Designing the Domestic Church
What does it truly mean to call your home the domestic church?
Paige Rienzo joins Jim and Meghan to explore that question with honesty and joy. Drawing from her journey as a convert, a mother of three teen boys and one preteen girl, and a former HGTV designer, Paige unpacks how the home is not a showpiece or a DIY project but a sacred space where faith is handed on and families are formed.
What’s in this episode:
The meaning of "domestic church" and what it calls every family to
People over things: the Catholic vision for home and family life
Paige's story of transforming her glamorous parlor to fit her active boys
Her books and the case for self-reflection over world-driven home design
Why influencer culture pulls families away from authentic home identity
Paige's conversion from Orthodox baptism to Catholicism at 40
Her work in campus ministry at the University of Maryland
The faith revival happening among Catholic college students today
How to support your child's faith as they leave for college
Lessons from students who found their own faith at a state university
Letting the home unfurl to reflect the family God gave you
One resource every Catholic family should know: Catholic in Recovery
Books she is currently reading: He Leadeth Me by Father Walter Ciszek and The Life-Giving Home by Sally Clarkson
Advice to her younger self: Be patient; all things work for good for those who love God
Final wisdom for listeners: Be patient with the domestic church; let beauty unfurl as you discover the family God gave you
Resources Mentioned:
Catholic in Recovery – A 12-step recovery program integrating the sacraments, gospel, and Catholic faith
He Leadeth Me by Father Walter Ciszek – A memoir on surrender, suffering, and living God's will
The Life-Giving Home by Sally Clarkson – A handbook for building a beautiful, faith-centered family home
Love the House You're In by Paige Rienzo – A guide to self-reflective, intentional home design
Revived and Renovated by Paige Rienzo – A Christian approach to creating a purposeful home