Catholic Dad Lifestyle Design: Work, Prayer, and Family as One Artwork

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Modern Catholic Family

Catholic Dad Lifestyle Design: Work, Prayer, and Family as One

September 16, 2025 • Jim Schubert

0:00 | 42:51

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What if you could design your work and family life around the rhythms of the Church? Catholic author, attorney, and dad of six Scott L. Smith, Jr. joins Jim and Meghan to talk about “Catholic Dad Lifestyle Design” an intentional, faith-filled approach to building a domestic monastery at home. From homeschooling to creative work, Scott shares how a deeply rooted Catholic worldview shapes everything from daily routines to global pilgrimages.

What’s in this episode:

What "Catholic Dad Lifestyle Design" looks like in real life
How Scott structured his work to be more present at home
Adapting ideas from the Four Hour Workweek with a Catholic lens
Why homeschooling became essential for their large family
Creating a domestic monastery: prayer, liturgy, and family rhythms
How the liturgy of the hours shapes their daily life
Making Catholic education a community-wide investment
A powerful vision for bringing the world to your children through homeschool
Launching the Catholic Nerds podcast and what drives his creative work
A family pilgrimage to Girlstown and the legacy of Fr. Al Schwartz
One resource every Catholic family should know: The Liturgy of the Hours
Book he’s currently reading: A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
Favorite book: Priest and Beggar by Kevin Wells
Advice to his younger self: Persistence is the superpower just keep showing up
Final wisdom for listeners: Lose yourself in the liturgy and find your true self

Resources Mentioned:

Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families – Book by Scott L. Smith, Jr.

A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken – A moving memoir with letters from C.S. Lewis

Priest and Beggar by Kevin Wells – Biography of Fr. Al Schwartz, founder of World Villages

Catholic Nerds Podcast – Scott’s faith-filled show blending theology and fun

The Scott Smith Blog – Scott’s hub for books, blogs, and resources

Looking for meaningful ways to deepen your family’s connection with God outside of Sunday Mass? Download our free guide to discover 10 practical and fun faith-based activities that will bring your family closer to Christ—no matter how busy life gets. From sharing gratitude at the dinner table to watching faith-filled media together, these ideas make living your faith easy and enjoyable.