"This is not about Jesus. This is Jesus." | Anthony Feola

Anthony Feola’s life changed dramatically in high school when a friend boldly proclaimed the Gospel to him. On this episode, hear how that interaction led him to pursuing a life of evangelization and mission in the Protestant faith through much of his young adulthood, but listen to him describe the stirring in his heart he experienced, drawing him to the Catholic faith. Anthony shares what it was like to come to this place of conversion, while being very involved in a Protestant church, and what it meant to walk away from everything that had become so familiar to him and his family, to draw near to Jesus in the Eucharist. 

(00:42) Fr. Mario and Leah welcome Anthony Feola to the podcast, Associate Director of Discipleship Formation for the Archdiocese of Detroit, husband of almost 23 years, and father to five children. He shares a little bit about his family and what his faith life was like growing up, focusing especially on his experiences in high school and young adulthood. 

(03:59) Anthony describes how, despite being baptized Catholic, his faith life waned following his parents’ divorce. He shares how the bold witness of a Protestant friend of his had a profound impact on him in high school and how this experience inspired him to pursue a life of holiness and evangelization, with prayer and devotion becoming the main priority of his life, and a deep hunger for the Holy Spirit.  

(09:38) He shares how the Holy Spirit thrust him into a life of evangelization. He shares about attending a Bible school in Sweden where he met his wife, and living a life of radical mission with his wife and family. He shares how a discernment process to do family mission in Turkey stirred up in his heart the inspiration to return home to the Catholic faith. 

(18:03) Anthony describes his experience of returning to the parish of his Baptism, attending Mass regularly, and describes how he slowly began to recognize the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He also notes how reading the Catechism helped him to understand more clearly the Church’s teachings. 

(22:31) He shares a particular experience during the consecration where his eyes were opened and the Scriptures he had come to know so well all came to mind, convicting him of Jesus’ real presence in the sacrament taking place before him. 

(24:27) Anthony shares how difficult it was to navigate this conversion he was having, as he and his family were deeply involved in the Protestant church they were a part of, and in many ways, he was feeling called to leave behind much of their lives to follow Jesus who had revealed himself in the Eucharist. He also mentions how challenging it was to navigate in his marriage. 

(27:42) He describes an interaction with a leader from his Protestant church who was not supportive of the decision that Anthony had come to, to leave everything behind to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. He shares how difficult that was, and how Jesus met him in that. 

(30:06) Anthony describes some of his favorite practices in Eucharistic adoration, and why he loves spending time in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.