Description

 In this episode I share an upcoming highlight - speaking at SEEK 2026 - as well as four of my favorite podcast moments from 2025, as well as a few things to come in 2026.

Here are the three questions I asked:

Which episode in Season 5 (2025) resonated most with you and why?

Who should I interview in 2026? And do you have an “in” with any of the following ‘dream guests’ (Sr. Miriam Heidland, Bishop Barron, Msgr Shea, Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, or Louis Giglio)

What do you think about the idea of me sharing some “Daily Reading Reflections”, occasionally, in the Better Preach Podcast feed?

If you have thoughts on one or more of the above, please fill out the contact form at www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

 Everybody rambles, all of us do. Run on sentences, tream of consciousness, and too much information. We all do it. Whether you're new to speaking or you're OG, it plagues us all. And the trick though, is recognizing it. You know when it happens, exploring the possible root causes and then figuring out what you can do to fix it.

And in today's episode, we're gonna look at each of those three things: what it is, why we do it, and what we can do about it.

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

True confession - I am often in search of the perfect talk. Like Bigfoot, I know it’s out there, I catch a glimpse every once in a while, but just when I think I’m hot on the trail and figuring it out - it eludes me.

But is that what we are really after?  The perfect talk?  Not only is there likely no such thing, but even if there was - what if told you that that brief prayer time at the end of your talk might be what REALLY matters.    And this isn’t something we have a whole lot of experience with, but based on this conversation today with Megan Copeland  - committing to praying towards encounter with your audience MIGHT be a game changer we’ve too often overlooked or taken for granted.  

Megan Copeland is a Catholic Speaker in Austin, TX and the host of the His Beloved Catholic Podcast. She is also a wife and mom of four kids. Megan has a heart for revival and a mission to invite each person she speaks to into a lasting encounter with Jesus.

Megan’s Website >
https://www.hisbelovedcatholic.com/

His Beloved Podcast > https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/his-beloved-catholic-podcast/id1533376324

Girls Arise Podcast > 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girls-arise-a-podcast-for-catholic-girls/id1612089855

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

 Today is a unique episode. I wanna share a talk that I gave from the SEEK 2025 conference, an Impact Session, during those days in Salt Lake City.

The Grace of Praise? We don't often think of it that way, that the church in her Scriptures and in particular in her liturgy, remind us, of course, that we have a command, a duty to praise the Lord, but why? Is it good for God? Well, the liturgy kind of answers that question, and I share that today. I'll leave that as a little bit of a cliffhanger.

It's good for us.

And in this talk today, I share three ways that praise is God's gift to us and for our lives.

Big shout out of thanks to FOCUS and the SEEK team for allowing me to republish this talk on my podcast feed. Please go check out all of the talks from Seek and other podcasts and videos and YouTube sorts of things from focus on seekreplay.com. The other thing to note is that at the end of the talk I allude to a Litany of Praise, and this was a Litany of Praise that I wrote and that I'd love to share with you.

Most of us would love to grow in this gift of praise. We just don't have the vocabulary always, or the repetition or even the impetus or the encouragement to do it. Today would be that day. Praise is one of God's greatest gifts to you.

- SEEK Replay - seekreplay.com

- Litany of Praise - Get it here!

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

You are in for a treat today…you are about to enter “evangelizing catechesis heaven”.  If there is one thing that I believe about teaching and preaching it is that “when you teach, preach!”  Catechists can no longer (and this has been true for a long time) assume that the people they are teaching have a real life relationship with Jesus.  So…all of our teaching has to be imbued with the core Gospel message.  But HOW??  How do you do this?  Well this is exactly what we dig deeply into today!  And I am pumped for you to check it out!

Bio

Dr. James Pauley is Professor of Theology and Catechetics and editor of The Catechetical Review at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is the author of two books focused on the renewal of catechesis: An Evangelizing Catechesis: Teaching from Your Encounter with Christ and Liturgical Catechesis in the 21st Century: A School of Discipleship . Dr. Pauley began working as a parish catechetical leader in 1989 and has served professionally in parish, diocesan, and university catechetical formation for more than thirty years. Having received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Liturgical Institute at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in 2014, he enjoys serving as a frequent speaker in dioceses and parishes nationwide on a variety of topics related to evangelization, catechesis, and the transformative sacramental encounter. Dr. Pauley is married to Katrina, and they are blessed with three daughters.

Link to Evangelizing Catechesis book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1681924323/ref=mes-dp?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=DUOSP&content-id=amzn1.sym.27ff3460-3571-4b3a-9a28-9e9ebed7694a&pf_rd_p=27ff3460-3571-4b3a-9a28-9e9ebed7694a&pf_rd_r=Y2DHAC109F5MTTZJPC1R&pd_rd_wg=EQ0CO&pd_rd_r=329769cb-ccf0-4f36-8c68-ceab749dad70

Link to Liturgical Catechesis book:

https://www.amazon.com/Liturgical-Catechesis-21st-Century-Revised/dp/1616716819/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1683257851&refinements=p_27%3AJames+C.+Pauley&s=books&sr=1-2&text=James+C.+Pauley

Link to the Catechetical Review journal:

https://franciscanathome.com/cr

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

A picture is worth a thousand words. We know that saying very well, and it's, it's really true. In fact, I was just on a call with a colleague from across the country earlier this week and you know, when you're on, or Zoom and, and you're talking to one another and you're trying to describe what it is that you're planning on or thinking, and if there's a document or even better kind of an image or a diagram that kind of lays out what you're describing, you wanna say just like, well, hey, can I just show you?

You know, can I just share my screen? I'm sure you've been there and after I shared my screen. Then everything kind of made sense. I was able to explain it better. The other person was able to see it better, uh, not you know, listening to me describe it, but actually to see it on paper. Really made the difference.

And,. I think the same thing can be true in Catholic talks and in particular how we might employ the beauty, the evangelizing. Beauty of sacred art. Today I want to dig into how and why we might use sacred art in our talks.

Here’s an image of the bronze sculpture that made such an impact on me at the Vatican Museums

https://www.everypixel.com/image-12179653852684922977

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

I’ve often repeated the phrase that “communication is not what is said, but rather what is heard”, which is similar to Thomas Aquinas when he says that “everything that is received, is received in the mode of the receiver” (not the deliverer or presenter).  Through many incredible stories (which included one of my favorite “worst talk stories” ever), ministry convictions, and tons of practical examples, Michael Marchand always aims to lean into the wisdom and life experiences of the audiences he speaks to.  More than just ‘knowing your audience’, he and his colleagues at Project YM have made a habit of seeking out deep, meaningful engagement with the audiences they are serving, training, and leading.  

Bio

Michael Marchand is a preacher, teacher, and innovator who is focused on serving his (second) favorite group of people on the planet: Catholic youth ministers. After years of working in parish youth ministry, Michael cofounded ProjectYM to do just that. Since then, his work with ProjectYM has taken him across the country and around the world – training, equipping, and supporting thousands of youth ministry leaders...and letting them know that they matter.

Link to Project YM’s special page for listeners of Better Preach  - https://projectym.com/preach

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

 When you are giving a talk there are many things that can go wrong, apart from anything related to your content, preparation and delivery. 

What do you do when the mic fails, video glitches, or powerpoint dies?  How do you react when no one shows up to your talk or teenagers won’t stop looking at their phones?  

In this conversation with my trusty occasional co-host, Connor Flanagan we dig into each of these questions and more…

Things will often go wrong   How will you respond?  There’s a lot more riding on your response than you might think. 

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death a few years ago, the conversation in the Church and America turned swiftly to race.  And as often is the case those national conversations make their way into (and in a few years) out of, our lives.  Today, I’d like to send that email again and you know,  bring it to the top of your inbox.  The discussion about race is an important one - not just for Americans at large, but for Catholics in the US, as well. 

The issue is personal for me. My family, as you know is multi-racial - my youngest son is African American -  and living in the Twin Cities through George Floyd, and the riots that followed - this question of racism and its effects has been top of mind since.  In fact, the overlap of racial justice and poverty has been the context for the works of mercy God has invited my family into since 2020.  

Along the way I started listening to Gloria Purvis’ podcast, who I am excited and honored to interview. Her podcast and writing has been a wonderful education on what it means to be black and Catholic in the US today.  I encourage you to check it out if you haven’t yet. 10/10 recommend!

Gloria Purvis is an author, commentator and the host and executive producer of The Gloria Purvis Podcast.  Through her media presence, she has been a strong Catholic voice for life issues, religious liberty, and racial justice. 

Link to Gloria Purvis’ talk at the National Eucharistic Congress 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWAxXDYNr38

Information about the process of Canonization for the first African American Saint.  There are currently seven, underway.  

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/road-sainthood-leaders-african-descent

Book: Slavery by Another Name by Douglas Blackmon

https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Another-Name-Re-Enslavement-Americans/dp/B002D1W8ZY

Watch: Eyes on the Prize (2 Seasons) on Prime. There is a paywall, but the series is available here: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.26619625-5243-4ea9-8b09-850310b93c4d?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

Book: When Affirmative Action was White by Ira Katznelson

https://www.amazon.com/When-Affirmative-Action-White-Twentieth-Century/dp/1324051086?adgrpid=180140477444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=748008426879&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=776688375324422722&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019551&hvtargid=dsa-2414841786926&hydadcr=&mcid=&hvocijid=776688375324422722--&hvexpln=67&tag=googhydr-20&hvsb=Politics_d&hvcampaign=dsadesk

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list. 

Description

So in my opinion, AI, and this is probably your opinion too, AI is here to stay and preparing talks as one example, which we'll get into, get into today, will never be the same. And I'm a bit late to the game for sure on this one, as many of you have been asking me, Hey, what are your thoughts on AI and preaching and that sort of thing?

And, and I think this is a great question and I'm excited to kind of dig into it today. And, um, to do that, I wanna share three simple ways that I use AI for many of the talks that I develop. Nowadays, I'm wondering if you do the same thing. In fact, I've put together a poll question on Spotify for any of you Spotify listeners out there, the video is on there as well.

The video that I throw on YouTube. Um, asking this very thing, a poll question on Spotify, how do you use AI with talk or homily prep? Please check that out. I would love to hear your thoughts. In addition to the three ways that I use ai, I also share two cautions that I hold as well when it comes to the overlap of preaching and this technology stick around.

That's sort of at the end and a really fun part of the conversation. Joining me today and sharing. His insights as well from the perspective of songwriting is my trustee occasional co-host, the One and only Connor Flanagan. Please be sure to answer the poll question on Spotify and stop by and say hi on Instagram at Better Preach.Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.