Shows
Universal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Finding Place in a ParishUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Lisa Scata. Lisa shares about her heart for finding place within a parish community. Alissa and Lisa dive into:Creating connections with people.The unity available to us in the Eucharist.Feelings around transitions.The sense of constancy parish life can provide.Being refined by community.How longing can be invitation.How what makes us come alive can lead to deeper community.Lisa Scata is a mom, wife, Elementary teacher, and former Director of Children’s Ministry who lives in Co...2025-05-1040 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Religious VocationsUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Katie Prejean McGrady. Katie shares about her heart for the religious vocations of the Church and the joy found in loving and being loved by folks within the different callings. Katie and Alissa also chat about: The sacred middle, and the normal everyday CatholicBeing invitational in how we live our faithThe beauty of living an integrated faithThe golden thread of connectivity within the ChurchCatholicism as who we are and what we do"Uncle" Tim DolanHow the different vocations within the Church n...2024-11-1252 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Eucharistic Unity: NEC RecapUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Beth Lee and Jen Podichetty to chat about From Here's Field Trip to the National Eucharistic Congress in July. The three dive into:What each person was thinking/feeling headed into the Congress.What the experience of the Congress was like for each of them.Hope!Peace!Joy!Being a Eucharist-centered Church.The Syro-Malabar Rite they experienced.Sister Josephine, Gloria Purvis, and Cardinal Tagle.The power of belonging.Jesus as gift.Diversity and welcome.The power of a Church who doesn't...2024-10-2640 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Forming A Political ConscienceUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Julie Walsh to share about her heart for forming a political conscience. This episode is packed with goodness as Julie shares her heart around what it is to integrate our moral and political lives. Julie and Alissa dive into:The value of time alone and time with peopleThinking of politics in regards to how it helps us to relate to one anotherThe Truth found in the Universal Catholic ChurchHelping to create welcome in our communitiesPolitics as it relates to our spiritualityLetting...2024-10-1135 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for InclusionUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Lisa Gonzales to share about her heart for inclusion. This episode is packed with goodness as Lisa shares her heart around what it is to show love by including others. Listen in as Lisa and Alissa dive into:Being comfy in our own skin.Sharing joy so that people know it exists alongside the hard parts of life.FIT CHECKS! Being a welcoming place for people.Finding mercy through the Church.2024-05-1050 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Building RelationshipsUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Cecilia Flores to share about her heart for building relationships. This episode is packed with gems as Cecilia shares her wisdom around what it is to enter into relationship with others. This episode is not only full of invitation and care, it is also full of nuggets to take to reflection and prayer. Listen in as Cecilia and Alissa dive into:Showing up as our authentic selves.Being received as gift and accepting others as gift.Embracing the unique gifts we...2024-04-2748 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Eucharistic PilgrimageUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Chenele Shaw to share about her heart for The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. This episode is packed with goodness as the two chat about the extraordinary opportunity to walk with Jesus all over the United States as part of the larger Eucharistic Revival. The pilgrimage which begins at four different pilgrimage routes across the country on Pentecost Sunday (May 19th) will conclude just before the National Eucharistic Congress in July. This episode is not only full of excellent information, it is also jam...2024-04-1245 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Native MinistryTeresa Rojo Tsosie is a Dine woman living in Navajo Nation in Tuba City, Arizona. She is the director of religious education at St. Jude Parish, and one of the lead organizers in the creation of Wholemakers: A Journey in Ecological Conversion for Young Adults, by Young Adults, a curriculum being used in Catholics parishes, schools, and communities across the United States to help root Catholic youth in the ecological underpinnings of the Catholic faith. She serves on various committees and boards for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, is a national leader on Catholic-indigenous exploration of our call...2023-11-2726 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesUn Corazón Para las OrillasVoces Universales es parte de la serie de pódcasts Universal Voices que inició Alissa Molina en el año 2020. El presentador de los pódcasts en español es Juan Carlos Hernández. ¡Bienvenidos! En este pódcast continuamos las conversaciones sobre, Un Corazón Para las Orillas, o hacia que se inclina el corazón del invitado. Juan Carlos habla con Karina Breceda sobre su servicio a madres en la frontera El Paso/Ciudad Juárez y lo que significa para ella tener un corazón que vive dentro y más allá de las fronteras. Kar...2023-11-1535 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Imago DeiUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Allison Sullivan. This episode is packed with goodness as Alissa and Allison enter into conversation around the Truth that every single person reflects the image of God. The two focus on going "to the base of the mountain" to see that the failure to honor the Imago Dei in all people is at the root of all that ails us, They talk of ways to begin to step with humility and courage to see and treat people as the image bearers they...2023-11-1147 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesUn Corazón Para El ServicioUniversal Voices, ahora en español, es Voces Universales y será parte de esta serie de podcasts que inició Alissa Molina en el 2020. Nos da muchísimo gusto poder compartir estos podcasts con ustedes en español. ¡Bienvenidos!El presentador para estos podcasts en español será Juan Carlos Hernández. Si quieren escuchar su conversación (en inglés) con Alissa del 20 de octubre de 2023, la encontrarán en la lista de podcasts anteriores. Ahora, en Voces Universales continuamos las conversaciones. En esta emisión, Juan Carlos habla con Ale Hamlet y sobre...2023-11-0245 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Holy TensionUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Jennifer Nutzman. Jenny is a cradle Catholic who moved around as a child, learning early to adapt and love everyone as they are wherever they are. She currently finds hope in working to help people recognize the convergence of our Catholic Social Teaching and the synodal church, the church of accompaniment, that we are called to be at this point in history.This episode is packed with all sorts of hope as Alissa and Jenny enter into conversation around what...2023-10-2743 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For CommunityUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Juan Carlos Hernandez. JC and Alissa discuss community and so much more including:How food can create spaces of welcome and community.Gratitude and appreciation.The power of prayer.The power of simple acts of connection.The ways community has been modeled by the ones who have come before.Open tabled fellowship.Feed. Pray. Walk (this was SO good).Make sure to stick around until the end to hear Universal Podcast news!Thank you so much for listening...2023-10-2039 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For The Spiritually TiredUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this final of six new episodes, Alissa welcomes Laura Kelly Fanucci. Laura is an author, speaker, retreat leader, and founder of Mothering Spirit, an ecumenical project on parenting and spirituality. She has authored seven books, including Everyday Sacrament: The Messy Grace of Parenting and Grieving Together: A Couple's Journey through Miscarriage. Laura’s work has been featured on the Hallow and Ritual apps, and in popular outlets including NPR’s Morning Edition, On Being, and the Kelly Clarkson Show. She writes frequently for online and print publ...2023-03-211h 01Universal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For WelcomeUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Mary Ellen Mitchell. Mary Ellen is the co-director of Lydia's House, a Catholic Worker House of Hospitality in Cincinnati, Ohio. The pair spend time diving into Mary Ellen's heart for welcome, her work with moms and kids at Lydia's House, and the Catholic call to community and compassion. This is a hard and hopeful episode as the two also venture into:Finding goodness in order and also leaving room for surprise.A path forward in the whole life call of the...2023-03-0858 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For A Kind & Loving ChurchUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes John Hamlet. John is a former student from Alissa's time preparing high school teens for Confirmation. He is in his first year of college and Alissa was excited to learn from him as a young person in the Church. The pair had planned to chat about the Church being who She says She is in the world, but the conversation soon turned to John's desire for our Church to reflect kindness and love in the world. This simple theme became a really...2023-02-2126 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Women In The ChurchUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this third of six new episodes, Alissa welcomes Shannon Wimp Schmidt. Shannon is a Parish Vitality Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Chicago, co-host of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black Podcast, and author of the book Fat Luther, Slim Pickin’s (Ave Maria Press, 2022). She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, Eric, and their four children. This episode is packed with all sorts of gems as Alissa and Shannon tackle everything from Shannon's heart for women in the Church, to what happens to the Church in...2023-02-0850 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Black HistoryUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this second of six new episodes, Alissa welcomes Nate Tinner-Williams. Nate is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger, and a seminarian with the Josephites. He is a native of Evansville, Indiana, a lover of New Orleans, and currently resides in Washington, DC. This episode is jam packed with wisdom as Nate shares his heart for Black History. Listen in to a learn a little about:Black Catholic MessengerThe Black Catholic History of the United StatesThe ways the Holy Spirit is all over N...2023-01-2448 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart For Not Going At It AloneUniversal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this first of six new episodes, Alissa welcomes in Tina Guyden and the pair chat about their hearts for not going at it alone. Join them as they venture into: The discomfort of growth.Letting go of perfection in relationship and/or community.The power of people who stretch us.The power of people who see us.Persistence.Allowing ourselves a break from said persistence. The best t-shirt slogan of all time.Vulnerability. Thank you so much for listening. We are so glad you are...2023-01-1045 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesBonus Episode: Celebrating + Announcing Our New OfferingIn this Bonus Episode Alissa talks all things new and exciting for From Here Media!Listen in to hear Alissa talk about:Answering Jesus' call to live out the Great CommandmentWhy mission and vision matter when building somethingTHE INCREDIBLE LAY CHURCHCelebratingJesus working with her stubborn natureWIDENING, WITNESSING, & IGNITINGCare and prudence as it relates to matters of the faith of othersThe VesselSHARE, GROW, PRAY, AND GREETExcitement about the futureSubscribe to The Vessel here.Donate to From Here's 20K Campaign here.Learn more about us here. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. 2022-08-2624 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 107: Persistence in Embracing GrowthHow do you honor the ways in which you’ve grown while having grace for your past self? Lindsy Wallace interviews Kayla Craig, the “Day One” of the Upside Down Podcast, along with fellow co-hosts Patricia Taylor and Alissa Molina for our final episode.In this episode, we:Hear from Kayla about how she sees God in a more vibrant, beautiful way since the podcast first startedReflect on how different conversations and guests have expanded her language and helped her shape her questionsDiscuss Kayla’s vocational discovery of deep spiritual writing that is acces...2022-06-0737 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 106: Persistence in Knowing Your Truest SelfWhat happens when you step into your truest self? Kayla Craig interviews fellow Upside Down Podcast host Patricia (aka Patty) Taylor with Alissa Molina and Lindsy Wallace in our second-to-the-last episode. In this episode, we:Hear Patty describe the growth she has experienced since becoming a co-host and how it’s deepened her confidence in who God created her to beTalk about how the podcast has provided a space to show up fully as yourself and what it’s like being with people who are not just willing but eager...2022-05-2451 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 105: Persistence in Love in SocietyHow does being in an ecumenical space expand and enrich our spiritual lives, within and beyond the walls of the church? Patricia Taylor, along with Kayla Craig and Lindsy Wallace, put Upside Down Podcast co-host Alissa Molina in the hot seat in the second of our final four episodes.In this episode, we:Hear from Alissa as she explains what the podcast has brought to her life and how it has helped her embrace Catholicism even moreReflect on how the podcast brought up questions of the heart that forced her to see...2022-05-1744 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 104: Persistence in the Gift of ExpanseWhat happens when our view of God becomes more expansive, and what does it reveal to us about ourselves and others? Lindsy Wallace is the first Upside Down Podcast host in the hot seat, as she’s interviewed by fellow co-hosts Alissa Molina, Patricia Taylor, and Kayla Craig. In this episode, we:Talk about Lindsy’s personal and spiritual growth over the duration of the podcast, including connecting with a more expansive view of GodReflect on finding the Divine at the end of ourselves, when so much has been stripped awayHear about Linds...2022-04-2633 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 103: Persisting Beyond the PodcastWe’ve got a special announcement to share. Co-hosts Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace, Alissa Molina, and Patricia Taylor come together to bring you an important update about the future of the Upside Down Podcast. News, Notes, and Links:You can continue to support the Upside Down Podcast! Please visit us, where you can pledge a few dollars of monthly support to help keep this podcast accessible.Learn more at Upside Down Podcast.We’re on Instagram, too. You can find us individually at @patricia_a_taylor, @kayla_craig, @from_here_sessions, and @linds...2022-04-1203 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 100: Persistence in God's Upside Down Kingdom (A Celebration & Special Cameos to Celebrate 100 Episodes!)It’s our 100th episode! Co-hosts Kayla Craig, Alissa Molina, Patricia Taylor, and Lindsy Wallace celebrate this milestone by looking back on where they’ve been, what they’ve learned, and what they hope for this little podcast that could and the community that’s grown from it. In this episode, we:Hear from listeners, former guests, and past hosts about their Upside Down Podcast memories and reflections Talk about how the podcast came to be: to create a space for honest conversations about faith, justice, and cultureRemember how each of us got to a point wh...2022-02-221h 08
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 99: Persistence in Learning and Unlearning with Jonny CraigHow do you break up with American Christianity and meaningfully make space for those in deconstruction? Co-hosts Alissa Molina, Patricia Taylor, and Kayla Craig talk with Jonny Craig, Kayla’s husband, our podcast editor, and the host of The Digital Community—an online space for sharing questions, doubts, and wonderings about God and culture.In this episode, we:Dive into what deconstruction means for many and the experience of realizing that the world we learned about in church is different from the actual world we inhabitTalk about the creation of The Digital Community and how...2022-02-0954 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesBonus Episode: Christmas OfferingWelcome to this special bonus offering of Universal Voices Podcast Mini-Series. Alissa invites some of the contributors of Common Horizon in to record the pieces from the publication as a love offering and thank you to all From Here supporters.Tune in as she gives a little update about From Here and then enjoy the following guests reading their pieces:Part One: Poem and Prayers,Rachel Simpson, Morning PrayerCameron Bellm, A Church of AccompanimentRakhi McCormick, A Sacred SenseLaura Fanucci, A prayer for Dignity, For All of U...2021-12-2247 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 95: Persisting Through Grief with J.S. ParkHow do we navigate grief ourselves and with others? Co-hosts Patricia Taylor and Alissa Molina have a conversation with J.S. Park, who is a teaching pastor, writer, and interfaith hospital chaplain about persisting through grief and the ministry of presence.In this episode, we:Discuss the vulnerability of sharing our grief, how it can open us to being wounded or experiencing healingDefine the role of a chaplain and the experience of vicarious griefTalk about how those in crisis can question whether or not they are allowed to grieve and where that shame of...2021-11-2357 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 94: Persisting in BoundariesHow do you live an open-handed life while protecting your peace? Co-hosts Lindsy Wallace, Alissa Molina, and Kayla Craig explore the topic of boundaries: what they mean and why they’re crucial in our lives, relationships, and the spaces we exist in. In this episode, we:Define what boundaries are and how they can be designed for the mutual health and flourishing of ourselves and others around usConsider how boundaries can show up in our lives to help us to rest, safety, and receiving what we needGet honest about struggling with the guilt of set...2021-11-0949 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 92: Persisting in Curiosity with Shannon EvansWhat is our first inclination when we hear or see something that stretches the way we see things? Do we reach for fear? Do we shut down? Or do we remain curious, asking ourselves questions about our thinking? In this episode, Alissa Molina and Lindsy Wallace interview former co-host Shannon Evans about her recent book release, Rewilding Motherhood: Your Path to an Empowered Feminine Spirituality.In this episode we:Talk with Shannon about her approach in writing this book Discuss the ways the book stretched Alissa and pushed her to practice a curiosityExplore how cur...2021-10-1347 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 91: Persistence in PrayerWhat comes to mind when you think of prayer? In this episode, Patricia Taylor, Alissa Molina, and Lindsy Wallace interview co-host Kayla Craig about her upcoming book, To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers & Liturgies for Parents, and expanding our idea of prayer. In this episode, we:Ask Kayla where her belief that prayer is real and powerful comes from, especially in light of how much prayer gets casually thrown aroundConsider how everything in our lives can be prayerRecount how a difficult experience led Kayla to examine what prayer meant to her and t...2021-09-2846 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesBonus Episode: No Unlikely SaintsIn this Bonus Episode, Alissa talks with Cameron Bellm, Lauren Winter, and Sara Alexander the creators of No Unlikely Saints, A Mental Health Pilgrimage With Sacred Company. This conversation was packed with so much goodness. Listen in as the women unpack:The Necessity of Conversations around Mental Health in the Catholic ChurchThe gifts of therapy and medication The gifts of walking with Saints who experienced mental illnessThe gift of not walking aloneThe harm that shame doesThe reasons the writers wrote the devotionalThe both/and nature of both praying and seeking medical help with our mental healthY...2021-09-1441 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 6 | Episode 90: Nevertheless, We PersistedWhat does it mean to persist these days, and what do we desire to persist toward? Co-hosts Lindy Wallace, Kayla Craig, Alissa Molina, and Patricia Taylor kick off our sixth season with a conversation about the long game of persistence and why we’re still here.In this episode, we:Talk about why we’re still showing up on this “little podcast that could” Dig into the meaning of persistence: how it’s both opposing something and imagining how it could be betterDiscuss how the definition of persisting has been twisted and weaponized in toxic ways...2021-09-1450 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 89: The Necessity of RestWhat brings you rest? Is it something that’s easy for you to embrace, or do you find yourself struggling with it? Co-hosts Kayla Craig, Alissa Molina, and Patricia Taylor talk about the need for rest—to nourish ourselves and to love one another—in our final episode of the season. In this episode, we:Discuss how rest can be a struggle when it is often considered selfish or something to be earned instead of an innate needAcknowledge that rest is an act of resistance against grind culture and even the Western church’s culture o...2021-05-2552 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesBonus Episode: Introducing Common HorizonIn this Bonus Episode Alissa talks with Vanesa Zuleta Goldberg, Natalie Alfaro Frazier, Jenny Nutzman and Cameron Bellm, some of the creators who are part of Common Horizon, a print publication that explores the 7 Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. Listen in to hear the five women discuss:Caring beyond ourselvesCaring beyond our ChurchFollowing the model of Jesus via Catholic Social TeachingMaking spaces that allow for showing up as our real selvesRacismThe Death PenaltyWidening our tables and the voices we hear fromNuns and the role of women in our faithBeing a Church of Accompaniment Giving Rise to Cou...2021-05-1348 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 88: The Necessity of ConnectionHow do you begin to reconnect with your community after over a year of wading through the collective heaviness of a global pandemic? Co-hosts Lindsy Wallace, Alissa Molina, and Kayla Craig gather to connect and reflect on where we are and where we’ve been. In this episode, we:Acknowledge the importance and exhaustion of connecting and how we have to relearn how to connect with no road map for these timesCheck in with each other: how are we really doing after over a year of living through the pandemic (on top of the pan...2021-05-1153 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 86: The Necessity of (Kingdom) EconomicsIs there truly enough for everyone, and do we really believe there is abundance? Hosts Alissa Molina, Patricia Taylor, Kayla Craig, and Lindsy Wallace discuss what it means to live out of a posture of abundance in a world that has conditioned us to believe in scarcity. In this episode, we:Talk about how we seem to embrace the concept of spiritual abundance yet struggle with the idea of abundance of what we have in this world Discuss how the mindset of scarcity is incompatible with what we profess to believe and ho...2021-04-1352 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason Five | Episode 83: The Necessity of LentWhat would it look like if we experienced the Lenten season as a time in which we find God in all things, including the suffering? Writer Cameron Bellm and co-host Alissa Molina have a rich conversation about “the ministry of beautiful hard” and how Lent is an invitation for all of us.In this episode, we:Talk about the act of joining and seeking to identify with Christ during the Lenten seasonConsider Lent as a sacred invitation to draw near and to enter into the suffering we’re already experiencing with contemplation Dispel...2021-02-2347 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 82: The Necessity of DreamingWhy is dreaming so significant, and how do you dream freely? Inspired by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman’s beautiful inauguration poem, co-hosts Patricia Taylor, Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace, and Alissa Molina discuss the necessity of dreaming and having prophetic imagination.In this episode, we:Talk about the boundlessness of dreaming and how it gives us vision for possibilities Ask how creativity relates to dreamingConsider our roles as co-creators with a creator GodAsk how we come to lose our imagination and wonder wha...2021-02-0947 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 80: The Necessity of Hope: Fighting Despair & Stubbornly Clinging to Hope in 2021In this first episode of 2021, we continue with our focus on the necessities. As we begin this new year, it seems one of the most hard fought necessities we are grasping for is that of Hope. Alissa hosts the episode, with Kayla, Lindsy and Patty joining for a conversation on what it means to fight through despair and work for a discipline of hope.In this episode, we:Define what the word hope means to usTalk about the stubborn nature of hopeFlesh out Hebrews 11:1Consider what hope as action looks likeThink about how our...2021-01-1252 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for the Cost and the Reward of Christian DiscipleshipIn the final episode of this 12-part series Alissa wraps up this project by:Talking about the evolution of this mini-seriesExploring the necessity of reckoning what we believe and how we live that outPushing back on comfortable ChristianityDoubling down on the daily work that we are called to do Asking what Christian discipleship costs usPointing to the necessity of drinking from the well of the sacraments, prayer and communityGiving a soccer analogy as it relates to going out and bringing the love of God into the worldRemembering the ultimate reward of Christian discipleshipThanking you for your belief in t...2020-12-1527 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for All Types of MotherhoodIn the 11th installment of this 12-part series, Alissa welcomes her friend Raquel. In honor of The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the two friends talk about all types of motherhood--the spiritual mothers they know and love, their lives as moms now, and our Heavenly Mother, Mary. Listen in as they chat about:This interview Raquel did on the loss of her mom on the podcast, Mamas in Spirit.Healing and consolation after loss through sharing our storyLooking for glimpses of Mama Mary's attributes in the women around usThe interior life as a wa...2020-12-0830 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Family LifeIn the TENTH episode of this 12-part series, Alissa (finally!) convinces her husband of 17 years, Junior, to let her interview him. The couple talks about his heart for family life and the conversation covers a lot of ground in a short time. Tune in to hear them talk about:Preaching always, and if necessary using wordsThe Source of Junior's joyThe power of the everyday witnessThe Church as family and as a place we fitThe intimacy of praying as a coupleJunior's family of originBoth the discipline and depth necessary in the faith lifeThe vital practice of worshipOne of the thin...2020-12-0144 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for CreationToday in the 9th installment of this 12 part series Alissa welcome in Alysse Gear to talk about her heart for creation. Alissa and Alysse share all kinds of passions and hit it off really quickly. The two new friends spend some time discussing care for God's creation and how people of faith can make small changes to be better stewards of the beautiful gift that is the earth and everything in it. Jump in and listen to the two talk about all the things like:Bringing the passions God has placed in our hearts to the ChurchThe power of...2020-11-2434 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 78: The Necessity of Advent: Can The Weary World Still Rejoice?In this episode on the Necessity of Advent, Alissa Molina hosts and is joined by Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace and Patty Taylor to discuss Advent as the season quickly approaches. They bring tired and weary hearts, minds, and bodies to flesh out: Awe as it relates to the Word becoming Flesh The reminder that God is near us even if sometimes he feels far The reminder of the tenderness of God that is near the broken The vulnerability of God becoming human The danger in commodifying Jesus Thinking about how we can be intentional in our preparation for the bi...2020-11-2456 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Medicine and Public HealthToday Alissa welcomes Hannah Sherfinski to Universal Voices. Hannah is a medical student and this conversation left Alissa so inspired and encouraged. Hannah speaks so passionately and knowledgeably about public health. This discussion on integrating faith into how she learns, grows, studies and sees herself as a future physician gives Alissa so much hope. In this 8th episode of this 12 part series, we chat about:Science + FaithThe awesomeness of the integration of our passions, interests and faith The miracle of being aliveImitating the relational way of JesusHealth equityLiving faith through loving and advocating for people who are often silen...2020-11-1737 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for StoryIn this 7th episode of this 12 part mini-series, Alissa brings in newly ordained priest Fr. Will Rooney to chat about his heart for story. The two friends talk about their common love for story--the ones that come from each of us and the Grandest Story of all time. So much of this episode reminds us all how important we are to that Story. Tune in to hear:A crazy connection Alissa figures out in real time about a beloved priest she knows.How God uses the Church to give us a bigger story.The imagery of God singing all...2020-11-1040 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesBonus Episode: Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary.No new episode is slated for this week as Election Tuesday is an important opportunity to be prayerfully engaged. Instead, Alissa has recorded the recitation of the sorrowful mysteries of the most holy rosary ahead of election day.May we continue to remember the unchanging, perfect nature of the God we love and serve. And may He and His Kingdom be at the center of all we say and do. 2020-11-0320 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 76: The Necessity of Community: Searching for Your People & Place in 2020What is the importance of community? Patricia Taylor hosts and is joined by Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace and Alissa Molina for this episode of examining what community is today. Pull up a seat at our table in the wilderness as we ask each other how community in the time of Jesus can influence an upside-down life today.In this episode, we:Assess the impact of the pandemic on local and virtual communitiesWeigh our desire for community against our dream of it Look at how intimate community should be when it’s toxicWonder if it’s pos...2020-10-2752 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for CatholicsToday Alissa is STOKED to welcome Destiny Herndon-De la Rosa of New Wave Feminists to Universal Voices. Destiny is not Catholic but Alissa could NOT shake the thought that she was supposed to reach out to Destiny and invite her on. Destiny and NWF have played an important role in the way Alissa lives out her own Catholic call to protect the dignity of all human life. Strap in for the packed sixth episode of this 12-week series where the two empaths talk about:The gift of failure and closed doors.Badass saints.The power of prayer.New Wav...2020-10-2739 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for the Black Catholic CommunityIn this 5th installment of this 12-week series, Alissa welcomes Udochi Ekwerike. Alissa met Udochi this summer and immediately felt a sisterhood with her. Udochi comes in to talk about her heart for the Black Catholic Community. The two new friends talk about so so much in this jam packed episode including:Being a fully alive human beingWhat Udochi calls Beauty restorationThe power in reversion to the ChurchPushing back on having to sacrifice parts of our identity to be a part of Jesus' ChurchBeing pioneers for racial justiceThe quote that both scares Alissa and propels her forward in ant...2020-10-2036 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Divorced and Remarried CatholicsIn this fourth installment of the Universal Voices Podcast Mini-Series, Alissa is joined by Patty Breen. Patty is such a light in this world and in this conversation she brings her heart for Catholics who have gone through a divorce. This is a must listen. Patty really helps us all learn how to love any and all of our neighbors better. We cover a lot of ground in this episode including:Patty's Heart for the Boss. ;)Whether or not the Church really is a hospital for the broken.Two helpful questions to ask someone you care about when the...2020-10-1333 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for the ChurchIn episode three of this 12-week series, Alissa welcomes in Ana-Cristina Gonzalez to talk about her heart for the Church. Ana-Cristina worked in various parish settings over her 11 year career in the Church, including a position as Chief Operations Officer in the largest parish in the diocese. Her experience has given her a wealth of information and knowledge when it comes to how parishes can thrive. Ana-Cristina is one of Alissa's best friends, and the two have helped each other through much of life over the last 20 years--including throughout their time working in the Church. Listen in for some real...2020-10-0637 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for Those on the MarginsIn this second installment of this 12-week series, Alissa welcomes Natalie Alfaro Frazier and Leticia Ochoa Adams. We talk about all.the.things, including:That time Alissa was actually really fraternally correctedWhat it feels like to be in a safe space with other womenA really good Church and Basketball AnalogyDefense of the Dignity of the Human Person with no exceptionsThe cameo we are calling Baby's First PodcastReckoning with RacismInterconnectedness and how it impacts the pro-life movementProblem Trees and Colonialism Leaving the labels of progressive/conservative in favor of being known as a Daughter of the KingOur Ca...2020-09-2941 minUniversal Voices/Voces UniversalesA Heart for ConnectionIn this first episode of the Universal Voices Podcast Mini-Series, host Alissa Molina:lays out the vision and mission for this 12 episode mini-seriestalks about what's in a nameshares her heart for connectionpushes back on the idea that there is only one way to Catholictells why she could never be Mother Teresa (ha!)To learn more about this mini-series, the guests, or our community zoom sessions, visit us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/from_here_sessions/.To support this project visit: https://linktr.ee/alissamolina2020-09-2221 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 5 | Episode 73: The Necessity of Life: What does it mean to be for life in 2020?What does it mean to be for life in 2020? Join us for Season 5 with the hosts you know, founders Kayla Craig and Lindsy Wallace, veteran Alissa Molina, and our newest voice, Patricia Taylor to kick off a season of exploring what is needed in spirituality, justice, culture, and community.In this episode, we:Evaluate ‘pro-life’ as Jesus intended for abundant life in 2020Grieve what happens to the message and witness of Jesus when professing followers of God are unwilling to lay down life and libertiesSeek to follow Jesus in working for a “more and better...2020-09-0854 min
Upside Down PodcastSeason 4 | Episode 72 - We’re Not Going Back to Normal: Who Will We Be When This is Over?This global pandemic has only magnified the fractures in our systems -- and even in our own hearts. In our final episode of season four, we’re asking this question: How do we not go back to the way things were before COVID-19? In our country, in our world, in our neighborhoods, in our families...in our own hearts? We don’t want to go back to normal. How can we pursue God’s Upside Down Kingdom...even now? Especially now? In this episode, we:Sh...2020-05-261h 02
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 71: Native with Kaitlin CurticeKaitlin Curtice joins Lindsy and Kayla with a conversation that is both a gentle challenge and a balm of encouragement. Kaitlin is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, a Christian, and a poet who speaks on faith and justice within the church as it relates to Indigenous peoples. Her newest book, Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God came out just last week. In this episode, we:Ask how justice feels, even when it’s not labeled ChristianHold up the communion table as a political spaceUnpack how to listen to voices who have been silenced Lean...2020-05-1237 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 70: Be the Bridge with Latasha MorrisonJoin host Kayla Craig with co-host Alissa Molina as they welcome Latasha Morrison. Tasha is a speaker, author, reconciler, bridge-builder, and leader, committed to educating people on cultural intelligence and racial literacy. She founded Be the Bridge in 2016 to encourage racial reconciliation among all ethnicities, to promote racial unity in America, and to equip others to do the same.Tasha’s book, Be the Bridge, is a power-packed guide that helps readers deepen their understanding of historical factors and present realities, equipping them to participate in th...2020-04-281h 06
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 69 - Maternal Justice with Cessilye SmithIt’s Black Maternal Health Week in America. Join host Alissa Molina and co-host Lindsy Wallace as we no longer only follow along with the work of Cessilye Smith, but have the opportunity to sit and learn from her. Her work in the areas of maternal health and justice are powerful. As she works to help drop the staggering numbers of black women who die in childbirth, we invite her in to teach us.Cessilye is a racial and maternal justice activist committed to tearing down walls of oppression and division in order to build bridges that le...2020-04-141h 04
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 68: Church Beyond Walls: Loving Our Neighbor in Times of COVID-19 with Rev. Anna WoofendenKayla Craig, along with Gina Ciliberto, welcomes Reverend Anna Woofenden as she offers a new direction for planting churches, literally. She started a church in an empty lot in Los Angeles by planting a community garden. In her new book, This Is God’s Table: Finding Church Beyond the Walls, Anna shares the story of what happened when she gardened, worshiped, and ate with anyone who would join her. As churches across the Western world wither, Anna offers a raw, honest, gritty way of doing church.In this episode, we:2020-03-1745 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 67 - Turning Modesty Inside Out: Unpacking What it Means to be ModestWhat does it mean to be modest? Are modesty and purity the same thing? In this episode, Alissa, Gina, Kayla, and Lindsy candidly discuss the topic of modesty in our culture through the lens of God’s upside-down kingdom. Bringing varying backgrounds and faith experiences to the table, we ponder aloud what to make of the call by many Christians to "be modest."In this episode, we:Jump into the typical Christian definition of modestyAsk how this compares with the modesty question of the BibleCompare objectification with modesty Explore the power structures behind modesty sta...2020-03-1051 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 66 - Fullness of Our Humanity with Sister Didi: Increasing Capacity for CareWe’re exploring the fullness of our humanity: the good, the bad, and how to hold space for each other. In this episode, we welcome guest Sister Didi Madden, a Dominican Sister of Blauvelt, NY. Sister Didi is a psychotherapist, a farmer, and the justice promoter for a collaboration of Dominican congregations in NY and NJ. She currently works on Harmony Farm in Goshen, NY.In this episode, we:Begin to unpack the both/and of humanityAsk what is the need that people are living out of...2020-02-2541 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 65 - Anger ManagementIs anger all bad? What’s the difference between healthy, constructive anger and unhealthy, destructive anger? In this episode, Kayla Craig leads a vulnerable discussion about anger, emotions, and faith with Lindsy Wallace, Alissa Molina, and Gina Ciliberto.Have you ever wondered: Is God an angry God? Should Christians get angry? Should women get angry? Could we use our anger to change the world?In this episode, we:Unpack what we were taught about anger growing up in the church, by our families of origin, and from society.Explore how “angry” has been w...2020-02-1150 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 64 - Embodied SolidarityJoin us as we welcome Dr. Larycia Hawkins, who talks about her experience when, in 2015, she declared her intention to don a hijab in embodied solidarity with Muslim sisters throughout Advent and what transpired afterward. Host Lindsy Wallace and co-host Gina Ciliberto join in the conversation.Dr. Hawkins is a scholar, political science professor, and activist teaching and researching at the nexus of politics, race, ethnicity, and religion and has been called a modern-day Rosa Parks by Rev. Jesse Jackson. In this episode, we:Dive into how Larycia decided to embody solidaritySoak i...2020-01-2853 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 63 - It's ComplicatedIt’s Complicated. The more we learn about the suffering of the world, the more difficult it can become to live in it. Join host Lindsy Wallace along with co-hosts Kayla Craig, Alissa Molina, and Gina Ciliberto, to unpack living as engaged, thoughtful, neighbor-loving humans in a world where every choice has unintended, and possibly unknown, consequences. In this episode, we:Share examples of complication in our livesUnpack where we go from learning of the complications that surround usGet technical discussing cognitive dissonanceDiscuss how we protect against overwhelm tha...2020-01-1446 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 62 - The Gender & Ethnicity of God with Dr. Christena ClevelandDr. Christena Cleveland leads Kayla and Lindsy in a conversation exploring how cultural perceptions of race and gender impact the way we view God.In this episode, we:Learn how Christena's background influenced how she views ethnicity and feminityQuestion how Christians arrived at a male perception of GodUnpack what heals inside of us when we imagine God as MotherExplore the intersectionality of race and genderAddress the language of empire and the work to remove feminine language in scriptureDive...2019-12-1750 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 61 - Kinship at the BorderHost Kayla Craig and co-host Alissa Molina welcome Sami DiPasquale to this episode of Upside Down Podcast - Kinship at the Border. We’re moving beyond headlines to discuss how to best love our neighbors at the US/Mexico border.Sami is Executive Director of the Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach; which seeks to embody the gospel of Jesus Christ by advancing the renewal and development of central El Paso’s Rio Grande neighborhood through the empowerment and transformation of its residents. He lives and works with his family in the Rio Gran...2019-11-2648 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 60 - Let's Get Ecumenical! Catholic & Protestant Thought in God's Kingdom (New Audio!)What can Catholics and Protestants learn from each other's traditions? Can we work together in God’s upside-down kingdom? And when can—or should—we set aside the subtle (or not-so-subtle) differences in thought, doctrine, and practice of our own Christian belief systems to work toward a common good?Alissa Molina hosts an intimate and honest ecumenical conversation with co-hosts Kayla Craig, Gina Ciliberto, and Lindsy Wallace. We’re thinking outside the box when it comes to our unofficial theme of this season: Get Your People and applying it to a discussion on ecumenism, hoping to model empathet...2019-11-121h 00
The Catholic Feminist128: Bursting Our Catholic Bubbles ft. Alissa MolinaWhen do we “shake the dust”, when do we engage, and when do we shut up + listen? Today’s guest, Alissa Molina, has some insight for us. Alissa co-hosts a spiritual podcast with some wonderful Protestant sisters and I had to ask how that challenged her or pushed her out of her comfort zone. I loved her insight on why it’s important to not ONLY engage with Catholics, how she tries to advance the Gospel message, and why mean Christians make us angrier than mean atheists. We also talk about how being a Latina Catholic has impacted her feminism...2019-10-2344 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 58 - Good Grief: Leaning into the Now and Not YetSeason 4 | Episode 58 - Good GriefGrief is the deep sorrow, anguish, and pain we feel after a loss or a death of a loved one. We all know it when it comes to us, in our hearts and in our bones. But, once we’re faced with that heaviness, what do we do with grief? How do we move forward with it or lean into it?Host Gina Ciliberto and co-hosts Lindsy Wallace, Kayla Craig, and Alissa Molina talk about grief as it relates to the Up...2019-10-081h 03
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 57 - The Enneagram for Justice SeekersWe’re familiar with or at least heard of the Enneagram, but how can it help us usher in a more livable world for the most marginalized among us? What does this age-old tool of self-discovery have to say to us today, in our deeply polarized often tragic times? In this episode, Lindsy and Kayla talk with Jesse Eubanks and Sam Stevenson of the EnneaCast to find out.In this episode, we:Explore the natural strengths of each type in seeking justice Address the disciplines each type can engage in...2019-09-2458 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 56 - Performative Wokeness (and Introducing Season 4!)What's performative wokeness? How does our faith influence the destructive performativity of Internet activism? In this episode, join host Kayla, with co-hosts Lindsy, Alissa, and Gina, in this first discussion of Season 4 - "Get Your People."In this episode, we:Laugh as we catch up with co-hosts after our summer hiatusExplore the definition of wokeness through our own experiencesSee the costs of awakening as the costs of the gospel, and the grace of the gospel as the grace of awakeningRecognize why platform-building...2019-09-1054 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 55 - Beating Guns: From Swords to Plowshares with Shane Claiborne and Mike MartinViolence permeates our society. But Shane Claiborne and Mike Martin believe we can begin preparing for the future the prophets foretold now, where swords will be converted to plows. Join us as we discuss their new book, Beating Guns, which Walter Brueggemann called, “The quintessential pro-life book if there ever was one!” When Jesus said to love your enemies, isn’t it safe to assume he meant that we shouldn’t kill them?In this episode, we:Unpack personal experiences with guns and how these impact life todayDive into facts of American gun laws and owne...2019-06-0449 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 54: Hope as Resistance: Stuff That Needs to Be Said with John PavlovitzHope is still possible, even when the pain of the world feels like too much. What if kindness, empathy, and compassion are the way forward? Join host Kayla Craig and co-hosts Lindsy Wallace, Alissa Molina, and Gina Ciliberto with special guest John Pavlovitz. John is a writer, pastor, and activist. In the past five years, John's blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said has reached a diverse worldwide audience of millions of people. In 2017 he released his first book, A Bigger Table. His second book, Hope and Other Superpowers, arrived in November of 2018.2019-05-1445 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 53 - Hashtag Called: Exploring Calling and VocationYou can’t fully explain it. But we’ve all experienced the phenomenon: Inner tugs that just won’t let us go. What are callings? How do we define vocation? Inspired by one of our first and most-popular episodes, "Hashtag Blessed," comes "Hashtag Called." Gina Ciliberto hosts a conversation on what it means to be “called” with co-hosts Alissa Molina, Kayla Craig, and Lindsy Wallace.In this episode, we:Unpack what “calling” means (and doesn’t mean) to our hostsAsk about when vocations/callings are not so much about happily communing with God and understanding pe...2019-04-2346 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 52 - Livin' on a Prayer: A Creative Take on What it Means to PrayWhat is prayer? Why does it matter? Is there a right way to pray? Join Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace, and Alissa Molina as they enter into an engaging, unexpected, fast-paced conversation with Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson; the authors of Prayer: Forty Days of Practice. We talk about praying when you don’t want to pray or don’t know how, being angry at God, creation as a form of prayer, and why prayer is an important part of God’s upside-down Kingdom.Justin McRoberts is an author and musician who hosts the @Sea Podcast and lives with h...2019-04-091h 09
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 51 - The "F" Word: Unpacking Feminism and Other LabelsIn this episode, Lindsy Wallace is joined by guest co-host and friend of the podcast Diana Oestreich in a conversation with Claire Swinarski of The Catholic Feminist Podcast to discuss the “F” word, as well as labeling ourselves and others.In this episode, we:Learn The Catholic Feminist Podcast origin story;Unpack the definition of “feminist”; Discuss the impacts of the feminist label in our current cultural climate;Learn how we love one another even when we label our...2019-03-2557 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 50 - Begin Again: Examining Our Stories & Introducing New Co-Hosts!What happens when your plans get turned upside down? What happens when you have to begin again? This two-part episode starts on a personal note and ends with exciting introductions of TWO new co-hosts! First, Upside Down Podcast founders Kayla and Lindsy share the unexpected events that happened between Jan. 6 and Feb. 6 in both of their families, sharing with vulnerability and heart as they process their grief along with their hopes, reflecting on endings and beginnings. Then, they look ahead to the future of Upside Down Podcast, introducing new co-hosts for the coming season, Alissa Molina and...2019-03-111h 00
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 49 - Ethical Storytelling with Dr. Melissa Borja + Jacob Mau: Seeing Beyond OurselvesWhat is ethical storytelling? Why is it important to allow others to tell their own stories? In this thought-provoking episode, we're back from our hiatus to do a deep dive into what to consider when sharing the stories of others in a way that honors their dignity. Kayla Craig hosts with Lindsy Wallace and guests Dr. Melissa Borja and refugee advocate podcaster Jacob Mau.Melissa Borja, a core faculty member in the Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies Program at the University of Michigan, earned a PhD and MPhil in history from Columbia University...2019-02-181h 03
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 48 - Representation Matters: Diversity in Healing with Ryan Tolbert of Tru-Colour BandagesWhat does "representation matters" mean? Ryan Tolbert of Tru-Colour Bandages joins Kayla Craig and Lindsy Wallace to discuss what representation is, why it matters, their own representation experiences, and how they believe a kinder, more inclusive planet is in our future.In this episode, we:Learn the Tru-Colour Bandages origin story;Unpack what it means to say “representation matters”;Share our own personal representation experiences;Learn about the relationship between representation and diversity;Discuss how we can increase the diversity in our lives.Join us as we explore how representation and diversity benefit all...2018-12-1146 min
Upside Down PodcastEpisode 47 - Consumerism and God's Kingdom (Featuring Special Guests Shannan Martin and Ashley Hales!)Consumption! Capitalism! Consumerism! Christmas! We’re hitting pause and engaging the heart of consumption, capitalism, consumerism and most importantly, the heart of Christmas. What does it mean to celebrate the birth of Jesus, a poor kid from Nazareth who learned his father’s trade and had nowhere to lay his head? Ashley Hales and Shannan Martin join us as we ask: How do we opt out of the glitz and glitter around us to make space in our homes for the baby Messiah born in a manger?Shannan Martin, author of “The Ministry of Ordinary Places,” is a speake...2018-11-271h 11