Are podcasts reshaping how Catholics engage with their faith? In this episode of Religion to Reality, we explore the explosive growth of Catholic podcasting and what it means for modern faith formation. From survivors finding their voice to Latino communities building networks, discover why this medium is uniquely positioned to meet people where they are—both spiritually and literally.

Paul Fahey - Host of Third Space podcast, limited licensed professional counselor, retreat leader, and catechist who focuses on survivors of church-related abuse. Paul stumbled into podcasting a decade ago and found it uniquely suited to catechesis through dialogue rather than static writing.

Christina Semmens - Host of Say Yes to Holiness With 230+ episodes under her belt, Christina brings a framework of head-heart-hands-feet to integrated Catholic living. Her podcast emerged from her book work and has become a continuous discernment journey.

Jose Manuel de Urquidi - Founder of the Juan Diego Network Leading a podcast network dedicated to Latino Catholics with shows covering everything from church history to children's stories. His mission: evangelize, form, and entertain—preferably all three at once.

01:00 - "I can listen to a podcast while driving, running, doing dishes, mowing the lawn" - Why convenience matters for busy Catholics

05:00 - The fundamental question: What even counts as "the church" in new media?

07:00 - "There's a lot of bad Catholic content out there that misrepresents God" - The dark side of unregulated faith content

12:00 - The head-heart-hands-feet framework for integrated spiritual assessment

15:00 - Why passion and joy matter more than metrics in discernment

18:00 - "What unsuccessful podcasts don't want you to know: it was really just for us all along"

23:00 - The critical realization: Are we preaching to the choir while ignoring the ocean?

26:00 - Why St. Ignatius's book-driven conversion is no different than what a podcast can do

28:00 - The internet as culture, not just communication tool

In our next episode, we're diving into what the data tells us about community—why it matters and how it shapes discipleship in measurable ways. 

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Learn More About the Discipleship Study: Religion to Reality is built on comprehensive research into how Catholics are living their faith today. Visit our website for more details and resources from the study. 

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