# Pray Pray Pray in 2019
*2019-02-14*

> Bill Young shares updates on a mercy retreat, a new book, and plans for parish activities while reflecting on the purpose of his Prayer N Lunch podcast.

## A New Mercy Retreat

We’re currently doing a self‑retreat by Fr. Michael Gately called *You Did It to Me: A Practical Guide to Mercy in Action*. It’s a short, powerful book with a DVD set of five lessons. I highly recommend it for personal or group study; the author wrote it in just one week, and the material is easy to digest. The book emphasizes an action plan for living out mercy, especially through sacrificial giving.

## Lenten Giving Ideas

The book uses the widow’s offering of two pennies (Mark 12:41‑44) to illustrate true sacrificial generosity. It suggests simple ways to turn Lenten sacrifices—like giving up soda, ice cream, or alcohol—into a charitable fund. For example, the money saved can be donated to a chosen charity each Friday after the Stations of the Cross. This practical approach helps us live the spirit of the season.

## Parish Plans and Guest Speakers

Our pastor at St. David’s is leaving at the end of the month, and we hope to have him on a future episode before he departs. I’m also in talks with Martha from Nova University and a youth group at St. David’s to co‑host a show, possibly with Fr. Thomas as a guest. If we can arrange it, it will be a fresh addition to the podcast.

## Why Prayer N Lunch Exists

The name comes from the idea of offering a short prayer at lunchtime—a time often missed in our busy lives. Though the podcast began over eleven years ago at a discipleship retreat, it now reaches listeners worldwide, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, where Catholics may have limited access to liturgical prayers. I hope it helps anyone who needs a simple way to pray the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, or other devotions.

## Technical Challenges and a Test Run

I’m trying out Anchor for recording. My laptop’s battery and microphone have been giving me trouble, so this episode is a beta test. If you have technical advice, please email me at wryoung12@yahoo.com or leave a comment on peoplepodcast.com.

*Even small, everyday sacrifices can become powerful acts of mercy when we offer them to God.*