The Catholic Morning Show

Steve Ray, Catholic convert, author of Crossing the Tiber, and longtime Holy Land guide, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about the role of Catholic grandparents. Steve and his wife Janet celebrate 50 years of marriage this December and now count 21 grandchildren and a great-grandchild, with another on the way.

Steve walks through what Scripture says about "children's children," from Job and Proverbs to St. Paul praising the sincere faith that first lived in Timothy's grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. He explains why God calls himself "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," naming three generations. He also points to Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesus' grandparents, as models for families today. Many families today are scattered, and many Americans don't know where their great-grandparents are buried. Steve says that makes grandparents the keepers of the family story and an anchor of faith and security for their grandchildren.

Steve's practical list for grandparents:

• Teach Scripture and pray the Rosary together. His wife counts Hail Marys on the grandkids' toes!
• Build a simple family tree and host family reunions.
• Take grandkids to Mass and on pilgrimage.
• Celebrate each grandchild's birthday one-on-one.
• Send books and movies to grandkids who live far away.
• Call often and tell them you're proud of them.
• When possible, help struggling parents financially.

Read Steve's article The Role of Catholic Grandparents at Catholic Answers, and pray Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer for Grandparents. Join Steve and Janet on an upcoming pilgrimage, including a February trip to Jordan and Israel, at Footprints of God Pilgrimages. Find more from Steve at CatholicConvert.com.

Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CatholicGrandparents #SteveRay #CatholicFamily #PassingOnTheFaith #Grandparents #CatholicAnswers #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

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Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

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When someone we love is struggling, we often don't know what to say, or we jump straight to fixing the problem. John Gaffney, Director of Evangelization and Mission for the Diocese of Des Moines, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to explore how the Catholic faith equips us to simply walk with people through painful seasons. The conversation follows Pope Leo XIV's October 2026 prayer intention that mental health ministry be established throughout the Church and help overcome stigma.

John's three ideas for accompaniment:

1. Listen first. Let the person share their whole story without interrupting or "hijacking" it with your own. Ask gentle questions, like "What's the hardest part right now?", and thank them for being vulnerable.
2. Honor the hurt. Struggles with sleep, isolation, fear, or shame are not a sign of weak character or weak faith. Walk with the person reverently, without judging or rushing them.
3. Take the next faithful step. Hope doesn't require having the whole story figured out. Help the person discern the next best step, which often means connecting with a mental health professional.

John also shares how a coworker noticed he wasn't himself last December and reached out in love. He encourages listeners to start with prayer, pay attention to the people around them, and connect those who are struggling with a priest, deacon, or Catholic counselor. This segment is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

Find faith-based resources, guidance on finding a provider, and information on the diocese's Catholic counselor referral list at the Diocese of Des Moines Mental Health Ministry page. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.

Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CatholicMentalHealth #MentalHealthMinistry #MentalHealthAwareness #Accompaniment #PopeLeoXIV #DioceseOfDesMoines #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

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Deacon Mark Campbell opens Wednesday on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, with Mass today at 8:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's in Lenox (90.9 FM). The Saint of the Day traces the feast to Pope St. Pius V's thanksgiving for the victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Deacon Mark and Ayden Pugh share their favorite mysteries of the Rosary, plus an honest encouragement to slow down and meditate rather than rush through the prayer. Pray along with the Iowa Catholic Radio family three times a day: 6 a.m., 10 a.m., and 8:30 p.m.

John Gaffney, Director of Evangelization and Mission for the Diocese of Des Moines, joins for his monthly segment on accompanying those who are struggling with their mental health, in light of Pope Leo XIV's October prayer intention for mental health ministry. John offers three practical ideas:

• Listen without interrupting or "hijacking" the other person's story.
• Honor the hurt without judging or rushing to fix it.
• Help the person discover hope by taking the next faithful step.

He also shares his own experience of being noticed and accompanied by a coworker during a difficult season. Find faith-based mental health resources and the diocese's Catholic counselor referral network at the Diocese of Des Moines Mental Health Ministry page. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988.

Catholic convert, author, and Holy Land guide Steve Ray talks about the role of Catholic grandparents. He is a grandfather of 21 and now a great-grandfather, and he and his wife Janet celebrate 50 years of marriage this December. Drawing on Scripture, from Timothy's grandmother Lois in 2 Timothy to Jesus' grandparents Saints Joachim and Anne, Steve explains why grandparents are the family's anchor of faith. He also offers a practical list:

• Teach Scripture and the Rosary.
• Build a family tree and host reunions.
• Take grandkids to Mass and on pilgrimage.
• Celebrate birthdays one-on-one.
• Stay in touch, and help struggling parents.

Read Steve's article The Role of Catholic Grandparents at Catholic Answers, and pray Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer for Grandparents. Learn about Steve's upcoming pilgrimages, including a February trip to Jordan and Israel, at Footprints of God Pilgrimages or CatholicConvert.com.

Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #OurLadyOfTheRosary #Rosary #CatholicGrandparents #SteveRay #MentalHealthMinistry #PopeLeoXIV #CatholicFamily #CatholicPodcast

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

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Listener offer: Use code DEACON10 for 10% off your first Alto payment. Ascension app subscribers automatically receive a separate app discount (the two can't be combined). Get started at Ascension — Alto.

Josh Rudegair, who joined Ascension in 2016 and serves as managing director of its app and communications team, joins Bo Bonner to introduce Alto, Ascension's brand-new monthly prayer periodical.

Each handheld issue includes the daily Mass readings, Morning Prayer and Night Prayer from the official Liturgy of the Hours, a short daily reflection from Catholic voices spanning the Church Fathers to Fr. Mike Schmitz's Sunday homilies, and a saint of the day. Josh explains why Alto is the only periodical to combine the Mass readings with the Liturgy of the Hours, how it removes the learning curve (no four-volume breviary or ribbons required), and how praying it unites you with priests, religious, and lay Catholics praying the same prayers around the world. Alto will automatically switch to the new translation of the Liturgy of the Hours this coming Lent.

Josh also explains what the Liturgy of the Hours is — the daily prayer of the Church that sanctifies the hours of the day — and reflects on the extraordinary fruit of The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz, which has passed one billion downloads. Deacon Mark Campbell adds his own first impressions as a deacon who prays Lauds and Vespers daily.

Listener offer: Use code DEACON10 for 10% off your first Alto payment. Ascension app subscribers automatically receive a separate app discount (the two can't be combined). Get started at Ascension — Alto.

Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#LiturgyOfTheHours #AscensionPress #Alto #CatholicPrayer #DailyMassReadings #BibleInAYear #FrMikeSchmitz #CatholicPodcast

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Deacon Randy Kiel, a licensed mental health counselor and founder of Kardia Counseling in central Iowa, joins Bo Bonner for his monthly segment on the Catholic Morning Show to take on the classic question: is the glass half empty or half full?

Deacon Randy explains that optimism isn't simply a personality type — it flows from hope, and hope isn't an emotion but a spiritual reality rooted in Jesus Christ. Pessimism, by contrast, develops when difficult, painful, or disappointing experiences aren't processed well. He points to Saint Paul writing letters of encouragement from prison, and to sick patients who end up cheering their caregivers, as pictures of suffering transformed by hope. He also shares a memorable story from his own first experience in therapy as a young man — and why it taught him what not to do.

For anyone stuck in a funk, Deacon Randy offers two practical steps: don't treat "realism" as a safe middle ground ("realism is just a pessimist in a Halloween costume"), and make a conscious, purposeful effort to look for something good — turn on a lamp, open the curtains, take a walk, or simply remember that you took a breath and it worked.

Learn more about Deacon Randy's practice at Kardia Counseling.

Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#ChristianHope #CatholicMentalHealth #Optimism #Pessimism #CatholicCounseling #MentalHealth #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell open Tuesday on the Memorial of Saint Bruno, founder of the Carthusian order, with Mass today at 8 a.m. at Saint Patrick's in Ottumwa (105.3 FM).

Thank you! Iowa Catholic Radio's fall fundraiser has surpassed the station's all-time fall fundraiser record, reaching $259,000 — about 87% of the goal — with a significant jump in new monthly donors. An all-time fundraiser record is still within reach: give online at IowaCatholicRadio.com or text GIVE to 515-223-1150. The hosts also share why Iowa Catholic Radio will never air political ads — 100% Catholic, 100% of the time.

Deacon Randy Kiel, founder of Kardia Counseling, returns for his monthly segment on the "glass half empty or half full" question. He explains that hope is not an emotion but a spiritual reality rooted in Jesus Christ, and that pessimism isn't a personality trait but a condition that develops from difficult experiences that were never fully processed. Drawing on Saint Paul's letters from prison and his own counseling work, Deacon Randy offers two concrete steps out of a pessimistic funk: don't settle for "realism" (which he calls "a pessimist in a Halloween costume"), and consciously, purposefully look for something good — even as simple as the fact that you took a breath and it worked. Learn more about his practice at Kardia Counseling.

Bo recaps presenting at the University of Notre Dame's de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture 26th annual Fall Conference, "But Where Can She Be Found? Wisdom from Age to Age" (October 1–3), where he spoke on practical wisdom and how algorithmic technology shapes us — and how to push back. The conference closed with a concert from the Hillbilly Thomists.

Josh Rudegair, managing director of the app and communications team at Ascension, introduces Alto, Ascension's new monthly prayer periodical. Each handheld issue includes the daily Mass readings, Morning Prayer and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours (no breviary or ribbons required), a short daily reflection from voices ranging from the Church Fathers to Fr. Mike Schmitz's Sunday homilies, and a saint of the day. Alto will automatically switch to the new Liturgy of the Hours translation this coming Lent. Josh also reflects on the success of The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz and its more than one billion downloads. Deacon Mark shares his own first impressions as a deacon who has vowed to pray Lauds and Vespers daily.

Listener offer: Use code DEACON10 for 10% off your first Alto payment. Ascension app subscribers automatically receive a separate discount (the two can't be combined). Subscribe at Ascension — Alto.

Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #LiturgyOfTheHours #AscensionPress #CatholicPrayer #ChristianHope #CatholicMentalHealth #SaintBruno #DowlingCatholic #CatholicPodcast

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Austin Neal of Above + Beyond Cancer joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about walking with someone through a cancer diagnosis. With Iowa among the states hit hardest by cancer, Austin shares why the mission is personal for him: his family has been touched by cancer, and his own experience with a lifelong diagnosis taught him that what people need most isn't advice, but someone who will stay with them. Whether someone is on day one or day 365, Above + Beyond Cancer meets patients, survivors, and caregivers wherever they are.

Austin walks through the free programs Above + Beyond Cancer offers Iowans: 12-week Optimal Living classes that are research- and evidence-based, from yoga and meditation to walking, hiking, and cycling, with assessments at the start and finish to track progress; community-building gatherings like book clubs; and a hotel program that covers lodging for Iowans who must travel 50 or more miles for treatment within the state. He also talks about the organization's signature events, including its annual skydiving jump and transformational journeys like this spring's trek through Nepal with about 20 survivors.

Founded by Des Moines oncologist Dr. Richard Deming, Above + Beyond Cancer is marking 15 years of serving thousands of Iowans. Join the celebration at Celebrate, Thursday, November 12, at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown. To get started, visit the "Start Here" section at Above + Beyond Cancer.

Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CancerSupport #AboveAndBeyondCancer #CancerSurvivor #Caregiver #CancerJourney #DesMoines #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Deacon Mark Campbell and Ayden Pugh open the week on the Memorial of Saint Faustina Kowalska, the Polish sister who received Our Lord's message of Divine Mercy and the "Jesus, I trust in you" image, with the Feast of Saint Bruno coming tomorrow. October is the month of the Rosary, and Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention this month is for mental health ministry, that it be established throughout the Church and help overcome the stigma faced by those with mental illness.

Deacon Mark recaps his weekend as a food judge at the annual cook-off for Troops of Saint George Troop 814 in Des Moines, where father-and-son patrols built entire meals around a secret ingredient: Spam. Fathers looking for a Catholic outdoor apostolate for their sons can find a troop (including Troop 2 in Ames and Troop 300 in the Cedar Rapids area) or start one at Troops of Saint George.

Deacon Mark and Ayden look back on last week's fall fundraiser, The Harvest Is Abundant: 261 gifts and $251,865 raised so far, highlights from guests like Curtis Brown, Dr. Stephanie Mohan and her son Deacon Luke Mohan, and Msgr. Larry Beeson and Fr. P.J. McManus. Iowa Catholic Radio is still short of its goal and a few matching dollars remain. Give by texting GIVE to 515-223-1150 or online at IowaCatholicRadio.com, where every fundraiser hour is also available on demand.

Save the date for the Iowa Catholic Radio Women's Conference, Saturday, January 23, 2027, at St. Boniface in Waukee, featuring Fr. Dan Reehil and Lisa Cotter. Tickets are $45 and include lunch; register at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

Joe Stopulus previews today's Man Up (Mondays at 9 a.m. on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network), an encore of his conversation with Very Rev. Trevor Chicoine, Vicar for Divine Worship for the Diocese of Des Moines and rector of the Basilica of St. John, on why the liturgy, its music, and its rhythms matter.

To close the show, Austin Neal of Above + Beyond Cancer talks about accompanying someone through a cancer diagnosis and the free support the West Des Moines nonprofit offers Iowans: 12-week evidence-based Optimal Living classes (yoga, meditation, cycling, hiking, and more), a hotel program for patients who travel 50 or more miles for treatment in Iowa, and community-building events. Above + Beyond Cancer celebrates 15 years at its Celebrate event on Thursday, November 12, at the Hilton Des Moines Downtown. Learn more at Above + Beyond Cancer.

Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

#CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #CancerSupport #AboveAndBeyondCancer #SaintFaustina #DivineMercy #TroopsOfSaintGeorge #PopeLeoXIV #CatholicPodcast #CatholicFaith

Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show.

🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations

LINKS

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.

If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

More from Iowa Catholic Radio:

• Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
• Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
• Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
• The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
• Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
• Be Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián Moncada
• Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen
• Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle
• The Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos
  

Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Help bring in the harvest! Support Iowa Catholic Radio's 2026 Fall Fundraiser: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/giving-options or text GIVE to 515-223-1150.

It's the final hour of the on-air 2026 Fall Fundraiser, "The Harvest is Abundant," and Deacon Mark Campbell, executive director of Iowa Catholic Radio, and Jeanne Thill bring it home on Max Out the Match Friday. Every gift was triple-matched by Iowa Catholic Radio's Challenger Club members until 10 a.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. With about $7,500 in matching dollars left at the half hour, maxing out the match would set a new on-air Fall Fundraiser record.

IN THIS HOUR
- Bishop William Joensen of the Diocese of Des Moines on his show Making It Personal, how ICR serves as a platform for Iowa's four bishops, and why the "vacuum" left by silent Catholic radio would be filled by voices that don't have our good at heart.
- Jeff Parikh of St. Augustine Parish in Des Moines on how Catholic Answers "filled in the gaps" of his faith, why local shows matter, and the St. Michael's group, a diocesan-wide ministry for boys in grades 3–8 led by high school leaders and seminarians.
- Jeanne Thill looks back on 21 years of Iowa Catholic Radio, from the early days at the old Norwalk studio to stations across the state.
- A gift from Fairfield honoring Mary Lou Francis, who helped bring 103.5 FM to the Fairfield area.
- Listener testimonials from parishes across Iowa, plus Deacon Mark's "It's a Wonderful Life" take on a Catholic Iowa without Catholic radio.

HOW TO GIVE
- Text GIVE to 515-223-1150 to receive a safe, secure giving link.
- Call 515-223-1150.
- Give online: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/giving-options
- Consider committing $25 a month for the next year, less than a dollar a day, so Iowa Catholic Radio can keep connecting people to Christ.

EVENTS & LOGISTICS
- First Friday Mass: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. in the St. Gabriel the Archangel Chapel at the Iowa Catholic Radio studios, 1355 50th Street. All are welcome.
- Dowling Catholic football homecoming game: Friday night, Oct. 2, on Iowa Catholic Radio.
- Wedding anniversary Masses with Bishop Joensen: Sunday, Oct. 4, at St. Peter's in Council Bluffs, and Saturday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m. at St. Ambrose. Couples celebrating any marriage milestone are invited.
- Prayer requests: Submit yours at IowaCatholicRadio.com: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/

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Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh

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Liturgy & Devotions

• The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
• The Daily Mass from St. Francis of Assisi
• The Daily Mass from St. Pius X
• The Daily Mass from St. Theresa
• Sunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint John

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