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Illuminating Catholics
Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church
Welcome to the Illuminating Catholics - podcast of the Diocese of Sioux City. Your hosts are Dawn Prosser, director of Communications for the diocese and Karmen Bower of the Faith Formation Office. We will shed light upon topics of faith in the modern church. Our guests include Catholic clergy, religious sisters and other experts in their fields to help us understand what’s happening in the church today. We will explore issues (even tough ones) and find answers to common questions about Catholicism. Thank you for joining us for today’s Illuminating Catholics – shedding light to understand the modern church. Be sure to subscribe!
We are funded in part by the generous donations to Together as One - Our Diocesan Annual Appeal.
Episodes
33 episodes
Conversation with Office of Faith Formation staff
Karmen Bower, director of the Office of Faith Formation, and her staff of three faith formation coordinators - Danielle Fennessy, Maddie McClarty and Delores Huemiller - share insights about their work in the Diocese of Sioux City. Learn how th...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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28:28
Conversation with Pulse Life Advocates
In this episode of Illuminating Catholics, podcast hosts Dawn Prosser and Karmen Bower interview Maggie DeWitte, executive director of Pulse Life Advocates. Learn about this non-profit organization's prolife efforts. Find more information about...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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25:25
Miracle Church Bus explained with Danielle Fennessy
Faith Formation Office Coordinator, Danielle Fennessy, discusses the June 12 Miracle Church Bus trip for students in grades 6 to 8. Students will board busses in Willey and Breda about noon and then will visit the historic Carroll County church...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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22:31
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd explained; training available
Host Karmen Bower along with Allison Schoonover and Kathy Steffen of Carroll St. John Paul II Parish discuss Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program. Also, those interested in learning more about CGS or want to implement it in your ...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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28:02
Mental Health Awareness Month - Catholic Charities
Amy Jones of the Sioux City office and Lejeana Anliker of the Spencer office of Catholic Charities share the history and services offered through Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City. Lea...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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25:48
Seminarians in Rome share papal insights
Two diocesan seminarians are currently studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome - the PNAC or NAC - Thomas Kollasch of Bancroft and Anthony Vera of Le Mars. They share their experiences and observations since the death of the H...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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31:00
Youth Vocations trips - Ave and Quest with Father Crotty
Father Travis Crotty, diocesan director of vocations, discusses the June 2 to 5 vocations trips planned for young women and men. Ave will take young...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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28:59
The senses of Scripture with Father Tim Friedrichsen
Do you try to read Scripture and maybe don't understand it at first? Our resident "Scripture Scholar," Father Tim Friedrichsen of Sacred Heart Parish in Sioux City enlightens listeners as he breaks down the senses of Scripture for us. Knowing t...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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31:11
Shalea Schloss of Catholic Charities on Child Abuse Prevention Month
Mental health therapist, Shalea Schloss of the Sioux City Catholic Charities office, is the guest for today's episode in light of Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month in April. She shares her background and interest in working in mental h...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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36:47
Bishop Nickless shares about his life, ministry and retirement plans
As Karmen said on the podcast - it's a bittersweet time as Bishop Walker Nickless is winding down his 19+ year time as serving as our bishop in the Diocese of Sioux City. He talks about his time growing up in Denver, his vocation story, parish ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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34:18
Retired priests - Father Collison and Father Schrad share their active lives
Retired priests Father Craig Collison and Father Merlin Schrad have a long history of ministry in the diocese and also share a longtime friendship. Each share their background and ministry path. Surprisingly, they served in many of the same loc...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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36:43
Conversation on IVF and the church
In this episode we tackle a difficult topic in the church. We had a conversation with Katie McMahon of Shiloh post IVF Ministries about her infertility and IVF journey. We also explored the church's teaching regarding IVF and why it is not in a...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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30:38
Men's Conference organizers - Joe Kessenich and Matt Rosener
Joe and Matt share the loyalty of the Men's Conference attendees from year to year and why they keep coming back. The two Le Mars All Saints parishioners and conference organizers talk about what to expect at the Saturday, April 5 Men's Confere...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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20:55
Into the Garden Youth Retreat with Dcn. Brockhaus and Mary Lehr
Retreat organizers Deacon Pat Brockhaus of Holy Cross Parish in Sioux City and Mary Lehr of Sacred Heart Parish have been working with Danielle Fennessy of the diocesan Faith Formation Office to present Into the Garden for any area youth grades...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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27:49
Special edition! - Conversation with Bishop-elect John E. Keehner
Zooming in from Ashtabula, Ohio in the Diocese of Youngstown, Bishop-elect John E. Keehner joined our hosts for a conversation. Even if you watched the press conference, you will want to listen and learn more about the Bishop-elect's life in Oh...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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33:19
Preparing for a meaningful Lent with Father Lawler
Retired priest of the diocese and former diocesan director of worship, Father Bruce Lawler, is today's podcast guest. He shares his history serving in the diocese prior to his retirement and talks about the pillars of Lent - prayer, fasting and...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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22:26
Trinity Heights Queen of Peace Shrine - what's new and what's the history?
Trinity Heights Queen of Peace Shrine in Sioux City is one of the four 2025 Year of Hope Jubilee pilgrimage sites
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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37:10
Catholic legislative issues with Tom Chapman
We had a conversation with Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, explaining what the ICC is and how it serves our bishop and Catholics throughout our state. He is a native son of the diocese from Spirit Lake and share...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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28:54
2025 Jubilee Year of Hope with Father Andrew Galles
Learn more about the history of jubilees, 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Sioux City and how a pilgrim can obtain plenary indulgences during this holy year. Our diocesan Director of Worship Father Andrew Galles expl...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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26:31
Turn youth conference organizers
Hosts of the March 1 Turn youth conference share how they have collaborated to offer this regional event - open to all youth in grades 7-12 in the diocese. Megan Ulrich of Ascension Parish based in Boone, Sandra Hildreth of Our Lady of the Plai...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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23:30
BCU students discuss Catholic higher education
Catholic Schools Week special edition! Briar Cliff University students Trey Jungers and Derek Scheuring talk about living out their faith on a Catholic college campus. Jungers is a graduate of Newell-Fonda High School and Scheuring is an alumnu...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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24:07
Catholic Schools Week preview with Superintendent Patty Lansink
Patty Lansink, our diocesan superintendent of schools, talks about the 15 different Catholic school systems in the diocese and how each has a unique character to serve students of all faiths, cultures and abilities. System-wide, enrollment has ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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22:55
Sr. Anne Marie Walsh, SOLT, on her ministry and Domus Trinitatis
Sister Anne Marie Walsh of the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity authors a column for Lumen Media and is a speaker and retreat leader. She lives near Willey (Carroll County) at the
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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31:23
Addressing vocations myths with Fr. Deman and Fr. Crotty
Hosts of the popular Outcast Catholic podcast are also our diocesan Office of Vocations leaders. Father Shane Deman is director of seminarians for our diocese and also vice-rector at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and Father Travis Crotty is director...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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35:51
Sisters of the Presentation 150th anniversary
Happy New Year's Eve! Sister Jane Conrad and Sister Joy Peterson of the Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary out of Dubuque share the rich history of ministry of the community with roots in Cork, Ireland, as they celebrate 150 years ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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33:41
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