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The Church Podcast
Each episode features conversations with people from various backgrounds, exploring the real side of ministry. We discuss insights and learnings from the local and national landscape, enriching our understanding of the ministry's impact.
All Episodes
What Parents Really Want From Youth Ministry | Robert Feduccia, Ep 072
"If the church could help me get beyond the one-word answer with my son, I would come to everything you did." Robert Feduccia shares what marginally engaged parents really want from the Church. Robert Feduccia, president of EQ Saints, listened to Catholic parents from San Diego to Boston who drop their kids off but aren't at Mass on Sunday. He shares the assumptions that research overturned, how he runs a parent-teen night that gets families talking, why the classroom has become the "source and summit" of parish life, and why we need to answer the "so what" of the Eucharist. Full show notes and resources: https://blog.marathonyouthministry.com/churchpodcast/episode-072-what-parents-really-want-from-youth-ministry-with-robert-feduccia Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-fVOpoiHE CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome and introduction 1:58 Meet Robert Feduccia 9:41 Who stays Catholic, and why 15:16 Listening to marginally engaged parents 18:36 What parents actually want from church 24:14 A parent-teen night that works 34:20 Why parishes fall short 39:55 The "so what" of the Eucharist 51:11 Trade an adversarial posture for empathy 54:35 Robert's hope for the Church RESOURCES MENTIONED EQ Saints: https://eqsaints.com/ Springtide Research Institute, Catholic Edition 2021: https://springtideresearch.org/product/catholic-edition-2021 Search Institute, 40 Developmental Assets: https://searchinstitute.org Joseph Ratzinger, Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0813215161?tag=04130706-20 (affiliate link) CONNECT WITH ROBERT https://eqsaints.com/ rfeduccia@eqsaints.com MORE FROM MARATHON YOUTH MINISTRY M2GO: training videos, templates and resources for your ministry team: https://marathonyouthministry.com/ministry2go?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep072 Ministry Coach: https://ministryally.app?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep072 MYM store: https://marathonyouthministry.store?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=church-podcast&utm_content=ep072 The Church Podcast is a member of the NFCYM Podcast Network: https://nfcym.org/podcastnetwork/ More from the show: http://thechurchpodcast.org/ Recorded on Riverside (affiliate link): https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=christopher-wesley Produced by Marathon Youth Ministry and Stephen Herrera of Be Well Creative: https://bewellcreative.co/ As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.-2.png)
Episode 071 – The Long Way to Authenticity with Carlos Perez
In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Carlos Perez, Marathon Youth Ministry's merchandise and branding lead and a former student of Christopher's youth ministry. Carlos shares how a spontaneous "yes" to running livestream equipment during the pandemic turned into a decade-long relationship with Christopher, and how questions he couldn't shake as a middle schooler eventually grew into a confident, lived-out Catholic faith. From altar serving and Quo Vadis retreats to a formative and challenging trip to SEEK in St. Louis, Carlos traces the moments that moved his faith from head knowledge to something internalized. Together, Christopher and Carlos explore what young Catholics are really searching for in an age of social media and AI — namely authenticity — and why so many are being drawn back toward tradition, reverence, and things like the Traditional Latin Mass. They also discuss the cultural pressure around fundraising in Hispanic households, the value of unplugging from phones on retreat, and how Marathon Youth Ministry's new merchandise line is meant to carry that same message of authenticity forward. For more visit https://thechurchpodcast.org
Episode 070 – Giving Teens the Pen: Forming Young Leaders with Marisally Santiago
In Episode 070 of The Church Podcast, I sit down with Marizoli Santiago to discuss empowering young leaders in the Church. Marizoli shares her journey from graphic design to youth ministry, emphasizing the importance of giving teens the opportunity to lead and create their own ministries. We explore her innovative program, Why Copy?, which encourages youth to find their voice and actively participate in the Church. Marizoli highlights the significance of listening to diverse perspectives within the community and creating inclusive spaces that foster growth and unity. Join us as we delve into practical strategies for engaging young people and transforming parish life.-1.png)
Episode 069 – Rediscovering Synodality with Bob McCarty
In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Bob McCarty, longtime Catholic ministry consultant, author, and former Executive Director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM). Bob spent 10 years in parish and school youth ministry in Philadelphia, 14 years leading the youth office for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and 19 years as Executive Director of NFCYM before stepping away in 2016 — a move he calls his "recalibration" rather than a retirement. Since then he's worked as a ministry consultant (he prefers "animator") and co-authored Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics. Together, Christopher and Bob unpack what synodality actually means, why it's less a new program than a name for practices ministry leaders have used for years, and what synodal leadership looks like in contrast to clericalism. They talk through concrete examples — from parish-wide listening groups to a single question at the family dinner table — and get into the virtues, and the chaos, that synodal leadership requires. For more visit our show notes at https://thechurchpodcast.org