Show Notes
Episode 85. w/ Msgr. James Shea
Episode 85. w/ Msgr. James Shea
“The Christian faith does not destroy culture, but purifies and uplifts it. It takes away nothing of genuine value from a society or nation, but strengthens whatever is good for the betterment of all.”
~ St. John Paul II
What does it mean to live a beautiful life?
How can I create a Catholic culture in my own life, family, school, or work?
Should I be aiming to create a utopia on earth?
In this insightful episode of This Whole Life, hosts Pat and Kenna sit down with Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary, to explore the deep connection between faith, mental health, and the quest for true integration in everyday life. Monsignor Shea shares personal stories of loss and leadership, reflecting on building an authentic Catholic culture in diverse communities, the challenges and joys of forming young minds, and why embracing imperfections leads us closer to wholeness. The conversation dives into the meaning of integration—both personally and institutionally—and touches on how fragmented lives can be healed through Christ with humility and a spirit of self-giving. With practical encouragement and wisdom, this episode inspires listeners to find beauty, purpose, and unity in the messiness of real life. Perfect for anyone seeking both sanity and sanctity as they walk the journey of faith.
Monsignor James Shea became the sixth president of the University of Mary in 2009. Monsignor Shea grew up on a dairy farm in Hazelton, North Dakota, and has studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the Vatican’s North American College, the University of Chicago, and Harvard.
Show Notes
“I have a serious health condition. My body doesn’t make its own ice cream, so I have to supplement.”
God is the course of all that is good, true & beautiful
For the ancients, and eventually Christians, there are three things necessary for beauty:
Integritas: the presence of correct constituent parts
Consonantia: harmony of parts in right relation
Claritas: radiance of the parts united
We are meant to be integrated persons, not fragmented or compartmentalized; not to be a different person depending on the environment
"...one of the great defects of our culture is not only that we have compartmentalization; we don't have institutions, social areas, where people can withdraw to reflect, to think about the whole, the totality.”
Alasdair Maclntyre
“Heaven is worth the awkwardness.”
Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS
It is not pessimistic or hopeless to reject the idea of a utopian world, family, Church, etc. On the contrary, facing the realities of a fallen world, and the people & institutions within it, is a significant step toward wholeness and holiness.
Samwise Gamgee’s speech from The Two Towers:
“Frodo: I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”
“You are doing better than you think you are, and God sees you as you truly are.”
Msgr. Shea
Learn more about the University of Mary
The Tolkien Reader containing the remarkable short story
Leaf: by Niggle
Challenge By Choice
Renounce any utopian delusion in your own life & the world
Reject the aimless pursuit of perfection in a fallen, broken world
Where am I expecting perfection where it’s not reasonable or rational?
How can I see the messiness in me and in others as a great gift & opportunity?
Reflection Questions
For personal reflection or group discussion
What is one specific thing that stuck with you from this conversation?
How do you see the connection between integrity and beauty in your own life?
When have you experienced fragmentation or compartmentalization, and how did they stop you from living a fully authentic life?
How do you create habits to be fully integrated internally and with others?
How can we balance the pursuit of excellence and integration without falling into the trap of perfectionism or utopian thinking?