Shows
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenHow do our earthly fathers shape our views of our heavenly Father?Our guest today, Laurie Lind, grew up in Lairmore and Fargo, North Dakota, in a Christian family with a father, Bob Lind, who was a true newsman. As a child, they lived in an upstairs apartment of the "ancient, tottering building" where the Larimore Pioneer, a weekly newspaper, was produced. Laurie majored in journalism at the University of North Dakota and has worked in various forms of print and broadcast communications over the years. Today, we'll dive into how her father, a longtime columnist for The Forum, shaped both her soul and career, leading her to her heavenly Father.
2026-02-201h 12
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat can C.S. Lewis teach us today?Our guest today, Samantha Stephenson, is a Catholic convert, bioethicist, and author of several books helping Christians grow in faith and navigate the spiritual and ethical questions shaping our rapidly changing world—whether in the hidden rhythms of home or at the frontiers of science. She hosts the podcast Brave New Us and writes the "Choosing Human Newsletter" on Substack. You can also find her at www.snstephenson.com. SHOW NOTES: Samantha's forthcoming book: The Bellbind Letters: Inside the Devil's Plan for Your Motherhood: https://www.amazon.com/Bellbind-Letters-Inside-Devils-Motherhood/dp/1639663290? (Feb. 16, 2026) Sama...
2026-02-061h 05
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhy are so many young adults going 'no contact' toward their parents?Our guest today, Noelle Mering, is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and the author of "Awake, Not Woke," as well as co-author of the Theology of Home book series, and an upcoming book, "No Contact: How a Seductive Ideology Broke Families and Friendships and How We Can Repair Them." Noelle has been published in Newsweek, Daily Wire, National Review, The Federalist, and National Catholic Register, among others. She has been featured on Fox News, EWTN, Relevant Radio, and in the film "Jesus Thirsts." She is a wife and mother of six living in California.
2026-01-301h 10
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenHave our youth checked out of religion? A Jewish rabbi answersRabbi Eitan Webb co-founded the Chabad House of Princeton in 2002 with his wife Gitty, and has served as a Jewish Chaplain at Princeton University since 2007. In addition to his service to university students, Rabbi Webb serves on the board of directors of the Chabad on Campus International Foundation and of the Sinai Scholars Society. Today, we're going to talk about young people today, and if it's true that they've "checked out of" religion, as some news reports have indicated. Being so close to the source, Rabbi Webb will no doubt have some great insight to share.
2026-01-161h 17
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenHow do we get over grief?Nichole Haugen is a wife, mom to six daughters, nurse, and grief coach. She spent over 10 years as a hospice nurse helping families through hard times, so she has dealt with grief both personally and professionally. Through losing her parents close together in 2019, and marriage struggles, Nichole eventually found a path to healing, forgiveness, and learning to live with grief. Today, she will help us understand what it takes to move through grief, which we all experience in some form, in a healthy way. SHOW NOTES: Nichole's website to connect about grief coaching: https://catholicgriefcoach.c...
2026-01-0254 min
En Route Books and MediaDave Palmer Interviewing Roxanne Salonen on Finding Flannery (November 26, 2025)In this podcast, Dave Palmer of Guadalupe Radio interviews Roxane Salonen on her book Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All, co-authored with Christina Brajkovich and Karen Anne Mahoney. Follow the journey… During the fiftieth anniversary year of the death of Flannery O’Connor, three writers from the North embarked on a pilgrimage to Milledgeville, Georgia, to uncover the mystique of their heroine, whose stories have left as many shocked as in stitches. What formed this famed literary artist, who, though her life was cut...
2025-12-2024 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane Salonen'Why God?' or 'Why, God?' An atheist and a Christian talk faithRob Port is a reporter and a columnist for the Forum Communications Company, as well as host of the Plain Talk podcast. But beyond that, he's a husband and father who tilts conservative politically, and yet not so much that he'd always identify as a Republican. While he grew up in a Christian home, Rob doesn't practice any faith, nor does he believe in God. Today, Rob and I will share the mic to toss each other a host of questions relating to faith, or lack thereof, to probe each other's minds a bit, and, hopefully, along with our...
2025-12-191h 35
I Thought You'd Like To Know This, TooRoxane Salonen talks with The Catholic Connection about Finding Flannery (December 15, 2025)Roxane Salonen talks with The Catholic Connection about Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All authored by Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane B. SalonenFollow the journey… During the fiftieth anniversary year of the death of Flannery O’Connor, three writers from the North embarked on a pilgrimage to Milledgeville, Georgia, to uncover the mystique of their heroine, whose stories have left as many shocked as in stitches. What formed this famed literary artist, who, though her life was cut short by lupu...
2025-12-1708 min
Catholic ConnectionJourney Home Highlights, Understanding Flannery O'Connor, Prenatal Partners for Life and more!Matt Swaim joins with highlights from tonight's The Journey Home on EWTN! Roxane Salonen visits to discuss her new book about Flannery O'Connor. Plus, Mary Kellett shares how to help families of children with disabilities and shares the story of her child with Trisomy 18...and Gail Buckley-Barringer joins with her scripture verse of the week!
2025-12-151h 38
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane Salonen'My parents quit believing; now what?' A Gen-Z-er respondsBorn first in a family of six children, Cariysa Powell was given a strong Catholic base on which to launch her life. But in 2020, as our world experienced a global pandemic crisis, her parents went through a personal faith crisis and departed from Christianity. This defining moment in Cariysa's life challenged her to decide what she believed. Today, she'll share what helped her find firm grounding in an uncertain time, and set the record straight on the faith she is seeing unfold in the hearts of her peers. SHOW NOTES: Converge yo...
2025-12-0557 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat is Advent, and why should I care?Father Joel Sember, a priest from Wisconsin, is the author of a series of books about the Christian season of Advent that he's written annually since 2020. Each year's book bears the same title, "Oriens," a Latin word meaning "rising" and "dawn," and is meant to take the reader on a journey through the Advent season, with Fr. Joel as a guide. What is the origin of Oriens, and why should we even care about it or Advent? Isn't it enough to celebrate Christmas one day a year? Today, Fr. Joel will share his thoughts on why we...
2025-11-281h 01I Thought You'd Like To Know This, TooSonrise Morning Show with Roxane Salonen (November 18, 2025)Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell interview Roxane Salonen on her book, co-authored with Christina Brajkovich and Karen Anne Mahoney, entitled Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All. (November 18, 2025)Follow the journey… During the fiftieth anniversary year of the death of Flannery O’Connor, three writers from the North embarked on a pilgrimage to Milledgeville, Georgia, to uncover the mystique of their heroine, whose stories have left as many shocked as in stitches. What formed this famed literary artist, who, though her life was cut sho...
2025-11-2607 min
Mourning Glory Grief PodcastS5 E11 Faith, Friends, and Flannery with Roxane SalonenShownotesSome of the most prolific writers often wrote based off of their own personal experiences and turned them into brilliant literary works. For author Flannery O’Connor, this proved true but not in such an obvious way. She experienced a great amount of grief throughout her life that fueled her in a way that ended up shaping and solidifying her faith, to the degree that she would not have made such an impact on the literary world and beyond if not for these crosses. But what exactly can we learn from her in terms of handling our own grief? How ca...
2025-11-211h 11
Mourning Glory Grief PodcastS5 E11 Faith, Friends, and Flannery with Roxane SalonenShownotesSome of the most prolific writers often wrote based off of their own personal experiences and turned them into brilliant literary works. For author Flannery O’Connor, this proved true but not in such an obvious way. She experienced a great amount of grief throughout her life that fueled her in a way that ended up shaping and solidifying her faith, to the degree that she would not have made such an impact on the literary world and beyond if not for these crosses. But what exactly can we learn from her in terms of handling ou...
2025-11-211h 11
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWho was Flannery O'Connor?Mary Flannery O'Connor was an American novelist, short story writer, and essayist whose work is often described as "Southern Gothic," a style which has left many readers scratching their heads, as they come across her grotesque characters who are often in violent situations — none of which match the life of their author, a devout Catholic. "Flannery," as she was known, had begun making a major impact on the American literary landscape when she died in 1964 at 39 of the same disease that had taken her father just shy of her 16th birthday. Our guests today, Karen Mah...
2025-11-2152 min
The Catholic BookwormEpisode 221: Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane Salonen on their book Finding Flannery (November 11, 2025)In this episode of The Catholic Bookworm, Kiki Latimer interviews Christina Brajkovich, Karen Anne Mahoney, and Roxane Salonen on their book Finding Flannery: A Travel Memoir Exploring the Mystique of Flannery O’Connor and the Legacy She Has Left Us All.Follow the journey… During the fiftieth anniversary year of the death of Flannery O’Connor, three writers from the North embarked on a pilgrimage to Milledgeville, Georgia, to uncover the mystique of their heroine, whose stories have left as many shocked as in stitches.What formed this famed literary artist, who, though her life was cut sh...
2025-11-2056 min
I Thought You'd Like to KnowRoxane & Troy Salonen on Real Presence Radio Network on their Meeting with the Pope (November 18, 2025)Roxane & Troy Salonen on Real Presence Radio Network on their Meeting with the Pope (November 18, 2025)
2025-11-1927 min
2025-11-1827 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs 'dependency' a bad word?Leah Libresco Sargeant describes herself as an author, speaker and, interestingly, instigator. She's written for such publications as "First Things," "The American Conservative," and "Commonweal," and has been a guest on CNN as well as at "Theology on Tap" events in multiple countries. Her interests include religion, statistics, and the theater. She grew up Jewish and atheist, and in 2012, converted to Christianity after many vigorous discussions and a thorough exploration of its claims. Currently, Leah works on family policy at a think tank in Washington, D.C., where she and her husband, Alexi, and their three young...
2025-11-0757 min
Girlfriends (A Podcast for Catholic Women)Surrendering to Grace in MarriageExclusive for paid subscribers: Download the Grace Unfiltered companion journalPublishing tomorrow: My personal takeaways from this episode. Stay tuned for this BONUS episode!How do you save your marriage when you aren’t sure what a healthy marriage looks like?This week on Grace Unfiltered, I’m joined by writer, speaker, and dear friend Roxane Salonen. Roxane shares her powerful testimony of God’s redeeming grace in the midst of family brokenness, addiction, and the struggles of marriage.From growing up in a dysfunctional home to bringing her own wounds into m...
2025-11-051h 10
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWho was Father Patrick Peyton?In this episode, we'll be introduced to the man who became known as "the Rosary priest," Father Patrick Peyton, by the priest helping advance his cause for canonization, Father David Marcham of Holy Cross Family Ministries. How did Father Peyton, a poor farmer's son from Ireland, end up in America? What was his impact here and elsewhere? And did he really coin the phrase, "The Family that prays together stays together?" SHOW NOTES: Website for Father Patrick Peyton: https://www.fatherpeyton.org/ Holy Cross Family Ministries page on Father Peyton Center in...
2025-10-311h 10
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs 'artificial procreation' misleading?In this episode, Dr. Stacy Trasancos will discuss the premise for her latest book, "IVF is Not the Way," which tackles the topic of in vitro fertilization, or fertilization that takes place in a scientific laboratory, using the Church's age-old wisdom as a grounding place, and a logical, moral, philosophical approach to move through it thoughtfully. SHOW NOTES: IVF is Not the Way book: https://www.amazon.com/Ivf-Not-Way-Artificial-Procreation/dp/1644137984 Particles of Faith book: https://a.co/d/8G3lts5 Dr. Trasancos' website: https://stacytrasancos.com/ "God...
2025-10-171h 19
Go Make Disciples"When Loved Ones Leave the Church" – Roxane Salonen | 2025 Discipleship ConferenceA parent’s cry opens the door to a deeper question: how do you keep loving when your child walks away from the faith you built your life around? We trace that ache to its roots and then move, step by step, toward hope that holds under real pressure—hope shaped by prayer, honest boundaries, and a resilient kind of hospitality we call “preparing the table.”Roxane shares her story as a mother, writer, and advocate, drawing strength from Saint Monica, Elizabeth Leseur, and the wisdom of Dr. David Anders. We unpack why estrangement is accelerating—pandemic fallout, i...
2025-10-0345 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenShould men get a say in abortion? Ken Koehler has been speaking out on abortion locally for many years now, and prays regularly at our area's only abortion facility, where, on average, a classroom of babies die every week. A faithful Lutheran and longtime member of Lutherans for Life, Ken has been a powerful force in keeping this important topic before us, including as a frequent contributor to The Forum's "Letters to the Editor" section, where he broaches issues of life and morality in our day. In recent years, even while many claim that men shouldn't have an opinion when it comes to abortion, Ken has b...
2025-10-031h 19
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenDoes 'surrender' mean giving up?In this episode, Emmy-award-winning journalist Monica Hannan, who is readying soon to complete a 45-year career as a television news anchor—37 of which happened at KFYR-TV in Bismarck, North Dakota—explores the topic of "surrender" in anticipation of her forthcoming book, "Surrender to Lead," which follows the journeys of 11 individuals who learned what surrendering their lives to God truly means and requires. SHOW NOTES: The Dream Maker by Monica Hannan: https://www.atkinsoncenter.org/the-dream-maker-by-monica-hannan/ Gift of Death: A Message of Comfort and Hope by Monica Hannan: https://www.amazon.com/Gift...
2025-09-1957 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan our temperament affect our holiness?Rose Sweet has been studying and teaching the temperament for decades now, and has finally brought her collected knowledge into a book delving into how our ascent to holiness can be affected by our temperament—for good or ill. Even if you've already assessed your personality type, you might not have given much thought to what this has to do with your personal sanctity, but for the serious seeker of the Kingdom, your very life—and death—could depend on how well you capitalize on your innate strengths for God's glory. Rose, a self-proclaimed Choleric-Sanguine, will lead us through this d...
2025-09-051h 15
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat are Pope Leo's Peruvian friends like?Today's guest, Todd Mickelson, is in his 13th year working with the Friends of Chimbote ministry, a faith-based organization dedicated to the men, women, and children living in the barrios of Chimbote, Peru, in extreme poverty. Currently the development director for the ministry, Todd will share about his brief encounter with Bishop Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo, while in Chimbote in December 2015, but even more, he'll lead us into the hearts of the Peruvian people he's met and come to appreciate, connecting us with our new pontiff's second homeland in South America and our local tie.
2025-08-291h 17
At Home With Jim and JoyJim and Joy Call-in ShowJim and Joy read comments and take calls about the intercession of St. Monica. They also speak with author, Roxane Salonen as she offers her take on the patron saint of mothers.
2025-08-2520 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenHow do you spell 'compassion?'Camille Harvey, my only sibling and near-Irish twin, has been my shadow buddy most of my life, either guiding me or supporting me in various ways. A trained musician and teacher, she gave up the classroom some years ago to start Bluebird Companion Care, a small business and ministry through which she connects with those in the west-central part of North Dakota who need a little assistance in their daily lives. When I think of Camille, the word "compassion" comes to mind. What is the source of the compassion she has displayed so well throughout...
2025-08-151h 10
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan a broken marriage be fixed?Melissa Perez and her husband, Mark, are presenters for marriage retreats under the auspices of a ministry, Adventures in Marriage, which pairs with Live the Life, an educational outreach that focuses on helping cultivate healthy relationships. Societies rise and fall with the family. When marriages are not strong, neither is society. But life is messy, and our stories complicate things. We bring baggage into marriage as fallen human beings. Today, Melissa will be with us to share her story and offer hope on how to turn a good marriage into an excellent one or help a failing marriage find...
2025-08-011h 05
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan gardening bring God closer?Cecile Smith was looking for signs of God's presence in so many places before she realized, to her great surprise, that he was exceedingly near—in her very garden! This season, in which we in the northern hemisphere, especially, are spending more time in our gardens or just enjoying the nature around us, can help put us in touch with the divine in a very palpable way. Today, Cecile Smith will help us discover, or rediscover, God's love through his creation, including in our own backyards or wherever we find natural beauty. SHOW NOTES:
2025-07-181h 13
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs there life after death?In 2018, Dottie Borowski traveled a road that most married people—nearly half—will face eventually when she became a widow. But rather than being met with only silence in the months and years following, Dottie experienced a series of spiritual events that convinced her of the reality of life after death. In today's episode, this faithful woman, whose vocation is prayer and service work, will step out into the deep, sharing of the experiences that convinced her that the idea of life beyond this one is not just myth, but reality. SHOW NOTES: Fr...
2025-07-041h 33
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan we change our gender?Rev. Dr. Patrick Lovejoy, a Lutheran pastor, husband and father, tends his flock through preaching, spiritual direction and counseling. In recent years, he's also been called to address whether our genders are fixed or malleable, and has come away with a determined answer on the topic based in both science and theology. With a doctorate in marriage and family counseling, Lovejoy will lead us through the facts and fiction of this modern dilemma in a way that should inspire people of faith and goodwill to meet the critical needs of those who struggle with gender identity with compassion and...
2025-06-201h 21
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenDoes fidelity matter anymore?What is fidelity? Going with the simplest dictionary definition, it is "faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances." Dr. Robert P. George, a professor at Princeton University, will add depth to that definition while sharing why he initiated a movement a couple years ago designating the month of June as Fidelity Month. Among his qualifications, Dr. George holds Princeton's celebrated McCormick Professorship of Jurisprudence, is the founder and director of the university's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, and serves on several boards related to civil rights and religious freedom. SHOW NOTES: Fi...
2025-06-061h 05
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWas I born this way? One man's search for truthPatrick Lehe, a cradle Catholic and screenwriter from rural Indiana, currently living in Los Angeles, will share his struggles with same-sex attraction as a man of faith, focusing on living counter-culturally with a zeal for reviving God's truth in American society. SHOW NOTES: Patrick's article in Busted Halo, "How I found my vocation to the single life as a gay man": https://bustedhalo.com/life-culture/how-i-found-my-vocation-to-the-single-life-as-a-gay-man "Desire of the Everlasting Hills" documentary: https://everlastinghills.org/ "The Third Way" documentary: https://everlastinghills.org/ "Catechism of the Catholic Church" on...
2025-05-301h 362025-05-2933 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat was Pope Francis really like? His first U.S.-appointed bishop answersDescription (written): Bishop John Folda of the Fargo Diocese was the first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Francis. With the pope's recent death, it seemed fitting to hear from his first appointee from our country about that honor, as well as their crossings since. Along with that, Bishop Folda will offer some insight on the papacy itself and his hopes for the future of the Christian church. SHOW NOTES: News story from May 1, 2025, on Bishop Folda as first U.S.-appointed bishop by Pope Francis: https://www.valleynewslive.com/2025/05/01/fargo-bishop-was-first-appointed-us-bishop-under-pope-francis-back-2013/ Bis...
2025-05-1658 min
Catholic MomcastCatholic Momcast 343: Meet Roxane SalonenMaria Morera Johnson interviews CatholicMom.com contributor Roxane B. Salonen, award-winning children's author and freelance writer, and a radio host, speaker, and podcaster. Roxane B. Salonen, Fargo, North Dakota ("You betcha!"), is a wife and mother of a literal, mostly-grown handful, an award-winning children's author and freelance writer, and a radio host, speaker, and podcaster ("Matters of Soul Importance"). Roxane co-authored "What Would Monica Do?" to bring hope to those bearing an all-too-common cross. Her diocesan column, "Sidewalk Stories," shares insights from her prolife sidewalk ministry. Visit roxanesalonen.com. Links for this Show:
2025-05-1418 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan the deaf hear God?Allison Gingras' book, "Encountering Signs of Faith," shares the remarkable adoption of her profoundly deaf daughter and how she taught her the faith through the Church's sacramentals and devotions. Along with being a mother, Allison is the Director of Digital Evangelization for Family Rosary and Catholic Mom; she co-hosts the Family Rosary presents Through the Mysteries podcast. SHOW NOTES: Allison's book about mothering her adopted daughter, "Encountering Signs of Faith": https://a.co/d/55USpMQ Allison's newest book, "Jesus Heals": https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Heals-Wholeness-Connected-Journals/dp/1639662030 Allison's website: h...
2025-05-021h 03
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat is mercy?Monsignor Thomas Richter was named a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis in 2015. During that year, he traveled to various places throughout the United States to share the Good News of God's mercy for his people. Now, in 2025, a Jubilee Year dedicated to hope, it seems all the more necessary for people of faith to grasp mercy. In this episode, Monsignor Richter, currently serving the Bismarck Diocese as a pastor in Dickinson, North Dakota, will share what he's learned of mercy during his life, and how it connects with the Easter season in which we find ourselves. ...
2025-04-181h 04
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs music necessary for survival?Brayden Drevlow has been all over the world to bring music to faraway places. A concert pianist and adventure traveler from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, he's known for "putting the X in extreme," through "chasing adventure, pushing the comfort zone, and never allowing dreams to go unpursued," as conveyed on his website. What drives his adventurous spirit? What has he learned along the way? And as one who has played before audiences all over the world in all kinds of conditions, what can he reveal about our question of the day: "Is music necessary for survival?"
2025-04-041h 02
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenAre practices like IVF and surrogacy moral?Tim Mosser works for the Diocese of Fargo in education and formation, serving also as the Respect Life Officer director. He's a husband and father, composer and musician, speaker and radio host, and currently in formation to become a deacon. Above all, this multi-faceted man is a child of God. Today, Tim will expound on a discussion we started a couple of weeks ago, using Pope John Paul II's teaching on human life, Theology of the Body, as a building block to discuss whether reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization and surrogacy are moral.
2025-03-211h 04
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs supporting illegal immigration pro-life?Ramona Trevino, campaign outreach director for 40 Days for Life national, resides in the Dallas, Texas, area with her family. The border crisis, currently at the forefront of our nation's collective consciousness, cannot help but touch her, a Mexican American, personally. Through her strongly pro-life lens and heritage, Ramona is well-poised to offer a valuable and fairly unique perspective on this topic. Is supporting illegal immigration pro-life? Ramona will help us ponder that question today. Show notes: Earlier episode introducing Ramona: https://www.inforum.com/lifestyle/is-the-churchs-stance-on-birth-control-out-of-touch
2025-03-071h 07
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenDoes the Church hate sex?Tim Mosser works for the Diocese of Fargo in education and formation, serving also as the Respect Life Officer director. He's a husband and father, composer and musician, speaker and radio host, and currently in formation to become a deacon. Above all, this multi-faceted man is a child of God. In this episode, Tim will share the blueprint God has given us for human flourishing, including in the realm of sexuality, leading us to the answer of whether the Church actually hates sex as much as the world sometimes believes it does. SHOW N...
2025-02-211h 15
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenShould we fear the incarcerated?Mike Little, executive director for Jail Chaplains ministry in Fargo, North Dakota, since March 2023, has said his heart has been transformed by working with the incarcerated, noting that we're all bound by strongholds that need the healing touch of Jesus. He further affirms that we can learn much about God's love through being close to those who've experienced brokenness in key relationships at some point in their lives, as many incarcerated have. In this episode, Mike will share more about this ministry and how it has made him more tender toward those who have wandered from God...
2025-02-071h 13
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan our wounds be a catalyst for God's healing?Colleen Scariano believes in the body-soul connection and that our lives work better when the two are in alignment. This belief formed the base of the ministry she co-founded, SoulCore, a global, integrated health ministry that integrates prayer with core strengthening, stretching, and functional movements to nourish body and soul and encourage deeper reflection on the virtues. Grounded in monotheism, SoulCore employs Christian meditation and encourages "filling" the mind and soul with the life, virtues, and Word of Christ. In today's episode, we'll talk to Colleen about how SoulCore started and learn about her faith journey, including...
2025-01-311h 10
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat gifts do the neurodivergent bring to God's kingdom?This week's guest, Todd Charette, came to me through Facebook. First, I noticed his funny, and often endearing, posts, which brought daily refreshment rather than conflict. As the algorithms had their way, I saw more of these posts, and eventually, we got into an actual conversation. I learned that Todd Charette had a neurodivergent brain around the time our family had discovered neurodiversity within our gene pool. Because I was doing a deep dive on the topic, I viewed Todd's real-life experiences regarding this challenge—or "superpower"—with a heightened sense of curiosity.I wanted to learn more...
2025-01-171h 02
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan God work through flawed politicians?Shortly after the election in November, a meme began floating around social media: "To think that God ordained a filthy-minded, adulterous, wealthy man with evil in his heart to preside over a nation challenges my self-righteous understanding. But He did, and that sinful man by grace gave us the Psalms. #KingDavid." Not surprisingly, the reaction was divided. But truth resides at the heart of these words. To misunderstand that politicians are human and flawed is to misunderstand human nature itself. John Trandem, a lifelong Fargoan who has been involved in North Dakota politics as a Republican, along w...
2025-01-0359 min
Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWho is Jesus? An atheist, a Lutheran, and a Catholic answerIn December 2021, Rob Port of the "Plain Talk" podcast invited Devlyn Brooks, a Lutheran pastor and fellow journalist, and I on his show to talk about religion. An avowed non-believer, Rob wanted to hear our thoughts about the reported declines in religious adherents, and Pastor Brooks and I gave it our best shot. That show ended up being the most popular of the year among "Plain Talk" listeners. It also renewed my thoughts about possibly starting a podcast myself. When I launched "Matters of Soul Importance" in January 2024, Pastor Brooks was my first guest, sharing whether Jesus...
2024-12-201h 25Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs there a place for the divorced in church?Kerri Bishop was pregnant with her fifth child when she found herself in an unimagined, unwanted situation: tasting the bitterness of divorce. For a moment or two, Kerri turned her feelings of abandonment against her faith, until she realized that God and the Church weren't to blame. God was her savior and her faith, the anchor she would need to move through the next year's whole. Kerri's journey through divorce and to the other side has given her a heart for others who have been abandoned and are tempted to give up on, or never even seek, G...
2024-12-061h 10Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWomb Wonderment: Is it a parasite, alien or human?Angela Copenhaver, founder of We Teach Think and Human from Day One, once considered herself staunchly pro-choice. After reversing her position, she founded a non-profit organization in Lincoln, Nebraska, Human from Day One. She now speaks regularly on the dignity of human life. Science is on our side, she asserts, offering facts and truths in a manner that invites engagement. Today, we'll ask Angela to help us sort through what lives in the womb of a pregnant woman. Is it a parasite, an alien, or a human? How we answer that question makes all the difference in t...
2024-11-291h 07Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan religion make us happier?Dr. John Sottosanti was successful in the world's eyes. He had a lovely wife, two children, a beautiful home in California with an ocean view, and a career that had catapulted him to the top of his industry, and into spheres that only a top percentage of people penetrate. But was he happy? In his memoir, "Mortal Adhesions: A Surgeon Battles the Deadly Sins to Find Faith, Happiness and Inner Peace," Sottosanti recounts his motivations and missteps through a life of focusing on self, and how it nearly led him down a path of eternal destruction. Can...
2024-11-151h 11Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs my sister Michelle Duppong a saint?Michelle Duppong, a woman from western North Dakota, died on Christmas 2015 at age 31 after a harrowing journey with cancer. As Michelle suffered, her devoted family began to notice the extraordinary ways she carried that cross, evidenced in part by the medical personnel who were drawn to her while in the hospital. The Duppong family soon came to know that the wider Church had been noticing her extraordinary qualities, too, and in June of 2022, they received word that Michelle, a woman of humble countenance and beginnings, was being investigated for one of the Church's greatest anointings: canonization.
2024-11-011h 23Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenAre the devil and hell real?Fr. Vincent Druding, a priest in the Archdiocese of New York, is well-versed in the realities of the spiritual world. As a trained exorcist who leads a deliverance and liberation ministry, Fr. Druding is especially equipped to answer the questions we pose today, just ahead of Halloween. With the growing prevalence of the minimization of sin and its effects, disregard of the devil's existence, and skepticism over whether hell is real or just a scare tactic of Christians, our need to understand the spiritual world in reality is great. Along with sharing a few stories of his...
2024-10-251h 27Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs the Church's stance on birth control out of touch?When Ramona Trevino accepted a job to manage a Planned Parenthood clinic, she thought she would be helping girls and women live lives of abundant freedom through the promise of choice. But in time, the truth became evident, and she experienced a dramatic conversion of both faith and life, leading her out of the abortion industry and eventually to speaking out on life issues nationally. Ramona's message challenges us to consider how contraception has become a gateway to abortion, insisting that we can't have an honest discussion about abortion without recognizing contraception's contributing role; a role that...
2024-10-181h 152024-10-0832 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhose mother drew this former porn worker out of the industry?Bree Solstad, or, as she refers to herself on X, "Miss B Converted," describes herself as a former porn actress and producer whose life was transformed dramatically after a trip to Europe. While overseas, Bree was unexpectantly wooed away from the porn industry by a woman of whom Bree had little knowledge before the encounter. How did Bree, who grew up in a Christian home, find herself on a wayward path in the first place, and who was the mysterious woman who convinced her of a better life; one not devoid of a moral compass and haunted...
2024-10-041h 07Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenScience vs. scientism: What's the diff?In this episode, Dr. Stacy Trasancos will discuss the difference between science and what some have dubbed "scientism," and why it even matters. Dr. Trasancos brings with her discussions advanced degrees in chemistry, dogmatic theology, and systematic philosophy, as well as her work as an educator, speaker, author and mother committed to the intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church. Dr. Trasancos hasn't always been Catholic. She grew up evangelical, and eventually left her faith for a time, fully dedicating her energies to the pursuit of science. But when that pursuit left her empty, Dr. Trasancos...
2024-09-201h 00
Special BroadcastsRPR Fall Live Drive 2024 - Day 3, 5-7 PMLocation: Fargo Studio
Hosts: Lynne Devitt & Jerry Meier
Guests: Sharon Meier, Roxane Salonen, & Jack and Doreen Kennelly
2024-09-131h 59Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhere did all the young, faith-filled families go?Max and Micah Fischer, a Christian couple in their mid-20s, are a contrasting witness to these times in which studies show young people falling away from the Christian faith at lightning speed. Even as pews that previously were occupied by younger families are emptying, more young couples are also forgoing having children, not to mention marriage. Despite this marked shift in society, however, not all young people have determined God to be dead. Some, like the Fischers, have discovered a life-giving raft in the midst of a tumultuous cultural storm. But it hasn't always been easy.
2024-09-061h 12Real Presence LivePattie Armstrong & Roxane Salonen - RPL 9.4.24 1/1The "Not Today Satan" retreat at Maryvale on November 1st
2024-09-0432 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenAre poetry and dance bedfellows of the soul?Katie Bruckbauer grew up in a large, faith-filled family on a farm outside of Casselton, North Dakota. As a child, she loved to dance, and later, sought ways to bring her athletic and musical abilities together. She studied modern dance and creative movement, eventually working for a studio, and then owning it with two others in the Fargo-Moorhead area under the name 8th Street Studio of Dance. In all, she contributed her talents to that work for three decades. Katie has recently rediscovered how vital dancing is to her physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, along with realizing...
2024-08-301h 01Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenAre politics and religion sworn enemies?Bette Grande considers herself a "recovering politician." That tells you a bit about her approach to politics. And yet she's been involved in helping form policy for decades. For an even longer period, she's been immersed in trying to follow the Lord. Can these two, politics and religion, coincide, or are they more like water and oil? Bette has been outspoken in her thoughts about such topics as a regular contributor to The Forum, including in the realm of social issues through promoting a Culture of Life. In this episode, we'll hear some of the...
2024-08-161h 05Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat is faith like on Fort Peck? A Native American perspectiveFirst of all, what is Fort Peck? It is a reservation in northeast Montana, the home of several federally recognized bands of Native American peoples: Assiniboine, Lakota and Dakota. It is also the place where I grew up, in the city of Poplar, where my parents, who'd been living and working in Wyoming, landed as teachers looking for jobs near their home state of North Dakota in the early 1970s. Rich Peterson, a fellow journalist, was the oldest of the Peterson kids who attended my home parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, just off Highway 2. His perspective...
2024-08-021h 00Real Presence LiveRoxane Salonen and Joanne Poehls - RPL 8.1.24 1/1Reflections on National Eucharistic Congress
2024-08-0132 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenDid Jesus really need a place to rest his head?In Matthew 8, we enter a scene in which a scribe promises Jesus that he will follow him wherever he goes. Jesus replies: "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." In her past work as a school counselor, Jenessa Fillipi confronted the reality of Jesus having no place to rest his head when she learned that some of her students did not have a bed to sleep on or a table on which to eat. This realization awoke Jenessa to the reality of the e...
2024-07-191h 14Real Presence LiveRoxane Salonen - RPL 7.9.24 1/1Speaking about her experiences as a pro-life sidewalk advocate
2024-07-0932 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs patriotism dead?We've just celebrated our nation's birthday, but did everyone attend the party? In other words, is patriotism dead—or at least on life support? The country seems divided on its allegiances, and merely broaching the topic of patriotism opens a can of wiggly worms related to identity, unity and freedom. Mark Jorritsma of the North Dakota Family Alliance, an organization that embraces faith, family and the freedom to honor God, helps us wrangle a few of those often-unwieldy worms today. More information on the NDFA can be found on their website: https://www.ndfamilyalliance.org/
2024-07-0559 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat is Original Innocence – and what does it have to do with food?You've heard of Original Sin, but what is Original Innocence? In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," we take a look at this concept articulated by Pope John Paul II in his "Theology of the Body" teachings. Erin McCole Cupp, a trauma recovery coach, will lead us into this fascinating topic, helping us better understand our often-flawed relationship with food, and how we can return to the original design for eating, freeing us to enter more deeply into human relationships; the kinds that will have an eternal impact. More: Erin's website: https://www.er...
2024-06-2157 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenFormer Pride proponent answers: What is love?Nancy Charles was moments away from ending her life when a question engulfed her: What if God and eternal life were real—and the pain she sought to escape would only be prolonged by her plan? This thought stopped her in her tracks, sending her on a desperate quest to find the answer. Just days later, Nancy entered a church, where she was engulfed again, this time with the presence and merciful love of Jesus. Hear how this recovering addict and former agnostic and LGBTQ+ adherent discovered a greater love than she could have imagined. Mo...
2024-06-071h 20Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat does a story of courage during World War II have to do with being pro-life?Born in Telemark, Norway, in 1962, Janne Myrdal left her home country after high school to do humanitarian work for refugees. It was through that ministry, which focused on Central America and U.S. inner cities but was based in Texas, where she met Mark, a farmer from the Midwest. The two married in Skien, Norway, in 1994, and raised their three children in North Dakota. As a politician, Senator Myrdal, a Republican, has been frequently criticized by those who don't share her pro-life convictions. But it seems time to get at the truth of who she really is...
2024-05-311h 02Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat is a man?In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," we revisit the question that gained attention through conservative political commentator Matt Walsh's "What is a woman?" documentary, tweaking it a bit to ask, "What is a man?" Rob Marco has been asking this question since his teenage years as a boy growing up in a loving but mostly unchurched home in Pennsylvania. Rob began to sense God's unrelenting wooing as a teen, prompting him to spend time in the wilderness alone, and, for a time, live in a converted school bus with dreams of the consecrated life as...
2024-05-1758 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhat does God's voice sound like?In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," we ask, Rollie Johnson, Lutheran lay pastor, outdoor enthusiast and motivational speaker, "What does God's voice sound like?" When Christians or other people of faith say they have heard God's voice, what does that mean? Does God really speak to them or is it more a stirring in one's heart? Rollie, whose passions include bow hunting and building, sewing, flintknapping, camping and canoeing—along with being an accomplished writer and speaker—will explore the question and share some of the ways he has heard God's voice, and at which deci...
2024-05-031h 08Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWho was G.K. Chesterton?According to Wikipedia, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, who lived from May 1874 to June 1936, was an English writer, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. Some have referred to him as "the prince of paradox." As Time magazine once observed, "Whenever possible, Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs and allegories—first carefully turning them inside out." One of those sayings, "Never discuss religion and politics in polite company," provided fuel for Chesterton, who once quipped, "I never discuss anything else except politics and religion. There is nothing else to discuss." That revised phrase provided the pri...
2024-04-191h 13Matters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWho was Ann Dahl?In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," we ask, "Who was Ann Dahl?" Ann was many things: a southerner by origin who married a northerner and lived much of her life in North Dakota; a woman who was well-traveled, dedicated to her family, and who thirsted to know God better. Ann Dahl's death in January 2023 caused the earth to heave, yet the majority of those listening to this podcast likely have never heard of her. That is true of most people in this world, yet that doesn't mean their impact has been less than...
2024-04-0554 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan suffering ever be good?Why would a good God allow suffering? This question has been asked through every age, by all of humanity, and yet suffering seems to be an integral part of our being human. Since no one will get through this world without having gone through suffering of some kind, perhaps there is a way to bring it into a positive light? In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," author and speaker Elizabeth Kelly takes us through her own journey of suffering, drawing us into the heart of its possible good purpose, looking to Jesus as a primary...
2024-03-1558 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs God hiding in good literature?God is eager to reveal himself to us, and throughout the ages, humans have discovered God in many ways—including in good literature. In the Christian religion, God is described as "The Word," which seems to imply that, from the get-go, God wants us to discover him through language. In this episode of "Matters of Soul Importance," Nancy Gourde, a retired English teacher who has shared good literature with hundreds of students through the years, explores the question, "Is God hiding in good literature?" Can we find God, and learn more about the divine, through reading a good...
2024-03-0149 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs abortion really healthcare? (Part 2)As one of the millions of women who has endured an abortion, Jody Clemens is equipped to speak passionately about whether abortion is really healthcare, as so many these days contend. In the second part of this two-part interview, she illuminates how she arrived at the decision to end the life of her child, along with her shattering regret. Jody also shares how she found freedom after years of hiding her deep, dark secret. No matter what side of this issue you fall on, you'll find fresh insight through Jody's haunting yet hope-filled journey. Rachel's Vineyard: h...
2024-02-2336 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIs abortion really healthcare? (Part 1)As one of the millions of women who has endured an abortion, Jody Clemens is equipped to speak passionately about whether abortion is really healthcare, as so many these days contend. In this interview, she illuminates how she arrived at the decision to end the life of her child, along with her shattering regret. Jody also shares how she found freedom after years of hiding her deep, dark secret. No matter what side of this issue you fall on, you'll find fresh insight through Jody's haunting yet hope-filled journey. Rachel's Vineyard: https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/ And...
2024-02-1651 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan beauty save the world?"Beauty can save the world." It's a phrase that has been uttered in recent decades by various writers. But what exactly does this mean? Can beauty be quantified? Can we agree on what is beautiful? And if so, can it save the world? How? In this episode, we touch on the three transcendentals of truth, beauty, and goodness. Though all are important factors in drawing us to the Faith, some have predicted that beauty is the one most needed today—and will win over our hearts in the end. We explore all this with Fr. Lu...
2024-02-0246 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenWhere was God during the July 14 shooting in Fargo?On July 14, 2023, the community of Fargo, North Dakota, experienced what some have called the city's 911 equivalent— an ambush of police officers who stopped to assist at a midday fender-bender. The frightening incident left one young officer dead and three others critically injured, but the shooter's plan to drive onward to the well-populated Fargo Street Fair was diverted. Did evil have the last word on that tragic day, when a shooter who'd been observing the scene raised the scope on his gun to his eye? Or was another force, perhaps a divine one, also actively present? ...
2024-01-1949 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenCan Jesus and journalism co-exist?In this episode, Roxane chats with Lutheran Pastor Devlyn Brooks about his faith and career journeys, and how they eventually merged, with the goal of answering whether these two spheres can rest comfortably together. Plain Talk, Episode #273 (Dec. 2021): Is America's Religious Decline Good or Bad? https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/plain-talk-why-is-religion-declining-in-america Roxane's column that followed: https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/salonen-does-faith-mean-loss-of-freedom Roxane's website: https://www.roxanesalonen.com
2024-01-0537 minMatters of Soul Importance with Roxane SalonenIntroduction to 'Matters of Soul Importance'She's been interviewing people for decades now, turning those discussions into newspaper articles. Now, Roxane Salonen, faith writer, brings her conversations with guests to the podcast realm, taking on topics we're told to avoid—religion and (occasionally) politics. Stop by for fresh episodes the first and third Fridays of the month, or anytime in between, to hear from guests as they ponder our earthly journey in light of eternity. You can read more of Roxane's work here: https://www.inforum.com/roxane-b-salonen
2023-12-2101 min
Of Sound Mind and Spirit - Podcast for Catholic Women014. St. Monica: A Best Friend for Worried ParentsAll moms desire for their children to know and love God. With belief in God on the decline, we worry that our teenage and adult children will pull away from their faith. What’s a mother to do? In this episode, we look at lessons learned from St. Monica, a mother who sets a beautiful example of persistent prayer for their children.
Snippet from the Show "...when we struggle as a mother... we can pray for the same patience, persistence and dedication to motherhood, marriage and family that St. Monica modeled for us!" - Lisa
“Noth...
2023-08-2431 min
The Front Line with Joe & JoeWhen Your Kids Leave the Faith | Patti Maguire Armstrong & Roxane Beauclair SalonenIn "What Would Monica Do?", Patti Maguire Armstrong & Roxane Beauclair Salonen - two mothers, authors, and lovers of St. Monica - offer guidance, practical advice, and prayers for navigating the difficulty of losing a loved one to the world through their reflections on St. Monica.
What Would Monica Do?: https://ascensionpress.com/products/what-would-monica-do
Links to download the Veritas app: https://www.veritascatholic.com/listen
2023-08-1657 min
Lifelines Radio - Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation40 Days for Life and Pro-Life ConversionsI interview Ramona Trevino, who used to work for Planned Parenthood, and Roxane Salonen, who is writer and sidewalk advocate.
2022-11-2227 min
Hear and Now PodcastWhat Would Monica Do? w/ Patti Armstrong and Roxane SalonenSend us a textIt's the 126th episode of Hear and Now Podcast! Heather and Sophia chat with their guests, What Would Monica Do? authors Patti Armstrong and Roxane Salonen on their new book. Browse the Shop for all things Saints!Links Mentioned: Michelle DuppongBuy the BookFind Patti: Website, TwitterFind Roxane: Website, Email ListIf you wish to support our apostolate, Hear and Now Podcast, your donations are greatly appreciated. You can make a contribution by visiting our support...
2022-11-1551 min