the mission of the Avila Foundation is really reproposing the mystical tradition of the church using modern things We're all here together on the internet and we can reach each other in amazing ways through this technology and all of us are Invited into this mission into engaging it in your own way take a class change my life Dan it was your class foundations in prayer with you and you with God Those of you listening that have taken classes with us and have been involved. I know you're all shaking your head Yes, right now. It is life changing. It is transformational and it is healing We're doing the same thing for these guys that are discerning the priesthood So what Dan is referring to we need to help get these guys And this is a new initiative for us because it's not that you know He said we live over 40 diocese is we actually have more than that that want to work with us But a lot of diocese don't have guys to send us We want to help be a part of the solution and helping encourage guys in this culture we have a crisis of not being able to receive love of Yeah being selfish and it's just the culture we live in all of us are fighting against it Even just our cell phones in itself are constant fight against God constantly And so being part of the solution is drying in and that's what we really encourage all of you to To help us with and going back also. It's the beginning of our conversation about suffering Dan you and I have a very special relationship here at the Avila Foundation because whenever We I seem to say it's time. We have to raise some money you suffer you experience some really tremendous sufferings and You know, maybe you could just share with us a little bit about you know, even last year this really crazy accident that happened out of nowhere Out of nowhere and it was right when we started our end of the year campaign to say hey everybody be a part of the Solution and what happened to you? Well, there were two things one is I ended up it was some weird an inexplicable Illness and I ended up in the ER and I had to have my stomach pumped and there was no There was no explanation for it and then another one is I ended up crashing on a one-wheel On a on a let's just call it a recreational vehicle that was only supposed to go was programmed to go 11 miles an hour When I woke up in the ER and checked my phone app which controlled the thing I had been going 20 miles an hour and I had and I wrecked into the concrete and it caused my my brain to bleed So this year, you know, so my lungs are Stopping where it stopped working a bit You know it but it's okay because I offered up for for the mission and what we're doing and really We we need to suffer for the kingdom of God and we need to suffer in terms of Self-giving in terms of offering up our prayers for this every single person listening Can join with us and making sure your church your parish you have a personal interest your parish doesn't close Making sure that your priests are holy and that is one you can you can join a team a prayer team for us For the Avala Institute and praying for these guys And to you can help us by joining the Avala army are those the two places that you would say so Avala army org is that the right place and you want to tell folks about that? absolutely the Avala army is our It's our community of monthly supporters and because we want to say thank you so much We're so grateful for you. We try to give you as many resources as possible To help you grow in your own relationship with God So check out on Avala army dot org there's different benefits for different levels of giving and you know Even with our classes you might say there's no way I can take class right now. I'm way too busy or you know You might be a mom six kids running around and with the Avala army giving at $50 a month You can access all of our recorded classes in the school spiritual formation So you can listen to it while you're doing the dishes in the car going to bed whenever you want to It's on demand for you some of these life-changing courses So please Yeah, please join us if they've become a member of the army the other thing we can do too That you guys can do we talked about this on the webinar we have a link spiritual direction comm slash vocations and That will be joining our prayer team for this high calling program in general And we're gonna send you guys a list of top five things you can do to actually be feet on the street and get this going and moving in Your parish. Yeah sneak peak to number one that we talked about last week Dan Well, we're running out of time. So let me just make sure Avala dash Army org that's the one and then spiritual direction comm forward slash vocations is the other those of the two Go ahead and we have about 15 20 seconds. Okay. It's probably no surprise Perpetual adoration. Oh, that's the number right. That's the number one you get adoration started in your parish That's the number one commonality between all the guys in our program That we're working with in the high calling program is that they had a perpetual adoration There are other factors to like having Alter servers and reserving that for young men so that they can see what it's like to be a priest That sort of thing but if you you can help in this crisis, you can personally Make a difference in whether or not your church stays open. Your priest is wholly healthy instead of overworked and The way you can do that is praying with us joining with us in the fight Avala dash army org spiritual direction comm forward slash vocations and with that we've got it in the show thanks for hanging out with me and and Telling telling folks with enthusiasm what's going on out there and how we can how we can make a difference We're grateful for EWTN by the way if you're not given to EWTN you're you know, not a good thing You should give they need your help as well as always because Because they're here we can be on the air with that until next time may the God of peace make you perfect in holiness May he preserve you whole and entire spirit soul and body irreproachable the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ