Podcasts about franciscan missionaries

Stephanie Manson, President: FMOL Health/ Our Lady of Lourdes, joins Discover Lafayette to talk about leadership, mission-driven Catholic healthcare, and the most significant hospital expansions Lafayette has seen in years. Stephanie shares her deeply personal journey into healthcare administration, her love for Louisiana and Lafayette, and how Our Lady of Lourdes is expanding capacity, technology, and compassionate care through the Advancing Acadiana initiative, while staying grounded in a values-based mission that puts people first. Stephanie has dedicated her professional life to Catholic health care and the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. She began her career as an administrative resident at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge and steadily progressed through leadership roles, including serving as the first administrator of Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital and later as Chief Operating Officer from 2018 to 2023. In March 2023, she joined Our Lady of Lourdes, continuing her work in Louisiana communities she deeply values. “I grew up in Houma, Louisiana, so I'm a Louisiana girl, and it was important to me to give back to Louisiana.” Stephanie holds dual master's degrees in Business Administration and Health Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, along with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from LSU. She describes her path into health care administration as a blend of service and business, exactly the balance she set out to find. “I set out to find a career that balanced service and business; 100% of healthcare administration checked those boxes. I’ve still not touched a patient. Sometimes I try to help and I get told, no, please don’t do that. You’re going to mess us up. But to see the work we do carried out through the work of our team, that’s extremely fulfilling. It is why I’ve kept going in this ministry for so long.” A Health System Serving Acadiana The Our Lady of Lourdes system includes three hospitals, approximately 2,800 team members, and more than 200 employed providers, including physicians and nurse practitioners. Stephanie oversees a rapidly growing regional footprint that now offers comprehensive care from birth through end of life. “We offer comprehensive services from birth until end of life care. And that's important for the community to be able to have access to that.” The system includes: Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, the legacy acute care campus located at 4801 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette LA 70508; Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, featuring a 32-bed inpatient unit and advanced cardiovascular care, located at 1105 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette LA 70508; and Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital, acquired in 2019, expanding services for mothers, babies, and pediatric patients, located at 4600 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette LA 70508. Stephanie emphasizes that growth has never been about size—it has always been about mission. “It was never about growth or being the biggest. It's about delivering Catholic health care in the communities that need it.” Advancing Acadiana One of the most significant initiatives underway is Advancing Acadiana, a multi-campus investment focused on expanding access, improving patient flow, and ensuring the hospital can say “yes” to more patients who need specialized care. Projects include: Expansion of inpatient capacity at the Regional Medical Center (approximately 20 additional beds) Emergency department expansion to improve access and efficiency A new electrophysiology lab and additional inpatient beds and operating rooms at the Heart Hospital Major upgrades at Women's & Children's, including approximately 20 private NICU family suites, a refreshed exterior, and a new chapel Our Lady of Lourdes’ Women's and Children's Hospital is undergoing $100 million in improvements. At the heart of the Advancing Acadiana project is the expansion of the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, featuring significant exterior upgrades and private suites, each with a full bathroom and a dedicated family area within the room. The NICU will expand from 51 to 60 beds and will feature 19 new private suites. “Talk about a sacred moment and a tender moment… a private opportunity for them to be together as a family is so important. Leadership as a Climb Toward Excellence Stephanie Manson describes her leadership philosophy using a Mount Everest metaphor, introduced by President and Chief Executive Officer and leader of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System E.J. Kuiper, with five “camps” on the climb toward excellence. “The idea is that the foundation or the base of the mountain is our mission, and that everything we do should be grounded in our mission. That’s why we’re here. And that’s really what the sisters ask of us every day, to perpetuate the mission, to always do more for those most in need, with particular regard to the poor and the underserved. And so many of our services, such as the Saint Bernadette Clinic and Northside High, some of our free health screenings are all about the mission. It’s important to us that you can feel that difference and that mission at work. The best time is when you think nobody’s watching and we catch you doing good.“ From mission, the climb moves through: Being the best place to work and practice medicine Delivering an exceptional patient experience Ensuring strong quality of care Achieving sustainable market share and finances that allow reinvestment in the community “We measure all of these things… team member engagement, turnover, patient experience, quality results.” The summit, she says, is aspirational. “I don't know that we'll ever get there… we're never quite done with progress and being better.” Caring for the Caregivers Stephanie speaks with deep respect for physicians, nurses, and advanced practice professionals. “None of us (in administration) can admit a patient. We really rely on the physicians trusting us to care for the patients.” She shares a moving moment involving a nurse practitioner grieving alongside a family transitioning to hospice care, who was apologizing for her emotions. “I said, no, please. I think this is beautiful because it means after all these years, you care.’ We can never stop caring.” That human connection, she says, is irreplaceable—even as technology advances. Innovation, Technology, and Early Detection Stephanie highlights investments in robotic surgery, advanced imaging, and lung cancer detection technologies. “We recently invested in a da Vinci 5 robot… our patients recover faster, there are better health outcomes.” She also discusses robotic bronchoscopy and early lung cancer detection. “What we've seen is that we're able to detect cancer a lot earlier… and hopefully that leads to survivorship.” Community screenings, often offered free of charge, are another key part of preventive care. “Utopia is that fewer people need us because we're healthier.” Mission in Action Stephanie underscores Lourdes' unwavering commitment to caring for all patients, regardless of insurance. “In our emergency departments, we care for the patient first. You can worry about insurance later.” She points to the Saint Bernadette Clinic, adjacent to Catholic Charities on St. John Street, as a living example of mission-driven care. “Regardless of ability to pay, you come into Saint Bernadette Clinic. We don't charge….ever.” Life Beyond the Hospital At home, Stephanie treasures family, experiences, and balance. She and her husband, Briggs, have been married 26 years and are proud parents to Anna Claire, a graduate student in health care administration, and Lily, a college sophomore. Their dog, Scout, acquired after a persuasive PowerPoint business plan presentation by her daughters, remains a beloved part of their family story. She loves music, travel, sports (especially football), fantasy football, and watching people do their best.“My kids said, ‘Mom, you like experiences.' And I think that's it. Any type of competition and the ability to watch people excel, whether that’s live music or a sporting event, I'm in.” A Guiding Principle In her office hangs a sign passed down from her grandfather who had worked in leadership with the Lafourche Police Department, to her mother, and then to Stephanie: “It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.” “My grandparents and my parents, instilled a lot of the values of who I am at the core in terms of caring for people, a strong work ethic. There is an awful amount of authority in leadership and you can lose your way and your grounding and believe maybe that you’re more important than you are. I think the most important thing is how do we treat people? How do I interact with people every day? There are important decisions to be made. Remember how you made them feel. That’s what’s most important to me. And so even if it’s a difficult conversation, we can do that with dignity and kindness. The sign is a reminder of those tenets of being a good person first.” Stephanie Manson leads with humility, clarity of purpose, and a deep respect for the people who make health care possible. Her vision for Lourdes, and for Acadiana, is rooted in mission, measured progress, and compassion that never loses its human touch.

We're live with Dr. David Bellar, president of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, Alan Migliorato, author of the book The Manly Art of Raising a Daughter and Andrés Garrigó, founder and CEO of Goya Productions and director of the documentary film “Searching for the Messiah”.

We're joined by Allison Daigle, CEO of Woman's New Life Clinic. David Dawson Jr., Catholic husband and father, talks about cultivating an appreciation for gift-giving in our children. Dr. David Whidden, Theology Professor at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, talks about Christmas through the eyes of St. Francis.

We're joined by Dr. David Bellar, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge. Alan Migliorato, author of The Manly Art of Raising a Daughter, joins us to talk about daughters and future relationships. Dr. Gavin D'Costa, coeditor, From Sinai to Rome, talks about his book.

We're joined with Jacob Gillick, writer, talks about Jesus and his emotions from his new article on Catholic Exchange titled: Did Jesus Sin by Weeping? Kevin Wells, author and speaker, talks about his upcoming event at Most Blessed Sacrament in Baton Rouge. Dr. David Whidden, Theology teacher at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady in Baton Rouge joins us for a theology lesson.

Louisiana's GUMBO broadband program has been expanding internet access in rural areas for three years now. But because the state program relies on federal funding, recent changes to federal spending are impacting the initiative.Camden Doherty has been covering the GUMBO broadband program for The Current. He joins us for more.One of Louisiana's largest hospital systems has been studying how to prevent sepsis infections, a persistent problem in health care settings that can even lead to death. And now, they're seeing dramatic results.Dr. Christopher Thomas, vice president and chief quality officer of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, joins us with more. It's no secret that smoking e-cigarettes, or vapes, has seen increased popularity among teens in recent years. Last month, East Baton Rouge officials passed a new vaping law. The goal is to keep kids from starting to vape while still allowing adults to have the option to do so. Report for America corps member Alex Cox has the story. —Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, the NPR App and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you!Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

On today's Open Line Friday, Jack and Colin welcomes Fr. Patrick from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word. Let's celebrate St. Francis together!

This episode was recorded live at the 2025 Joy & Wholeness Summit in Asheville, North Carolina.Kristen Gradney, MHA, RDN, LDN, is the Chief Wellness Officer and Vice President of Total Rewards for LCMC Health in New Orleans, LA, with over a decade of experience leading healthcare teams and transforming care through innovative, community-based strategies. A graduate of Louisiana State University with degrees in Sociology and Nutritional Science, she completed her dietetic internship at the Medical University of South Carolina and earned a Master of Health Administration from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University. Kristen has held senior leadership roles in both acute and ambulatory care, developed worksite well-being programs, and served as a care transformation consultant. She serves on the Southeast Region American Heart Association Board and other healthcare and academic boards and is a nationally recognized wellness expert featured in major media outlets. Kristen also speaks nationally on healthcare leadership, nutrition, and wellness and has held leadership positions with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and multiple nonprofit organizations.Thanks for tuning in! Check out more episodes of The Well-Being Connector at www.bethejoy.org/podcast.

In this episode, EJ Kuiper, CEO and President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, shares how the organization is expanding access to care across the Gulf South while investing in its workforce and communities. He also discusses the impact of upcoming policy changes, growth opportunities, and what it takes to build a thriving health system for the future.

Chief nursing officer Rhonda Collins discusses her article "Nurse-initiated protocols for sepsis: a strategic imperative for patient care and hospital operations." Rhonda explains why sepsis, the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals and a $62 billion annual burden, demands the same urgency as stroke and STEMI. She highlights the power of nurse-initiated standing orders to speed recognition and treatment, reduce ED congestion, improve outcomes and cut costs. Drawing on real-world results from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, she shows how standardized sepsis protocols supported by FDA-cleared technology reduced mortality by 39 percent, shortened length of stay and saved thousands per patient. Rhonda emphasizes that national standardization, objective tools and empowering nurses to practice at the top of their license are essential to making sepsis the "third S" in emergency care. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Now you can streamline and customize documentation, surface information right at the point of care, and automate tasks with just a click. Part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Dragon Copilot offers an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform to help unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's built on a foundation of trust. It's time to ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

In this episode, Dr. Christopher Thomas, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, shares how his team dramatically reduced sepsis mortality through novel diagnostics, frontline staff engagement, and a patient-centered, data-driven triage model. He highlights the critical role of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in transforming sepsis care across the system.

In this episode, Dr. Christopher Thomas, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, shares how his team dramatically reduced sepsis mortality through novel diagnostics, frontline staff engagement, and a patient-centered, data-driven triage model. He highlights the critical role of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement in transforming sepsis care across the system.

Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 385The Saint of the day is Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and CompanionsSaint Augustine Zhao Rong’s and Companions’ Stories Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China's relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. Reflection The People's Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese. The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today's martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it. Enjoy this list of popular patron saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 384The Saint of the day is Saint Gregory Grassi and CompanionsSaint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1823, ordained in 1856, and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained bishop of North Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9, 1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of Mary—the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these martyrs were beatified in 1946, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in 2000. Reflection Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Tuesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time Saint of the Day: St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin, 1864-1900; joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887; she was assigned first to Paris, then to Carthage in northern Africa, where she encountered health problems, and was sent to Rome to recover; there, she answered the call of her order to be a missionary; she arrived in China in 1899, and was hospitalized for several months with typhus; her career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion; St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin was beheaded on July 9, 1900 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/8/25 Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38

Wall St was closed for the July 4 Independence Day holiday on Friday.Over in Europe on Friday markets closed mostly lower ahead of Trump's looming tariff deadline day. The STOXX 600 fell 0.5%, Germany's DAX lost 0.6%, the French CAC fell 0.8%, and, in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the day flat.Across the Asia region on Friday, markets similarly closed mostly lower as investors fear the end of the tariff waiver deadline will mean tariffs will be imposed immediately with a high effect. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.64%, Japan's Nikkei closed flat, China's CSI index rose 0.36% and South Korea's Kospi index ended the day down almost 2%.Locally on Friday and to end the first trading week of July, the ASX200 posted a 0.1% gain, resetting its record for a second time already this financial year and for the last trading week the index rose 1.04%.Following a stellar year for financial stocks in FY25, we have seen valuations stretched above growth outlook which prompted investors to take some profits and diversify into areas of the market that either have a high growth outlook like the AI movement in tech or that have been sold off sharply in FY25 presenting strong buy opportunities at present. CBA (ASX:CBA) shares fell almost 1% on Friday.Shares in small-cap container operator Silk Logistics (ASX:SLH) jumped 22.4% after receiving approval from the competition regulator for its acquisition by Dubai-based DP World.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback to buy 65.63 US cents, 94.77 Japanese yen, 48 British pence, and 1 New Zealand dollar and 8 cents.What to watch today:On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.56% lower at US$66.46/barrel, gold is up 0.3% at US$3335/ounce and iron ore is up 1.17% at US$96.24/tonne.Ahead of Monday's trading session the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day flat.And now let's dive into some trading ideas for your consideration today.Trading ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) from a buy to a hold and have raised the 12-month price target on the leading imaging healthcare tech company to $320/share following the company announcing the renewal and extension of its contract with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Louisiana and announced a second and larger deal with U. Colorado Health.Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on AMP (ASX:AMP) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 88-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.43 to the range of $1.66 to $1.72 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Most medical care is backed by varying types of evidence, yet we apply higher standards to digital health tools before they're trusted, adopted, or reimbursed.In this special episode, guest host Lucia Savage is joined by Dr. Vindell Washington of Verily and Dr. Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth for a candid conversation about the uneven standards we apply to digital versus traditional care. Together, they explore how we define evidence, whose voices shape that definition, and what it takes to build trust in an AI-powered healthcare future.We cover:

Fr. Matthew Mary Bartow, a priest with the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word and an Assistant Chaplain at EWTN in Alabama joins us to reflect on the election of Pope Leo XIV, and talk about a proper disposition toward the pope. He shares with us his own journey with Pope Francis, and we talk a bit about how to handle all the media fervor surrounding any new pope.

In this episode, Alan Condon sits down with Michael Gleason, CFO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, to discuss navigating labor challenges, regulatory shifts, and disruptors in healthcare. Mike highlights the organization's $240 million financial turnaround, the transition from a holding company to an operating company, and a strategic focus on organic growth to ensure a sustainable future.

In this episode, Laura Dyrda sits down with Dr. James E. Craven, Chief Physician Executive at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Dr. Craven shares his perspective on navigating financial challenges, expanding patient access, optimizing physician networks, and evolving as a leader in a dynamic healthcare landscape. Listen in for his strategies and insights on fostering growth, innovation, and collaboration within a mission-driven organization.

We have released several episodes in recent months in which we have discussed federal and state legislative efforts on 340B. But what does it take to get 340B protections through a state legislature and to the governor's desk? In this episode, we speak with Ryan Cross, vice president of governmental affairs with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, based in Baton Rouge, La. This system operates 10 hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi. Both states recently enacted contract pharmacy protection laws. Ryan says there were three factors involved with getting these state protections over the legislative finish line:Relationships — Ryan says the relationships 340B advocates formed with other hospitals, lawmakers, and public policy staff contributed to their successes at the state level. The first time to discuss 340B with these individuals cannot be when a bill is going up for consideration, much less when stakeholders are on defense and trying to explain the importance of 340B in the wake of legislation that would harm covered entities.Messaging — Ryan explains how the messaging that resonated in the states during the 340B contract pharmacy debate focused on how big pharma is trying to take money away from not-for-profit hospitals and drive it to out-of-state shareholders. By emphasizing the variety of patient programs and support that are possible because of 340B without making it a referendum on the federal program at large, that case mostly sells itself.Grassroots — Ryan notes that there are roughly 18,000 members of his health system across Louisiana and Mississippi. These are physicians, nurses, pharmacy techs, and other health care professionals with representatives that they can contact. Knowing when to deploy these grassroots supporters to make phone calls and send emails is important, because that can get attention and results when timed well.Resources:Missouri Becomes Eighth State To Enact Contract Pharmacy Protections

Join Johnnette from the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis! Today, Father Patrick Mary and Father John Therese join from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word to discuss their vocation to religious life and the priesthood!

Join Johnnette from the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis!Today, Father Patrick Mary and Father John Therese join from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word to discuss their vocation to religious life and the priesthood!

Join Johnnette from the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis! Today, Fr Patrick Mary and Fr John Therese join from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word to discuss their vocation to religious life and the priesthood!

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 384The Saint of the day is Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and CompanionsSaint Augustine Zhao Rong’s and Companions’ Stories Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China's relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. Reflection The People's Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese. The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today's martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it. Enjoy this list of popular patron saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 383The Saint of the day is Saint Gregory Grassi and CompanionsSaint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1823, ordained in 1856, and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained bishop of North Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9, 1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of Mary—the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these martyrs were beatified in 1946, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in 2000. Reflection Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

We're live with Hans Plate, founder of Vinea Research, discusses updated research on Catholic's belief in the true presence, Alan Migliorato, co-author of "Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today" and Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) talks about the interesting link between John the Baptist and St. Francis of Assisi.

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of "Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today", Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) with update and Bear Woznick, Catholic author and professional surfer, talks about Father's Day and "12 Rules For Manliness - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?"

Join us for a dynamic discussion on the impact of ministry formation on the colleague experience, featuring Darren Henson, Senior Director of Ministry Formation at CHA, Pete Guarisco, VP of Mission at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, and Rafael Flores, Director of Mission Integration at FMOL Northshore Region. Discover FMOL's deep commitment to ministry formation across the system and its profound significance in upholding the legacy of their ministry's founding congregations. Gain insights into the diverse approaches to formation and how they shape colleague experiences, interactions, and the delivery of care. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the transformative power of ministry formation in health care.

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today, Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge (Fran U) and Lori Graham, Registered Nurse at Woman's New Life Clinic.

We're live with Fr. Todd Lloyd, pastor at Most Blessed Sacrament in Baton Rouge talks about the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today talks about teens and forgiveness and Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) with a theology lesson.

The IT stack of the past cannot service the health system of the future. That's one of the main sentiments that runs through the following thoughts offered by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) SVP/CIO Will Landry. For example, legacy and on-prem technology cannot provide the business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities that […] Source: Q&A with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System SVP/CIO Will Landry: “Investing in Agility is Worth the Cost” on healthsystemcio.com - healthsystemCIO.com is the sole online-only publication dedicated to exclusively and comprehensively serving the information needs of healthcare CIOs.

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today, Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge (Fran U) and Theoni Bell, co-author of the book Jellybean: A Baby's Journey to God.

We're live with Fr. Chris Decker, pastor at St. Mary's of False River in New Roads and Director of Mission for Catholic Community Media talks about Holy Week, Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today and Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) in Baton Rouge talks about vocations

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today, Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) in Baton Rouge and Mary Jane Zuzulo, Catholic author, talks about her Lenten book The Sixth Station.

Join us for an insightful audio discussion with Will Landry, SVP Chief Information Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Will shares his background and delves into the pressing healthcare issues of 2024, along with his excitement and concerns for the future. Gain valuable insights into the essential traits required for healthcare leaders to thrive in the coming years.

We're live with Dina Dow, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis in the Diocese of Baton Rouge talks about Divine Mercy and trusting in Jesus and Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, also known as Fran U, talks about the Catholic church's teaching on the death penalty.

We're live with Gary Zimak, Catholic evangelist and author joins us and Dr. Brian Pedraza, Theologian at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) in Baron Rouge, Jennifer Usher, Ansleigh Munn, project coordinators for the Dominus Project.

We're live with Regina Boyd talks about building healthy connection with others in her new book Leaving Loneliness Behind: 5 Keys to Experiencing God's Love and Building Healthy Connections with Others, Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge (Fran U) with update and Carl Kozlowski, Catholic comic, talks about bringing Catholic together through comedy and Catholic Laughter.

We're live with Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge (Fran U) with topic of choice, Alan Migliorato, joins us to discuss the key reasons teens struggle with developing spiritual habits and  Aline Harbison, Executive Director of the Cenacle on the Lake Retreat Center in Metairie with updates.

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today joins us, Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) with monthly update and Dr. Brian Pedraza, Associate Professor and Director of Theology at Fran U talks about the new grant for a family catechesis program, the Dominus Project.

Adam Wright and Patty Schneier are at the SEEK 2024 Conference.  This afternoon their guests include:  Dr. Pat Castle of Liferunners; Sister Anne from the Salesians; Sister Gemma from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity; Marie Miller - Musician; Father Patrick Mary from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word.  For more information about Covenant Network, please visit our website at www.OurCatholicRadio.org.

This episode features Will Landry, SVP and Chief Information Officer at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. Here, he discusses key insights into his background & organization, specific technology partnerships he is excited about, what he is currently focusing on in his role, and more.

We're live with Nicole Johnson, creator of My Christmas Angel, an alternative to Elf on the Shelf, Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today joins us and Dr. David Whidden, Professor of Theology at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) joins us to talk about “Emmanuel and Advent”.

We're live with Alan Migliorato, co-author of Failing Forward: Leadership Lessons for Catholic Teens Today joins us,  Dr. Tina Holland, President of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Fran U) in Baton Rouge with monthly update and Aline Harbison, Executive Director of the Cenacle on the Lake Retreat Center with update.

For the second episode in our mini-series exploring systemic racism in healthcare, our panel explores different definitions of bias, stereotyping, systemic racism, and structural racism, and how these behaviors intersect with social determinants of health. Perspectives from both patient and professional viewpoints are addressed. The panel also discuss solutions such as bias training, cultural competency, language competency, self-reflection and mentoring. Dr. Melvyn Harrington is an orthopedic surgeon and Vice Chair for Community Engagement & Health Equity at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Elena Rios serves as President & CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association, (NHMA), representing 50,000 Hispanic physicians in the United States.  Episode host Dr. Charla Johnson is the Director of Clinical Information Systems & Nursing Informatics, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, in Baton Rouge. 0:20 Introductions | 1:55 How patients experience & express bias | 4:45 Harmful stereotyping | 6:40 Bias in medical record | 8:20 Bias as gatekeeper to college admissions & healthcare careers | 10:05 Systemic factors for healthcare workforce | 11:30 Bias steering students away from premed | 12:30 Importance of bias training | 14:40 Resistance towards bias training | 17:10 Differences between structural racism & systemic racism | 21:10 Role of social determinants of health (SDOH) | 24:05 Bias towards people with obesity | 26:10 Bias leading to inconsistencies and inequities | 27:50 Importance of self-reflection | 28:50 Bias causing patients to disengage | 29:30 Importance of cultural and language competency | 30:15 Role of age bias | 30:45 Bias toward minority healthcare professionals | 34:25 Do professionals & patients understand structural and systemic racism? | 37:10 How NHMA works to educate professionals & patients about bias | 41:00 Closing remarks. © Movement is Life 2023

Welcome friends! Pull up a chair and join us for the Season 2 premiere of The Pelican Project Podcast! We have a very special guest to help us start the season off right, please welcome Fr. John Paul Mary of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word. Today, Fr. John Paul helps us tackle the not so easy subject of redemptive suffering and the power that suffering can have in our lives. Don't forget to Pray, Grow, and Serve with us this week using our weekly devotional! To learn more about The Pelican Project and our mission to Reawaken a Culture of Life visit us at www.PelicanProjectMinistry.org! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pelicanproject/message

Louisiana continues to rank behind almost every other state in the country in terms of its educational outcomes across the board – from Pre-K through post secondary. But buried under those bad stats, are some bright spots – success stories of programs and schools that are finding ways to prepare students and train them for the jobs of the future. On this episode of Out to Lunch, meet two of the leading lights of the Baton Rouge education system. Tina Holland is President and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University in Baton Rouge, better known as Fran U. Tina came to Fran U in 2014 from Notre Dame, Indiana, where she had served as Executive Vice President and Provost of Holy Cross College. In the years since, she has overseen an aggressive and successful expansion of Fran U. Tina Holland, whose combination of military and education experience and vision has elevated Fran U to an accredited college Fran U started out nearly a century ago as Our Lady of the Lake, a nursing school. Today it is a fully accredited university with new undergraduate and graduate degree programs that Tina has created. Tina is overseeing the development of Fran U's first freestanding building which will give the university a new level of autonomy. Tina is a native of Los Angeles and a former officer in the U.S. Marine Corps., who brings an extraordinary knowledge and skillset to a position that requires navigating the turbulent waters of not only higher ed and Catholic Church but local politics as well. Christine Merchant is  World Language Coordinator with the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. If you're thinking, “I didn't know East Baton Rouge Schools had a world language coordinator,” you're not alone but you might be surprised to learn that not only is the school system's immersive language program highly successful, but also that Christine has been running it for 42 years! In fact, Christine is the first and only person to hold this position. Christine Merchant, the depth of her French accent is matched by the depth of her 42 years of dedication to foreign language education in Baton Rouge The most visible flagship of the East Baton Rouge School System's foreign language track is FLAIM, or more formally, the Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet, but world languages are offered at a large number of EBR public schools. Stephanie Riegel hosts a mostly English language edition of Out to Lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard. You can find photos by Erik Otts at itsbatonrouge.la. baton rouge business podcast christine merchant east baton rouge parish schools flaim fran u mansurs on the boulevard out to lunch stephanie riegel tina hollandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full Text of ReadingsFourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 100The Saint of the day is Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and CompanionsSaint Augustine Zhao Rong’s and Companions’ Stories Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China's relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. Reflection The People's Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese. The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today's martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it. Enjoy this list of popular patron saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Full Text of ReadingsSaturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 382The Saint of the day is Saint Gregory Grassi and CompanionsSaint Gregory Grassi and Companions’ Story Christian missionaries have often gotten caught in the crossfire of wars against their own countries. When the governments of Britain, Germany, Russia, and France forced substantial territorial concessions from the Chinese in 1898, anti-foreign sentiment grew very strong among many Chinese people. Gregory Grassi was born in Italy in 1823, ordained in 1856, and sent to China five years later. Gregory was later ordained bishop of North Shanxi. With 14 other European missionaries and 14 Chinese religious, he was martyred during the short but bloody Boxer Uprising of 1900. Twenty-six of these martyrs were arrested on the orders of Yu Hsien, the governor of Shanxi province. They were hacked to death on July 9, 1900. Five of them were Friars Minor; seven were Franciscan Missionaries of Mary—the first martyrs of their congregation. Seven were Chinese seminarians and Secular Franciscans; four martyrs were Chinese laymen and Secular Franciscans. The other three Chinese laymen killed in Shanxi simply worked for the Franciscans and were rounded up with all the others. Three Italian Franciscans were martyred that same week in the province of Hunan. All these martyrs were beatified in 1946, and were among the 120 martyrs canonized in 2000. Reflection Martyrdom is the occupational hazard of missionaries. Throughout China during the Boxer Uprising, five bishops, 50 priests, two brothers, 15 sisters and 40,000 Chinese Christians were killed. The 146,575 Catholics served by the Franciscans in China in 1906 had grown to 303,760 by 1924, and were served by 282 Franciscans and 174 local priests. Great sacrifices often bring great results. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media