Made for Mission Podcast

Why does the Catholic Church oppose abortion? Can a Catholic politician ever vote for abortion? How does the Church help mothers in crisis-pregnancies? What about end-of-life issues? What about IVF? 

These are just some of the bio-ethical questions dealt with in this Diocese of Lansing Podcast featuring Jenny Ingles, Diocesan Director of Fertility and Life Ministries. Jenny also explains her personal journey from a pro-abortion atheist to pro-life Catholic. 

The podcast coincides with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Respect Life Month which, this year, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Pope Saint John Paul's encyclical Evangelium Vitae or The Gospel of Life.

Recorded Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Diocese of Lansing Podcast #13.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. October is the Month of the Holy Rosary. The Diocese of Lansing is currently celebrating a Rosary Congress across its parishes. But what is the Holy Rosary? Where did it come from? Why pray the Holy Rosary? How do we pray the Holy Rosary? These are just some of the questions answered by Michael Andrews, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Lansing, in this Diocese of Lansing Podcast on the "Power, Provenance and Practicalities of the Holy Rosary". Asking the questions is the Diocese of Lansing's Director of Communications, David Kerr. 

Diocese of Lansing Podcast #12: Recorded on October 7, 2020. 

In the Fall of 2019, Bishop Earl Boyea assembled a 14-person committee, consisting of both laity and clergy, to help him chart a new way forward for the Diocese of Lansing. Entitled the Realign Resources for Mission Committee, the group is chaired by Father Mathias Thelen, Pastor of Saint Patrick Parish in Brighton.

Over the past year his group has consulted with numerous other dioceses across the United States and beyond to study various approaches to restructuring.

They have also amassed a huge amount of data assessing the apostolic life of the Diocese of Lansing. This includes a detailed survey of over 21,000 lay people, known as the Disciple Maker Index, which was conducted across all 72 parishes. Meanwhile, the priests of the diocese participated in a similar in-depth exercise known as Called for More. Both surveys were facilitated by the Pennsylvania-based Catholic Leadership Institute.

Yesterday saw the committee's findings presented to the priests of the Diocese of Lansing during a one-day gathering at Saint Patrick Parish in Brighton. The next step, said Father Mathias, is to similarly consult with the lay faithful of the diocese during a series of parish meetings from November 16 to December 17.

Father Mathias was keen to stress that his committee is still someway off from drafting a blueprint for the re-organization of parish boundaries and that any such blueprint would only be developed in consultation with both the clergy and lay faithful of the diocese.

He also stressed that any changes in parishes boundaries, including any potential reduction in the number of parishes, did not automatically necessitate a change or reduction in the number of churches or “worship sites” within the diocese.

However, he did want to present a general vision of renewed parish life. So what is that vision? What will it change? Will it make any difference to how parishes evangelize? How can the laity input to the Realign Resources for Mission Committee? They are just some of the question put to Father Mathias during this Diocese of Lansing Podcast. Asking the questions is David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing.

* Diocese of Lansing Podcast #11. Recorded Friday, October 2, Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.

How do we discern the will of God in our daily life? That’s the big question discussed in this Diocese of Lansing Podcast featuring Dawn Hausmann of the diocesan Vocations Department. 

This weekend, Dawn is organizing a 3-day retreat entitled “Discerning the Will of God: The Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making” led by Father Timothy Gallagher O.M.V. 

Father Gallagher has been described as “America's preeminent writer on Ignatian spiritual direction and discernment”. That means discernment based upon the tried and tested methods of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the 16th century Basque founder of the Society of Jesus or Jesuits. 

Asking the podcast questions is the diocesan Director of Communications, David Kerr. Meanwhile, you can find out more about this weekend’s retreat or book a place at:

https://www.eventbee.com/v/ignatian_retreat2020#/tickets

This week saw the Diocese of Lansing host a special Mass at Saint Mary Cathedral to honor and affirm those Catholic families who choose to homeschool their children. But why homeschool? What are the challenges? Is it for everybody? They are just some of the questions posed in this podcast to Jessica Schaub, a homeschooling mother-of-four from Leslie and a parishioner at Saint Peter, Eaton Rapids. Asking the questions is David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing.

This week saw the Diocese of Lansing publish episcopal approval for four healing ministries that operate within the diocese.  A statement from Bishop Earl Boyea read as follows: 

“I am pleased that the following groups currently engaged in the ministry of healing are active within the Diocese of Lansing: Encounter Ministries, St. Paul Evangelization Institute, Live Free Ministry, and the John Paul II Healing Center.  Many clergy and lay faithful are engaged in these ministries and I give thanks to God for them and for their good work.” 

“Following investigations, study, and discussion, I find that these ministries are committed to operate in harmony with the teaching of the Church in faith and morals, with particular reference to the redemptive nature of suffering and the centrality of the sacramental economy.” 

But what is a healing ministry? How do they heal? What do they heal? Who do they heal? They are just some of the questions asked to Father Mathias Thelen, President of Encounter Ministries and Pastor of Saint Patrick in Brighton, during this podcast. Asking the questions is diocesan Director of Communications, David Kerr.  

Saint Monica (322–387), was the mother of the great theologian and bishop, Saint Augustine of Hippo. He often ascribed his conversion from a life of heresy and moral dissolution to the prayer, example and tears of his pious mother. 

To what extent is Saint Monica a role model for Catholic mothers today? That's just one of the questions posed by David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing, in this podcast. 

His guests are two real-live Catholic mothers from the Diocese of Lansing: Mother of six, Laura Demko, and mother of three, Cheryl Olsen, who is also a grandmother of three.  

Diocese of Lansing Podcast #6. Recorded 27 August, 2020, Feast of Saint Monica.

This week, schools across the Diocese of Lansing are beginning to return for the new academic year. 

In accordance with the present COVID-19 restrictions, students at Catholic schools are returning to in-person learning but with new measures in place to ensure the health and safety of our children, our teachers and our families. 

In this podcast, the Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing, David Kerr, talks to the Diocesan Superintendant for Schools, Tom Maloney, about the decision to opt for in-person learning and what changes students, teachers and parents will notice this school year. 

Recorded Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Podcast #5.

How do we make sense of all that is going on at present during the COVID-19 outbreak? How do we deal with an aversion to suffering and a fear of death? Those are just some of the questions answered by the popular Catholic columnist, Father Joe Krupp, in this latest Diocese of Lansing podcast. Speaking with David Kerr, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lansing, Father Krupp also reveals how his two parishes in Genesee County are coping with the Coronavirus outbreak including live-streaming Masses to parishioners via social media. Recorded March 19, 2020. Diocese of Lansing Podcast #4.