The Follow to Lead Podcast

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the last 25 years, there are more people in therapy and more people receiving medication for mental health struggles than ever before, with nearly every metric indicating downturns as it pertains to suicide, gender dysphoria, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Join us on this episode of “Follow to Lead” as Dr. Greg Bottaro, Founder and Director of the CatholicPsych Institute, talks about Integrated Daily Dialogic Mentorship (IDDM) or “Mentorship,” which is breakthrough model of accompaniment that is offering hope and healing to patients who have been stagnant in self-destructive behavioral patterns for years. This mentorship model also provides great opportunities for wellness in Catholic schools.

You won't want to miss this episode of “Follow to Lead!” As we celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, please join Dr. Brett Graham Fawcett and Fr. Randy Sly in a retrospective on the late Pope Francis' impact on Catholic Education. As a Jesuit educator, the pope spent his early years as a teacher of Literature and Psychology in Jesuit Schools. He later taught theology and served as a seminary rector. On this episode Brett will take us on a in-depth look at his background in Catholic Education and how it formed his papacy as well as his initiatives in Catholic Education.

The communications mission of a Catholic school is often ignored or underutilized. On today's edition of “Follow to Lead” we'll be joined by Kate Sell, Founder and Managing Partner of Mission Advancement Partners in a discussion on this vital aspect of our Educational mission. Today we will be focusing mostly on external communications, what needs to be said to families, friends and stakeholders through traditional means and the new avenues of social media. This will be an enlightening and vitally important program for leaders and educators, especially as our media appetite has changed significantly in recent years. You want want to miss this program!

This week on an Encoure Edition of “Follow to Lead” we will be talking with Matthew Sanders, Founder and CEO of Longboard, whose focus is developing Artificial Intelligence products for the mission of the Church. This is, perhaps, one of the most fascinating interviews we have ever had on our podcast. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. It can be daunting, challenging and can sometimes even bring fear as we see AI more and more involved in our daily lives. In this interview, Matthew takes some of the mystery out of the world of AI, shows how it can be harnessed powerfully for the work of the Church and, in particular, how will continue to impact Catholic Education. You won't want to miss this program!

On this ENCORE episode of Follow to Lead, we will be talking with Jimmy Mitchell  about the amazing “culture of conversion” that exists at Jesuit High School, Tampa, Florida. Students are encountering the Lord and being transformed as they experience the beauty of the Gospel in word, deed and visually. We will also talk to Jimmy about his book: “Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise.”

On March 3, Kyle Pietrantonio announced that he would be transitioning out as Executive Director of Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative, in order to move to a different position in Christ's vineyard of Catholic Education. On today's program, we want to give Kyle an opportunity to share his heart and continued vision for the work of DIA as we endeavor to move forward into the future God has for us. As the co-founder of the podcast, I'm especially going to miss our collaboration and co-hosting.

This is the final episode of “Beyond Faculty Faith Formation,” a special four-part series of podcasts looking at ways that Catholic educators can enhance their own spiritual growth and development, deepening their faith in Christ and strengthening their life in the Church. Dr. Brett Fawcett, who just finished defending his doctoral dissertation on Faith Permeation, will join us to discuss how our personal faith plays a role in faith permeation, what Dr. Brett Salkeld would call “making every class Catholic.”

This is the third episode of “Beyond Faculty Faith Formation,” a special four-part series of podcasts looking at ways that Catholic educators can enhance their own spiritual growth and development, deepening their faith in Christ and strengthening their life in the Church. In this episode Deborah Nearmyer, Vice-President of Faith and Mission and Austin Krause, Director of Campus Ministry at St. James Academy, Lenexa, KS, discuss thoughts, ideas and resources that can be helpful for teachers and administrators in their spiritual walk. We also will get an overview of the Faculty Faith Formation program at St. James.

This is the second episode of “Beyond Faculty Faith Formation,” a special series of podcasts looking at ways that Catholic educators can enhance their own spiritual growth and development, deepening their faith in Christ and strengthening their life in the Church. In addition to talking about spiritual renewal, on today's “Follow to Lead” Betsy Orr will share about her background, her conversion to the Catholic Faith, the Retreat at Heritage Center, along with some amazing God-moments and other ministries in which she is involved. You won't want to miss this program!

In this podcast we are beginning a special series entitled “Beyond Faculty Faith Formation,” giving those in Catholic Education some ideas to spur individual growth both spiritual and intellectually in their Catholic Faith. Today we are talking with Dr. Roger Nutt, Provost and Professor of Theology at Ave Maria University about a new university initiative called “The Wisdom Papers.” The Wisdom Papers is a free, monthly series of reflections on contemporary issues from the faculty of Ave Maria University. Topics span across politics, culture, spirituality, the sciences, and living a Christian life. Go deeper in your pursuit of wisdom with The Wisdom Papers. Inspiring. Accessible. Delivered to your mailbox or inbox. Available in print or digitally. Join us on this edition of “Follow to Lead” to learn more about this wonderful initiative from Ave Maria University. In a correction of the reference to the domain for The Wisdom Papers online, the sit can be reached at: https://www.wisdompapers.org/.  

ACS Technologies examined the theological beliefs of 15,000 Americans with their ground-breaking “American Beliefs Study: Religious Preferences and Practices,” originally conducted in 2013 and then repeated in 2017 and 2021. Out of this survey, Terry Poplava observed, “In the American Beliefs Study, newcomers reported that ‘warm and friendly encounters' were highly important to them. We were specifically interested in the behaviors and circumstances that foster this kind of environment in a parish.” His follow up study in this area is the subject of this edition of “Follow to Lead” as we look at Catholic Schools through the lens of “warm and friendly” encounters.

In August of 2023 we interviewed Dr. Brett Salkeld about his new book, Educating for Eternity: A Teacher's Companion for Making Every Class Catholic. Since that time, the book and Brett's message has become a major topic in schools and dioceses across North America. A natural outgrowth of the interest in this subject is an online community that just launched, “Making Every Class Catholic Online Community.” In this edition of “Follow to Lead” we'll be catching up with Brett on his ministry and the launch of this virtual platform for interaction.

On this episode of “Follow to Lead” we will be talking with Dr. Joseph McInerney about a new eight-part video series he has written, called “The Leadership Virtues Series.” This series can be inspiration to all but can be especially important for administrators, staff, department heads, coaches and teachers in our schools who exercise various expressions of leadership.  Produced by the Knights of Columbus, this new series seeks to provide a model and inspiration for Catholic leaders based upon the exemplary leadership of Jesus himself.

On today's Follow to Lead, Elizabeth Simutis will share with us about a new groundbreaking online estate planning platform call Catholic Legacy. This platform allows Catholics to establish, free of charge, funeral plans, wills, planned giving, and healthcare choices that reflect the Catholic understanding of the dignity of the human person. Not only is this a great personal planning tool for administrators and teachers, but can serve as a tremendous resource for planned giving in our Catholic Schools.

Michele Sagarino, of Cross Catholic Outreach, is back with us on Follow to Lead to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Box of Joy, a ministry that sends small tokens of love and hope to some of the world's poorest children. Each year, parishes and schools nationwide host Box of Joy events, packing shoebox-sized boxes with small gifts such as toys, coloring books and school supplies, as well as treats like hard candy. The ministry adds a rosary and The Story of Jesus to every box to remind children why Christmas is so special, and participants donate $9 per box to cover international shipment. Join us this week for a very inspiring edition of Follow to Lead!

This week on “Follow to Lead” we will be talking with Matthew Sanders, Founder and CEO of Longboard, whose focus is developing Artificial Intelligence products for the mission of the Church. This is, perhaps, one of the most fascinating interviews we have ever had on our podcast. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. It can be daunting, challenging and can sometimes even bring fear as we see AI more and more involved in our daily lives. In this interview, Matthew takes some of the mystery out of the world of AI, shows how it can be harnessed powerfully for the work of the Church and, in particular, how will continue to impact Catholic Education. You won't want to miss this program!

Jonathan Doyle is from Australia and travels the world talking to Catholic educators and organizations. His global view of Catholic Education will be the focus of our discussion, as we look at what is happening in our area of the world as well as other nations. Join us for this episode of “Follow to Lead” learn more about the work of Catholic Education in places not like home.

Up until this summer, Tom Carroll was serving as the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Boston and created what the National Catholic Register has called a “renaissance of Catholic education.” He has taken one of the facets of his work there - in the recruiting and training of new Catholic educators and offering it on a greater scale to participating dioceses. Join us on this edition of “Follow to Lead” to learn more about the Catholic Talent Project.

On this episode of "Follow to Lead" we will be talking with Kyle Pietrantio, Executive Director, about current happenings and developments in the DIA Schools Collaborative. He will be sharing more details about the upcoming Fall Summit as well as highlighting some of the other benefits, offerings and resources available.

A surprise episode of “Follow to Lead!” We were planning on talking to the Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative Executive Director Kyle Pietrantonio about upcoming events. What happened instead was an unplanned and interesting discussion about current trends and values in Catholic Education.

Our guest on Follow to Lead is Mark Brumley, President of Catholic publisher Ignatius Press. Ignatius united with the Augustine Institute to complete the Word of Life K–8 curriculum. These two apostolates combined their expertise to craft a curriculum in which students, parents, and teachers learn the truths of the faith alongside each other while deepening their relationships with Christ. Emphasizing dialogue between teachers and students, Word of Life creates a shared experience rather than a download of information.

On this episode of Follow to Lead we'll be talking with Fr. John Riccardo and Mary Guilfoyle of ACTS XXIX about their video series “The Rescue Project.” The Rescue Project seeks to proclaim the gospel clearly in a compelling and attractive way over eight weeks in a small group format. This experience is imbued with beauty, authentic humanity, and accompaniment. We will also explore ways in which this series might be used in Catholic Schools.

For the past ten years, “Symbolon,” a video series on essential Catholic teachings, was an important resource for RCIA, general faith formation and even spiritual direction. In Catholic schools it was a great source of information for religion classes as well as Faculty Faith Formation. On today's “Follow to Lead,” we'll be talking with Taylor Kemp, of the Augustine Institute, about the new edition of Symbolon that will launch on the “Formed” streaming platform on July 17. Together we will explore the new programs and ways that they can enhance spiritual growth and formation personally, in the parish and in our Catholic Schools.

It is rare for a Catholic with a smartphone to be unaware of the devotional app “Hallow.” Hallow is a simple, easy-to-use mobile app that helps us foster a relationship with God and the peace of prayer through guided prayer and meditation. You can pray with millions around the world alongside Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, Sr. Miriam, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and more on Hallow. Recently, their Super Bowl ad plus the Lenten prayer challenge pushed Hallow to No 1 spot on Apple App Store among all applications. On This episode of Follow to Lead we will be talking with Alessandro DiSanto, one of Hallow's Co-founders, especially focusing on its use by Catholic Schools.

Ave Maria University and Ignatius Press have teamed up to offer Ignatius Book Fairs, a Catholic-focused book fair for parents and schools who want to offer their children an alternative to the Scholastic Book Fairs, which have recently become a haven for inappropriate content for children. Today, on “Follow to Lead” we're talking with Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, about the current state of book fair content and this new Catholic-based approach. National alternatives to such inappropriate and harmful content have not existed until now, leaving Catholic schools in a difficult position when they want to provide great books to their students. Ignatius Book Fairs has been launched to fill this void, with the ability to ship a high-quality, beautiful and fun book fair anywhere in the United States.

It is no secret that the Church has been hemorrhaging members in recent years. Troubled by polarization, skepticism, narcissism, our culture aches for the peace and joy of life in Jesus Christ. But how can they hear the truth of the Gospel anew? To take on this challenge, Word on Fire Institute and UST-Houston created a new accredited Master's of Arts program offering academically rigorous engagement with the thinkers, ideas, and practical methods necessary to proclaim the Gospel to a secularized and tech-saturated world. This episode of “Follow to Lead” features a conversation with Dr. Tom Harmon, Professor and Scanlan Foundation Chair of Theology as well as the Associate Director of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas. He is the director of this new academic initiative.

Today we will be talking with Pat Reidy, Vice-President of Mission and Faith at JSerra High School in Orange County, CA about discipleship in the lives of our Catholic School Students. In Luke 6:40, Jesus talks about discipleship, saying, “A disciple who is fully taught will be like his teacher.” So, forming disciples is about communicating likeness - being like Jesus, which can happen to students in class, community life, small groups and through extra-curricular activities. Pat will also share their experiences with RCIA in a school setting.

Today we will be talking with Michael Schell, Headmaster at Sparhawk Academy, an independent day school for boys grades 3-8 in Millis, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and Sarah Hogan, Director of College Counseling and Alumni Engagement at Providence Academy, in Plymouth, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. Michael and Sarah are looking to bring strength and community for those who work in the area of school counseling by hosting a special fellowship this summer at Sparhawk Academy. The fellowship is provided in cooperation with DIA Schools Collaborative, recognizing the need to accompany students toward the future with a strong faith focus. We will explore the world of the school counselor and the opportunities available for the summer fellowship.

Catholic Schools are always looking for ways to make a difference through prayer, fasting and almsgiving? Cross Catholic Outreach, a Vatican-endorsed Catholic global relief and development ministry, is inviting U.S. Catholics to join a large-scale “clean water challenge” to bring safe, abundant drinking water to distant corners of the world — including villages in Zambia facing the country's worst cholera outbreak in decades.   Today, we will be talking with CCO President Michele Sagarino about this this effort, carried out with Catholic ministry partners in nine developing countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

There has been a lot of criticism of the Catholic Church in the United States, but few critics of the Church have taken the time to really talk with her people. The book “True Confessions: Voices of Faith from a Life in the Church” by Francis X. Maier, fills that vacuum, as he talked with 103 bishops, priests, deacons and lay people from every walk of life.  In this episode of "Follow to Lead," we'll be talking about this book with Mr. Maier and what we can learn about the church as well as today's Catholic educational experience. As a Senior Fellow in the Catholic Studies Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, DC, Mr. Maier's work focuses on the intersection of Christian faith, culture, and public life, with special attention to lay formation and action.

This week's Follow to Lead puts the spotlight on teaching science in Catholic Schools. The program features a returning guest, Dr. Brett Salkeld, author, speaker, and  Archdiocesan Theologian for the Archdiocese of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. In August, we talked with Brett about his new book: “Educating for Eternity: A Teacher's Companion for Making Every Class Catholic.” For this program, we are drilling down into his chapter on science in the classroom.

Ave Maria University has begun an interesting group called, “Mary's Marines,” where students make a daily commitment to spend time with Jesus as part of its own Eucharistic Revival. In addition to their time in adoration, each student will read through the Bible in a year and have a religious sister paired with them to pray for them. Join Ave Maria President Mark Middendorf as we learn more about this amazing ministry.

This week on Follow to Lead, we will be talking with our two guests about a new video called “Souls in the Game,” produced by St. John's Seminary and the Archdiocese of Boston.  This new 30-minute documentary that tells the story of seminary formation and the building of community that goes beyond theology and philosophy classes to the basketball court.

On January 5 we begin our fourth year of programming for Follow to Lead. We are turning the tables on our co-host Kyle Pietrantonio, and interviewing him about the past, present and future of the Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative. Coming out of a strong year of events in 2023, the new year promises to open up even more opportunities for teachers, administrators and future teachers. The link for the video of DIA Summit 2023 can be found at https://vimeo.com/880588693. 

Merry Christmas! On behalf of everyone at the Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative and the Follow to Lead Podcast, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! During this Christmas season, we want to share with you one of our most popular episodes from April of 2021 - Encountering the Eucharist through “The Veil Removed,” with Chris Magruder. “The Veil Removed” is a short film that portrays the Mass in a new and beautiful way, giving us a new awareness that this is a time and place where heaven and earth touch. I have seen this film dozens of times and am deeply moved every time. You can view this amazing film at theveilremoved.com.

Today, we're going to be revisiting the DIA Fellows program through an ENCORE of the program “Exploring the Opportunity of Becoming a DIA Fellow.” This Fellows program provides administrators, teachers and campus ministers the structure and space for a year-long experience supporting and encouraging candidates to take their school or diocese to the next level, grow as a Catholic educator, and become a beacon of light for passionately Catholic education and the Catholic Church at-large. Hear from two past Fellows about the rewards of taking part in this important DIA program, how it impacted their school communities and their own spirituality. We have two DIA Fellow graduates, Carol Szymanski from St. John XXIII College Preparatory School in Katy, TX and Austin Krause, Director of Campus Ministry at St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS. We would like to invite you to consider taking part in the the 2024 Cohort of DIA Fellows, and in the process take your community to new heights, while impacting your own spirituality. The application deadline is December 15, 2023. You can find more information on our website at diaschools.org. 

On this episode of Follow to Lead, we will be talking with Jimmy Mitchell, Director of Campus Ministry, and hear the story of an amazing “culture of conversion” that exists at Jesuit High School, Tampa, Florida. Students are encountering the Lord and being transformed as they experience the beauty of the Gospel in word, deed and visually. We will also talk to Jimmy about his new book: “Let Beauty Speak: The Art of Being Human in a Culture of Noise.”

As Chief Mission Officer for the National Eucharistic Congress, Kris Frank supports the work in parishes and schools in bringing about a great embrace of Eucharistic life. Part of this support is coming through a new resource for Faith Formation called, “Jesus and the Eucharist.” In addition to talking about the National Congress, Kris also shares some great ways that parishes and schools can come alive during the Eucharistic Revival.

October is Fr. Robert Spitzer month as he will be joining us for both podcasts. On this episode we will be discussing the Journey to Excellence Academy for Professional Development from the Magis Center. As the Center President, Fr. Spitzer will share with us about their mission to provide faith-focused professional development for Catholic leaders..   Fr. Robert Spitzer, is a Catholic Priest in the Jesuit order and President of the Magis Center in Garden Grove, CA. He was formerly the President of Gonzaga University and currently appears weekly on EWTN in “Father Spitzer's Universe.”

October is Fr. Robert Spitzer month on Follow to Lead as he will be joining us for both podcasts. On this episode will be discussing Faith and Science. In a day and age when many see a great chasm between the two, Fr. Spitzer joins them together in a larger view of the world, its creation and its destiny. Fr. Robert Spitzer, is a Catholic Priest in the Jesuit order and President of the Magis Center in Garden Grove, CA. He was formerly the President of Gonzaga University and currently appears weekly on EWTN in “Father Spitzer's Universe.” He will be one of the keynote speakers at the Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative Summit this month in Washington DC. For information on the Summit, visit diaschools.org. 

Due to technical difficulties, portions of the audio are distorted. Pope Benedict XVI once said, Become familiar with the Bible so that it can be your compass pointing out the road to follow. In today's Follow to Lead we are joined by Steve and Jackie Green, Co-founders of Museum of the Bible to discover ways in which our reading and study of the Scriptures can be enhanced through the various offerings of Museum of the Bible, both at the museum and online. The museum features multiple resources for classroom use. Link to Museum of the Bible K-12 programs:K-12 Programs | Museum of the Bible Link to Museum of the Bible educational brochure: museumofthebible.cdn.prismic.io/museumofthebible/90a5d0e9-1f22-447d-863c-f46caebd2106_EducationDeptBrochure_Digital.pdf For more information about Educational Programs, you can contact Lisa Rowan at lisa.rowan@mbible.org.

On today's “Follow to Lead” we'll talk about the need to strengthen men - both young and old - in their identity and in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Joining us for this program is Dan Donaldson, Vice President of the Catholic Men's Leadership Alliance, which is hosting its next virtual Heroic Men Summit  on Saturday, September 9 with the theme “The Gospel of Work.”   More information can be found at https://www.catholicmenleaders.org/.

In a world that is becoming more and more secular, Catholic Schools and, more particularly, their classrooms, play a key role in preparing students for heaven as well as their next level of education. Making sure that every class is essentially Catholic can be a daunting task.   Today, to talk about this most important subject, we'll be joined by Dr. Brett Salkeld, author of “Educating for Eternity: A Teacher's Companion for Making Every Class Catholic.” Brett is the Archdiocesan Theologian for the Archdiocese of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Today, we're going to be exploring the DIA Fellows program which provides administrators, teachers and campus ministers the structure and space for a year-long experience supporting and encouraging candidates to take their school or diocese to the next level, grow as a Catholic educator, and become a beacon of light for passionately Catholic education and the Catholic Church at-large. To help us look at this great program, we have two DIA Fellow graduates, Carol Szymanski from St. John XXIII College Preparatory School in Katy, TX and Austin Krause, Director of Campus Ministry at St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS.

In today's society, we have a love-hate relationship with social media. Our guest for this edition of Follow to Lead, Dr. Richard Ludwick, President of the University of St. Thomas will highlight their collaboration with Bishop Robert Barron's “Word on Fire Institute” in presenting a masterclass series called "The New Evangelization and New Media.” Max Studios, at UST, is producing this series, featuring some of the best Catholic communicators on the internet, as a means assist parishes, schools, ministries and other organization in harnessing today's social media for the New Evangelization. You won't want to miss this special interview.

What began as a conversation between a mom and her daughter has become an international movement. We will be talking in today's program with Marcie Stokman, author of the book, “The Well-Read Mom.” This book and a small group of mom's who began to meet and read the Classics has become a movement of book clubs and groups in many parts of the world. As we will learn, through the power of reading together and reading well, well-read Moms across the country are finding friendships, meaning, and true leisure.

Our guest today is Chris Ice of Ice Executive Coaching and Consulting. Chris has led numerous organizations in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He has owned his own healthcare company, Director of Major Gifts & Adjunct Professor of BusinessDirector of Major Gifts & Adjunct Professor of Business at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, was CEO of Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph and most recently, served as President and CEO of Ave Maria University in Florida. In this program we will talk with Chris about the uniquenesses involved in being a leader in an educational as well as non-profit environment. We will also discuss what it means to be a bold leader as well as looking at the differences in leadership in a social media world.

Our six-part series on the “Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools” just added seventh program. We are pleased to have Bishop Thomas Daly, of the Diocese of Spokane and Chair of the U.S. Bishops Committee on Catholic Education, join us for a special wrap-up episode on this very important series. The theme of this a presentation came from a document written by Archbishop Michael Miller when he was Secretary of the Congregation on Catholic Education in 2005 entitled “The Holy See's Teaching on Catholic Schools.” Out of this document, we have been focusing on his five essential marks.

Today we will complete the fifth and final essential mark of a truly  Catholic education, with the topic, Sustained by the Witness of Teaching. We are going to look at the vital role teachers play in an authentic Catholic identity for a school. As we will see, being a Catholic education is more of a calling than the exercise of a profession. It also involves ownership with the school's mission, values and vision. Our guest for this program is Frank Hanna, an American entrepreneur, merchant banker and philanthropist who has been heavily involved in education for the past 37 years and has been instrumental in the founding of 13 new educational institutions from preschool through post-secondary. Production note: We encountered sound problems with the host microphone during this podcast.

We are continuing our series on the Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools. For today's episode, we will be joined by Chris Valdez, Principal of Marin Catholic in Kentfield, CA. Our worldview is our lens through which we look at all aspects of life. In his presentation “The Holy See's Teaching On Catholic Schools,” Archbishop Miller highlights our Worldview as the fourth essential mark of a Catholic school. We will explore what it means to have a Catholic worldview and its importance to a faith-first education.

As we continue our six-part series on the Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools, today we will look at "Animated by Communion and Community." An essentially Catholic School should be seen as more than a community than as an institution. This mark addresses the ways in which students build relationships, the interaction of students and teachers and even the building. Joining us for this important program are Zach Ekert, Director of Campus Ministry and Annual Fund at JSerra Catholic High School, in San Jan Capistrano, CA along with Chris and Katie Walters Walters, both teachers at St. James Academy in Lenexa KS, where Katie also serves as Director of Community.