In Goodfaith

We're grateful to be joined by John Grosso, digital editor at National Catholic Reporter, to reflect on faith, journalism, and the moral responsibility of Catholic witness in a time of deep national and ecclesial unrest. John joins us in the wake of his widely circulated editorial criticizing Vice President Vance's response to the killing of Renée Nicole Goode in Minneapolis. The piece resonated far beyond Catholic media and ignited conversation across the secular press. He shares how the phrase “a moral stain on our collective witness” emerged, why this moment demanded prophetic clarity, and what it means to speak truth to power when silence feels safer. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this episode of In Goodfaith, we’re continuing our parent series--"The Confessional"--with Mike Jordan Laskey and Genevieve Jordan Laskey. We hope you enjoy this warm, honest conversation about parenting, faith, and joy in everyday life. Rather than offering advice or formulas, Mike and Gen reflect on how faith is formed through ritual, imagination, and presence—bedtime prayers children won’t let you skip, liturgical seasons lived at home, and traditions shaped by touch, sound, story, and repetition. They remind us that faith is often caught rather than taught, and that children learn most by watching how we live. We also hear about Down By The Bagel, their family band, a creative and joyful project that has become a shared outward expression of connection, hospitality, and sacred joy. Through music and creativity, their family practices something deeply spiritual: creating together and welcoming others in. This conversation invites us to see parenting not as a project to perfect, but as a relationship rooted in love, surrender, and showing up—again and again. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this episode of In Goodfaith, we continue our Parent Series. These conversations don’t offer parenting advice so much as create space for reflection, honesty, and the messy beauty of raising a family in faith. We sit down with one of our longtime friends and founding board members, Mary Vanderhoof, a mom of three grown daughters and grandmother to eight young grandchildren, to talk about what it means to pass on faith across generations. Mary shares how her Irish Catholic roots and her father’s work in the early labor movement shaped her lifelong commitment to justice and the Gospel call to love our neighbor. She reflects on the joys of raising faith-filled children and grandchildren, and how small, simple acts—like making First Communion “books of remembrance” or glitter-covered Good Friday crosses—can keep faith alive at home. Together, we talk about what it looks like to live our faith authentically in a changing Church, to model justice and compassion for our children, and to find joy in the ordinary, sacred moments that form a family’s spiritual life. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

What does it look like to truly discern as a family—not just in theory, but in the real, complicated choices of work, money, parenting, and faith? In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, we welcome back Keith Cieplicki, Executive Director of the Jail Ministry in Onondaga County, New York. You may remember Keith from our earlier episode on accompanying the incarcerated. This time, Keith joins us for our Family Discernment series to reflect on the radical, uncomfortable, and deeply faithful decisions that reshaped his family’s life. Keith shares the story of leaving a successful Division I basketball coaching career to work in a homeless shelter and eventually lead a jail ministry—choices that required profound trust, sacrifice, and ongoing discernment within his marriage and family. Together, we explore how values take shape in everyday decisions, how fear can quietly drive parenting choices, and how faith sometimes calls us not toward comfort, but toward transformation. This episode is especially for parents and caregivers navigating big and small decisions: careers, youth sports, financial security, presence with children, and the courage to say both yes and no with intention. In this episode, we explore: What family discernment really looks like in practice Letting go of status, security, and consumerism for a faith-rooted life Trust, doubt, and learning to “breathe underwater” Parenting beyond grades, achievements, and cultural pressure The freedom found in simplicity, presence, and relational love Why the Gospel often calls us to become uncomfortable How children grow when they see faith lived, not just taught Along the way, Keith reflects on the influence of saints like Dorothy Day, the tension between fear and freedom, and the enduring invitation to “live church” every day. As Keith reminds us, discernment doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means being willing to take the next faithful step. “Be not afraid.”   If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a review. Your support helps these stories reach more families walking the journey of faith together. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this episode of In Good Faith, we're joined by two people we deeply admire — Cecilia Flores and Jonathan Lewis — for a rich, wide-ranging conversation about Dilexi Te, the first apostolic exhortation of Pope Leo XIV. This document has been sitting with us since its release. While it doesn’t introduce new principles of Catholic social teaching, it does something arguably more important: it re-centers them — unapologetically, historically, and pastorally — as the beating heart of the Church’s mission. We wanted voices who could help unpack both the theology and the lived reality behind the text, and Cecilia and Jonathan bring exactly that. Cecilia Flores is the Executive Director of the Catholic Volunteer Network and a longtime leader in community organizing and faith-based justice work. Jonathan Lewis serves as Mission Strategy Officer for the Paulist Fathers. Both bring deep experience from Rome, the Vatican, and grassroots ministry — and both read this document with eyes wide open. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this solo-hosted episode, Maggie talks with Allison Beyer, a multidisciplinary artist, minister, and contributor to Goodfaith’s Family Matters program. Allison shares the story behind her Jesse Tree Advent ritual, which was born during the pandemic as a creative, prayerful practice for her young children. Together, they explore how art, ancestry, and faith shape the season of Advent, and how remembering the “family tree” of our spiritual tradition can ground us in belonging during difficult times. Allison also reflects on the religious communities that formed her and why beauty and creativity keep us spiritually awake. The conversation turns toward the current climate around immigrants in the U.S., where both Maggie and Allison name the hope they’re finding in bold, clear leadership from the Church. Maggie also shares a personal story of loss and healing, offering a gentle reminder that Advent meets us exactly where we are. This episode invites listeners to return to the simple rituals that steady us, trust the God who is with us, and begin again. Instagram: @allisonbeyermakesart "Emmanuel!" by Allison Beyer Jesuit Media Lab Goodfaith YouTube: Works of Mercy & Five-Finger Examen   Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In Part Two of our conversation with Ike Ndolo, we dive even deeper into the fire at the heart of Ike’s work: reclaiming the Jesus who stands with the poor and the oppressed. We talk about how Ike’s social media presence grew out of heartbreak and awakening, beginning with the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. He shares what it was like to speak out publicly when so many in his own ministry circles stayed silent, and how telling the truth cost him gigs and jobs, but also connected him to a wider community of justice-minded Christians who refuse to look away.   Together, we explore: How Ike’s justice formation “woke back up” during the Ferguson uprising Why speaking about race, violence, and Catholic social teaching online still feels radical How algorithms shape the false “Jesuses” people encounter Why WWJD needs an update—and why “What did Jesus do?” is the better spiritual mirror The cost of telling the truth in church spaces (and the freedom that comes with it) The 100+ day vigil behind God in the Rubble—and why Ike won’t stop singing until Palestine is free The role of music in liberation movements, justice work, and spiritual imagination Ike’s new vision for teaching and mentoring through Ike’s Music Makers The story and heart behind his new single “City of God” There’s laughter, lament, resistance, and hope in this episode. Ike’s honesty invites us to re-anchor ourselves in the Gospel, rather than the algorithm, and to remember that following Jesus means standing where He stands.   Ike's Songs Featured in Pt. 1 & 2 🎵 God in the Rubble 🎵 City of God (new release) Connect with Ike Website: www.ikendolo.com Instagram: @ikendolo Facebook: facebook.com/ikendolo Spotify: Ike Ndolo on Spotify   Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this episode of In Good Faith, we sit down with Ike Ndolo — husband, dad, songwriter, and longtime minister — to talk about what it means to hold on to faith, creativity, and justice in a changing Church. Ike shares how a high school class and a teacher who believed in him unexpectedly sparked his songwriting journey. We trace his path from a youth minister in Missouri to leading worship in Arizona’s charismatic Catholic scene, and how that world shaped (and challenged) his understanding of God, justice, and belonging. Together we reflect on: What happens when our faith traditions fracture into “different flavors” — and how we might learn to breathe with both lungs again The tension between passion for worship and the call to justice What it’s like to work inside the Church, deconstructing and rebuilding belief while trying to stay rooted in love How a mother’s courage for truth and justice can shape a lifelong faith Ike’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and reorientation — from youth ministry to music to confronting the hard edges of institutional life — and still choosing to believe in a God who shows up “in the rubble.”   Ike's Songs Featured in Pt. 1 & 2 🎵 God in the Rubble 🎵 City of God (new release) Connect with Ike Website: www.ikendolo.com Instagram: @ikendolo Facebook: facebook.com/ikendolo Spotify: Ike Ndolo on Spotify   Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

What happens when we truly see one another? In this moving conversation, youth minister and theologian Sherine Green and writer and humanitarian Vince Gallagher share stories that reveal the transforming power of mercy and encounter. From mission trips in Jamaica and Latin America to classrooms and communities across the U.S., they reflect on what it means to be present to the suffering and beauty of the world — and to respond with love. Together, they explore with us how encounter bridges divides, why trust is at the heart of mission, and how even small acts of kindness can pierce the veil and let us glimpse the kingdom of God among us. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape our parent series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this installment of The Confessional, we sit down with Cecilia Flores, Executive Director of Catholic Volunteer Network, to talk about what it really looks like to raise kids in faith and justice — with honesty, joy, and a whole lot of grace. Cecilia shares stories from her life as the daughter of Filipino immigrants, her years in mission work in Honduras, and the daily realities of parenting her two kids, Kiara and Jacob. Together, we talk about the spaces where Church teaching meets real life — where faith, service, and family all collide in the everyday mess and beauty of love. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

Welcome to the first installment of our new parent series, The Confessional. The name comes from the repurposed confessional we use as our recording space, but it also reflects what we hope this series will be: a place for parents to speak honestly about the joys and challenges of raising kids in today’s complicated, noisy world. In this episode, we sit down with Molly and Benno Lauer, who share how their family created a tradition of annual retreats—weekends away where they step back from daily life to reflect, set goals, and name their shared values. What began during the pandemic, when their oldest turned their house into a “hotel” just to break the routine, has grown into a practice that shapes everything from chores to morning routines to how they hold each other accountable with kindness. Together, we explore how family discernment can be both practical and faith-filled: creating simple rituals (like “glows and grows”), giving kids ownership of family goals, and remembering that intentionality matters more than perfection. If you’ve ever wondered what’s possible when a family pauses the chaos and chooses direction together, this conversation is for you.   Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Parent Series! In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions  

Introducing Our New Parent Series: "The Confessional" In this mini-episode, share some exciting news: the launch of a brand-new series within In Goodfaith focused on the joys and challenges of parenting. Recorded in our repurposed confessional booth in Trenton, NJ, we discuss some of our own parenting journeys—toddlers, teenagers, and everything in between—and preview the kinds of conversations listeners can expect this fall. From grandparents and single parents, to priests and families navigating sports and spiritual life, this series will highlight the real, messy, hopeful stories of parents raising children in faith today. Join the conversation: We want to hear from you! What questions or challenges are you facing as a parent or caregiver trying to nurture faith in your family? Share your thoughts and help shape the series by submitting questions through the link or on social media. Stay tuned for the first full episode of the Parent Series, dropping soon—and new episodes every other week throughout the fall. In Goodfaith Podcast Topic Submissions

In this episode, we explore how Catholic teaching shapes the lives of athletes seeking to balance their love of sports with their life of faith. From the discipline of competition to the demands of family schedules, youth sports can both enrich and challenge spiritual life. Our guest, Father Josh Whitfield of Dallas, Texas, shares pastoral insights and personal experiences on how families can stay grounded in faith while navigating the whirlwind of practices, games, and tournaments. Together, we’ll hear stories and reflections that shed light on what it means to integrate faith and athletics, offering fresh perspectives for parents, athletes, and parish communities alike. In the episode, we discuss Fr. Josh Whitfield's article "Soccer vs. Sunday Mass: How youth sports are undermining religion—and hurting our kids" in America Magazine. Be sure to read his thought-provoking piece! Learn more about Fr. Josh at his website, where you can find links to his books and other articles.

This episode is Part 2 of our conversation with Angela Patterson from Springtide Institute. We delve into the evolving landscape of faith formation, exploring both the challenges and opportunities it presents. Join us as we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people's spiritual lives, the importance of community, and innovative approaches in youth ministry. We also examine how faith intersects with cultural issues, mental health, and the diverse experiences of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Tune in to discover what's working in faith formation today and how we can support young people in their spiritual journeys.

In Part One of our conversation with Angela Patterson from Springtide Research Institute. Our conversation explores the dynamic shifts in faith and spirituality among Gen Alpha and delves into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by this generation, including the influence of technology, mental health awareness, and the celebration of diversity. Listen and here how these factors are reshaping spiritual practices and what it means for the future of faith communities. Join us for an insightful conversation that sets the stage for understanding the evolving spiritual landscape.  In Part Two, coming soon, we discuss the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people, the importance of community, and what's working in youth ministry today.  Thanks for listening!

Join Stephanie Peddicord and Maggie Smith as they welcome Seán Sanford, founder of the New Jersey Service Project, now known as Goodfaith. In this episode, Sean shares his journey from community organizing to founding a transformative organization that has impacted thousands of lives. Discover the power of encounter, the importance of relationality in faith, and how Catholic social teaching can be woven into everyday life. Key Topics: The origins of the New Jersey Service Project The evolution of Good Faith and its mission The role of encounter in bridging divides Personal stories of transformation and impact The intersection of Catholic social teaching and sacramental theology "Encounter doesn't ask us to set aside our commitments; it asks us to bring our whole selves." "We need to continue to be in meaningful encounter with those on the margins."   #GoodFaith #CatholicSocialTeaching #Encounter #CommunityImpact

In part two of our conversation with Sharon Browning and Brenna McGinnis of Just Listening, we go deeper into the science behind what happens when we truly listen. Sharon and Brenna share insights from neuroscience and physiology—how deep listening shapes our brains, calms the nervous system, and builds empathy. We explore how the simple act of being present can become a practice of justice, healing, and transformation, both personally and collectively. Whether you’re a ministry leader, teacher, parent, or simply someone who wants to show up more fully for others, this episode offers practical wisdom and inspiring reflection on how listening itself can be a radical act of love. Learn more about Just Listening: https://justlistening.net

In this episode of Goodfaith, hosts Maggie Smith and Stephanie Peddicord welcome Sharon Browning and Brenna McGinnis, co-leaders of the Just Listening initiative. Together, they explore why deep listening isn’t just a social nicety, but a practice rooted in justice, love, and transformation. Through stories, research, and honest reflections on parenting and community, they invite us to consider how genuine listening can ripple out to transform our lives, families, and the wider world—even when it’s challenging, and especially when it feels most urgent. Key Quotes with Timestamps On the roots of Just Listening “I was… running the pro bono branch of legal services in Philadelphia and realized… even those of us who are engaged deeply in service work and justice work were not listening to each other and didn’t know how…not for want of, really a strong desire to connect, but not really having the skills and also feeling the pressure of time in the work that we do, not taking the time to actually listen to each other.” — Sharon Browning [00:03:00] On listening as a radical act “For me, just listening is yes. It’s something…simple that each of us can do, once we kind of learn how to how to engage with one another. And it can be so, so powerful and bring about this beautiful world that’s characterized by justice and love.” — Brenna McGinnis [00:11:18] On parenting, mutuality, and power “I have certainly learned more from my children possibly than I even have passed on to them. They are primary teachers for me…There was mutuality in it.” — Sharon Browning [00:20:12] On the hardest parts of listening as a parent “My intention for creating that right relationship with my kids has been to notice the moments when, like, they’re telling me something. I’m like, this is not a big deal…And then she says to me, it’s a big deal to me, that helps me click into my listening mode.” — Brenna McGinnis [00:22:21] On shifting away from judgment and fear “So much of our parenting, I think, is rooted in our fear, and we don’t know it…We act on our fear and not our love. Love has no condition. It’s not, well, if you do this, I’ll love you. No. It’s I love you as you are.” — Sharon Browning [00:31:33]

In Part 2 of our inspiring conversation with Marisally Santiago, Director of the Office for Ministry with Youth in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, hosts Stephanie Peddicord and Maggie Smith dive into the nuts and bolts of youth ministry done differently. Discover how the YCAPI (Youth Co-Leadership, Protagonism, and Initiative) initiative empowers teens to identify community needs, step into their agency, and experience lifelong discipleship—all while challenging adults to embrace new, collaborative roles. Hear stories of transformation, candid reflections on church culture, and get practical for parishes eager to foster authentic youth engagement. Key Quotes: “It’s building something alongside this adult that’s gonna help them. And we eventually, we make them, they have to put together a presentation for their pastor, for the pastoral staff, so they do have to present what this is.” — Marisally Santiago “We wanted to do—I wanted to really emphasize the word mission—because that’s who we are. …We are the missionary militant church here on Earth.” — Marisally Santiago “How do we help them to engage in a life that is, my actions are driven by faith? And that’s really what we want to cement.” — Marisally Santiago “How do we create a culture within parish settings that allows for these two pieces to happen? I would say the two pieces are accompaniment, right, and protagonist.” — Stephanie Peddicord “It’s about young people being church in the parish community. So it’s a lot bigger than that.” — Marisally Santiago “It is the process of transformation that, to the extent that we transform your heart and your mind and your hands to go forth and change the world, that is what will keep you tethered to your faith for the long haul.” — Stephanie Peddicord “It’s as simple as walking with someone so they don’t go by themselves. … If we can recognize…Christ is present in every person…how do I just walk with someone?” — Marisally Santiago

In this episode of In Goodfaith, hosts Stephanie Peddicord and Maggie Smith open the floor to a candid and heartening conversation with Marisally Santiago about “youth protagonism” within the Catholic Church—what it looks like, where it comes from, and why it matters now more than ever. Drawing inspiration from Pope Francis’ exhortation Christus Vivit, the three of them discuss how shifting the Church’s attitudes about youth, leadership, and faith transmission can bring new life to parishes and communities everywhere. 5 Key Quotes & Takeaways Pope Francis’ Mandate:“The young want to be protagonists of change… You are the ones who hold the key to the future.” Walking Together (Accompaniment):“Accompaniment… means to go with someone so they don’t go by themselves.” Faith as Empowerment, Not Just Education:“We’ve, you know, really looked at faith transmission as a dumping out of information… but we’re gonna walk with you so that you don’t have to process that alone.” Youth Are Already Church — Now:“I am church by virtue of my baptism… By that, I am already commissioned… to go and… preach the gospel.” Why Copy? Be Original!“Why copy someone else when God has made you unique in the world with a unique mission… the teens that went through [YCOPI] identify themselves as white copy, which is fantastic.”