Quo Vadis?

Diplomas, grad parties, summer jobs, new jobs, oh my! Graduation season is upon us and there are always many things that come along for the ride. One thing that needs to be examined, however, is your faith. Taylor and Father Mark share some insights on how to stay engaged with your faith post-graduation and some tips on how to stay close to the Lord. Send this to someone who you know has just graduated or is about to!

We have a Pope!Taylor and Father Mark are joined by Father Scott Valentyn where they celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, share their hopes for this papacy, and Father Mark and Father Scott reminisce about past papal elections...even one that Father Scott was in Rome to witness! Remember, pray for the Pope!

Haven't been to Rome? Neither has Taylor! But luckily, Father Mark has and on this episode, he breaks down the beauty of Rome and its significance to our Catholic faith. 

Who doesn't love talking to a religious sister?? We know you will love our guest this week because we sure did. Taylor and Father Mark are joined by Sister Maria José, a religious sister belonging to the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. Sister Maria shares her beautiful story along with some incredible insights that she learned along the way. 

Moving forward! We said this so many times, we figured it should be the name of the episode, and rightly so! Our guest for this episode is Candace Gehl, and she reminds us why it is important to be moving forward, but always in hope. 

In 1881 a group of mothers in the small Italian village of Lu prayed each Sunday for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life from their own families. By the grace of God, 323 vocations came from this small town because of their prayers! Taylor and Father Mark are joined this week by Andrea Phillips, a wife, mother, and founder of a group of mothers who take their inspiration from the Mothers of Lu and pray for their own children's vocations. Andrea shares her own vocation story as well as why this group is so necessary to have. Be sure to reach out to her if you are interested in joining or starting your own Mothers of Lu group! 

Pilgrims of hope, offering it up, and Jimmy Carter?? This episode has it all. Taylor and Father Mark are joined by Father Andrew Kurz, our newly appointed Diocesan Confessor for the Jubilee Year of Hope where we discuss why we take pilgrimages and how to do it during this year. 

What is a jubilee year and what does it mean that we are called to be pilgrims of hope? Bishop Ricken joins Taylor and Father Mark to explain and to show us how we can celebrate in our diocese this year. 

The Incarnation of our Blessed Lord is why we celebrate this time of year. But how long do we celebrate and what are some of the reasons that we celebrate for so long? Join Taylor and Father Mark as they dive into Christmas! 

Father Mark and St. Hubert...basically the same guys.This week, Taylor and Father Mark discuss hunting and the surprising spirituality that can be engaged during it. Listen as they open up the story of St. Hubert and Father Mark explains how hunting and his spiritual life are connected. 

"Let us give thanks to the Lord our God" "It is right and just!" Giving thanks is one of the most important aspects of the spiritual life, and not just on Thanksgiving either. Taylor and Father Mark share some thoughts and ideas on the importance of gratitude and its relation to how we love God. 

St. Paul is one of the most significant figures in the life of the Church and serves as a model for all of us in many ways. Taylor and Father Mark discuss this towering figure and some of the ways in which Paul is a model for all of us and his deep impact on the entire Church. 

Priests are a gift, and we need to let them know.This week, Taylor and Father Mark talk about the priests who have impacted them the most in their lives. Make sure you thank the priest(s) in your life who have helped you on the path to holiness, especially since this Sunday is priesthood Sunday!

Bishop Ricken is back! Taylor and Father Mark discuss with Bishop a completely silent football stadium, a trip to the Philippines, a middle school Santa, and, of course, the Holy Eucharist.  

New books, new markers, new teachers...it must be a new school year! Taylor & Father Mark offer some suggestions for how to make this school year one centered on your family's faith. 

It's not rocket science...even if our guest WAS at NASA, it's about time spent with Our Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist. Taylor & Father Mark are joined by Father Joseph Aytona, C.P.M., the rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. Father Joseph shares his story, as well as words of encouragement for those discerning and all of us looking to grow in holiness. 

Our final installment of the GB Diocese pivotal players series is here...Adele Brise!Taylor and Father discuss her inspiring story, as well as make a sweeping declaration on how to pronounce her last name. 

Love for the most Holy Eucharist led Father Michael Thiel to a deep faith, to the priesthood, and eventually to helping lead the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in the Diocese of Green Bay both on land...and boat!

"Try again." These were the unspoken (but very present) words in Father Juan Carlos' (ordained May 2024) journey toward the priesthood. From being a catechist, to pursuing business success, falling away from the Church, and then being called back home and to be a priest, there is much to take away from this beautiful story. 

"Take a step." That is the advice given to our newly ordained (May 2024) priest, Father Mark Rydell, as he discerned his calling to the holy priesthood. Today, he shares that story of discernment with us!

Father Scott has spoken, the cause is finished.He's back! The, self-appointed, "king of the loopholes"  has returned to our diocese after studying canon law and, on this episode, he helps us to see the hidden beauty of the law. 

Discipline, self-control, taking direction, and keeping your eyes on the prize...These virtues are found both in the life of sports and faith, and that is the topic of conversation this week: how do faith and sports intersect? 

What if we could truly see what was taking place at the altar during the Eucharistic sacrifice? What beauty might we behold? Well our guest today experienced just that, and he wrote a book about it! Deacon Dave Scheuer shares his miraculous story which is also captured in his book, "A Glimpse of Heaven on Earth".

Kairos year, discipleship, configuration, oh my! What are the stages of priestly formation in our diocese, what is the goal, and why do we call them what we do?

Taylor and Father Mark are joined by one of our Diocese's newest priests (Ordained in July 2023), Father Ben Pribbenow who shares his vocation story and the beauty of God's call. 

Spiritual warfare can be a loaded topic, but it is so important. This week, we have Father Girotti back on the podcast to discuss this important reality with us and help us navigate the often invisible world of spiritual warfare. 

Don't call it a come back! We are so pumped to be back, and we're even more pumped for Lent...and so should you! 

We've got some changes to announce but here's a long story short; stick around!

Father Kevin Ripley, the incoming Director of the Kairos Year and priest celebrant at UWGB joins Taylor and Father Mark to share his vocation story. 

Katie Westhoven joins Taylor and Father Mark to share her vocation story to marriage and family life! Be sure to listen to her inspiring story and learn how to be more receptive to God's call for your own life. 

Bishop Ricken returns to the podcast! This time, he discusses his new pastoral letter, "Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist." 

Father Girotti returns! This time, he sits down with Taylor and Father Mark to share his vocation story and how he came to say "yes" to the priesthood. 

We continue the Pivotal Players series with our third installment on the life and ministry of Father Theodore van den Broek, O.P. 

For our next pivotal players installment, Father Mark tells us about the amazing life and impact of Ven. Samuel Mazzuchelli! 

In this new series, Taylor and Father Mark will be breaking down 5 of the "Pivotal Players" of the Diocese of Green Bay and the ways that these men and women helped to shape our Diocese.First up, Father Claude Allouez. Learn about this amazing and pivotal man. 

Happy Catholic Schools Week! To recognize this celebration, Taylor and Father Mark are joined by the Green Bay Area Catholic School System (GRACE) superintendent, Drew Mulloy. Drew shares his own faith journey as well as his passion for Catholic Schools and the important role that they play. 

This week, Taylor and Father Mark discuss...Father Mark's own vocation story! Take a listen to hear his journey and how he heard the call. 

Father Greg Parent, Executive Director of Catholic Youth Expeditions, joins Taylor and Father Mark this week to talk about his vocation story and speak to some of the stories that his mother, Cindy Parent, brought up on her episode (Episode 49). 

We are joined once again by Father Adam Bradley, the Director of the Kairos Year for the Diocese of Green Bay. This time, Father Adam shares one of the principles of Ignatian Spirituality, Consolation and Desolation. You will absolutely not want to miss this incredible and insightful episode. 

This week, Father Michael Warden, administrator of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Greenville, WI, joins Taylor and Father Mark to tell his vocation story and the very reasonable ways in which the Lord was calling Him to the priesthood. 

"The Church draws her life from the Eucharist."Those are the opening words to Pope St. John Paul II's Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. This week, Taylor and Father Mark speak on the content of that document and also use it to spark a larger conversation on the Eucharist that must be taking place in our Church today.

Taylor and Father Mark sit down with Father Zach Weber, the chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. Father Zach tells his vocation story as well as his first-hand experience of helping students with mental health problems in college and his love for helping men answer the call to be better men, husbands, and fathers. 

We're back! Taylor and Father Mark discuss their recent pilgrimage to the Our Lady of the Martyrs Shrine in Auriesville, New York and the lives of the men and women that they traced on their way to the shrine. Find out more about the lovely shrine here: https://www.ourladyofmartyrsshrine.org/

Taylor and Father Mark are joined this week by Amy Deibert, the Director of Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Green Bay. They discuss accents, the Creed, the struggles of YA ministry, and the new YA website: http://viayoungadults.org

"Pray, hope, and don't worry." Trust is tough, but it is vital to the spiritual life. Take a listen to find out if you need to grow in trust and what you can start doing today to deepen that trust in the Lord. 

Taylor and Father Mark are joined by Cindy Parent who is the mother of one of our wonderful Diocese of Green Bay priest, Father Greg Parent. Cindy shares her story and insights into what it was like to have a son discern and the journey that she took discerning alongside him.

"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The pursuit of happiness is written on the human heart but how does that relate to our relationship with the Lord? That is what Taylor and Father Mark discuss this week! 

This week, Taylor and Father Mark are joined once again by Father Daniel Schuster to discuss St. John of Avila whose feast day is May 9th. Father Schuster shares insight into St. John's life, work, and ministry with a particular emphasis on his love for the Holy Spirit. Give it a listen and then go and pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life! 

This week, Taylor and Father Mark are joined by Dianne Vadney who shares her vocation story to the married life and shares some beautiful insights to dating and how to discern the vocation to the married life.

A few weeks ago, the Organization, "Vocation Ministry", came out with a study of US Dioceses that showed our Diocese of Green Bay as being unhealthy in vocations. Taylor and Father Mark discuss that study on this episode. 

Lent is a time to grow in holiness, which means to embrace the Cross like Christ. This can be incredibly challenging but luckily we have the saints as examples and aids in that journey.Taylor and Father Mark discuss what a saint is and how we all can live a saintly life and one day be counted amongst the Church Triumphant.