Talking Catholic

Parish Mission Season is Here! Lent is a time for renewal, reflection, and deepening our Catholic faith. One of the first parish missions of the season kicked off last week at Saint Joseph’s Parish in Somers Point, led by Donna Ottaviano-Britt, Director of the Office of Discipleship and Leadership for the Diocese of Camden.

She joins us this week to chat about her two-night presentation, “Living in the Apostolic Age: My Life as Messenger,” which challenged attendees to explore the intersection of Catholic faith and personal vocation.

Looking for a way to enrich your Lenten journey? Parish missions and retreats are happening throughout dioceses across the globe. Check with your parish—or a neighboring one—for opportunities to grow in faith this season!

#Lent2025 #ParishMission #FaithJourney 

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We’re bringing back two fan favorites this week—Nicole Keefer, Executive Director of VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services, and Christine Willard, Manager of Parish-Based Senior Programs. These passionate leaders join Jen and Mike for an insightful discussion on upcoming VITALity initiatives designed to support seniors and caregivers in South Jersey.

Nicole and Christine highlight key events, including the Caregiving for Parents with Dementia presentation (learn more) and the annual Way of Saint James Walk (details here).

Plus, Nicole shares exciting details about a series of Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage events happening across the Diocese (find an event near you).

Tune in for a meaningful conversation on faith, service, and the power of community care.

Learn more about VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services: vitality.camdendiocese.org

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

Kari’s back! Kicking off her first recording of 2025, she returns just in time for Lent—a season that brings with it the cherished tradition of retreats.

This week, she and Mike are recording from Rowan University’s Newman House, joined by E-Board members and recent Fall retreat leaders: Donovan Kenny, President of Rowan Catholic, and Stephen McClain, Treasurer of Rowan Catholic.

Together, Kari, Donovan, and Stephen dive into what goes into planning a retreat, the benefits for both the hosts and attendees, and the unexpected ripple effects that come from taking part in these spiritual getaways.

It’s a great conversation—one that almost convinces Mike to go on a retreat. Almost. :)

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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This week on Talking Catholic, we embark on an audio sacred art tour! Sculptor and art expert Jim Dessicino joins hosts Mike Walsh and Jen Mauro to explore the profound connection between artwork, beauty, and faith.

A parish catechetical leader at the Parish of Saint Monica in Atlantic City, Dessicino is one of the few non-Italian to have led tours of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Closer to home, he also guides visitors through the historic Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Atlantic City.

Join us as Dessicino takes listeners on a captivating journey through sacred art, uncovering its pivotal role in Church history, faith, and the pursuit of truth and goodness. Don't miss this enlightening episode!

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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It has been said of St. Peter Damian that "his genius was to exhort and impel to the heroic...an extraordinary force burns in all that he wrote."  Join Pete and Laurie as they explore the life of this 11th century Benedictine monk, bishop and reformer, who left his monastery to lead much needed renewal in the Church.  Saint Peter Damian, pray for us! 

Listen to Talking Saints with Laurie Power and Pete Sanchez everywhere podcasts can be found and on the Talking Catholic website https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/show/talking-saints/. 

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Join us for a love-filled episode this week (except for any time when Mike Walsh spoke) as we celebrate National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 9)! Both are opportunities to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. This year's theme is "Marriage: Source of Hope, Spring of Renewal. Pursue a Lasting Love!"

Jen Mauro brought on one of her favorite couples, Joe Britt and Donna Ottaviano-Britt, to regale us with stories of how they met, the strong influence of Joe’s mother, the role the church played, and how their Catholic faith remains an ever present element of their relationship. 

Mike just rolled his eyes a lot. 

Looking for marriage resources? Check out:

• ForYourMarriage.org 
• wwme.org  (World Wide Marriage Encounter) 
• USCCB.org  (US Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, athttps://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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Each May, the Office of Catholic Education hosts the elementary and high school principals from across the Diocese of Camden for a special event to celebrate the end of another successful school year. As part of the event, the team invites guest speakers to talk with the principals and offer insights and motivation to bring back to their faculties.

For the 2024 meeting, Tom Burgoyne and Evan Marcus, motivational speakers and authors of the book Pheel the Love, were invited to speak, along with a visit from Tom’s special friend, the Philly Phanatic. 

After a busy fall for Tom and Evan, cohosts Marianela Nunez and Michael Bress, were able to sit down with the authors to revisit the principals celebration, talk about the genesis of the book, and how they incorporate the “Pheel the Love” principles in their own lives.

The group also discusses Tom’s path to working with the Philly Phanatic, the friendship Tom and Evan developed through their motivational speaking work and writing the book, and how our Catholic leaders could incorporate the “Pheel the Love” philosophy into their work with teachers, staff and school families.

Tom helps wrap up the podcast sharing great stories about the Philly Phanatic, including a particularly funny story about the famous hot dog launcher. 

To learn more about Pheel the Love or order the book today, visit https://tomburgoyne.com/pheel-the-love/

To learn more about South Jersey Catholic Schools, visit www.southjerseycatholicschools.org

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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Catholic Schools Week is celebrated around the country this week, giving communities the opportunity to share what makes Catholic education and their school truly a gift of a lifetime!

To help honor the week, cohosts Marianela Nunez and Michael Bress were joined by three guests who balance being a parent and Catholic school employee. Ana Caria, Advance Director at Resurrection Catholic School; Kate Bieg, Senior Director of Marketing at Camden Catholic High School; and Megan Lafferty, Advance Director at Our Lady of Hope talk with the hosts about how they each started in their respective schools, interacting with teachers and how being a parent has shaped their work, especially when talking to fellow parents. Being Catholic school alumni, the group also enjoyed talking about some of the nuisances of going from a student to employee, especially having former teachers becoming coworkers.

To learn more about South Jersey Catholic Schools, visit southjerseycatholicschools.org today. Make sure you visit South Jersey Catholic Schools social media this week to see all the great activities during Celebrate Catholic Schools Week.

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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"Be who you are and be that well."  On today's feast of Saint Francis de Sales, Talking Saints hosts, Pete Sanchez and Laurie Power, uncover the life of this 16th century bishop and doctor of the Church, who was known for his gentle way and wise spiritual counsel.  By his writing and witness, Saint Francis helped those in all walks of life understand and live God's universal call to holiness.   

Listen to Talking Saints with Laurie Power and Pete Sanchez everywhere podcasts can be found and on the Talking Catholic website https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/show/talking-saints/. 

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The Diocese of Camden’s Director of the Office of Life & Justice, Mike Sims, Th.D., joins us this week to chat about a number of social justice activities that are soon approaching in 2025, including several pro-life events, immigration reform activities, and opportunities for spiritual enrichment. 

Listen to Talking Catholic everywhere podcasts can be found, at https://talking.catholicstarherald.org/talking-catholic, or catch us on Domestic Church Media radio (https://domesticchurchmedia.org) Sundays at 11 AM or Mondays at 4 PM.

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