We talk with Marcie Stokman and Margherita Vezzani about restoring family meals, choosing relationship over perfection, and what ordinary tables can teach us.

Earlier this year, Jennifer narrated the audiobook for A Cloth Upon the Table, which hit a nerve because cooking and serving family meals have never been an easy part of her vocation. We invited authors Marcie Stokman and Margherita Vezzani to talk about why family meals are disappearing and what we lose when eating together becomes optional.

Marcie explains how a tablecloth changed the way she saw an ordinary meal, while Margherita describes the cloth itself as a sign that everyone shares the same space. We also talk about hospitality versus entertaining, the pressure to make a home look perfect, the role husbands can play, and what happened when our children returned to the table after dinner was already over. The point isn't to create a magazine-worthy table. It's to begin with the family, friends, food, stains, and imperfect circumstances we already have.

Links Mentioned:

• Get the Book - A Cloth Upon the Table

• Well Read Mom

• Barefoot Homemade

• Barefoot Homemade on Instagram

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 A real-life look at our dinner table
01:14 Introducing A Cloth Upon the Table
04:18 Why family meals are disappearing
08:31 Start where you are
11:05 A tablecloth changes Marcie's view of meals
14:38 Why one cloth can symbolize unity
20:19 Hospitality versus entertaining
25:42 Choosing relationship over perfection
29:13 What changed at our family table
33:34 Formation, fathers, and conflict at the table

We take a closer look at "our daily bread" and how what God has already given us might help us recognize and do his will. ___

Our often crowded Rosary Army task lists raise a practical question: how do we tell which good ideas are actually the work God wants us to do? Some responsibilities and tasks come from our own ideas, while others come to us through people and circumstances we did not necessarily pursue. As we tried to discern which projects and tasks to take on, we were brought back to the Our Father, where "thy will be done" comes immediately before the request for daily bread.

This is what we decided to tackle in this episode: our daily bread is more than just food and shelter or even a list of desired outcomes. Depending on our seasons of life, our daily bread can be the grace, time, talent, relationships, work, and even suffering already present today. The Catechism's explanation of "give us" points to the trust of children who depend on their Father without using that trust as an excuse for idleness. We talk about that trust, seeking God's will, and also (obviously) connect daily bread to the Eucharist, the Word of God, and the Rosary as we ask what it means to use what God has already given us.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 October Rosaries, coffee, and fellowship
02:18 Fourteen years since The Catholics Next Door
06:37 Which Rosary Army projects actually matter?
10:15 "Thy will be done" and daily bread
12:23 When requests from others clarify priorities
14:37 Daily bread for every station of life
16:09 Stewardship of time, talent, and treasure
20:07 Finding daily bread in family life
23:28 The Catechism on "give us our bread"
26:06 The Eucharist, the Word of God, and the Rosary

Greg and Jennifer wrestle with why God allows suffering, what it means to offer it up, and how to carry an unwanted cross with Christ.

____
After a fractured molar is removed and the implant process leaves him without a tooth for a few months, Greg admits how quickly physical pain can turn "offer it up" into something harder than a Catholic catchphrase. He and Jennifer connect that fresh experience to other crosses they have faced, including the pain of watching their adult children struggle and the pressures surrounding Rosary Army. Greg keeps asking why it is happening and whether the pain can actually do any good.

Reading from I Believe in Love, Greg wrestles with the claim that happiness and suffering are inseparable, especially when suffering does not feel blessed at all. Jennifer explains why carrying a cross does not require pretending it feels joyful, but does require returning to Christ for help when we try to carry it alone. They also share newly rebuilt Rosary Army resources for praying the Rosary, preparing for total consecration, and learning to offer small and large sacrifices for others.

Check out the all-new websites:
• Rosary Army - https://www.RosaryArmy.com
• Greg and Jennifer Willits - https://www.GregandJennifer.com
• Greg Willits - https://www.GregWillits.com
• Total Consecration - https://www.TotalConsecration.com
• New Evangelizers - https://www.newevangelizers.com

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Greg's tooth extraction and what an implant actually means
04:09 A season of crosses behind the scenes
05:26 Why does God allow pain?
09:16 Discovering redemptive suffering
10:17 What "offer it up" means
11:48 Jesus comes with every cross
14:29 Can suffering and happiness be inseparable?
18:11 Accepting unexpected crosses
20:10 Carrying a cross badly
21:21 Finding a reason for suffering
25:16 Rosary resources and the sacrifices of prayer

Jennifer invited Catholic mothers to our house to pray the Rosary for their teenagers, while Greg considers how God uses supposed failures, long-built skills (once thought trivial), and unexpected opportunities to do more for the Kingdom.

---

After seeing Catholic mothers (including herself) often struggling with how to raise holy teenagers in a Godless culture, Jennifer took a risk and invited local Catholic moms into our home to pray the Rosary. At the first gathering, six women arrived. It was small, but it was awesome, and it offered a glimpse of how even the tiniest local Rosary groups could grow.

For the gathering, Greg was motivated to finish his long-in-development Rosary meditation booklet, which brings together all 20 mysteries, Scripture, and St. Louis-Marie de Montfort's meditations. Years of seemingly unrelated work may have prepared him for all of this. Plus, a listener's question about ministry and fiction widens the discussion into how God uses our gifts, redirects old dreams (and sometimes failures), and opens the right doors at the right time.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Jennifer starts a Rosary group for mothers of teens
05:00 Building the 20-Mystery Rosary booklet
09:24 Learning to pray all 20 mysteries
12:10 Could local Rosary groups spread?
16:38 A listener's question about calling and creativity
19:43 Co-creating with God through art
22:33 Greg's struggle with writing and rejection
26:00 When to persevere—and when to walk away
31:43 Praying all 20 mysteries through School of Mary
34:23 A prayer for surrendering worry

Greg and Jennifer question crowded schedules, endless to-do lists, and whether planning less can leave more room to recognize and follow God's will.

___

Greg and Jennifer have spent years trying to simplify their lives, yet slowing down can still feel like failure. A passage from Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks gets them talking about the pressure to stay productive, keep up with everyone else, and fill every open hour.

Greg explains why he now limits his daily list instead of chasing the next task. Jennifer talks about the good that can come from an empty schedule or even a feeling of emptiness. That space may be necessary if they want to hear what God is actually asking of them. One teacher's yearly gift of handmade rosaries has already reached hundreds of children and could keep changing families for years.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Handmade rosaries for third graders
02:25 The unseen ripple effects of a rosary
05:25 Remembering what the year has produced
06:09 Commonplace books and Four Thousand Weeks
15:42 The fourth quarter of the year—and life
18:13 A ripple list instead of a bucket list
19:26 Why simple living can feel like failure
23:03 Surrendering each day to God
28:01 Planning less to follow God's will
29:25 The good of an empty schedule

After musician Glen Hansard's sudden death and Greg's recent talk about God's love, we tackle the sobering question of being ready for eternity.

___

Just a few days after giving a talk in Texas about God's love and mercy, one of Greg's favorite musicians suddenly died in a tragic motorcycle accident. As a result, we find ourselves grieving someone we never personally met. Glen Hansard's death raises a larger question: why do people so quickly assume someone is in heaven instead of praying for the dead?

We also talk about Catholics who intentionally withheld sins in confession because of shame and explain that preparing to die can be as simple as making a full confession, receiving God's mercy, and staying close to the sacraments. And ultimately, we come to the realization that Rosary Army's work is meant to help people die well.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 San Antonio and the fear of confession
01:29 The sudden death of Glen Hansard
04:17 Why Catholics pray for the dead
06:18 "Die before you die"
08:51 It is simple to be ready to die
11:20 Rosary Army helps people die well
13:26 Making a full confession
19:14 Purgatory and the state of the soul
23:03 A raindrop in the fire of God's mercy
29:03 Daily examen and funeral wishes

Jennifer spent the morning helping two friends process rabbits for food and came home with new respect for homesteading, shared work, and what God provides.

___

Jennifer spent the morning helping two Catholic friends process rabbits for food. She wanted to know whether she could handle the work after years of watching survival shows from the couch. Greg has loved rabbits since childhood and has never wanted to eat one. That may now change. Or it may not.

They talk plainly about dispatching, cleaning, butchering, and preparing the rabbits, along with the work behind the homesteading life and God's plan for feeding us. Jennifer also found something she did not expect: three Catholic women working with their hands while talking about their children, the Rosary, and local community. She came home grateful for the food, the friendship, and the people willing to do this work.

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Why this episode is different
00:58 Three Rosaries on the drive
02:28 Catholic homesteading and its hidden work
05:12 Jennifer agrees to help harvest rabbits
07:02 Could she actually do it?
11:24 Greg's lifelong love of rabbits
14:27 The work begins
19:27 Friendship and faith during physical work
22:22 The side of livestock people do not post
28:13 What is ahead for Rosary Army

We share the books we're currently reading, from Dungeon Crawler Carl and Dog Stars to Rosary Meditations from Ven. Mary Agreda and St. Thérèse.
___

Greg has always loved books, while Jennifer came to reading later, once trying to make herself literary with Voltaire and Macbeth before pretty much reading only Anne Rice and John Grisham. They talk about high school books, why old titles follow us into adulthood, and how reading changes over a lifetime.

Greg shares his current mix of serious, spiritual, and simple reading, including Oliver Burkeman, Arthur C. Brooks, Dungeon Crawler Carl, I Believe in Love, and more. Jennifer talks about going deeper into mental prayer with the rosary, using meditations from The Mystical City of God, and why Christy has become her slow nighttime read.

Books Mentioned:

Macbeth — William Shakespeare
Interview with the Vampire — Anne Rice
Swiss Family Robinson — Johann David Wyss
Walden — Henry David Thoreau
The Glass Menagerie — Tennessee Williams
The Scarlet Letter — Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Red Badge of Courage — Stephen Crane
A Tale of Two Cities — Charles Dickens
Romeo and Juliet — William Shakespeare
Hamlet — William Shakespeare
Flowers for Algernon — Daniel Keyes
Alas, Babylon — Pat Frank
Frankenstein — Mary Shelley
The Dog Stars — Peter Heller
Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman
Get Fuzzy — Darby Conley
Pearls Before Swine — Stephan Pastis
Calvin and Hobbes — Bill Watterson
4000 Weeks — Oliver Burkeman
Meditations for Mortals — Oliver Burkeman
The Antidote — Oliver Burkeman
From Strength to Strength — Arthur C. Brooks
The Mystical City of God — Venerable Mary of Ágreda
The Holy Rosary with Meditations through the Visions of Venerable Mary of Ágreda — Fr. Mark Higgins
True Devotion to Mary — St. Louis de Montfort
The Love of Eternal Wisdom — St. Louis de Montfort
The Imitation of Christ — Thomas à Kempis
Letter to the Friends of the Cross — St. Louis de Montfort
Confessions — St. Augustine
Genesis — traditionally attributed to Moses
I Believe in Love — Fr. Jean C. J. d'Elbée
Story of a Soul — St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Christy — Catherine Marshall

Free From Rosary Army:

• Free All-Twine-Knotted Rosaries
• School of Mary
• Audio Rosary Podcast
• Video Version of this Episode

Subscribe to the Podcast:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts

Greg's Latest Book (God Doesn't Hate Me After All – Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom):

• Download Free Sample Chapters
• Buy on Amazon
• Buy on Audible
• Buy from Sophia Institute Press

More From Rosary Army and Greg & Jennifer Willits:

• Rosary Army Mobile App
• Greg's serialized novel
• Contact & Speaking Engagements

Timestamps

00:00 Jennifer's late start with books
03:13 What Greg and Jennifer are reading now
04:06 Giving yourself permission not to finish books
05:34 High school books that follow you around
08:32 Why books keep calling us back
10:02 Greg's "serious, spiritual, and simple" reading
17:20 Jennifer's rosary meditation project
23:17 Greg's pocket Catholic readers
26:33 I Believe in Love and St. Thérèse
28:43 Jennifer's nighttime read, Christy