The EquipCast

How much can a simple act of kindness impact someone's life? How can your involvement in community initiatives create meaningful connections? If you've ever felt a calling to connect with those in need, this conversation is for you. It’s a journey of faith, partnership, and service, guiding you to take the first step. Discover the profound stories that emerge when people come together and learn how your simple acts of kindness can make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

In this episode, you will:

Join this podcast for a journey of faith, compassion, and the transformative power of service. As today’s guest Cindy says, “You don't have to go somewhere to be on a mission trip. You can do it right here in Omaha, right here with your St. Vincent de Paul, right here with your Catholic Church.”

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Ever wondered why prayer sometimes feels like you are talking to yourself? Do you ever look around at other leaders in your parish, thinking they've got it all figured out in the prayer department while you're struggling to keep up? Or maybe you just crave a deeper connection with God.

Today’s guest, Jim Beckman, breaks open the art of prayer. According to Jim, prayer is meant to be a real heart-to-heart with God, an open and honest exchange. As he puts it, “You can't deceive Him. You can't trick Him. You can't hide anything from Him. So why not just give up on that right away and just be who you are.”

Here's a sneak peek of what’s waiting for you in this episode:

If you’d like to take your prayer life up a notch, check out these addition resources:

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your passion and vision are extremely compelling, but you're not the one calling the shots? Sometimes, our leaders might not tick all the boxes when it comes to vision, delegation, or communication, and it can be downright frustrating. But, effective leadership isn't just about titles. No matter where you stand in the hierarchy, you have the power to make a significant impact. Learn how to navigate the delicate balance of influence, patience, and persistence in order to make a difference.

Here's a sneak peek of today’s Coach’s Corner:

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Do you ever feel like you don't have enough to give? Maybe there's debt to tackle, too many bills this month, or just not much left in the budget. But we know the Lord wants us to be generous! So, how can you increase your charitable giving when it seems there's nothing to spare?

I had the pleasure of talking with Jonathan and Amanda Teixeira, financial experts who provide education and guidance on managing money from a Catholic perspective. When you manage money through a Catholic lens, it means considering a broader range of values, from ethical investments to personal vocation, allowing you to make better financial choices while deepening your faith.

Explore with me today the role of generosity in experiencing financial freedom and joy.

In this episode, you'll discover:

Jonathan and Amanda offer courses, workshops, and resources through their platform, WalletWin.com, to help individuals and families achieve financial stability, get out of debt, build savings, and grow in generosity while staying true to their Catholic faith. They also run "The Catholic Money Show" podcast and have written a book: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Have you ever had a moment that deeply touched your soul, making you feel connected to God and changing your life? We often think of monumental conversion moments, but what if I told you that such transformative encounters could be a part of your daily life—through prayer?

Prayer is more than just speaking to God; it's about creating a sacred space for genuine conversation. It's about building a relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to speak to us, fostering spiritual growth, and helping us understand ourselves and God's will. Beyond that, prayer lets us receive grace and feel God's immense love. And here's the beautiful part: these encounters aren't just for us; they're meant to be shared, strengthening our faith and enriching our communities.

Today, I sit down with Fr. Pat McLaughlin for a conversation about the Lampstand Initiative. It's a program designed to transform our prayer lives, bringing us closer to Jesus. But it doesn't stop there. The Lampstand Initiative empowers us to not only deepen our own prayer lives but also to teach others, creating a ripple effect of prayer and evangelization in our communities.

In this episode, we explore:

Learn more about the Lampstand Initiative. Or deepen your own prayer life by picking up one of these books: WRAP Yourself in Scripture and The Parish as a School of Prayer.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Ever felt the exhilaration of God's presence when using your unique spiritual gifts? Can you imagine what it would be like to discover and unleash your charisms for the benefit of your community? It's a journey of openness, spiritual growth, and the grace of God propelling us forward.

Join me in an inspiring episode featuring Sherry Weddell, co-founder of the Catherine of Sienna Institute. She sheds light on charisms, reminding us that these divine gifts are meant to be shared, illuminating the lives of others with God's love and mercy. “These are ways that you and I have been empowered by God to be an instrument of His love and His beauty and His mercy and His healing and His provision for other people."

In this episode, we delve into the world of spiritual gifts, exploring the transformative power of charisms and their role in shaping our faith.

Get Ready to:

If you're curious to learn more about how charisms can ignite your faith and guide you on a path of intentional discipleship check out The Catherine of Sienna Institute and Sherry’s book, Forming Intentional Disciples.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Have you ever felt alone even when you are in a crowd of people? Do you desire to be known and seen by a community that shares your values? Our parish communities, which should be the place where we find belonging, are often too large to provide the experience of close-knit spiritual family. But, it’s not impossible!

Come with me as I explore how forming small groups can be a life-giving experience, fostering deeper connections and intentional faith conversations. Drawing inspiration from stories of people living in Congo and experiences right here in our communities, we uncover the incredible impact of sharing struggles, reading scriptures together, and growing in faith collectively.

In this episode:

Resources mentioned in this episode:

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

In this fast-paced world, who doesn’t feel overwhelmed by busyness? There’s nothing quite so American as the stress we put on (and really, the stress caused by) doing more and thinking bigger. That’s why, today, I want to talk about a transformative insight that I just came up with: Less is More!

All joking aside, this is an aphorism that has been thrown around for almost a century now, and yet, it seems that simplifying our lives is easier said than done. So, let’s delve into the beauty of simplicity and how it can enhance all areas of your life. By focusing on what truly matters, we can experience deeper connections with our loved ones, a clearer path to spiritual growth in our parishes, and a more balanced and fulfilling life.

In today’s episode, you will:

To further explore this concept, I highly recommend The Seven Practices of Effective Ministry, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

How life-giving is the volunteer work that you do for your parish? Is it draining or invigorating? Hopefully, some of you responded, “Invigorating!” But if you find yourself drained by the work of being missional, you are not alone. So many of us say yes to the work because it is good, or necessary, or because “Father asked me to”. Rarely are we asked to first discern our charisms and then to volunteer in a mission field that matches our gifts.

And so, I invited Mandy Busch and Amanda Pfeifer to talk about how they are helping parishioners find fulfillment in their mission. They focus first on helping parishioners to understand their God given gifts (charisms) and to notice where the Lord’s gifts are bearing fruit. In their own words: “This is an essential item you need in your toolbox as an intentional disciple. Knowing what your charisms are and the ways in which the Lord moves in you to do his work, changes everything. Because when it’s his work, it’s not work.”

In today’s episode, you will hear how a parish can:

If you want to learn about your charisms or to help others do so, check out Siena.org.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

The call to evangelize has been consistent and increasingly urgent from our Church leaders for the past fifty plus years. When you hear that call, have you ever felt like you aren’t enough? Like you don’t have the appropriate strengths or the right leadership qualities to offer?

Well, you’re not alone. Fr. Mallon, author of Catholic pop-culture phenomenon Divine Renovation, was the pastor at St. Benedict Parish in Hallifax, Nova Scotia. He turned the parish around and created a truly missional community. His strengths were clear and his leadership was bold. So today, I talk to…his successor. Fr. Simon Lobo became pastor of St. Benedict Parish, and it was immediately clear that his gifts and his weaknesses were very different.

So how did he succeed without the stereotypical leadership strengths? Today we talk about:

If you’d like to read more about his experience, check out Divine Renovation Apprentice and Preaching on Purpose.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha