About the show

The Heart of the Ark podcast is an initiative from the Office for Evangelization in the Archdiocese of Newark. We're coming to you to bring knowledge and courage as we voyage through this life as missionary disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Hosted by Fr. John Gordon, Director of the Office for Evangelization and Secretary of Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Newark, and Jennifer Behnke, Associate Director of Evangelization, our aim is to help equip our listeners to better know, love and serve God.

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Episodes

  • Episode 56: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 5 - Why are you here, Elijah?

    March 14th, 2025  |  14 mins 30 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Pope Francis asks us to contemplate a return to the hearts the integrated part of our being, that fully encapsulates all that we are. Beyond any one system of study, we are a complex human being fully integrated as soul, and body, with mind, spirit, thought, will and emotional capabilities. At the center of this authentic, unique system is the fundamental heart of a human.

  • Episode 55: "The Lord wants you to know that He is yours, and He wants to know- Will you be His?"

    March 12th, 2025  |  40 mins 16 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Jen speaks with Sr. Rita Clare and Sr. Sarah Rose of the Franciscan Sisters T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother about their conversion to discipleship, vocation call and giving your life to Jesus. Sr. Rita Clare shares her powerful personal call to be Christ's spouse. Sr. Sarah Rose speaks to us about developing a prayer life that fits our own way of being so that we can remain connected to Christ as we encounter others.

  • Episode 54: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 4 - Returning to the Heart

    March 7th, 2025  |  14 mins 33 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Pope Francis asks us to contemplate a return to the heart in the midst of a world that no longer recognizes authenticity or the need for an interior life, in order to recognize ourselves and be able to grow intimacy with others.

  • Episode 53: "It's not about the color or the nationality, it's about loving God" with Rahsaan Garlin

    March 4th, 2025  |  25 mins 55 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    "It's not about the color or the nationality, it's about loving God" with Rahsaan Garlin, Coordinator of African American, African and Caribbean Apostolate in the Archdiocese of Newark speaks with Jen about the importance of representation, and assisting Black families in building community to create strong families of faith for the younger generations.

  • Episode 52: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 3 - Like Grandma's cookies

    February 28th, 2025  |  11 mins 26 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Pope Francis continues with the symbolic meaning of the heart as a locus of sincerity. He asks us questions about the nature of the way we see ourselves authentically, and how we live in the world.

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    Episode 51: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 2

    February 21st, 2025  |  14 mins 15 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    In the first Chapter of Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis traces the historical and philosophical idea of the heart as locus of reason and desire that forms the core of being of a human. We explore Chapter 1 - Paragraphs 2-4.

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    Episode 50: Dilexit Nos in a Year - How is this going to work?

    February 20th, 2025  |  17 mins 45 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    It is through the Dilexit Nos in a Year from the Heart of the Ark, that we will seek to ask questions and pray together that Jesus Christ may do the transformative work in our hearts necessary to move from initiated believer, to abiding discipleship, to dwelling place of the spirit which serves in sacrificial self-gift.

  • Episode 49: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Why do it?

    February 19th, 2025  |  15 mins 5 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Dilexit Nos in a Year - Why read it? Why did Pope Francis write it? What does it have to do with Evangelization?

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    Episode 48: Dilexit Nos in a Year - What is it?

    February 18th, 2025  |  10 mins 45 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Dilexit Nos, We Are His Witnesses, and the spiritual and communal work of responding to the heartbeat of Jesus.

  • Episode 47: Dilexit Nos in a Year - Session 1

    February 14th, 2025  |  9 mins
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    The Title of Dilexit Nos comes directly from this passage of the first letter of John Chapter 4, verse 10. “He Loved Us”. A meditation for the beginning of the year ahead with the Title and paragraph 1 of Pope Francis's Encyclical Dilexit Nos.

  • Episode 46: Ep 46: Live life well - A Story of Resilience in Adversity with Howard Walker

    December 17th, 2024  |  33 mins 17 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Jen visits Dr. Howard Walker, a Catholic husband and father, and elementary school principal and educator who wants to spread wisdom for resilience in the face of adversity. Dr. Walker has struggled with his own childhood trauma and has learned from his own life and career some tips for learning to persevere despite grief. CONTENT WARNING - this episode covers discussion of childhood trauma and abuse, mental illness, self-harm and suicide. Sensitive listeners please be aware.

  • Episode 45: Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room - A case for taking Advent spiritually seriously

    November 25th, 2024  |  31 mins 53 secs
    beauty, catholic, church, evangelization, goodness, ministry, mission, prayer, service, truth

    Fr. John and Jen discuss the ways in which we can better prepare for the coming joy of Christmas by fully embracing the Advent practices and prayer time that can help us ready our hearts for the Nativity.