In Goodfaith

Goodfaith
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Religion

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. 2d ago

    Episode 43: The Realities Reshaping Catholic Youth Ministry with Charlotte McQorquodale

    In this episode of In Goodfaith, Maggie and Stephanie sit down with researcher and ministry trainer Charlotte McCorquodale to explore what 25 years of research reveal about the changing realities of Catholic youth and young adult ministry. Drawing on her longitudinal study, Illuminating Trends, Charlotte describes a field marked by expanding responsibilities, declining professional support, unequal compensation, and a growing leadership gap. Together, they examine why relational ministry is difficult to measure, how attendance-based metrics can obscure genuine transformation, and why accompaniment requires shared responsibility across the entire parish community. Charlotte McCorquodale leads Ministry Training Source and has spent decades studying and supporting Catholic ministry leaders. Her newest resource translates the research into guided conversations about the pressure points facing ministers and the balancing actions churches can take in response. She encourages ministry leaders to assess their own realities, identify trusted allies, and use data to begin honest conversations that can lead to meaningful change. 0:00–6:15 Opening, guest introduction, and the story behind the research Theme: how Charlotte’s doctoral work grew into a 25-year study of youth and young adult ministry 6:15–11:30 What has—and has not—changed Declining formation budgets, limited benefits, role confusion, and the continual need for ministers to justify their work 11:30–19:10 Valuing those who accompany young people The formation and expertise ministry requires; expanding job descriptions; research as a source of clarity and agency 19:10–29:30 Moving beyond “magical thinking” Why old ministry models no longer work; cultural change, relational discipleship, and the limits of attendance as a measure of success 29:30–34:40 Measuring transformation and supporting accompaniment Transactional versus transformational metrics; performance reviews, ministry structures, and using data to start conversations 34:40–40:30 The challenge of finding volunteers “People power,” shared mission, pastor support, and inviting adults into meaningful relationships with young people 40:30–48:10 Reimagining youth and young adult ministry Innovation, continuity through leadership transitions, young people as protagonists, and promising new ministry models 48:10–56:00 Building parishes of accompaniment Relational work as productive work; knowing people by name; baptism, belonging, and the responsibility of the whole community 56:00–1:03:15 A leadership gap in Catholic ministry Compensation, benefits, generational expectations, work-life balance, and why younger ministers are planning shorter tenures 1:03:15–1:15:30 Gender inequity and sustainable ministry The persistent pay gap, changing expectations among women and younger generations, family life, leave policies, and intergenerational support 1:15:30–1:22:55 Practical next steps and a new conversation resource Assessing ministry realities, finding allies, practicing difficult conversations, and addressing pressure points with balancing actions 1:22:55–1:26:26 Sources of hope and closing reflections The joy of accompanying young people, the commitment of ministry leaders, and an invitation to share and support the podcast

  2. Jul 14

    Episode 42: Human First in an AI World with Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP

    In this episode of In Goodfaith, Maggie and Stephanie sit down with Sister Nancy Usselmann, FSP, a Catholic media educator and advocate for AI literacy, to explore how Catholic social teaching speaks to artificial intelligence today. They discuss what AI is, how the Church has engaged with AI ethics, and practical steps pastors, educators, and families can take to navigate a world where technology increasingly shapes work, education, and relationships. The conversation anchors itself in Pope Leo’s encyclical and CST, calling for human-centered discernment, subsidiarity, and the dignity of the human person as central guides. Sister Nancy Usselmann, FSP, is a Daughter of Saint Paul and director of Pauline Media Studies. She teaches AI literacy and media mindfulness, speaks nationwide on AI ethics, and helps Catholic communities think critically about how to use technology for mission and evangelization. She also references the Catholic faithai.com platform, which offers formation guides and an AI mindfulness wheel for virtue-centered use of AI.     - 0:00–4:50 Opening and guest introduction - Theme: setting the frame for AI ethics through CST and human dignity - 4:50–12:00 What AI is and why it matters to Catholics - Clarifications: machine learning, large language models, prompts, and the non-neutral character of AI - 12:00–15:25 The Church’s engagement with AI - Rome Calls for AI ethics; Vatican and CST as ethical voices in tech - 15:25–21:00 Practical formation and resources - Catholic Faith AI platform; AI mindfulness wheel; guidance for parishes, catechists, and educators - 21:00–28:10 Real-world implications: education, work, environment - Data centers, water use, subsidiarity, and implications for jobs and learning - 28:10–33:50 Discernment and practical guidance - Augmenting thinking vs outsourcing; empowerment vs dependence; CST in daily tech decisions - 33:50–40:00 AI in church life: liturgy, catechesis, youth ministry - The human witness remains central; accompany with AI tools thoughtfully - 40:00–49:55 Big-picture hope and what excites Sister Nancy - Positive apps for catechesis, accessible teaching, and mission-driven use - 50:00–54:43 Closing reflections and calls to action - Summaries, prayers, and where to find resources

  3. Jun 30

    Episode 41: Living Catholic Social Teaching with Dr. Guilherme Lopes

    In this episode, Maggie and Stephanie sit down with Dr. Guilherme Lopes just days after his CTU graduation to talk about how Catholic social teaching shaped his life long before it became his academic focus. Guilherme shares his story as a Brazilian immigrant raised in the Bronx, formed by the Salesians of Don Bosco through a tuition exchange at Holy Rosary parish, and how that early experience of being fed, clothed, and welcomed by a religious community planted the seeds for a career spent at the intersection of faith, justice, and youth ministry. The conversation moves through his unlikely path: a criminal justice degree born out of grief after losing his best friend to a drunk-driving accident, a hard stretch as a juvenile probation officer, and the moment at a Thursday art program for detained teens that redirected him toward ministry. From there, Guilherme traces his work revising the Salesians' Gospel Roads immersion program, his pivot away from "flashy," consumer-style youth ministry programming toward authentic, justice-oriented service experiences, and his eventual move to Newman University, where he now directs campus ministry and teaches theology. Maggie and Stephanie connect his story to Goodfaith's own immersion work, comparing notes on snack-cabinet rules, DoorDash bans, four-minute showers, and what it means to form a generation raised on curated, on-demand experiences.

  4. Jun 16

    Episode 40: The Dorothea Project with Katie Hollar and Krista Varney

    Two social media posts started a movement. Less than a year later, the Dorothea Project counts more than 1,100 Catholic women across 75 dioceses. We sit down with founder Katie Holler and project leader Krista Varney to talk about how a grassroots network of Catholic women grew out of one mom's refusal to stay silent. Katie, a social worker in Steubenville, started the Dorothea Project after the second Trump administration's immigration enforcement hit her during her postpartum maternity leave. She made two Facebook posts asking if anyone else felt the same. Dozens of women answered, most of them saying some version of "I thought I was the only one." Named for Dorothy Day and Sister Thea Bowman, the Dorothea Project educates Catholics on Catholic social teaching and moves them to act in defense of vulnerable people. The conversation digs into why CST stays the so-called "best kept secret of the Church", what happens when you start treating your bishop like a constituent who needs to hear from you, and why building a movement means getting comfortable with tension instead of waiting for everyone to agree on everything. We get into the work of organizing at both the national and local level, the new CST-based voter guide the group is building ahead of the midterms, and why the laity coming to know their own power might be the real shift the Church needs.

  5. Jun 2

    Episode 39: Permission to be Human with Karen Bortvedt Estrada, Somatic Stress Release Practitioner

    Tim joins Maggie in the host seat for a rich conversation with Karen Bortvedt Estrada, a somatic stress release practitioner and founder of Wish You Knew. Karen helps us notice the things we override all day, the clenched jaw, the tensed shoulders, and makes the case for "humaning" instead of performing. The three get honest about the cost of caregiving work, and the scripts (capitalism, perfectionism, "your reward will be great in heaven") that keep ministers, teachers, and nonprofit folks running until they collapse. Karen's reframe is freeing: you are not broken, you're feeling the symptoms of a broken system, and naming that is where healing begins. The episode closes on the church itself, with Karen sharing what she wishes faith communities understood about the body, intuition, and letting their people be human, messy, and rested rather than endlessly productive.

  6. May 19

    Episode 38: Belonging Before Believing with Rosie Chinea Shawver

    Rosie Chinea Shawver didn't embrace faith until college. She grew up in a Puerto Rican and Cuban household where faith was present but not personal, like a piece of furniture. It took a persistent friend, a cute guy in the choir, and a priest who took her out for froyo to change all of that. Now, nearly 20 years into campus ministry and serving as Executive Director of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association (CCMA), Rosie has given her life to making sure young people have the same kind of encounter she did. In this conversation, we talk with Rosie about what it really takes to accompany young adults in faith and why that slow, deeply human work is exactly what the church needs more of right now.

  7. May 12

    Episode 37: One Year of Pope Leo XIV with Colleen Dulle

    One year ago, white smoke rose over the Sistine Chapel and the world met Pope Leo XIV — the first American pontiff in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. A lot has happened since then. To mark the anniversary, we're joined again by Colleen Dulle. Colleen is the Vatican correspondent for America Magazine, co-host of the Inside the Vatican podcast, and author of Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter. Colleen reported live from Rome during the Conclave and has been tracking Leo's papacy ever since. She joins us from the middle of an international move with her young family, and we are so grateful for her time. Colleen's Links: Struck Down, Not Destroyed on Bookshop.org Inside the Vatican Podcast Instagram X (Twitter)

  8. May 5

    Episode 36: Accompanying Young Latino Catholics with Instituto Fe y Vida

    What does it look like to walk alongside young Latino Catholics at this particular moment in the life of the Church — and in the life of the United States? That's the heart of today's conversation with Juan Escarfuller and Elisabeth Roman from Instituto Fe y Vida, a Lasallian ministry founded in 1994 to form young Latinos as servant leaders in the Church and society. From WhatsApp groups that outlast retreats to banner-making retreats that reunite teens with their parents, Juan and Ellie paint a vivid picture of what formation rooted in community, culture, and faith actually looks like on the ground. They also speak candidly about the fear, grief, and resilience spreading through Latino parishes in the current political climate, and what they witnessed firsthand when a delegation of over 90 migrants was received by Pope Leo at the Vatican.

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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.

Information

  • Creator
    Goodfaith
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Goodfaith
  • Show Website
    In Goodfaith