The Saint Emmelia Podcast

Continuing the conversation about "Mom Guilt," Mindi, Mat. Melissa Naasko, and Pres. Jennifer Souza discuss repentance, forgiveness, boundaries, and how all these things intersect with our feelings of guilt.

In today's episode, Saint Emmelia Ministries Assistant Director Mindi Popovich-Schneider takes over hosting duties and puts Mat. Melissa Naasko in the hot seat. Mat. Melissa and Pres. Jennifer Souza break down the concept of "Mom guilt"-where these feelings come from, how they affect us, and how we, as Orthodox Christians, can combat them.

On today’s episode, Matushka Melissa interviews Presbytera Jennifer Souza about the new Orthodox homeschool health class being offered by the Classical Learning Resource Center often known as CLRC. The course features presentations by well known and respected Orthodox clergy and scholars. Early enrollment will be for live classes and is a unique opportunity to help shape the recorded classes that will be offered later. For more information, visit: https://www.clrconline.com/orthodox-health-course-for-parents/ About today's guest: Presvytera Jennifer Souza is a classical teacher and curriculum developer with over 17 years of teaching experience. Jennifer completed her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies & English from Belmont Abbey College, is a CiRCE certified Classical Teacher, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies, with a concentration in Patristics & Pedagogy, at Hellenic College Holy Cross. She has taught humanities, logic, writing, rhetoric, and the fine arts since 2009. She is the founder of Eastern Orthodox Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers Facebook group, was a contributing author for The Lost Tools of Writing Level 1, published by The CiRCE Institute, and is the former co-host of The Classical Homeschool Podcast. Her research interests include Classical Rhetoric, Classical Pedagogy, The Liberal Arts, Literature, Letters, and Fine Art Studies, The Intersection of Education and Healing, Education and Pedagogy through the lives and writings of the Saints, Patristic Fathers, and Iconography.

Christopher talks with Megan Bonynge about the transition from high school to college for Orthodox Christian students, highlighting the importance of support systems, the common struggles of anxiety, depression, relationships, stress, and trauma, and the increase in loneliness.

Presbytera Krista Fedorchak focuses on the shift in responsibility for food decisions from parents to students and the logistical challenges of budgeting and scheduling meals. For Orthodox Christians in particular, this transition can be especially difficult during fasting periods. Pres. Krista shares her ideas for how students can nourish their bodies during these years when there is so much emphasis on the mind.

Christopher talks with Kh. BethAnn Hyatt about the challenges and joys of the high school-to-college transition from a parent's perspective, specifically detailing her family's non-traditional path, which involved homeschooling, a period in public school, and the very different struggles and paths her two oldest sons experienced after high school. Kh. BethAnn offers tips and advice for homeschooled students, especially how to overcome challenges.

In this talk, taken from the Saint Macrina Lecture "Teamwork: Marriage is not 50/50 (It's 100/100)," Fr. Luke Carpenter (St. Philip's Orthodox Church in Souderton, PA) describes a theological understanding of marriage.

Mindi and three of the Saint Emmelia interns--Sophia, Caroline, and Christina--have a roundtable discussion about often overlooked classics, and why they should be read. Books mentioned: Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose Coriolanus by William Shakespeare Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte The Idiot by Fyodr Dostoevsky The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot The Professor by Charlotte Bronte Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery

Saint Emmelia Ministries mom Rachel shares some thoughts on stewardship as we enter the Nativity season of almsgiving.

On today’s episode, we discuss AI and how it originated, how it works, and what it all means. Matushka Melissa Naasko is joined by her husband, Father Benjamin Naasko, who discusses the philosophical aspect not only as an Orthodox priest but also as an instructor of philosophy, and Ronald Stempien, a computer science PhD student who is able to explain how AI functions in clear and concise language that is easy to understand. Referenced links can be found below. (Links must be copy-pasted into browser.) Italian Song intended to sound like English but it’s intentionally gibberish: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisencolinensinainciusol Pareidolia, the tendency of people to find faces and meaning in random patterns and images: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia Eliza Emulator: https://web.njit.edu/~ronkowit/eliza.html Man poisons himself by following ChatGPT medical advice: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna225055 Environmental cost of ChatGPT: https://cee.illinois.edu/news/AIs-Challenging-Waters Google AI chatbot suggests teen could harm parents over restricted screen time: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd605e48q1vo.amp

In today's episode, our Head Intern Londyn narrates her essay "Listening Well," which previously appeared on our blog. Londyn reflects on the importance of being a good listener, and offers suggestions for how to listen well.

With this episode, we conclude our series, With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation. Christopher Chiakulas, founder of Orthodox Christian College Counseling and the author of Paving the Road to College Through an Orthodox Christian Perspective, offers insights on different considerations for discerning whether college is the right path. Paving the Road to College…is Saint Emmelia Publishing’s first published book.

Welcome to a special series, With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. In this episode, Marcy interviews financial advisor and entrepreneur Razvan Mirica, who discusses the pros and cons of college, the tough financial considerations, and steps parents can take to save for college.

Welcome to a special series, With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. Marcy interviews Denise Yurchak, a certified senior HR specialist who is now getting her master’s degree in Counseling and Pastoral Care from Antiochian House of Studies. Denise shares how personality–and personality classification or typing–can be used in the process of discerning vocation.

Welcome to a special series, With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. In today’s episode, Brett Schaller and Brennan Nokelby, two admissions counselors from Hillsdale College, talk with Mindi about the importance of relationships–at any college–and offer practical advice for the application process.

Welcome to a special series, With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. We’re excited to be joined by Noah Hyatt, an alumni of Saint Emmelia Ministries. Noah shares his experiences transitioning to college, and how he came to be a PhD student.

Welcome to our new series in the Saint Emmelia podcast: With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. Today, Holden Spain from Hellenic College Holy Cross shares how the college experience can shape young people long after they graduate.

We’re excited to introduce a new series in the Saint Emmelia podcast: With Humility & Gentleness: Exploring Vocation, where we will be exploring topics related to the decisions that young adults face as they transition out of high school. In this episode, Mindi Popovich-Schneider, Marcy Fox, and Mat. Melissa Naasko discuss the challenges and great blessings of working while raising children–and how young women can navigate the pressures and expectations of both the secular and religious worlds.

We are so excited and honored to have Autumn Krause join us on the podcast! Autumn is a Kirkus-star winning Young Adult author, homeschool alumna, and Orthodox homeschool mom. Her books, A Dress for the Wicked and Before the Devil Knows You're Here, were published by mainstream companies, with the latter garnering many accolades. Her third book will be published September 2nd, 2025. Autumn shares how she confronts the hardships of life in her books and recounts how homeschooling impacts her work as an author. Books mentioned: A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause Before the Devil Knows You're Here by Autumn Krause Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause Hamlet by William Shakespeare Les Miserables by Victor Hugo Brothers Karamazov by Fyodr Dostoevsky Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Little Women by Louisa May Alcott