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Called to Serve with Kathy Barrans
The Called to Serve Podcast shares the stories of the many people in the Albany Diocese who are dedicating their lives to serving God as they further the mission of the Catholic Church. We thank them all for their dedication and for taking the time to share their stories with us, hopefully inspiring others to reflect on how God may be calling them to serve.
Episodes
48 episodes
"It's Not About Closing Parishes" (Season 2 Episode 23)
Bishop Mark O’Connell shares thoughts on his Parish Sustainability and Growth Discipline which he shared with parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, N.Y. in early October 2026. He is calling on each parish to assess their current sit...
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40 Hours Devotion: The Beauty of Adoration (Season 2 Episode 22)
Paul and Carol Heckman talk about the 40 Hours Devotion that takes place at Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville, New York on October 9-11, 2026, sharing about the many blessings that come from taking time to adore Jesus Christ in the Bles...
CarePortal: Connecting churches with families in need (Season 2 Episode 21)
As Catholics, we are called to serve, sharing the love of God with all, especially those in need. CarePortal helps by connecting children and families in need with local churches. In this episode, learn how CarePortal works, what it takes to ge...
Ask Bishop Mark 2 (Season 2 Episode 20)
Once again, Bishop Mark O'Connell answers questions that people in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY submitted. This is the second edition of "Ask Bishop Mark." If you have questions for him, email them to
Foster Parents (Season 2 Episode 19)
Kevin Doherty is Executive Director for St. Catherine’s Center for Children in Albany, NY. He and his wife Jen were also foster parents. They were blessed to adopt their foster child, Sierra. All three join me to talk about their journey, shari...
Safe Environment Protections (Season 2 Episode 18)
Since the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY announced a settlement with survivors of sexual abuse, several people have asked what is being done to make sure this doesn't happen again. We asked Bishop Mark O'Connell to join us to talk about p...
Ask Bishop Mark (Season 2 Episode 17)
We invited people in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY to submit questions for Bishop Mark O'Connell, and got a good response. We were not able to get through all the questions in this episode, so there will be more Ask Bishop Mark segme...
Medical Aid in Dying Act: Lenora's Story (Season 2 Episode 16)
Lenora Lemay is a parishioner in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY. She has a chronic pain condition and supporters of the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which took effect in NY State on August 5, 2026, would say the law was created to help p...
Newly Ordained (Season 2 Episode 15)
Fr. Alexander Turpin, ordained in May 2026 in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY, shares his experiences in the first few months of his priesthood.
Residents Encounter Christ (REC) - Prison Ministry (Season 2 Episode 14)
Residents Encounter Christ (REC) is a prison ministry in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY. Kevin Fragnoli, Patty Johnson, and Shirley Neet have each been sharing the Catholic faith with inmates through the REC program for years....
Christian Concerts (Season 2 Episode 13)
How does a Catholic church in Voorheesville, N.Y., connect with retired LPGA Golf Pro and now CBS Golf Announcer, Dottie Pepper, to bring top name Christian artists to the Capital Region? Listen to this episode to find out. Click these links fo...
The Value of STEM in Catholic Education (Season 2 Episode 12)
Kelly Leverone, Principal and Maria Collins, STEM teacher, both from Holy Spirit School in East Greenbush, N.Y., talk about how the school's STEM classes are designed to inspire students to realize their potential and encourage them to do what ...
Bishop Mark Explains Canon Law (Season 2 Episode 11)
I let Bishop Mark O'Connell choose the topic for this episode. He told me he wanted to talk about canon law and promised to make it interesting. He succeeded. In the conversation he references a very worn canon law book. You can find a picture ...
National Association of Pastoral Musicians (Season 2 Episode 10)
In this episode we sit down with three members of the Albany, NY Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. Tony Koslowski, Justine Crevatas, and Tony Leva talk about what the organization does and what it has to offer to parish...
The OCIA Experience (Season 2 Episode 9)
James Coupe and Nicole Butt recently came into the Catholic Church in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY through the OCIA process. They talk about their decision to join the Church and share thoughts on going through OCIA individually and...
Do Not Judge Anyone (Season 2 Episode 8)
Fr. Isaac Slater, a Trappist monk, talks about his book, “Do Not Judge Anyone: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World.” The book is both challenging and inspiring, sharing thoughts on a more peaceful response to conflict. We pray that this convers...
Understanding Third Orders (Season 2 Episode 7)
Matt Levine, a young adult, youth minister and OCIA Coordinator in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY talks about Third Orders, explaining what they are and sharing his journey to become a Third Order Franciscan.
Noticing Needs & Sharing Christ's Love (Season 2 Episode 6)
As Catholics, we are called to serve, called to meet the needs of others, but are we aware of the needs around us? Sr. Betsy Van Deusen, CSJ, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY, shares thou...
The Stations of the Cross (Season 2 Episode 5)
The Pastoral Center staff of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY prays the Stations of the Cross. Conceptualized by Bishop Mark O'Connell, all are invited to join us in praying the Stations. Pastoral Center employees lead each station, sha...
A Conversation with Bishop Mark O'Connell (Season 2 Episode 4)
Bishop Mark O'Connell talks about his experience in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY in his first two months as our Bishop, sharing the challenges and joys. He also shares his plans for our Diocese moving forward.
Planning a Holy Thursday Pilgrimage (Season 2 Episode 3)
Fr. Dan Quinn, pastor of several parishes in Albany, NY, shares information on how to plan a Holy Thursday Pilgrimage. He organized a pilgrimage in his area last year. He even created a passport that participants were able to have stamped at ea...
Sacred Sparks: Speed Dating for Young Adults (Season 2 Episode 2)
Casey Vincelette and Jac Domingos, two young adults in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY are on the team organizing this year's Sacred Sparks Speed Dating event. In this episode, they talk about last year's inaugural Sacred Sparks event,...
Healing and Hope for Grieving Mothers (Season 2 Episode 1)
Shaunda Penny, co-founder of the Miscarriage Ministry in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY https://www.rcda.org/miscarriageministry shares her personal story of loss and how sh...
Episode 25: The Purpose Behind the Podcast
We turn the tables on this one. Brigid Beck, Communications Specialist in the Communications Office for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY, interviews Communications Director and podcast host, Kathy Barrans, asking how the Called to...
Episode 24: Young Adult Groups Grow & Inspire
Young adult groups continue to grow across the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York. In this episode, we sit down with two young adults, Brigid Beck and James Marra, who share about their personal relationship with Jesus Christ and how th...