Lights, Catholic, Action!

In this episode, Kasey Whitley shares her powerful journey from having no faith background to becoming Catholic—and how that path led her to champion adoption as a life-giving mission for vulnerable children and families. With insight from her work at the Gladney Center for Adoption, she unpacks common misconceptions and reveals the deeply human, hope-filled reality behind modern adoption.

Have you ever heard of the Knights of Peter Claver? In this episode, Michael Barks takes us inside this historic Catholic organization and its mission of service, charity, and brotherhood. He shares his journey of living out his Catholic faith through the Knights at Our Mother of Mercy parish and reflects on how service strengthens community.

Canon law can sound complicated—but at its heart, it’s about people and their relationship with God. In this episode, Dr. Sara Paglialunga takes us inside her remarkable journey from studying Latin in Rome to helping Catholics navigate some of life’s most difficult moments.  She shares how faith shaped her calling and what canon law teaches us about truth, mercy, and the salvation of souls.

Sacred music doesn’t just teach notes—it forms hearts. In this episode of Lights, Catholic, Action, we’re joined by Ashley Ratcliff, choir director at St. John the Apostle Catholic School and leader of the parish music ministry. Ashley shares how God prepared her heart and guided her journey into music ministry, an unexpected path that led to teaching sacred music and helping young voices make a joyful noise unto the Lord. From parish choir to Catholic school classrooms, she reflects on trusting God’s timing, answering His call, and allowing praise to become a path of healing and renewal.

In this episode, meet the Robovikes—Nolan Catholic High School’s robotics team—who race against the clock each season to design, build, and compete with a 130-pound robot while learning real-world engineering, teamwork, and leadership along the way. From the workshop to international competitions, these students share how robotics is shaping their futures in STEM and showing how faith, creativity, and perseverance can power innovation.

Born and raised in Colombia, Paola Quintero-Araujo never imagined that a journey that began in dental school would lead her to help form future deacons for the Church—but along the way, God quietly redirected her path through unexpected encounters, ministry, and a call to serve. In this episode, she shares her powerful faith journey and gives a behind-the-scenes look at how men discern and prepare for the permanent diaconate, revealing the deep spiritual formation behind this sometimes-misunderstood vocation.

Heather Reynolds, CCFW CEO and President, and Beth Kwasny, CCFW board member, share how Catholic Charities Fort Worth is transforming lives across 28 counties—not just by meeting urgent needs, but by walking with families for years on their journey out of poverty. From innovative research partnerships to hands-on case management and parish collaboration, they reveal why fighting poverty is far more complex than it seems—and how every Catholic has a role to play.

In this episode, Detective Maria Orand of the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force shares what it’s really like to confront modern-day slavery in our own backyard—and how daily prayer helps her see the image of God in both victims and offenders. From the front lines of some of Fort Worth’s darkest cases to serving faithfully in her parish, Detective Maria reveals how faith, service, and courage come together in a calling that’s as heartbreaking as it is hope-filled.