Advancing Our Church

With the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) approval of the Bitcoin Spot ETF in January 2024, Catholic institutions now have the opportunity to make Bitcoin part of their investment portfolio. Mark Yusko is a highly respected and sought-after voice on Bitcoin. He is a devoted Catholic, and he spoke at the 2022 Catholic Crypto Conference. Mark answers many questions CEOs of Catholic institutions need to be asking, like, What is the value of Bitcoin? How does it bring truth? How does it align with the Church's values? What percentage of my portfolio should be in Bitcoin? Mark shares his personal journey in Bitcoin and discusses these questions in great detail during this interview. Whether you're a "Bitcoin bull" or a "newbie" to this space, this conversation sheds light on the Bitcoin adoption that is happening worldwide. Mark W. Yusko is the Founder, CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Morgan Creek Capital Management, LLC. Prior to forming Morgan Creek in 2004, Mr. Yusko was President, Chief Investment Officer and Founder of UNC Management Company, the Endowment investment office for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from 1998 to 2004. Until 1998, Mr. Yusko was the Senior Investment Director for the University of Notre Dame Investment Office where he joined as the Assistant Investment Officer in October of 1993. Mr. Yusko is the President and Chairman of the Investment Committee of The Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Foundation at the University of Notre Dame, and President and Head of Investment Committee of the Morgan Creek Foundation. https://youtu.be/9BgrdRMQttE Recorded April 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Lisa Hough joins Jim Friend for an expansive conversation on a variety of Bitcoin topics, including social justice, national security, preserving energy that is unalterable, and Bitcoin's compliance with our values as Catholics. She begins by giving an overview of the case for Bitcoin and offers some advice on how Catholic institutions can understand Bitcoin's value and how it aligns with our faith. During the conversation, Lisa referred to the 2024 Bitcoin Policy Summitt, which took place in Washington, D.C., on April 9th, 2024. If you're interested in learning more about Bitcoin, please join us for this conversation. Lisa stated during the conversation that she's always happy to connect on LinkedIn and Twitter and help educate others about Bitcoin. Lisa brings a background as a Commodities Trader and a unique perspective and expertise that drives the convergence of Energy and Bitcoin. Lisa's knowledge of Bitcoin mining has earned her the respect of fellow professionals in the field, and she was recently acknowledged as a leader in Bitcoin by FORBES. Energy companies, high-net-worth individuals (HNWI), wealth managers, family offices, universities, and industry symposiums frequently call on Lisa for guidance. They trust her insights and rely on her expertise when incorporating Bitcoin into their respective businesses. Connect with Lisa on her website or find her on Twitter (X) or LinkedIn. We wish to thank Lisa for joining us on today's show and sharing her time and expertise! Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/jQiKcIaZWlQ Recorded April 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Dave Baranowski rejoins Jim Friend for a conversation about working in parish Stewardship in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. Dave discusses how parishes are working together to regionalize ministries and create more opportunities for all parishioners. As a result, parishes are becoming more creative, collaborative, and welcoming than ever before. Dave also talks about how he trains disciples (not volunteers) in parishes to use their gifts and shares some tips for supporting your pastor. We discuss all this and much more in this very informative conversation. If you enjoyed this conversation with Dave, he also appeared on episode 23, episode 57, episode 75, and episode 76 of Advancing Our Church. Do you have a suggestion on a guest? Send Jim Friend an email or contact him on social media. Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/AUHKfaW-R5k Recorded: March 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Fr. Allen Hoffa is on the Leadership team for Integrity Restored, a ministry to help restore the integrity of individuals, spouses, and families that have been affected by pornography and pornography addiction. In this episode, we learn more about how this ministry provides education, training, encouragement, and resources to break free from pornography, heal relationships, and assist parents in preventing and responding to pornography exposure, which is so devastating in the lives of our children. To learn more about this important ministry, please visit please visit https://integrityrestored.com/ Integrity Counseling Services: If you're struggling with life's challenges and need professional help to improve your mental health, please visit https://www.integritycounselingpa.com/ If you are struggling with this addiction or would like more information about Integrity Restored, you can reach Fr. Allen Hoffa at 610-207-3441 or frhoffa@integrityrestored.com Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/jcRXJW4Yz8E Recorded March 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Will Murley is a Financial Advisor who specializes in helping Catholics make a holistic financial plan, give to charitable organizations, and invest according to USCCB guidelines. Will shares his experience of being a missionary and how he used to raise money. He also shares how he helps Catholic families choose investments that align with the Church's teachings and values. Learn some of the common obstacles that Will sees to financial planning for Catholic families and how to overcome them and how he counsels families in making decisions about their philanthropy. Will is originally from Central Florida. After college, Will was a Catholic missionary and worked in ministry for four years. As a husband and father, Will enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and deepening his relationship with the Lord through his Catholic faith. Disclaimer: Professionally, Will Murley is a Financial Advisor with Equitable Advisors, L.L.C., a broker-dealer and FINRA and S.I.P.C member firm. Will Murley is also an investment advisor representative with Equitable Advisors, L.L.C., an SEC-registered investment advisor, and an insurance agent with Equitable Network, L.L.C. It's important for Will Murley to point out that his talk here today is/was not intended and should not be relied upon as a solicitation, recommendation, or offer of any insurance, investment, or other financial product or service, nor should any part of my presentation here today be relied upon as any form of financial advice. Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/26CnOFHzopo Recorded: February 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Deacon Ed Shoener returns to Advancing Our Church to talk about how the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministry has grown over the past two years since we last met with Deacon Ed on AOC in Episode 110. Deacon Ed also speaks about his recent trip to the Vatican for the first Vatican-sponsored Catholic Mental Health Conference. The goal of Deacon Ed's organization is to accompany people who struggle with mental health challenges so that they know that God has not forgotten them and that God's Church is with them. Deacon Ed's vision is that this ministry will be common in parishes across the United States and the world. The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers was born out of a need for education, resources, and servant laymen and women to respond to mental health crises. Deacon Ed will share that he was inspired to join with other dedicated people to establish the Association after his daughter Katie died by suicide in 2016 after a long battle with bipolar disorder.  The response to his daughter's obituary made it clear to Deacon Shoener that there is a real need for the mental health ministry in the Church. Together with the ministry's chaplain, Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of San Diego, Catholic MHM has guided parishes through the process of creating a mental health ministry to provide spiritual support for those struggling with mental health issues, for their families, and for the entire parish community. Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/KB9iO10y8rA Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Jim Friend is joined by Colleen Scariano, one of the founders of SoulCore, a movement born from the desire to nourish body and soul through prayer and core strengthening and functional movements. The story of SoulCore began with a devastating loss that led Colleen to a deeper devotion to the Blessed Mother and eventually to the conception of SoulCore. Jim and Colleen discuss the creation of SoulCore and the tremendous response they have received working with a variety of Catholic organizations and people of all ages. Learn more about how prayer, combined with movement can strengthen the mind, body and soul. Many thanks to our sponsor, Changing Our World Watch the full video presentation of this conversation https://youtu.be/7VhChAQi-xs February 21, 2024 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

This is not a headline that we're accustomed to seeing in Catholic Education; the "Diocese of Venice has grown Enrollment by 30%" in the past year. Fr. John Belmonte, S.J., Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Venice, has waiting lists at most of his schools, and now the diocese is planning for expansion. Fr. Jeff Putthoff, S.J. serves as a strategic consultant for the Diocese of Venice, and the two men have brought new innovation to Enrollment through technology, marketing, scholarships and meeting today's generation of parents where they are through texting. Learn how their marketing system works and how Florida's Tax Credit program plays a significant role through scholarships. https://youtu.be/opqj4nVlzgk Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Gospel and Reflection.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

The report, Why Catholic Schools in Florida Are Growing: 5 Things to Know, aims to amplify the success of Florida's Catholic schools and offer lessons for Catholic education everywhere. Lauren May and Ron Matus from Step Up for Students join Jim Friend on today's episode to discuss this remarkable data and why Catholic Schools throughout the state of Florida are growing enrollment and expanding their mission. With the recent expansion of universal choice in multiple states, the time couldn't be more right for Catholic schools to flourish. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World Watch the Video Presentation of the Episode https://youtu.be/I-4UXkcakmo Recorded September 2023 Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

The back-to-school season was once filled with exciting anticipation as children embarked on a new learning adventure. However, in recent years, schools have become ground zero in an attempt to fundamentally transform America. Traditional academics, like reading, writing, and arithmetic, have been replaced with agenda-driven curricula to reform the values of our youth and less to provide them with the critical building blocks of a liberal education. California-based nonprofit organization Protect Our Kids (POK) is a coalition of parents, community leaders, attorneys, physicians, pastors, and teachers united in the belief that public schools today have co-opted education to advance ideological and political narratives. Join Katie McCarthy, Director of Marketing for Protect Our Kids, as she discusses a new document, "Back to School Questions Every Parent Should Know." Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World https://youtu.be/LojdtPkmx-Q Recorded: September 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you, nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Today, we are joined by Rob Faughnan, CFRE, who will share some of his recent research on parish giving and some strategies to enhance offertory and increase engagement. Rob is a seasoned organizational leader with 20+ years of fundraising and operations management experience in the nonprofit sector. He is recognized for demonstrating a natural aptitude for managing effective major gifts, annual giving, and direct mail fundraising campaigns. Rob was recently the VP of Philanthropy at CommonSpirit Health Texas Division, where he managed all philanthropic and revenue activities across 16 hospitals and multiple Texas-based sites. He also introduced federal grant strategies generating $2.1 million and supplied major gift assistance, resulting in $2 million in philanthropic revenue.  Rob is the former Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Colorado Springs. He is currently a Senior Consultant at the Giving Collaborative and the Principal at the Blue Philanthropy Project. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World https://youtu.be/1QaZ4L1l6Nw Recorded September 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you, nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Jim Friend talks with Fr. Joe Laramie, S.J., National Director for the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. Fr. Joe became the national director in 2020. He lives in Milwaukee and travels widely to offer talks and retreats for this ministry. He is also a National Eucharistic Preacher for the Eucharistic Revival. Fr. Joe was ordained in 2011 and he previously taught at all-boys high schools in Kansas City and Colorado and served as a college campus minister in St. Louis. He also served at Mayan villages in Belize. He is featured on the Hallow app, EWTN, Busted Halo, and America magazine. Fr. Joe is the author of two books: "Love Him Ever More: a 9-Day Personal Retreat with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, based on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola [Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, 2022] and Abide in the Heart of Christ: a 10-Day Personal Retreat with St Ignatius Loyola, based on the Spiritual Exercises [ 2019]. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World https://youtu.be/NC6VgpzCvEo Recorded: July 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you, nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Join Jim Friend and this expert panel for a conversation about giving to Catholic parishes, dioceses, and other organizations. Our panel includes Bevin C. Kennedy, Cabinet Secretary, Development and Communications for the Diocese of Manchester, Joseph M. Gillmer, CFRE® CSPG CAP, Executive Director of Development for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC and Scott Whitaker, Secretariat Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Austin. The panel discusses giving to their Diocesan Appeals/Catholic entities/Catholic Schools, losing donors, IRA Distributions, Major Gifts, Donor Advised Funds, using Artificial intelligence (AI) in Development, and much more. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World Watch the full video presentation of this conversation. https://youtu.be/c5byvEhp9zo Recorded July 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you, nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

On today's show, Brian Crimmins and our host, Jim Friend, discuss the recent Giving USA 2023 report. The two discuss why philanthropy and the number of donors in 2022 is down from the previous year and what can be done about it. Join this discussion for insights on how religious and nonprofit leaders can take action to be successful in fundraising in 2023. Brian and Jim discuss relationship building, some macroeconomic factors, and even how Ai is currently being used in Development Offices. Brian Crimmins is the Chief Executive Officer at Changing Our World, Inc. and the Global Managing Partner of ONE HUNDRED. He is a frequent contributor to publications covering the nonprofit sector. Brian has been invited to speak around the world on Catholic Philanthropy, Catholic Education and social impact. Brian is a global leader in social impact. He is a popular public speaker with the world's foremost speaking agency, the Washington Speakers Bureau. Brian is also the author of The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World Watch the full video presentation of this conversation. https://youtu.be/pgzd8M7f3Fg Recorded: July 17, 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you, nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: August 7, 2023 Join us for a discussion about the relationship between Development and Communications. How do we optimize those roles to work in unison toward the goals of your nonprofit organization? Join Jim and Jennifer Melville Trefelner, APR, CPRC, the Director of Communications and Development for the Diocese of Palm Beach. Jennifer has been a guest on Advancing Our Church many times over the years. She brings a unique perspective and tremendous experience to this conversation. Check out Jennifer's full bio here. This conversation was recorded on July 10th, 2023. Many thanks to our Sponsor: Changing Our World Watch the full video presentation of this conversation. https://youtu.be/FFRiOpmNHzo Recorded: July 10, 2023 Don't miss our sponsor's podcast: Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARD Don't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: May 14, 2023 Today we welcome Katie Boller Gosewisch, the Executive Director of the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, which was founded in 2013 by a group of Catholic Sisters who were committed to ending human trafficking and supporting survivors. They've created a national network of resources and support made up of 110 congregations of women religious and another 70+ individuals and groups spread throughout the United States. They are also a member of a much larger global network, Talitha Kum, which is an international network of consecrated life working to end human trafficking. Katie brings over 20 years of experience and great skill to her role, having served as the Executive Director for two Minnesota-based nonprofits: Living at Home Network and WeCab, both of which focused on serving vulnerable populations with important access to resources like transportation, safe and affordable housing, and medical care. I think you'll find during this conversation that Katie is a committed and vision-driven professional. She holds a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from St. John's University and a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and History from St. Mary's University. During the show, Katie shares about the Bark App, which monitors text messages, YouTube, emails, and 30+ different social networks for potential safety concerns, so busy parents can save time and gain peace of mind. Many thanks to our show's sponsor, Changing Our World. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/WcGKcz-DOa8 Recorded May 11, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: May 01, 2023 Today we will be talking about Evangelization with our special guest Tom Quinlan. As Catholics, we are called to spread the Good News of the Gospel and share the love of Christ with others. This is what evangelization is all about, and it's a crucial aspect of our faith. Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of evangelization, calling on all Catholics to be missionary disciples and to go out to the peripheries to share the joy of the Gospel. But what does evangelization mean, and how can we do it effectively in our modern world? In this episode, we'll explore these questions and more as we discuss the vital role of evangelization in the Catholic Church. In this episode, one resource that Tom discusses is Divine Renovation. Here is a link to their ministry. Tom Quinlan has served in parish, diocesan, and national catechetical leadership roles for nearly 30 years.  He has served on Catholic boards: National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, Paulist Evangelization Ministries, and now, Alpha in a Catholic Context.  He has spoken in dioceses and conferences throughout the country, including at Franciscan University and the LA Religious Education Congress.  Tom is the author of three books, two on the Eucharist and one on catechetical leadership (Excellence in Ministry: Best Practices for Successful Catechetical Leadership).  His style strives to bring spirituality, theological reflection, and pastoral application into synergy.  He lives in the Des Moines (Iowa) area with his wife and two boys, where he directs the St. Joseph Evangelization Center and serves 24 parishes in the region.  Tom welcomes hearing from Church leaders and can be contacted through LinkedIn or via email. This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World A big thank you to Podastery Studies for producing this episode. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/2rihqiKDfBk Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: April 10, 2023 We're pleased to have Dr. Laura Sicola on the podcast this week because communication is a common thread in the work of Advancing Our Church. Laura talks with us about communicating through storytelling, using common and accessible language with our audiences, and she touches on crisis communications. Laura also speaks about the importance of aligning our verbal messaging with our nonverbal cues, how to motivate and mobilize a board through your meetings (telling the story of the numbers), what vocal fry is, tips on Lectoring, tonality, the importance of using the right microphone and much more. Laura Sicola is a leadership communication and influence expert, speaker, and author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. Laura is the founder of Vocal Impact Productions in Philadelphia, PA, and is known for her coaching and live on-camera training that turns executives into confident, inspiring leaders, whether on stage, on camera or just on the phone in order to get the results they want and make a positive, lasting impact. Check out Laura's podcast “Speaking to Influence” on iTunes, YouTube or wherever you download your favorite podcasts. Vocal Impact Productions: https://speakingtoinfluence.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola/Twitter: @laurasicola This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/D6f3jwosUjM Recorded: March 20, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: March 26, 2023 We welcome Andy Lesnefsky, the President of Vagabond Missions, a national organization that shares the Gospel with inner-city teens by equipping young adults to serve as Catholic missionaries. Since 2018, Vagabond Missions has quadrupled its footprint by opening missions in 4 new cities. Vagabond has staff serving inner-city teenagers in Pittsburgh, Wichita, Steubenville, Mobile, Oklahoma, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Greenville, NC. This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/YCKIPKAJh6g Recorded March 7, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: March 12, 2023 A partnership between ACS Technologies and Villanova University's Center for Church Management in the Villanova School of Business examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on church giving. With over 1000 U.S. Catholic parishes participating nationwide, the findings were revealing. Join Jim Friend and ACS Technologies' Terry Poplava to learn about the far-reaching implications for our Church. For more information, download the full report. This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. Follow the link on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXcXKJUs3kw Recorded: February 15, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: February 26, 2023 Jim Friend speaks with Dr. Matthew Whelan, the ninth president of Caldwell University and the first male lay president in Caldwell's history. Prior to joining Caldwell, Dr. Whelan served as Vice President for University Enrollment Strategy and Relationship Development at Stony Brook University, where he held a variety of key leadership roles in undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, registrar, enrollment management, student services, fundraising, facilities and, strategic planning for several campuses.  President Whelan has expansive experience leading administrative and faculty teams at Catholic and public higher education institutions, including St. John's University,  Hofstra University, William Paterson University, and Mercyhurst College. Dr. Whelan has held a number of positions on national higher education boards and associations; he has presented nationally and internationally on issues impacting higher education, coached a women's soccer team to an NCAA Division II Final Four appearance, and taught graduate students in higher education administration. He holds a master's degree from William Paterson University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Dowling College in Shirley, New York. Today, we'll talk about his native home of Denville, New Jersey, where he grew up in a family of eight children. Dr. Whelan and his wife, Kathy, have three daughters and a three-year-old border collie named Lucy.   This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/RdDMTQERFYc Recorded February 10, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: February 12, 2023 Jim Friend speaks with David Savage, Executive Director of The Papal Foundation, whose mission is to serve the Holy Father and the Roman Catholic Church through faith, energy, and financial resources. In this role, David leads the organization's focus on addressing Pope Francis' priorities to build the Church, educate and prepare leaders, and care for the most vulnerable people, young and old, around the world. Dave brings his business acumen and, most notably, his passion for his Catholic faith to this critical mission. Founded in 1988, the Papal Foundation has awarded more than $190 Million in grants and scholarships to underserved communities and dioceses worldwide. This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/FA8U4h4iFHY Recorded January 31, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: January 29, 2023 An increasingly post-Christian world is forcing parishes to re-envision how they “make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Jim Friend speaks with Susan Windley-Daoust, theologian and director of missionary discipleship for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in southern Minnesota, who provides a roadmap to pastors and parish staff to make sense of it all through her new book, The Four Ways Forward, Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World. The book describes how Pastors and lay leadership must pivot to building up mission-first parishes equipped to proclaim the Gospel to those who have not heard it — all while the numbers of practicing Catholics fall with increasing speed. This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/AUumGn_ejWg Recorded: January 16, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: January 17, 2023 The Saint John Vianney Center (SJVC) brings 76 years of service to Catholic Clergy, Consecrated Men and Women Religious, and Clergy of other Christian denominations worldwide. David Shellenberger, President, and CEO, joins Jim Friend to discuss how SJVC helps to identify and navigate the areas of stress and anxiety, emotional and addiction concerns, spiritual struggles, and health and medical needs of their clients. SJVC has created programs that provide the accompaniment and tools to inspire, heal, renew and restore a person's physical, behavioral, and spiritual well-being to live a healthy lifestyle and an effective ministry. Jim Friend also explains in this episode that he has joined the team at SJVC as their new Director of Mission Advancement. This episode launches a new year and a new era for our podcast, and we hope you will join us on this journey. On our next show: The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World with the author, Susan Windley-Daoust This episode is sponsored by: Changing Our World About David ShellenbergerDavid Shellenberger, RN, BSN, serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Saint John Vianney Center. In this role, he works to increase awareness of SJVC's prevention and educational services, as well as its assessment and behavioral health treatment programs. David served as Chief Operating Officer at SJVC since 2014 and has worked at the center since 2008. Previously, he was the Chief Nursing Officer responsible for all clinical practice and medical care performed by the nursing department. Past positions also included Infection Control and Patient Safety Officer and Director of the Complex Extended Stay Program. David helped develop the weight management and wellness program at the Saint John Vianney Center which assists residents with weight loss and healthy living through diet, education, treatment, and emotional and spiritual support. David also provides workshops for SJVC as part of our outreach services. Topics include Stress Management, Health, Wellness and Weight Management. He has over 15 years of administrative experience in various healthcare settings, including Beaumont at Bryn Mawr in Bryn Mawr, PA, and HCR Manor Care in Pottstown, PA. David received his BSN from York College of Pennsylvania and maintains his RN license through the State of Pennsylvania. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/NUtQ6Q1BuX8 Recorded: Friday, January 13, 2023 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: December 20, 2022 On our last episode of 2022, Jim Friend speaks with Richard Lanahan, the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Metuchen. Rich's broad experience includes development in Higher Education, Catholic Parishes, schools, and healthcare institutions. In the Diocese of Metuchen, Rich oversees the Bishop's Annual Appeal and assists parishes with Capital Campaigns, feasibility studies, and increased offertory programs. Rich is also building a planned giving program for the Diocese. Just prior to joining the Diocese of Metuchen, Rich worked for King's College in Wilkes Barre, PA, as a Major Gifts Officer. Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

December 04, 2022 Today, Jim Friend is joined by John Matthew Knowles, J.D., a business development strategist and advancement executive who serves as Executive Director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, or DFMC, and President of the Catholic Finance Association. In addition to these leadership roles, John serves on boards of directors, task forces, and advisory councils for several national Catholic organizations while also advising several Catholic philanthropists and families confidentially and informally. He is the host of the Faith and Finance Forum podcast/YouTube show, available on all streaming apps and platforms. John holds a B.A. from Western Michigan University, a J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law, and a Fellowship Certificate in Leadership, also from Michigan State University. John lives in Saucon Valley, Pennsylvania, with Jennifer, his wife of 14 years, daughter Rosemary (aged 4), and Luke Abraham (aged 1). Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/qVuB_etAPkg Recorded November 30, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: November 14, 2022 Healing and renewing our Church is the goal of the National Eucharistic Congress, headed by the new Executive Director, Tim Glemkowski. The Church has been rocked with scandal, division, disease, and doubt, but now the bishops plan to confront these challenges by reminding everyone that Jesus is present and more powerful than the storm. Join Changing Our World‘s, Jim Friend to learn how we can heal, renew, and unify the Church and the world. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/3m9Ai4fl4c8 Recorded: August 12, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: November 01, 2022 Join Brian Crimmins, CEO of Changing Our World, and Nathan Chappell, Senior VP of AI at DonorSearch, authors of the new book Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges as they share a startling analysis of the changing nature of generosity in America and why its decline threatens to end the modern non-profit era. The Generosity Crisis demonstrates that if we do not change course, in fewer than 50 years- we could live in a world where inequality has never been as stark or as dangerous. Our relationship with Christ and our good Stewardship is the only antidote to isolation in a fallen world. Join us for a conversation about enabling radical connections with donors that invite them to help us tackle our Church's most intractable problems. Purchase the new Book: Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges Brian CrimminsBrian is the Chief Executive Officer of Changing Our World, where he is responsible for the overall management, success, and growth of our firm. Brian has personally provided counsel to countless Catholic clients over the past 25 years. Brian oversees all aspects of Changing Our World's service lines, including Nonprofit Services, Corporate, Research & Analysis, and Communications. Brian has extensive experience designing and building strategic initiatives that enable nonprofits and corporations to achieve their philanthropic goals. He is often called upon to speak at conferences regarding the philanthropic landscape and current trends in philanthropy. Brian has also mentored students from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business. He serves on the Board of Chaminade High School and is Vice Chair of the Board of the Institute for Catholic Schools at St. John's University. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John's University and an MBA in Marketing Management from St. John's Tobin School of Business. Nathan ChappellNathan is a thought leader, public speaker, writer, and one of the world's foremost experts on the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and philanthropy. He is the Senior Vice President of DonorSearch, leading the research and development efforts dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence to help nonprofits harness actionable insights from big data. In 2018, Nathan presented the first TEDx talk on the topic of artificial intelligence and the future of generosity. In 2019 Nathan was listed as one of the Top 100 Influencers in Philanthropy. In 2021, he founded Fundraising.Ai as a member-centric collaboration with a focus on data ethics, data equality, privacy and security, and sustainability. Nathan holds a Master's in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from the University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from the University of Cambridge, and a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/de9Dnn5jx1A Recorded: October 19, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

October 17, 2022 Today we are talking about #cryptocurrency, an evolving topic that is more and more relevant to our world and our Church. Join Changing Our World's Jim Friend and his guest, Matthew Pinto, the host and founder of the Catholic Crypto Conference. Matt is conducting the conference on November 17/18 at the Valley Forge Sheraton in PA. Matt discusses how businesses use crypto, Web3, and Blockchain technology and what relevance this has for our Church. This podcast is the perfect discussion for those who are new to crypto.  About the Conference The Catholic/Crypto Conference 2022 will be held on November 17/18 at the Valley Forge Sheraton in Pennsylvania. The conference will bring together Catholic thought leaders, technologists, crypto enthusiasts, and evangelists-at-heart for two full days of seminars, Meet-ups, strategy sessions, networking, and fun. The goal is to help individual Catholics and Church leaders understand the future…today. The conference is for those both new to crypto and those who are fully immersed in it. Addressing topics such as blockchain, Bitcoin, Web 3.0, NFTs, and the metaverse, conference speakers will educate on technological developments that will affect Catholics and all of humanity—and then will focus on how they can ultimately serve the Church and the Common Good. Matthew Pinto Matthew Pinto is the Founder and leader of this new conference. He has been at the forefront of multiple Catholic initiatives since the early 1990s. In 1998 he founded Ascension Press (Ascension), leading the Catholic publisher and media outlet to global prominence until 2021. Pinto is the founder of The Genesis Group, the creator of the Catholic Crypto Conference, and a co-founder of the Theology of the Body Institute, Envoy Magazine, The Maximus Group, and CatholicExchange.com. Matt has also authored or co-authored more than a dozen Catholic books and educational resources. Matt is a founding member of the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), a recipient of the Outstanding Catholic Leadership Award from the Catholic Leadership Institute, and has served on multiple boards. He and his wife, Maryanne reside with their children in suburban Philadelphia. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/ZntQff1fIUg Recorded October 12, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: October 03, 2022 This week we welcome Tom Smith, Director of Development for the Archdiocese of Newark. Tom began this new role in October 2021 and is enjoying being back in his home diocese. Tom and Jim discuss his role in the diocese, working with Cardinal Tobin, and how his parishes have been moving forward during these challenging economic and turbulent times in our world. Tom is a model of good stewardship and a very experienced Development professional and he offers some great advice for working through these challenges. Tom and Jim conducted this interview in person in Tom's office in Newark, New Jersey. We think you will enjoy their conversation. Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: September 20, 2022 We are currently experiencing the “Great Transfer of Wealth,” and over the next few decades, financial experts predict that between $40 trillion and $140 trillion will be passed from one generation to the next. Up to one-third of this wealth will be transferred to nonprofits through planned giving. We are joined today by Renée Underwood, CFRE, the Chief Development Officer for the Diocese of Fort Worth's Advancement Foundation who will share advice and her experience with facilitating Planned Gifts for Parishes and her Diocese. This episode was recorded on July 29, 2022. Pre-order the new book “The Generosity Crisis” by Authors Brian Crimmins, Nathan Chappell, and Michael Ashley on Amazon by clicking here. Send us a question about the new book, the Generosity Crisis for our upcoming interview with Brian Crimmins and Nathan Chappell by sending Jim Friend an email. Join Jim Friend at the new Catholic Crypto Conference on November 17-18, 2022, in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Join Changing Our World at the International Catholic Stewardship Conference on October 2-5, 2022, in Anaheim. Stop by our booth and visit with Jim Friend, Tom Farrell and Anna Vallez. About Renée Underwood, CFRE, has served in stewardship, development, and Catholic foundation management roles for dioceses since 2009. As Chief Development Officer of the Diocese of Fort Worth Advancement Foundation, she has responsibility for annual and planned giving, endowment funds and capital campaigns. The current Region X Board Representative to the International Catholic Stewardship Council, Renée has extensive board experience for nonprofit organizations. She currently serves on the executive committees of Lone Star Council Charitable Gift Planners, Fort Worth Metro Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Fort Worth Serra Club, and the Southwestern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Prior to her nonprofit career, Renée served in advertising, marketing and executive management roles. She holds a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University, an MBA from The University of Texas at Dallas and has completed additional graduate studies toward a Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University New Orleans. Renée is a widow, a mother of two sons, a grandmother of three and a spiritual director. Watch the Video Presentation of this Conversation https://youtu.be/14YWo2yYO4s Recorded July 29, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: July 13, 2022 Today we are joined by the team of the Xavier Society for the Blind. Xavier provides the Word of God, Roman Catholic teaching, literature, spiritual and inspirational material to the blind and visually impaired. They provide these services to persons of any faith in whatever format best meets their needs at no charge. Xavier works to explore ways to make this material more accessible to the widest possible audience of those in need. Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend is joined by Malachy Fallon, Executive Director and Aisling Redican, Fundraising and Communications Manager. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/ltyRTW8sd0g Recorded on June 24, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Cristofer Pereyra and Erin Monnin have authored the new book, Catholic Leadership for Civil Society, to provide a guide to authentic lay Catholic leadership. The book challenges the laity to take on leadership roles in the secular world. Join Changing Our World's Jim Friend and his guests for this thoughtful conversation about the role of lay leadership in our Church today. About the Book Catholic Leadership is not meant to be lived out exclusively within the confines of the Catholic faith community. Instead, serves mainly as a guiding force that illuminates every aspect of secular society with the Truth of the Gospel. The book explains why lay Catholic professionals have a unique responsibility and privileged opportunity to influence the world for Christ. It's not an optional prerogative, but their duty as baptized children of God. The authors explain that chance and coincidence are not compatible with the Catholic faith. If God has blessed some lay Catholics with a professional career, then their career must obligatorily become those Catholics' field of mission. Ultimately, this book explores specific fields and concrete ways to carry out Catholic leadership for civil society. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/pMP5GCV_lyg Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: June 13, 2022 In late February, Vinea Research administered an online survey to a sample of more than 1,500 self-identified Catholics who went to Mass at least once per year. The results of the survey included both positive and negative outcomes for Catholics, with one of the significant negative outcomes being that in-person Mass attendance has decreased and is not expected to be back to pre-pandemic levels by the summer of 2022. Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend and his special guest, Hans Plate, the Founder and President of Vinea Research, as they discuss this important research and the implications for our Church. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/TAx_2PKLCWw Recorded May 25, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: May 23, 2022 We are joined by Emmy Nominated Journalist Natalie Brunell a leading advocate for Bitcoin and the host of the popular podcast Coin Stories (YouTube link) where she interviews leaders in the Bitcoin space. Before turning her career towards Bitcoin full-time, Natalie was an Emmy-nominated senior news correspondent and investigative journalist. Natalie most recently hosted several panels and discussions at the 2022 Bitcoin conference in Miami. In this show, we talk about the origin of Bitcoin, what Natalie sees as the future, and why so many believe that we can fix our world by fixing the money. Today's show is not intended to be financial advice. Follow Natalie on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram and find the Coin Stories podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or wherever you download your favorite podcasts. Additional Bitcoin resources suggested by Jim: These are some additional resources that Jim Friend has used to learn more about Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency space. Invest Answers (YouTube link) hosted by James Mullarney. The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking (Amazon Link) is a book written by Saifedean Ammous and discussed on today's show The Mark Moss Show, (Website link) hosted by Mark Moss Bitcoin Magazine (Website link) The World Debt Clocks (Website link) Do you have a suggestion for a resource to share with our community? Drop a comment below. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/2QGpEloKx1o Recorded May 12, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: May 09, 2022 Are you looking for some expert Development advice as you begin your planning for the next fiscal year? Join us for this conversation on major/planned giving, annual fund, donor stewardship, and, much more. This Catholic Philanthropy Roundtable is hosted by Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend with special guests William M. McLean, Jr., Chief Development Officer, Archdiocese of Hartford and Interim Executive Director for The Hartford Bishops' Foundation, David Mehr, MA, Special Ministry Campaign Director & Senior Executive Philanthropic Coach, Archdiocese of Denver, Mary Doorley Simboski ACFRE, Managing Director, Changing Our World, Fred J. Roberts, Director of Development for Catholic Education, Catholic Community Foundation of Cleveland, and Kelli Hirsch, Major Gifts Officer, Archdiocese of Denver. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/xTyR1xXsSNs Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: April 28, 2022 Mercy School For Special Learning joins AOC as we celebrate Autism Awareness Month. Mercy's mission is unique as one of the few Catholic schools in our country that provides a Catholic education for children and young adults. The staff at Mercy afford their students the best opportunity to reach their utmost potential. Mercy's mission is the embodiment of the Catholic Church's doctrinal teaching on the Gospel and the sanctity of human life. Jim Friend welcomes Beth Grys, Principal, Mark Napierkowski, Director of Development and Chris Birkhead, a longtime Mercy Board Member to this conversation. Learn more about Mercy by visiting their website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/yO6ZdVnGp6s Recorded April 20, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: April 11, 2022 Join us for a conversation with Kailash Duraiswami on the evolving landscape of using technology in the New Evangelization. Kailash is a technology entrepreneur, most recently in the Artificial Intelligence space as the founder of Pantenix. Pantenix is an artificial intelligence platform that automates manual data entry for financial services companies through computer vision. Pantenix was acquired by financial services software provider Orion Advisor Solution in Spring 2021.  He is now a co-founder of Fidei, a technology startup providing software for consumers with Catholic values starting with email. Learn more about Fidei. Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend for an informative conversation. Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: March 30, 2022 Today we celebrate Catholic Sisters Week by hearing the vocation story of Sister Jane Wakahiu, LSOSF, Ph.D., the Associate Vice President, Program Operations, and Head of Catholic Sisters at the Conrad Hilton Foundation. Sr. Jane is a member of the Institute of the Little Sisters of Saint Francis, Kenya. She provides leadership and direction of the Hilton Foundation's Program Department operations budget, contracts, consultant management, and policy implementation. She also contributes to the Foundation's strategic planning. Prior to joining the Foundation, Sr. Jane was the executive director of the African Sisters Education Collaborative (ASEC), where she implemented many programs by working closely with leadership conferences, major superiors, religious congregations and institutes, twenty-three partner colleges and universities in the United States and Africa, and major foundations. Sr. Jane has taught extensively at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has a breadth of teaching and administrative experience from leading a high school in Kenya and as a leader of women's organizations. She is the author and editor of two books and serves as a contributing writer for the Global Sisters Report, and her peer-reviewed articles have been published in national and international journals. Sr. Jane holds a Ph.D. in human development from Marywood University, a Master of Arts degree from Saint Bonaventure University, and a Bachelor of Education from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.  Today we're Celebrating Catholic Sisters Week, a national celebration of Catholic sisters because they shine a light on mission and spirituality while building community together.  Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: March 16, 2022 Julianne Stanz joins Jim Friend to discuss her new book, Braving the THIN Places. A “thin place” is where God's grace is waiting to happen. Your thin place might be an important threshold, a soul friend, a fresh chapter in your own life story, a painful secret or fear, or a time of hardship. Whatever the circumstance, a thin place is where God and humanity meet in a mysterious way. These moments open us to places of rawness and beauty. When we enter into a thin place, something seems to break open inside us, and words are inadequate to describe what we are experiencing. In these moments, we feel a sense of breakthrough as we break free of the ordinary and experience the extraordinary amid our daily lives. For more information about Julianne, her book, and where she will be presenting next, please visit her website. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/sctJdjKwQpI Recorded: March 6, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: February 28, 2022 Join Clark Bartram and Jim Friend for a conversation about health, fitness, and spirituality. Clark Bartram is an inspirational Christian, professional fitness model, published fitness writer, and ISSA Master Personal Trainer from Ohio. He is well-known as an online trainer and TV fitness show host. Most recently, Clark has made it his personal mission to help men over 50 live healthier lives through the creation of CBX Nation, an online coaching service for men with over 10,000 members. For more information on Clark's program, you can view the video he mentions on the six-week solution and men who have experienced this program here. You can find download his App, join his Facebook page, or follow him on Instagram. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/k1iqBule4SY Recorded: February 22, 2022 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: December 21, 2021 On August 6, 2021, Bishop Koenig, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, announced Ms. Sheila O'Hagan McGirl, CFRE, would take the reigns as the new Director of Development for the diocese. On today's show, Changing Our World's Jim Friend talks with Sheila about her career path to this new role and how God guided Sheila and her family each step of the way. Sheila shares her focus for the office and her focus to serve this mission. Sheila O'Hagan McGirl, CFRE Ms. McGirl comes to the Diocese of Wilmington from the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia, where she was Senior Director of Institutional Advancement. Prior to that, she served the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey as Associate Director of Development. She also held positions in the Camden Diocese's Family Life and Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry offices, as well. Ms. McGirl holds degrees in Business Administration from Gloucester County College and Liberal Studies from Rowan University. She serves as Founder and Chairperson of the Board of the Catholic Business Network of South Jersey and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Planned Giving Association, International Catholic Stewardship Conference, and Board of the Irish American Building Society. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Diocese of Wilmington The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was established in 1868 and comprises 56 parishes, 18 missions and 27 schools serving the State of Delaware and the nine counties of Maryland's Eastern Shore. There are over 240,000 Catholics in the diocese. Information about the diocese is available at www.cdow.org. Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: December 05, 2021 The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers was born out of a need for education, resources, and servant laymen and women to respond to mental health crises. On today's show, Jim Friend interviews the organization's President, Deacon Ed Shoener of the Diocese of Scranton. Deacon Ed will share that he was inspired to join with other dedicated people to establish the Association after his daughter Katie died by suicide in 2016 after a long battle with bipolar disorder.  The response to his daughter's obituary made it clear to Deacon Shoener that there is a real need for the mental health ministry in the Church. Together with the ministry's chaplain, Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of San Diego, Catholic MHM has guided parishes through the process of creating a mental health ministry to provide spiritual support for those struggling with mental health issues, for their families and for the entire parish community. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/IhizH5Y2OyM Recorded on November 16, 2021 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: November 15, 2021 In celebration of Vocation Awareness Week, Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend invited Fr. Michael Zimmerman, who currently serves as assistant Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Boston and as an adjunct Scripture Professor at St. John's Seminary. With the heart of a teacher, Fr. Michael was inspired to create a systematic discernment program for young men drawing from the wisdom that he received as part of his own formation. During the pandemic lockdown in May 2020, Fr. Michael scripted 27 episodes which are now part of a video series called Scivias. Filmed in a way that captures many of Fr. Michael's own interests, such as rock climbing, track and field, art, drawing, and of course, the city of Boston. Fr. Michael hopes others can identify with his journey and recognize how pursuing God's plan for their lives will fulfill their greatest desires.Scivias Know the Ways of the Lord is a one-of-a-kind video series that serves as a vocational discernment guide for men considering the priesthood. The series is written and narrated by Fr. Michael Zimmerman, Assistant Director of the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Boston. Designed to help young men recognize how pursuing God's plan for their lives will fulfill their greatest desires, the 27-episode series was released in April 2021. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT SCIVIAS “Thank you Father, this series has really helped me discern.” “These videos are great. Thank you, and keep up the good work.” “I am now exactly 10 years into my priesthood, praise be to God. I loved your video and will be looking forward to more. Subscribed!” “I am a teen who's leaving high school next year, and I hope this series will help with my discernment. Thank you!” Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/BZc72N72v94 Recorded: November 5, 2021 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: November 10, 2021 What are your year-end giving strategies? How will you close the calendar year and capitalize on the giving season? Jim Friend is joined by Lisa Quist, the new Executive Director of Mission Support and Chief Development Officer for the Franciscan Friars of Atonement. As the Executive Director, Lisa provides strategic leadership for their comprehensive multichannel fundraising program, which generates revenue that supports the ministries of the Friars. Prior to joining the Friars, Lisa served as the Chief Development Officer of the Edmundite Missions located in Selma, Alabama, where she led all of their philanthropic strategies that supported the Mission's transformative life-saving and life-changing programs. Lisa is relatively new to her role, and she also discusses what to focus on first as a new Development Director. Please join us for this informative discussion. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/hLeEINjnC-Y Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: November 01, 2021 This week we travel back to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to talk with Michelle Brown, the Chief Development Officer for the Independent Mission Schools (IMS). Michelle is responsible for raising more than $15M annually and overseeing communications, marketing, and public relations for the organization. Michelle brings 21 years of non-profit leadership experience in both fundraising and operational capacities; Michelle joined IMS in October 2019. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Development at Mastery Charter Schools. AT MCS, Michelle was responsible for overseeing fundraising strategy and implementation for a network of 24 urban public charter schools. Independence Mission Schools (IMS): IMS is an independent network of 15 Catholic schools providing a transformative Catholic education for students. IMS provides children of all faiths across the city of Philadelphia the opportunity to learn in a college preparatory environment. They assist students to grow in a culture of love, setting them on the path to a promising future. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/A4rg7K7q4pI Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: October 24, 2021 Catholic Healthcare Systems serve a unique mission in the community, and never has the mission been more important than during the pandemic. Join our host, Jim Friend, and his special guest, Jim Choma, Vice President for Catholic Mission and Chief Development Officer for Saint Peter's Healthcare System. Mr. Choma shares stories of community partnerships and the incredible outpouring of generosity that continues to support their mission through the pandemic. About Saint Peter's Healthcare System Keeping faith with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and guided by the Bishop of Metuchen, Saint Peter's University Hospital is committed to humble service to humanity, especially the poor, through competence and good stewardship of resources. Saint Peter's ministers to the whole person, body, and spirit, preserving the dignity and sacredness of each life. They are pledged to the creation of an environment of mutual support among their employees, physicians, and volunteers and to the education and training of healthcare personnel. They are witnesses in their community to the highest ethical and moral principles in pursuit of excellence and patient safety.Also, if you would like to suggest a topic or guest for Advancing Our Church, please click here to send me an email. I'd love to hear from you! Thank you for your continued prayers for our show! Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/nmFq6_qth6Q Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: October 19, 2021 The Permanent Diaconate is a vital support to parish ministry. The Church calls men to serve as Ordained Deacons to be a sacramental sign of Christ to the world. Today we meet representative members of the Formation class in the Diocese of Allentown. They talk about the Deacon's ministry, the process of Diaconate Formation, and how it has impacted their lives. Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend with guests Fr. Gene Ritz, Deacon Rick Lanciano, Von George, Bo Riley, and Pat Alba for this conversation. Watch the video presentation of this discussion. https://youtu.be/kRo5IDgzQ5A Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: October 12, 2021 Father Christopher Walsh, Pastor of Saint Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church in Philadelphia, joins this week's podcast to discuss identifying and overcoming racism within ourselves and in our parish communities. Fr. Chris shares his experiences of providing pastoral service to a primarily black community and how together, they have formed a vibrant and inclusive community. Fr. Chris also touches upon the Bishop's Pastoral Letter, “Open Wide Our Hearts, the enduring call to love,” and he discusses practical examples of how our minds and hearts can be converted. We invite you to join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend for this important conversation. Resources discussed in this episode: Open Wide Our Hearts, the enduring call to love – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Saint Raymond of Penafort's YouTube Channel Just Faith Ministries Fr. Christopher Walsh Follow Fr. Chris on Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / LinkedIn Father Chris is the Pastor of St. Raymond of Penafort Church in Philadelphia, where he has served for 13 years. He is a professional consultant with the Saint John Vianney Center providing religious workshops and convocations for Clergy and Religious across the country. He serves priests throughout the United States and Canada in leadership formation through the Catholic Leadership Institute, he provides regular reflections on his parish's YouTube Channel which is viewed throughout the country and he provides Spiritual Direction.Prior to St. Raymond, he was the School Minister at Archbishop Wood High School as well as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Ransom. Raised in Chester County, he is a graduate of Bishop Shanahan High School, he has a B.A. in Sociology from Temple University and an M. Div.; M.A. in Systematic Theology from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Father Chris received training in the Spiritual Exercises at the Jesuit Center at Wernersville and has preached retreats and days of recollection throughout the country. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/nIPjKkB2MGc Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: October 05, 2021 Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend speaks with Fr. Jim McDermott, SJ, a Jesuit priest, writer, and editor for America Magazine. Fr. Jim writes about pop culture and our faith in Christ. During this conversation, Fr. Jim discusses his career as an editor, writer, and screenwriter and his experience of writing an op-ed this year about his life as a gay priest and the support he received from readers and his community after he wrote this article.Father Jim McDermott, SJ, is a writer from the suburbs of Chicago. Before coming to Los Angeles, Jim did magazine journalism and improvisational comedy in New York; he also worked as an English teacher, drama coach, and bus driver on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. While pulling out of a gas station, he once scratched a brand new bus so deeply he cut completely through its steel shell. He was named “Bus Driver of the Year” and awarded a can opener by the school. (He wishes he was kidding.) He has also spent the greater part of a year working and wandering in Australia and is more than slightly obsessed with Australian politics and football.In addition to past studies in Literature (Marquette, Harvard) and Old Testament and Liturgy (Weston Jesuit School of Theology), Fr. Jim recently completed his MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA. For the last three years, he interned in the development department of the AMC network and sold his first TV pilot.Fr. Jim can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PopCulturPriest and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JimMcDermottSJ/ He writes a weekly newsletter on pop culture and spirituality; sign up at  tinyletter.com/jimmcd. Watch the video presentation of this discussion https://youtu.be/8gSNioARg7o Recorded September 28, 2021 Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.

Published: September 26, 2021 How has the pandemic impacted Stewardship for Catholic organizations? What strategies are Catholic leaders implementing to navigate these uncertain times? How have donors stepped up in a meaningful way through the light of their faith? Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend as he discusses these questions and more with participants of this year's International Catholic Stewardship Conference in Orlando, Florida. Jim's guests include: Patrick Miller, MPPA, Director of Advancement at St. Patrick Catholic High School  Dr. Matt Buckley, Principal at St. Patrick Catholic High School Kimberlee (Rainey) Riley, CAP®, President & CEO at The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida David DiNapoli, Director of Development, Diocese of Portland Don't miss Changing Our World's FORGING FORWARDDon't miss the webinar series FORGING FORWARD, a virtual philanthropic conference designed to bring you nonprofit experts from around the country who are leading through the COVID-19 crisis. Daily Spiritual Reflection and Prayers on “Kristin's Crosses” Join Jim and Kristin Friend and their family on Kristin's Crosses YouTube Channel for “Today's Catholic Prayers.” Jim and Kristin offer the daily Gospel and Reflection along with the Rosary and Catholic Prayers of the day. Click here to visit the YouTube Page and subscribe. If you would like to join the Kristin's Crosses prayer group on Facebook, click here to request to join.