Podcasts about catholic diocese

  Candid Catholic Convos 11.16.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   TITLE: Called by Name - Consecrated Life, Modern Witness   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Pathways to Purpose is our brand-new video series launching on YouTube in January, and today we're privileged to hear from several of the nuns and sisters who will be featured in this series about their journey, the apostolates they've served, and their advice for young women discerning a call to religious life. SCRIPTURE: John 15:16 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: St. Therese of Liseux.  

Although the government shutdown has ended, its effects will continue to impact air travel. Meanwhile, a volunteer doctor brings hope to Ukraine's youngest war victims. And, the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, has launched its first-ever “Week of Service.”

A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   Candid Catholic Convos 11.9.25   TITLE: Called By Name - When God Redirects feat. Joseph Gonzales   SHOW DESCRIPTION: Have you ever had your life all mapped out only for God to completely reroute your plans? Today we're chatting with Joseph Gonzales, Youth Minister and Development Director for St. John the Baptist Parish in New Freedom, about his big plot twist moment in life that led him to follow God's call much differently than he imagined. SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 16:9 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: St. Francis of Assisi.   

Hells Angels Can't Even Die in Peace!Today on Black Dragon Biker TV, we're diving into a story that's sparking outrage across Canada — the Catholic Diocese near Montreal has announced plans to remove a Hells Angels tombstone from a parish cemetery after public backlash.The Diocese of St-Jean-Longueuil says the stone, which features the Hells Angels logo, should never have been approved in the first place. But many are asking: Why can't bikers rest in peace? Does brotherhood stop at the grave — or does bias against the patch follow even into death?We'll Discuss:The controversy surrounding the removal of the Hells Angels tombstoneWhat this says about freedom, discrimination, and biker identity — even in deathThe Church's response and how the biker world is reactingPlus More Headlines:In Canada's courts, the Crown argues that Damion Ryan, alleged Hells Angels drug trafficker, is a key player in a criminal conspiracy — even accusing him of concealing his identity to evade justice. Prosecutors say the conspiracy alone is enough to convict.Meanwhile, Kingston Police have arrested and charged seven people connected to an assault over the weekend, which investigators are linking to an outlaw motorcycle gang. Join Black Dragon, Lavish T. Williams, and Logic as they unpack the stories — from the cemetery to the courtroom — and talk about what these headlines mean for the global biker community. Catch the show on: Black Dragon Biker TV – /blackdragonbikertv Lavish T. Williams – /@lavishtwilliams Keep It Logical – /keepitlogicalBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-dragon-s-lair-motorcycle-chaos--3267493/support.Sponsor the channel by signing up for our channel memberships. You can also support us by signing up for our podcast channel membership for $9.99 per month, where 100% of the membership price goes directly to us at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-.... Follow us on:Instagram: BlackDragonBikerTV TikTok: BlackDragonBikertv Twitter: jbunchiiFacebook: BlackDragonBikerBuy Black Dragon Merchandise, Mugs, Hats, T-Shirts Books: https://blackdragonsgear.comDonate to our cause:Cashapp: $BikerPrezPayPal: jbunchii Zelle: jbunchii@aol.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BlackDragonNPSubscribe to our new discord server https://discord.gg/dshaTSTSubscribe to our online news magazine www.bikerliberty.comGet 20% off Gothic biker rings by using my special discount code: blackdragon go to http://gthic.com?aff=147Join my News Letter to get the latest in MC protocol, biker club content, and my best picks for every day carry. https://johns-newsletter-43af29.beehi... Get my Audio Book Prospect's Bible an Audible: https://adbl.co/3OBsfl5Help us get to 30,000 subscribers on www.instagram.com/BlackDragonBikerTV on Instagram. Thank you!We at Black Dragon Biker TV are dedicated to bringing you the latest news, updates, and analysis from the world of bikers and motorcycle clubs. Our content is created for news reporting, commentary, and discussion purposes. Under Section 107 of the Copyright

Christina Bagaglio Slentz is Associate Director for Creation Care for the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Learn about how her diocese prioritizes climate action here.In this episode, we often refer to Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si' and the ways that faith communities are living out its stated goals. We also discuss the theme “seeds of peace and hope,” the official theme for the 2025 ecumenical Season of Creation.Many thanks to Christina for sharing her wisdom in this conversation!Christina SlentzTRANSCRIPTChristina Slentz I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure—but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly and another may not really have that capacity.Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship.Today, I'm talking with Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Associate Director for Creation Care at the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Christina has a background in sociology, with a PhD in international studies and global affairs. She's also a Navy veteran. Today, she serves a diocese of 97 parishes, helping to guide and empower people in their creation care work. The Diocese of San Diego is a microcosm of diverse biomes and diverse people, and it's a fascinating example of refugia, because as a diocese, they are doing all the things. Christina and I talk about Laudato si', solar energy, economics, eco spirituality, environmental justice advocacy, the centrality of the Eucharist, and the mutuality between caring for neighbor and caring for the Earth. Let's get to it.Debra Rienstra Christina, thank you so much for being with me today. I really appreciate talking to you.Christina Slentz Thank you, Debra, for having me. I'm really excited to be here.Debra Rienstra So I am eager to hear more about the Diocese of San Diego, because it seems that you have been very intentional and thoughtful and ambitious about your creation care agenda, and we're going to get into the details of that in just a minute, but I want to start with you. So tell us your hero origin story. How did you get into faith-based environmental work and into your current position?Christina Slentz Well, to be honest, I never saw it coming in many ways. I was working in the global affairs area, looking at sources of conflict and cooperation and how political economy intersects with those dynamics, and that was my academic area of focus. And at the same time, I've always been a catechist in the Catholic church since the 90s, and my church life was pretty comfortable, I would say, and active. But I didn't really see those two things coming together until Laudato si', the encyclical written by Pope Francis on the care of our common home, was released in 2015, and this really started to bring more overlap between these two areas in my life. And I would say, increasingly, then there was a lot of interplay between those focus areas for me. And eventually this position became available in the Diocese of San Diego, and a friend mentioned it to me, and I thought that is actually the perfect vocation for me. And I really feel like I understood it to be a vocation, not just a job.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I think I can relate to everything you just said. I think we came to this work from different areas of specialty, but yeah, like you, I feel like we've had these mid-career shifts where suddenly our area of specialty—in my case, literature and creative writing—has become energized by—in your case, Laudato si', in my case, other documents as well as Laudato si',—and we've sort of taken this fascinating and yeah, I would agree, vocational, turn. So let's talk a little bit more about Laudato si'. I imagine our listeners know at least a little bit about it. It's been so enormously influential. It's such an amazing landmark document. Could you talk a little bit about how you've seen Laudato si' diffuse through the Catholic Church, especially the American Catholic Church?Christina Slentz Yes, I think, to be honest, it has had a complicated journey with the Catholic community here in the United States. Very much like the issue of climate change in the global community, the United States has struggled with these dynamics—I think the way that they involve our economics and some of our very strong ideology about economic freedom and what that means to people. And so I think it's fair to say that while Laudato si' was very warmly received around the world, it has struggled in the United States as a whole, and that includes the American Catholic community. That said, there have been—like your description of refugia suggests——there have been these pockets, though, where I think that particular dynamics existed, and there was fertile ground for seeds to be planted. And the Diocese of San Diego is one of them. The Diocese of—the Archdiocese of Atlanta was another. There are a couple around the country, and I do think some footholds were created. In addition, one of the things that is particularly interesting about the encyclical Laudato si'—and an encyclical is just a document that a pope writes and then circulates, right, this is where the word encyclical comes from—circulates around until everyone's had a chance to read it. We can imagine in medieval times, you know, how this must have been a challenge. And I think that, you know, this challenge exists, but Father Emmett Farrell is the founder of this ministry in my diocese, and Father Emmett just celebrated his 60th anniversary of his ordination, and Father Emmett will say he has never seen an encyclical translate to action the way that Laudato si' has. And in particular, there is a Vatican online platform called the Laudato si' Action Platform, where Catholics—either parishes, schools, orders of sisters or religious—can get on this platform and learn about the dynamics that we face. They can see how our values are distilled into seven goals, and then they can reflect on their behavior, using this tool to sort of measure where they are, and then write a plan of action and upload it and share it with each other. And Father Emmett really celebrates how amazing it is that, you know, that we're going to lean into technology and use it for the good.Debra Rienstra Oh, awesome. There's so many things I want to follow up on in that answer. And I want to begin by just thanking you for being honest about pushback to Laudato si' in the US. And I want to go back to that in just a second, if it's okay. And then I want to thank you for the way you've thought about, you know, some of these dioceses like the mighty San Diego and the mighty Atlanta as sort of refugia spaces. And we'll come back to that again too, I really hope, and I want to hear some more details about your particular diocese. Why do you think there has been pushback in the American Catholic Church? You mentioned economic reasons, and you know, Pope Francis and Pope Leo now have both been very pointed in their critique of climate denial, of greed, of exploitation, injustice, war, economic systems that many Americans have sort of held as almost sacrosanct. So what are you noticing in Catholic conversations about that critique? Why are people resisting the critique and why are people saying, “No, that's right”—what are the motivations behind each of those responses?Christina Slentz So, you know, we could probably talk about this all day.Debra Rienstra Probably, yeah.Christina Slentz Because economic peace, I think, is really difficult to think about. You know, if we take the United Kingdom, for example, it's a country very much like the United States. So many of our you know, American culture and tradition and customs come out of that early launching that we experienced from, you know, Great Britain. And yet, as the topic of climate change came forward, Margaret Thatcher, who was, you know, a real compatriot of President Ronald Reagan at the time, she really took the scientific approach in thinking about climate change, and this set them on a path that's really different from the path that we experienced. And certainly, oil is a big factor in our economy. And I think it can be a real challenge for people to weigh the goods, you know, because we have to be honest, there are goods in both sides of these dynamics. When we understand the gravity, though, of climate change, if we're allowed to really get into those dynamics without the noise that has been kind of confronting that potential, then I think we can see that the good outweighs, you know, those alternative goods associated with continuing in the fossil fuel realm. But this is why we talk about a just transition, right? I think that many people who are hearing this noise, right, they don't understand that Pope Francis and others, you know, is really arguing for a just transition, and that would seek to care for the people that are going to be affected by whatever change in economic policy might make.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and more and more, those economic changes are actually positive in favor of transition in ways that they weren't even 5-10 years ago.Christina Slentz Yeah, I think it's amazing. We actually had some good momentum going until recently.Debra Rienstra Yeah, you know, I would love to get us all talking about a just and joyful transition, because it's more and more possible. And maybe we'll come back to that a little bit later too, when we talk about ecological spirituality. But let's go back to these places within the American Catholic Church, even, that are saying, “Oh yes, Laudato si', yes, let's go.” And San Diego diocese is one of those places. You had an action plan already in 2019. I think it's impressive that a diocese could get a plan together in four years. So good job. Knowing how long everything takes in church settings. So just give us a list of your accomplishments. What have you been up to since 2019? What are the kinds of things you've dipped your toes into?Christina Slentz Sure, and to be fair, I want to give some good credit to some others. You know, the Archdiocese of Atlanta had created their creation care action plan. This gave us some really good kind of framework to think about when we created ours. And there was a team that preceded me. They were all volunteers, very multidisciplinary in their backgrounds, everything from theologians to medical doctors who had worked with indigenous communities, you know, theologians, missionaries, energy engineers, and they really pulled this together early on. And this plan I now recognize as what climate action planners might refer to as an aspirational plan. It's all the things you could do in our area, and it serves as a really good resource for our parishes and schools as they think about what they might do in their Laudato si' action platform plans, and those are yearly plans that are really targeted on what we're going to do. So, you know, one of the things that they did early on was really push to solarize. And you know, we do have the great fortune of, one: climate here in San Diego, right? You know, we're sort of famous for that. And then you know, two: the other thing is that, you know, it was very normative to be shifting to solar, and continues to be an economic choice that is not really as politicized here as much as it might be elsewhere. And then the third thing was this is, you know, the magic number three is to have a bishop that is supportive. And so Cardinal McElroy—now Cardinal McElroy, then Bishop McElroy—really promoted this solarization. And at this point we have about 54% of our parishes solarized. And when I think now, you know, the Paris Climate Agreement says we want to have about half of our carbon emissions reduced by 2030 then you know, we're sitting at about half. Our building where I'm located is called our pastoral center. Some Catholic communities call it their chancery. And our solar array here provides over 80% of our electricity to the building. Our local utility is about half renewable energy, a little bit more. So with that in mind, you know, our electricity here to our building is a little over 90% coming from renewable energy, and this lets us have seven electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot so I can go to work and charge my car at the same time.Debra Rienstra Lovely.Christina Slentz So that was one big thing. I would say our other really big kind of landmark action that also was largely driven by Cardinal McElroy, was to divest of fossil fuels. And, you know, this is a real challenging thing to accomplish. We set a goal of no more than 5% of, you know, the earnings of both direct and indirect investment to be coming from fossil fuel. And after a year, we evaluated how we were doing, and we were actually hitting—not we, you know, the financial folks doing this—were hitting less than 3%. So, you know, we said, “Okay, I think we can say that this was successful, and we're still here.” So that was really exciting, and we didn't do it to be virtue signaling. Just, you know, for some of your listeners may not know, but the USCCB, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has a document that directs socially responsible investment for all areas. And so this is just one more area of socially responsible investment that the Diocese of San Diego has embraced.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So we've got money, we've got energy. How many parishes would you say are on board with this, doing yearly goals, selecting from the menu of fun ideas—what percentage of your parishes would you say are involved?Christina Slentz So I gotta, Debra, that's a little bit of a good question. I think, you know, we did just describe two very top-down approaches. And one of the things that our group, you know, when I came on board in 2022, we decided is, you know, we really wanted to push that grassroots. And so we see parishes demonstrating a range of behaviors, and I was initially surprised, but they actually behave a lot like countries around the world. And so, you know, you think, oh, that's going to be different. But, you know, you can also have three children, and they all behave differently, and you know, sometimes that's surprising as well, when they have the same parents. And so one of the things that I have really tried to do was offer more events that are here at the diocesan level. We have 97 parishes, and then we have—so sometimes we'll see individuals that are really on board, and they come from a parish where, at the parish level, not a lot is happening. Sometimes we have individuals that are participating, and they are doing a ton at their parish and succeeding. And then we have parishes where the pastor is leading the charge. And then on top of that, I would say there are parishes where they have solar and they have drought-resistant landscaping, and they have LEED silver certified buildings that, you know, are very environmentally friendly. And yet, you know, at the parishioner level, you know, not as much activity happening. So it is an array of activities. I would say probably half have had some kind of interaction with us, or have had parishioners or students participate in our programs. But you know, we reflect the American Catholic community, which reflects the broader American society as well. So there are places where we struggle, and then there are places where we see a lot of action and shining.Debra Rienstra Yeah, sure. And I really appreciate that. And I think listeners can relate to that range of involvement too. Maybe they are in any one of those categories or some other category themselves. And you know, as you say, it's the modeling of— even if it's a minority, it's the modeling and the enthusiasm and the even implicit sort of educating of others that can make this work spread too. So I want to list the seven goals of the Laudato si' action platform, because I think they're really, really great and helpful to people who are not in the Catholic Church, but in other aspects of the church, you might find these goals useful too. So here are the goals: response to the cry of the Earth, response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, community resilience and empowerment. So I want to start with the first three. We've talked a little bit about economics and how dicey that can be, but I wonder if you could describe how you see the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor as basically the same cry, as Pope Francis said in Laudato si'. How do you see that, especially in your region?Christina Slentz Yeah, so thank you. I think these two are kind of the crown jewels, right? And they sum up what we see happening very well. I think that the other goals are valuable because they sort of pull out the dynamics that we really understand as informing those two big—response to the cry of the Earth and cry of the poor. So as someone who was looking at this through the lens of being a social scientist, I found these two goals to really sum it up well, because it is not just the exposure to the environment that causes our concern for these dynamics. It's the exposure as well as the sensitivity of that population. And then this helps us understand also, maybe some vulnerability that that population might have. So for example, we had significant flooding about a year and a half ago in January, the month of January, and the same rain fell on a parish in the southern part of the Diocese, close to our Mexican border, in an area that is, you know, less wealthy, probably demonstrates some socio economic features that we would associate with marginalized communities. And then it also fell on a parish in Coronado, California. And some people might recognize the Hotel Del Coronado as an iconic location. It's a beautiful community. There's a lot of wealth. There's a lot of human capital as well. You know, very highly educated group, and so the buildings at two of two parishes in each of these locations were completely flooded. But, you know, the parish in Coronado was up on its feet within a week. And of course, they had repairs that had to be done, but they were able to get a hold of those folks, get them in, pay the bills, get it all done. And the parish on the south side had catastrophic flooding to its school, and the school was a total loss.Debra Rienstra Oh, wow.Christina Slentz So I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure, but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly, and another may not really have that capacity. And so you can't really pull them apart, because just measuring precipitation doesn't always give you the whole story.Debra Rienstra That's a very, very helpful answer to that. And I sometimes hear in religious circles, you know, “Well, we have to worry about other people, why should we worry about owls or whatever?” And the answer is: well, because what happens in nature affects people. So this is about loving your neighbor. Even if you're not convinced by the idea that we love the Earth for its own sake because it's beloved of God, we still have to love our neighbor. And this is a neighbor issue as well. So thank you. That was very helpful as an explanation.Christina Slentz One of my favorite kind of messages is, you know, having been a student of globalization, you know, I think that we live in a globalized world. You can't put that toothpaste back in the tube, right? Maybe there are some things we can do and that can be helpful, but the bottom line is, our actions have ripple effects, and so no matter what we do, we are going to have these impacts on people far beyond those we know and love on a day to day basis. And when we care for the Earth, we mitigate those effects on people all around the world, and so our caring for creation really is just love of neighbor at global scale.Debra Rienstra Ah, lovely. Yeah, so it works both ways. If you love neighbor, you love the Earth. If you love the Earth, you love your neighbor.Christina Slentz That's right.Debra RienstraHi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra Rienstra Let's think about some of those more personal goals. I don't know, maybe they're not just personal, because everything is systemic too. But I want to talk about that sustainable lifestyle goal, adoption of sustainable lifestyle. So what does that mean, and how are people doing that in San Diego?Christina Slentz So I have a really amazing parish, St. Thomas More, and they have created a community garden that not only functions as a place for their parish to gather and work together, it also is open to the public, so it has an evangelical capacity as well. And they also collect recyclable cans and bottles and then take those to a facility where they can be paid for that recycling work, and then they take the money, and then they put it into this garden that allows them to gather and have a mission and have evangelical outreach. So I think of this as such a wonderful circular kind of example that is, you know, feeding them in many ways. You know, they have this sense of community. They have this sense of common, shared mission. They have a good relationship with the neighborhood around them, people that may be of different faiths or of no faith at all. And then they're also in good relationship with Mother Earth, and doing what they can to, you know, practice this sort of sustainability, or also a little bit like circular economics, I guess I would say as well. And I think one of the things that the Catholic Church is emphasizing is synodality, and our synodality really calls us to be community, to have a shared mission and really inviting participatory action. So in my building here, where we sort of have the headquarters, you know, we also have gone to compostables for all of our events, and we try to minimize any kind of single use plastics. But, you know, there's that dreaded moment at the end where everybody has to go to the three, you know, receptacles. Everyone panics, especially if I'm near them, and I feel terribly, you know, like, should I step away? Should I give them a moment to give them help? Is that overreach? And so, you know, but we all fumble through together, and that's where I've kind of said, like, “Look, it's not easy for me either. Like, God forbid I put the wrong thing in the wrong can, right?” So I think that there's this way where we all are coming together to sort of take on this work. And, you know, we're not going to be perfect, but, you know, I think that it does foster community when we take this on, and then also recognizing how, you know, now we are living with greater simplicity, and we are impacting the Earth, you know, to a lesser extent.Debra Rienstra Yeah, nothing bonds people like pulling weeds together, or standing over the recycle bins going, “Hmm.” It's okay. We don't have to indulge in recycling guilt, you know, just do your best. So I want to move on to ecological spirituality. I love that phrase. It's not one you hear everywhere. And I wanted to remind listeners that San Diego Diocese is the most biodiverse diocese in the US. Maybe we wouldn't have expected that, but you've kind of got everything there. So I want to talk about ecological spirituality in the context of that actual place. I love the sentiment you quoted from Laudato si' in an article you wrote recently. It was an idea from Pope Francis that in the beauties and wonders of the Earth, we experience God's friendship with us. And so I wanted to ask you how you're helping people in your parishes reconnect to the Earth where you are, and thus, and this is how you put it, “revive something of our true selves.”Christina Slentz Yeah, one of my favorite pieces in Laudato si': Pope Francis alludes to having a place in childhood where we felt a sense of awe and wonder. And I think that that awe and wonder allows us to get back to childhood in some ways, before there was a lot of noise before there was all the different distractions. And I think that that true self is also a little freer to connect to God. I think sometimes about little children and baby Jesus, you know, and that sort of immediate connection that's not really complicated, you know, it's just comfortable. Or feeling the love of God like being a child sitting on the lap of your mom or your dad. And so encouraging people, or providing opportunities for this return to that place of awe and wonder, I think is really important. I think that at the heart of our inability to care for creation is this estrangement from our Creator. So we won't care for something if we don't love it. And in this way, ecological spirituality may be step one in all of this, right? So I think we are really lucky, being here. As I mentioned, our climate is beautiful. It is a beautiful place. We have everything from the ocean to mountains to desert, and many people who live here do really connect with the geography and the beauty of where we are, and so inviting them to take a moment to just pause and think about those places. Think about their senses as they move through the memory of that space, I think is really important before we start any of the other conversations. And so I try to do that, and then we share about it. And I have yet to find somebody that says, “Oh, I just didn't have a place.” Everybody has a place. And many people will say, “I really struggled, because I love this place, and I love that place,” you know. And so it is really great to hear. And I think people really come out of an exercise like that with this new sense of common ground as well. And I think that is so important, right? Because if you ask people like, “Raise your hand, who hates trees?” No one's gonna do it, right? Don't even think anyone does. Or “Raise your hand if you like to litter.” No one's going to say, like, “Oh yeah, I really love throwing things out my window.” And so there is a lot more common ground. And I think that eco spirituality invites us to find out how much we have in common, and actually how much we all yearn for that place of connectedness.Debra Rienstra Oh, yeah. I've noticed, you know, people have so many different feelings that motivate what they might do in a faith and climate space, and there's anger, there's fear, a lot of anxiety. But the trick, I think, is to get to the center, which is love. And the quickest way to do that, maybe, is to find that early love, or a love that's developed over many, even generations, in a particular place, if you're lucky, and you're rooted in some way. I feel like we also, as people of faith, haven't made enough of a case that being closer to the creation is, in fact, a pathway to God. And I see that in a lot of the writings that you have too. It's a way of understanding God better. It's a way of allowing God to speak to us that we sometimes underestimate, I think. There's other ways, of course, but it's one that we tend to underestimate. It is a way to deeper spirituality. So getting people to be in touch with that, it sounds like you've you've worked on that a little bit.Christina Slentz We're very lucky. The Franciscan tradition is pretty rich and present here. The Franciscan School of Theology is located here at the University of San Diego.Debra Rienstra There we go.Christina Slentz I have several secular Franciscans on my team, and a few Franciscan friars. And you know, that's very much at the heart of St. Francis and St. Claire's tradition. St. Bonaventure, who is a Franciscan, actually calls nature, or the environment, the created world, like another book. It's another gospel that tells us something about God's plan.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So I wanted to quote from Pope Leo's message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which was September one. And I found his message so encouraging, and especially this particular paragraph, it's along the line of seeds here. He writes, “In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed seeds of peace and hope. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Spirit of God can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity. In his words, a spirit from on high will be poured out on us, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” So we have this beautiful vision and the sense of vocation of who we are and who our communities are as seeds of peace and hope. So it seems like you experience that in the San Diego Diocese. Are there some particular examples that have been really meaningful and important to you, where you see that “seeds of hope” metaphor being played out?Christina Slentz Yeah, I would point to two areas that I would offer up as good examples. One is a parish that is located in what's called Barrio Logan. It is an ecologically marginalized community. The highways literally forced the school to be moved when they put the highway in right down the middle of the community. And that's the I-5. So it runs all the way from Canada to Mexico. Big highway. In addition, the Coronado Bridge connects to the highway right there. The Navy base is there, and the Port of San Diego all intersects there. So their air quality is really degraded, and it's a socio-economically poor area. It is also a predominantly Hispanic community there. But the Jesuit pastor there, Father Scott Santa Rosa, is a very good community organizer. He led the parish when they were confronted by another warehouse that was going to be added at the port. And the proposal by the company violated the Port Authority's standards, but they were seeking a waiver, and Father Scott brought in the Environmental Health Coalition. He brought in a theologian from University of San Diego. He invited the youth to present on Laudato si' to the adults and really empowered the community, which is that seventh goal of Laudato si', it's very connected to environmental justice. And then they learned, they grew, they came to an understanding that this was not acceptable, and that they wanted to be a voice for their community. They—we traveled. I was very fortunate to kind of engage with them in this process.And we traveled to the Port Authority building the night before the Port Authority was going to make their decision on this, whether or not to grant this waiver. And we said a rosary, which consists of five sets of 10 Hail Marys, roughly. And between each set, somebody spoke and gave their witness. And one of the women stood up and said, “I never thought I would speak publicly in my whole life. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm speaking, but I found my voice because of this issue.” And I thought, even if we lose, that's such an amazing win that people felt connected to their environment. They understood that they have a voice. They understood their own dignity and the dignity of their community, and felt that it was worth standing up for. And the next day we went, there was demonstration and public witnessing and praying, and then they went in and spoke at the actual hearing. And the first thing that the chairman of the board said, in response to everyone's comments was, “Well, I'm a Catholic, and we have three priests that were here today.” And you know, how many times does a public official make a statement of faith? You know, I thought, “Okay, win number two!” And you know, I'll just go ahead and cut to the chase. And they turned down the company that wanted to put the warehouse in and said, “You know, we just don't think that you've convinced the local community that the benefits of this would be worth it.” And it was amazing.And so that place, they continue to also tend to the care of migrants. They have begun the work of accompanying migrants that are going for their court appointed hearings for their asylum process. And you know, those are not outcomes that are generally favorable, but they are just going and being present with them and, you know, we are on the border. We understand how some of these environmental impacts do entangle with human mobility. And so, you know, there's a lot that this community, that is really one of our poorest communities in San Diego, has brought to the wider San Diego Diocese as more parishes and local Catholics are now mimicking what they have done and joining in this mission, and so they've been an incredible source—this tiny little parish in a poor part of the Diocese with terrible environmental impacts, has actually been a place where things have blossomed and grown, and they actually do have an amazing garden as well.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's an incredible story, and exactly a story of empowerment and resilience, as you suggested, and a story of how low-resource people are not necessarily low-resource people. They have other kinds of resources that may not be visible to the outside, but that can be very powerful, and especially when one of those is faith. It was such a great example of people motivated not only by their, you know, sort of survival, but their faith to do this work. Yeah, wonderful.Christina Slentz I think they understand the impact, right? So if you can shut your windows and turn on your air conditioning, maybe you don't get it.Debra Rienstra Yeah, right. So what would you say are your biggest obstacles and your biggest joys in your work right now?Christina Slentz I think the biggest obstacle is coming up against Catholics and/or Christians, or really any person of faith. But I think this may be especially true to Catholics and Christians who think that our social actions have to be an “either/or” choice, and they resist a “yes/and” mentality, and so they put different issues in competition with each other, right? And, you know, sometimes they think about Cain and Abel, right? This sort of jealousy or comparison can be a real problem. Instead of saying, “Okay, maybe we don't fit in a neat box, but as Catholics, you know, we have to do all the things.” And that kind of privileging one issue or another issue makes us vulnerable to those who would seek division and competition. And I think that when we look at God, you know, God loves all of it, right? God is love, and so there isn't that discrimination in the example of our Creator, and I would, of course, we aren't perfect, you know, but we should aspire to that same kind of comprehensive love.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and we do it together. We don't all have to do every last one of the things. We do it together. What about joys? What are your greatest joys right now in your work?Christina Slentz I think that coming together is really a joy. When I first started this work, I felt like a unicorn. I could either be the only person of faith in an environmental group, or I could be the only environmentalist in a faith group. And so it just was a feeling of being awkward all the time. And I do think that just in the three years that I've been in this position, I am seeing momentum build. I think ecumenicalism is super helpful in this regard. And I think that increasingly people are finding each other, and they are starting to get a little bit of a wake up call. I think it is unfortunate that people in the United States have had to experience some significant catastrophes and human loss and impact before they start to awaken to the issue of climate change or environmental degradation. I think plastics are really a pretty significant issue as well, but I think that more and more, people seem to be coming around to it, and whenever we celebrate together, that gives me joy.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I agree. I'm seeing it happening too, and it keeps me going. It keeps me going to connect with people like you, and every door I open, there's more people of faith doing amazing work, and we are building that mycelial network. And it's pretty great. So what is your favorite gift of the Catholic Church, a gift of wisdom on creation care that you wish everyone would receive?Christina Slentz I am not sure I would say that this is my favorite. But maybe I think that it is very important, is that, you know, in the Catholic community, communion, Eucharist, is really, you know, the summit for Catholics, that each week, at a minimum, we are going to celebrate this liturgy. We break open the Word, and then we celebrate the Eucharist. And one of the things I, you know, find very compelling is the fact that Jesus celebrates at the Last Supper with bread and wine. Jesus didn't get grapes and, you know, a piece of meat, to celebrate that these were both chosen items that were not just created by God, but they involved, as we say, in our celebration, the work of human hands. And so this really represents this call to co-creation, I think. And if that is something that you know, is really at the heart of Catholicism, this, you know, summit of our faith to celebrate the Eucharist—in that, we are called to co-create. And so this tells us something about how we are meant to exist in relationship with the Creator. You know, God reveals God's self to us in the beauty of this creation or in the gift of the Eucharist, and then, in turn, we are called to respond to that love. Otherwise the revelation isn't complete, so our response is to care for creation or to receive the Eucharist, and then go and serve as God has called us to serve. So maybe, maybe this is something that we can offer up.Debra Rienstra So beautifully said, and the intimacy of eating, you know, taking the material, the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands, into ourselves, responding by the Spirit, that intimacy, that physicality, there's a reason that that is the central ritual.Christina Slentz And you know, if I could give you one last image connected to that—because then we become the tabernacle, right? And we think about Noah and the ark, right? And how, you know, creation is destroyed, but the ark holds this refugia right and until it's time for this moment of reconciliation and forgiveness and then renewed flourishing. And you may or may not have heard this story, but when the LA fires raged in Pacific Palisades in January of 2025 the fires swept across the parish and school called Corpus Christi Parish, and it is the home parish of brother James Lockman, one of my dear, dear volunteers. And there was a firefighter who went back to look at the ruins that evening, and he was Catholic, and he came across the tabernacle from the church, and it was the only thing that survived. And when they opened it up, it was pristine on the inside and undamaged. And that Sunday, they took it to St. Monica's Parish, which is one of the very animated creation care parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and they celebrated Mass there because Corpus Christi did not have a parish right to celebrate in that weekend. And I think about that tabernacle as being, you know—it's to reflect that Ark of the Covenant, right, Ark of Noah, the Ark of the Covenant. And then we have the tabernacle now, and that space of refuge that was preserved, you know. And then, of course, when we take the Eucharist into ourselves, we become that tabernacle. We're walking tabernacles, right? So we are also, then, places of refuge and where we know that God is with us and we can go and serve.Debra Rienstra Christina, it has been such a joy to talk to you. Thank you for your wisdom, for your inspiration, for the way that you deploy your expertise in such compassionate and far reaching ways. It's just been a pleasure. Thank you.Christina Slentz Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed talking today with you, Debra.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us. For show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

Candid Catholic Convos 11.2.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.    Title: Called By Name: Preparing for the Priesthood Show Description:   Deacon Drew Heidelbaugh sits down with us to discuss how he discerned his vocation and the mental gymnastics that went along with it.   Scripture: John 21:15-17 Saint Spotlight: St. John Vianney  

In this episode of Cruise News Daily, we explore major developments shaping the cruise industry, from sustainability and food recovery to new loyalty benefits and destination growth across Europe and Latin America.Carnival Expands Meal Donations to Latin AmericaCarnival Corporation is deepening its commitment to social responsibility with an expansion of its meal donation program into Latin America. The initiative delivers unserved, high-quality meals from cruise ships to communities in need, supporting the company's “Less Left Over” strategy to reduce food waste and repurpose surplus prepared meals.The expansion includes formal partnerships in:Mexico: A pilot program launched in Ensenada with Bancos de Alimentos de México, with plans to expand to additional ports.Honduras: Collaboration with local authorities in Roatán to provide meals to schools, hospitals, and community groups.Dominican Republic: Agreements with the Catholic Diocese of Puerto Plata and Banco de Alimentos República Dominicana to distribute meals locally.Since starting in 2017 with Costa Cruises, the program has delivered more than 300,000 meals across 19 destinations worldwide. Carnival is the first cruise company to formalize meal donation programs in these Latin American markets, working with Global FoodBanking Network affiliates to ensure safe delivery and lasting community impact.Norwegian Unveils Cross-Brand Loyalty PerksNorwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is introducing the Loyalty Status Honoring Program, giving guests recognition across its three brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.Launch: Guests may request eligibility starting September 29, 2025, for cruises departing October 15 or later.How it works: Travelers submit a request before each sailing to have their loyalty tier recognized across brands.Benefits: Complimentary beverages, priority embarkation, and access to exclusive events.The program is part of the company's Charting the Course strategy, encouraging cross-brand exploration while rewarding repeat travelers. Although the per-cruise application step has prompted mixed reactions, it reflects a growing focus on loyalty integration across premium and luxury lines.Wales Embraces Cruise TourismWales continues to see strong growth in cruise tourism, welcoming nearly 80,000 passengers last year and generating about £7.5 million in visitor spending. Holyhead on Anglesey serves as the main gateway and now accounts for roughly 10 percent of Wales' international tourism.Regional operators are emphasizing authentic, local experiences:Cultural Immersion: Tours highlighting Welsh language, history, and heritage.Unique Excursions: Visits to Bragdy Cybi brewery and traditional hill farms.Growth Ahead: Viking Cruises plans a 40 percent increase in calls to Holyhead by 2026.Local leaders are focused on sustainable growth that supports cultural exchange and community development, positioning Wales as a distinctive European cruise destination.Subscribe to Cruise News Daily for continuing coverage of industry trends, sustainability initiatives, and destination insights. Visit CruiseNews.io to read daily stories and sign up for free email alerts.

Bishop Michael Fisher reflects on his trip to Rome and The Vatican, his meeting with Pope Leo XIV, and looks ahead to the future of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese full 927 Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:30:00 +0000 8ibNkStT4P6pVIV0uoXk6e1XJAKHzXDT buffalo,news,wben,rome,the vatican,buffalo catholic diocese,bishop michael fisher,pope leo xiv WBEN Extras buffalo,news,wben,rome,the vatican,buffalo catholic diocese,bishop michael fisher,pope leo xiv Bishop Michael Fisher reflects on his trip to Rome and The Vatican, his meeting with Pope Leo XIV, and looks ahead to the future of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News

Send us a textThis episode premiered on Sirius XM 129 the Catholic Channel on 10/29/2025. In this episode of Frontiers of Faith, hosts Monsignor Roger Landry and Katie Ruvalcaba explore various themes surrounding the Catholic faith, including the significance of feast days, the celebration of Halloween and All Saints Day, the impact of missionary saints, and the importance of World Mission Month. They also feature an interview with Father Isaiah Patrick from Nigeria, who shares insights about the Catholic Diocese of Kano and its history. This conversation explores the challenges faced by the Diocese of Kano in Nigeria, particularly the persecution of Christians and the resilience of their faith. The discussion highlights the socio-economic difficulties, the urgent need for catechesis, and the impact of violence on the Christian community. Despite these challenges, the high mass attendance in Nigeria showcases the strength of faith among its people. The conversation also touches on the importance of praying for the deceased and supporting missionary efforts.Click here to learn more about supporting the Pontifical Missions Societies:https://pontificalmissions.orgFollow us on socials!https://x.com/tpms_usahttps://www.instagram.com/tpms_us/

Candid Catholic Convos 10.26.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   TITLE: Living the Gospel Out Loud: Catholicism in Pop Culture   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Open up any social media app and you'll find Catholics and non-Catholics alike arguing over whether or not to celebrate Halloween. But is Halloween a pagan holiday or a hijacked holy day? Today we're excited to welcome back Father Jonathan Sawicki, pastor at St. Theresa Parish in New Cumberland, to talk through the history of this fascinating holiday and find out if it is all, in fact, just a bunch of hocus pocus.   SCRIPTURE: John 1:5 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: St. Lucy    

On Oct. 23, Deacon Larry Gayton discussed the upcoming march for migrants and refugees and Hispanic Mass on the Art Lewis Show. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, faithful will gather for a solemn March for migrants and refugees. The march will begin at Great Lakes Bay Health Center parking lot at 501 Lapeer Ave., Saginaw and conclude at St. Joseph Church, 910 N 6th Ave., Saginaw.After the March, a Misa Hispana (Hispanic Mass) will be celebrated at St. Joseph Church at 4 p.m. The Misa Hispana Mass celebrates the rich traditions of the Hispanic Catholic community particularly through music and language in the bilingual liturgy.“We will march as an expression of faith in Jesus, who stands with the vulnerable, the poor and immigrants,” said Bishop Robert Gruss, Bishop of Saginaw. “Migrants and refugees often find themselves alone, separated from family and lacking basic needs. Jesus calls us to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and feed the hungry. As a local Church, we must be of ‘one heart and mind' and uphold the dignity of all people.”“A public gathering like this can motivate all of us to put our faith into action,” said Deacon Larry Gayton, who serves in the Office of Multicultural Ministry at the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. “We want to let migrants and refugees in our community know that we care about them and that their voices are heard.”Deacon Larry Gayton's family migrated from Killeen, Texas to Berrien Springs, Mich. in 1968 and worked on farms. “We didn't have much when we moved to Michigan. One of our vehicles broke down on the drive to Michigan and our family of seven had to pile into a crowded car. We worked on farms picking fruits and vegetables and lived in migrant camps. Generous members of the Catholic community helped me with my education and eventually I was able to attend law school. I want to serve migrants and refugees just as I was helped by so many generous people.”All are invited to join in the prayerful and solemn march. Afterwards, Bishop Robert Gruss will celebrate the Hispanic Mass (Misa Hispana) at St. Joseph Church.“The Misa Hispana is a joyous and diverse celebration,” said Deacon Larry Gayton. “Daughters who have recently celebrated their quinceañera have been invited to attend wearing their quinceañera dresses. The Knights of Columbus will also be joining us for Mass and the Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil Mariachis will perform music at a reception after Mass.”

Bishop's Book Club - Oct 2025 - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   Candid Catholic Convos 10.19.25   TITLE:   Living the Gospel Out Loud: Catholic Creators on the Rise   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Our art and our faith actually can work in concert with one another. Today we're excited to introduce you to James from Saint Joseph Catholic School in Danville and his teacher, Kurt Eck, together known and the duo behind the podcast, Fun Fact Times with James D. What started as a little experiment has grown into two full seasons of episodes with guests ranging from students and teachers to priests and even Bishop Senior.   SCRIPTURE: Exodus 35:31-32 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: St. Catherine of Bologna  

Candid Catholic Convos 10.12.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.     SHOW TITLE:   Can You be Catholic and Eco-conscious?   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Today we're chatting with Sean Domencic about how our faith calls us to be stewards of creation and some tactile ways we can incorporate change in our daily lives. SCRIPTURE: Psalm 24:1 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: Servant of God Dorothy Day.  

From The Void: The Ammons Family Exorcism   In 2011, in a small house in Gary, Indiana, something terrifying took hold of a family. The Ammons household became the site of strange noises, violent possessions, and chilling encounters that drew in police, social workers, and eventually the Catholic Church.   This case would come to be known as the “House of 200 Demons”—a story so unsettling that seasoned professionals walked away shaken. From levitating children to inexplicable footprints, from midnight terrors to an exorcism documented in official records, the Ammons case has been called one of the most compelling modern American hauntings.   In this episode of From The Void, we sit by the fire and dive deep into the chilling events of the Ammons Family Exorcism. Was it genuine demonic possession? Mass hysteria? Or something stranger still?   Resources & Further Reading   Want to dig deeper into the Ammons case? Here are some of the primary sources and reports referenced in this episode: •Indianapolis Star Investigation by Marisa Kwiatkowski (January 2014): “The Exorcisms of Latoya Ammons” – the definitive longform piece that first broke the story nationally. •Indiana Department of Child Services reports (2012–2013) documenting unusual events and observations by caseworkers. •Father Michael Maginot's testimony and diocesan records from the Catholic Diocese of Gary. •Police Captain Charles Austin's statements about his own experiences at the Ammons house. •Zach Bagans' documentary Demon House (2018) – a sensationalized but notable pop-culture treatment of the case. •Coverage in The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Daily Mail (2014) reporting on the story's reach.   Follow & Support   If you enjoyed this episode: •Subscribe to From The Void wherever you get your podcasts. •Follow along on social media for my 31 Days of Horror film challenge and behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming episodes. •Share this episode with friends who love true hauntings and unexplained mysteries.

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo faces a key deadline in its bankruptcy process. Steve Boyd tells us about it.

A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   Candid Catholic Convos 9.28.25   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   We talk a lot about “meeting people where they're at” – isolation and loneliness is now considered to be an epidemic in this country, especially for those who are elderly, injured or homebound – so how to we remind them they are still part of the body of Christ? Today we'll be chatting with Sharon Fisher, , one of our extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Holy Infant Parish in Manchester, about the gift of spiritual communion and why she continues to participate in this ministry. SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 11:26 SAINT SPOTLIGHT: St. Tarsicius   

Msgr. Roger J. Landry St. Bartholomew Church, Fort Worth, Texas Day of Reflection for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth Mission Council September 20, 2025 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/9.20.25_Fort_Worth_Mission_Council_Part_I_1.mp3 The post Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples (Part I), Day of Reflection for the Diocese of Fort Worth Mission Council, September 20, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Msgr. Roger J. Landry St. Bartholomew Church, Fort Worth, Texas Day of Reflection for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth Mission Council September 20, 2025 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/9.20.25_Fort_Worth_Mission_Council_Part_II_1.mp3 The post Missionaries of Hope Among the Peoples (Part II), Day of Reflection for the Diocese of Fort Worth Mission Council, September 20, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Bishop Michael Fisher and other leaders within the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo have been called to Rome. Phillip Gray says it's an unusual visit.

Bishop Michael Fisher and other leaders within the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo will visit the Vatican in the coming weeks. Mary Pruski with Save Our Buffalo Churches agrees with canon lawyer Philip Gray that the visit is unusual.

  Candid Catholic Convos 9.21.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Today on our show, we're revisiting last year's National Eucharistic Congress – the once-in-a-lifetime gathering that was the culmination of a three year long nationwide Eucharistic Revival designed to renew the Catholic Church through Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. We'll be chatting with newly ordained Father St Denis who was in attendance for the event about its lasting impact to this day and beyond. Scripture: John 6:35 Saint Spotlight: St. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, Bishop of the Abandoned Tabernacle.  

Bishop's Book Club - Sept 2025 - Be Healed - Bob Schuchts by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Catechetical Kickoff: Standards Breakout by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Catechetical Kickoff: Virtues Breakout by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Catechetical Kickoff: Integrating Prayer Breakout by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Catechetical Kickoff: Keynote Sr. Sara by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Catechetical Kickoff: OCIA Breakout by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Candid Catholic Convos 9.14.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Today on our show, we're chatting with Dr. John Rossi about his reversion experience, what second chances mean in the eyes of God, and why we shouldn't be afraid to come home even if we've spent a long time away. Scripture Verse: 1 John 1:9 Saint Spotlight: St. Thomas Aquinas   

A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa. Candid Catholic Convos 9.7.25   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Today we're joined by Deacon Scott Root. Deacon Root is a permanent deacon in our Diocese who holds a masters in Pastoral Studies in the Diaconate Formation Program from Pontifical College Josephium, a Catechist certification from Franciscan university of Steubenville, a master Catechist Certification from our Diocese, and he's the senior theology teacher at Trinity High School. He's also a husband, father and regular guest on our podcast over the last several months helping us get Back-to-Basics with our faith. Scripture Verse: Luke 22:19 Saint Spotlight: Carlo Acutis.  

Jeff is joined by Julie Bailey, Rhonda Miller, and Sister Dede Byrne to discuss the hope that can be found after an abortion. Call or text the Project Rachel Post Abortion Healing Local Helpline at (719) 203-8112. Email Rhonda Miller, of the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs, at rmiller@diocs.org or call at (719) 866-6544. Visit hopeafterabortion.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Catholic Forum, after a news update from The Dialog, we talk to Joe Owens, editor and general manager, and Mike Lang, long-time reporter for The Dialog and TheDialog.org, the official news source for the Catholic community of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore. First published in 1965 as a result of the Second Vatical Counsel's call to modernize the Church, The Dialog is celebrating 60 years of journalistic excellence in service to the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington with a special anniversary edition to be published on September 19, 2025. A video of the interview with Mike and Joe is available on the Diocese of Wimington's YouTube channel.  Please like, share and subscribe.

A weekly program for and about the work of the Knights of Columbus in the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.  

Candid Catholic Convos Encore   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   In today's encore episode, we're chatting with Chris Wood, youth minister and spiritual director for the Diocese, to give us some tangible tips about creating an intimate relationship with God.  

In this episode of ‘Connecting the Diocese,’ Clint Berge is joined by Father Steven Weller, the Director of Vocations for the Catholic Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin. They discuss the meaning of vocations, the different forms they can take, and Father Weller’s own journey to the priesthood. Father Weller shares his insights and experiences, providing […]

Attorney Steve Boyd on insurance settlements in Buffalo Catholic Diocese abuse case full 285 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:36:36 +0000 H4uBexdPdK6EKUn2Qqt7TU9UJUFOxIef news & politics,news WBEN Extras news & politics,news Attorney Steve Boyd on insurance settlements in Buffalo Catholic Diocese abuse case Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News & Politics News False https://p

A weekly program for and about the work of the Knights of Columbus in the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.

Candid Catholic Convos 8.24.25 ENCORE    A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.    SHOW DESCRIPTION:    In today's encore episode, we're chatting with Chris Wood, youth minister and spiritual director for the Diocese, to give us some tangible tips about creating an intimate relationship with God.   

Bishop's Book Club - Aug 2025 - Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Candid Catholic Convos - Encore for 8.17.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Starting in September, we're rolling out a brand new format designed just for you—whether you're deep in your faith, just coming back, or still searching - We're talking fresh voices, powerful stories, Saint spotlights, and practical conversations that meet you wherever you are on your journey. So while we revisit some meaningful past episodes this month, know that something exciting, thoughtful, and mission-driven is just around the corner. Today's encore episode is with Christina Ring, a Nurse Practitioner with Hospice of Central PA, as we talk about the differences between palliative care and hospice care, how we can compassionately care for our loved ones in line with church teachings, and somethings we can do to prepare ourselves for the inevitable.   

Nine parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo are asking a judge to throw out the requirement for churches to contribute to the Diocese abuse settlement. Mary Pruski from Save Our Buffalo Churches tells us about a hearing that happened this week and what a judge had to say.

  Candid Catholic Convos - Encore - 8.10.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Starting in September, we're rolling out a brand new format designed just for you—whether you're deep in your faith, just coming back, or still searching - We're talking fresh voices, powerful stories, Saint spotlights, and practical conversations that meet you wherever you are on your journey. So while we revisit some meaningful past episodes this month, know that something exciting, thoughtful, and mission-driven is just around the corner. Today's encore episode is with Dr. Kirsten Tollefson and her work with the new Labre Mental Health Clinic. We talked about the inspiration behind this important mission, the challenges of launching a clinic rooted in both clinical excellence and Gospel values, and how this work is already making a difference right here in Harrisburg.   

A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   Candid Catholic Convos 8.3.25   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   In the spirit of the upcoming school year that will be here before we know it, today Father Matt Cannon, pastor at St. Paul the Apostle church in Annville, joins us to discuss the unique and sacrificial opportunity presented to us in Catholic Education, how to be adaptable in our faith throughout the changing seasons, and how we can strengthen the domestic church at home all year long.  

Attorneys John Flaherty and James Myers on latest pushback in Buffalo Catholic Diocese abuse settlement payments full 276 Wed, 30 Jul 2025 08:16:00 +0000 MgstDHJRebClAJPOXNm0Ms9wMlu2IcRE news & politics,news WBEN Extras news & politics,news Attorneys John Flaherty and James Myers on latest pushback in Buffalo Catholic Diocese abuse settlement payments Archive of various reports and news events 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News & Politics News False

  Candid Catholic Convos 7.27.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Visiting the imprisoned is one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, given to us by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-37. In this teaching, Jesus calls us to consider how we would treat others if they were Him in disguise. “I was in prison and you visited me.” Today, we're chatting with Father Matthew Morelli, pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Parish and chaplain at Lancaster County prison to talk about this unique form of evangelization and the shared humanity we have as sinners.  

Bishop's Book Club - July 2025 - Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Candid Catholic Convos 7.20.25   A weekly program produced by the Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, Pa.   SHOW DESCRIPTION:   Mary Magdalene is the most famous woman in Christianity, second only to Jesus' mother; she's also the most hotly contested figure in the New Testament. Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of outcasts, embodies uncertainty and has captivated Christians for centuries. But why? Today, we sit down with Sr. Geralyn Schmidt of the Sisters of Christian Charity to unpack some of the misconceptions of this mysterious saint, her theological importance and her impact on the role of women in the Catholic Church.   

Calling all Catholics: what are your feelings on the state of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese right now? Recently, the Saint Timothy Parish in the Town of Tonawanda was asked to pay $5 million toward the $150 million clergy sexual abuse settlement, and numerous other parishes have been asked to pony up as well. Are you upset that many local parishes are being asked to bail out the Buffalo Catholic Diocese financially to settle these sexual abuse claims? Has this situation made you lose faith in the church and/or its leadership?

Bishop Book Club - Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens | June 2025 by Catholic Diocese of Rapid City, SD

Children are precious gifts—in whom the Lord lives and dwells. They smile, they dream, they teach us how to love with open hearts and childlike trust. But not every child knows safety. Abuse leaves scars that can last a lifetime—wounds that silence joy and steal hope. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month—an opportunity to renew our sacred commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us from every form of abuse. The Catholic Diocese of Arlington stands united with leaders across our communities to say: every child deserves safety, love, and support. Their lives are sacred and protecting them is our common mission. Let us come together—in prayer and in action—for the safety of all God's children. Because when we love and protect children, we serve their Creator.