In Goodfaith

Goodfaith

Welcome to “In Goodfaith,” a podcast dedicated to exploring the powerful intersection of faith, justice, and purposeful living. Hosts Maggie Smith and Stephanie Peddicord provide a glimpse into the heart of Goodfaith and their mission.

  1. JAN 20

    Episode 24: Ritual, Imagination, and Sacred Joy in Family Life with Gen and Mike

    In this episode of In Goodfaith, we’re continuing our parent series--"The Confessional"--with Mike Jordan Laskey and Genevieve Jordan Laskey. We hope you enjoy this warm, honest conversation about parenting, faith, and joy in everyday life. Rather than offering advice or formulas, Mike and Gen reflect on how faith is formed through ritual, imagination, and presence—bedtime prayers children won’t let you skip, liturgical seasons lived at home, and traditions shaped by touch, sound, story, and repetition. They remind us that faith is often caught rather than taught, and that children learn most by watching how we live. We also hear about Down By The Bagel, their family band, a creative and joyful project that has become a shared outward expression of connection, hospitality, and sacred joy. Through music and creativity, their family practices something deeply spiritual: creating together and welcoming others in. This conversation invites us to see parenting not as a project to perfect, but as a relationship rooted in love, surrender, and showing up—again and again. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

    1h 1m
  2. JAN 13

    Episode 23: Inheriting a Living Faith with Mary Vanderhoof

    In this episode of In Goodfaith, we continue our Parent Series. These conversations don’t offer parenting advice so much as create space for reflection, honesty, and the messy beauty of raising a family in faith. We sit down with one of our longtime friends and founding board members, Mary Vanderhoof, a mom of three grown daughters and grandmother to eight young grandchildren, to talk about what it means to pass on faith across generations. Mary shares how her Irish Catholic roots and her father’s work in the early labor movement shaped her lifelong commitment to justice and the Gospel call to love our neighbor. She reflects on the joys of raising faith-filled children and grandchildren, and how small, simple acts—like making First Communion “books of remembrance” or glitter-covered Good Friday crosses—can keep faith alive at home. Together, we talk about what it looks like to live our faith authentically in a changing Church, to model justice and compassion for our children, and to find joy in the ordinary, sacred moments that form a family’s spiritual life. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

    1h 11m
  3. JAN 6

    Episode 22: Family Discernment, Radical Faith, and Choosing an Uncomfortable Gospel with Keith Cieplicki

    What does it look like to truly discern as a family—not just in theory, but in the real, complicated choices of work, money, parenting, and faith? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, we welcome back Keith Cieplicki, Executive Director of the Jail Ministry in Onondaga County, New York. You may remember Keith from our earlier episode on accompanying the incarcerated. This time, Keith joins us for our Family Discernment series to reflect on the radical, uncomfortable, and deeply faithful decisions that reshaped his family’s life. Keith shares the story of leaving a successful Division I basketball coaching career to work in a homeless shelter and eventually lead a jail ministry—choices that required profound trust, sacrifice, and ongoing discernment within his marriage and family. Together, we explore how values take shape in everyday decisions, how fear can quietly drive parenting choices, and how faith sometimes calls us not toward comfort, but toward transformation. This episode is especially for parents and caregivers navigating big and small decisions: careers, youth sports, financial security, presence with children, and the courage to say both yes and no with intention. In this episode, we explore: What family discernment really looks like in practice Letting go of status, security, and consumerism for a faith-rooted life Trust, doubt, and learning to “breathe underwater” Parenting beyond grades, achievements, and cultural pressure The freedom found in simplicity, presence, and relational love Why the Gospel often calls us to become uncomfortable How children grow when they see faith lived, not just taught Along the way, Keith reflects on the influence of saints like Dorothy Day, the tension between fear and freedom, and the enduring invitation to “live church” every day. As Keith reminds us, discernment doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being willing to take the next faithful step. “Be not afraid.”   If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a review. Your support helps these stories reach more families walking the journey of faith together. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

    56 min
  4. 12/02/2025

    Episode 20: "Begin Again"--Creativity, Courage, and Advent Hope with Allison Beyer

    In this solo-hosted episode, Maggie talks with Allison Beyer, a multidisciplinary artist, minister, and contributor to Goodfaith’s Family Matters program. Allison shares the story behind her Jesse Tree Advent ritual, which was born during the pandemic as a creative, prayerful practice for her young children. Together, they explore how art, ancestry, and faith shape the season of Advent, and how remembering the “family tree” of our spiritual tradition can ground us in belonging during difficult times. Allison also reflects on the religious communities that formed her and why beauty and creativity keep us spiritually awake. The conversation turns toward the current climate around immigrants in the U.S., where both Maggie and Allison name the hope they’re finding in bold, clear leadership from the Church. Maggie also shares a personal story of loss and healing, offering a gentle reminder that Advent meets us exactly where we are. This episode invites listeners to return to the simple rituals that steady us, trust the God who is with us, and begin again. Instagram: @allisonbeyermakesart "Emmanuel!" by Allison Beyer Jesuit Media Lab Goodfaith YouTube: Works of Mercy & Five-Finger Examen   Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

    1 hr
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to “In Goodfaith,” a podcast dedicated to exploring the powerful intersection of faith, justice, and purposeful living. Hosts Maggie Smith and Stephanie Peddicord provide a glimpse into the heart of Goodfaith and their mission.