This week on Man Up, Joe Stopulos revisits one of the most meaningful conversations he has ever recorded: an interview with his own father, Mike Stopulos, taped during the original Heroic Fatherhood series. Following Mike's recent passing, this episode has become a cherished keepsake, and Joe opens with a heartfelt encouragement to listeners: if you are blessed to still have your parents or grandparents, grab a microphone, sit down with them, and ask them about their lives. Those recordings become priceless. In this first of a two-part conversation, Mike looks back on the two heroic men who modeled fatherhood for him: His father ("Papa") — the son of a Greek immigrant who grew up in poverty, served as a B-17 pilot in World War II, and built and ran movie theaters across the Quad Cities, open 364 days a year. Mike remembers his relentless work ethic, his hopeless optimism, his lack of any prejudice, and above all his total devotion to his wife, which only deepened as she battled Alzheimer's. He lived to 100. His father-in-law, Carl Liebscher ("Gopa") — a steady, God-centered father of eight who moved his entire life from New Braunfels, Texas to Davenport, Iowa simply to make his wife happy. Mike shares two pieces of advice that stuck with him for life: that unless something is keeping your children from getting to heaven, it isn't worth worrying about, and that a heavy load gets much lighter when there are many shoulders to help carry it. Running through both men is the same thread Joe returns to again and again on the show: the servant leader who puts faith first, his wife next, and family at the center of everything. As Joe reflects, his confidence in speaking about fatherhood comes not from being a perfect father himself, but from witnessing three great ones up close. Part two airs next week, when Joe and his father turn to Mike's own approach to fatherhood and how he raised his family. Man Up airs on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network. Learn more and listen at https://IowaCatholicRadio.com/ Support for Man Up is provided by Construction Professionals. Learn more at https://CPCustomHomes.com/ #ManUp #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast #HeroicFatherhood #CatholicMen #Fatherhood #FaithAndFamily #ServantLeadership #CatholicDad #CatholicRadio #FathersDay #CatholicFaith Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
