The Family Room (The Quest)

Join co-hosts Mari Cleveland from St. Jude the Apostle and John Gordon and Craig Wesemeyer from St. Peter Chanel as they speak with authors, theologians, and local priests and lay leaders to provide your family encouragement, resources, and hope. Enjoy heartfelt stories and engaging conversations with Catholics who are excited to share their life experiences and acquired wisdom to help your family continue to live out your faith with joy.

Jamie & Andy Oreffice, founders of Catholic Adopt Project


Jamie and Andy Oreffice are a couple on a mission - both were successful career people when they decided Jamie would leave the working world to raise a family. Two children later, they moved to Georgia and stumbled upon a strong Catholic community of people who loved living their faith. Their story is not unlike many in that they were born Catholic, but were picking and choosing what they wanted to believe rather than following what the Church perennially taught. One choice was their decision to limit their number of children. Later, God opened their hearts to adoption, and they now have two more children.

Adopting is a daunting process which can take over six years, and they realized that without a strong support system, adoption can be filled with roadblocks. Their ministry, Catholics Adopt Project, came from their desire to create a community whereby couples could find the support they crave when seeking to adopt. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, the Catholic Adopt Project gathers resources to assist families with their adoption process.

Andy’s career spans the corporate and entrepreneurial world where he successfully managed companies and now consults part-time and works on their new ministry. Jamie traveled the world as a technology consultant, designing large networks. After retiring from the business world, she continued to apply her management skills through volunteer positions as a director of admissions at her children’s school as well as sitting on the boards of a foster care review board in Arizona, and an adoption agency, and an acting school. Their four children are ages 28, 25, 16, and 13.

Resources

Sep 4, 2024

Kevin Matthews, iconic radio personality, husband, dad, grandad and author


Many people don’t understand Our Blessed Mother, but few can deny the power of a mother’s love. Kevin Matthews stumbled upon a broken statue of Mary in a filthy dumpster, and it changed his life.

Introduced to radio in college, Kevin was hooked after subbing for a friend on the student-run station. He stuck with it and became a three-time Radio Hall of Fame nominee while working at AM 1000 Loop Radio in Chicago.

Understanding we are all broken, Kevin shares a touching story about finding this broken statue of Mary and deciding to keep her broken because it echoed his own brokenness.

On a dare from a priest, Kevin stepped into a role of presenting Mary’s statue at talks, asking people to “take Mary to the broken” – anywhere that broken people could be touched by her. People would write about miracles they received and Kevin’s first book, Broken Mary, was born.

In his book, Mary’s Roadie, Kevin shares his travels on the road, using Mary’s broken statue to draw broken people to God.

Kevin Matthews is one of the most recognized radio personalities in broadcasting, having been named to the all-time list of Top Twenty Radio Personalities. He will soon be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

Kevin is married to Deborah, and they have two grown children and four grandchildren.

Resources

Tracy Winsor, wife, mother, grandmother, and ministry founder


Few things will knock the wind out of your sails like a cancer diagnosis – except maybe a terminal cancer diagnosis. Tracy Winsor had been thoroughly content raising six sons and managing a highly-acclaimed non-profit when she received the diagnosis of stage-four metastatic breast cancer in 2022.

Your whole world stops at moments like these as you want desperately to find that it’s not true. Tracy shares how a priest’s statement during Confession became the key to a profound change in how she saw her diagnosis. As she says, you can become so desperate looking for an angel that you miss God.

Instead, she stresses that in difficult moments, focus on God, not what you think you need from God. With incredible humor, listen as Tracy lays out some of the powerful answers that have helped her reframe the hard stuff, taking the focus off death so that she can truly learn to live the best life she can, for however long God allows her to live it.

Tracy was the straggler in a family of four with her older siblings already in their mid-teens when she was born. As a result, she was raised as an only child with mom and grandma teaching her how to embrace her Catholic faith. Tracy graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL, with a double major in Psychology and English. She later earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Aside from their six sons, Tracy and John recently added their sixth grandchild. They also have two babies in heaven.

Resources

  • Be Not Afraid – www.BeNotAfraid.net - Extensive information for those interested in learning about prenatal diagnoses and trauma-informed-care.
  • The Family Room – Be Not Afraid! which aired July 17, 2024
  • If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of The Boat by John Ortberg. This book was mentioned by Tracy as instrumental in her journey.
Aug 21, 2024

Cassie Everts, wife, mom, author, and speaker


The loss of a child through miscarriage or stillbirth is devastating. Yet it’s one of the few forbidden topics still prevalent today. What do you say to someone in this situation? How do you help them grieve?

Cassie Everts lost her first child just one year after her wedding. Two more miscarriages quickly followed and although Cassie and her husband had a deep and loving relationship with one another and God, they learned that surrender was a process. They also learned men and women grieve differently.

As their pain lessened, God placed it on their hearts to consider adoption. After a 3-year process, their first two sons came to them via Ghana. Surprisingly, not long after, Cassie became pregnant and four more children were born within a handful of years.

Cassie describes the fruits of this journey in the book she co-wrote, Heaven’s Nursery: Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Loss in the Lives of the Saints & Today’s Parents. Listen as Cassie reveals touching lessons which became her roadmap for others.

Cassie and her husband are the parents of five children in heaven and six at home. She was raised Catholic, attended Catholic elementary and high schools, and holds undergraduate degrees in Theology and Communication Arts from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. She is a contributing writer at many Catholic publications, including CatholicMom.com. Before becoming a full-time mom, she was a radio producer in Catholic radio for nine years.

Resources

After getting a DUI in college, Jeff Schiefelbein chose to create rather than complain when God gave him a 20-year vision. That vision helped Jeff launch “Carpool,” the nation’s largest college safe-ride program and the first of many successful businesses.

Although a cradle Catholic who never wandered, lukewarm catechesis made Jeff yearn for something deeper. In his late 20’s he realized that everything removed from God and without substance felt shallow and unsatisfying. He wanted more.

That thirst for God drove Jeff to illuminate principles he discovered were universal. They worked for all humans in all relationships. He realized that if you create a culture where adults are given dignity and respect, working towards a shared vision without losing accountability, magic can happen. Encouraging people to live out these principles at home can become transformational to families, not just businesses.

This became the bedrock of Undivided Life, a strategy and culture consulting firm which uses Catholic Social Teachings to achieve healthy growth and workplace excellence in every culture. An Undivided Life is a counter-cultural life.

Biography

Jeff has received numerous accolades for his business prowess. Most notably, the National Points of Light Award in 2002 and the Texas A&M University Distinguished Young Alumni Award. His companies have also appeared dozens of times on prestigious lists.

Jeff earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas A&M University. He serves on several nonprofit boards, including The Highlands School and The Catholic Foundation.

Jeff co-hosts a live Catholic radio show on the Guadalupe Radio Network, and a weekly podcast called the BeatiDUDES. He lives in Coppell, Texas, with his wife Amanda and their seven kids.

Resources

David Hancharik, engineer, husband, father, ministry leader


David and Nina Hancharik are parents to eleven children, ages 34 to 2. Their autistic son, Seth, caused a watershed moment in their parenting as David readily admits, “Autism is a monumental challenge.” Though challenging, David insists God never makes mistakes, believing a major reason these kids have challenges is because God has chosen them to be part of our own sanctification process. Universally, people mistake nonverbal behavior as a lack of comprehension, but it’s becoming clear they don’t lack language; they lack speech. A communication method called “Spelling to Communicate,” or S2C, was developed whereby nonverbal students are taught to spell using a letter board. After learning this process for one week at age 7, Seth came home writing stories and working with 4-digit numbers. His parents suddenly realized they’d been raising a very bright child who was trapped in his body. Now 16, Seth communicates using a keyboard.

David Hancharik grew up in rural Bucks County, Pennsylvania, as one of five children in a Catholic family. Although he enjoyed being Catholic, in college he drifted away from Catholicism. He and his wife, Nina, were Presbyterian, but both were interested in theology and studied their way back into the Church. David has been an engineer in the satellite engineering industry for 40 years and credits Nina with maintaining a beautiful domestic church where every family vacation is a pilgrimage of some sort! David leads the Disabilities Apostolate at St. Monica’s Church in Duluth, Georgia.

Resources

Jul 31, 2024

Bart Schuchts, founder of “Church On Fire” ministry, speaker, retreat presenter


The mission of the Holy Spirit is to take the spark of our Baptism and infuse us with an energy best described as a burning fire. Most of us ignore this mission until a personal crisis draws us to the flame. Born the sixth of seven children in what he jokes was the “perfect” Catholic family, Bart Schuchts admits he blindly followed his siblings through the process of receiving the sacraments, oblivious to their power. By college he walked away from God while pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL. After the dream crashed, Bart had a powerful encounter with God who declared “I am your Father.” The Lord asked him to help equip the Church through a move of the Holy Spirit, but he still wandered in ecumenical circles. Then in 2010, Bart started “Church On Fire,” a retreat ministry committed to transforming God’s Church through the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Bart Schuchts has also been associated with the John Paul II Healing Center since its inception. Bart has conducted over 200 life-transforming events across the U.S .and has been in ministry across the body of Christ for over 30 years. Bart is married to Brooke, and they have four children: Hannah, Gabrielle, Kailey, and Joshua.

Resources

  • Church On Fire: https://churchonfire.live/
  • Church On Fire Retreat at Our Lady of the Mountains in Jasper, Georgia (https://www.olmjasper.org/): Thursday and Friday evenings, August 8 and 9, 6-8 p.m., and Saturday, August 10, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. - $80 for the weekend; Thursday & Friday only - $50; Saturday only - $40 (Scroll down on home page for events and to register.)
  • John Paul II Healing Center: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/ The JPII Healing Center’s mission is to embody the teachings of St. John Paul II by bringing restoration & healing into the lives of those seeking a deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ.

Mike and Alicia Hernon, parents of 10 children and co-founders of The Messy Family Project


Mike and Alicia Hernon share their joyful wisdom borne from the experience of parenting ten children and creating resources to empower moms and dads to embrace their calling. Hear discussions on four key principles of parenting, parenting as a team, the role of grandparents, and the importance of “family culture.” As Mike and Alicia say, “We serve messy families! We believe that being a good parent starts with being a great spouse. But being a good parent or even a great spouse is hard, messy work. And we’re not meant to do it alone! So, join us on this journey, because we believe that not only is marriage and family life a path to holiness, but it’s an incredible adventure!”

Resources

  • Find a unique variety of resources offered through The Messy Family Project website including family retreats, The Family Board Room course, free resources, blogs, and podcasts.
  • Join in on The Messy Family Project “Play and Pray Challenge” in June 2023 culminating on June 16, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Jul 17, 2024

Tracy Winsor, wife, mother, grandmother, and ministry co-founder


The joy of a pregnancy can dissolve when parents are told prenatal testing may have uncovered a genetic defect. While these tests are meant to screen rather than diagnose, they become a defining moment for parents. Tracy Winsor was one of those mothers and it changed her life forever. Not because of despair, but because it became the catalyst for a unique ministry called “Be Not Afraid,” which she co-founded with Sandy Buck in 2008.

Increasingly, the medical community recommended terminating these pregnancies, giving parents little time to think. If they wanted to allow God to decide the length and quality of their child’s life, resources were literally nonexistent. “Be Not Afraid” was their response. Tracy explains, “These parents think they have a medical crisis that requires a medical solution. We respond with trauma-informed care.” This care teaches parents how to advocate for their child.

In 2023 “Be Not Afraid” realized the need was greater than their reach and developed curriculum to teach other organizations how to provide their service of care to parents. To date, a dozen organizations have taken their training.

Raised by her mother and grandmother, Tracy always had a Catholic identity. The mother of six boys and two babies in heaven, Tracy is expecting her sixth grandchild shortly. Using her undergrad degree in Public Administration, Tracy was able to secure a seat at the table to advocate for these babies and their parents.

Resources

Nick Bernhard, husband, father, and ministry leader


Today’s culture portrays fathers as either tyrannical or weak, resulting in many young men throwing up their hands, unwilling to tackle conflicting expectations. It’s understandable, but we’ve come to realize that weak men create weak families. Lacking a strong father figure, Nick Bernhard admits that although he went to Catholic schools, he didn’t grow up Catholic. The culture called, and he followed.

The birth of his first child caused Nick to begin responding to nudges of the Holy Spirit through his wife, Catherine. Her return to the Church was his first step, drawing him gently toward God. By taking advantage of opportunities for spiritual growth, Nick realized men need to step into their role as leaders of their family, saying, “If you can get to the men, you can get to the families.”

Nick and Catherine now lead the Holy Family Ministry created to bring families together and build community through social and spiritual events. Listen as Nick explains the ministry and the importance of strong fathers who lead their families with vulnerability and humility.

Nick was born in 1990, and his father committed suicide when he was 18 months old. His mother remarried when he was three, and his stepfather introduced him to Catholicism, although it was not practiced in the home. Nick has been married to his wife, Catherine, for 12 years and they have 5 children, ages 11 down to 2. They’ve moved several times, most recently from central Missouri to the mountains of north Georgia. Nick is co-chair of the Pastoral Council at their parish, Our Lady of the Mountains, in Jasper, Georgia, and works full-time as a project engineer in the construction chemical industry.

Resources

  • The Holy Family Ministry at Our Lady of the Mountains. Each month the ministry offers family-centered events designed to build community. For more information, visit the website or email OLMHolyFamily@OLMJasper.org
  • Bart Schuchts, founder of Church on Fire, August 8-10, 2024, at Our Lady of the Mountains, for a weekend filled with encountering our Heavenly Father’s love through the fire of The Holy Spirit.
  • That Man is You! honestly addresses the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, especially those relating to their roles as husbands and fathers. Visit the website for more information and to find a program at parishes throughout the United States.

Fr. Robert J. Altier, author and priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota


In the amazing book, God’s Plan for Your Marriage: An Exploration of Holy Matrimony from Genesis to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, inspired by the Holy Spirit and recommended by faithful leaders including Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke and Dr. Bob Schuchts, Fr. Robert Altier gives us a powerful weapon to use in the current battle being waged against marriage. Join us as we discuss this new book with Fr. Altier and experience what Dr. Schuchts describes below:

“In our culture, which champions self-centered and disposable ‘love,’ this book, God’s Plan for Your Marriage, is a breath of fresh air. From beginning to end, it is filled with wisdom. As I read through it, I was awed by Fr. Altier’s insights into Sacred Scripture, the Church’s teaching, and Theology of the Body. As I read through the book, I was deeply challenged and convicted of my own self-centeredness throughout the years of my marriage. This book is desperately needed in our time. Everyone who is married, or planning to marry, needs to read this. It will save them much heartache. This book will also be a source of healing for those who have gone through the pains of divorce or broken relationships. Finally, this book should be required reading for marital therapists and for everyone who helps prepare couples for marriage.” — Bob Schuchts, Founder of the John Paul II Healing Center

Fr. Robert Altier is a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota. He was ordained in 1989 and is currently the parochial vicar at the Church of the Holy Trinity in South St. Paul. Fr. Altier taught the comprehensive, sixty-part catechetical series Beauty, Truth, Goodness: The Fundamentals of Catholicism, which has been aired on eight Catholic television networks throughout North America, Mexico, and Central America. He has been a frequent contributor on Relevant Radio.

Resources

Susan Milani, Parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, Georgia


Raised in a very Jewish home in Charleston, South Carolina, Susan is the only child of immigrant parents, a Polish Jewish survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and a German Jewish escapee from East Germany. Through beautiful experiences and people Susan encountered from a young age, God wooed her into the Catholic Church. Susan lives her faith out loud in practical and winsome ways that draws others to Jesus and the Catholic Church. Her witness encourages us to step into opportunities to evangelize in our everyday lives.

Susan and her husband Bob are parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, GA ,and own the Lazy Labrador Coffee House in downtown Kennesaw where they offer God’s love to all who enter.

Scripture

  • Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”

Fr. Greg Markey, Head Chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College


The Camino de Santiago, or “Way of St. James,” is an extensive network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and coming together at his tomb in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Begun in the year 814, original pilgrims started from their homes, creating this network of pathways to Santiago. Making his journey in gratitude for ten years as a priest, Fr. Greg Markey deliberately wore his collar to spark conversation as he walked 500 miles from France to Santiago. Meeting fellow pilgrims, Father discovered most were at a crossroads in life. Often compelling, he began writing stories and sending them back to his parishioners from local internet cafés along the route.

Once home, he discovered his stories had been shared far and wide. Eventually a publisher convinced him to write a book of the stories along with lessons he learned on the Camino. Now in its second printing, Father Markey believes Discovering the Camino de Santiago has been popular because it’s the story of everyday people hearing God speak to them through a priest.

The youngest of 11 children from a close-knit Catholic family, Father Markey graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1991 with a degree in Political Science and two minors: one in Philosophy and one in Math. He began his seminary training at St. John Fischer for the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and then graduated from Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a Masters in Divinity. Celebrating his 25th anniversary in 2024, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bridgeport in 1999. Father Markey is currently the Head Chaplain at Thomas Aquinas College in Northfield, Massachusetts.

Resources

Bear Woznick, EWTN host, world-champion surfer, certified Ninja black belt


Many men today find it difficult to pinpoint what being a father means. Nobody gave them an instruction manual when they were young, so their definitions are all over the map. Bear Woznick beautifully ties together both Biblical virtues and common-sense guideposts to help men navigate the choppy waters of manhood in his book, 12 Rules for Manliness. With Bear’s classic masculine spirituality, today he calls out fathers as the point of the spear in our culture today.

Challenging men to find the breach our culture’s walls, Bear makes no bones about the need for men to step into the breach, even when it’s difficult. As Bear says, “The breaches in our walls go right through our family room.” Listen up as he explains why men need to be dangerous again - not by being opinionated, but by becoming the light on the hill to lead their families and communities to safety.

Bear Woznick is a world-champion surfer, certified ninja black belt, and sought-after speaker. He is the host of EWTN’s The Bear Woznick Adventure and a motorcycle-based, immersive reality-show series called Long Road Home.

A Benedictine oblate, Bear is the author of several books and, along with his wife, Cindy, navigate “Spirit of Adventure Ministries” where men can join Bear in his Man Cave and learn more about his “School of Manliness” which is a 3-year course for fathers and sons. Wives can join Cindy in her Momma Bears’ hangout.

Resources

PennyKay Hoeflinger, abuse survivor and advocate

Born into a poor family in rural Wyoming, PennyKay Hoeflinger was raped by a fellow student when she was only 6. Dismissed by authority figures, her life eventually spiraled into addiction, witchcraft, and human trafficking.

In 1987 a traveling pastor at a truck stop helped rescue PennyKay. Seeking food, she visited his mobile chapel where he knew that if PennyKay left, she would be lost forever. He quickly mobilized hundreds of hidden prayer warriors and, in hindsight, Miss Penny readily admits that “Jesus Christ decided it was time for me to come out of that world and shed that skin.”

Since then, PennyKay has lived her life to save others from trafficking. Teaming up with her friend, Sylvia Dorham, they have co-written several books and travel the country educating families and communities about human trafficking. Their goal is to make people aware of how trafficking affects everyone, knowing education is the key to making it unthinkable.

PennyKay’s background and experience:

  • Founder & President, Coffee House Farm, LLC
  • Active Member (and Parliamentarian) in Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Shepherd University – B.A. in Psychology
  • Kaplan University – M.S. Business/Healthcare
  • Masters in Psychology – Applied Psychology

Resources

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