In this episode, host Genevieve Anatalio explores the Sacrament of Baptism, adding depth to the familiar practice and helping families deepen their appreciation for the graces God gives through it.  

Anatalio is joined by Katie Albright, Director of Catechesis for the Diocese of Allentown, to clarify what Baptism really does, what the faithful tend to underestimate about it, and ways parents and families can increase their appreciation for it. They emphasize the profound impact Baptism has not only on the person receiving the Sacrament, but on the entire family--and the entire Church. 

The conversation illuminates many important points about Baptism but only scratches the surface of everything there is to learn. Albright has also shared some resources for diving deeper into this Sacrament and the Catholic Faith in general. 

Books

Love Unveiled, by Edward Sri (Love Unveiled: The Symbolon Book 

God: What Every Catholic Should Know, by Elizabeth Klein (God) 

Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know, by Michael Barber (Salvation) 

Jesus the Bridegroom, by Brant Pitre (Jesus the Bridegroom)

Digital Media

FORMED: This site has many videos on Baptism and countless other topics (formed.org).

Podcast on Catholic Saints: St. John the Baptist (St. John the Baptist - Catholic Saints - Apple Podcasts) 

Podcast on Catholic Saints: St. Josemaria Escriva (St. Josemaria Escriva - Catholic Saints - Apple Podcasts)

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In this episode, host Genevieve Anatalio dives into the challenges and solutions for keeping children engaged in the Catholic faith throughout their lives. 

Anatalio is joined by Dr. Michael Rota, a professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, to explore the factors leading to religious disaffiliation and the practical steps parents can take to nurture their children's faith. Dr. Rota describes how social scientists have identified numerous factors that challenge religious retention in modern day America, including lack of consensus and the digital age. However, he also shares data-supported points for what helps children believe and practice their faith for years to come. Anatalio and Rota agree on the importance of parental unity, religious activity, and supportive community in fostering a lasting faith.

Read the original article that inspired the episode here. 

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Bishop Schlert announces that 2026 is a jubilee anniversary for the Diocese, marking 65 years after its institution. He and newly married host, Genevieve Anatalio, discuss ways to make this anniversary year especially holy, both specifically for the Allentown Diocese and for people across the country. 

One initiative in Allentown will be centered around promoting a culture of Vocations. Bishop hopes the faithful will feel free to look for and reach out to young men and women who might have a vocation to the priesthood and religious life, citing studies that show how this outreach is instrumental in the discernment process of many priests. 

Anatalio asks Bishop how the faithful, especially couples who are already married and parenting, might assist in this initiative surrounding religious vocations, as well as what advice he has for discerners. Bishop shares insight on promoting a faithful household and overcoming fear in discernment. 

Finally, Bishop reminds listeners that a holy and successful 2026, and particularly a successful Vocations initiative, depends on devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Therefore, parishes in the Diocese of Allentown will have regular Eucharistic Adoration and opportunities to visit Jesus in the tabernacle throughout the coming year. He also underlines the importance of the Blessed Mother’s intercession as the Mother of Vocations and the model of a free “yes,” to God. 

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In this month’s episode, host Genevieve O’Connor dives into the topic of marriage in the Catholic Church, just days before her own wedding. 

O’Connor speaks to the Allentown Diocese’s Director of Marriage and Family Life, Rhady Tulloch, and her husband David Tulloch. The couple share the ideals and expectations they had for their parenting roles going into their marriage, and how a strong scriptural foundation helped those ideas strengthen and develop when God blessed them with children. 

The Tullochs help O’Connor break down the Catholic understanding of marriage as a Sacrament and a Vocation, and how these concepts deepen and inform one’s life as a parent. They insist that attention and care for one’s marriage have a huge impact on the way one parents, and they give some practical suggestions for how to “water the garden” of the relationship. 

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The Catholic Parents Podcast “Reading, Willing, and Able,” is coming up on its one-year anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, host Genevieve O’Connor MFA, MTS sits down again with her first ever guest, Dr. Mike St. Pierre.

O’Connor and St. Pierre discuss the success of the podcast, noting its Honorable Mention from the Catholic Media Awards. But the real reason they do the show, they emphasize, is to serve Catholic parents in the Diocese of Allentown, and to help them see how faith is woven into every aspect of their lives.

O’Connor and St. Pierre revisit some of their favorite episodes, highlighting key takeaways from Episode 4: Navigating Modesty with Lillian Fallon and Episode 9: Serve the Lord (and the Ball). O’Connor also reflects on the wealth of resources offered to parents from some of her previous guests, including reading material for kids in Episode 5: The Word Made Flesh and the Words We Read, and resources for activities, reading, and even crafts in Episode 3: Bringing Advent Alive with Bereits.

O’Connor invites listeners to stay tuned for another great year and announces an exciting upcoming guest: Bishop Alfred Schlert!

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In this month's episode, host Genevieve O'Connor M.F.A., M.T.S. invites the Diocese of Allentown’s Director of Vocations, Rev. John Maria, to speak about vocation and discernment as it pertains to parents and their kids. Some parents struggle to help and to trust during their children’s journey to discover their Vocation, so Fr. Maria offers the reminder that everyone is primarily called to holiness. He encourages parents to focus on instilling that call to holiness in their children, predicting that the next steps in discernment will then be more natural and less intimidating. Fr. Maria also adds a word of comfort to parents who fear "losing" their child to whatever their vocation may be. Lastly, Genevieve and Father talk through understanding the celibate vocation as the "higher" vocation, agreeing that both marriage and priesthood/religious life are beautiful and important, and while celibacy offers the heaven-like ability to be focused exclusively on the Lord, the important thing for all parents to remember is that everyone is called to sainthood.

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This month's episode of Ready, Willing, & Able takes inspiration from Bethlehem Catholic High School's Baseball team's Bible Study, and explores how athletics and faith can feed and support each other. Host Genevieve O'Connor, MFA, MTS sits with the chair of the Bishop's Commission for Young Adults, John Pellosie, and Commission member Adrian Anatalio, DPT to discuss. The Commission for Young Adults has emphasized sports this summer, including a weekly volleyball game. Pellosie and Anatalio explain that the Commission's focus on athleticism attends to how the Catholic understanding of the human person is as a body and soul unity. Plus, they observe the powerful way that sports serve as lessons in virtue and can teach children the benefits of consistent hard work and discipline. Athletics can nourish a person physically, spiritually, and communally. O'Connor and her guests agree that faith can also improve one's sports, and not just vice versa. Anatalio also shares insights from his work as a physical therapist, noting how our physical limitations can teach us important lessons to pass on to our kids about God's grace. 

Have an idea or question for the podcast? Submit your thoughts here!

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In this month's episode, Genevieve O'Connor M.F.A, M.T.S. asks Diocesan Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Zelenda Hodgskin, how to rescue our focus on faith when summer swoops in to ruin our routines. Hodgskin has lots of practical and anecdotal advice for how to keep the faith alive in our families through the summer, suggesting that parents host faith-themed movie nights and set aside special sacred spaces in the home. O'Connor also asks about keeping faith going when we are on vacation, noting that sometimes our beach trips involve leaving behind our worries and our prayer practices. Hodgskin shares that intentionally seeking out shrines and churches in new places can become beautiful opportunities for family bonding and faith building. When our Catholic Faith is truly the center of our lives, it will not fall to the back burner in the summer, but rather continue to animate all that we do. 

Below are the websites that Hodgskin recommends to parents:

For movies: WatchCredo and Formed.

For researching saints: CatholicCulture and Catholic/Saints. 

For activity inspiration: CatholicIcing and CatholicMom.

For finding churches and shrines while traveling: TheCatholicTravelGuide  and MassTimes.

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Genevieve O'Connor, M.T.S., M.F.A meets with Maggie Riggins, Executive Director of Evangelization and Formation for the Diocese of Allentown, to talk about how  holiness is possible in any state in life. While some people worry that their lifestyle doesn't permit holiness (parents don't have time to spend 6 hours in prayer like a monk might!), Catholic Tradition reveals that EVERYONE is called to holiness. Riggins offers insight into how this holiness is possible by introducing "Salesian Spirituality." She explains that St. Francis de Sales, through his friendship and correspondence with St. Jane de Chantal, insisted that holiness is possible for all walks of life. Riggins describes a few of St. Francis' key suggestions for how to make our daily lives holy, including the "Direction of Intention," the "Salesian Preparation of the Day", and the "Little Virtues." 

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Genevieve O'Connor, MFA, MTS explains that Lent is all about making us better lovers, and therefore better reflections of the image of God in us. In a way, she says, Lent helps us to be MORE human in the way that God designed. Even two weeks before Easter, at the time of this episode release, O'Connor argues that it is not too late to ponder Lent and renew our efforts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. She offers parents an understanding of the reasoning behind these practices of the Church so that they can better implement them in their family lives. She says that by healing and honing the desires that so often get the better of us, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving can make us not only better spouses and parents, but also better people in general. 

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