A couple years ago, Tim Cahill heard a talk by Joe Masek, executive director of Crystal-based Cana Family Institute, comparing the signs of biological life to the signs of spiritual life.
Cahill, founder and editor of online young adult events hub MSP Catholic, took that to reflection.
“It’s really easy to look at and say, OK, I know what it means to breathe … (but) how does that play into prayer” and other areas of spirituality, he asked.
Tim Cahill
That biological-spiritual comparison is now at the heart of a video series put together by Cahill and Ben Mulderink, a videographer and producer Cahill contacted to make the series work for MSP Catholic, which he founded in 2017 and now runs as part of young adult-focused CEND, the Center for Evangelization and Discipleship in Edina.
Cahill and Mulderink recently joined “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley to discuss the video series.
The Cana Institute partners with Catholic parishes, schools and diocesan leaders to implement marriage and family life ministries designed to engage and transform the family.
The seven comparisons in Masek’s talk, and now, the MSP Catholic video series, are 1) respiration: prayer; 2) movement: works of charity; 3) sensitivity: openness and attentiveness to the Holy Spirit; 4) growth: cultivating a life of virtue; 5) nutrition: Scripture, spiritual reading; 6) excretion: spiritual combat, confession; 7) reproduction: evangelization.
Ben Mulderink
The first episode premiered Jan. 26.
One episode opens with Father Mark Pavlak, chaplain at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, asking, what’s one way to check if someone’s alive?
“You check if they’re breathing,” answers Father Pavlak. “How do we know if we’re spiritually alive? Are we praying?” he asks.
Mulderink said he wants the videos to provide education and refresh people in their spiritual lives, as well as connect them to MSP Catholic, with its goal of guiding young Twin Cities Catholics to parishes and events.
“I saw the vision and I really was excited about it,” Mulderink said. Talking with Cahill about the desired style, Mulderink said they wanted a cinematic look.
“And Tim did a great job of assembling all kinds of talent and finding all kinds of amazing locations for us to shoot,” he said.
Cahill said his goal with the project is to reawaken a desire to grow closer to the Lord, build a bigger life of virtue, dive into spiritual reading in Scripture and help people get to know Christ.
“We want to actually make them not just a philosophical concept, but how you can incorporate these things into your life,” Cahill said, “because these are really the things that Christ has laid out for us. These are things to do to grow in relationship with Christ, too, and help build his kingdom on earth.”
The videos are complete, with one being released each week. To watch them and learn more about MSP Catholic, visit mspcatholic.com.
To hear the interview with Cahill and Mulderink, tune into the program’s debut 9 p.m. Feb. 11 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. It also airs on Relevant Radio at 1 p.m. Feb. 12 and 2 p.m. Feb. 13.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with licensed marriage and family therapist Joe Pribyl, who offers tips on diving more deeply into the spousal relationship; and Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sisters Fabiola Valdeigleisias and Maddie Shogren, who discuss the gift of spiritual motherhood.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at
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