The EquipCast

What keeps you from sharing your faith with others? Not enough time, knowledge, or energy? Perhaps it’s a fear of failure? Or maybe you imagine someone who evangelizes as having a skillset that you don’t. We know Jesus wants us to “go and make disciples”, so it stands to reason that he wants us to go just as we are.

Today, I talk with Kelly Peklo and Matt Keller, graduates of the Archdiocese Mentorship Program. They share their journey to understand God’s call to evangelize and how they made that call fit into their lives. They talk about learning to pray and to hear the Lord’s voice. And he wasn’t asking them to share their faith like a famous tele-evangelist or door-to-door salesman. He was calling them to use their unique strengths, to share His love with others, by simply being themselves.

In this episode, you will be encouraged to:

Also, check out the Mentorship Program!

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Father Flanagan, a Catholic priest, defied the norms of his time, founded Boys Town, and challenged the conventional approach to child care. His dedication and vision led to the creation of a space where children could come to live as a family, receive education, and be guided with love and compassion. The impact of Boys Town reverberated across America and the world, influencing child care systems and emphasizing kindness, equality, and love.

This episode not only recounts Father Flanagan's journey but also explores the ethos of Boys Town and its transformative effect on the lives of children. From facing societal opposition and standing up against racial discrimination to advocating for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II, Father Flanagan exhibited extraordinary compassion and resilience.

In today’s episode, you will:

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

St. Frances Cabrini, one of our oldest and most historic parishes, was dying. And if its story followed the usual pattern, it would be closed. Instead, the parish is not only growing, but its people are thriving. How did this community reinvent itself in less than 7 years?

The parish leaders embraced a relationship with the Holy Spirit, allowing the him to guide their initiatives. Then, they started small, fostering intentional relationships, recognizing and inviting people to participate, and They now have a culture of invitation. Every parishioner knows they should be reaching out to others, drawing the community together and to the person of Christ.

In this episode, you will learn:

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 poured your heart into planning an event, only to see the enthusiasm fade away soon after it ends, leaving you wondering what could have been done differently? Let's dive into the art of event planning and execution together, unveiling five simple yet impactful tips to create events that resonate and nurture spiritual growth.

Today, we'll explore how to:

Let's unlock the potential of your events and ensure they leave a lasting mark on every participant.

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 do we share the love of Jesus with someone who finds our beliefs contrary to their way of life? Accompaniment can be particularly tricky when we find ourselves called to walk with someone whose behaviors may not align with Church teachings. But we know the transformative power of God’s love and should not keep it to ourselves. So how do you walk the fine line between accompaniment and accommodation with someone like this?

Today, I talk with Fr. Sean Kilcawley of the Diocese of Lincoln. Over the years, the Lord has called him into ministry with people who struggle with addiction and/or question their identity. He has made a career out of answering the question: What would it be like to make it safe for people to name the difficult things in their hearts? Specifically, we dig into the topic of gender identity, encouraging empathy, love, and understanding when dealing with complex issues related to faith, gender, and identity.

In this episode:

For more on this topic, check out Fr. Sean Kilcawley's Youtube Channel and the book The Seven Desires of Every Human Heart by Mark and Deborah Laaser.

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 weight of wanting to share your faith but not knowing where to start? Trust me, I’ve been there. When I first dipped my toes into evangelizing, I stumbled through it, making more than my fair share of blunders. But you know what changed the game for me? Learning to lean on the Holy Spirit and building genuine connections that sparked meaningful conversations about faith.

Now, let’s be real, most of us aren’t born experts at this stuff. That’s why I’m thrilled to bring you an episode featuring someone who truly gets it: Michael Hall. He’s the brains behind the book “Intentional Accompaniment” and serves as the Interim Director of Program Support for Catholic Christian Outreach in Canada (kind of like FOCUS in the US).

Join us to:

If you’ve ever felt hesitant about evangelizing or wondered where to even begin, this episode is tailor-made for you!

Also, check out Michael's book or see more resources from Catholic Christian Outreach.

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

Did you know that in July of this year more than 20 parishes in our diocese will cease having Sunday Mass? Maybe one of these parishes is your own. The cessation of Sunday Mass will be one of the hardest events for faithful Catholics to process. It feels like the death of a loved one. However, this is not the first time God's people have had to deal with their worship in a particular place coming to an end. I’d like to offer lessons from the past. Why is this happening and what should our response be?

References:

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

Did you know that since 1990 more than 400 new Catholic schools have opened in the United States? Unfortunately, during that same period there's been a net loss of more than 760 Catholic schools. We now have fewer total students in Catholic schools in the United States then we did in 1930 despite the fact that the Catholic population has tripled since then.

I got a chance to sit down with Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB. He served as the secretary for the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome, and so we discuss what the Church teaches about our Catholic schools. We go over the history of how participation in our schools has decreased, the importance of a partnership with parents, and the five essential marks of Catholic schools.

Catholic schools have a beautiful mission to evangelize, so for anyone who loves schools and loves the mission of the Church, this episode is for you!

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Journey of Faith. This is the archdiocese’s name for pastoral planning, the process by which a diocese tries to properly allocate its resources when faced with changing demographics, population shifts, and the decreasing availability of priests. That all sounds very clinical, but at the heart of it, we know that the people of our diocese will experience loss.

So today, I bring you Kathy Slusarski. She is a born and raised Nebraskan, widow, and grandmother of 11, and Kathy has been through pastoral planning three times. This could have left her hardened and bitter, but instead, she views her Catholic faith as something that transcends the physical location of a church and is confident that Jesus is with them no matter where they worship. She has found hope through her faith and community and by embracing the transformative power of Jesus.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha

I’ve told you before that I’m convinced small faith sharing groups will bring renewal to our Church. One of my favorite ways to get small groups started in a parish is through Live Lent Together.

This initiative of the Archdiocese of Omaha allows people who are new to the work of evangelization to take a first step into mission. I’ve also seen it bear great fruit in the lives of participants.

Today, I bring you three stories of Live Lent Together small groups and the fruit of shared faith.

P.S. Want to check out a training to see if Live Lent Together is right for you? Go to ArchOmaha.org/Lent

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha