Podcasts about in brief

Rahm Emanuel has held many titles: Congressman from Illinois, DCCC Chairman, Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, Mayor of Chicago, and Ambassador to Japan under President Biden.These days, he doesn't have an official position at the moment. But that's not stopping him from giving some very pointed advice to Democrats on every possible platform: cable TV, political shows, podcasts, late night TV, and different political conferences.So how does Rahm Emanuel think Democrats should be responding to Trump 2.0? How does the party recover from 2024 and prepare for 2028? What does a successful midterm strategy look like in 2026? And given his own, let's say, active media schedule, what are his own plans for the future?He came on to talk to Amy about all that.We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, May 14th. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upLearn more about The Cook Political Report: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe

The Catechism provides an overview on how Jesus grants the Church the ability to forgive sins through both Baptism and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike doubles down on the revelation that there is no sin that Jesus can't forgive—and no one is disqualified. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 976-987. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

When we show devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we fulfill her prophecy that “all generations will call me blessed.” The Catechism clearly shows us how such devotion does not compete with devotion to God, but in fact fosters adoration of God. Fr. Mike declares that the better we know Mary, the better we know Jesus, and the more we love Mary, the more we love Jesus. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 971-975. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

You may know our guest today, Josh Holmes, as one of the hosts of the popular political podcast, Ruthless.For those of you who don't know, Ruthless is to the conservative media sphere as Pod Save America is to the liberal media ecosystem.But long before he started his podcasting gig, Amy knew Josh as a Republican political operative.He was chief of staff to Mitch McConnell and ran his 2014 re-election campaign. He also had a stint at the National Republican Senate Committee. He now runs the public affairs firm, Cavalry, and he's still actively giving advice to Republican candidates.Josh's two roles as a member of the new media and a seasoned Republican political hand gives him unique perspective into our current political era. This conversation spans a similar gamut from what advice he'd give to down ballot Republicans for the upcoming midterms to his thoughts on the Trump tariff endgame. Josh also talks about how candidates can best navigate the new media landscape.We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, May 7th. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upLearn more about The Cook Political Report: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe

Ruszyły matury. Poza wyciekami pytań do sieci egzaminatorzy boją się ściągania za pomocą okularów z ChatemGPT. Czy jednak to technologia jest tu problemem?Jak sztuczna inteligencja zmienia egzaminy? Czy tradycyjne testy, oparte na zapamiętywaniu faktów, mają jeszcze sens, gdy w ułamku sekundy odpowiedzi może dostarczyć ChatGPT? A może czas na reformę systemu edukacji, która zamiast zakazywać technologii, nauczy młodzież mądrego z niej korzystania?W tym odcinku podcastu Technologicznie Jarosław Kuźniar zastanawia się, czy obecny model oceniania nie jest już przestarzały i czy matura przyszłości nie powinna testować umiejętności krytycznego myślenia i współpracy z nowoczesnymi narzędziami, zamiast jedynie odtwarzania wiedzy z pamięci. Czy przyszłość edukacji to integracja z technologią, czy powrót do analogowych zasad?Z tego odcinka podcastu Technologicznie dowiesz się:- Jak uczniowie wykorzystują technologię do oszukiwania na egzaminach?- Jak oszukiwano w imperialnych Chinach?- Dlaczego uniwersytet w Ferrarze anulował egzamin ponad 350 studentom?- Dlaczego system nauczania tkwi w XIX wieku?- Jak mogą wyglądać egzaminy przyszłości?W aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC

The Catechism further unpacks the communion of saints and shows us how the Church lives in communion with those members who have passed on to eternal life with Christ in heaven. If you're listening to this podcast and you're not Catholic—or if you still have questions about the communion of saints—Fr. Mike has a word for you. This is your family, interceding on your behalf that you might receive the fullness of Faith here on earth. Today's readings are from Catechism paragraphs 954-962. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

This "In Brief" section reviews all that we have learned in recent episodes. In the Church, “the faithful" refers to clerics and the laity with various callings in each. Fr. Mike explains how God calls every human being to unity with him. No matter our vocations, we must surrender our lives to the Lord and participate in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly offices of Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 934-945. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Ile można pivotować w biznesie? Ile zmieniać? A kiedy odpuścić i zamknąć projekt? PIVOT to nowa seria w programie Technologicznie.Decyzja o biurze podróży Goforworld zapadła w obskurnym barze na Alasce. Po latach pracy, inwestowania, potykania się o złe decyzje oraz COVID, przyszedł czas, żeby zamknąć biznes. W tym odcinku właściciel biura Jarosław Kuźniar, wyjątkowo odpowiada na pytania Mateusza Sobieraja, inwestora w DreamGO.Kuźniar mówi, dlaczego odszedł z bezpiecznego etatu w telewizji i otworzył biuro podróży, a po 10 latach podjął decyzję o przekazaniu Goforworld innej firmie turystycznej. To odcinek o radzeniu sobie z porażką i o tym, dlaczego warto umieć odpuścić na czas.Dla wszystkich, którzy prowadzą biznes lub o tym myślą.Ze specjalnego odcinka serii PIVOT w Technologicznie dowiesz się:- Dlaczego nie każdy świetny ekspert jest dobrym przedsiębiorcą?- Jak oddzielić emocje od decyzji biznesowych?- Co zrobić, gdy pasja nie przynosi pieniędzy?Partnerem odcinka jest DreamGOW aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC

We are 100 days into the second Trump administration and there's no better person to help us understand what voters are making of these first months of Trump 2.0 than Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson.Kristen is a founding partner of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm. She's a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and an on air political contributor at CNN.Quick disclaimer: we taped this conversation on Thursday, April 24th, before the flurry of 100 day polls were released this past weekend. That's why you won't hear us asking her about these polls. But the reason we wanted to have Kristen on in the first place was that we didn't want to get caught up in the immediate set of data. We wanted Kristen to do what she does best which is to filter the signal from the noise, present a 30,000 view of the political environment rather than focusing on the minutiae or just small movements in data. What we like about Kristen so much is that she's able to to toggle seamlessly between reading cross tabs but also probing voters in focus groups and really listening to what they are saying or not saying, and then explaining it to regular people in a way that is approachable but not condescending.That's why we were especially excited to talk with her about a presidency as complicated and unprecedented as Trump's.Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upLearn more about The Cook Political Report: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe

YouTube kończy 20 lat. Jak wyglądała jego droga od prostego serwisu ze śmiesznymi filmikami do najpotężniejszej firmy medialnej świata?Zaczęło się skromnie. Tak skromnie, jak to tylko możliwe – od amatorskiego filmiku człowieka, który podziwia słonie w zoo. To było 20 lat temu. Nikt wtedy nie przypuszczał, że to proste nagranie będzie początkiem medialnej rewolucji na skalę światową. A sam YouTube na zawsze zmieni sposób, w jaki ludzie konsumują treści w sieci. I, przy okazji, stanie się największym medium świata.Z tego odcinka Technologicznie dowiesz się:- Na czym polega fenomen YouTube'a?- Dlaczego YouTube wygrywa z telewizją i serwisami streamingowymi?- Czym jest ekonomia twórców?W aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC

“What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.” The Catechism uncovers how the Holy Spirit truly builds up the whole Church in the name of Jesus. Fr. Mike dives into the incredibly diverse gifts that the Holy Spirit gives up for the building up of the Kingdom—the charisms. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 797-810. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Jak zarządzać technologią w bankowości, gdy każda zła decyzja może kosztować miliony? Kiedy warto zainwestować w nowe rozwiązania, a kiedy lepiej powiedzieć: „to jeszcze nie ten moment”? Jak przekładać język IT na język biznesu – i odwrotnie?W tym odcinku cyklu Technologicznie: CTO Jarosław Kuźniar rozmawia z Elizą Stasińską, IT Director w mBanku o tym, jak wygląda zarządzanie technologią w dużej organizacji – i co sprawia, że technologia naprawdę działa.Z odcinka dowiesz się m.in.:- dlaczego solidne podstawy techniczne to klucz do rozwoju i łatwego „switchowania” między technologiami,- po co CTO "zagląda programistom w kod" i pyta o szczegóły,- jak wygląda proces testowania nowych technologii (Proof of Concept),- jak rozwijać kompetencje miękkie w IT i dlaczego umiejętność rozmowy z klientem to dziś must-have,- czy AI naprawdę zmienia wszystko i jakie podejście do niej jest dziś najbardziej rozsądne.Rozmowa z Elizą Stasińską to kolejna część serii CTO w podcaście Technologicznie, w której Jarosław Kuźniar rozmawia z liderami technologii największych polskich firm.Masz pytanie do ekspertów? Możesz je zadać tutaj: https://tally.so/r/npJBAVW aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC

Way back in the late 1990s, Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook had an idea to rank all 435 congressional districts by their partisanship - in other words, whether a district is more Republican or more Democratic.That way, we'd be able to see, at a quick glance, which members of Congress represented districts that were either slightly or strongly partisan. For example, is a certain Republican representative in a very solid Republican seat…. or in one that is only slightly red… or even one that was blue or blue leaning?Thus was born the Cook PVI, which stands for Partisan Voting Index. And since 1998, CPR has released a new addition every two years.This admittedly very geeky undertaking is also something we get really excited about because it cannot only tell us the partisanship of every district, but with more than 25 years of data, we can see how districts have shifted over the years. The person behind the Cook PVI and how it all works is David Wasserman, The Cook Political Report's senior editor and elections analyst.We invited him on to explain what the Cook PVI is, how we calculate it, what we learned from it for 2025, and what it may tell us about elections in 2026. We recorded this conversation on Wednesday, April 9th. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, In Brief: https://www.cookpolitical.com/in-brief-sign-upRead Dave's Cook PVI analysis: https://www.cookpolitical.com/cook-pvi/introducing-2025-cook-partisan-voting-index-slightly-depolarizing-electionLearn more about The Cook Political Report: www.cookpolitical.com/subscribe

The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the question, “What does Jesus' resurrection mean for me?” Fr. Mike points out that Christ's resurrection proves—definitively—that he is the only begotten Son of God. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 651-658. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Minęło ponad 50 lat od momentu, gdy Neil Armstrong wypowiedział swoje historyczne słowa w czasie pierwszego w dziejach lądowania na Księżycu. Od tego czasu ludzkość wykonała wiele epokowych skoków technologicznych. I teraz szykuje się na kolejny - chce zbudować sieć komórkową na Księżycu. NASA postawiła na NOKIĘ.SUBSKRYBUJ, żeby nie przegapić kolejnych odcinków: ► https://bit.ly/Technologicznie Z tego odcinka Technologicznie dowiesz się:- Czemu NASA chce zbudować sieć komórkową na Księżycu- Czym jest program kosmiczny Artemis?- Jak dostarczyć internet na Księżyc?W aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC

We have arrived at another nugget day, or In Brief day, for the paragraphs on the mysteries of Christ's life. On today's “mystery nugget” day, Fr. Mike recounts the significance of Christ's obedience to the Father and our own obedience to God's will. He also emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the mysteries of Christ's life by reading and meditating on the Gospels and praying the Rosary. Today's readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 561-570. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Czy smartfony powinny zniknąć ze szkół? Coraz więcej krajów jest na tak. Ostatni przykład to Dania, ale zakazy korzystania z urządzeń elektronicznych w szkołach ma już ponad 60 krajów na świecie. Jak to działa w praktyce – i czy w ogóle?SUBSKRYBUJ, żeby nie przegapić kolejnych odcinków: ► https://bit.ly/Technologicznie Z tego odcinka Technologicznie dowiesz się:- Które kraje wprowadziły zakaz korzystania ze smartfonów w szkołach?- Co na to Polska?- Czy zakaz korzystania ze smartfonów działa? Źródła:Artykuł w "The Lancet"Badania Common Sense MediaRaport Instytutu Cyfrowego ObywatelstwaW aplikacji Voice House Club m.in.:✔️ Wszystkie formaty w jednym miejscu.✔️ Możesz przeczytać lub posłuchać.✔️ Transkrypcje odcinków serii In Brief z dodatkowymi materiałami wideo.Słuchaj w Voice House Club: https://bit.ly/Dolacz_do_VHC 

For those with any lingering doubts or questions, the Catechism offers five reasons for Mary's perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike digs into each reason and explains what each of them means for us as spiritual sons and daughters of our Immaculate Mother. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 502-511. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

As a former ProMX champion, Luke Clout can never be discounted entering a new season. With Wonthaggi's 2025 opener looming next weekend, Clout enters his second term with the Empire Kawasaki team in a position to capitalise on his KX450 experience of the past year, motivated to make the series count this time around. MotoOnline's Nic Still spoke to the now 30-year-old In Brief about his intentions for the series ahead.

We have arrived at the “nugget day” or the In Brief for the sections on The Father and Original Sin. Fr. Mike reiterates the important idea that every human person is good, but every human person is also broken. This brokenness and inclination towards sin is called concupiscence. However, as St. Paul reminds us “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Fr. Mike concludes with the sentiment of hope that we believe that the world has been established and set free by God's love. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 413-421. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In their search for carbon neutral power, entities enter more frequently into contracts that reference nature-dependent electricity. In December 2024, the IASB amended IFRS 7 and IFRS 9 to help companies report better on these power purchase agreements. We are joined by Roger Sagmoen who is a member of PwC's Global Corporate Services team and who has followed this IASB project from the beginning. Find out more at PwC's IFRS Talks homepage and read our In-Brief here

In the beginning, humans were in friendship with God and in harmony with creation. The Catechism unfolds this harmony and introduces us to the “original justice” that our first parents lost in sin. Fr. Mike reminds us that, although our original callings to leisure, love, and labor have been twisted by sin, they are renewed in Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 374-384. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

There is a solidarity among all of God's creatures because all are oriented to give glory to God. We learn that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it and blessing it. Fr. Mike tells us that all creatures were made with a view to the Sabbath, created for the worship and adoration of God. We are all called to the sacred task of worshiping God and nothing else should take precedence over it. We end with an “In Brief” review of all we have learned in recent sessions about the physical world, the spiritual world, angels, and creation. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 344-354. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this “In Brief” section of the Catechism, we review that only God has the power to create, that is, to call into existence something from nothing. God made man and the entire universe as a manifestation of his love, and he keeps the world and all of us in existence by his will. Fr. Mike discusses one of the greatest mysteries of our faith: God bringing good out of evil. He says we won't fully understand this mystery until we are united with God in heaven. In a broken world, we are called to trust in the goodness of God. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 315-324. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We have arrived at the “nugget day” or In Brief section for the paragraphs examining the nature of the Father in the Trinity. Fr. Mike reiterates some of the “nuggets” of wisdom from these past few days. He emphasizes the importance of how Baptism allows us to share in the life of the Holy Trinity. We conclude this section with a reflection on this profound call to share in the glory of the Trinity even though it exists “in the obscurity of faith.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 261-267. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism wraps up our “I Believe in God” paragraphs with an In Brief and “The Implications of Faith in One God”—or, what God's being means for us and our lives. Faith in our God means knowing his greatness, living in thanksgiving, knowing the dignity of all men, making good use of creation, and trusting God in every circumstance. Fr. Mike reminds us that “in every circumstance,” meaning even in adversity, God uses all things for the good. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 222-231. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today, we arrive, with Fr. Mike, at the In Brief section for Article III. Together, we revisit eight of the main ideas or “nuggets” from the readings of the past six days. Fr. Mike concludes this section by reminding us of the importance of the unity between and veneration of the 46 books of the Old Testament and the 27 of the New. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 134-141. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In today's “In Brief'' section, Fr. Mike reviews the relationship between Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, emphasizing that both make up the single deposit of Faith. He also explains how the Magisterium is able to interpret authentically and authoritatively the Word of God. Lastly, he reminds us that the way the Church prays and lives, reveals who the Church is. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs are 96-100. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism reveals to us its intended readership, structure, and some practical directions for use. Fr. Mike and the Roman Catechism remind us that—above all—”the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 11-25. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The In-Brief, or the “nugget day”, for the article on the Lord's Prayer, emphasizes that understanding the identity of God is essential when it comes to our relationship with God. God is not a tyrant or dictator. He is our good Father. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2773-2776. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike reviews this section of the Catechism, summarizing the battle of prayer and the prayer of the hour of Jesus. We are reminded that prayer is active, and we must engage in grace. The Catechism goes on to state that, “We pray as we live because we live as we pray.” In this, we see that God meets us where we are and wants us to pray always. Finally, Jesus' prayer to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane exemplifies humility, filial trust, honesty, and perseverance; modeling how we are to pray to the Father. Today's readings are paragraphs 2752-2758. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism reveals the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love as additional “wellsprings” of prayer for us to connect with the Father. Fr. Mike explains that we must enter into prayer with faith, pray in hope, and love as God loves us. Fr. Mike also addresses the Catechism's view on praying in the present, not looking at the past or future. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2656-2662. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this mini episode of ALPS In Brief, our Bar & Affinity Partner Strategist Rio Peterson sits down with Angela Armstrong, Executive Director at the Maine State Bar to discuss the importance of bar partnerships, how they create value for members, and the pivotal role bars play in the legal community. — Transcript:  Rio Lane:  Hello everybody. Welcome to this installment, a mini- installment, of the ALPS in Brief Podcast. I am your host, Rio Lane, and I am here today with Angela Armstrong, who is the Executive Director of the Maine State Bar. Hello.  Angela Armstrong:  Hello. Good afternoon.  Rio Lane:  Thank you for joining us.  Angela Armstrong:  Thank you.  Rio Lane:  I'm very happy we got this chance so we're going to sit down and chat and, yeah, I'm excited to learn more about the bar and the impact that partnerships have had on it. Why don't we start with you telling us a little bit about yourself, so what's your background, how did you end up at the bar?  Angela Armstrong:  So I am originally from Maine. I did all my schooling there, and then I went to college in New York, at the United States Military Academy, which then after that I owed five years in the Army. That's the minimum, that's what you owe for going there. And I did that but then near the end I had my first child and my husband was also military and we wanted someone around, that we weren't both getting deployed. So I got out of the military and I got to stay home with my daughter for a year and a half, but then I decided that I needed to go back to work.  Rio Lane:  Oh, weird, awesome.  Angela Armstrong:  Yeah, that's a familiar story. So I got a job at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, in the chancellor's office, and I was his special assistant, which I could like it to being like kind of his chief of staff. I did that for about four years, and then my husband got out of the military and we moved back to Maine. He's not from Maine but we moved back to Maine to raise our girls. As I was looking for a job, there was an opening at the Maine State Bar Association for the Deputy Executive Director, and the reason I had heard about that was because my dad was an attorney in Maine and he heard about it in the Bar Journal. And so, I wrote to the executive director and said I'd really like to interview for this job. And shortly thereafter, I got the job as deputy. That was back in 2004, so I'm about to celebrate my 20th year this October with the Bar Association. I became the executive director in July, just celebrated my 11-year anniversary in July of 2013, I became the executive director.  Rio Lane:  Oh, awesome, congratulations.  Angela Armstrong:  Yeah, thanks.  Rio Lane:  So you're not a lawyer.  Angela Armstrong:  I am not a lawyer.  Rio Lane:  No, I love it. I love that when I meet executive directors who aren't lawyers by trade, I feel it brings a really unique perspective to the Bar Association. It's really interesting.  Angela Armstrong:  There's a lot of talk about whether you should be or shouldn't be. I think a lot of times you'll find with bar associations that are mandatory, a lot of them tend to be attorneys because of the types of things that happen in a mandatory bar. The Maine State Bar Association is a voluntary bar association, and so you're really running a business. You don't need a law degree to do that and, in fact, sometimes lawyers, they're great lawyers but they're not necessarily great business people. I have my Master's in business administration so it worked out. And I happened to do some reception work at my dad's law firm when I was in high school. I'm sure that helped me.  Rio Lane:  I bet it did. Yeah, that's awesome. Oh, yeah, interesting. Yeah, that is interesting and that's a really good point, it is like running a business, it is a business, yeah, especially for a voluntary bar.  Angela Armstrong:  Correct.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. So in addition to being voluntary, can you tell us a little bit more about the bar?  Angela Armstrong:  Sure. So our bar association that is voluntary is approximately 2,800 members. We've been staying steady around the 3,000 mark for several years now. This year we've seen a little bit of a decline. I think that all the different terms, silver tsunami, whatever you want to call it, aging of the bar ...  Rio Lane:  Silver tsunami?  Angela Armstrong:  Aging of the bar, has really ... I was having this discussion with Chris Neubold actually the other day and it's like we knew it was coming, we've been talking about it for years. But then, COVID kind of stretched things out because people couldn't retire, people are working longer generally. And so, I think we're finally really starting to see that. Plus, in Maine, we are a very old state. If we're not the oldest, we're right up there. And so, we have about 2,800 members. We are currently slotted for a staff of 10. I have seven on staff right now and one that's about to retire so I'm hiring for four positions. My staff is amazing and they work really hard, and they have for the last few years because we've had a lot of long-term employees, and that's really great, until they all start retiring.  Rio Lane:  Yes.  Angela Armstrong:  And then, you're stuck without having anybody and it's really hard to replace those positions. We are one of those states that has a lot of rural areas so we're part of that grouping of states that has issues getting attorneys into the legal desert ...  Rio Lane:  Legal desert, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  The southern half of our state, basically Portland and south. And then, up the coast is pretty well off but anything north of where I'm from, and Augusta where I live, in the Augusta area, is a lot less. There's a concentration in the Bangor area but majority of our members, at least half, are in the southern half of the state.  Rio Lane:  Wow, got it. Is that one of the biggest challenges you think that the bar is going to have to navigate coming up, is that?  Angela Armstrong:  I think two of our biggest are the amount of retiring attorneys we're going to be having over the next several years, and the rural attorneys because our lawyer referral program is struggling because we can't provide referrals to people in those areas. Now, think times have changed because we can do a lot more through Zoom and through other types of media, but sometimes you just want to be looking at your attorney in the face and talking to them. As I said, we're older.  One of the things that might help us is we're getting a lot of folks that are coming into Maine that are already attorneys, so that may help us fill that gap a little bit, but we're not getting the younger folks staying, and if they are staying, they're still in the southern part of the state. I think those are going to be two really big issues. The other huge issue that Maine is dealing with generally is the indigent defense.  Rio Lane:  Oh, yes.  Angela Armstrong:  It's mandated but we do not have the attorneys to do the work. Several years ago, we, whoever, the royal we, were telling people don't go to law school, we have too many lawyers, there's just too many of you. And you get this debt, and now we're paying for it because we do not have ... There's plenty of work, we just don't have the attorneys.  Rio Lane:  Don't have attorneys, yeah. That's interesting. Do you think there's any type of solution or anything that would help encourage young folks to go to law school? I know Project Rural Practice offers debt forgiveness in exchange. Is that something that you think would work or could be?  Angela Armstrong:  Well, I think, like a lot of states, we're not a very rich state so to speak. We have a lot of people that have homes in Maine but don't live in Maine, and the people that do live in Maine don't have a lot of money. When you live in Maine, you know that you're not going to make as much as somebody in another state doing the same job.  Rio Lane:  Got it, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  That being said, our legislature doesn't have a lot of money to play with you, and so we have a couple of tax incentives, but it's not for a lot of money if they go into a rural area, and it's not loan forgiveness or anything like that. We just don't have the programs in place in the legislature for that as of right now. I mean, we're struggling enough to deal with the indigent defense issue so I don't foresee that happening anytime soon. And then, as I think with a lot of folks that have these rural counties, even if you can get the attorney to go there, the spouse or the significant other doesn't want to go there because aren't jobs for them. Or if it's a single, they don't have the nightlife, they don't have the chance to meet other people their age or do things. And so, most of the time we see people that were already living in those areas go to school and then come back.  Rio Lane:  Okay, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  But that's not enough.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. Yeah, so absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, definitely a pretty widely spread issue, which is, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  More and more states are facing it, I think.  Rio Lane:  Hopefully, someone will come up with a creative cost-effective way to help because ...  Angela Armstrong:  And the law school debt, it's hard, you got to go somewhere where you can make money.  Rio Lane:  It's incredible. Yeah, it kind of blows my mind. I mean, even law school in Canada where I live, it's considered expensive but it's nothing like America, it's a staggering amount of debt that people get saddled with.  Angela Armstrong:  We only have one law school in Maine.  Rio Lane:  Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Let's shift focus a little bit.  Angela Armstrong:  Okay, I know, it's too much of a downer.  Rio Lane:  As much as I would like to keep talking about it but I think ...  Angela Armstrong:  I'd love to solve all the problems.  Rio Lane:  Yes, if only. So yeah, I did want to shift focus and talk about, what are some of the partnerships that you have? I know that, like many bars, you have a member benefits program, you partner with different vendors and organizations. I'm curious to know what are your thoughts, I guess number one, on a member benefits program? Do you think that's something that is of value to your members?  Angela Armstrong:  I do. That's why we try to poll our members and ask them what is useful for them. It doesn't help us if we're providing a benefit that we think they want but they don't want. And so, for a voluntary bar association it's very important because that's what we have to offer. They don't have to belong to us. We have to show them value for their membership and we're going to show them value by providing them resources, and tools, and discounts that help them in their practice of law. And so, our relationships with, for example, ALPS or our legal research partner, Decisis. There several that are out there. Those are intended to help them with their practice of law and hopefully save them some money and some time. And we want to do the research for them.  Rio Lane:  Yeah, right, absolutely.  Angela Armstrong:  That's what a lot of it is, doing the research for them so that when you say, "Okay, this is what we can offer you," there's choices, but these ones we believe in, these ones we feel like we have a good partnership with. We trust this company, you can too.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I do think ... I mean, obviously I'm biased because I do partnerships as well. But I have heard from a lot of lawyers often, especially for solos and small firms, something that really is difficult for them is taking that time to vet different providers, different products, different things.  Angela Armstrong:  Huge.  Rio Lane:  It is time-consuming, and especially if you're not used to doing it, it can be difficult to even know where to begin so I think it's definitely something that is appreciated. Yeah. What kind of things do you look for in a partner?  Angela Armstrong:  Communication.  Rio Lane:  Yay.  Angela Armstrong:  And we have those ones that I haven't been in communication with recently and it makes me wonder what are we getting out of this?  Rio Lane:  Exactly, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  I can't articulate to my members what they're getting if I don't have a good communication with the partner. In recent years, we've started an audit and a lot of it is, I don't even have the right contact information for them because they have turnover just like all of us. And so, if the new person that's coming in, or if they don't get a new person, doesn't contact us, we don't know. And so, sometimes you find out by accident, so communication is key. Trust. Trust that they're going to follow through with what they've promised us and our customers. And customer support, customer support of our members. I've noticed our relationship with Decisis is fairly new, we haven't had that long, and they've been so responsive.  Now that's a lot of technology and so people are struggling. It might be that the Wi-Fi's just not working, but they are willing to talk to them. I know ALPS is the same way. I know our members can call ALPS and talk to somebody. That's huge. I mean, it's great if there's the other pieces where either the partnership provides a discount or something to the member, or if they don't do that but they offer sponsorship dollars for us to help keep our costs lower. Generally, those are always great as well because then we have money to market and do all that stuff. But when you're talking about the intangibles, that's the bigger piece I think, people feel like they're taken care of.  Rio Lane:  Yeah, yeah, which is important.  Angela Armstrong:  Well, that's why you belong to something.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely. So what has your partnership with ALPS been like? Do you feel that we can we communicate?  Angela Armstrong:  Yes. Oh, absolutely. ALPS is really, I think, unique. I mean, obviously unique because of your actual product that you offer, your products, your service that you offer, and I have been very lucky to have the opportunity to come to the ALPS offices and see how things work and meet the people. And you know that they genuinely care. They care about providing service. They care about our members. They don't want to just take the money for the product. They don't want to just say, "We're going to give you coverage but it's about the money." It isn't, it's about the relationships and I think that's one of the hugest benefits that ALPS brings to the table, the biggest benefits, is that it's about relationships. Because, again, it falls back to what I just said, people want to feel like they're being taken care of, our members do. That's why they belong to us because they don't have to belong to us.  Rio Lane:  Yes.  Angela Armstrong:  And so, Maine has endorsed ALPS for years. I mean, it was endorsed maybe around the time I came on board so I've spent probably close to 20 years, if not 20 years, maybe a little more.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. That's a nice long partnership.  Angela Armstrong:  It is a nice long partnership.  Rio Lane:  It is, yeah.  Angela Armstrong:  I know we're small, we are not bringing in tons of money for ALPS or all that, but I think we have a good relationship with ALPS.  Rio Lane:  Yeah, I think so too.  Angela Armstrong:  Yeah, it's been really good.  Rio Lane:  Well, good. I'm happy to hear that because I personally think it's very important that, I mean, as a partner, regardless of your size, size doesn't matter.  Angela Armstrong:  No, it doesn't. I mean, there are big states and small states, all of our attorneys need assistance.  Rio Lane:  Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, and I totally agree. I think at the end of the day it is so important for your members to ultimately feel that they have someone who has their back.  Angela Armstrong:  Correct. Which is what ALPS has always said, we want to have your back.  Rio Lane:  Yeah. Which is, yeah, awesome. Well, good. Yeah. Well, good. I'm really glad that we have been a good partner for you and we will continue to be a good partner for you.  Angela Armstrong:  You guys have great communication too ...  Rio Lane:  Oh, thank you.  Angela Armstrong:  Great communication.  Rio Lane:  Thank you. Awesome. So I'm going to wrap up by, I think, just asking, is there anything that you see coming down the pipeline for the bar that you're excited about or have in the works or anything like that?  Angela Armstrong:  Just generally or with ALPS?  Rio Lane:  ALPS generally, either one.  Angela Armstrong:  Well, like I said, I've been doing this for 20 years now and there's a great deal of benefit for having employees that have been in places for a long time, but there's also benefit of getting some new folks in. Like I said, I'm hiring for four positions and we also, on top of that, just have a brand new membership director so I'm going to have some new ideas coming in, some new energy. That's helpful to me too because when you have been doing something for 20 years there are ups and downs.  And so, that is buoying me and I'm very pleased to say that during this visit with ALPS I've learned about the business insurance manager now offering these other things that I think is going to help our members more and give us some opportunity to let them know that there are a lot more options out there in terms of the outside of things. That excites me because when I have something new I can take back to my members, that's great. It's more touch points, it's more information, and it's more of a benefit for them, so I'm very excited about that.  Rio Lane:  Awesome. Well, fantastic. Well, thank you so much. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me.  Angela Armstrong:  Of course, I appreciate the opportunity.  Rio Lane:  Yeah, thank you. It was really great having you out here in Missoula as well.  Angela Armstrong:  I love it out here, I love it out here.  Rio Lane:  It is pretty fantastic.  Angela Armstrong:  I mean, I miss my ocean, like my ocean, but I love it. And my husband, who got to come with me, said if I didn't live in Maine I would live in Montana because he absolutely adores it out here, it's just so much fun.  Rio Lane:  Yeah, that's how I feel. If I didn't live in Canada I'd live in Missoula.  Angela Armstrong:  Yeah, that's great.  Rio Lane:  Awesome. Well, thank you so much, and thank you everybody. We will be back again with probably a longer episode of In Brief next time. But, in the meantime, take care and we will catch you on the flip side. Thank you.   

In this mini episode of ALPS In Brief, our Bar & Affinity Partner Strategist Rio Peterson sits down with Bob Paolini, Executive Director at the Vermont Bar Association to discuss the importance of bar partnerships, how they create value for members, and the pivotal role bars play in the legal community. — Transcript: Rio Laine:  All right. Hello, everybody. This is Rio Laine here, coming to you from ALPS for this installment of kind of a mini In Brief episode that we are doing. And so I am here today with Bob Paolini from the Vermont Bar Association. Hello, Bob. Thanks for joining us.  Bob Paolini:  Good morning, Rio. Thanks for having me.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, it's great to have you here. So you are the executive director of the Vermont Bar Association?  Bob Paolini:  I am,  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Want to tell me a little bit about your background and how you ended up at the bar?  Bob Paolini:  Sure. Well, I'm a lawyer. I practiced in Vermont. I was admitted to the bar in 1973.  Rio Laine:  Wow. Yeah.  Bob Paolini:  I became executive director of the bar in February of 1996.  Rio Laine:  Wow. Yeah.  Bob Paolini:  So I've been in practice for 22 years. During that time, I served in the Vermont House of Representatives for a couple of terms, and then left that position, just went back to practice. And then I saw that this position of ED of the Vermont Bar opened up, and one of the pieces of the qualifications that they were looking for was policymaking work, and I really enjoyed the legislative process when I was a member of the House. It's a part-time legislature. It's really hard to integrate that service with the practice of law at the same time. So I ended up not running for reelection after a couple of terms.  When this position opened up and there was the opportunity to go back into the legislature representing the profession, I applied and I was hired, and I served in that job for 20 years. I left in the spring ... I think it was June of 2016. My successor, who I think you know, Teri Corsones, became executive director. At the beginning she didn't have any legislative experience and I worked part-time with the bar, doing some of that work during our session and helping her get acclimated to that kind of work. And then I stopped doing that.  And then six years later, she left to become Vermont State Court Administrator, so I was asked to come back on an interim basis two years ago this month actually. And after about five months in that position, the board asked me to stay on, which I was happy to do. So, 20 years, six years away, now two years back. That's how I got here.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Well, that's fantastic. So 22 years kind of in total. Yeah. You obviously really enjoy the bar and working with the bar. What's something that you really like about your work and the Bar Association in general?  Bob Paolini:  We are a small bar, as you know. Maybe we have about 2,300 members of our association. Even though I've had a six-year break, I still know most of those people. Sure, there are a lot of new young lawyers, a lot of lawyers who have moved into Vermont that I don't know, but it's a small group. It's a close-knit group. The staff of six people, half of whom I've hired, half I did not hire, are great. I love working with them. And I really like our board of managers, who really has the welfare of our members at heart. They're really looking to help members improve their practices, improve their lives, and it's just great to work for them and try to represent them.  One of the questions that I was asked in my first interview going back to 1996 was, "Taking this administrative job is going to be so different than practicing law. How do you feel about that?" And I said, "It's not all that different. I mean, yeah, I've got clients now, but now I will have just one client, and that's our profession." And that's worked out for me, and I think for them too.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, that's a really interesting way to think about it, too. I was wondering about the board, and would you say that it's really important to have a board that is invested in the welfare of your members? Would you say that that is a requirement to running things well?  Bob Paolini:  That's a requirement, yes. Yeah, it is. We need the direction. In our case, we have 17 voices, all of whom are in different types of practice. One of whom is a judge, by the way, because we always have a judge on the board, but they all have different perspectives on what the legal profession is about today.  We meet 11 times a year, and I try to get up to date on, "What are you folks seeing? What should we be addressing? What challenges are new?" So as long as we're all dedicated to helping our members and helping protect the profession, as well as helping to protect the public, I think we're doing the right thing.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. What kinds of things are you hearing from the board or even members about challenges that are coming up that they're having to navigate?  Bob Paolini:  Well, clearly in this current climate, the rule of law is a challenge that we all have to address I think. Respect for the law, respect for the court system is something that I think every state bar needs to address.  In Vermont's case, as I said, we're a small bar, but we are a graying bar. Vermont's surrounded by cities like Boston and New York, not literally surrounded, but we're close to those cities, Hartford, Connecticut, Boston, New York City, places where there are greater opportunities for newly minted lawyers. Asking them to come to Vermont, especially if they have a bunch of education debt, is difficult. So the number of new lawyers we have is diminishing. As the bar ages, we lose to retirement every year a handful or more than a handful of lawyers.  So the shrinking bar is a real challenge I think for us. Actually this morning I engaged in a conversation with our board about the small number of lawyers who were applying for an open judgeship in Vermont, and everybody's concerned about that. There's an email chain going back and forth for the last two hours about what are we going to do about this? How do we get qualified people to be judges? So here's another topic for our board meeting next Friday.  Rio Laine:  Right, absolutely. And it seems that the graying bar situation, I mean, it's something that a lot of the bars are dealing with now. There certainly seems to be a larger number of lawyers transitioning out of practice, retiring, than there is coming in to the profession, absolutely.  Bob Paolini:  Yeah. I don't think Vermont's unique in that respect at all. There's technology challenges, where things went to online filing and different things. That drove some of the older members into retirement. I remember when that started and I would get phone calls or emails from our members saying, "I can't learn this whole new system now. I'm done. December 31st I'm retiring."  So yeah, there's that, there's the pandemic, and how many people that drove out of the profession.  Rio Laine:  Oh, 100%. Because I mean, never mind even the technology adoption required for the pandemic, but also just navigating the entire situation. It's a lot. And if you've been practicing for a long time, it's just easier probably to call it in.  Bob Paolini:  I know. As opposed to relearn everything and start over.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. Would you say that that's similar to the difficulty getting lawyers to practice in rural areas as well, along the same lines, it's just difficult finding people to fill those gaps?  Bob Paolini:  We are definitely seeing that in some of our more remote places in our state. Our state's not big, but there are counties that are not big, but they only have one or two lawyers. And we know and we try to say to new lawyers, "Look, if you want to make the sacrifice and go there, you're going to be it. You're going to be that town's lawyer." It's sort of like thinking back 50 years or more, the local town lawyer, there are towns that that local town lawyer has passed away or has retired, and there's nobody there to take over.  So yeah, we're trying to match those new lawyers with the senior lawyers, I have them spend some time together, and then one retires and one takes over that. But it's a challenge, again, because of college and law school debt, and the fact that salaries are not that high in those rural communities.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, yeah. Fair enough. And for the new members that you do have coming in, are you finding that they're looking for more from the bar than maybe the members that are aging out, they're looking for different types of engagement? Are you finding you're having to adapt or navigate that?  Bob Paolini:  They are definitely looking for something different. And I have to give credit to our Young Lawyers Division because they're great about reaching out, not only to newly minted lawyers, but to law students. And we have one law school in the state, so working with that law school and trying to integrate those folks into the bar.  Yes, their needs now are very different than what I experienced when I started. There was that whole process back then. There's one judge, now retired, who used to say that when he started his first year was carrying the briefcase for his partner. Going to court, just sitting there, but doing that for a year or whatever. That doesn't happen anymore. People don't have the resources to do that like they used to. So there's part of that education, that apprenticeship thing if you want, that's now missing.  Rio Laine:  Got it. Got it. That kind of mentorship piece. Yeah. And I've heard that that is a challenge for young lawyers, and I mean, you're getting into this new profession, it really helps to have some guidance and having to go without makes things much more difficult than they need to be.  Yeah. Yeah. There's definitely lots of things that are needing to be rethought and navigated, but that's always the way it is. There's always going to be something that is a challenge, and then we have to figure it out together, so yeah.  Bob Paolini:  Which makes this position so much fun to be in.  Rio Laine:  Yes, yes.  Bob Paolini:  You got to meet those challenges, there are new things every day. Really, there are new things every day.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Do you like solving problems?  Bob Paolini:  I do like solving problems. Yeah.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. Yeah, that's fantastic. I think that's a really good way to think about it too, is rising to those challenges every day. And it makes you really a good person to be leading the bar then, because members will need to know that they have somebody who has their interests at heart and wants to help them navigate those things.  Bob Paolini:  Right. right.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. I also love a job that's different every day too. Yeah, it's fantastic. S  I want to shift a little bit and talk a little bit about partnerships. Now, I know that the Vermont Bar has partnerships with different vendors, different groups and organizations, kind of like ALPS, for example. How do those partnerships impact the bar or your memberships? Do you feel like they support the Bar Association?  Bob Paolini:  Well, let's talk about ALPS first.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, okay. Yeah.  Bob Paolini:  ALPS has been a great partner, and I think our most important partner since I started working at the bar 28 ... 6 years, whatever it is, 1996. Since 28 years ago.  This company has always reached out to the Vermont Bar Association and offered help, offered education, offered support. And frankly, even now, if I'm faced with an issue or a question, I call somebody at ALPS and say, "Have you seen this anywhere else? How did that state deal with it? Are there resources there that I can steal from there to help us deal with it?" Yeah, it's been excellent.  Rio Laine:  That's wonderful.  Bob Paolini:  It's been an excellent rapport with this company.  Rio Laine:  Wonderful. Oh, that's really fantastic. And obviously we want that to continue because it's important to us that we're able to support you.  Bob Paolini:  We have working relationships with other associations. I mean, I work closely in Vermont with the Vermont Bankers Association, with the Vermont Realtors Association, with the Teachers Union, in terms of public education and some of the legislative stuff that we need to do that we need support from these other groups that are affected. So we have lots of different partnerships, but the relationship with ALPS is different because they support educating the profession, protecting the profession, and making sure that we have what we need to have in order to not make mistakes.  Rio Laine:  Right, right. Yes. Oh, wonderful. I love to hear that. I guess in a general sense, what types of things do you look for in other partners, other strategic or vendor partners? Is it a willingness to offer that support, to collaborate?  Bob Paolini:  Yeah, it's one thing to endorse a business or a service and tell our members, "Yeah, we've endorsed them. Go contact them." The difference between just doing that and working with a partner such as ALPS, is that we do more than that, and ALPS does more than that. ALPS comes to Vermont and runs classes for us. They provide us information that we probably wouldn't otherwise have. They've helped us with our new lawyers.  We run an incubator program where we bring in lawyers who really want to go out on their own, sometimes right out of law school. And ALPS has a program that helps them get their first-year insurance. And we actually have this incubator program where we meet with these folks in terms of staff conversations once a week for an hour, an hour and a half. And ALPS has appeared remotely at those meetings and answered questions about insurance, and letters of engagement, and just lots of little helpful hints.  Yeah, I think we can't do that on our own. We don't have that expertise. We're a small group of seven employees at our office. But yeah, ALPS really has filled in with the needs that we really probably couldn't meet us in any other way.  Rio Laine:  Oh, that's fantastic. That makes me really happy to hear that. And no pressure because we're at the ALPS office or anything, but oh, that's fantastic. Oh, well, yeah. I'm really, really happy to hear that.  I guess we'll have just a couple more minutes and we'll wrap things up, but what do you see on the horizon for the bar? What are you looking forward to? What's coming down the pipeline? What do you anticipate? Anything really.  Bob Paolini:  Oh, I think we need to look ... I'm not going to be doing this forever.  Rio Laine:  What?  Bob Paolini:  I'm not.  Rio Laine:  I don't know.  Bob Paolini:  So I think we need to ... Let me start over. We have a staff of seven and four of us have been there for 15 years or more. So I think internally we need to prepare for some changes. Not only my position, but my associate executive director's position, a legal services coordinator, and another staff member who does our CLEs, who you know, Laura  Rio Laine:  Laura? Laura, yeah.  Bob Paolini:  Laura, yes. There's a lot of us there that are in sort of almost retirement mode. Of course, I came back from retirement, as I like to say, the board unretired me two years ago. But yeah, I think we need to, and we already have started to prepare succession plans and transition plans.  Yeah, so that's going to be just an internal challenge to our staffing, and it doesn't really affect the profession. It's going to involve the board more in terms of a little bit of management as opposed to just setting policy. They're going to be faced with the challenges of making certain decisions, maybe restructuring, maybe not, but certainly having to hire my successor and then he or she needs to overlap with these other folks who are looking towards retirement. Yeah, so I think we've got some challenges internally.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. A little bit of organizational change. Yeah. Yeah. And that's definitely the way it goes, right?  Bob Paolini:  Exactly.  Rio Laine:  Yeah. If you're not changing, you're not evolving.  Bob Paolini:  [inaudible 00:18:57].  Rio Laine:  Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Wonderful. Well, thank you so much, Bob. Thanks for taking the time to sit down and chat with me. Really appreciate getting to [inaudible 00:19:05].  Bob Paolini:  Thanks for having me. It's great to be here again.  Rio Laine:  Yes. Well, we're so excited to have you, and we are going to be enjoying our Bar Leaders Retreat the next few days. So yeah, looking forward to get to chat with you more.  Bob Paolini:  I'm sure you will.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, yeah. Great.  Bob Paolini:  Yeah, me too. Thank you.  Rio Laine:  Yeah, thank you so much. All right, everybody that wraps it up for today. You will hear from me later more.   

The Psalms are essential and powerful prayers. Through praying the Psalms, we are giving praise to God and expressing our belief while simultaneously nourishing our faith. In the Psalms, we are reminded of God's love, faithfulness, and presence, even in the dark moments of our lives. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2590-2597. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We have reached the In Brief section, or nugget day, on the seventh commandment. Father Mike reiterates that the right to private property comes from our dignity as humans, and the Church has a duty to weigh in on economic or social matters where that dignity is threatened. He challenges us to ask ourselves, do we see Jesus in “the distressing disguise of the poor” and just walk by him, or do we respond to him? Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2450-2463. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We take a look at what the Catechism teaches about the Church in relation to political communities. Every institution has their own vision of what it means to be human, which shapes their policies. Because the Church knows the truth, that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, the Church must weigh in to ensure that the dignity of the human person is at the forefront of political decisions and policies. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2244-2257. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In today's “Nugget Day,” Fr. Mike reviews the significant takeaways that the Catechism teaches us about the moral law. Fr. Mike highlights that God has written the moral law in the depths of every human heart. Today's In Brief section also reminds us that the moral law is a “fatherly instruction by God,” rooted in love and oriented towards our joy, freedom, and flourishing. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1975-1986. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism has shown us how the common good begins with the good of the individual. It further shows us that each individual can participate in the pursuit of the common good for all—and that this participation is not optional, but an obligation. Fr. Mike explains the nature of this obligation in quite simple terms: “see a need, fill a need.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1913-1927. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mt 20:1-16 - Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.' When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last." Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope Saint Pius, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2) Cardinal Cupich Offers DNC Opening Invocation: 75 Feet from where free abortions and vasectomies were performed by Planned Parenthood, and approved by the DNC https://www.complicitclergy.com/2024/08/20/watch-cardinal-cupich-offers-dnc-opening-invocation-75-feet-from-free-abortions-and-vasectomies/ 3) Cupich silent on Catholic Teaching on abortion and life-issues https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4259617/posts 4) CCC 1061-1065: The Four Last Things, "In Brief"

“The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching,” the Catechism tells us. Jesus' proclamation in Chapter 5 of the Gospel of Matthew purifies our hearts, sets a standard for earthly discernment, and directs our actions towards heaven. Fr. Mike invites us to choose God's ways and forsake our own ways. Today's readings and paragraphs 1716-1729. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We enter a new chapter examining the dignity of the human person, and Article 1 shows us that we have dignity because we are made in the image and likeness of God. We preserve that dignity when we exercise virtue and charity, and we do violence to it when we commit sin and evil acts. Fr. Mike hones in on the bold statement that we as humans are “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1699-1715. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism has spent considerable time unpacking Holy Communion—the “sacrament of sacraments”—with us, and now she summarizes the most essential truths that we must internalize and move forward with. Fr. Mike takes this “nugget day” to tell us that God desires to feed us. He has given us his Son so that we might be filled with him and made whole again, in unity with him for all of eternity. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1406-1419. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We've seen how the sacraments re-present what Christ worked for us in his Passion and death, but the Catechism also explains to us how the sacraments prefigure our eternal inheritance in heaven. Fr. Mike uses this “nugget day” as an opportunity to ensure we understand what the sacraments are and what they're for. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1130-1134. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism provides an overview on how Jesus grants the Church the ability to forgive sins through both Baptism and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike doubles down on the revelation that there is no sin that Jesus can't forgive—and no one is disqualified. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 976-987. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

When we show devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, we fulfill her prophecy that “all generations will call me blessed.” The Catechism clearly shows us how such devotion does not compete with devotion to God, but in fact fosters adoration of God. Fr. Mike declares that the better we know Mary, the better we know Jesus, and the more we love Mary, the more we love Jesus. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 971-975. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism further unpacks the communion of saints and shows us how the Church lives in communion with those members who have passed on to eternal life with Christ in heaven. If you're listening to this podcast and you're not Catholic—or if you still have questions about the communion of saints—Fr. Mike has a word for you. This is your family, interceding on your behalf that you might receive the fullness of Faith here on earth. Today's readings are from Catechism paragraphs 954-962. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

This "In Brief" section reviews all that we have learned in recent episodes. In the Church, “the faithful" refers to clerics and the laity with various callings in each. Fr. Mike explains how God calls every human being to unity with him. No matter our vocations, we must surrender our lives to the Lord and participate in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly offices of Christ. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 934-945. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

The Catechism wraps up its discussion surrounding Article 5 of the Creed (“He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead”) and asks the question, “What does Jesus' resurrection mean for me?” Fr. Mike points out that Christ's resurrection proves—definitively—that he is the only begotten Son of God. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 651-658. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

We have arrived at another nugget day, or In Brief day, for the paragraphs on the mysteries of Christ's life. On today's “mystery nugget” day, Fr. Mike recounts the significance of Christ's obedience to the Father and our own obedience to God's will. He also emphasizes the importance of reflecting on the mysteries of Christ's life by reading and meditating on the Gospels and praying the Rosary. Today's readings from the Catechism are paragraphs 561-570. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.