We wrap up this season with one of our most exciting guests, Casey Stanton, the co-director of Discerning Deacons. Discerning Deacons is a project serving the Church by engaging Catholics in active discernment about women and the diaconate.

She is inspired by Pope Francis’ vision for a synodal church, and believes this synod is an invitation for each of us to recognize ourselves as pilgrims walking together in equal dignity, seeking communion. Casey arrives at this conversation with a fire and excitement for what’s possible within our church and it shows in this engaging dialogue between Zoe and Casey. We couldn’t think of a better and more appropriate way to close out this season. 

You can learn more about Discerning Deacons here: https://discerningdeacons.org

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

This week is a unique episode of the show: Host Zoe is joined by Producer Cristian Murphy and two guests selected by Zoe and Cristian. These guests are personal examples of hope for Zoe and Cristian’s own journeys. 

Zoe’s guest is Sister Phyllis Grace Esposito. Esposito entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, N.Y. almost 61 years ago. With a masters degree in religious education and various certifications in spiritual direction and clinical pastoral education, she worked as a director of religious education, spiritual director and pastoral associate for 38 years. Then she was elected to serve within her own religious community as part of the Sisters of St. Joseph Leadership Team.

Cristian’s guest is filmmaker Deniz Demirer. Deniz, a Polish-born filmmaker, creates films with an unconventional blend of intimacy and hardscrabble urban existence. Having experienced the alienation of the immigrant journey, Deniz's films resonate with themes of exile and self-destruction. Demirer's filmography as writer-director includes five feature films and many short films. His films have been showcased at prestigious film festivals globally, earning critical acclaim and recognition.

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

This week Zoe is joined by Father Francis Pizzarelli of the Montfort Missionary Order, the founder and executive director of Hope House Ministries, a multifaceted human services agency that services the poor, young people, and families in crisis. Pizzarelli has specialized in working with young men overcoming addiction in Long Island, an area of the country that is weighed down by the ugly reality of drugs and the epidemic of addiction. Hope House Ministries is living up to its title and is finding ways to bring light to an extremely shadowed issue. 

You can learn more about Hope House Ministries here: https://www.hhm.org

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

Craig A. Ford, Jr. is an assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College, where he also serves as director of the Peace and Justice Interdisciplinary Minor. He is also on the faculty at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. In this episode, Ford gives Zoe a quick historical rundown of the church’s role in racism and the Black experience in America. We are sure that Craig’s hopeful and insightful conversation with Zoe will inspire and educate. 

You can learn more about Ford's work here: https://www.snc.edu/academics/faculty/cv/craig.ford.pdf

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

Housing insecurity is a growing issue in the United States that can seem pretty hopeless at times. For Roxanne De La Torre this area needs helpful and hopeful hands ready to serve. De La Torre has a wide background in various service ministry roles and currently serves as the Director of Outreach at Xavier Mission, a for-impact organization in New York City supporting those struggling with food and housing insecurity. Listen in as she joins Zoe for an interesting and important conversation. 

Learn more about Xavier Mission at https://xaviermission.org

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

Sister Norma Pimentel is a Sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and serves as the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. It is hard to explain how excited we are to present this episode and to have had the honor of experiencing this conversation. Zoe and Sister Norma dive into the deep end on this extremely difficult topic. Listen in as Sister Norma gives listeners a clear and unbiased viewpoint on the immigration crisis. 

You can learn more about Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley here: https://catholiccharitiesrgv.org

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

This week Zoe is joined by guest Michelle Keller, U.S. Regional Coordinator for the international school-feeding charity Mary’s Meals. Mary’s Meals feeds more than 2.4 million children in 17 countries every school day. Its model of serving food in schools supports education that can help break the cycle of poverty. Listen in as Zoe and Michelle unpack the facts and figures of food insecurity and help paint a picture of the real systemic issues. We hope this conversation inspires you to help and shows how little steps by all of us can lead to a solution.

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

Learn more about Mary's Meals here: https://www.marysmealsusa.org/what-we-do/campaigns/2520?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAo9MCeVRnro6Isy077RmXQZ35Aarg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzva1BhD3ARIsADQuPnWuYkjhk7w6ndIvg54-D16Sv888LinYotYx-bWVQkws-eVM_4aaHh0aAmOpEALw_wcB

Father Jim Shea is a Passionist priest who is passionate about developing community-based organizations addressing urgent community needs such as affordable housing and education. In 2010, Father Jim founded Reconnect Brooklyn with the mission of engaging young people through entrepreneurship, education, and service. Zoe chats with Father Jim about his journey with Reconnect and much more. Listen in for exciting first hand testimony on the power of connection and the need for youth programs in the city. 

You can learn more about Reconnect Brooklyn here: https://www.reconnectnyc.org

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

Matt Devine joins Zoe this week for an incredibly important conversation on LGBTQ+ Catholics and the church. This conversation is fueled by Matt's strength and poise as he offers insights on his lived experience as a gay Catholic man and how his mantra of “staying” has served him in all areas of his life. In 2022 Matt published a testimonial talk on YouTube through the Stanford Business School where he received his MBA. Matt’s talk garnered responses from many and was the catalyst for this great conversation between Zoe and Matt. You can listen to that talk here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GX5QxVObUo 

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

This week Zoe is joined by Erin Lothes for an exciting conversation on the hope within the Laudato Si’ Movement and what that means for Catholics in the pews. Erin a Catholic theologian and author of Inspired Sustainability: Planting Seeds for Action and The Paradox of Christian Sacrifice: The Loss of Self, The Gift of Self as well as many articles on faith-based environmentalism, divestment, and energy ethics. She now serves as the senior manager of the Laudato Si’ Animators Program with the Laudato Si’ Movement. Listen in for an exciting and animated conversation on one of the most vital movements happening within our church today. 

This podcast is a production of the Spirit Alive Institute in collaboration with U.S. Catholic. Curious Spirits is produced by Cristian Murphy and hosted by Zoe Kourajian. The Spirit Alive Institute is led by Director Sr. Maria Pascuzzi and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. 

For more on the Laudato Si’ Movement: https://laudatosimovement.org