Religion To Reality

Dave Plisky
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Christianity

Religion to Reality is a Catholic podcast about living an integrated life, one where faith isn't filed away in a separate drawer from the rest of who you are. In Season 2, we take that conviction somewhere new: into conversation with voices from other Christian traditions and other faiths entirely. Not to debate, not to draw lines, but to listen. Because the most radical thing we can do in a noisy, polarized world might be to sit with someone whose faith looks different from ours, and discover what God is already doing in them.

  1. Gold in the Desert with Frederica Mathewes-Green

    18h ago

    Gold in the Desert with Frederica Mathewes-Green

    QUICK SUMMARY What does it mean to pray without ceasing? Can ordinary people actually do it? In this episode of Religion to Reality, prolific author and Orthodox Christian writer Frederica Mathewes-Green shares her remarkable spiritual journey: from a devout Catholic childhood to atheistic hippie, to a dramatic conversion in a Dublin church, to 50+ years of daily unceasing prayer. She also opens up about leaving the Episcopal Church, the beauty of Orthodox liturgy, and why she believes spiritual loneliness is one of the great unspoken crises of our time. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE  How a young Catholic woman lost her faith, explored Eastern religions, and unexpectedly encountered Christ in Dublin. Federica’s dramatic conversion experience and the voice she believes changed her life. How Federica and Gregory’s marriage became a path back to faith from atheism to the priesthood. Why liberal theology accelerated church decline and weakened belief in core Christian teachings. Gregory’s journey from Episcopal priest to Orthodox priest after leaving an increasingly secular church. Why they left Catholicism for Orthodoxy and what liturgical worship revealed about humanity’s need for transcendence. What God’s detailed instructions for worship in Exodus teach us about icons, beauty, and sacred art today. The difference between liturgy and worship, and why Orthodox worship centers entirely on God. The Jesus Prayer: its origins, spiritual benefits, and Federica’s practical guide to praying it. What nearly 50 years of daily 3:00 AM prayer has taught Gregory about discipline and devotion. Catholic diversity vs. Orthodox unity, and why reunion between the two traditions is more complex than it seems. Federica’s advice on listening well, asking better questions, and meeting the deep human need to be heard. ABOUT FEDERICA MATHEWS-GREEN Frederica Mathewes-Green is one of the most prolific voices in American Christian writing, with over 800 published essays and 11 books to her name. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Christianity Today, The Wall Street Journal, First Things, and Smithsonian. She has been a commentator for NPR, a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio, and a consultant for VeggieTales. A sought-after speaker, she has delivered more than 600 presentations at institutions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Cornell, and has been interviewed over 800 times by outlets including NPR, PBS, Time, Newsweek, and The New York Times. She holds an honorary Doctor of Letters from King University and lives in Johnson City, Tennessee with her husband, the Reverend Gregory Mathewes-Green. They have three grown children and 15 grandchildren. MEMORABLE QUOTE “Stay alive and keep praying. In time, it becomes second nature, and you realize that He is responding when you invoke His name, and you sense that communion with Him.” — Frederica Mathewes-Green RESOURCES MENTIONED The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence: The foundational devotional book on unceasing prayer that shaped Frederica’s prayer life. She first read it as a young Christian. The Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”): Developed by the Desert Fathers from the 2nd century onward; rooted in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (“Pray without ceasing”). 1 Thessalonians 5:17: The scriptural basis for the practice of unceasing prayer, which Paul also addressed to the Romans, Ephesians, and Colossians. Exodus 25: God’s detailed instructions to Moses for building the Tabernacle — gold, embroidery, bells, pomegranates, and carved cherubim — Frederica’s go-to passage on the importance of sacred... Chapters (00:00:00) - I Am Your Life(00:00:27) - Religion to Reality: Listening Across the Faith Spectrum(00:01:42) - Frederica Matthews Green on "This Week in Christian Writing"(00:03:24) - What Really Happened to My Faith(00:12:11) - How a Roman Catholic married with a liberal theology turned to the Orthodox(00:16:50) - Displaced Episcopal Priest speaks out about his ordination(00:19:50) - The Reasons Why the Episcopal Church Should Go(00:25:53) - On the beauty of the Catholic Church(00:33:58) - John the Baptist on the Liturgy(00:42:07) - An Orthodox Priest on the Liturgy(00:47:09) - The Power of the Liturgy(00:51:31) - John Paul on Personal Practices(00:57:50) - The Prayer Life of Saint Lawrence(01:00:34) - Separation of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches(01:06:24) - Jane Fonda on Becoming an Orthodox Priest(01:10:51) - Interviewing Dave Ramsey(01:12:18) - A Question for the Listeners(01:18:03) - Religion to Reality: The Interreligious Conversation

    1h 20m
  2. The Practice of Accompaniment with Josh Packard

    Jun 8

    The Practice of Accompaniment with Josh Packard

    QUICK SUMMARY What if listening to someone isn't just a bridge to telling them something, but is itself a formative, sacred act? Sociologist and researcher Josh Packard returns to Religion to Reality to unpack groundbreaking data on the intersection of faith and listening, challenge Catholics to truly live out the concept of accompaniment, and offer an honest outside-in assessment of where the Church is falling short, and where it's quietly thriving. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE Why two-thirds of people say listening shaped their faith, but the Church has invested almost nothing in ministries of listening The difference between knowing the Catholic concept of accompaniment and actually doing it How over-professionalized youth ministry has quietly outsourced the most important relationships Why the digital missionary space may be the most significant untapped opportunity in Catholic outreach What "cultural Catholics" might actually be getting right that formal church structures are missing ABOUT JOSH PACKARD Josh Packard is a sociologist of religion and the founder of Future of Faith, a research and consulting organization helping churches move from institutional ministry to relational ministry at scale. He is a former sociology professor and co-founder of Springtide Research Institute, and has also served at the National Catholic Educational Association. His work includes the Sacred Listening Study, to his knowledge, the only research in the world examining the intersection of faith formation and listening, as well as the recently released book Faithful Futures. Josh is a Lutheran who has built his career crossing denominational boundaries to serve Catholic, Protestant, and ecumenical audiences alike. MEMORABLE QUOTE "I don't think you can understand what we mean when we say listening is sacred if you do not feel like you have a God who has listened to you, and that you've also listened to." — Josh Packard RESOURCES MENTIONED Future of Faith — futureoffaith.org Relational Discipleship White Paper — futureoffaith.org/relationaldiscipleship Sacred Listening Tools (free download) — available at futureoffaith.org Book: Faithful Futures by Josh Packard Every Student Sent — ministry connecting high school graduates to campus believers in their first week of college (based in Texas) Springtide Research Institute — springtideresearch.org Religion to Reality Season 1 with Josh Packard — available in the back catalog and as a bonus episode John Gribowich's Substack: Going Analog — johngribowich.substack.com Chapters (00:00:00) - Return to Religion to Reality: The Sociology of Listening(00:13:00) - The inner voice and the outer call: Is contemplation the same as listening to others? Dave, Josh, and Fr. John explore whether listening to yourself and listening to your congregation are really the same act(00:15:32) - The Sacred Listening(00:16:00) - Sacred Listening Theory: Josh explains the structural tools Future of Faith has developed; why you can't do listening-based ministry by having 500 cups of coffee a week, and how to know which five matter(00:17:15) - "If Protestants Would Understand the Catholic Concept of Accompaniment(00:20:00) - What Pope Francis really means by accompaniment: Removing the time container, moving toward a destination, and why this matches the lived experience of today's young people(00:22:00) - Where the Church gives too much back to modern organizational life: Semesters, confirmation timelines, conveyor belts, and the wide gulf between sacraments that gets left unmarked(00:42:00) - Where is the Catholic Church doing this well? Campus ministry and the digital missionary space, and why the larger institution has been slow to support either(00:46:00) - The global Catholic Church vs. U.S. Catholicism: Todos, encuentro, encuentro; why the rest of the world is far less precious about who gets to share their faith(00:47:00) - In defense of cultural Catholics: Are the people the institution dismisses actually modeling community better than the institution itself?(00:52:00) - The destination fallacy: We trick ourselves into thinking young people can arrive at a final faith state, but the real question is, will you be there when they inevitably keep asking questions?

    56 min
  3. A Church That Listens with Sebastian Gomes

    Jun 1

    A Church That Listens with Sebastian Gomes

    QUICK SUMMARY What does it actually mean for a 2,000-year-old institution to learn how to listen? In this season premiere of Religion to Reality, multimedia journalist and America Magazine podcast director Sebastian Gomes joins hosts Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich to unpack the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis's sweeping effort to transform the Catholic Church into a culture of genuine listening. If you've ever wondered whether the Church is really changing, or felt frustrated that it isn't changing fast enough, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE "The message is not getting through, so maybe we should listen instead." Sebastian traces Pope Francis's pivotal shift from speaking to listening, and why it took 12 years of declining church membership to get there. (16:00) Synodality is not a program, it's a culture. Sebastian explains why treating the synodal process like a church initiative is the most common misunderstanding people have, and what it actually means to change how an institution listens. (22:45) What people finally said when they felt safe. From women's voices to LGBT experiences to stories of poverty and marginalization, Sebastian describes the dramatic moments inside the synod hall when people said what they'd never felt free to say before. (30:30) The clergy problem. The most common frustration Sebastian hears from parishioners isn't about Rome, it's about their own pastor. He reflects honestly on why priests and bishops are often the biggest obstacle, and what to do about it. (25:00) Synodality is coming whether you like it or not. Using the analogy of the early internet, Sebastian makes the case that synodal culture will eventually shape every debate in the Church, from liturgy to parish closings to outreach to young people. (38:30) The Gen Z Catholic revival and why it's complicated. Hundreds of new converts entered the Church this Easter, making national news. Sebastian offers a nuanced take: it's real, it's notable, and it doesn't mean what you might think it means. (51:45) You can't become synodal by just reading about it. Sebastian reflects on the personal and spiritual dimensions of synodality, and why you actually have to do it in community before it can transform your prayer life. (46:30) ABOUT SEBASTIAN GOMES Sebastian Gomes is a multimedia journalist and the director of podcast and video production at America Magazine, the Jesuit Review. He holds a BA and MA in theology and history from St. John's University in Minnesota. His media career began in 2012 at Salt + Light Catholic Media in Toronto, where he produced award-winning documentaries, including The Francis Effect and The Francis Impact. In 2022, he wrote and directed People of God, America's first feature documentary on the state of parish life across the United States. Sebastian led America's coverage of the 2023–24 Rome gatherings of the Synod on Synodality and the 2025 papal election of Pope Leo XIV. He oversees America's weekly podcast portfolio, including Jesuitical, Inside the Vatican, and The Spiritual Life with Father James Martin. He is based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and contributes regularly to americamagazine.org. MEMORABLE QUOTE "Synodality is not a program. It's a culture. And resistance to synodality is also, in some ways, a resistance to the Holy Spirit — a lack of faith that God is actually present in our midst when we're together as a community." — Sebastian G... Chapters (00:07:00) - Fr. John explains why Sebastian was invited on: the synodal process and listening without agenda(00:09:00) - ebastian's origin story: accidentally falling into media, his first Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2012 under Pope Benedict(00:13:00) - Synodality is not a light switch, it's a process — why people are already "tired of the word"(00:17:00) - Sebastian's firsthand role covering the 2023 & 2024 Rome synod gatherings from the outside(00:23:00) - Synodality is a culture, not a program — the most significant insight(00:34:00) - Fr. John raises the conservative/progressive skew criticism of listening sessions(00:43:00) - Advice for interfaith dialogue: ecumenism was "sneakily important" at the synod; go in to listen, not to correct(00:51:00) - The wave of Easter converts: how should cradle Catholics listen to new members?(00:52:00) - The Gen Z Catholic revival is real but overstated — thousands still leaving for every 200 who arrive

    58 min
  4. Bonus: CARA Research with Fr. Tom Gaunt, SJ

    May 25 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: CARA Research with Fr. Tom Gaunt, SJ

    QUICK SUMMARY What does the data actually say about how Catholics live their faith today, and who counts as "active"? In this episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Fr. Thomas Gaunt, SJ, Executive Director of CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) at Georgetown University, to dig into 60 years of Catholic research. They explore why inactive Catholics still fiercely identify as Catholic, what a year of volunteer service does to marriage stability and vocations, and why radical listening—not big campaigns—may be the most powerful tool the Church has. If you work in parish ministry, Catholic education, or simply want to understand the real state of the faith in America, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.  IN THIS BONUS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE Why 30% of self-identified Catholics never attend Mass, yet refuse to stop calling themselves Catholic CARA's consistent finding that "care for the poor" ranks #2 in what Catholics say defines their faith The surprising discovery that 60% of young adult Catholics (18–35) are involved in faith-based activities outside Mass Why the divorce rate among Jesuit Volunteer Corps alumni was 2% vs. ~12% for comparable peers How 10–11% of male Catholic volunteers later entered seminary or religious life The massive demographic churn in the Catholic population, including that 1 in 4 U.S. Catholics is a foreign-born immigrant Why parish revitalization campaigns need to first ask the parish itself to change How radical welcome (e.g., parking lot ministers, easy websites, a real person answering the phone) does more than any grand strategy What Pope Francis's "arm around the shoulder" posture means for pastoral leadership Why listening without an agenda may be the most prophetic Christian witness in an age of polarization ABOUT FR. THOMAS GAUNT, SJ Fr. Thomas Gaunt is a Jesuit priest with 53 years in the Society of Jesus and 43 years of ordained ministry. He holds a doctoral degree in city planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill — making him a proud Tar Heel. He spent his early priesthood as a pastor and Director of Planning for the Diocese of Charlotte, NC, before serving as Formation Director for the Jesuits of the East and Executive Secretary of the Jesuit national office. For the past 14 years, he has served as Executive Director of CARA — the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate — located at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His research specialties include priesthood and religious life, the impact of volunteer service on young adults, and international Catholic research. RESOURCES MENTIONED CARA — Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate The CARA Report (Substack) CARA Book: Faith and Spiritual Life of Young Adult Catholics Catholic Volunteer Network Jesuit Volunteer Corps Nativity Parish / Rebuilt (Timonium, MD) Vinea Research (Hans Plate) Religion to Reality — DeSales Media Discipleship Study  MEMORABLE QUOTE "The most radical way to live the Christian life right now is to become a listener without an agenda." — Fr. John Gribowich EPISODE TIMESTAMPS Use these timestamps to jump to the moments that matter most to you: [00:00:00] Introducti... Chapters (00:00:00) - Vice President of the Jesuits' Center for Applied Research in the(00:02:16) - CARA Report is 30 years old(00:03:51) - Catholic discipleship study, expressive fruits(00:10:41) - An indelible Catholicism(00:15:28) - Catholic Church Attendance among Millennials(00:21:19) - The Catholic population and its mobility(00:26:17) - Common themes in the Catholic population survey(00:31:33) - The impact of volunteering on the volunteer experience(00:34:19) - The incidence of divorce among Jesuit volunteers(00:41:56) - Volunteers and their activities(00:44:48) - The Future of the Catholic Church(00:55:13) - Father Tom on the Need for Personal Connection(01:02:39) - The Importance of Research in the Church

    1h 9m
  5. Bonus: The Catholic Project with Stephen White

    May 11 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: The Catholic Project with Stephen White

    QUICK SUMMARY What does hard data reveal about the state of Catholic life in America—and what does it mean for the future of the Church? In this bonus episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Stephen White, Executive Director of The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation. Stephen draws on the landmark 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests—the largest priest survey in half a century—to explore trust, identity, community, and what it really takes to renew the Church from within. From the tension between clericalism and lay vocation, to the striking generational shifts among young priests, to the question of how genuine renewal actually happens in Church history, this episode offers both serious analysis and hopeful insight. Whether you’re a priest, a committed lay Catholic, or simply trying to understand where the Church is headed, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.  ABOUT STEPHEN WHITE Stephen White is the Executive Director of The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Founded in 2019 in response to the clerical abuse crisis, The Catholic Project works to foster collaboration and co-responsibility between clergy and laity. Stephen led the production of the acclaimed documentary podcast Crisis: Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church and oversaw the 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests. His background is in Catholic social teaching and philosophy, and he writes frequently on matters of faith, culture, and Church life. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE 1. The Catholic Project and the Crisis Podcast Founded in 2019 at Catholic University of America in response to the McCarrick revelations and Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report The Crisis podcast was produced during COVID, featuring deeply reported audio documentary-style episodes Goal: face the Church’s failures honestly while remaining constructive and rooted in love for the Church Fr. John shares that the podcast was part of his own healing journey as a survivor of clerical sexual abuse 2. The 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests The largest survey of priests in the United States in over 50 years Key findings include: Younger priests (ordained post-2000) describe themselves as significantly more theologically orthodox than older cohorts Younger priests are more likely to identify as politically moderate — cutting against simple “conservative priest” narratives The youngest cohort is the most racially and ethnically diverse There has been a dramatic collapse in priests identifying as liberal or progressive Younger priests experience more isolation: many are sole pastor of a parish from day one of ordination A follow-up longitudinal study is currently in development for spring 2025 3. Clericalism, Authority, and Church Renewal Clericalism is not only a top-down problem — bottom-up clericalism (laity expecting clergy to do everything) is widespread in the US Pope Francis has simultaneously called out clericalism and warned against “clericalizing the laity” All authority carries the potential for abuse; the response is vigilance, formation, and accountability — not the elimination of hierarchy The Church’s vertical (hierarchical) and horizontal (communal) dimensions must work together 4. How Genuine Church Renewal Happens Historically, renewal almost never comes from the top down institutionally It begins with one person or small group responding radically to the Gospel (e.g.... Chapters (00:00:00) - Foreign Words with the Catholic Project(00:00:50) - The Catholic Project: Steven White Interview(00:05:21) - The EWTN Podcast and the Study(00:09:19) - The Catholic Project and the Sexual Abuse Crisis(00:12:41) - On the hierarchical structure of the Church(00:18:49) - How does reform and renewal come into the church?(00:25:59) - On clericalism and the danger of it(00:31:18) - The separation of the sacramental life(00:37:30) - A moment of reflection on the family(00:38:40) - Domestic Church(00:43:18) - No More Intentional Discipleship(00:48:59) - Priest social life and the priesthood(00:58:01) - Priests and the challenges of priestly formation(01:01:54) - What Holds You Back from Sharing Your Faith?(01:03:37) - Priests and the need to be more involved in spiritual formation(01:05:43) - The issues of parish life(01:07:18) - The Way to Communication the Study(01:11:57) - The Fix to the Catholic Church: On Podcast(01:15:44) - Questions for priests in the 2020 survey(01:18:04) - What kinds of communities and cultures produce healthy vocations?(01:20:46) - Marriage and the Vocation(01:24:04) - The Catholic Project

    1h 32m
  6. Season 2 Teaser: Sacred Listening Across Faith Traditions

    Season 2 Trailer

    Season 2 Teaser: Sacred Listening Across Faith Traditions

    Season 2 of Religion to Reality is on the horizon—and it begins with a simple but urgent question: what does it mean to truly listen? In a world marked by noise, division, and constant distraction, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich return to the heart of the podcast’s mission: living an integrated life where faith isn’t separated from the rest of who we are. Reflecting on Season 1, they explore how one theme kept surfacing again and again—listening as a sacred act. This upcoming season builds on that foundation, asking: How do we become bridge builders with no agenda? How do we recognize God already at work in the person in front of us? Inspired by the spirit of Vatican II and the Church’s call to encounter and dialogue, Season 2 features conversations with voices across Christian communities and other faith traditions—not to debate or convert, but to listen. New episodes begin June 1, with weekly releases every Monday. Chapters (00:00:00) - Season 2: The Integrative Life

    5 min
  7. Bonus: The Needs of the Church with Fr. Joseph Gibino

    Apr 27 ·  Bonus

    Bonus: The Needs of the Church with Fr. Joseph Gibino

    QUICK SUMMARY What does it really mean for the Church to walk together — and what do Catholics in Brooklyn actually say they need? Fr. Joseph Gibino, pastor, vicar, deacon director, and co-director of Brooklyn's Synod on Synodality, pulls back the curtain on what the faithful are really asking for, and why the answer might surprise you. From family prayer to sacramental living to the radical act of listening without an agenda, this conversation is a hopeful, grounded look at where the Church is headed. IN THIS BONUS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE "The synod was never about divisive political issues — it was about how we journey together as the Body of Christ." (00:05:30) The three things Catholics in Brooklyn said they needed most — and how they mirror what the English-speaking world was saying (00:02:30) Why Fr. Joe says "listen" and "silent" share the same letters — and what that means for the Church (00:11:00) How family catechesis could be the key to reinvigorating the institutional Church (00:16:00) The simple prayer Fr. Joe says every morning before his feet hit the floor (00:37:30) Why today's teenagers love service — and what that tells us about where the Spirit is moving (00:44:30) Fr. John Gribowich on why we're in a "liminal" moment in Church history — and Fr. Joe's stunning response (00:57:00) "The Eucharist is not a reward for good behavior." What it really is — and why that changes everything (00:59:30) ABOUT FR. JOE GIBINO Fr. Joseph Gibino is pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Brooklyn Heights and administrator of St. James Cathedral. He serves the Diocese of Brooklyn as Vicar for Evangelization and Catechesis, Director of the Permanent Diaconate Program, and co-directed the Diocese's Synod on Synodality alongside Sister Mary Ann Seton LoPiccolo. He is also adjunct faculty at St. Joseph's Seminary and — by his own description — the diocese's chief "party planner" and wildfire put-outer. RESOURCES MENTIONED Synod on Synodality – Vatican Overview Diocese of Brooklyn Jubilee of Hope 2025 – Vatican Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe — referenced in the context of Latino Catholic communities shaping Brooklyn's pastoral identity Ignatian Examen (Nightly Examination of Conscience) — recommended by Fr. Joe as a nightly practice Neocatechumenal Way / ecclesial movements are mentioned as models for family faith formation Knights of Columbus — highlighted for their service work during the pandemic and with immigrant communities in Brooklyn Start Praying as a Family — Where to Begin Fr. Joe offers this simple on-ramp for families who feel disconnected from faith at home: Start with gratitude, not religion: "What are we thankful for today?" Try an Advent giving jar — brainstorm 30 simple acts of generosity as a family before December 1st Don't underestimate small acts: donating a meal's worth of money to a food bank, buying tube socks for a homeless shelter Evaluate at Christmas: How did we do? The Three Things Brooklyn Catholics Said They Need Better adult faith formation — people don't feel equipped to share their faith More support for youth and young adult faith form... Chapters (00:00:00) - Meet the Diocese of Brooklyn Pastor Joe Gibino(00:01:48) - The Synod on Synodality(00:05:56) - The Real Synod: Real listening(00:11:37) - The Secret to Good Hearing(00:13:44) - The community of the Catholic Church(00:19:18) - How do we as families encounter each other?(00:23:57) - The Way to Evangelize(00:28:56) - DeSales on Contemplating Christ in the Middle of Crisis(00:35:39) - Responsibility to the World(00:39:00) - Protestants on Measurement and Data(00:48:31) - The Catholic experience of Millennials(00:49:29) - The Problem of Inventiveness(00:53:03) - Liminality and the challenges of the Christian age(01:00:40) - Religion to Reality: The Sacramentality of the World

    1h 4m
  8. Bonus: Listening, Trust, and the Future of Faith with Josh Packard

    Apr 13

    Bonus: Listening, Trust, and the Future of Faith with Josh Packard

    QUICK SUMMARY: What if the biggest obstacle to ministry isn't a lack of resources, programs, or content — but a missing system for actually knowing the people in front of you? In this bonus episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Josh Packard, sociologist of religion and co-founder of Future of Faith, for a wide-ranging conversation about one of the most urgent challenges facing the Church today: how to do genuine relational ministry at scale. Drawing on years of research data and his experience at Spring Tide Research Institute and NCEA, Josh explains why trust in institutions is collapsing — and why the only antidote is time spent in a real, consistent relationship. He introduces practical tools anyone can download free at futureoffaith.org, shares why Gen Z isn't "leaving the church" (their parents already did), and makes a compelling case for why AI will only make human connection more, not less, essential. If you work in ministry, Catholic education, or any field that depends on reaching young people, this episode is required listening. ABOUT JOSH PACKARD Josh Packard is a sociologist of religion and a former professor at the University of Northern Colorado, where he taught applied sociology. He was the founding executive director of Spring Tide Research Institute, one of the most respected sources of data on youth and faith in the United States. He is now co-founder of Future of Faith, a nonprofit dedicated to helping ministry leaders build scalable relational tools grounded in a theology of sacred listening.   IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE: 1. Trust has collapsed — and that changes everything 2. Relational ministry needs a system, not just good intentions 3. The Text to Connect tool 4. Belonging before believing — and time before truth 5. Gen Z didn't leave — they were never there 6. The Church's strongest offering may be its most overlooked 7. AI will deepen — not solve — the relational challenge   0:00 — Introduction: Who is Josh Packard, and what is Future of Faith? 2:15 — The Core Problem: How do you do relational ministry at scale when people only trust what's right in front of them? 5:30 — The Free Tools: What the Future of Faith listening tools are and how to download them at futureoffaith.org. 10:30 — Text to Connect: A step-by-step walkthrough of the emoji-based check-in tool — and how a color-coded Google Sheet can transform youth ministry. 14:00 — The Youth Minister's Dilemma: A real-world portrait of a minister running on voice memos, Apple Notes, and reactive attention. 20:00 — Sacred Listening vs. Ministry with an Agenda: John challenges Josh: can you really listen without an end in mind? 23:30 — Time, Trust, Truth: The framework that flips the church's traditional approach: belonging before believing. .31:00 — Tarot, Crystals, and the Spiritual-but-not-Religious: Why young people are finding spiritual systems on TikTok that the Church hasn't figured out how to offer. 39:00 — Young People Aren't Leaving the Church: Josh pushes back: their parents left. The generation the Church is trying to reach was never there. 42:00 — The Church Is Answering Questions Nobody Is Asking: John on the disconnect between pulpit priorities and what young people actually need. 57:00 — AI and the Future of Trust: Why artificial intelligence will push the locus of trust lower — toward one-on-one relationships — and what that means for the Church.   MEMORABLE QUOTES For sharing on social media or in... Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:02:15) - The Core Problem(00:05:30) - The Free Tools(00:10:30) - Text to Connect(00:14:00) - The Youth Minister's Dilemma(00:20:00) - Sacred Listening vs. Ministry with an Agenda(00:23:30) - Time, Trust, Truth(00:31:00) - Tarot, Crystals, and Spiritual-but-not-Religious(00:39:00) - Young People Aren't Leaving the Church(00:42:00) - The Church is Answering Questions Nobody is Asking(00:57:00) - AI and the Future of Trust

    1h 1m
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About

Religion to Reality is a Catholic podcast about living an integrated life, one where faith isn't filed away in a separate drawer from the rest of who you are. In Season 2, we take that conviction somewhere new: into conversation with voices from other Christian traditions and other faiths entirely. Not to debate, not to draw lines, but to listen. Because the most radical thing we can do in a noisy, polarized world might be to sit with someone whose faith looks different from ours, and discover what God is already doing in them.

Information

  • Creator
    Dave Plisky
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 DeSales Media
  • Show Website
    Religion To Reality

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