Episodes

  • The Catholic Morning Show – 06/26/2026

    The Catholic Morning Show – 06/26/2026
    Jun 26 2026
    Sam Halligan hosts his final Friday show alongside Alexia Baker and Brady Grimm before Bo Bonner returns Monday, delivering Catholic news, sports, weather, and three standout conversations. Sunday Gospel Reflection — Fr. Nick Stark Fr. Nick Stark breaks open this Sunday's Gospel, warning against the cultural default of "moralistic therapeutic deism" — a term coined in 2005 by sociologists Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton — and calling listeners to anchor true goodness in a real relationship with Jesus Christ rather than vague niceness. Biking for Babies — Todd Clancy Todd Clancy, board member at Martha's House of Hope, previews the Biking for Babies Central Iowa Ride on Saturday, June 27 at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1102 NW Weigel Dr., Ankeny. Choose a family-friendly 5-mile ride, a mid-distance ride, or the long route on the High Trestle Trail. Proceeds stay local, supporting Innervisions Healthcare, Agape Pregnancy Resource Center, Ruth Harbor, and Martha's House of Hope. Register or volunteer at bikingforbabies.com or IowaCatholicRadio.com/events. Everyday Mission — Dan DeMatte Dan DeMatte, founder and executive director of Damascus, shares how a small Catholic youth camp grew into a national missionary movement reaching roughly 50,000 people a year, and offers practical encouragement to love like Jesus right where you are. Learn more at damascus.net. Also This Weekend Jeanne Thill previews "Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen," airing 8 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Sam also notes the Forge Hog Roast (couples event) on Thursday, July 31, 6–9 p.m. at the Wills Family Orchard — details at myforge.org/events. Listen live or stream past episodes at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. #CatholicPodcast #CatholicRadio #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicMorningShow #Catholic #Catholicism #ProLife #Evangelization #Damascus #BikingForBabies Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    58 mins
  • From Encounter to Mission: Becoming an Everyday Missionary – Dan DeMatte – 06/26/2026

    From Encounter to Mission: Becoming an Everyday Missionary – Dan DeMatte – 06/26/2026
    Jun 26 2026
    Dan DeMatte, founder and executive director of Damascus, joins guest host and former Damascus missionary Sam Halligan for a conversation on mission, discipleship, and revival in the Church. Key Highlights The origin of Damascus — from youth ministry done in community to a national movement built on encounter with JesusWhy Damascus says they're "not camp people who talk about Jesus, but Jesus people who run camp ministry," using camps to draw middle schoolers and high schoolers into life-changing encounterThe scope today: roughly 450 full-time summer missionaries serving campers across Ohio, Michigan, and Maryland, plus year-round retreats, a worship collective, and traveling speakers — reaching an estimated 50,000 people annuallyHow the Church after Vatican II emphasized the universal call to holiness, and why Damascus aims to add the equally essential call to missionA practical challenge for every listener: love like Jesus in your home, workplace, and community; ask questions, truly listen, and then share the name of Jesus Learn more, listen to the podcast, and connect with Damascus at damascus.net. #Damascus #CatholicMissionary #Evangelization #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio #DanDeMatte #Discipleship #Catholic #NewEvangelization #Catholicism Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    11 mins
  • Biking for Babies: Ride to Defend Life Across Central Iowa – Todd Clancy – 06/26/2026

    Biking for Babies: Ride to Defend Life Across Central Iowa – Todd Clancy – 06/26/2026
    Jun 26 2026
    Todd Clancy — board member at Martha's House of Hope — shares the story and mission of Biking for Babies and invites listeners to ride or volunteer. Event Details What: Biking for Babies Central Iowa RideWhen: Saturday, June 27 (Mass and check-in begin the morning; the show referenced a 7 a.m. start)Where: St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1102 NW Weigel Dr., Ankeny, IA 50023Routes: 5-mile family ride, a mid-distance ride, and a long route on the flat, car-free High Trestle Trail (to Woodward and back)Local impact: Proceeds support InnerVisions Healthcare, Agape Pregnancy Resource Center, Ruth Harbor, and Martha's House of Hope The Bigger Picture Founded about 16 years ago after its founders took to heart St. John Paul II's words, "Woe to you who do not defend life," Biking for Babies now sends roughly 90–100 young missionaries on a national ride of about 600 miles in six days, distributing over $400,000 last year to more than 90 pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes nationwide. Register or volunteer at bikingforbabies.com or IowaCatholicRadio.com/events. #BikingForBabies #ProLife #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio #CultureOfLife #CentralIowa #PregnancyResourceCenter #Catholic #AnkenyIowa #HighTrestleTrail Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    9 mins
  • Are You Really "Good"? The Hidden Trap of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism – Fr. Nick Stark – 06/26/2026

    Are You Really "Good"? The Hidden Trap of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism – Fr. Nick Stark – 06/26/2026
    Jun 26 2026

    In this Friday Gospel reflection on Iowa Catholic Radio, Fr. Nick Stark offers a sharp, encouraging preview of Sunday's Gospel.

    Key Highlights

    • Why "just be a good person" collapses without a common standard for what good actually means
    • How Jesus ties goodness directly to Himself: whoever loves father or mother more than Him is not worthy of Him, and whoever receives a prophet receives a prophet's reward
    • Moralistic therapeutic deism explained — the belief that we just need to be nice and that God exists mainly to make us happy — and why slogans like "love is love" sound comforting but stay empty
    • Original sin understood as pride: choosing for ourselves what is good and evil apart from God
    • A call to reject a distant, self-referential faith and live now in the joy and reward Christ promises

    Hear more daily Gospel reflections and stream the full show at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

    #CatholicPodcast #SundayGospel #CatholicRadio #IowaCatholicRadio #MoralisticTherapeuticDeism #Catholic #GospelReflection #Catholicism #FaithOverFeelings

    Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm.

    LINKS

    You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.

    If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here!

    Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:

    • Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce Riebe
    • Be Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian Moncada
    • Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson
    • Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen
    • Man Up! with Joe Stopulos
    • Sunday Dive with Katie Patrizio
    • The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner
    • The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith
    • The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr
    • Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle

    Want to support your favorite show? Click Here


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    6 mins
  • The Catholic Morning Show - 06/25/2026

    The Catholic Morning Show - 06/25/2026
    Jun 25 2026
    Listen Live The Catholic Morning Show airs weekdays at 7:00 AM Central on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network. Stream live at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. This week, Sam Halligan is guest hosting in place of Bo Bonner. Sunday Scripture Preview — Deacon Randy Kiel For the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), Deacon Randy Kiel opens the First Reading from Second Kings, where the prophet Elisha is welcomed by a generous, influential Shunammite woman and promised a son. He shows how her grace-filled generosity and miraculous gift foreshadow Mary, and connects Saint Paul's teaching on Baptism in Romans — being dead to sin and alive in Christ — to the power of the Holy Spirit reigning in every heart. Read the full Sunday readings (Sunday, June 28, 2026) at USCCB.org. The Four Senses of Scripture — Monica Welsh Catholic Bible teacher Monica Welsh explains the Church's framework for reading Scripture through its literal and spiritual senses — literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical — using memorable examples like Jesus' words to "cut off your hand" and Adam as a figure of Christ. Explore her audio-guided Old Testament and New Testament courses for the everyday Catholic at The Catholic Bible Class with Mon. Coveting — The 9th & 10th Commandments — Ed Van Buskirk As June, the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, draws to a close, Ed Van Buskirk — founder of the Catholic apostolate If U Love Me — joins Deacon Mark Campbell to wrap up the Ten Commandments series on coveting. He distinguishes healthy desire from disordered envy, exposes how comparison and "the grass is greener" thinking steal our peace, and prescribes gratitude, humility, devotion to Mary, and frequent reconciliation as the cure. Explore the "God's Recipe for a Wonderful Life" resources at GodsRecipe.org, and revisit the full series by searching "Ed Van Buskirk" at IowaCatholicRadio.com. #CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast #CatholicRadio #Catholic #Faith #Scripture #BibleStudy #TenCommandments #SundayReadings #Coveting #SacredHeart Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    58 mins
  • Coveting Explained: The 9th & 10th Commandments & How to Beat Envy – Ed Van Buskirk – 06/25/2026

    Coveting Explained: The 9th & 10th Commandments & How to Beat Envy – Ed Van Buskirk – 06/25/2026
    Jun 25 2026
    What Coveting Really Means Often dismissed as "just thinking about things," the Ninth and Tenth Commandments are anything but minor — Ed Van Buskirk calls them the key to living all the other commandments. He distinguishes ordinary desire (which is good and God-given) from coveting: a disordered emotional attachment we foster until it drives us to act against our own good or our neighbor's. His memorable example: begrudging a neighbor's pristine lawn and sabotaging it, versus humbly asking the neighbor for help so we can grow. Judging Our Desires, Not Just Our Actions Ed and Deacon Mark Campbell explore how we tend to "judge our insides by other people's outsides," especially through social media and comparison. The test: do the things we pursue draw us into deeper relationship with God and neighbor (the two greatest commandments), or only puff up self? When desire — for money, status, or possessions — clouds our judgment, it becomes the doorway to breaking other commandments like stealing and lying. As Jesus warns in the Sermon on the Mount, sin begins in the heart. The Prescription: Virtues That Heal Coveting Ed offers practical remedies: humility (recognizing that God is God and we are not), turning to Mary in moments of temptation ("Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners"), gratitude for both small and large blessings, and frequent Reconciliation to be made new. We sacrifice our peace when we fail to recognize the good already present in our own lives. Explore the Resources This series wraps up next week. Dive into Ed's "God's Recipe for a Wonderful Life" book and video study and the full Ten Commandments resources at GodsRecipe.org. To revisit earlier conversations in the series, search "Ed Van Buskirk" at IowaCatholicRadio.com. Listen to The Catholic Morning Show weekdays at 7:00 AM Central on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. #TenCommandments #Coveting #Envy #NinthCommandment #TenthCommandment #CatholicTeaching #Virtue #Gratitude #Humility #SacredHeart #BibleStudy #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    13 mins
  • The 4 Senses of Scripture: How to Read the Bible Deeper – Monica Welsh – 06/25/2026

    The 4 Senses of Scripture: How to Read the Bible Deeper – Monica Welsh – 06/25/2026
    Jun 25 2026
    What Are the Four Senses of Scripture? Monica Welsh describes the four senses as a lens for drawing out the deeper meaning of God's inspired Word, which always has more than one layer. They fall into two categories: the literal sense and the spiritual sense (which includes the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses), together giving a "360-degree view" of any passage. Start with the Literal — the Foundation Like the foundation of a house, the literal sense is what the human author intended to convey — and it isn't always obvious for 21st-century readers of an ancient text. Monica points to genre, literary devices, metaphor, and especially historical and cultural context as keys. Her example: when Jesus says "if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off," the surrounding sermon, His rabbinic teaching style, and His audience make clear He is speaking metaphorically about sin, not literally. Why a Teaching Authority Matters Reading Scripture in isolation can lead to misinterpretation, which is why the teaching authority of the Catholic Church is so important for interpreting the Word faithfully. Monica shares how the "wrathful" Old Testament God once troubled her as a teenager — until the literal lens revealed how ancient writers expressed power and authority, dissolving the false idea that the God of the Old Testament differs from the God of the New. The Bible Points to Jesus Monica recounts the "lightbulb moment" with her ninth-grade students studying Adam and Eve: the Tree of Life bearing fruit for eternal life prefigures Jesus on the tree of the Cross, who says "eat me and you will have eternal life." As the Letter to the Hebrews teaches, the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword — and it is layered, intentional, and ultimately all about Christ. Go Deeper with Monica's Courses Explore Monica's casual, audio-guided Old Testament and New Testament courses — made for the everyday Catholic and everyday learner — at The Catholic Bible Class with Mon. Hear more on The Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7:00 AM Central — stream at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. #SensesOfScripture #BibleStudy #CatholicBibleStudy #HowToReadTheBible #BibleLiteracy #LectioDivina #OldTestament #NewTestament #Scripture #Catholic #FaithFormation #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    12 mins
  • The Shunammite Woman & the Hidden Face of Christ – Deacon Randy Kiel – 06/25/2026

    The Shunammite Woman & the Hidden Face of Christ – Deacon Randy Kiel – 06/25/2026
    Jun 25 2026
    This Sunday's Readings Deacon Randy Kiel previews the readings for the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A — Sunday, June 28, 2026: First Reading, 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a; Second Reading, Romans 6:3-4, 8-11. Read along at USCCB.org. A Woman of Influence — and Generosity The Shunammite woman is wealthy and influential, but she is known for her generosity, welcoming Elisha with an "upper room" complete with a bed, table, chair, and lamp — the very elements of a sanctuary. Deacon Randy draws out the Hebrew sense that true influence flows from a generosity of grace: receiving God's goodwill and pouring it out for others. Foreshadowing Mary When the childless woman is promised a son within the year, the story echoes Abraham and Sarah — grace given through generosity made manifest in the gift of a child. Deacon Randy connects this to Mary, who came from a "barren land" and did not merely reflect God's grace but gave birth to Grace itself. Baptized into Christ Turning to Romans, Saint Paul reminds us we were baptized into Christ's death so we might walk in newness of life. Deacon Randy unpacks the meaning of being plunged into the waters of Baptism — drowning sin so the Holy Spirit can reign — and prays that the Word of God would not return empty but accomplish its purpose in every listener. Listen Live Catch the Sunday readings preview with Deacon Randy Kiel every Thursday on The Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7:00 AM Central. Stream at IowaCatholicRadio.com or on the Iowa Catholic Radio app. #SundayReadings #CatholicMassReadings #2Kings #ProphetElisha #ShunammiteWoman #Baptism #Romans6 #ThirteenthSunday #OrdinaryTime #Scripture #BibleStudy #CatholicPodcast #IowaCatholicRadio Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube! You can also find more information on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows:Be Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid in Spanish with Fr. Fabian MoncadaCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonMaking It Personal with Bishop William JoensenMan Up! with Joe StopulosSunday Dive with Katie PatrizioThe Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo BonnerThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    7 mins