141 The Husband & the Hermit: A Powerful Story of Saving Love
The Art of Catholic with Matthew Leonard
Matthew Leonard
4.9 • 831 Ratings
🗓️ 24 October 2024
⏱️ 69 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of the Art of Catholic, Matthew Leonard is joined by author Kevin Wells, who shares the powerful story of his wife Krista's battle with alcoholism, the impact it had on his spiritual life - and the incredible redemption God brought through the figure of a saintly priest.
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🔵 Watch my last interview with Kevin Wells, Priest & Beggar: The Jaw-Dropping Story of Venerable Father Aloysius Schwartz, here: https://youtu.be/TJpXJmyW4Bg
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00:00 Introduction: Pain and Redemption
01:27 Kevin Wells: Author and Advocate
04:16 The Journey of Writing 'The Hermit'
10:23 Facing Addiction: Kevin's Family Struggles
18:07 The Role of Father Flum
24:25 Patience in the Face of Suffering
30:08 The Power of Prayer and Hope
35:21 The Journey into the Interior Castle
38:30 The Role of Prayer in Healing
41:43 The Maternal Influence of Mary
44:11 Confession and the Power of Priests
49:54 Practical Advice for Spouses in Crisis
55:42 Patience and Trust in God's Plan
01:00:00 Hope and Redemption in Christ
About this Episode:
Have you ever been in a seemingly hopeless situation? A situation so dire that you despaired of ever seeing change or healing?
Many of us have been there...or are there right now.
Addiction, divorce, unfaithfulness, father wounds, mother wounds, abuse, hardened hearts, and a host of other painful issues are constantly manifesting themselves in our lives.
And while different situations present different challenges, the underlying truth remains the same.
Namely, that no matter how bad things may look, God is faithful and in control.
It's certainly not always easy to see, but it's the truth.
Just ask my guest on today's Art of Catholic podcast.
Author Kevin Wells found himself in a seemingly hopeless situation when his wife's alcoholism began to tear their lives apart.
But as he trudged through years of pain, Kevin gradually learned to rest his head on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and allow himself to be stripped bare like Christ on the Cross.
And eventually, through the miraculous intervention of a saintly priest, his wife was healed, his family was redeemed, and his pain was turned into joy.
Full of heartache, struggle, hope, and healing it's a story you need to hear.
In this podcast, Kevin shares powerful insights about:
- The crucial role of patience in the face of dire situations.
- Why prayer is our refuge in the face of intense suffering and despair
- What he would differently if he could go back to when it first began
- St. Teresa of Avila's guidance in the face of pain
- Practical advice for dealing with extremely difficult situations
- And more...
Get ready to hear a powerful story of pain, bondage, and finally, exhilarating redemption, that puts on full display the love, mercy and power of God to overcome any situation - no matter how difficult.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is the art of Catholic. |
| 0:05.6 | If you found yourself in a seemingly hopeless family or personal situation because of addiction, |
| 0:17.3 | broken relationships, abandonment issues, or whatever heartache you're enduring, this |
| 0:22.1 | episode is for you because you're about to hear a powerful story of pain, bondage, and finally exhilarating redemption that puts on full display the love and |
| 0:31.5 | mercy and power of God to overcome any situation no matter how difficult. Welcome to the art of |
| 0:38.3 | Catholic, I'm Matthew Leonard and my guest today is author Kevin Wells who's been on the show |
| 0:43.2 | previously discussing father |
| 0:45.5 | al Shorts, venerable father al Shorts, |
| 0:48.0 | and his incredible worldwide missions work. |
| 0:50.2 | In fact, Kevin is still very intensely involved |
| 0:52.2 | with the Sisters of Mary and helps them |
| 0:54.5 | with all of their incredible mission activity. |
| 0:57.6 | And you can read about the work that they're doing there. |
| 1:01.7 | And let's fight, listen to the episode |
| 1:02.9 | that Kevin and I did about his book, |
| 1:04.8 | about father Al, called Priest and Beggar, |
| 1:07.2 | the heroic life of Venerable Alawish as Schwartz. |
| 1:10.0 | Kevin has also written others like the priest we need to save the church |
| 1:14.5 | and burst a story of God's grace when life falls apart. |
| 1:18.5 | So he's a prolific author. |
| 1:19.9 | I think he's one of the best out there. I've told him before, I don't think anybody writes a story |
| 1:25.4 | as well as Kevin. |
... |
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