RED-C Roundup

137 Rebekah Landry: Youth Ministry

On Wednesday October 2, host Deacon Mike Beauvais spoke with Rebekah Landry, middle school minister for Ablaze Ministries at St. Anthony’s in Bryan. In the first part of the show, Dcn. Mike talked about the Feast Day of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus to translate the scriptures into the vernacular of the time, Latin. He spent 30 years in a cave translating all the scriptures! In the second half of the show Dcn. Mike spoke with Rebekah Landry about her experience with Ablaze Ministries and the path that brought her there. Rebekah has a strong love for the Church, the Lord, and the kids that she ministers to. Listen to the episode to be inspired by her heart for youth and their faith life!

136 Susan Tassone: Day by Day with St. Faustina

On Wednesday, September 25, host Judy Comeaux and guest co-host Terrie Lipscomb spoke with Susan Tassone, award-winning and best-selling Catholic author about her new book, Day by Day with St. Faustina. In the first part of the show, Terrie talked about St. Padre Pio, patron saint of adolescents. In the second part of the show, Susan Tassone spoke about her book, Day by Day with St. Faustina. The book walks through St. Faustina’s diary, allowing the reader to grow closer to Jesus in the Eucharist, use suffering to help others (including the souls in purgatory), along with many other spiritual benefits and practices. Susan has a great devotion to the holy souls in purgatory, which inspires the writing of her many books. A surprise caller even asked Susan about suffering - you'll want to hear how she answered this question and tied it into the life of St. Faustina! To order Day by Day with St. Faustina using Amazon Smile, click here. And to learn more about Susan and her many books, click here. 

135 Bishop David Konderla: The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope & Love

On Wednesday, September 18, host Pam Marvin spoke with His Excellency Bishop David Konderla, former pastor of St. Mary’s in College Station, and now Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their topic was the theological virtues of faith, hope and love. Bishop David asks us to question how much we allow other voices to come into our lives each day vs. how much we allow God’s word into our lives each day. He parallels superheroes and their powers in Marvel movies with humans and the theological virtues of faith, hope and love. It is a superhero’s duty to use the powers he/she's been given, and similarly, it is our duty as humans to use the theological virtues that God has given us through the sacraments. Listen to this great episode to go deeper into these theological virtues of faith, hope and love with Bishop David Konderla!

134 George Phillips: Fr. Vincent Capodanno

On Wednesday, September 11, host Gene Wilhelm spoke with George Phillips about Fr. Vincent Capodanno who was killed in action as a US Navy Chaplain in Vietnam while ministering to U.S. Marines. Phillips is the director of the Fr. Vincent Capodanno Guild (to learn more about the guild, click here) and served alongside Fr. Capodanno as a Marine rifleman. In the first half of the show, Gene observed the 18th anniversary of 9/11. He also mentioned our 2019 KEDC Benefit Dinner coming up on November 7 at St. Thomas Aquinas in College Station! You can register for the benefit dinner here! In the second half of the show, Gene spoke with Phillips about his service in Vietnam and his witness to the ministry of Fr. Vincent Capodanno. Fr. Vincent has been named a Servant of God, the first of four stages toward possible sainthood. Phillips talked about how there was just something special about father. He went where “his Marines” went, always right by their side. He put himself out on the frontlines risking his life to serve the men by administering the Last Rites and comforting the dying. Phillips said he has never seen another chaplain like him. Listen to this episode to learn more about this remarkable priest, Fr. Vincent Capodanno!

133 Dr. Taylor Marshall: Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within

On Wednesday, September 4, Dcn. Mike Beauvais spoke with best-selling author, Dr. Taylor Marshall about his book, Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within. In the first part of the show, Dcn. Mike spoke about Saint Gregory the Great, saint of the day for September 3rd, and patron saint of England, epilepsy, musicians, and teachers. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of “Gregorian” chant is disputed, but many believe that he was. In the second part of the show, Dcn. Mike spoke with Dr. Taylor Marshall about his book, Infiltration. Dr. Marshall is a convert from Protestantism, and was even an Episcopalian priest before he decided to become Catholic. His motivation to write this book sprung from the scandal in the Church that surfaced in the summer of 2018. Marshall says we need to rally back to the traditional norms of Catholic piety to strengthen our children, our priests, and ourselves. Much like Bishop Robert Barron in Letter to a Suffering Church, Marshall insists that the only option is to stay and fight for the Church in what he calls a “recognize and resist” stance. Find out exactly what that means and hear Marshall explain his thesis that demonic influence and freemasonic ideas twisted the beliefs of influential churchmen over the course of two centuries. Get Dr. Taylor Marshall’s book, Infiltration, here!

132 Matt Rice: All Things Ablaze

On Wednesday August 28, host Judy Comeaux brought in Bryan/College Station local, Matt Rice. Matt is a co-founder of Ablaze Ministries, and a new monthly gathering called The Well – it offers practical insights through biblical instruction, dynamic worship, and genuine community. In the first part of the show, Judy talked about St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica. The two go hand in hand as St. Monica was Augustine’s mother and prayed for his (and her husband’s) conversion to Christianity for roughly 33 years – and it happened! Her persistence is inspiring, and St. Augustine is perhaps the greatest sinner turned saint story in Church history! Learn more about these great saints here! In the second part of the show, Matt Rice talked about his experience in youth ministry. He has recognized patterns of instability with youth ministries across parishes and wanted to do something about it. This realization was what sparked the creation of Ablaze Ministries. They provide ministry from a 360° approach by ministering to the youth, parents, and youth ministers. To learn more about Ablaze Ministries, click here. Matt also talked about One Hope, and its April 25, 2020 gathering at Kyle Field for praise and worship, which will bring together people across all denominations! One Hope is what sparked the idea of The Well. Tune in to hear more about these great ministries and to see how you can get involved!   

131 Angel Rodriguez & the Virtue of Magnanimity

On Wednesday August 21, host Pam Marvin spoke with Angel Rodriguez, the new men’s ministry coordinator at St. Mary’s in College Station, about his new position and then they discussed the virtue of magnanimity. In the first part of the show, Pam talked about Pope St. Pius X, as August 21 is his feast day. Elected pope in 1903, Pius X committed  himself to restoring all things in Christ (cf. Ephesians). One of the many ways he tried to do this was writing a simple, concise catechism for the average person which you can access yourself right HERE! Listen to this episode to learn more about a saintly pope. In the second part of the show, Pam talked with Angel about magnanimity: "loftiness of spirit, enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity (Webster’s)." A more strictly Catholic definition is "greatness of soul, it looks especially to honor and seeks to perform noble deeds, its object is to perform actions that faith tells a person are great in the eyes of God." Angel spoke extensively  about his time with FOCUS - the Fellowship of Catholic University Students—because its method of proclaiming the gospel to college students has had such an impact on his own life, as well as his journey back to St. Mary's. Angel and Pam also talked about how the virtue of magnanimity allows you to give of yourself because you have holy confidence in who you are and whose you are. Angel said that we become what we contemplate, so if we constantly contemplate the life of Jesus and our Blessed Mother, we will be more and more disposed to live out virtues such as magnanimity. Tune in to learn more about the virtue of magnanimity and hear how much God loves you!

130 Fr. Andrew Dinh: From Refugee to Reverend

On Wednesday, August 14, host Gene Wilhelm spoke with Fr. Andrew Dinh, new associate pastor at St. Joseph’s Church in Bryan, about his escape from Vietnam in the mid-1980s followed by a 20-plus-year journey to the priesthood. In the first part of the show, Gene talked about St. Maximilian Kolbe, patron of our Immaculata Recurring Gift Society (did you know Kolbe ran a short-wave radio under the Nazi occupation?), because August 14th is his feast day. St. Maximilian is also the patron saint of anyone caught in addiction. Remember him if you or someone you know needs his intercession. During the main event, Fr. Andrew recollected his long and improbable, lonely, threefold journey beginning at the age of 12 from Saigon to Thailand, Thailand to England and, finally, England to the United States! For ten years, Fr. Andrew was an undocumented immigrant here in the United States while his refugee status remained in limbo and he struggled to find his way through the tough times. Nevertheless, Fr. Andrew finally made it to college here in the States where the Lord intervened to give him his vocation. Tune in to the episode to hear all the details about Fr. Dinh's unique life and journey to the priesthood.