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 30: Hope for the Holidays: Finding Light at the Darkest time of the year - with author Paul Jarzembowski

    November 8th, 2023  |  48 mins 18 secs
    advent, catholic, christmas, conversation, evangelization, family, gospel, holidays, jesus christ, prayer

    Jen interviews Paul Jarzembowski, author and Associate Director for the Laity, oversees USCCB engagement with lay ministry, ecclesial movements, youth, and young adults. Paul's book 'Hope for the Holidays' (Paulist Press 2023) offers practical advice for welcoming our holiday visitors back to church, using the secular narratives of the season to draw connections with the unchurched, and a personal and pastoral plan to work to accompany visitors to finding renewed hope in our Catholic church.

  • Episode 28: Ep 28: The Artists way and the Synodal Way with Eric Hunter

    October 10th, 2023  |  35 mins 22 secs
    catholic, conversation, evangelization, gospel, jesus christ, kerygma

    Jen speaks with Eric Hunter, pianist, teacher and composer, about the ways in which an artist's outlook and a disciple's outlook overlap. Eric is the composer of our theme, which has been expanded to a full work and has marked a big change in his compositional voice.

  • Episode 29: Ep 29: A monologue about dialogue - Relationship, trust and spreading the Gospel

    October 10th, 2023  |  24 mins 41 secs
    catholic, conversation, evangelization, gospel, jesus christ, kerygma

    Jen shares some thoughts about a year of conversations on the Heart of the Ark podcast, and the role of conversation and dialogue in Evangelization.

  • Episode 27: Ep 27: Music as Evangelizer, Liturgy as Catechist - with Richard J. Clark

    September 1st, 2023  |  54 mins 52 secs

    Jen is joined by Richard J. Clark, eclectic musician — composer, conductor, organist, pianist, and songwriter. He is the Director of Music of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. He previously served for twenty-eight years at St. Cecilia Parish, Boston. At the age of twenty-three, he was appointed Director of Music in 1992 after serving as Organist since 1989. He has also served as Chapel Organist (Saint Mary’s Chapel) at Boston College from 2004-2020.

  • Episode 26: Ep: 26 Demystifying Discernment with Milissa Else

    August 28th, 2023  |  44 mins 46 secs

    Jen is joined by Milissa Else, Assistant Coordinator for Parish Strategies, in discussing the importance of discernment when facing personal and interpersonal faith decisions. Milissa has been an invited speaker throughout the Archdiocese of Newark and the Diocese of Metuchen, leading parish communities, and small groups into a deepening of communal prayer and conversations regarding mission and ministry.

  • Episode 25: Ep 25: Lord, Teach us to pray!

    August 15th, 2023  |  35 mins 24 secs

    Fr. John and Jen discuss the upcoming School of Prayer classes beginning September 20 and continuing for seven sessions through May 2024 to offer fresh insight, experience and opportunities for growing in the spiritual life.

  • Episode 24: The Heart of a Priest - with Very Rev. Charles Pinyan, Vicar for Clergy Personnel

    June 30th, 2023  |  33 mins 44 secs
    catholic, community, conversation, evangelization, jesus christ, kerygma, priesthood, sacred heart, vocation

    Jen speaks with Very Rev. Charles Pinyan, Vicar for Clergy Personnel and Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at Immaculate Conception Seminary about the ways a priest is called to shape his heart to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, and in so doing open his heart to the people he is called to serve as shepherd and spiritual father.

  • Episode 22: "We absorb His Love, and can't help but radiate it out" - Love as a Vocation with Sr. Marie Paul of the Holy Spirit

    June 16th, 2023  |  36 mins 23 secs
    adoration, catholic, devotion, eucharist, evangelization, gospel, incarnation, jesus christ, love, sacred heart

    Jen travels to the only cloistered monastery in the Archdiocese of Newark, the Dominican Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Summit, to speak about 'Love as a Vocation for Life' with novice extern Sr. Marie Paul of the Holy Spirit.

  • Episode 23: "His Heart beats for every single one of us" - Fr. John and Jen on the Devotion to the Sacred Heart

    June 15th, 2023  |  43 mins 29 secs
    adoration, catholic, devotion, eucharist, evangelization, gospel, incarnation, jesus christ, love, sacred heart

    Fr. John Gordon and Jen share insight into the great gift of God's Love in the Eucharist and its representation in the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. They close with the Litany of the Sacred Heart and the Prayer of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

  • Episode 21: De-mystifying the Devotion to the Sacred Heart with Emily Jaminet

    May 31st, 2023  |  43 mins 25 secs
    catholic, devotion, evangelization, gospel, jesus christ, mission, parenting, prayer, sacred heart, virtue

    Jen speaks with author Emily Jaminet about her two recent books "Secrets of the Sacred Heart" and Holy Habits of the Sacred Heart, and what it means for us that Jesus loves us so much as to give us His heart.

  • Episode 20: Ep 20: Synod and Evangelization with Sr. Donna Ciangio, O.P. Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark

    May 22nd, 2023  |  47 mins 6 secs
    catholic, conversation, discernment, evangelization, jesus christ, kerygma, pastoral, planning, prayer, synod

    Jen speaks with Sr. Donna Ciangio, O.P. Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark, and head of the Archdiocese Synod on Synodality team about the ways in which we need to grow as church and how we can discern our path forward.

  • Episode 19: Ep 19: School of Prayer -Building your spiritual tool box with Fr. John Gordon

    May 19th, 2023  |  31 mins 2 secs
    catholic, conversation, evangelization, faith, family, gospel, jesus christ, prayer, repentance, spirituality

    Fr. John and Jen introduce the new in person series coming in the Fall from the Office For Evangelization - The School of Prayer.