Advancing Our Church

Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend hosts a conversation with experienced Catholic podcasters and social media experts on the topic of podcasting for Catholic organizations. Learn how these experienced podcasters got started, and what recommendations they have for beginning your podcast with a mission. Jim’s guests include Dr. Tim Uhl, Superintendent of School, Diocese of Buffalo, Host, Catholic School Matters Podcast, Christine Flynn, Host, Catholic Mamma Podcast, Daniel Boyd, Secretary for Laity, Family, and Life, Diocese of Orlando, Host, Being and Making Disciples Podcast, Sherry Hayes-Peirce, CEO, Communication Consultants Inc. & CIO of Church Social Tips, and Beau York, Executive Producer, Podastery Studios, the host of numerous podcasts including Red Flag, Country Squire Radio, Fash TV Talk and more.

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Our Sponsor

Advancing Our Church is a production of Changing Our World, a philanthropic, communications firm, providing over twenty years of Catholic Stewardship experience servicing parishes, dioceses, Catholic schools, and nonprofits. For more information, please visit us at www.changingourworld.com.

Jim Friend welcomes his Uncle, David C. Friend, veteran, entrepreneur, author, banker, teacher, pastor, and now podcaster of the popular new show, Quality Christian Living. David shares his story and experience of touring Vietnam, the early days of his career as a successful banker and entrepreneur, and how he became a full-time pastor of a growing Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jim and David also discuss David’s popular book, “Generosity: What’s in it for me?” and how the principles in his book can change your life. Finally, David talks about his new podcast, Quality Christian Living, where he shares tips on personal finance and living a debt-free life. David’s passion for Christ and his devotion to his family make this an inspiring story. Check out David Friend’s website for access to his podcast and links to his books.

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Our Sponsor

Advancing Our Church is a production of Changing Our World, a philanthropic, communications firm, providing over twenty years of Catholic Stewardship experience servicing parishes, dioceses, Catholic schools, and nonprofits. For more information, please visit us at www.changingourworld.com.

Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend and cohost, Anna Vallez, for a panel discussion with three pastors who share their experiences of adapting to a virtual environment over the past year. What lessons have they learned? What new parish practices have brought their communities closer together, and what will they carry forward into a post-pandemic Church? As parishioners begin to return home to Mass, how do these pastors think about returning to the real presence of the Eucharist and what steps will they take to welcome parishioners home? Hear how they have creatively engaged parishioners over the past year and how they are welcoming home them to the Lord’s Table. Our panel includes…

* Fr. Joseph Scolaro, Pastor, Notre Dame Church in New Hyde Park, New York* Fr. Mike Murphy, Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish in Coronado, California* Fr. Allen Hoffa, Pastor, St. Joseph Parish of the Panther Valley in Summitt Hill, Pennsylvania. As of June 20, 2021, Fr. Hoffa will be Pastor of Holy Guardian Angels Parish in Reading, Pennsylvania

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Recorded on June 9, 2021

Celebrate Juneteenth on June 19 with these resources:

Advancing Our Church and Changing Our World encourage you to celebrate Juneteenth with your friends and family. Only through prayer, education, and discussion can we overcome the racial divides that separate God’s family. Below are some resources for you…

The National Black Catholic Congress

The Juneteenth Foundation

How to Celebrate Juneteenth – The New York Times

2021 Juneteenth – Educational resources

19 ways to celebrate Juneteenth as a family – The Today Show

Miss Juneteenth (Consider watching the 2020 Movie. See a preview and read a review on Rotten Tomatoes)

Podcast: The History of Juneteenth on NPR

Our Sponsor

Advancing Our Church is a production of 

How have diocesan appeal changed since the start of the pandemic and how will diocesan professionals continue to adjust their strategies in 2021/22? Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend as he hosts a panel of top-notch experts who discuss the evolving landscape of Diocesan Appeals. Today’s guests include Brian Niebrugge, Executive Director of Stewardship and the Annual Catholic Appeal at Archdiocese of St. Louis, Marta Sweeney, Vice President, Chief Community Service Officer at The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, Lisa Wentz, Director, Charity, and Development Appeal at Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and Tom Smith, Director of Development Diocese of Metuchen.

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Our Sponsor

Advancing Our Church is a production of Changing Our World, a philanthropic, communications firm, providing over twenty years of Catholic Stewardship experience servicing parishes, dioceses, Catholic schools, and nonprofits. For more information, please visit us at www.changingourworld.com.

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Bishop Alfred Schlert, Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, joins Jim Friend on today’s show. Bishop Schlert discusses growing up in the Lehigh Valley, how the region has evolved, and the Bishop’s own vocation story. He describes how his vocation was the culmination of an internal journey with God and encouraged by his family and mentors. As a lifelong member of his diocese, Bishop Schlert’s road to the episcopacy has been unique. The Bishop served directly under all three of his predecessors, and he describes how that journey prepared him for the joys and challenges of his role as Bishop. Finally, Bishop Schlert discusses the 60th Anniversary of the Diocese, the theme of the Year of Real Presence, and how other dioceses and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are taking notice. 

For more information about the Diocese’s 60th Anniversary, and the Year of Real Presence, please visit the Diocesan Anniversary website located at https://yearofrealpresence.org.

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Recorded on May 26, 2021

About Bishop Alfred A. Schlert

Bishop Schlert was born in Easton, PA on July 24, 1961, and was educated at St. Jane Frances de Chantal Elementary School, Easton and Notre Dame High  School, Easton. He prepared for the Priesthood at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia,  the Pontifical Roman Seminary, Rome, and St. John Lateran University, Rome. He was ordained a  priest at the Cathedral of Saint Catharine of Siena, Allentown on September 19, 1987, by The Most  Reverend Thomas J. Welsh, Second Bishop of Allentown.

Bishop Schlert served as a Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Allentown, as a Professor at his alma mater, Notre Dame High School, Easton, and as the Catholic Chaplain at Lehigh University, Bethlehem. During his years at Notre Dame High School, he resided at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Easton, St. Bernard Church, Easton and Sacred Heart Church, Bath. He completed graduate studies at the Pontifical North American College, Rome, and the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome where he received a Licentiate in Canon Law in 1992.

He was named Vice-Chancellor and Secretary to Bishop Welsh in 1997 before being named Vicar General of the Diocese by The Most Reverend Edward P. Cullen, Third Bishop of Allentown, in 1998. As Vicar General, he oversaw the coordination of all administrative offices of the Diocese. While still serving as Vicar General, he was appointed Pastor of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Hellertown in July 2008. Upon the Ordination and Installation of The Most Reverend John O. Barres, Fourth Bishop of Allentown, he was reappointed as the Vicar General of the Diocese and resumed full-time service as Vicar General in February 2010, with residence at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Hellertown, until his Ordination as the Fifth Bishop of Allentown.

Pope St. John Paul II named him Chaplain to His Holiness with the title of Monsignor in 1999. Pope Benedict XVI named him a Prelate of Honor, the second-highest rank of Monsignor, in 2005.

Bishop Schlert served as Vice President of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conf...

Today’s Show

Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend welcomes Fr. Thomas Dailey, the inaugural John Cardinal Foley Chair of Homiletics & Social Communications at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia. Fr. Dailey has a new book, Behold This Heart: St. Francis de Sales and Devotion to the Sacred Heart, available on Amazon. In the book, Fr. Thomas Dailey transports the reader beyond the prayers and liturgies and helps you to contemplate the Sacred Heart, which Pope Benedict XVI said has irreplaceable importance. Jim and Fr. Dailey also discuss the role of the John Cardinal Foley Chair and the impact Fr. Dailey is making on Seminarians, parishes, and dioceses. The John Cardinal Foley Chair supports the work of the Catholic Church in the realm of social communications by teaching seminary students and church groups, working with staff in parishes and (arch)dioceses, and engaging in dialogue with journalists and media professionals.

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Recorded on May 12, 2021

About Fr. Dailey

Fr. Dailey is the inaugural John Cardinal Foley Chair of Homiletics & Social Communications at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia where he has served since 2017. The Cardinal Foley Chair supports the work of the Church in the realm of Gospel communications by educating seminarians and other students, informing staff in parishes and (arch)dioceses, and dialoguing with journalists and media professionals.

Prior to his appointment at the seminary, Fr. Dailey served on the faculty of DeSales University (Center Valley, PA) for 29 years. There he was a tenured professor of Theology, the inaugural Fr. Louis Brisson Chair in Salesian Spirituality, and the founding director of the Salesian Center for Faith & Culture. He also taught at Immaculata University, the Washington Theological Union, and in the National Institute for Clergy Formation.

Fr. Dailey earned a doctoral degree in sacred theology (S.T.D.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome), where he completed his dissertation on the biblical Book of Job. He has lectured internationally on topics in biblical theology, Salesian spirituality, and Catholic higher education. He has written, edited or translated nine books and more than fifty articles/chapters in a variety of scholarly and pastoral publications worldwide. He writes a monthly column and is featured regularly in podcasts on CatholicPhilly.com. He has also contributed blog posts and authored white papers as a Research Fellow for the Catholic Leadership Institute (Malvern, PA).

He is a member of the editorial board of the Indian Journal of Spirituality (Bangalore) and serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Catholic Higher Education. He is featured among the members at CatholicSpeakers.com and has appeared on radio and television in both regional and national markets. He also served on the Communications Committee for the World Meeting of Families and the visit of Pope Francis to the USA in 2015.

In 2013 Fr. Dailey was elected to the Academy of Catholic Theology,

Today’s Show

We are pleased to welcome Archbishop Leonard P. Blair, S.T.D., Shepherd of the Archdiocese of Hartford, to our program this week. Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend and Fred Roberts talk with Archbishop Blair about welcoming back the faithful to Mass this coming weekend after a long pandemic. The three men also discuss the Diocesan Young Adult Conference (taking place the week of May 17, 2021) and vocational ministry, including the Archbishop’s own vocation story. Finally, Fred and the Archbishop discuss the successful diocesan capital campaign, Forward in Faith, on which Changing Our World has been honored to partner with the Hartford Bishop’s Foundation.

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Recorded on May 14, 2021

About Archbishop Blair

Archbishop Blair was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Detroit on June 26, 1976. He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary College, Detroit; the North American College, Rome; and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. Archbishop Blair holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History from Sacred Heart Seminary College; a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University; a Licentiate in Theology (S.T.L.) with a specialization in Patristics and the History of Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University; and a Doctorate in Theology (S.T.D.) from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome.

Archbishop Blair served as a pastor three times in the Archdiocese of Detroit. His former parishes include St. Martin de Porres, Warren; Our Lady of Queen of Peace, Harper Woods; St. Christopher, Detroit; and St. Paul, Grosse Pointe Farms. Other assignments included: Instructor in Church History and Patristics, Saint John’s Provincial Seminary, Plymouth; Archivist for the Archdiocese of Detroit; Administrative Secretary to the Archbishop of Detroit; Vicar General and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Detroit; Consultor; Dean of Studies and Assistant Professor of Theology, Sacred Heart Major Seminary College, Detroit; Ecumenical Officer of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Assignments in Rome were in the Vatican Secretariat of State and later the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See as Secretary to Edmund Cardinal Szoka.

Over the years, Archbishop Blair has served on several United States Conference of Catholic Bishops committees. These Committees include Women in Society & the Church; the Committee on Catechesis; and the Subcommittee on the Catechism, which he chaired. In recent years, he also served as the Committee chair on Evangelization & Catechesis and as a member of the Doctrine Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty. He currently serves as the chairman of the Committee on Divine Worship.

On today’s show, Jim Friend interviews Patrick Markey, the former Executive Director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, who begins this year as the Leadership Roundtable’s inaugural Managing Partner. Markey officially assumes his new role in May 2021 and will lead the nonprofit in its next phase of growth and service to the Catholic Church. Get to know Patrick Markey during this conversation about faith, leadership and the future of our Church.

About Patrick Markey

Markey is a sought-after voice on leadership, finances, and other temporal affairs. He has spent most of his career serving the Church, developing strong relationships with bishops and diocesan leaders across the U.S., and promoting best practices to carry out its mission. Since 2013 he has led the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, which is the association of Catholic diocesan finance officers in the United States and Canada. Prior to that, he led the Office of National Collections for the USCCB, which oversees nine of the 13 national collections held in almost 17,000 parishes annually, and raises and distributes more than $90 million per year through targeted grant programs.

Please visit the Leadership Roundtable‘s website for more information about their services.

Today’s Show

Our guest today is Mark Conzemius, President at the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. Mark has been president of the Foundation since 1994, and during that time he has significantly grown the assets by inviting the faithful of the Diocese of Sioux Falls to leave a legacy of love and faith. Mark has a long history in leadership, relationship development, fundraising, and public speaking, and a deep faith that guides him in this mission. Join Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend for this inspiring discussion and learn how Catholic Stewardship has come alive in Eastern South Dakota.

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Recorded March 6, 2021

About the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls

The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls was established in 1889 by Pope Leo XIII, and has been a significant presence in eastern South Dakota. For 125 years, it has not only spread the message of the Gospel but has lived the message through its ministries and parishes. Through spiritual and sacramental outreach, educational endeavors, and a commitment to service, the Church has made a difference in people’s lives. They strive to continue this tradition by making the Diocese an even better place to live, learn, work and worship. The Diocese of Sioux Falls is headed by Most Rev. Donald E. DeGrood and numbers over 120,000 baptized members.

Today’s Show

Changing Our World‘s Jim Friend talks with Cande de Leon, Executive Director of the Office for Mission Advancement in the Diocese of Phoenix about his new book, Heart of the Mission: Simple Ways to Bring People to Jesus. In the book, Cande shows what it takes to get back on track. With wisdom and humor born of his own experience, he shows how our Christian mission always begins and ends with people. To help us live this in our daily life and work, he guides us through three transformational principles for ministry and life: Strengthening relationships, Boldly growing engagement, and Connecting people to the mission.

Whether you are a pastor, part of a parish staff, or a volunteer at your home parish, these principles apply to you. Because if we really want to make transformational change in our Church and our world, we first have to recognize the people in front of us — who they are, what they need, what gifts God has given them, and how he is inviting them to participate in the mission of the Church. Not merely another program to transform your parish, this book offers a simple yet radical invitation to roll up your sleeves and make a difference by getting back to basics.

Order Heart of the Mission on Amazon.

About Cande de Leon

Cande de Leon has served as executive director of the Office of Mission Advancement for the Diocese of Phoenix since 2016. He leads a team committed to advancing the mission of Christ through stewardship, evangelization, and discipleship formation. He spent seven years in the Diocese of Corpus Christi serving as the director of parish stewardship and development, where he raised over $37 million (with a goal of $18 million) for the Legacy of Faith ~ Future of Hope Capital & Endowment Campaign. Cande has been married to his wife, Rosemary, for 23 years. They have four daughters.

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Recorded February 26, 2021