The Engaged Parish Podcast

eCatholic
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Christianity

The Engaged Parish–presented by eCatholic–is your go-to resource for discovering the latest trends, inspiring stories, and powerful tools to enrich your parish community. Join us as we connect you with Catholic leaders, influencers, and innovators who are making a real difference in the Church today. Whether you're looking for fresh ideas to inspire your parish or ways to grow your faith, The Engaged Parish delivers insightful conversations that empower you to build a thriving, connected Catholic community. Tune in and discover how you can inspire, build, and grow in your parish life.

  1. 19h ago

    EP 41: The Story of Blessed Stanley Rother with Michael & Maria Scaperlanda

    He couldn't learn Latin — but he mastered a language spoken in only a couple of Guatemalan villages, gave his life for the people he served, and inspired a movie now heading to nearly 900 theaters nationwide. In this episode of The Engage Parish Podcast, we sit down with Michael and María Ruiz Scaperlanda — María is the author of The Shepherd Who Didn't Run: Blessed Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma, and together they've spent decades advancing the cause of Blessed Stanley Rother, the first American-born priest recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church. We talk about how a Catholic-school story their kids brought home turned into a life's work, what made an “ordinary” Oklahoma farm boy resonate with Guatemalan villagers and American parishioners alike, and the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of how Martin Sheen came to narrate — and personally help rewrite — the new documentary American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story, in theaters nationwide English Aug. 25–26 and Spanish Aug. 27, 2026. Whether you serve at a parish, work in Catholic media, or are simply looking for a story of ordinary faithfulness this week, this conversation will stay with you. Show Notes / Links American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story (Fathom Entertainment): https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/american-martyr-the-stanley-rother-story/Official film site: https://www.rotherdoc.comBlessed Stanley Rother Shrine: https://www.rothershrine.orgThe Shepherd Who Didn't Run by María Ruiz Scaperlanda: https://www.osvcatholicbookstore.com/the-shepherd-who-didn-t-run-blessed-stanley-rother-martyr-from-oklahoma-revised.htmlCarmel Communications (film publicity — group/theater buy-out inquiries): https://carmelcommunications.com Subscribe to the Engage Parish Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of faith, ministry, and parish life.

  2. Jul 29

    EP 40: Finding the Stories that Echo Our Faith with Dennis Kellogg

    Your parish has stories that could change someone's life–you just have to go find them and tell them well. In this episode of The Engaged Parish Podcast, recorded live at the 2026 Catholic Media Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, host Mike Josephs sits down with Dennis Kellogg, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. After 35 years in broadcast journalism, Dennis brought his storytelling skills into diocesan ministry, and he's using them to help parishioners encounter Christ in the stories of the people around them. Dennis shares the story of a young girl's miraculous recovery, the last recorded testimony of a convert who was about to lose his voice, the diocese's "Echoes of Faith" project (30 stories in 30 days honoring the faithful departed), and how Bishop James Conley's year-long "humanities syllabus" columns are now becoming a book with Word on Fire. He closes with a simple word of encouragement for every overwhelmed comms director: pick one thing, and do it well. Subscribe to The Engaged Parish Podcast for more conversations that help parish and diocesan communicators grow in mission and ministry. Available now on Fio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and YouTube. Explore digital tools built for your parish's mission at eCatholic.com.

  3. Jul 15

    EP 39: Economics Through A Catholic Lens with Dr. Gabriel X. Martinez

    How we earn, spend, save, and give aren't just financial decisions. According to the Church, they're moral ones. In this episode of The Engaged Parish Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Gabriel X. Martinez, professor of economics and statistics at Ave Maria University, to explore what Catholic Social Teaching actually says about economic life, and what that means for everyday Catholics. Dr. Martinez teaches "Economics and Catholic Social Teaching," a free course in Ave Maria's Pursuit of Wisdom online series. Drawing from landmark Church documents such as Rerum Novarum and Centesimus Annus, he makes the case that faith and economics are never really separate, and that Catholics are called to bring both together in their daily lives. In this conversation, we cover:  What Catholic Social Teaching is and why most Catholics have barely scratched the surfaceThe "divided life" problem: why faith and economic life so often run on separate tracksSubsidiarity, solidarity, and the universal destination of goods explained in plain languageWhat Rerum Novarum and Centesiums Annus say that still matters todayAn honest assessment of the current economic climate through a faithful lensPractical ways Catholics can live out their faith in spending, saving, investing, and workDr. Martinez's free "Economics and Catholic Social Teaching" course and how to access it Show notes: The Pursuit of Wisdom - Free Online Courses from Ave Maria University: https://thepursuitofwisdom.orgAve Maria University: https://avemaria.eduContact Dr. Martinez at gmartinez@avemaria.edu The Engaged Parish Podcast is produced by eCatholic, the engagement platform of the Catholic Church, built for Catholic parishes, schools, minstries, and dioceses.

  4. Jul 1

    EP 38: Mastering the Art of Parish Communications with Mike Josephs & Brandon Duncan

    Recorded live at the 2026 Catholic Media Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Mike Josephs (eCatholic Director of Marketing) and Brandon Duncan (eCatholic Evangelist) sit down to introduce eCatholic's newest book, The Ministry of the Inbox: The Art of Mastering Parish Email and SMS Communications — the second volume in the Engage series. In this episode, they cover the temptation every parish faces to send one email to everyone, the "trust deficit" that quietly forms when messages aren't relevant, the power of list segmentation, how to write subject lines that actually get opened, when text messaging should (and shouldn't) be used, and why the liturgical calendar is the Church's built-in content calendar. 📖 Get your free digital copy on our Connect product page, or grab a paperback copy on Amazon. 🔗 Free download: https://ecatholic.com/connect🔗 Paperback: https://a.co/d/0bj8rGzP🎧 Subscribe to the Engage Parish Podcast wherever you listen — Fio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or iHeartRadio.

  5. May 20

    EP 37: The Sacred Heart Comes to the Big Screen with Hubert de Torcy

    What if a film could lead someone back to the sacraments after thirty or forty years away? That's exactly what's happening across Europe — and now, Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End is coming to U.S. theaters. In this episode of The Engage Parish Podcast, we're joined by Hubert de Torcy, Chairman of Saje Distribution, to talk about this powerful new film, the spiritual story behind its creation, and why its June theatrical release in the United States is a moment the Church simply cannot miss. Hubert shares his own personal encounter with God's love at Paray-le-Monial, the very place where Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque to reveal His Sacred Heart, and how that experience became the foundation for both Saje Distribution and ultimately this film. He also reflects on the fruits already being witnessed: lives transformed, confessions heard after decades, and hearts opened to the love of Christ. 🎬 In Theaters: June 9, 10, 11 & 14(June 10 screening is for Spanish-speaking audiences)Tickets & showtimes through Fathom Events 🗓️ Coincides with: The USCCB's Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus — June 11America's 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence⛪ For Parishes — eCatholic VOD:Starting July 10, Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End will be available for parish screening licenses through eCatholic VOD, our newest platform built specifically for parish communities who want to host screenings in their parish hall, school gym, or any gathering space outside of a movie theater. 🔗 SHOW NOTES & LINKS: 📽️ Film Resources & Ticket Links (Fathom Events): https://ecatholic.com/sacredheart (Free downloadable parish resources available here, e.g., bulletin inserts, posters, promotional materials) ⛪ Host a Parish Screening with eCatholic VOD (starting July 10): https://vod.ecatholic.com 📧 Email us about parish screenings: screenings@ecatholic.com 🌐 Learn more about eCatholic: https://ecatholic.com

  6. May 13

    EP 36: Finding God in the Spreadsheets of Parish Life with Father Robert Gahl, Ph.D.

    What happens when a Silicon Valley engineer, Harvard lecturer, and Catholic priest walks into a business school? He builds one of the most unique programs in Catholic higher education — the Catholic Management Program at The Catholic University of America. In this episode, we sit down with Father Robert Gahl, Ph.D., to explore how the CMP is forming priests, parish administrators, and diocesan leaders to manage with both excellence and faith. 📚 SHOW NOTES & LINKS 🔗 Learn more about the Catholic Management Program: https://cmp.catholic.edu🔗 Contact Father Bob: gahl@cua.edu💰 Special offer: Graduate Certificate for $7,500 (normally ~$10,000) — mention eCatholicCMP when applying. Valid through May 31, 2026.🔗 Learn more about eCatholic: https://www.ecatholic.com

  7. May 6

    EP 35: A Saint Who Refused to Be Forgotten with Father Chris Korcz

    What happens when a Catholic parish is nearly closed — and a 17th-century martyr intervenes? In this special on-location episode of The Engage Parish Podcast, brought to you by eCatholic, we sit down with Father Chris Korcz, pastor of the Shrine of St. Andrew Bobola in Dudley, Massachusetts — the only shrine dedicated to this remarkable saint in the entire United States. Father Chris shares the full story of how three providential signs during a moment of crisis — a mysterious phone call from Chicago, an unexpected inheritance, and a miraculous healing from cancer during the first-ever novena — led him to ask his bishop to elevate this struggling parish to a diocesan shrine. On May 11, 2025, that became a reality. In this episode, you'll hear: The history and martyrdom of St. Andrew Bobola, a 17th-century Jesuit who died for his faithHow St. Andrew has appeared and interceded throughout history — and why he's making himself known againThe three signs Father Chris received that changed the course of his parishThe story of a parishioner healed from colon cancer during the first novenaHow you can visit, join the anniversary celebrations this May, or watch via live streamResources including a new book and papal encyclical on St. Andrew Bobola🗓️ First Anniversary Celebrations — May 2025: Novena: May 1–3 & May 8–10 (featuring Fr. Mitch Pacwa from EWTN)Feast Day Mass: May 16 at noon (celebrant: Bishop Robert McManus, Diocese of Worcester)Polish-language celebration: May 17All celebrations available via live stream at standrewbobola.com📖 Resources mentioned: The Apparitions of St. Andrew Bobola After His Death — available in English & Polish at standrewbobola.comInvicti Athletae— Encyclical by Pope Pius XII, also available at the shrine website

  8. Mar 11

    EP 34: Igniting a Catholic Film Renaissance with Brian Shields

    In this episode, host Mike sits down with Brian Shields, a devoted husband and father of nine, and the founder of Lumen Entertainment and the Lumen Institute. Brian opens up about his early success as a young actor in Hollywood, including booking a role on the HBO series "From Earth to the Moon". Despite his outward success, Brian felt unfulfilled until a life-changing encounter with the Eucharist at a retreat shifted his entire perspective. This profound experience gave him the courage to walk away from a lead role on "Dawson's Creek" after realizing the script promoted immorality to teens. Today, Brian is dedicated to equipping the next generation of Catholic filmmakers. We discuss his mission at the Lumen Institute to train artists so they don't get chewed up by the secular industry, and why he believes we need a modern "Catholic Renaissance" modeled after the 1500s. Plus, get a sneak peek at his upcoming family comedy film, Race Car Monks, hitting theaters in the spring of 2027! Show Notes: Learn more about Brian's work and the Lumen Institute: lumen.tv Follow and support the upcoming film: racecarmonksmovie.com Discover how eCatholic can help your parish thrive online: eCatholic.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Engaged Parish–presented by eCatholic–is your go-to resource for discovering the latest trends, inspiring stories, and powerful tools to enrich your parish community. Join us as we connect you with Catholic leaders, influencers, and innovators who are making a real difference in the Church today. Whether you're looking for fresh ideas to inspire your parish or ways to grow your faith, The Engaged Parish delivers insightful conversations that empower you to build a thriving, connected Catholic community. Tune in and discover how you can inspire, build, and grow in your parish life.

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