What happens when we set aside an hour to simply be in the presence of Jesus?

In this episode of Real Living, hosts Lavinia Spirito and Mary Lou Nemecek welcome Fr. Andrew Marshall, a Scottish Catholic priest and missionary with the Adoracio Foundation, to explore the beauty and transformative power of Eucharistic adoration.

Fr. Andrew shares his remarkable journey from parish ministry in Scotland to traveling across the United States, helping Catholic communities deepen their devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He recounts the extraordinary moments of discernment that led him to missionary life, including two deeply personal experiences that he believes confirmed God's calling.

Recorded during his three-day In His Presence parish mission at Christ the King in Lexington, Kentucky, the conversation explores what Eucharistic adoration means, why spending time before the Blessed Sacrament matters, and how parishes can cultivate a lasting culture of prayer.

Fr. Andrew also discusses the Adoracio Foundation's vision for a worldwide network of Eucharistic shrines dedicated to praying for peace, the challenges of missionary life, and the moving experiences of those who have participated in his missions.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What Eucharistic adoration is and how it differs from receiving Holy Communion at Mass.
• Why Fr. Andrew encourages every Catholic to commit to a weekly holy hour.
• The personal signs and experiences that inspired his journey from Scotland to America.
• How the In His Presence mission combines Scripture, meditation, music, and prayer.
• The symbolism behind the beautiful Marian monstrance used during his missions.
• How the Adoracio Foundation helps parishes establish and sustain Eucharistic adoration.
• Stories of spiritual renewal, personal transformation, and reported healing.
• Why Fr. Andrew believes a single hour of prayer can deepen our relationship with Christ.

00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Fr. Andrew Marshall

01:54 – The purpose and power of Eucharistic adoration

03:05 – Understanding the Real Presence and the monstrance

05:14 – Fulton Sheen and the tradition of the holy hour

06:05 – From Scottish parish priest to American missionary

08:23 – Two extraordinary signs that confirmed his calling

11:47 – Traveling across America to inspire Eucharistic devotion

13:25 – Bringing the In His Presence mission to Christ the King

14:55 – What happens during a Eucharistic parish mission?

17:13 – The Marian monstrance and its spiritual symbolism

18:48 – A worldwide network of shrines dedicated to peace

21:14 – The physical and spiritual challenges of missionary life

24:57 – Early results and testimonies from the Lexington mission

28:38 – Building a lasting culture of Eucharistic adoration

32:14 – Overcoming resistance and encouraging participation

34:26 – How missionary life has transformed Fr. Andrew

36:32 – Finding peace, healing, and holiness in Christ's presence

Fr. Andrew Marshall is a diocesan priest from Scotland who serves as chaplain and missionary for the Adoracio Foundation, based in Beloit, Kansas. After six years of parish ministry, he discerned a call to bring the message of Eucharistic adoration to a wider audience.

Through parish missions across the United States, Fr. Andrew encourages Catholics to encounter Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and make Eucharistic adoration a regular part of their spiritual lives.

The invitation to Eucharistic adoration is simple: spend time with Jesus. Whether through prayer, Scripture, quiet reflection, or simply sitting in His presence, a holy hour offers an opportunity to deepen faith and experience the peace that comes from being with Christ.

Listen to this episode of Real Living and discover why Fr. Andrew believes that an hour spent in the presence of Jesus can change a life.

Lavinia Spirito and Mary Lou Nemecek discuss how to choose a Bible by explaining differences between translations and versions, from the Septuagint (Hebrew to Greek) and St. Jerome’s Latin Vulgate to modern English options. Lavinia contrasts literal word-for-word translations with dynamic translations and paraphrases, noting dynamic versions can help beginners but preferring more literal renderings. She surveys many English Bibles, highlights the King James Version’s influence, and recommends the Revised Standard Version (especially RSV Catholic Edition) as faithful and less agenda-driven. She critiques aspects of the New American Bible’s inclusive language and certain footnotes, while acknowledging its liturgical familiarity. Recommended resources include the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch), The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, the Augustine Bible (ESV-CE), the Jerusalem Bible for poetic style, David Stern’s Jewish New Testament Commentary for Jewish context, and The Living Bible as a paraphrase.



00:00 Welcome and Topic

00:31 Translations Explained

01:29 Literal vs Dynamic

02:27 English Bible History

03:59 Survey of Versions

05:51 Choosing a Translation

08:22 Study Bible Picks

10:26 Ignatius Study Bible

12:08 Augustine Bible ESV

14:35 Devotional and Commentary

17:16 Jerusalem Bible Love

18:48 Living Bible Paraphrase

19:51 Final Recommendations

20:09 Wrap Up and Sign Off

Lavinia Spirito and Mary Lou Nemecek discuss Jesus’ Beatitudes, focusing on Matthew 5 and contrasting it with Luke’s blessings and woes, emphasizing that the Beatitudes are meant to challenge comfortable assumptions and serve as a roadmap for holiness. They explain “makarios” (blessed/happy/fulfilled) and describe the Beatitudes as a rhetorical teaching device pointing to God’s unearned grace. Key themes include spiritual poverty and humility as dependence on God; mourning as sorrow over sin and a call to conversion and intercession; meekness as strength under control and docility to God’s commandments; hungering for righteousness; extending mercy beyond kinship; purity of heart as coherence in charity, chastity, and truth (with Catechism 2518); peacemaking as God’s peace rather than appeasement; and rejoicing amid persecution as evidence of authentic Christian witness, concluding with 1 Corinthians 13 as a summary of Beatitude living.