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Saints in the Parish
Sainthood isn't optional | Conversations on holiness, vocation, and the Catholic life.
Episodes
112 episodes
From "Anti-Catholic" Protestant to Working for Hallow (Brantley Rutz) - Ep. 109
Brantley Rutz grew up Southern Baptist. After years of being anti-Catholic, he and his family became Catholic.Now he works at Hallow, the Catholic prayer app used by millions of Catholics and Protestants around the world.To reac...
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Protestant Couple Becomes Catholic | Their OCIA Conversion (Mike and Paige Caras) - Ep. 108
Mike and Paige just became Catholic at the Easter Vigil.Paige grew up Church of Christ Protestant and Mike was raised Greek Orthodox. They spent years Church hopping and never finding a home.Finally, after 2 years of going to Ma...
God Hit Him in the Face With a Brick. Now He's About To Become a Priest. (Dcn. Gaten Armstrong) - Ep. 107
In 35 days, Deacon Gaten Armstrong will be ordained a Catholic priest. He never could have imaged God would call him to this vocation. In this interview, Deacon Gaten tells the story of how God called him to the priesthood, the fea...
BONUS: Thousands Are Becoming Catholic. Are We Ready? - Ep. 106
Thousands of people became Catholic this year in America, the highest number in 21 years.Everyone is talking about it, but they are asking the wrong question. Instead of why, we should be asking "Are we in the parish ready to meet them?...
He Originally Wanted To Become a Franciscan. Now He Has 10 Kids. (Todd Sylvester) - Ep. 105
Todd Sylvester discerned the Franciscans before realizing God was calling him to marriage. After years of ministry, Todd has 10 children.In this episode, Donald Paul talks to Todd about his vocational discernment, his time as a youth mi...
He Quit His Career To Become A Priest In His 30s (Fr. Chris Boutin) - Ep. 104
He had a successful corporate career. And then, in his 30s, he walked away from it.Fr. Chris Boutin, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mobile, sits down to talk about his vocation to the priesthood after a successful corporate career. From...
He Spent 4 Years in Seminary | Why Leaving Was So Brutal (Andrew Thompson) - Ep. 103
Andrew Thompson peels back the curtain and shares the reality of leaving Catholic seminary after 4 years. He talks about the difficult transition of leaving the stability of seminary life and struggling to rebuild his prayer life outside of sem...
Climbing the Corporate Ladder to Catholic Priest (with Fr. Thomas LaPointe) - Ep. 102
Fr. Thomas LaPointe began to climb the corporate ladder at Publix before realizing God was calling him to become a Catholic priest.In this episode, Donald Paul sits down with Fr. Thomas where he explains his corporate experience, how he ...
Married At 19, Father At 20 | Saying Yes To God's Will (Josh Murphy) - Ep. 101
In this episode, I am joined with Josh Murphy. He got married at 19 and he is an expectant father at 20. Why would a sophomore in college decide to get married and have a child so young? He had no money, no house, no career, and still he said y...
3 Years Without Birth Control | An Honest Conversation About Marriage and Catholic NFP (Julia Maddox) - Ep. 100
In this interview with my wife, Julia Maddox, we talk frankly about our experience with NFP, rejecting contraception in our marriage, openness to life, having children, and the sacrifice required to follow God's will.
The Spiritual Value of Good Catholic Films | Dan Johnson Interview - Ep. 99
Catholic filmmaker, producer, and screen writer Dan Johnson joins us for a wide-ranging interview on the value of quality Catholic films, his new massive St. Bernadette movie project, and his vocation as a father and filmmaker.You can c...
The Weight of the Office: From Priest to Archbishop (Archbishop Rivituso) - Ep. 98
We are joined today by Archbishop Mark Rivituso, the Archbishop of Mobile. He discusses what it means to be a bishop, his spiritual fatherhood, advice for biological fathers, and what gives him hope in the world today.
The Challenges of Being A Priest, Celibacy, and Vocations (with Fr. Patrick Gilbreath) - Ep. 97
Fr. Patrick Gilbreath, Vocations Director of the Archdiocese of Mobile, answers questions about his call to priesthood, the demands of celibacy, loneliness in priesthood, community, working with seminarians, building a culture open to hearing G...
Sacrifice in Marriage - Ep. 96
Catholic husbands are called to embody sacrifice their marriage.As husbands, we are called to love our wives as Christ loved the church, an idea that is beautifully illustrated in the story of Genesis 22, where Abraham is asked to sacri...
St. Faustina's Diary And It's Relevance For Gen Z (with Michael Bradford) - Ep. 95
In this week's episode, Fr. Steve Williams hosts Michael Bradford, a graduate student at Auburn University and former seminarian, on Saints in the Parish podcast. Michael, a former seminarian, discusses St. Faustina's Diary, its rel...
Catholic vs. Protestant Bibles (66 vs. 73 Books): The History - Ep. 94
Did Catholics add 7 book or did Protestants delete 7?In this video, Donald Paul goes through the history of the Sacred Scriptures and uncovers the history of how the Bible was formed from the Jewish Hebrew Scriptures. He goes through Ch...
Should Catholics Have A Personal Relationship With Jesus?: Catholic Response - Ep. 93
"Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?" It's the question you will always get asked.Many Catholics might be concerned if they can't answer that. However, in the Church, an individuals personal relationship is less important th...
Fr. Steve Q&A: 35 Years As A Catholic Priest - Ep. 92
In today's episode, Donald Paul interviews Fr. Steve who is celebrating his 35th anniversary of Priestly Ordination this years. Fr. Steve reflects on 35 years as a priest, how his priesthood has changed, how parish life has changed, and how Cat...
A Thorough Introduction To The Catholic Liturgical Calendar (And Why It's Important For Your Faith) - Ep. 91
The Liturgical calendar orders the Church's celebrations. It unfolds the mysteries of Christ's life throughout the year. Without the liturgical seasons, we would be left guessing throughout the year. Unfortunately, most Protestant denominations...
Christmas Is A Historical Event, That Is Important For Our Faith - Ep. 90
This week, we celebrate Christmas. During this celebration, it is important to remember that this is a historical event. In this episode, Donald Paul and Fr. Steve discuss why it is so important that Jesus actually became man in history and how...
Fr. Steve and Donald Paul On Prayer - Ep. 89
Prayer is a conversation with God. Prayer is necessary in our lives. Many people find it difficult to pray with their busy lives. In this episode, Fr. Steve and Donald Paul discuss prayer, why it is important, the example of St. Mother Teresa, ...
Why The Immaculate Conception Is About Jesus Too (And Of Course Mary) - Ep. 88
In this episode, Donald Paul discusses the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. He goes into detail and explains how the Immaculate Conception is rooted in the Old Testament images of the Ark, why God preserved Mary as the perfect vessel, an...
A Catholic Guide To Spiritual Growth In Advent - Ep. 87
In this episode, Donald Paul discusses the Liturgical season of Advent. He discusses what the season is, what is its purpose, and why it is important for Catholics. He then gives 3 suggestions for you to implement for spiritual growth during th...
Catholic Meaning Of Advent and Christmas Traditions - Ep. 86
In this episode, Fr. Steve and Donald Paul discuss the liturgical meaning of Advent, the two purposes of Advent, and various family traditions of Christmas and Advent.
New Liturgical Year (Year A): Gospel of Matthew, Christ the King, and Preparing for Christmas - Ep. 85
In this episode, Fr. Steve and Donald Paul discuss the upcoming Liturgical Year, Year A. They discuss the Gospel of Matthew, which is read throughout this year. They also discuss the upcoming feasts of Christ the King, the season of Advent, and...