Conversations with the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture

Tommy Rosson, Executive Director of Houston Responds, (https://www.houstonresponds.org/), joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to discuss the work of Houston Responds during Covid-19. Tommy describes how the organization has had to pivot from only Hurricane Harvey relief efforts to help those in need during the pandemic, including their “Masks for All” campaign. He talks about how Houston Responds brings all faith traditions and churches together to help meet the needs in our community.

Cynthia Colbert, President & CEO of Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, (https://catholiccharities.org/), and Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), discuss how the work continues at Catholic Charities during Covid-19. Cynthia shares about the hotline Catholic Charities has set up and the three main needs from those calls. She also talks about correlations between poverty and the pandemic, and how she and her team see Christ in others.

Colleen Campbell, Coordinator of Formation Programs at Catholic Apostolate Center in Washington D.C. (https://www.catholicapostolatecenter....) and Ph.D. Student at Catholic University of America (https://www.catholic.edu/), and Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), discuss what it looks like to accompany others during Covid-19. Colleen talks about what accompaniment is and the book she co-authored titled, “The Art of Accompaniment.”

Ann Schorno, Executive Director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (https://www.svdphouston.org/), joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to discuss how SVDP has adapted its home visits and services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ann describes the importance of love and service and how working together is the only way to fully impact a community.

Fr. John Huber, CSB, Ed.D., Director of Catholic Education at University of St. Thomas-Houston (https://www.stthom.edu), joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to discuss Catholic education and schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fr. Huber shares about the importance of true Catholic identity and the questions surrounding the future of Catholic education.

Mary Ann Addis, Music Teacher, and Gabrielle Bergeron, Art Teacher, both teach at Christ the Redeemer Catholic School in Northwest Houston (https://ctrschool.com/). They talk with Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), about how they have had to adapt their teaching and be innovative during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mary Ann and Gabrielle share how they are staying connected with students and parents and the different ways their community is reaching out.

Fr. Donald Nesti, CSSp, founder of the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (CFC), and Stephen Arbogast, author and professor of the Practice of Finance at University of North Carolina Kenan Flagler Business School (https://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/), join Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti CFC (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to discuss the effects of the pandemic on the economy. They touch on how people of faith should make sense of this and how business owners will have to use discernment in their decision making on how to move forward. They also discuss the “myth of autonomy” and the role of reflection and repentance during this time.

Jeff Olsen, Vice President for Marketing and University Relations and Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting at University of St. Thomas-Houston, (https://www.stthom.edu), joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to talk about what we look for in movies and television and how we find meaning in what we watch. Jeff recommends a few movies and television shows and encourages people to try something during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, Executive Director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network (https://catholicsmobilizing.org//), joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture (https://www.stthom.edu/cfc), to discuss the “Statement of Solidarity: A Catholic Response to COVID-19 Behind Bars” released on May 19, 2020. Krisanne describes how the pandemic is affecting those in prisons and the work of Catholic Mobilizing Network. They discuss the death penalty in Texas and how these issues of human life relate to Catholic Social Teaching.

Dr. Brian C. Reed is the Chair of the Clinical Sciences Department at the University of Houston College of Medicine (https://uh.edu/medicine/), Board Chair for Doctors for Change (https://doctorsforchange.org/), a practicing family physician and an Advisory Board Member for the Nesti Center for Faith & Culture. He joins Bridget Richardson, with the Nesti CFC, to discuss health in Houston. They discuss health disparities exposed by Covid-19, the differences in life expectancy by zip code, the humanity of health care and how working during the pandemic has been one of the most challenging things he’s seen in his career.