Episode 067 – Faith and Justice, One and the Same with Maggie Smith

  • 65 min

Episode 067 – Faith and Justice, One and the Same with Maggie Smith

The Church Podcast

Play

In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with Maggie Smith, Vice President of Good Faith, formerly known as the Center for Faith Justice.

Maggie shares her journey from being a Justice Works participant as a high schooler to leading the organization she once served through as a young adult — including the research project, the rebrand from Center for Faith Justice to Good Faith, and the Lilly Endowment-funded "Next Level" initiative that reshaped how the organization walks with young people beyond a single week in the summer.

Together, Christopher and Maggie explore why faith and justice can't be separated, how Good Faith builds theological reflection into every service experience, the challenge of forming young people as true protagonists rather than passive participants, and how becoming a parent has shaped the way Maggie thinks about handing faith down to her own children.

This conversation is an honest, hope-filled look at what it means to keep faith and works tied together — in ministry, in family life, and in the wider Church.

In This Episode

• Maggie's path from Justice Works participant to Acting President of Good Faith
• The story behind the rebrand from Center for Faith Justice to Good Faith
• The Lilly Endowment "Next Level" grant and how it reshaped year-round accompaniment with young people
• Why theological reflection — not just service — is central to Good Faith's programs
• The "teaching Mass" practice that helped students connect service to the Eucharist
• The challenge of forming young people as genuine protagonists, not just participants
• How becoming a parent has changed the way Maggie approaches faith formation at home
• Maggie's hope for the Church rooted in Pope Leo XIV's early leadership and teaching

About Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith is the Vice President of Good Faith, formerly the Center for Faith Justice, a New Jersey-based Catholic organization rooted in Catholic social teaching. A lifelong participant in and now leader of the organization's programs, she previously led its national research initiative and helped guide its rebrand and its Lilly Endowment-funded "Next Level" project. She holds a graduate degree in theology from Villanova University.

Resources Mentioned

• Good Faith: wearegoodfaith.org
• In Good Faith Podcast: wearegoodfaith.org (verify direct podcast link before publishing)
• Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on human dignity (title referenced in conversation — verify exact title and citation before publishing)

Connect with Maggie / Good Faith

• Website: wearegoodfaith.org
• Social: @livegoodfaith (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
• Podcast: In Good Faith — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found

ELEVATE YOUR PODCAST EXPERIENCE

The Church Podcast is a proud member of the NFCYM Podcast Network. Check out some of our other shows like the Accompany Podcast and the YDisciple Podcast.

Elevate your podcast experience and support our mission to do church better. Visit thechurchpodcast.org and join our community of dedicated listeners.

Recorded on Riverside – HERE

A Little From Our Sponsors

Ministry2GO: What if training your team was as simple as clicking a button? Now with Ministry2GO you'll be able to easily download templates, training videos and resources to help your team grow. Use promo code M2GOPOD for $10 off the annual price. Learn more HERE

SHOP SOCK RELIGIOUS: Evangelize with funny Catholic shirts and epic saint socks that you can buy at sockreligious.com. Use CHURCHPOD and get 10% off your purchase.

GET CUSTOM GEAR for your next ministry event from our partner 4 Marks Printing. They make ministry and evangelization easier! Visit 4marksprinting.com/churchpod for more.

MYM MERCH: Show off some humor and what you do with awesome t-shirts from Marathon Youth Ministry's Store. Visit HERE to see what we have.

YDISCIPLE: Get access to an array of resources for middle and high school students that will help them grow in faith and put it into action. Learn more HERE