Best Catholic Marriage Apostolate Podcasts (2025)

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Life on Mission with Leanne Bowen // Episode 254 1:18:41

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4d ago1:18:41

1:18:41

Delighted to interview Catholic artist and former FOCUS missionary, Leanne Bowen! Check out her work at leannebowen.com! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ see what we have upcoming in terms of events here:…

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Coach's Corner 24: When You’re Stuck at Step One 11:09

4d ago11:09

11:09

When the mission feels massive, how do you take the first step? We all feel the pressure. With souls on the line, it feels like we need big plans, big programs, big results. But what if the most fruitful thing you could do today was simply to take one small step? In this episode, I share four strategies that have helped me and others start small, b…

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BONUS: 3 Reasons You Should Join us at SEEK! 8:17

4d ago8:17

8:17

Imagine standing among thousands of faithful Catholics, voices lifted in prayer and praise. In that moment, you can feel the Church fully alive—young, reverent, and on fire for mission. In this short bonus episode, I share a personal story from my family and three compelling reasons why SEEK might be exactly what your heart’s been longing for. Whet…

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Maybe People Just Don't Know That We're Called to Be Saints... // Episode 253 14:52

11d ago14:52

14:52

Maybe just maybe, a lot of the Christian life makes more sense if we know that we're called to be saints...and if we know what saints are, too. As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ see what we have upcoming i…

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Episode 197: Meet Your Neighbor in Their Mess: The Call to Parish Outreach 58:59

12d ago58:59

58:59

What does it really mean to love your neighbor—not just in theory, but in their mess? In this episode, I sit down with Austin Habash from Sent Evangelization, and we talk about what happens when we actually step out and meet people where they are. How knocking on doors leads to praying with strangers, and how helping with small needs opens the way …

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Pray, Pay, and Obey // Episode 252 23:38

18d ago23:38

23:38

Maybe you've heard the line before: Pray, pay, and obey. Maybe the person saying it actually meant: Sit down and shut up. But what if it meant exactly what it said? What if those were three excellent admonitions for our life as Catholic Christians? Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ourout…

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Episode 196: The Quiet Crisis in Our Pews: Why Saving Marriages will Save the Faith 1:02:35

19d ago1:02:35

1:02:35

What if saving a marriage could save a soul? In this episode, I sit down with Jared Smyth from Communio a consultancy helping parishes build thriving marriage ministries. We talk about the quiet crisis unfolding in our parishes—and the incredible hope breaking through. Parishes that invest just a few hours into helping couples build stronger relati…

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Hatefulness and Phobias // Episode 251 23:53

25d ago23:53

23:53

The proliferation of 'hate-speech' and the slinging of phobic-motivations seems to just continue to rise, and I think there are interesting reasons for that. Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost…

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Episode 195: Evangelizing the Forgotten: Dcn. Al’s Story of Visiting the Imprisoned 1:02:35

26d ago1:02:35

1:02:35

By Archdiocese of Omaha

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Some Reasons for Suffering // Episode 250 22:50

1M ago22:50

22:50

Joseph Ratzinger, in a 2000 instruction from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote on some of the reasons we suffer. Joseph goes over them, and adds a couple for good measure! https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.html As noted in the episode, knowing that there ar…

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Coach's Corner 23: Why Your Parish's Small Groups Don't Last 12:13

1M ago12:13

12:13

What does it really take to spark a movement in your parish? Small groups are both easier—and more challenging—than we think. They’re not sustained by participants or materials alone, but by vision, culture, and structure. In this episode, I share why small groups can be pandemic-proof, recession-proof, even persecution-proof—if they’re rooted in m…

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Meaning and Purpose // Episode 249 17:05

1M ago17:05

17:05

If we don't know the difference between meaning and purpose, we're liable to follow the world down a weird rabbit-hole of endless purposes with no meaning to ground them. Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https…

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Episode 194: When Missionaries Stall-out: My Clear Path Talk at SEEK 2025 28:37

1M ago28:37

28:37

Why would a parish packed with on-fire disciples feel stagnant? You’d think that if you put a dozen former FOCUS missionaries in one parish, it would explode with fruitfulness—but almost nothing happened. The truth is, even the most passionate disciples need a clear path and a culture that supports mission. Without it, the fire fizzles. In this epi…

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Organize Your Life, Become Like God? // Episode 248 29:41

2M ago29:41

29:41

What if we took divinization seriously? What if our work, our thoughts, our feelings, were all meant to be divinized through and through? Andy Hickman, of Hēl, believes exactly that. Check out his electrifying essay here! Check out opportunities to sample some of the work of hēl during the week of September 29th, 2025, here: https://hel.co/workshop…

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Episode 193: When Ordinary People Say Yes: The story of Seeking Truth Bible Study 56:31

2M ago56:31

56:31

What happens when you open the Bible and simply say “yes” to God? In this conversation with Sharon Doran, teaching director of Seeking Truth, you’ll hear how Scripture has the power to heal wounds, renew marriages, transform families, and ignite whole communities. Sharon shares how she went from feeling unqualified to teaching hundreds—because the …

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Focus on the 2050s, not the 1950s // Episode 247 17:39

2M ago17:39

17:39

A lot of people still talk about wanting things to be like the 1950s. Biggest problem with that? The 1950s not only weren't perfect, they were the set-up for the 1960s and everything that followed. So why not focus on the 2050s, and doing what we can to build something great on whatever is good right now? As always, check out our work, and join our…

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Episode 192: How to Lead Change Without Losing Your People 48:48

2M ago48:48

48:48

*How do you lead change when you don’t know where you are going (yet)? * Today I sit down with Brian Miller, a change management expert from Coach Approach Ministries, to talk about adaptive change. Adaptive change is when you know something needs to change, but you don’t yet know what the solution is. It’s not just fixing a broken pipe—it’s realiz…

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Building a Tower // Episode 246 16:11

2M ago16:11

16:11

Through a bit of serendipity, Joseph recorded an episode about this coming Sunday's gospel, without realizing it until afterward! The reading can be found here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090725.cfm Catholic husbands, check out a five-part series designed for you! https://youroutpost.stellarwebsystems.com/join?euuid=a0e6e22a-7d33-11f0-b…

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Episode 191: Real Christian Unity: How to Have Ecumenical Conversations with More Mercy Apostolate 1:04:02

2M ago1:04:02

1:04:02

Can real friendship heal division in the Church? When I sit with John 17, I’m struck that He was praying for a unity that’s visible, relational, and compelling—a unity that makes the world stop and notice that He was sent by the Father. That kind of unity shows up in real friendships, in shared service, in conversations where we seek truth together…

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Studying Scripture and Wrestling with God and Man // Episode 245 19:13

2M ago19:13

19:13

There's a very cliched understanding of wanting to study the Bible the way that Jacob wrestled with God...which I wrestle with a little bit in this episode... As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ see what we …

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How to Choose (Part 4): Relational Outreach 56:39

2M ago56:39

56:39

What if your parish’s most “welcoming” events are actually pushing people away? In this episode, I sit down with the team to unpack the surprising truth about relational outreach—and why it’s often the last step parishes build, even though it’s the first step many people need. We talk about what makes outreach truly relational (hint: it’s not donut…

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Basic Human Formation for the Apostolate // Episode 244 18:00

2M ago18:00

18:00

Apostolicam Actuositatem says we ought to have a certain human and well-rounded formation before being trained for the apostolate...and yet so often spiritual, intellectual, and practical formation for the apostolate is offered to people with no regard to their human formation. Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our…

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How to Choose (Part 3): Faith Formation 56:53

3M ago56:53

56:53

_What if your parish’s faith formation is creating consumer Catholics instead of disciples?_In this episode of EquipCast, I sit down with my team to unpack what faith formation is really supposed to do—and why so many parishes get stuck. We talk about the difference between just teaching information and actually forming hearts and habits. You’ll he…

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Life on Mission with Benjamin Stenlund // Episode 243 58:18

3M ago58:18

58:18

I interview Benjamin Stenlund, former FOCUS missionary, current husband/father/craftsman, both about his time as a full-time missionary and what he's been up to since! Find his work at https://www.benjaminstenlund.com/ As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by …

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How to Choose (Part 2): Evangelization Formation 1:02:42

3M ago1:02:42

1:02:42

What if the biggest thing holding your parish back isn’t a lack of programs—but a lack of missionary disciples? In this episode, I sit down with my team to explore a step in parish life that often gets skipped: evangelization formation. We’re talking about the part of discipleship where people go from passive participants to confident, Spirit-led m…

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Playfulness in the Christian Life // Episode 242 23:07

3M ago23:07

23:07

One of the coolest lines from Proverbs describes what Wisdom has been doing from the beginning: "[T]hen I was beside him, like a master worker, and I was daily his delight, playing before him always, playing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race" (Proverbs 8:30-31). Wisdom's playfulness and delight model for us a holy call to play…

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How to Choose (Part 1): Conversion Moment 1:00:20

3M ago1:00:20

1:00:20

Need help choosing steps on the Clear Path of Discipleship that fit your community? Today, we dive into the heart of missionary transformation: the conversion moment. I sit down with my team to unpack why these moments matter—and how they’re changing lives in real time. You’ll hear unforgettable stories (like a bartender who became a parish secreta…

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Marriage on Mission with Mike and Alicia Hernon // Episode 241 47:44

3M ago47:44

47:44

Wherein Joseph and Crystal host Mike and Alicia Hernon from the Messy Family Project. As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/ sen…

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For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free // Episode 240 24:45

3M ago24:45

24:45

Saint Paul's letter to the Galatians is a wild ride, and in between discussions about circumcision, kosher laws, and St. Peter making a fool of himself, is a section on what it is to be free. Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by…

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Dating Like a Catholic // Episode 239 56:49

4M ago56:49

56:49

This is a talk we gave at Wright State University in Dayton in the spring of 2024-- it's a brief overview of some basic principles for Catholic singles on how to date like a Catholic. For those who miss Crystal on the podcast, this is a delightful taste of the back-and-forth that is our life! If you go back to the mid-60s of our podcast, you'll fin…

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Invitations and Holy Detachment // Episode 238 27:19

4M ago27:19

27:19

There's an epidemic of loneliness out there, a crisis of friendlessness, a dearth of relationships...and there doesn't have to be. The solution to so many problems begins with making an invitation, and letting people make a free response to it. That requires both the invitation, and a holy detachment from the result. Listen in to find out more! As …

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Life on Mission with Sam Mazzarelli // Episode 237 52:35

4M ago52:35

52:35

Sam Mazzarelli gave fifteen years as a Catholic missionary with FOCUS-- hear how one invitation changed everything for him, how money and success aren't everything, and what makes for incredible and lasting friendships. He now works for SENT Ventures as the Chief Community Success Officer: https://www.sentventures.com/ We recommend checking them ou…

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Life on Mission with Mallory Smyth // Episode 236 53:39

4M ago53:39

53:39

Mallory Smyth, author of Rekindled, joins us again for a dive into her story and lessons learned while on mission! You can find Mallory's work here: her podcast, "The Gospel &": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-gospel-with-mallory-smyth/id1800051958 her substack: https://malloryasmyth.substack.com her instagram handle is: @malloryasmyth pe…

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Coach's Corner 22: The Parish Pope Francis Dreamt of 10:44

4M ago10:44

10:44

What if our parish wasn’t just a place we come to—but a place we’re sent from? That’s the vision: parishes as missionary outposts, where we’re formed, equipped, and fired up to bring Jesus to the world around us. Imagine a community where people are on fire with God’s love, confident in their faith, and ready to share it. A place where the fruit is…

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Renew and Perfect the Temporal Order // Episode 235 16:21

5M ago16:21

16:21

A solution to clericalism is to dive deeper into what the role of the laity is-- this episode, we look at the second objective of the lay apostolate according to Vatican II's document, Apostolicam Actuositatem. We strongly recommend people (no matter their state in life) give this document a read; we also suggest you give this episode a listen, a s…

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Episode 186: From Pew to Purpose: How to Live the Apostolate You Were Made For 1:00:40

5M ago1:00:40

1:00:40

What’s at stake if we stay busy in church but miss our calling in the world? It’s easy to think serving at church—teaching, volunteering, helping with Mass—is the main way lay people live out their faith. But here’s the truth: our primary call isn’t just ministry inside the Church—it’s apostolate out in the world. That means bringing Jesus into you…

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My Reaction to the Jubilee Episodes with Michael Knowles and Jordan Peterson // Episode 234 25:35

5M ago25:35

25:35

I don't usually do reaction videos, but when I saw the same basic thing happen in two debates, I thought it at least worth calling out, especially because of how egregious it was, and how little people took note of it. The Jordan Peterson episode in full can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwk5MPE_6zE&t=1983s And the relevant clip fr…

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Episode 185: Hispanic Ministry: The gift your parish needs 57:30

5M ago57:30

57:30

Could Hispanic spirituality be the gift your parish needs? In this episode, I sit down with Deacon Gregorio Elizalde, who leads Hispanic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Omaha. We talk about what really makes Hispanic ministry tick—and spoiler alert—it’s not just about translating resources into Spanish. It’s about receiving culture, building trust,…

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The Difference the Mass Makes // episode 233 9:24

5M ago9:24

9:24

Something intensely meaningful happens at Mass; the summit of all meaning, in fact, happens at Mass. But many of us may miss the implications, so here's a little episode looking at some of them! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://o…

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Coach's Corner 21: Hope – The Church’s Key to Renewal 13:47

5M ago13:47

13:47

What if real cultural change is just 15% away—and we’re closer than we think? In this Coach’s Corner, I’m diving into something that’s been really stirring in my heart: hope. Not the wishful-thinking kind, but the kind that’s born from repentance—a deep turning back to God with a holy fear of offending His love. When we do that, we make space for H…

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Life on Mission with AJ Garcia // Episode 232 56:41

5M ago56:41

56:41

AJ Garcia, parish regional director of FOCUS, joins us to talk about his decision to join FOCUS, to leave FOCUS, and to rejoin FOCUS! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ see what we have upcoming in terms of…

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Episode 184: When God asks, how do you answer?—The Power of “Yes” with Christina Semmens 1:04:00

5M ago1:04:00

1:04:00

Is it possible that your biggest step in faith begins with just saying yes—even before you know where it’ll lead? Saying yes to God, even when you don’t know all He’s asking, is about trusting the One who’s asking. It’s not about having the plan—it’s about knowing He’s good. Mary didn’t have all the details, but she said yes, and that yes changed e…

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Life on Mission with Leanne Jarvis // Episode 231 1:19:56

6M ago1:19:56

1:19:56

Leanne Jarvis is a Certified FEMM Fertility & Hormone Coach, as well as a former FOCUS missionary! She shares her story of athletic ambitions crushed, faith gained, and mission lived both on campus and out in the world! You can find her work at https://rosefem.com/ As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ c…

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Episode 183: Charisms in the Chaos: How a Parish Community Mobilized After a Tornado 50:39

6M ago50:39

50:39

Can something as simple as kindness really change someone's view of God? Simple acts of love and kindness are how Jesus shows up in people’s lives. When someone feels seen, heard, and cared for—especially in their mess or suffering—it softens hearts. It opens a door. That’s when people start to wonder, “Why are you doing this?” And we get to say, “…

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Life on Mission with Luke and Megan Reetz // Episode 230 52:17

6M ago52:17

52:17

This is a rare treat! Luke and Megan Reetz join Joseph on this episode, and Luke was one of the most instrumental men in Joseph's deepening conversion in college. We get to hear how each of them ended up joining FOCUS, what they learned, and how their lives are playing out now on mission! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at h…

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Coach's Corner 20: Healthy Roots Equal Abundant Fruits – Church Growth Explained 8:16

6M ago8:16

8:16

What’s the one thing that can produce lasting fruit in our parish ministries?If we want to see real growth in areas like attendance, vocations, and community life, we must focus on making and maturing disciples. There are no shortcuts—superficial fixes won’t yield lasting change. True fruitfulness comes from healthy individuals, thriving ministries…

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Life on Mission with Nathan Stanley // Episode 229 52:20

6M ago52:20

52:20

Nathan Stanley, the senior director of Talent and Leadership Development for FOCUS, joins Joseph for this episode, and what a delight it was! Listen in to find out more! As always, check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/ catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/ s…

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Episode 182: Connect Heaven to Earth’s Ordinary Moments with Fr. Micael Voithofer 1:13:40

6M ago1:13:40

1:13:40

What if everyday moments—like washing dishes or sitting in traffic—could actually connect you to heaven? In this episode, we’re diving into what it really means to live into your identity as a beloved son or daughter of God. We’ll chat about the baptismal priesthood—not as some abstract theology, but as a real, lived-out calling to be a bridge betw…

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Coached by the Curé with Kevin Wells // Episode 228 1:02:42

6M ago1:02:42

1:02:42

Joseph talks to author Kevin Wells about St. John Vianney and his lessons for parents today. Purchase Kevin's book here: https://kevinwells.org/books Kevin Wells is a Catholic writer, speaker, and former sports reporter with the Tampa Tribune, where he covered major-league baseball. He is the author of the best-selling Catholic book The Priests We …

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Episode 181: The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World with Susan Windley-Daoust 1:07:02

6M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

Parish renewal is the buzzword of the moment—and with it comes an overwhelming array of resources and ministries. So how do you cut through the noise to find what will truly help your parish move forward? In today’s episode, I talk with Susan Windley-Daoust, author of The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World. Su…