The Real + True Podcast OSV Podcasts

In this podcast, we’re joined by Jennifer Baugh, the founder of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP). Parish ministries often overlook one crucial age range – people who have recently graduated college but haven’t yet fully established themselves in a career or marriage. For the Church to better evangelize and accompany this age range, we need to understand their unique needs. We discuss Gen Z and the various methods YCP uses to reach this age range, as well as practical ways parish leaders can learn from YCP. 
(00:00) Edmund introduces Jennifer Baugh and she shares her personal story of growing up Catholic but rediscovering her Catholic faith. She also shares the origins of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) and what prompted her to start this ministry. Edmund and Jennifer discuss this often overlooked demographic – that of people who have just graduated college but haven’t yet established themselves in a marriage or career and are searching for community and are open to hearing how someone could live out their faith in a secular and professional context. These individuals don’t always fit in a parish young adult or college ministry but also have a hard time finding community among the adult ministries in parish, as these are often filled with older married adults with children.
(10:49) Jennifer explains why YCP uses “networking events” to attract young Catholic professionals. She also speaks about the fruit they’ve seen from these events, and what parish leaders can learn from them. She offers a few examples of how a parish leader could practically implement these principles into their parish ministry. One challenge is finding balance between a purely social gathering and a direct and explicit evangelizing event. The key here is balance and intentional invitation into something deeper as a next step to the networking event. 
(19:23) YCP offers one-on-one mentorship and has seen fruit from this model. Jennifer shares what YCP has learned from this mentorship program and what parish leaders can learn from this model. Jennifer also shares what she has seen as the unique challenges Gen Z is facing in general and in relation to the faith. 
(24:48) Jennifer shares how the catechism had a huge impact on her faith journey. She discusses the need to not just present intellectual knowledge when we present the faith, but the need, especially with younger generations, to present a personal invitation to a new way of living with Jesus that is compelling. YCP has found that using the stories of lives of Saints helps give a concrete practical example of this life in Christ to people who are struggling to fully embrace the Catholic Church. She also explains the importance of volunteers and hospitality to help people build relationships, not just gain knowledge. 
(31:38) We close this episode with Jennifer sharing that parish leaders can visit youngcatholicprofessionals.org to find out more about the ministry. She also shares about the national conference and ways that parishes can help host events for their local young Catholic professionals in collaboration with YCP.

This episode is sponsored by: "An Introduction to Sacred Scripture" With Dr. Dr. Mary Healy, shms.edu/online
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Summary: In this podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Timothy O’Malley, Notre Dame Professor of Theology and Director of Education at the McGrath Institute. This episode tackles the relationship between catechesis and evangelization and what parish leaders can practically do in light of this relationship. The need to evangelize plays out on the ground in parishes. And many parish leaders don’t know where to start when it comes to practically making a difference in the “age of disaffiliation,” as Dr. Tim describes it. Dr. Tim also unpacks the need for developing a Eucharistic culture in order to more effectively evangelize in a world where most people are greatly influenced by a culture at odds with the Gospel. 
Dr. O’Malley researches and teaches at Notre Dame in the areas of liturgical-sacramental theology, marriage and family, Catholic higher education, catechesis, preaching, and spirituality. He is also the author of nine books on topics related to the liturgy, OCIA, the Eucharist, sacramental theology, marriage and family, and liturgical formation.
Show Notes: 
(00:00) Edmund introduces us to this podcast’s guest, Dr. Timothy O’Malley who is a Notre Dame Professor of Theology and Director of Education at the McGrath Institute. Dr. Tim shares his background and how he became interested in theology and academia. Dr. Tim describes his perspective on the modern phenomenon of people leaving the church in large numbers. He describes this as an age of disaffiliation. 
(07:42) Dr. Tim explains why culture is such an important factor when we are discussing evangelization. Even among people who attend Mass weekly, they will at most only experience a Christ-centered culture for a very small percentage of their week. He offers some suggestions on how parish leaders can help people cultivate a Christ-centered culture in their lives and how parishes can build a more robust culture to invite people into this meaningful and Eucharistic life. Dr. Tim also explains a common mistake in sacramental preparation - that the sacraments are just about presence.
(16:59) The conversation turns to the reality that the Mass is often the first and only place people experience the Church in their lives. Should the Mass be a place for evangelization? How can and should parish leaders practically balance the opportunity for evangelization with the reality of the Mass? Dr. Tim explains how the Mass is the ordinary space of evangelization for Catholics. He also addresses preaching, liturgy, and reverence.
(23:56) How should parish leaders understand parish membership? Dr. Tim speaks about the idea of belonging to a parish and the need to accompany people with real authentic relationships and empathy. The conversation also turns to the importance of being flexible to the specific needs of individuals, instead of rigidly applying processes to large groups of people without understanding the unique needs of families. He suggests fostering a eucharistic culture in parishes and responding to requests for sacraments with an improv attitude of "yes, and" rather than a mere institutional style of "yes, but."
(29:24) Dr. Tim shares about the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame. He also explains the relationship between the McGrath Institute and Notre Dame as a two-way bridge that brings the best of academic life to the Church and the best of Church life to the academy in order to foster a fruitful conversation. The institute is dedicated to cultivating a vibrant Catholic culture in the United States and around the world by forming leaders who are equipped to renew the Church and serve the common good. Through its various programs, the institute seeks to promote the renewal of the Catholic imagination and the revitalization of Catholic intellectual and cultural life
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Summary: 
“We are entrusted to each other.” In this podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Lesley M. Rice, Assistant Professor of Bioethics at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at The Catholic University of America. Today she shares about the WHY behind the Church’s teachings on IVF, reproductive technologies, end of life care, and how God’s plan for life and love leads to the fullest life. Dr. Rice gives us a framework and furthering studying in order to uphold our human dignity and those who are entrusted to us. 


Show Notes: 

(04:37) Edmund introduces us to this podcast’s guest, Dr. Lesley Rice from the Catholic University of America. The discussion begins with Dr. Rice gives us an explanation of bioethics, that is, how we understand our actions and their significance. Edmund outlines that the Catechism is a summary of the deposit of faith, but the deposit of faith doesn't go into every single unique situation. And the deposit of faith doesn't have every single scientific advancement and scenario outlined. So this is why this podcast’s discussion is important. 


(06:00) Dr. Rice explains that bioethics touch many topics, including reproductive technologies, euthanasia, and  physician assisted suicide. Thankfully, our Catholic faith offers us a patrimony, a rich heritage of, of principles and truths that can inform our decision making. She explains, “What the Church teaches, she teaches because it's true.” Dr. Rice explains Church’s stance on IVF and artificial insemination. 


(13:10) Science at the service of the human person: Dr. Lesley Rice shares a fuller vision of the human person and our purpose and destiny as creatures of a loving God. She goes on to explain the role of science in our lives. “The ambitions of science are good in the sense of alleviating suffering.” However, when science gives us a sense of total autonomy from God, and control over suffering, this can be dangerous for the human person. 


(18:42) Intentions and consequences: Edmund brings up the point that our morality and ethical understanding of actions must be considered from start to finish, and a good end for an action does not give us license to hurt or violate the rights of another. 


(23:13) A deeper look into IVF: Dr. Lesley Rice affirms the good of the intention to want a child. She shares more about the harmful effects of IVF and how the procedure violates the rights of the married couple, as well as the child. Dr. Rice says that IVF “takes away the individuality” of the embryo, which simplifies human beings at their smallest level to something to be manipulated. 


(27:27) Edmund asks Dr. Rice how our audience can prepare themselves and navigate facing difficult ethical questions in their lives personally or with family members. Dr. Rice mentions reading Part III of the Catechism, as well as reading, John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae.


An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

Summary:  This episode is a concise and practical explanation of a way to use a unique feature of the catechism to unlock scripture. Using the index of citations, found in the back of the catechism, we can look up specific passages of scripture and find all the paragraphs of the catechism that reference this scripture passage. This is a great way to read scripture and the catechism together and view scripture through the eyes of the Church. This is also a wonderful way to incorporate the catechism into our time of prayer with scripture, while also making us more familiar with the catechism in an effective way. 

(00:12) Edmund sets up the problems we face when we try to read or pray with the Bible, as well as when we try to read through the catechism. It can be hard to read through large passages of the catechism without a way to make it relevant to our own life. When reading the Bible, it can at times be hard to pray with passages without knowing how the Church might interpret or view the passage in light of Divine Revelation. Praying with the catechism AND the Bible can be a powerful way to unlock both. 


(02:54) Edmund explains the index of citations, found in the back of the catechism. Using the index of citations, we can look up a passage of scripture and see everywhere that verse or passage is cited throughout the catechism. We’ll see paragraphs of the catechism listed, which we can turn to and read to shed more light on the passage of scripture.


(04:27) Edmund uses Luke 19:1-10, the story of Zacchaeus meeting Jesus, as an example passage for using the index of citations. The catechism references this passage of scripture in paragraphs 2712, 1443, and 2412. By reading these three short paragraphs, we can shed more light on how the Church views this story of Zacchaeus meeting Jesus. 


(15:33) Edmund recommends other Scripture passages to try combining with the catechism: John 6:54, Luke 1:37, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Genesis 3:15, Luke 3:21, and Isaiah 43:1-7. Edmund also makes some final suggestions on other ways to use the index of citations, the Bible, and the catechism. One suggestion is to read the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday and referring to the index of citations to then look up the  catechism paragraphs

This episode is sponsored by The CatholicTV Network on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/CatholicTV
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

S2E8 Podcast Show Notes: Mari Pablo 


 Mari Pablo, a seasoned religious educator and youth minister, joins Edmund on this episode of the Real+True Podcast. Their discussion starts with dissecting Maris’ pedagogy in presenting the Church’s moral teaching, the importance of ‘first principles,’ building trust with students, and finally the power of personal testimony. Edmund asks Mari how she’d respond to a family member or co-worker who confronts her with a difficult question related to Church teaching; her response is powerful. Learn how to bring the powerful truths of our faith to life in a way that impacts hearts, and honors the beauty of our Catholic tradition.

Show Notes:

(00:12) Edmund welcomes Mari Pablo to the Real+True podcast. Mari graduated from Franciscan University with a double major in theology and psychology. Mari holds a Master of Theology from the Augustine Institute. She has worked in youth ministry for over 15 years. Mari currently serves with The Evangelical Catholic. Edmund and Mari discuss Mari’s first encounter with the Catechism. When teaching theology, Mari shares that her goal is to help her students see God’s plan for their lives: “What God teaches about morality will make them the happiest and freest and give them the best life possible.” 
(08:45) Going back to first principles: Mari discusses her pedagogy in presenting the Church’s moral teaching. She explains that she builds moral truths off of the truths of God and the human person: “Truth is real and you are created good.” And then after that foundation is in place, she then presents the Church’s teaching on morality within the context of that larger framework and worldview. This is also done once there is a foundation of truth set with her classroom.
(17:34) The power of personal testimony: Mari shares the impact of implementing her own testimony when presenting the Church’s more difficult teachings. She says she isn’t afraid to admit to her students that her heart has been changed over time on morality and her conversion has been an ongoing process. She emphasizes the power of personal testimonies, and even the testimonies of her students. 
(24:06) When you’re asked a hard question: Edmund asks Mari to walk the listeners through a confrontation with someone asking a challenging question about the faith, “Take a breath, take a step back. Ask questions, and thank them for the question. Respond lovingly. Be patient. Break it down. Ask the Lord to help you. Know when to end the conversation, and when to say, “I don’t know the answer but I’d love to get back to you.’” Edmund encourages listeners, “when you’re reading the Catechism, ask yourself, ‘what does this have to do with Jesus?” Always bring everything back to Jesus.”

This episode is sponsored by Religious Freedom Week 2023, http://www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.

“I'm convinced most of our problems in catechesis is we spend more time talking about what God wants of us than who God is.” Deacon Bob Rice, professor of Catechetics at Franciscian University of Steubenville, joins us to dive into the heart of catechesis, what our youth are most hungry for, how we can share the Gospel with those far from God, and how to make the bridge between dogma and everyday life. “They all need Jesus. They just don't know they need Jesus.” 

Show Notes: 
(00:12) Edmund kicks off the episode by introducing the guest: Deacon Bob Rice. He's a Catholic deacon, professor, podcaster, speaker, musician, and author at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Edmund starts the conversation by asking Deacon Bob, “How did you first discover the Catechism?” Deacon Bob shares his mystical experience while reading the Catechism for the first time, and emphasizes that it's an expression of the deposit of faith and not the deposit of faith itself.
(06:50) The importance of the preparation step: “Catechesis is oftentimes almost presented like an answer to a question no one was asking.” Deacon Bob and Edmund discuss the Ecclesial method and the importance of preparation in catechesis. They stress the need to understand the audience and their struggles instead of focusing solely on programs. Deacon Bob emphasizes that we need to see the goodness in people and treat catechesis as a way to build relationships and understand their needs.
(14:55) “How do you know when it’s time to talk about Jesus?” Deacon Bob emphasizes that building relationships and understanding people is key to evangelizing effectively. He reminds us that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God and shares the importance of seeing the good in others. “Culture is made up of men and women who are made in the image and likeness of God.“ =
(20:33) Formally handing on the faith: advice to parents, teachers, and catechists. Dcn. Rice gives us his insights into how to bring “dogma into everyday life.” He shares, “love how the Catechism is structured. Morality is called Life in Christ. So it's about being like Jesus.” He gives us three things to keep in mind: First, “Always make it about Jesus.”  Second, use the beauty of your own witness and that of the saints. Third, connect everything to the Gospel message.
(26:57) “What do you see as the hunger in our youth?” Our guest shares that he sees human contact as the greatest hunger right now with young people. Additionally, he adds “truth and being able to trust the source” are dynamics young people struggle with right now.   
An OSV Podcasts partner. Discover more ways to live, learn, and love your Catholic faith at osvpodcasts.com. Sharing stories, starting conversations.