Katie Linendoll, Emmy Award-winning TV personality and global technology consultant, joins Father Dave to talk about her passion for her Catholic faith.
Father Dave mentions that Katie travels around the world 300 days a year and always makes sure that she never misses a Sunday Mass. Katie is a positive example for those of us traveling over the summer who may not be motivated to attend Mass while on vacation. She recalls the time she went to the Faroe Islands, a chain of 18 islands located between Scotland and Iceland, and managed to find the Islands’ one and only Catholic church so that she could attend Mass. Why does Katie put herself through so much trouble? Well, as she puts it, “If Jesus got time for you, you got time for Jesus.”
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The two then discuss why it’s so important for us to go to Mass on Sunday. Father Dave explains that as “people of God,” we gather together on Sunday morning as members of a faith community. It’s not just about one person and Jesus, it’s about all of us and Jesus. Katie agrees, and she laughs as she tells Father Dave that she once made people at a tech conference wait for her because she had to go to Mass first.
Father Dave describes Katie, who is filled with laughs and quirky stories, as a “joyful” person, which is what the Busted Halo brand is all about. Busted Halo is, of course, about sharing the Catholic faith via technology, and Katie describes her struggle with being so open about her faith online. She says that people complain about her sharing her faith, but if she doesn’t do that, then she’s not being authentic. There is nothing wrong with expressing your faith in a joyful and positive manner, and she encourages others to do so.
Katie then asks Father Dave some questions of faith, the first one being about what to do when a homeless person asks her for money. She reveals that living in New York City for the past 10 years has been “testing her Jesus,” and the city’s homeless problem really concerns her. She wonders what Jesus would do if he saw a homeless person on the street, and she often finds herself struggling with whether or not she should give them money. Father Dave encourages Katie to say a prayer for those she sees on the street and to be assured that prayer is not insignificant.
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Katie’s concern for the homeless is a good sign since many New Yorkers walk past homeless people and completely ignore them. Father Dave suggests that Katie do something for them that gives them a sense of human dignity, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen or looking them in the eye. There are many things you can do, whether it be giving someone a dollar or doing something more interactive, like having a conversation and asking the person their name.
Brett points out that there are people out there who are critical of those who give money to homeless people, which is a problematic attitude that needs to be addressed. He says that just the fact that these people are in such desperate situations that they’re out on the streets begging is already the perfect reason to give to them. Father Dave cites Pope Francis, who said to give freely, and not to hold back because you don’t know what they’re going to buy.
Katie also asks about mysteries of faith and apparitions of Mary. She asks Father Dave if it’s right or wrong to go to places like Lourdes looking for a miracle. Is that testing God? Father Dave responds, telling her that there is nothing wrong with asking God for something like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. As long as we say to God, “If it’s your will, I would really love a miracle,” then it is perfectly acceptable to go looking for a miracle. (Original Air 5-21-2019)