In this episode, Mari Wagner welcomes Jaina, a small Catholic business owner from January Jane Shop, to discuss the significance of saints in the Catholic faith. Jaina shares her journey of faith, the inspirations from saints, and practical ways to incorporate devotions to saints in daily life. With personal anecdotes and experiences, Jaina highlights the importance of viewing saints as companions and cheerleaders in our spiritual journey. The conversation also covers the theological distinction between worshiping God and venerating saints, offering insights to both Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

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Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/januaryjaneshop/

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Hey, I'm your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to the ever be

2

podcast where faith meets lifestyle.

3

I'm so excited you're here, whether you're

a new listener or a longtime follower,

4

I know there's something here for you.

5

Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful real life conversations

6

and actionable steps on how to claim

the full life God created you for.

7

If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ centered life in today's

8

modern world, then this is for you.

9

Welcome to Ever Be.

10

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Hey friends.

11

Happy Wednesday.

12

We're back again on ever be and this

time with a super special guest, a dear

13

friend of mine and a fellow, uh, small

Catholic business owner, Instagram girly.

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We have so much in common and I'm so

glad that we've been able to get to know

15

each other more over the past few years.

16

So Jaina, why don't you go

ahead and introduce yourself?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Awesome.

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Hi everyone.

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And Mari, thank you so much for having me.

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So fun to be here.

21

Um, yeah, my name is Jaina and I also

live in Colorado, um, Colorado Springs.

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I am a Catholic wife.

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I'm married to, um, a

wonderful man named Tim.

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Um, we've lived here in Colorado

for about five years, um, which

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is around the time that I.

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started my business called January Jane

Shop, and the start, or the, maybe the,

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the popularity of my business actually,

um, started because of the saints.

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I, um, when I opened my shop, I had a

handful of my art prints and then these

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saint Polaroid prints, which are pretty

much just, they look like Polaroid

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pictures, but they have Instead of a

photo of, you know, your friends that

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you know, it's a photo of a saint.

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And, um, yeah, those really

took off, um, five years ago.

33

And since my shop has just

evolved into more of a Catholic

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lifestyle boutique, um, I love it.

35

It's really fun.

36

That's been my full time job for

the last, um, yeah, five years.

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And, um, other than that, I,

yeah, I'm a cradle Catholic, um,

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grew up in a big Catholic family.

39

I love my faith.

40

Um, I have loved the saints

since I was a young girl.

41

So definitely excited to

share more about that.

42

And, um, to talk about,

yeah, how awesome they are.

43

So,

44

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yes, I'm so excited.

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I was telling Jana before we clicked

record here that I immediately thought

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of her when I knew I wanted to do a

podcast episode on the Saints because

47

in my personal faith journey, you know,

I've, I've been a cradle Catholic,

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you know, I was a cradle Catholic

and I've been Catholic my whole life.

49

But the saints weren't a very like

integral part of my personal faith.

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And I feel like it hasn't really

been until like the past year or so

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that I've really felt a desire to

nudge, to really like dive into like,

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what can I learn from the saints?

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Who are these amazing

role models that we have?

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How can I have a relationship with them?

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Um, and I think that they're, you know,

Catholics and not, there's people that,

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are just maybe intimidated by the saints

and maybe don't have a full understanding

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of like what their role is in our

lives or, you know, are intimidated

58

by the fact that they are saints.

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So we have this idea that they

were just these like perfect

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people that never sinned.

61

Um, and that's why they're in heaven.

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And I know that's far from the truth.

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And so I'm excited to talk today about.

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The saints, how do we befriend them?

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How do we have relationships with them

and how can we be inspired by them?

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Um, and I know that Jaina has

so much to share here and has

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just such a love for the saints.

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So she was a perfect guest to bring on.

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Um, so let's just kick it off.

70

Why are the saints such an integral

part of our Catholic faith?

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What do you feel like, what kind of

role do they play and why does the

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church really encourage us to have

devotions to saints in the first place?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

yeah, so I am no theologian,

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but, um, I think one important

thing to recognize is that.

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the saints are a very, um, important

part of the mystical body of Christ.

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And when we talk about the mystical

body of Christ, um, we're talking

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about like three main categories, which

is the church suffering, the people

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in purgatory, the church militant,

which is all of us here on earth.

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And then the church triumphant,

um, who are the saints, people who,

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um, lived a life here on earth.

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And then.

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Went on to be in heaven.

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So they when we talk about the kingdom

of God we're also talking about the

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Saints and I think the church really

encourages devotion to them because

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Because they are such wonderful models

for us who are trying to figure out

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how to apply, um, the gospel to our

lives and we get to see how they did

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it and how beautifully they did it.

88

And that's not to say they did it

perfectly or successfully, but, um,

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the church does encourage us to look

to them as role models in our faith.

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Obviously Jesus is our primary role model.

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Um, and he's a superstar and

You know, he was perfect.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

also where it's really beneficial to

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actually have some human examples of

people who who were trying to get to

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heaven who were not to the son of god,

you know Who um had to walk and deal

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with the same temptations that we all

have to face um, so Yeah, I think Yeah,

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the saints are just You I mean, we're

going to talk more about that, but, um,

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I think the church recognizes how useful

it is for us to look to their example.

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Um, so yeah, I think they're just

such a treasure to learn from.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm hmm.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

know it, sometimes it takes people a long

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time to realize that, but they truly are.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, absolutely.

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And I, maybe we can get into it too, as

we talk about different saints and stuff

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like that, but I think one thing that's

been helpful for me is when I actually

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learn more about a saint and I begin

to see maybe similarities in our lives,

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or even just like, like, like you said,

like just the humanity in their life of

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like, oh, they struggled with anxiety.

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Oh, like, yeah.

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They had a super crazy party life before

they converted, you know, you read these

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things and you're like, Oh, and yet

they became saints and got to heaven.

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So like, there's some really like

tangible things we can learn from and it

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gives us a lot of hope as well of like,

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: it's to

be a saint doesn't mean that you

116

are like sinless from the time of

birth till the time that you die.

117

Um, and we can learn that

from, from the saints.

118

So yeah.

119

In case there may be people who are

really new to the saints or maybe people

120

who aren't catholic that are listening

Uh christian brothers and sisters.

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Can you kind of give us an explanation?

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What is the difference between worshiping

god and venerating a saint because we know

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as catholics, we're not Worshiping saints.

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Uh, we're not worshiping mary So how do we

kind of like differentiate how we approach

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god and how we approach the saints

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

127

Yeah.

128

So I am actually going to pull from the

Catechism for this because I think it's

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just important to be really specific.

130

_1_12-09-2024_150214: amazing?

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

then we can talk a little bit further.

132

But this is from paragraph

957 in the Catechism.

133

And part of that says that Exactly as

Christian communion among our fellow

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pilgrims brings us closer to Christ.

135

So just as like fellowship with

other Christians in our real

136

life brings us closer to Christ.

137

Our communion with the saints joins us

Christ from whom as from its fountain

138

and head issues all grace and the

life of the people of God itself.

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And then there's a sub paragraph that

says we worship Christ as God's son.

140

We love the martyrs as the Lord's

disciples and imitators and rightly

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so because of their matchless

devotion toward their king and master.

142

May we also be their companions

and fellow disciples.

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So that says specifically we worship

Christ, but we love the saints.

144

Like we have affection for them.

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we, we honor them.

146

We think they're worthy of imitation.

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So We revere them.

148

Um, but that's not the same as worship.

149

Um, I think we do treat the saints,

or at least I have in my life, um, as

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real friends, um, and people who are

accompanying us on our journey to heaven.

151

And so I think, yeah, there, that's

just a very clear distinction.

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Um, We're not, you know,

we're not worshiping them.

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We're not idolizing them.

154

Um, I'm sure it's possible for

people to idolize them, but that's

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not what the church encourages.

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Um, it's really just

using them as examples.

157

Um, and I always like to

call them my cheerleaders.

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Like I love to imagine them in heaven

cheering for me because they're there.

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know what I'm doing.

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They They can see my struggles

and they can relate to the

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struggles that I'm going through.

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And, um, and they want us

to be with them, you know?

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

like, they want to help us.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: totally

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

we talk about intercession, um, it's,

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that's also very similar to asking one

of your best friends to pray for you

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when you're struggling with a certain

sin, or can you hold me accountable?

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Or, um, I have this.

170

You know, really big event coming up.

171

I'm really nervous about

can you pray for me?

172

Or i'm, you know, I have this diagnosis.

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That's really difficult.

174

I'm struggling with hope.

175

Can you pray for me?

176

And that's exactly what we ask the

saints to do for us and because we

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believe that they're in heaven And

because we believe they're closer to

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jesus than our friends on earth are Um,

we believe that their intercession is

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all the more powerful because of that

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: That

was beautifully explained.

181

Thank you.

182

One thing that I loved, um, that you

pulled from the catechism there, I don't

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know that I've read that paragraph and

if you have it open still, correct me

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if I'm wrong, but I think it said that

like, we are their fellow or like, they're

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our fellow companions or like, we're

their fellow companions and disciples.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

187

_1_12-09-2024_150214: That is beautiful.

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I loved that it, Described it that

way because my very first, like,

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Saint friend was Saint Faustina.

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And she's probably the Saint that

I have, besides Mary, like, just

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like the closest relationship to.

192

Because during my reversion, like, six

years ago, I came across her diary.

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And that was at the same time that I

was just like, learning what prayer

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was, learning what it was like to have

a personal relationship with Jesus

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versus just like, A checkbox catholic

that just like went to mass once a week.

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You know what I mean?

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And I devoured Like every

page of that book st.

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Faustina's diary and I

mean don't get me wrong.

199

It's a huge

200

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

diary,

201

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Okay.

202

Okay.

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Well, I devoured, like,

hate, like, word by word.

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It's a huge book and I am only,

like, maybe halfway through,

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you know, six years later.

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It's going to take a

lifetime to get through.

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But I just remember, like, every

page was, like, so captivating to me.

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Because it showed me a way that

you could follow Jesus in a

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way that you could love Jesus.

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And what I always told people, I, I never

really felt like I had a mentor in faith.

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Like there was never anybody older than

me, like besides my parents, like there

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was never like an older sister or like a

friend that was a few years older than me

213

or a friend that was like more into their

faith than I was that could like guide me.

214

I didn't have missionaries

on my or anything like that.

215

And so when I started reading

this diary, I truly felt like St.

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Faustina was discipling me and I truly

felt like through learning about her and

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through hearing, like reading her prayer

and how she spoke to Jesus and like what

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she brought to him and how she developed

her relationship with him, like all these

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things, I was like, Oh, I can do that.

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I can approach Jesus this way.

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Like, I can talk to him this way.

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And I felt like really, there was this

like relationship of discipleship in that.

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jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: so.

225

And I was like, I don't know if this

is like theologically correct to say,

226

but I love hearing in the catechism

that's like, it's described that way.

227

Cause that's definitely

been an experience for me.

228

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

229

Absolutely.

230

That's so beautiful, all that.

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Yeah, that idea of her discipling you.

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I just love that image and I think

that's a very shared experience

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that people have with the saints of

like them becoming like their big

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brothers and big sisters in the faith.

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_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, totally.

236

And we hear these terms a lot of

like, Oh, like you said, like, I'm

237

friends with the saints, you know,

like they're my best saint friend.

238

Like, what does that really look

like in, in your faith life?

239

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

240

I mean, I think the word companionship

Friendship is perfect for that

241

because it's really like, almost

feels like there's a particular

242

saint that is journeying with you.

243

And think you develop friendship with

the saints, um, or a particular saint,

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you know, if you're talking about a

saint friend or a saint buddy, um.

245

Sometimes it happens because

you are drawn to them

246

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm.

247

Mm.

248

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

you know, maybe you find something

249

common with them and you feel like

you see part of yourself in them.

250

And then you start to develop a

relationship with them and you read,

251

you know, if there's a book available

about their life story or something

252

they wrote or a book about their

spirituality, Um, you just develop this

253

closeness with that particular person,

and because they're real and they, they

254

did live on this earth, like, I feel

like there's so much opportunity to, you

255

know, learn about their real life, and

then feel like you actually know them.

256

And now, with modern saints, we have

video footage of some saints who are

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in the process of being canonized.

258

Um, And so, you know, whether or not it's

a newer saint or an old saint, I think

259

it's, you know, having a saint friend

looks like, um, you know, learning about

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one particular saint and then asking

them to help you in the particular

261

situations that you find difficult

in your walk with the Lord, you know,

262

and asking for their intercession.

263

And I think when people do that, that bond

becomes stronger with that saint because

264

a lot of times they'll pray novena to that

saint and that saint will like send them

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a little god wink from heaven on the day

that their novena ended or they'll send

266

them little signs from heaven, which is

so beautiful and I think that that like

267

furthers your conviction that that saint

also in companionship with you like you're

268

not just looking to them, but they have

their eyes on you on earth and they have

269

you know, want to be close to you as well.

270

And they want, um, to walk with you.

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So friendship with the saints, I

think is, um, just so beautiful

272

and really can enrich, um, your

relationship with the Lord, because

273

I think that's the whole point too.

274

Like, I think it's important to

recognize that the whole point and

275

the church says this, that like,

Friendship with the Saints is really

276

the goal is to become closer to Christ.

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And because they're so close to Christ in

Heaven, like, getting to know them will

278

naturally bring you closer to the Lord.

279

Um, and naturally make you want

to grow in virtue and imitate

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the virtues that you see in them.

281

And, um, gosh, Saints like Saint

Faustina, I mean they, Jesus

282

appeared to her and spoke to her.

283

And so like in the process

of learning about St.

284

Faustina, you literally are

discovering things that the Lord

285

spoke prophetically through her.

286

And you're discovering about the

Lord, like so directly because

287

_1_12-09-2024_150214: So true.

288

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

spoke through her, you know?

289

So yeah.

290

Um, it's just beautiful.

291

I think

292

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

293

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

so much opportunity, um, and

294

becoming friends with the saints.

295

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

296

How did your journey begin?

297

Getting to know the saints?

298

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah, so as I mentioned,

299

I'm a cradle Catholic.

300

So grew up like I have a picture of

when I was, I don't know, probably

301

one years old, maybe six months old.

302

I don't even think I could walk.

303

And I'm dressed like as, I don't

even know what saint it was,

304

but I'm in the nun costume.

305

And like, I have a picture of myself when

I'm nine years old, dressed as a nun.

306

Elizabeth and Seton for the All

Saints Day parties at my church.

307

And, um, so I have very early memories

of, you know, my parents really

308

the saints to be our role models.

309

And I'm so thankful for that.

310

Um, my mom, she talks a lot about how

important it is for like adolescent

311

kids, like young teenagers to have

people outside of the church, parents

312

to look up to and to know, I think

at that age your parents aren't cool

313

anymore and like you need Cool people to

follow who are also following the lord.

314

Um, and

315

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Totally.

316

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

who make holiness attractive,

317

you know, and so Yeah, I think

it started at a very young age.

318

Um, But I think it was a lot

more simple when I was younger.

319

It was more like We learn about the

saints, we dress up as them for All

320

Saints Day, and, um, my mom was, you

know, like, an avid Novena prayer, so,

321

we were always praying different Novenas

to different saints, and asking them

322

to intercede for us, um, not all of us

were named after saints, surprisingly,

323

but, yeah, I think, of the first saints

I remember being very drawn to, I'm

324

pretty sure I was, I don't know, 13,

maybe even younger, but I started

325

learning about blessed Chiara Padano who

died of bone cancer at the age of 18.

326

And so she was this teenager who had

so much joy for the Lord and wanted to

327

offer all of our suffering for Jesus.

328

She literally declined the opportunity

to have morphine when she was

329

going through her chemotherapy.

330

Um, because she wanted to like

offer more for the Lord, but it

331

talked about how she was super fun.

332

She loved to sing.

333

She loved to dance.

334

She loved to play tennis.

335

Like I loved sports and she played

soccer and I was like, I play soccer.

336

And I, you know, like there was just,

I could see myself in her because she

337

was so young and she was beautiful.

338

And so I remember really bring being

drawn to her when I was, um, a teenager.

339

And then John Paul II also, he

passed away when I was, I think 14.

340

And he was someone my parents had,

know, they just loved John Paul II.

341

He became Pope when they, um,

the year that they got married.

342

And so my family loved John Paul II

and then he quickly became a saint.

343

And so, I don't know at

what point he was canonized.

344

I don't remember how old I was.

345

But, um, he was someone

who I really looked up to.

346

And St.

347

Gianna was the other one who, um,

my mom named our young, or at the

348

time it was our youngest sibling.

349

Um, she named her after St.

350

Gianna.

351

And there's this whole other story

that would take too long to tell

352

you about, um, my sister Gianna,

but I was really involved in the

353

pro life movement, um, in college.

354

And so St.

355

Gianna then became of, yeah, like I

said, a cheerleader for me because,

356

um, she, if people aren't familiar

with her story, I will say quickly,

357

um, Gianna was, Diagnosed with cancer

when she was pregnant with her daughter

358

and the doctor said, you know You can

have an abortion so that we can you

359

know Give you the treatment you need

to save your life and she said no I

360

want to carry my baby to term and give

life to my child first and she did

361

that and then Sadly did not survive.

362

And so she passed away and a lot of

pro life advocates really um Asked for

363

the intercession and mothers, um, asked

for the intercession of Saint Gianna.

364

So She, you know, just naturally she

became it was she was someone I was

365

already very aware of growing up and

then Um as I got involved in the pro

366

life movement, it just made sense Um to

kind of ask for her intercession through

367

all of that Um, so anyways Yeah, there

has been always been these saints that

368

like, just naturally feel like I'm drawn

to them for some reason and then after

369

reading more about their lives, um,

I'm more inspired and want to continue

370

to ask them to help me get to heaven.

371

So, yeah, there's, you know, I feel

like depending on the season of

372

life I'm in, it kind of changes.

373

when people ask me my favorite

saint is, I'm always like, know.

374

Like there are so many amazing ones

and I don't know if I could choose.

375

And I feel like I have a different

favorite saint every couple of

376

years, you know, um, like Chiara,

servant of God, Chiara Petrillo.

377

Um, she lost two babies, um, and then

got cancer during her third pregnancy.

378

And she had, she suffered a ton and like

she's someone as now that I'm married, um,

379

and desperately desire to have children,

like she, her mother, her journey was so

380

painful and filled with so much suffering.

381

And so like now she's someone who

has increasingly became, um, a good

382

friend to me in just like knowing

about her story and knowing that she

383

suffered a lot too in her vocation.

384

So

385

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

386

I've been really wanting to read her book.

387

Um, people say it's a

really wonderful book.

388

Um,

389

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

not recommend it enough.

390

It's

391

_1_12-09-2024_150214: think we have it.

392

I just haven't.

393

I'm such a bad reader.

394

Um, but I, that one is

definitely on my list.

395

Um, one thing I was going to say too, as

you were talking, thank you for sharing.

396

I mean, so beautiful to hear

just like specific saints and why

397

you have relationships with them

and why you're closest to them.

398

And one thing that came to mind

too, is that you hear how like the

399

saints like choose you sometimes.

400

To

401

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

402

_1_12-09-2024_150214: I know you're

saying like, sometimes it's, uh, easier

403

to build a relationship with the saint

because there's something you relate

404

to, or there's like something you're

struggling with that they struggled

405

with and that you can connect and

draw like strength from their story.

406

And sometimes I feel like the

saints just choose us as well.

407

And like certain saints, um, yeah,

either just, you know, you'll hear

408

the term like saints docking and like,

they'll pop up everywhere or they'll

409

just like, Choose you and what I have

been reflecting on to is when I chose

410

a confirmation saying I got confirmed.

411

I think when I was like 16 or

something like that in high school,

412

and I hadn't I didn't really have

any relationships with any saints.

413

Um,

414

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

415

_1_12-09-2024_150214: And

I ended up choosing St.

416

Gianna to be my patron saint, and she

is, I know she's the patron saint of

417

mothers, unborn babies, and I think even

like, people desiring motherhood is like,

418

camped into, um, what she's a patron

saint of, and, We've talked about this

419

and I've shared about this as well here

that we are also on a journey of like

420

trying to grow our family and desires

of motherhood and struggling to do so.

421

And I had no idea when I picked her to

be my patron saint when I was 16, like,

422

How much of a role she would play in my

life now in asking for her intercession

423

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah,

424

_1_12-09-2024_150214: a few, a few, not

a few years ago, like a year and a half

425

ago, a friend of a friend of mine had

these, like, I think it was a second or.

426

A third class relic of St.

427

Gianna and it was the St.

428

Gianna earrings that had like touched

one of her relics and, um, there's just a

429

lot of beautiful stories of the earrings

that got passed around to different women

430

who were struggling and then they had

little miracles and, um, while we didn't,

431

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

know about the earrings.

432

What,

433

_1_12-09-2024_150214: yeah,

434

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

what are the earrings?

435

_1_12-09-2024_150214: there's

just, it's just these St.

436

Gianna earrings that

some, like these, like St.

437

Gianna medals, like, you

know, just like a St.

438

medal, it's a really small

medal and they like put them

439

onto like these earring clips.

440

Um, yeah.

441

Yeah.

442

And then those earrings, somebody

touched it to a relic of St.

443

Gianna.

444

So I think it became, I think it's

like a second or third class relic.

445

And

446

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

mhmh,

447

_1_12-09-2024_150214: around.

448

Like they're in Denver, like

I'll try and get them for you.

449

They're in Denver and like just

different women have like passed them

450

around through the years as they've

gone through different difficult

451

motherhood journeys, either becoming

mothers or hard postpartum or whatever.

452

Um, And there's been just beautiful

miracles attributed to the people who

453

have worn the earrings and pray to St.

454

Gianna in their journey.

455

And so they found their way to my

jewelry box about a year and a half ago.

456

And I, while we, we never were pregnant

while I had them, I wore those earrings

457

to several really big and kind of

scary, like doctor's appointments

458

that I had to face and different

procedures that I had to go through.

459

And.

460

There was just this, like, strength

and this closeness that I drew from

461

having Just that little piece of St.

462

Gianna with me through this journey.

463

Um, and so to think back, like when I was

16 and I was trying to pick a confirmation

464

saying, and I was like, Oh, who do I pick?

465

And it was like, Oh, St.

466

Gianna sounds cool.

467

Um, I also picked her for the pro

life aspect as well, because I, my

468

mom was a teen pregnancy, basically

she was 19 and, um, she, she chose

469

life after some battling back

and forth of what she should do.

470

And so very grateful to.

471

Yeah, to the pro life saints as well.

472

So it's just really cool to know that

they, like, they know who you are too.

473

And they like sometimes choose

you as much as you choose them.

474

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah, absolutely.

475

That's so beautiful.

476

Gosh, instincts on picking Saint Gianna.

477

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

She was a good choice.

478

So what are some practical ways that

you can share for people to incorporate

479

devotions to saints in everyday life?

480

If somebody's like, okay, I'm really into

this podcast, I want to choose a saint to

481

be friends with or to like grow a devotion

to, what are some practical things

482

that people can do to grow a devotion?

483

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

484

I really think, I don't know, for me,

my devotion to the saints has felt so

485

natural because I have spent a lot of

time just getting to know their stories.

486

And so I think, like, if you have a saint

that, you know, just barely even interests

487

you, think, to find out if there's

a book about that saint and read it.

488

I feel like that, I don't know,

maybe reading a book is intimidating

489

to people, maybe that sounds like

a big step, but I feel like there

490

are so many really awesome books.

491

Books out there and make it part of like

I've always tried to make it part of my

492

like prayer routine so sometimes there's

books that are like a lot more spiritually

493

heavy like the um The diary of saint

faustina is like you're reading, you know

494

literally straight up words from jesus to

saint faustina and it's like Stuff that

495

you can really really pray with sometimes

it's more of just like a biography of

496

the saint But So depending, you know, I

don't want to say like it should totally

497

replace your prayer time with the Lord

and like conversation with God But I

498

think tacking on like a saint book or some

type of saint spirituality book um with

499

your prayer time is a really Um nice way

to just naturally build it in so you're

500

not like I have to like read this whole

book But just like i'm gonna read five

501

pages After my prayer time every day.

502

Um and And So yeah, I think picking a

saint book is a really good first step.

503

Um, and I think after that you start

to feel like you know that saint better

504

and you can ask them to help you.

505

Like, don't be afraid to actually

call upon their help, um, when you

506

need their help for a certain thing.

507

And it doesn't have to be related to

like, oh, they're the patron saint of,

508

you know, pregnancies, so I have to

like, choose one of the, like, I can

509

only ask them for help if I'm pregnant.

510

Like, no, you can ask them for help

in whatever you need help with.

511

Um, but I think that's also giving them

an opportunity to, and to like show up

512

for you in your life and to, um, I'm

actually not like the best at, you know,

513

doing novenas and you know, like I've

never done like the, know, pray to St.

514

Teresa of nine days and look for a rose.

515

Like, you know, a lot of people enjoy

doing that and you don't have to

516

do that, but that's like definitely

an option, um, of, you know, giving

517

that saint an opportunity to.

518

Send you a consolation from heaven,

you know, um, so those are the two

519

bigger things that come to my mind.

520

Um, I think it's really fun

to celebrate their feast days.

521

And so I think again, if you get

to know them, you genuinely grow

522

an affection for them and you

like genuinely feel love for them.

523

And I think.

524

In the same way that you want to

celebrate your, your friends on your

525

birthday, like we celebrate their heavenly

birthday and those, um, a lot of times

526

I think a feast day of a saint looks

like, you know, what would them happy?

527

And it's usually like, okay,

I'm going to go to mass.

528

I'm going to, um, know, go serve the

poor because they love serving the poor

529

or I'm going to pray a rosary because

they loved Mary and they also loved the

530

rosary and so it's like you know naturally

going to um It should naturally be

531

something that is prayerful and um a way

for you to You know be closer to Christ

532

on that day by also um being closer to

that saint and Doing things that they

533

would've done when they were alive, so,

534

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

That was really beautiful.

535

Now, question for you here.

536

What if somebody is like intimidated?

537

What if somebody is like, okay,

I want to get to know a saint.

538

Like, this sounds like, you

know, it's for everybody, you

539

know, it makes it sound like.

540

The saints would want to be friends

with everybody, or like, anybody can

541

have a relationship with a saint, but

what if, you know, what would you say

542

to someone who feels intimidated by the

idea of befriending a saint, and maybe

543

even, like, has a feeling of, like, I'm

not holy enough, you know, to have a

544

relationship with somebody in heaven, or

like, why would they be praying for me?

545

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Mm hmm.

546

Yeah.

547

Yeah I would say first and foremost that

I think it's important to trust that you

548

were born for such a time as this and

like you the lord Chose you to be alive

549

at this point in history and I think that

You It's hard when we start comparing, you

550

know, comparing ourselves to saints who

completely different circumstances as us.

551

And I think each of us are, you know, we,

God gives each of us very unique gifts.

552

Um, each of us struggle

with unique temptations.

553

are each born into a very

specific family life.

554

Um, we each have, um, yeah,

a specific, you know, history

555

and we have specific wounds.

556

And so I think it's like, first mercy

on yourself and know that like the Lord

557

exactly what you're dealing with and

he knows exactly, um, crosses that he's

558

given you and I think Yeah, when we start

like looking at other saints know that

559

like we're not the same person as them

so holiness is going to look different

560

on everyone and Yeah, holiness on me

is gonna look different than holiness

561

on you marie and the next person.

562

Um, so like you know with looking at

I think it's really hard when we look

563

at saints who are like super super

old because like Like the culture

564

is totally different and our world

was totally different back then.

565

But like you were born to be a saint in

566

in this particular culture, in the digital

age and the specific temptations that

567

we have in, you know, our generation.

568

But also, God is asking you to be a saint.

569

in the particular circumstances

that he's placed you in, you know?

570

So I feel like that should give you

some freedom to know that like, I don't

571

have to look exactly like this saint.

572

I can take lessons from them.

573

I can learn from their example.

574

I can see, and it's good, I think, to

admire them and to aspire to, you know,

575

like someone who maybe seems like they're

holier than we are but we don't know like

576

what they were dealing with We don't know

What they said in confession like some

577

things we do know that they had a very

sinful past and I think it is refreshing

578

if you're feeling like shame about your

past or shame about Um, how holy you are

579

or whatever that you're not good enough.

580

Like I think there are a lot of saints

out there who maybe it is encouraging

581

for you to see like they you know have

a very rough past and a rough history

582

and By the grace of god, they were able

to become saints and I think that that's

583

something I like to emphasize a lot um

when I talk about aspiring to be a saint

584

is that like We should believe that We

all can become saints the grace of God.

585

And like, we should have that

confidence, um, to say that like we,

586

every single one of us has what it

takes and not by our own merits, but by

587

the graces that God wants to give us.

588

And so all of these saints, like, yes,

they had to do the work, but everyone who

589

was a saint was given tremendous grace.

590

And you should be asking for that

grace to become a saint and to be.

591

You know to grow in whatever virtue

you need to um It's it's not supposed

592

to come easily, you know but I think

if you're intimidated that is okay,

593

and that's normal but Um, yeah, I just

think it's important to know that like

594

you have a very specific um calling

that's unlike anyone else, you know

595

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

that's definitely encouraging

596

to hear and to think about too.

597

And I think that it does give you kind of

a different perspective and confidence in

598

like your journey and to know like, yeah,

the Lord chose me for such a time as this.

599

Like my life is going to

look different than St.

600

Therese's because I live in a completely

different timeline, you know, and I'm

601

going to struggle with different things

and I'm going to draw to the, to the Lord.

602

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

603

Yeah.

604

_1_12-09-2024_150214: in different ways.

605

Um, and then I also loved how you were

talking about like praying for the

606

grace and like every saint was given

the grace necessary to become a saint.

607

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

hmm.

608

_1_12-09-2024_150214: going

to look different as well.

609

And not all saints, like, like

all saints weren't the same.

610

You know, like their story wasn't the same

and the way they got to heaven wasn't the

611

same and their crosses weren't the same

And so there was different levels of grace

612

that the lord desired to pour over them

different levels of suffering different

613

levels of desolation and consolation

That all added up to their journey to

614

heaven and so I think that's what is so

beautiful is like like you said, it's

615

just It's just our family in heaven.

616

It's just like made up of a bunch

of real humans who were on earth

617

who had real human experiences.

618

And just like our human

experiences vary, so did theirs.

619

And so you have St.

620

Paul, who used to be Saul and

went around killing Christians.

621

You'd never think someone like

that would be a saint, right?

622

But the Lord gave him the

necessary grace to turn his

623

life around and To be in heaven.

624

And then you have St.

625

Therese, who like the smallest little

thing, she would think she's like

626

the worst person alive, and you read

her story and you're like, oh no,

627

like, I'm nowhere near her, you know,

but the Lord gave her the necessary

628

suffering, the necessary grace.

629

For her journey to become a saint.

630

So it is encouraging to know that

everybody's walk is different.

631

Um, uh, I think I want to end

on just like some glory stories.

632

Like if you have any saint stories,

um, either in your life or friends

633

and family that you've heard, I would

love to hear those and share those

634

with our listeners so people can just

hear like the reality of how saints

635

are participating in our lives.

636

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

637

Yeah.

638

So,

639

bigger one that kind of comes to

my mind in just my own experience

640

is that I definitely hear stories

about other people all the time, but

641

one that I've experienced is, um,

just through the intercession of St.

642

Joseph.

643

So,

644

so yeah, before I met Tim, my husband,

um, I had decided I was kind of

645

like praying through my vocation

and my particular call to marriage.

646

And had recently just come to like

a new level of peace that I was.

647

to get married.

648

Um, and I decided to do

a 30 day novena to St.

649

Joseph, um, to find my future husband.

650

Um, this is a really beautiful novena.

651

I feel like not a lot of people

actually know about that, but it's

652

30 days for the 30, the 30 years

that Jesus spent with his family?

653

Yeah, right.

654

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

655

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

so 30 years that he presumably with St.

656

Joseph.

657

So

658

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah.

659

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

three fold pamphlet and

660

it's just a big long prayer.

661

So I was praying that, um, Novena,

this was in the summertime and long

662

story short, I ended up During, like,

literally in the middle of my Novena,

663

I ended up going to a wedding with Tim.

664

Um, and we had met two years prior, um,

but hadn't seen each other in two years.

665

And we had, like, kept in touch randomly.

666

And that's a whole nother story,

but reconnected at this wedding.

667

Um, and that was really the

start of our really like, not

668

immediately, but probably about a

month or so later we started dating.

669

Um, and it wasn't until like we were,

you know, like well into dating that I

670

realized like, Oh my gosh, I was literally

praying that Novena had to find my future

671

husband while like While our relationship

was pretty much re blossoming.

672

Um, so that was like,

really significant for me.

673

And because of that, St.

674

Joseph kind of became

our patron as a couple.

675

Um, and we prayed a novena to him,

like, while we were, um, engaged.

676

And, um, you know,

leading up to our wedding.

677

And Um, you know, have just

used him as a model for us.

678

Um, and so, and Tim's full name is Joseph.

679

So that was kind of cool too.

680

Um, but then when we got married, we,

um, started trying to have a baby right

681

away and, um, have been on this journey

of infertility and trying to conceive.

682

So last year we.

683

decided we were going to spend

Thanksgiving in Vermont with his family.

684

And that happened to only be about

three hours away from the Oratory of St.

685

Joseph, which is something that, uh, St.

686

Andre Bresset had built in his lifetime.

687

He had a huge devotion to St.

688

Joseph.

689

And it's the largest shrine to St.

690

Joseph in the world.

691

So we were like, we should probably go.

692

Um, we're only going to

be a couple hours away.

693

So we went over.

694

Montreal in Canada, across the border,

and we were able to pray, um, at

695

the tomb of Saint Andre Bessette

and, um, have mass in the crypt,

696

and it was a beautiful experience.

697

Um, but that was over Thanksgiving,

and then we conceived for the first

698

time the next month in December.

699

Um, and already know this,

Mari, that did not survive.

700

Sadly, we had a miscarriage, but was

a huge consolation for us because we

701

had been trying to conceive for three

and a half years leading up to that.

702

Um, and so while, you know, I could

say like, well, the prayers didn't

703

work, know, the baby didn't make it all

the way, but I still really feel like

704

that was a huge consolation that St.

705

Joseph gave us that we

were able to conceive.

706

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah,

707

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

and I still believe that he's

708

interceding for us and that he, um,

will not stop interceding for us.

709

But that was one of the first experiences

I had that felt like really directly,

710

like, you know, it was, just was

like you, you couldn't make that up.

711

Like it was like the very next day.

712

we could to get pregnant.

713

We were pregnant.

714

and so yeah, I will just continue

to have a huge love for St.

715

Joseph and we continue to ask for his

intercession for us and our family.

716

So

717

_1_12-09-2024_150214: that is amazing.

718

I love that.

719

Thank you for sharing that.

720

That's so cool.

721

And St.

722

Joseph too, I feel like

he kind of lays low.

723

Like sometimes he doesn't really

get the recognition he deserves.

724

And so I love, I just love that

you're, yeah, this story was about St.

725

Joseph.

726

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Well, it doesn't help that we

727

like know nothing about him, you

728

_1_12-09-2024_150214: I know.

729

Yeah, for sure.

730

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

very little to go off of, but,

731

_1_12-09-2024_150214: True.

732

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

I think is, he's underrated for sure.

733

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Oh, that is amazing.

734

Well, Jaina, it's been so

wonderful chatting with you today.

735

Um, can you share where people

can find more about you?

736

I know that you have a book that

you wrote as well about the saints,

737

so can you share about that?

738

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

739

So I am on Instagram, uh, as

January Jane shop, and that's also

740

my website, January, Jane shop.

741

com.

742

Um, Mari is going to include a little

discount for you guys in the show notes.

743

Um, if you want a little

discount on your order,

744

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Mm hmm.

745

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

yeah, I, so I did self publish a book

746

last year called humans of heaven.

747

And If there's anyone who feels

intimidated by the saints, um, or

748

feels like, I just like don't get

why people like the saints, I'm just

749

not there, I feel like this book was

written for you because it's 50 short

750

stories of modern catholic saints.

751

So it's all saints that lived in

like the late 18th, 19th century.

752

Um, so.

753

definitely if you feel like you need

to find saints that are more relatable,

754

um, lots of relatable saints I think

because they're so modern in that book.

755

Um, they're all like

little tiny snapshots.

756

that I think can at least

spark your curiosity.

757

If you want to figure out like if you

want to go deeper with one of those

758

saints, you can kind of like go shopping

for a saint friend in that book.

759

Um, so yeah, I think also my favorite like

customer for this book are catechumens,

760

like people who, Are coming into the

faith and they want to get this book

761

because I feel like it is it's meant

to be really approachable I've had even

762

people who are not catholic purchase

this book um, which I think Yeah, I

763

think it's meant to feel like these are

stories of holy men and women who um

764

just, their lives are just so captivating.

765

Whether or not you, you know,

are also Catholic, I feel

766

like anyone can appreciate the

beauty, um, of these people.

767

So yeah, definitely check out the book and

we'll link that too, right, in the show

768

_1_12-09-2024_150214: Yeah, we'll

link it all in the show notes.

769

I don't know if you already said this or

not, but it's called Humans of Heaven.

770

It's like a gorgeous

coffee table book too.

771

Like it's got this like gorgeous

green linen cover and it's big.

772

And so, yeah, also a great decor item

for your home to make your, you know,

773

to catholify your home a little bit.

774

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

Yeah.

775

_1_12-09-2024_150214: All right.

776

Well, we will include all that

in the show notes and get y'all a

777

code to January Jean shop as well.

778

I believe that's going to be ever be 15.

779

Is that right?

780

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

All

781

_1_12-09-2024_150214:

We'll go check her out.

782

Gina.

783

Thanks so much for spending

time with us today.

784

jana-zuniga-pingel_1_12-09-2024_150214:

right.

785

Thanks, Mari.