The Church Podcast

Episode 071 – The Long Way to Authenticity with Carlos Perez

Written by Christopher Wesley | Sep 22, 2026, 12:55:39 PM

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.

In This Episode

  • How a 2020 call for livestream help during COVID-19 at St. Joseph's Parish kicked off Christopher and Carlos's decade-long relationship
  • Carlos's upbringing as a "cradle Catholic" and the gap between knowing the faith and internalizing it
  • The impact of Quo Vadis and other diocesan retreat experiences on Carlos's vocational discernment
  • Fundraising for SEEK 2024 in St. Louis, and navigating cultural attitudes toward fundraising in a Hispanic household
  • A travel mishap — leaving his laptop at the airport — that reshaped Carlos's SEEK experience
  • What SEEK was like day-to-day, including the "spiritual warfare" of exhaustion and the friendships that helped him open up emotionally for the first time
  • Why Carlos believes his generation is drawn to authenticity, and how that search can lead people both toward and away from the Church
  • The generational pull toward tradition and reverence — including the Traditional Latin Mass — as a response to digital "noise"
  • Reflections on retreats, unplugged phone time, and the difference between how Carlos's generation and Christopher's generation were raised
  • The story behind Marathon Youth Ministry's two newest shirt designs — "Start Building" and "Say Less, Ask More" — and the message each one carries
  • Carlos's biggest hope for the Church: staying grounded in the basics rather than getting lost in complexity

About Carlos Perez

Carlos Perez has known Christopher for ten years, beginning as a middle school student in Christopher's youth ministry at St. Joseph's Parish. He stepped up to run livestream production during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, an experience that deepened his involvement in parish life and eventually led him to SEEK 2024 in St. Louis. Carlos now serves as the merchandise and branding lead for Marathon Youth Ministry, helping shape the organization's store and its message of authenticity and encouragement for the next generation.

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Carlos

ELEVATE YOUR PODCAST EXPERIENCE

The Church Podcast is a proud member of the NFCYM Podcast Network https://nfcym.org/podcastnetwork/. 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
View full post