Ascension Roundtable (Your Catholic Ministry Podcast)

Today we are joined by Brother Isaiah, a Franciscan friar who lives in the Bronx. He shares how little by little, he came to love God, discover his calling towards religious life, and use his musical gifts to serve the Lord. He also shares three pieces of wisdom that will deepen your prayer life and elevate your ministry.

Allen has suffered through a lot of embarrassment in his life. So, he stopped trying to avoid it, and started trying to embrace it. Shortly after making this decision, he ended up saying his own name wrong during an audition – a situation that could have been a complete disaster, but was actually a great opportunity. This week, think of an embarrassing story about yourself, and, when the opportunity arises, embrace it by telling a friend. For inspiration, check out this article, Music Ministers Share Their Most Embarrassing Moments (https://media.ascensionpress.com/2018/09/07/music-ministers-share-their-most-embarrassing-moments/). "God knows we have lots of awkward moments as human beings, so just embrace it."

In the midst of a hectic fall schedule, busy Catholics need to do everything in their power to make time to be with God in prayer or adoration. Let go of your to-do list for at least thirty minutes a day and make prayer your top priority. If you aren’t sure where to start, read this prayer from Charles de Foucauld: Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures - I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul: I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father. "How can we be in love with Christ if we don’t spend time with him in prayer? How can we actually love those we serve if our hearts don’t belong to Christ?"

When Kanye West was interviewed in 2013 by the New York Times, he told the reporter, “I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things.” Allen says this is the worst mantra for anybody working in the Church, but it seems like there have been plenty of undercover Kanye Wests who have infiltrated the Church at so many levels. Here’s what we have to remember: if we want to change things and influence things, we need to be leaders whose main priorities aren’t gaining influence and credibility and being relevant. We need to be leaders who imitate Christ. He gained both popularity and notoriety, but never once made a decision based off of what others were going to think about him. Christ had one purpose—doing his Father’s will. As a leader, are you like Kanye, or are you like Jesus?

From his years of experience in youth ministry, Allen shares two things that kept him grounded when staff changes threatened to throw him off balance. It’s God ministry, we are merely stewards of it. When people leave, the ministry remains. There will always be people who need us to reach out and provide an opportunity to grow their relationship with Christ and the Church. Working with new people provides an opportunity to cast vision. Don’t look at it like another person you have to train or get caught-up, look at it like another person with whom you get to share your vision. "People come and go in Church ministry, but the parish remains and the ministry remains. So it’s God’s ministry, we are simply stewards during this time. Our job is to continue to pray and discern what God’s will is with that ministry while we’re stewards of it."

Happy 4th of July & An Important Announcement! by Ascension

One parish in Louisiana transformed their confirmation prep ministry by making three simple, yet powerful changes. Their teens went from begrudgingly memorizing answers about Catholicism, being confirmed, and then disappearing from church, to becoming active participants in their parish - truly on fire for the Catholic faith. Listen as Colin MacIver, a contributor for Chosen: Your Journey Towards Confirmation, shares this story of incredible transformation and the formula that made it possible.

Whether we like it or not, people leave parishes because of bad music. While music is not essential to the Mass, it has the potential to move people’s hearts and draw them closer to Christ. Today Steven Joubert (a writer, musician, and youth minister) explains why it is so important for every parish to invest time and effort in music. You may be surprised at how doing just this actually builds up parishes in other ways as well. To find out more about Steven or to listen to his music, visit StevenJoubert.com.

If you’re not praying, you’re not going to get very far in understanding your faith or being able to help others grow in theirs. Historical theologian Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio explains three prayers of the Church to help you deepen your own prayer life and help others deepen their prayer lives as well. Listen and come away with a better grasp of the Church’s teaching on prayer, as well as several very practical ways to incorporate these three specific prayers into your own life and ministry.

Dr. Kerry Cronin doesn’t just give her students essays; she gives them an assignment that requires them to ask someone out on a good, old-fashioned first date. It’s something she’s been doing for a while, and her experiment is featured in a new feature-length documentary recently released called The Dating Project. If you work with teens, college students, or young adults, you won’t want to miss what Dr. Cronin has discovered about hook-up culture and dating in today’s day and age.

When it comes to parish life, women’s fertility and health is a topic often relegated to a brief discussion during marriage prep, and then it’s either ignored or rarely touched upon again by anyone in the parish because of its sensitive nature. But this is a topic that everyone in Catholic ministry should be able to discuss to some degree, because at least half of the people we’re serving are women, and this is an area where our faith gives us a wealth of guidance! In a world where young women are often told that their fertility is a problem that must be fixed with birth control, we have the opportunity to share with them the beauty of God’s design behind their sexuality. Alex DeRose joins us again to give practical advice on how this topic might be addressed within different areas of ministry, and she also explains how it is an incredible opportunity to evangelize women. We’d Love to Hear from You Do you have comments, questions, or topic suggestions for the Ascension Roundtable hosts? Use the comment box below or email us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

How much do you know about Natural Family Planning? Today, nurse practitioner Alex DeRose gets real about NFP, a topic that can be uncomfortable to discuss and therefore avoided. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Not only does Alex provide an overview to help you explain NFP to others, she answers specific questions about the Creighton Model, NAPRO technology, and explains why NFP is not Catholic birth control. Whether this is the first time you have heard about NFP or you consider yourself to be a NFP expert, this episode will prepare you to speak about natural family planning to anyone you may encounter within (or outside of) your parish.

Victims of sexual abuse often feel overwhelmed with intense feelings of worthlessness, despair, and loneliness. Many times it’s hard for them to even consider sharing what happened and how they feel. Today, Joann shares her childhood sexual abuse story, from the deep wounds of abuse, to finding peace, hope, and healing in Jesus. In this episode, you will learn what to look for and how to help those around you who may have been afflicted without you even knowing. If you have experienced child abuse, know that you are not alone, and there is hope and healing to be found in Jesus. We are praying for you!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the organizing and executing of ministry duties that we forget that one of the most powerful things we can do is stop to pray with and for the people we encounter in our days. In today’s episode, we speak with Deborah Molina, who shares stories about praying with people on the streets of various cities. In giving us a glimpse of these different experiences, Deborah relates several very simple tips to help us minister to people through intercessory prayer.

In this episode, we identify five major things that cause small groups to fail, and then we suggest ways to avoid those pitfalls. From losing focus on the bigger purpose of the small group to facilitation faux pas, you’ve probably seen these issues at play in a small group near you. When you’re finished listening, make sure to write to us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com with your tips for a successful small group.

What would you do if we told you that a simple smile, a family meal, or a weekly chat could make a dramatic difference in the life of a young minister (or any minister, for that matter)? It is all too easy to forget that even ministers sometimes need the people they serve to reach back out to them. Today Lauren Joyce, a young DRE, returns to the Ascension Roundtable to share seven ways you can support millennials who are working in ministry. If you would like to learn more about Lauren or have her come speak at your parish, you can find her online at www.LaurenJoyce.net

Today’s conversation isn’t just for the young minister; anyone can benefit from the experiences and insights shared by today’s guest. The reality is, our parishes are supposed to be intergenerational, supposed to act like a family and include people from different ages and stages in life. Many times, as a parishioner or minister we can get caught up in one way of thinking about ministry and forget that every generation feels connected to the community in different ways. And it’s no secret that younger generations are more disconnected from the parish than ever before. Today we talk to Lauren, a young DRE at a thriving parish. She shares three survival tips to help new or young ministers overcome challenges and become the best instruments they can possibly become in the hands of the Lord. Learn how to minister across all generations, stay tuned!

In ministry, we all know how hard it can be to get a practicing Catholic to commit to a weekly Bible study, youth group, or service project. So, how can we reach out to those who do not actively practice their faith, or someone who has left the Catholic Faith all together? A few weeks ago Marisa spoke with a man named Frank, a former Catholic. He candidly shared with us his personal experience with Catholicism and the reasons he left the Faith. Between his thoughts, Allen and Marisa provide commentary on what we can learn from him and how we can apply his experiences to improving our ministries. In order to reach people we need to know their story, and our conversation with Frank is a perfect example.

Blessed Triduum and Happy Easter by Ascension

Does feeling burned out in your personal life affect how you approach your ministry? In this episode, we discuss three important aspects of a holistic life and ministry. Discover what aspects of your life and ministry may need revitalization and then take a few simple yet practical steps to strengthen them. Any Catholic, whether a DRE, parent, or student can benefit from these helpful steps.

Catholic formation isn’t just about teaching the brain; it has to do with the development of a whole person spiritually, physically, mentally, and socially. The Church has long recognized that this formation best happens in a Christian community. In this episode, you’ll learn why knowing Church teachings isn’t enough—you have to allow your whole self to be transformed by Christ, including your prayer life, your personality, how you interact with others, and even the food you put in your body. Whether you’re a DRE, youth minister, parent, grandparent, or Bible study leader, this episode will help you take steps towards your own holistic formation and empower you to build a community where others can experience the fullness of true Catholic formation. We’d Love to Hear from You Do you have comments, questions, or topic suggestions for the Ascension Roundtable hosts? Use the comment box below or email us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

In last week’s episode with Fr. Philip Bochanski, we talked about the principles of ministering to those who experience same-sex attraction. In this episode, Father takes those principles and applies them to situations you might find yourself in. How do you respond when someone shares their story with you? What kind of language should you use? How do you help someone recapture chaste friendship with someone else of the same sex?

Many people think there’s no place in the Catholic church for people who experience same-sex attraction. Others hope that the Church changes her teaching on this issue. Today’s interview with Fr. Philip Bochanski will introduce you to a ministry that is fully Catholic, fully pastoral, and spreading quickly in parishes across the world. This ministry, called Courage, seeks to understand its members’ experiences of same-sex attraction, anchor them in Christian community, and help them experience the joy that comes from a life of chastity. Listen and learn how Courage practically accomplishes this mission. Stay tuned till the end to hear Fr. Philip address questions from our listeners about transgender ministry, therapy that seeks to re-orient a person’s sexual attractions, and how to talk to Catholics who want to change Church teaching in this area.

Learn about new ways to understand addiction with therapist Mike Ciaccio. Discover his research on the prevalence of sex addiction in Christian communities. You will find out why he is hopeful that Christians can overcome whatever darkness we face in this realm. His methods have successfully helped people experience Christ’s healing in this area of their lives. Empower yourself with the latest research in Catholic sexual addictions.

Statistically, there are over eleven million single parent families in the USA. Single moms are the only head of household for about twenty-three percent of American children, and single dads make up another six to eight percent. Whether it is a teenage mom who decided to not have an abortion, or a middle-aged mom who has finally left an abusive relationship, or the man whose wife has left him and the kids for someone else, the stories are unique, but the needs are real. Single parents have all the usual stressors of life and parenthood, along with the special crosses that fall on the single parent. Today we sit down with Christine Therese, single mom of six, who helps us better understand this life of single parents. She shares four “don’ts” when it comes to outreach to single parents, and she ends the episode by giving us practical suggestions for helping to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of single parents in our communities.

On average, military families move every three years. Which means every three years these families leave behind their homes, their communities, and their friends to once more build a new life in a new town. More than just being physically exhausting, it is also emotionally and spiritually difficult. In this episode, we chat with Air Force major Gerard Carisio and his wife Kara about how they live their marriage and family vocation through the realities of their military life. In the first part of the episode, they explain how their lifestyle has reminded them that—as Christians—all of us are pilgrims on our way to heaven. In the second part of the episode, Kara and Gerard give advice as to how you can reach out to help make any military family quickly feel welcomed into a new community. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Do you have comments, questions, or topic suggestions for the Ascension Roundtable hosts? Email us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

Catholic convert and Bible study guru Sonja Corbitt sits down with us to talk about how Bible study changes lives, builds community, and breaks down walls between us and our Protestant brothers and sisters. Whether you’re a bold Bible geek or you feel like you don’t even know how to start reading the Bible, Sonja gives tips for building a culture of Bible study at your parish.

Juggling work, family, and friends can make life feel too busy to squeeze in anything but Sunday Mass and ministry obligations. But the key to increasing your faith and bearing fruit despite all the hustle and bustle involves one simple (but difficult) change of heart. Here’s the thing: we should only have one priority, and that is Christ. Instead of trying to squeeze time with Christ into our busy lives, we should schedule the rest of our life around time spent with him. In today’s episode, Fr. Josh gives you several concrete steps you can take to make Jesus the most important relationship in your life, and explains how no matter how hard you try to serve him, you won’t be happy until you truly know him. We’d Love to Hear from You Do you have comments, questions, or topic suggestions for the Ascension Roundtable hosts? Email us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode!

While some engaged couples have a great Catholic marriage prep experience, there’s no denying that many couples resent it, feeling like it’s just a meaningless hoop to jump through. How do we change the status quo and make marriage prep an opportunity to evangelize, connect with, and genuinely support engaged and newly married couples? Scott Seibert from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis shares his diocese’s journey to adjust its model of marriage preparation so it can more effectively introduce couples to and prepare them for the beauty of Christian marriage. Looking for a great marriage prep program? Check Ascension’s new and revised Joy-Filled Marriage.

Leaving an old home and relocating to a new town is tough, but building a new community from scratch once you get there is even more daunting. Scott and KC Seibert, along with their four children, recently moved to Indiana and found themselves in this very situation. Today they share with us their journey of building a small, imperfect, and beautiful community of young families in their new parish. Whether you are someone who wants to make your fellow parishioners feel welcomed, a single person or married couple moving for work and wanting to find friends, or a family needing to build a community for all ages, you will walk away from this episode with practical tips and advice on how to feel at home in your new home.

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Ascension! We will be back the second week of January with a whole new season of the Ascension Roundtable Podcast.

In today’s episode, Brian Butler - a seasoned youth minister, speaker, and trainer - shares practical ways in which you can better minister to youth and young adults in a culture that has become desensitized to the reality of the person. We discuss how to look at someone and see their good instead of devaluing them and seeing them as simply a sexual being. At the end of this episode, you will be able to explain what it means to be a man and a woman, each once created in God’s image and likeness. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Do you have comments, questions, or topic suggestions for the Ascension Roundtable hosts? Email us at ascensionroundtable@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode! LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE ASCENSION ROUNDTABLE (YOUR CATHOLIC MINISTRY PODCAST) ITUNES | STITCHER | SOUNDCLOUD | GOOGLE PLAY

In the first part of today’s show, we talk about how to start a ministry to the divorced at your parish, and then we discuss two helpful “do’s” and two “don’ts” that will help you to facilitate a divorce ministry group. In the second part of the show, Rose gives advice to youth ministers and catechists about how to best minister to children and families affected by divorce. Stay tuned!

Rose Sweet has spent forty years in different areas of parish ministry and more importantly, she’s spent even more time as an avid follower of Jesus Christ. Drawing from her experience in ministry and especially from the way Jesus relates to people in the gospel, Rose shares with us “Four Rules of Relationship” that we can follow to help us avoid ministry burn-out. And even though we’re focusing especially on the relationships you build while doing ministry, I think you’ll finish today’s episode feeling empowered to improve all the different relationships in your life.

We need to get marriage preparation right—the stakes are just too high not to. In this episode, Theology of the Body expert Christopher West explains some of the biggest challenges we face when it comes to preparing engaged couples for a joy-filled marriage. He then gives three pieces of advice to help you do a better job walking with couples during their time of marriage prep.

We often think that the first step of evangelization is to explicitly spell out the gospel message to another person. In this episode, evangelist and Bible scholar Thomas Smith challenges that notion, explaining how evangelization can start with one very simple question. Stay tuned to hear what that question is, and you will find that speaking to someone about the Faith is easier than you think.