Catholics in Ordinary Time

Fr. Jack Bentz S.J.
  • 4.7 (22)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hello everyone, and welcome to Catholics in Ordinary Time, a podcast where we listen to Catholics. Pretty simple really. I'm a Jesuit Catholic priest with questions about how Catholics practice their faith or why they quit. Everyone has a story and I want to hear more.

  1. 1D AGO

    What this Season Taught Us

    After a full season of conversations, stories, laughter, and honest moments, Fr. wraps it all together. In this episode, he looks back at the voices we heard, the lessons that surfaced, and the quiet themes that kept returning. From music and ministry to struggle, service, doubt, growth, and everyday faith, this season reminded us that holiness is not found in the extraordinary alone, but in the ordinary life lived with intention. What did we learn? What surprised us? What challenged us? And where is God inviting us next? This is not just a recap. It is a pause. A moment to breathe. To notice what has taken root. And to carry it forward. Thank you for walking this season with us. The story continues.

    6 min

  2. FEB 18

    Jake Ineck: The Weight of Leading Worship

    In this episode, Jake Ineck reflects on his experience serving the Church through sacred music, from the joy of weddings to the solemnity of funerals. He speaks about the quiet responsibility of accompanying people during life’s most meaningful transitions and the honor of being entrusted with those sacred hours.We also explore the role of antiphons in the liturgy, why they matter more than we think, and what it takes to guide and support a volunteer choir with humility and clarity. This conversation moves beyond performance and into vocation, examining what it truly means to serve the liturgy and create space for prayer.For musicians, liturgical leaders, and anyone who has ever been moved by the sound of the Church at prayer, this episode offers an honest look at the beauty and weight of leading worship.

    53 min

  3. FEB 11

    Sara Shakliyan: Excellence Is Not Optional

    In this episode, we sit down with Sara Shakliyan, a choir director whose work is reshaping what parish music can sound and feel like.Having worked closely with Fr. Jack in his previous assignment, Sara shares how she has grown a choir from the ground up by blending the richness of classical hymns with the immediacy of praise and worship. Rooted in tradition yet alive with intention, her approach honors the Mass while calling musicians to something deeper.This conversation explores leadership, discipline, and why holding musicians to a high standard is not about perfection, but about reverence, responsibility, and love for the liturgy. Sara speaks honestly about forming musicians who show up prepared, prayerful, and committed in a way that is still uncommon in many Catholic parishes.An episode for anyone who believes sacred music should both elevate the soul and invite full participation. A reminder that excellence, when offered to God, becomes an act of worship.

    45 min

  4. FEB 4

    Daniel Dangca: Enhancing the Mass From the Music Stand

    In this episode of Catholics in Ordinary Time, we sit down with Daniel Dangca, a music director with a PhD who has spent years serving the Church from the choir loft and the planning table. Daniel shares what he genuinely loves about working in a parish, the beauty and weight of shaping music for the Mass, and the reality of navigating moments when a congregation is not always happy or on the same page. With honesty and wisdom, he reflects on how those challenges have shaped his leadership, patience, and vision. At the heart of the conversation is a simple but demanding goal enhancing the Mass and helping the congregation move from spectators to participants. This episode is for musicians, parish leaders, and anyone curious about what it really looks like to serve the Church faithfully in ordinary time.

    52 min

  5. JAN 28

    Alexis Santos: A Life Shaped by Music

    Music often starts as a love.For some, it slowly becomes a way of life. In this episode, Alexis Santos shares how directing choirs as a teenager set him on a path that would shape his work, his faith, and his sense of responsibility as a musician. From formal studies in music and theology to composing bilingual sacred music used in churches today, Alexis reflects on what it means to serve both the art and the people it is meant for. This conversation is about discipline, calling, and the ordinary faithfulness it takes to keep showing up to the work. We talk about writing music that carries meaning, navigating life between two languages, and how belief quietly informs the choices we make long after the applause fades. Whether you work in music, serve in the Church, or are simply curious about how faith lives inside everyday work, this episode offers a glimpse into a life shaped slowly and intentionally by sound.

    33 min

  6. JAN 21

    Ben Stone: Craft, Calling, and Balance

    Ben Stone has spent his life in music, beginning at the organ as a child and building a career shaped by years of professional experience. In this episode, he reflects on his journey as a musician, the demands of working within the Church, and the ongoing challenge of balancing craft, vocation, and personal life. A conversation about longevity, discipline, and what it means to make music a lifelong practice.

    50 min

  7. JAN 14

    Ike Ndolo: When Faith and Creativity Collide

    Ike Ndolo is a musician who speaks openly about the realities of creating and performing music within the Catholic Church. In this episode, he reflects on the tension between being a performer and leading worship, the challenges artists face in church spaces, and how his experience as a Black man has shaped his relationship with faith and vocation. A conversation about music, identity, and what it takes to remain faithful to the work. Ike Ndolo Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7GybhnbNqgYBkIIU7zE90W?si=csP_XnGcSnui6NlHzOwVTg

    1h 14m

  8. JAN 7

    SEASON 4 - INTRO: Musicians

    This season of CIOT centers on musicians and their work. Guests from a range of musical paths share how they understand their craft, how they lead worship, and how their approaches differ. A season about sound, practice, and faith lived through music.

    6 min
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4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Hello everyone, and welcome to Catholics in Ordinary Time, a podcast where we listen to Catholics. Pretty simple really. I'm a Jesuit Catholic priest with questions about how Catholics practice their faith or why they quit. Everyone has a story and I want to hear more.

Information

  • Creator
    Fr. Jack Bentz S.J.
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fr. Jack Bentz S.J.
  • Show Website
    Catholics in Ordinary Time

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