For the past two years, the readers of BustedHalo.com and the listeners of The Busted Halo Cast podcast and “The Busted Halo® Show” on Sirius XM Radio have been blessed by the ministry of Fr. Steven Bell, CSP. Later this month, Fr. Steve will be leaving the Busted Halo® team and begin sharing his many gifts with the more than 50,000 students at Ohio State University, where the Paulist Fathers have a vibrant campus ministry outreach.
We here at Busted Halo® have been so very thankful for the pastoral care that Fr. Steve brought to readers and listeners through his many articles, videos, virtual retreats, podcasts, and many segments on The Busted Halo® Show. He shared a passion for helping others deepen their relationship with God, as well as excitement about the many opportunities to talk about the intersection of faith and culture — specifically food, super heroes, and roller coasters!
We’re going to miss his broad smile and infectious laugh, as well as the creativity he has brought to our ministry with young adults. We know that the students and his colleagues at Ohio State will be receiving both a gem of a priest and a pretty fun guy!
In honor of his departure, we’ve pulled together a collection of contributions from Fr. Steve, which are our favorites. We hope you’ll join us in wishing Fr. Steve well on this next adventure in his ministry career. Or, as he would say, “Can I get an Amen”?! Please leave your comments below and share your favorite Fr. Steve moments, as well.
VIDEO: Street Seekers: The San Gennaro Festival
Fr. Steve made his video debut while celebrating the San Gennaro Festival in New York’s Little Italy. Join Fr. Steve as he makes his way through the festivities, samples quite a few treats, talks to the locals and discovers the deeper meaning of the feast.
QUESTION BOX: If I was never raised to believe in God, how do I start? How can someone start to believe in anything if they were never taught how?
I remember this very question from a friend of mine who identifies as Atheist. As he was fixing some of his fantastic spaghetti, I noticed that he was using a new kind of tomato paste, so I asked him, “Why are you using that brand?” He said that he saw it on a cooking show and heard that it was a good quality brand. “Is it safe to eat?” I asked. “Of course it is!” he said. I replied: “Are you sure that that very can you have in your hand has been packaged safely with nothing that could cause us harm? He actually said, “Well, I guess I don’t know, but I believe it’s fine.” “A HA!” I shouted. “So you do profess to have a belief!” This was the start of a great conversation about the human capacity to believe… [Click here to continue reading]
Let Go and Scream!
Hang on for a roller coaster ride that will leave you blessed
My first ride on a roller coaster was on The Comet at Hershey Park. I think I was about 10. I remember my mother yelling worriedly at my uncle, who was riding with me, to hold on to me tightly. The experience was frightening, reckless, erratic, stomach churning and… phenomenal! It began a 35-year love affair that is as fresh now as it was then. Not so for many of my friends who had their fling with thrill-seeking rides and called it quits because of age or doubts about keeping down lunch… [Click here to continue reading]
Faithful Departed: Marcia Wallace
“I’m no beauty. I’m no genius. I can’t sing. I can’t dance,” Marcia Wallace said years ago at a speaking engagement in Indiana, “But, it was clear to me early on that I had a couple of things that have held me in very good stead as I have approached life’s challenges, that is tenacity… and a sense of humor.” Bellowing that unforgettable “Ha!” trademarked in both of her major character roles, this self-possessed, big-haired and big-eyed wag proudly sprung from Creston, Iowa, taught us to believe in the healing and motivating power of laughter… [Click here to continue reading]
QUESTION BOX: Does prayer change God’s mind?
Church teaching looks at prayer through three lenses: First, prayer is a gift from God and we need humility to use it properly. Humility helps us defend against pride and selfishness — things that can cause us to view God as a magic genie rather than Our Heavenly Father. Second, prayer expresses our covenant relationship with God, affirmed by our heart’s true participation when praying. Covenants are deep, binding promises that require all involved to sacrifice and offer themselves fully to strengthen the bond. Third, true prayer honors our communion and unity with God. Marked by authenticity, honesty, and devotion, our communion with God prevents us from being phony and taking God for granted… [Click here to continue reading]
St. Nicholas Is Comin’ to Town
Horror ensued as I worried how Santa would ever survive his traditional entrance to our home via chimney. Worse still, how would the robot that he was sure to bring going to fare in the soot and heat? Though I’d been told that Santa worked through my family and friends to bring the presents on Christmas morning, I was always convinced that somehow, somewhere, he really did exist. Ironically, Santa proved me right not at Christmas, but at Easter… [Click here to continue reading]
VIDEO: St. Christina the Astonishing (Fr. Steve’s Spooky Saints)
Fr. Steve presents one of the spookier saintly stories as he tells the tale of Saint Christina the Astonishing –– a woman that some called mad, and some called holy.
PODCAST: Three-Point Strategy to Being Salt and Light of the Earth
How much do we really have to give? Well it’s a lot, yes, but thankfully we all have that much to give indeed.
And finally, take a listen to one of Fr. Steve’s homilies from this past February which has been downloaded and listened to over 30,000 times!