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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
26 episodes
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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Deacon Jake Rosenmeyer discusses Laudato Si and agriculture
Deacon Jake Rosenmeyer, seminarian for the Diocese of Sioux City studying at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, discusses his thesis regarding care for the earth. He shares highlights from A Theology of Agriculture and its Relationship with Laudato Si, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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30:32
Conversation with new Briar Cliff president Dr. Draud
Dr. Matthew Draud, the new president of Briar Cliff University, shared his extensive background in higher education and the path that led him to the top leadership role at Briar Cliff. He shares his impressions of Briar Cliff with its Fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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24:15
Grotto of the Redemption history and features with Msgr. Girres
Msgr. Ed Girres, rector of the West Bend Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption helps us to understand the rich history of the shrine and how to encounter Christ in a pilgrimage to the shrine. You will learn which grotto is Monsignor's favorite...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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25:38
Why marry in the church with Father David Esquiliano
Diocesan judicial vicar and pastor of the Cathedral Parish in Sioux City Father David Esquiliano discusses marriage from a canon law (church law) perspective. He explains how marriages between a man and a woman are a covenant founded in Scriptu...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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28:42
What is OCIA with Father Andrew Galles of the Office of Worship
What was known as RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is now OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults). But what does this mean for those looking to join the church or for the faithful in the pews? (Hint: the faithful in the pe...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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30:09
Addressing youth mental health with Amy Bloch of Catholic Charities
Executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Sioux City, Amy Bloch, discusses the state of youth mental health in the nation and in northwest Iowa. As children are experiencing depression and even contemplating suicide, parents, s...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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24:33
Advent through the Scriptures with Father Friedrichsen
Father Tim Friedrichsen, pastor of Sioux City Sacred Heart Parish and Scripture scholar shares what we will hear proclaimed in the readings at Sunday Mass this Advent. Father noted we will hear from the book of Luke this year. Join us as we tak...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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24:39