The Catholic Leaders Podcast

Tim Shriver: Seeing with the Heart

Fri, 6 Feb 2026 20:24:50 +0000

About this Episode

To grow up in Tim Shriver’s family — populated by senators, ambassadors, best-selling authors, illustrious awardees, a president — one was constantly measured by how fast, how smart, how successful. But through personal experience with his Aunt Rosemary, who had an intellectual disability, Tim and his family gained a priceless lesson in human dignity and unconditional love. “You have to be able to see the dignity in another person, but you can't see that dignity in another person with your head. You have to see it with your heart.”

Join hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson as they welcome Tim to share his inspiring story of faith, leadership and service with our listeners, including:

Tim's family legacy of faith and service,
How Special Olympics athletes teach us to be fully alive,
The groundbreaking tool to fight contempt with dignity, and
Finding leadership in the little things.

Special Spotlight: New this season, we highlight a Catholic Charities leader whose work champions a theme of our episode. Anita Hassell, who leads Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Augustine, shares the inspiring program, Camp I Am Special, which has brought a joyful summer camp experience to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in northeast Florida for more than forty years.

Key Takeaways

"You can't see dignity with your head. You have to see it with your heart." — Tim Shriver's core philosophy shaped by his Aunt Rosemary
Special Olympics has expanded to 6+ million athletes in 170+ countries, creating a movement of inclusion and community, where every person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability
The Dignity Index offers practical tools for Americans to bridge divides and disagree respectfully, using the power we each have to heal our country and each other
Camp I Am Special, a program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Augustine, has served northeast Florida families for 40+ years, proving that joyful inclusion can transform communities

Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction
04:47 A Family Legacy and a Different Measure of Success
11:10 A Lesson in Dignity
17:51 The Dignity Index: Disagreeing without Demonizing
31:34 Leadership Practices that Support and Sustain
44:07 An Inspirational Leader
50:33 Spotlight: Anita Hassel, Camp I Am Special and Leading with Hope

About Our Guests

Tim Shriver

Chairman, Special Olympics | Chairman, UNITE | Chairman, CASEL | Best-Selling Author

Tim Shriver is a husband, father, grandfather, educator, and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to advancing human dignity. As Chairman of Special Olympics, he drove the largest expansion in its history—growing the movement from one million athletes to over six million athletes in more than 170 countries around the world.

After passing the CEO torch, Tim co-founded UNITE and pioneered the Dignity Index—a groundbreaking tool to help Americans disagree without demonizing each other. Before joining Special Olympics in 1996, Shriver co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the leading school reform organization in the field of social and emotional learning.

Education: B.A. from Yale University | M.A. from Catholic University | Ed.D. from University of Connecticut

Books: Fully Alive: Discovering What Matters Most (NYT Bestseller) | Co-editor of The Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening

Films: Executive producer of Amistad, The Loretta Claiborne Story, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Front of the Class, The Ringer and more films that spread hope and connection across differences.

Connect with Tim: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

More Resources

Special Olympics: www.specialolympics.org | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Dignity Index: www.dignity.us | Facebook | Instagram
CASEL: casel.org | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Anita Hassell

CEO, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Augustine

Anita Hassell brings over 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience to her role as CEO, where she has served for the past decade in progressively senior positions. Her career spans program development, human resources, fiscal management, strategic planning and accreditation oversight.

Before moving to Fernandina Beach in 2006, Anita served as Executive Director of Deaf Services Bureau, Inc. in Dade County and spent 10 years at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, ultimately overseeing a division with an annual budget exceeding $13 million.

Education: M.S.W. (Social Work) | M.B.A. (Business Administration)

Credentials: Peer Reviewer, Council on Accreditation

Connect with Anita: LinkedIn

More Resources

Catholic Charities St. Augustine: www.ccbstaug.org | Facebook | Instagram

Join the Conversation

Love this episode? Leave us a review and share it with someone who needs to hear Tim's message about seeing from the heart.

Also, be sure to follow Catholic Charities USA on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The Catholic Leaders Podcast is a space where we host conversations with inspirational leaders to talk about their leadership and how faith informs it. The Catholic Leaders Podcast is hosted by Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson, CEO and President of Catholic Charities USA.

Season 2 Finale: The Joy of Living Our Call

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 4 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

In the midst of polarization and disharmony, we as a Church are called to seek and share joy, charity, and generosity.

On the Season 2 finale of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, our hosts Kerry Robinson and Kim Smolik sit down to reflect on this past season of conversations with esteemed and diverse leaders making a difference in the Catholic Church and the world. Kerry and Kim discuss ways to overcome division in the Church, our families, and the world through seeking the common good.

You can learn more about Catholic Charities USA at https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/ or on social media at:
Facebook: @catholiccharitiesusa
Instagram: @ccharitiesusa
LinkedIn: @catholic-charities-usa
X: @CCharitiesUSA

You can learn more about Collegeville Institute https://collegevilleinstitute.org/ or on social media at:
Facebook: @CollegevilleIns
Instagram: @collegevilleins
LinkedIn: @collegeville-institute
X: @collegevilleins

You can also find Kerry on LinkedIn.

Tania Tetlow: Ambition for the Good

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Tania Tetlow grew up in a uniquely Catholic and Jesuit-influenced household, where dinner conversation centered around intellect, scripture, and justice. Throughout her career, Tania’s Jesuit formation and devotion to justice have guided her, whether she was prosecuting violent crimes, helping lead recovery efforts for the New Orleans Library system post-Hurricane Katrina, or serving as the first female and lay president of a major Catholic university.

On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, hosts Kerry Robinson and Kim Smolik sit down with Tania Tetlow, the current president of Fordham University. Tania grew up in New Orleans and spearheaded efforts to raise millions to rebuild and reimagine the city’s libraries after Hurricane Katrina as chair of the New Orleans Library board. She is a trailblazer in Catholic higher education, having served as the first female president of Loyola University New Orleans before becoming the first female president of Fordham in 2022.

Join us as Tania shares from her experience surrounding hurricane recovery and leading in the face of natural disasters and financial hardship, as well the lessons she’s learned as a Catholic woman serving in leadership positions previously only held by clergy.

You can learn more about President Tetlow on her social media platforms:
Facebook: @presidenttaniatetlow
Instagram: @president_tetlow
LinkedIn: @tania-tetlow-762807167
X: @tetlowtania

You can learn more about Fordham University at https://www.fordham.edu and on social media:
Facebook: @FordhamUniversity
Instagram: @FordhamUniversity
LinkedIn: @Fordham-University
X: @FordhamNYC

Chris Lowney: Integrating Our Spiritual and Work Lives

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Throughout his life and career in both corporate and nonprofit settings, Chris Lowney has learned that one of the most important pieces of leadership is avoiding what he calls “split life-ism,” where someone’s spirituality and personal life is left at the door when they enter the work place. “Nobody can live their whole life in a split way,” Chris shares.

On this episode of The Catholic Leadership Podcast, Chris Lowney joins us to discuss integrating spirituality and work together, practicing love-driven leadership, and how to handle leadership transitions. Chris shares leadership lessons learned both from his unique life journey through Jesuit seminary, J.P. Morgan, and in his leadership coaching and consulting.

About Chris
Chris Lowney, a one-time Jesuit seminarian, now chairs the board of CommonSpirit Health, a Catholic hospital system that is the largest nonprofit healthcare system in the USA, with more than 140 hospitals and 150,000 employees. Previously, Chris served as a Managing Director of J.P. Morgan & Co. on three continents. He has authored some half-dozen books, including the bestselling, “Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company that Changed the World,” which has been translated into eleven languages. His other award-winning books include “Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads” and "Everyone Leads: How to Revitalize the Catholic Church." He also chairs the board of Commonweal magazine.

His B.A. and M.A. are from Fordham University, and he holds eleven honorary doctoral degrees (But, Chris adds: "I don't have the intellect to earn one the real way!") He grew up in New York City, hates the New York Yankees, and roots for the New York Mets.

You can learn more about Chris and his work and books at https://chrislowney.com/wp/.
You can follow Chris on:
Facebook @ChrisLowneyAuthor
X @chrislowney

You can learn more about CommonSpirit Health at https://www.commonspirit.org/ and on social media:
Facebook @commonspirithealth
LinkedIn @commonspirithealth
Instagram @commonspirithealth
X @commonspirit

McKinsey & Co. study: “Decoding leadership: What really matters”

Kendra Davenport: Living Your Faith in Leadership

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Since getting her first job in development right after graduating from college, Kendra Davenport knew that the nonprofit sector was where she belonged. Kendra shared that early in her career, “[I] realized how difficult it would be for me to work for a private sector company, as opposed to a nonprofit that really had a mission of helping and serving people.” Kendra has dedicated her career to mission-based NGOs with the purpose of serving those marginalized and in need, all while keeping her Catholic faith at the core of her personal, professional, and family practices.

On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, we welcome Kendra Davenport, President and CEO of Easterseals, a national organization leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services. Kendra joins hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson and shares her story of faith, leadership, and service with our listeners.

About Kendra
Kendra E. Davenport, MPL, CFRE, is President and CEO of Easterseals. Kendra brings more than three decades of experience working exclusively in the nonprofit arena. She has managed several national development and communications portfolios, served as president of a nonprofit serving veterans’ families, and was a philanthropy and communications consultant to several national and international nonprofit organizations.

Previously, Kendra served as the chief development officer for Operation Smile, where she managed multichannel global philanthropy efforts, including domestic and international corporate fundraising, mass market and direct response, digital fundraising, major gifts and planned giving, community engagement, special events and partnerships, private sector grants, and government relations. Kendra possesses extensive management experience, having overseen more than 1,000 international staff across eighteen sub-Saharan countries while working for Africare, one of the largest African American founded and led nonprofits at the time. Much of Kendra’s career has been dedicated to facilitating the provision of critical services and interventions with organizations that include the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Alliance, Goodwill Industries, and The Arc Montgomery County.

Follow Kendra on:
LinkedIn @kendradavenport
Twitter @kendraedav

Learn more about Easterseals on their website, www.easterseals.com, or on social media:
Facebook @easterseals
Twitter @eastersealshq
Instagram @eastersealshq
LinkedIn @easterseals
YouTube @easterseals1

Dr. Carol Zinn, SSJ: Responding to an Invitation

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 04:00:00 +0000

“Have you ever thought about being a sister?” That simple invitation from a religious sister became a call to consecrated religious life for Dr. Carol Zinn, SSJ. Looking back on her life, Dr. Zinn, a religious sister with the Sisters of Saint Joseph, sees a series of invitations to which she responded “yes,” each of which shaped her vocation, career, and spirituality.

On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson talk with Dr. Zinn who today is Executive Director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). She draws back the curtain on the state of religious life in the United States and provides a candid look at how discernment, charism, and vocation are shaping the landscape of consecrated and religious life in the 21st century. Dr. Zinn also provides insight into her work at the U.N., working for global peace.

About Sr. Carol
Dr. Carol Zinn, a sister of St. Joseph from Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA has ministered in education as a teacher, professor, religious educator, sacramental coordinator, and music minister. Dr. Zinn holds a Doctorate in Curriculum Development and Education Foundations from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Dr. Zinn worked in grassroots-based international movements as consultant and facilitator. In particular, she worked on the United Religions Initiative and the Earth Charter. Dr. Zinn served as the main representative for the Congregations of St. Joseph, an NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations. She represented over 15,000 Sisters of St. Joseph who live and minister in 57 countries. Dr. Zinn also worked as the Education Program Director for Global Education Associates, a non-governmental organization working to further global systemic change.

Dr. Zinn served on her Congregation’s leadership team and in the Presidency of Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) from 2012-2015. Currently, Carol serves as the Executive Director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

You can learn more about the Sisters of Saint Joseph on their website, www.ssjphila.org, and on social media:
Facebook @ssjphiladelphia
X @ssjphila

You can learn more about LCWR on their website, www.lcwr.org, and on Facebook @lcwr.org.

Jim Towey: To Love and Be Loved

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta (now Kolkata) has left an indelible impact on the Church, the world, and the life of Jim Towey. What began as a one-day stop in Kolkata to meet the renowned sister ended up transforming Jim’s life and forming an enduring, close friendship between the lawyer and the nun. Today, Jim credits much of who he is to Mother Teresa and the lessons she taught him.

On this episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson welcome Jim Towey, author of To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa. Jim offers a glimpse into his close friendship with Mother Teresa, sharing leadership lessons she modeled, as well as her spiritual struggles, and her lifelong calling to serve those experiencing poverty.

Jim also shares about his time working in the White House as head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and how his work with Mother Teresa led him to create Aging with Dignity, the organization he founded to bring advocacy and support to end-of-life issues and planning.

About Jim
Jim Towey was a trusted advisor and personal friend of Mother Teresa of Calcutta for 12 years and did the first reading at her Mass of Canonization in Saint Peter’s Square. He has been pro bono legal counsel to the Missionaries of Charity for 38 years.

He previously headed the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under George W. Bush for four years and served on his senior staff. His career spans the presidency of two Catholic colleges for thirteen years, a seven-year stint as a US Senate staffer, and the leadership of Florida’s 40,000-employee Health and Human Services agency. In 1996, with Mother Teresa’s encouragement, he founded the nonprofit advocacy organization Aging with Dignity and created the Five Wishes Advance Directive, which has sold over 40 million copies. He currently serves as the organization’s CEO.

Towey is the recipient of seven honorary doctorate degrees, including ones from Catholic University of America and Franciscan University. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II awarded him a papal medal for distinguished service. He currently is a trustee of The Papal Foundation.

In 2022, Towey authored To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa, published by Simon and Schuster, which is now available in five languages. He and his wife Mary are donating the book’s royalties to charities affiliated with the saint’s work. Towey met his wife in Mother Teresa’s Washington D.C. AIDS home and married her in 1992. They have five children and three grandchildren and reside in Falls Church, Virginia.

To Love and Be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa can be purchased through Simon and Schuster.

You can find Jim’s blog at agingwithdignity.org/jim-toweys-blog.

You can learn more about Aging with Dignity at agingwithdignity.org.
You can follow Aging with Dignity on:
Facebook @agingwdignity
YouTube @agingwithdignity

You can learn more about the Five Wishes program at www.fivewishes.org.
You can follow Five Wishes on:
Five Wishes @5wishesorg
Instagram @5wishesorg
Twitter @5wishesorg
YouTube @UCNgZvSBrRPXWAQJ0twyYCNg

Dr. Hosffman Ospino: Daring to Dream a Better Church

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 31 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Moments when success may seem elusive are moments where Dr. Hosffman Ospino sees opportunity for innovation. Dr. Ospino is a professor, writer, and researcher in the fields of theology, religious education, and Catholic Hispanic/Latino ministry. Dr. Ospino is a leading scholar in the conversations surrounding how to engage young adults in the Church, how to grow and foster greater Hispanic/Latino leadership, and how to create a healthy, thriving Catholic Church.

Join us for the latest episode of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, where our hosts Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson sit down with Dr. Ospino. Dr. Ospino shares insights into what he has learned through his research surrounding ministry and engagement with Hispanic/Latino Catholics, his work teaching and forming young adults, his leadership in the V Encuentro, and two exciting projects he’s piloting at Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry to support Hispanic/Latino leaders: “Nuevo Momento” and “Haciendo Caminos.”

About Hosffman:
Hosffman Ospino, PhD, serves as Professor of Theology and Religious Education and Chair of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry. His research explores the relationship between faith and culture, and how that relationship shapes Catholic ministerial and educational efforts. Dr. Ospino has served as the principal investigator for several national studies on Hispanic Catholics. He is the director of Boston College’s five-year national initiative “Nuevo Momento: Leadership and Capacity Building for Ministerial Organizations Serving Hispanic Catholics” (2024-2028) and one of the principal investigators for the project “Haciendo Caminos: Theological Education for New Generations of U.S. Latino/a Catholics” (2023-2027), in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame.

He was instrumental in developing core resources for and designing the process guiding the Fifth National Encuentro of Hispanic/Latino Ministry (2018). Dr. Ospino is a prolific writer with more than 20 books and 250 articles, both academic and general. He is Past-President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS) and is currently an officer of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA). He is actively involved in ministry with his family in the Archdiocese of Boston.

You can follow Dr. Ospino on Facebook @hosffman.ospino and LinkedIn: @hosffman-ospino-598a44206.

You can learn more about Dr. Ospino on Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry’s website.

You can follow Boston College, Clough School of Theology and Ministry on:
Facebook @bcstm
Twitter / X @bcstm
Instagram @bcstm
LinkedIn @boston-college-school-of-theology-and-ministry
YouTube @bcstm

Gloria Purvis: Modeling Justice and Mercy

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Gloria Purvis didn’t set out to be an author, commentator, and the host of a popular Catholic podcast. But as she says, “the Lord has a funny sense of humor.”

Join us for the first episode of Season 2 of The Catholic Leaders Podcast, where we talk with Gloria about how her faith in God’s plan for her life has steered her career from real estate finance to journalism and advocacy. In this episode, we will delve into her work to promote racial and social justice in the Church and our world through The Gloria Purvis Podcast and how she still applies the lessons of working in finance to hosting her show and having synodal, listening conversations about her faith.

We invite you to listen in as Gloria offers us a masterclass in servant leadership through her personal story as she details the leadership roles of listening, curiosity, knowing yourself, and being able to lead without fear because you are listening to God.

About Gloria:
Gloria Purvis is an author, commentator, and the host and executive producer of The Gloria Purvis Podcast. Through her media presence, she has been a strong Catholic voice for life issues, religious liberty, and racial justice.

She has appeared in numerous media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fox News, PBS Newshour, NPR, Newsweek, and Catholic Answers Live and hosted Morning Glory, an international radio show. She was Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic of the Year for 2020.

She presented a powerful video series entitled Racism, Human Dignity and The Catholic Church through the Word on Fire Institute. She was part of a groundbreaking, exclusive interview with Pope Francis with a delegation from America Media. She is an ongoing Papal News Contributor for ABC News.

She is the Inaugural Pastoral Fellow at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame University and recently received Honorary Doctorates in Humane Letters from the University of Portland in Oregon and Saint Martin’s University in Washington State.

Ms. Purvis is currently the Inaugural Scholar in Residence at Saint Martin’s University.

Follow Gloria on X (Twitter) @gloria_purvis and on Instagram @iamgloriapurvis.

Learn more about The Gloria Purvis Podcast on americamagazine.org and listen on Apple and Spotify.

Season One Finale: A Season of Transition

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

It’s the season one finale of The Catholic Leaders Podcast! As we wrap up an amazing season, Kim and Kerry sit down to reflect on this incredible first season of the podcast and what’s to come. Both hosts share about recent personal experiences of discernment and transition, from Kim’s recent pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago to Kerry taking on the role of President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA.

Kim Smolik, Ed.D, serves as an Executive Partner of Leadership Roundtable. Kim founded the Nonprofit Servant Leadership Program that offers Catholic young adults the opportunity to develop their leadership and nonprofit management skills during one year of full-time service in Washington, DC. She also developed international service programs for Franciscan Mission Service in Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Guatemala, and Jamaica. She has been a guest speaker and facilitator at various Catholic gatherings in the United States and abroad. Kim received her Doctorate of Education from the University of St. Thomas. She has an MA in Curriculum Development and Cross-Cultural Education from the University of Alabama, and a BA in History and Education from Bethel University. Kim is an experienced facilitator in diversity and racial justice trainings. Kim has extensive cross-cultural expertise, having taught high school, college, and adult social justice advocacy programs in Cuba, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Mexico.

Kerry Alys Robinson is the President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA and a former Executive Partner at Leadership Roundtable. Kerry is a member of the Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities and FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities). Kerry is the director of the Opus Prize Foundation, responsible for an annual international million dollar prize honoring people of faith whose ministry is dedicated to the alleviation of human suffering. She has been an advisor to and trustee of more than 25 national and international grant-making foundations and charitable nonprofits. Prior to Leadership Roundtable, Kerry served as the Director of Development for Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University where she led a successful $75 million capital campaign to expand and endow the Chapel’s intellectual and spiritual ministry and to construct a Catholic student center. A frequent writer and international speaker, Kerry is the prize-winning author of “Imagining Abundance: Fundraising, Philanthropy and a Spiritual Call to Service.” Kerry has been a columnist for Chicago Catholic since 2017. She is a graduate of Georgetown and Yale. You can follow Kerry on Twitter @KerryAlys.

Dr. Nicola Brady: Peace, Healing, and Hope for the Church

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Nicola Brady, Ph.D., is the General Secretary for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. She previously served as the General Secretary of the Irish Council of Churches and Joint Secretary of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting where she facilitated relationship-building between Christian churches in Ireland and collaborative action on issues of shared concern to member churches.

Brady has particular experience in the area of faith-based peace-building in Ireland and internationally, including human rights advocacy, support to victims/survivors, facilitation of civic dialogue, community engagement with policing, and research across a broad range of issues relevant to reconciliation. She is vice chair of the Board of the Christian Aid Ireland and a board member of the Maximilian Kolbe Foundation, which works to extend the lessons of German-Polish reconciliation post-World War II to other conflict areas.

In 2017, Brady took part in an international workshop organized by the Catholic Bishops of Germany and Colombia to support the peace process in Colombia, engaging with victims and survivors, armed actors, NGOs and faith communities. In 2019, she became an Eisenhower Fellow and undertook a professional development program in the US with a focus on developing the capacity of the faith sector to promote social cohesion in communities divided by race, violence, political polarization and socio-economic inequality. She is currently chairing the Steering Committee for the Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland. She has a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. Her Ph.D., also from Trinity College Dublin, examined the response of the Catholic hierarchy to political violence in Northern Ireland (1921-1973) and the Basque Country (1936-1975).

Brady’s recent publications include The Churches, Reconciliation and Addressing the Legacy of Intercommunal Violence in Northern Ireland, Glencree Journal (2021), 92-102 — co-authored with Dr Gladys Ganiel, Queen’s University Belfast and Pulling Together or Pulling Apart: Perspectives on Nationhood, Identity and Belonging in Europe (Peter Lang, 2019) — co-edited with Dr. Susana Bayó Belenguer, Trinity College Dublin.

You can learn more about Churches Together in Britain and Ireland on their website, https://ctbi.org.uk/, or on social media:
Facebook: @CTBIshare
Instagram: @CTBImedia
Twitter: @CTBI

You can learn more about The Synodal Pathway of the Catholic Church in Ireland on their website, https://synod.ie/, or on social media:
Facebook: @synodalpathway
Twitter: @synodalpathway

In this episode, we touch on:

The efforts for peace, accountability, and synodality in Ireland and worldwide
Uniting Christians worldwide
Catholic young adult perspective

Ellen Koneck: Engaging the Young Church

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Warning: Suicide is briefly mentioned in this episode.

Ellen Koneck is the Executive Director of Commonweal, a Catholic, lay-led publication committed to hosting thought-provoking discussions surrounding faith, public affairs, and the arts through their magazine, website, podcast, and live and virtual events. Prior to joining Commonweal, she was the head writer at Springtide Research Institute, which studies and listens to the religious and spiritual experiences of young people, and shared her expertise as an Adjunct Professor at Sacred Heart University. Koneck holds a B.A. in Theology at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and an M.A. in Religion from Yale University.

You can follow Ellen on:
LinkedIn @Ellen Koneck
Facebook @ellen.koneck
Instagram @ellenkoneck
Twitter @ellen_koneck

You can learn more about Commonweal at https://www.commonwealmagazine.org or on their social media platforms:
LinkedIn: @commonwealmagazine
Facebook @commonwealmagazine
Instagram:@commonwealmagazine
Twitter: @commonwealmag

In this episode, we touch on:

Female, young adult, and lay leadership and engagement in the Church
Integrating young adults into the life of the Church
The potential and positive influence of Catholic media

Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Nathalie Becquart is a French Catholic religious sister and member of the Congregation La Xavière. She has in many ways become the image of women’s leadership in the Church having been appointed by Pope Francis in 2022 as Undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, making her the first woman to hold a voting role in a Synod of Bishops. She is one of the primary leaders of the Synod alongside Cardinal Mario Grech.

Sr. Becquart has a heart and passion for youth ministry and for promoting women’s leadership in the Church. In 2012, she was the first woman to be appointed as the Director of the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and for Vocations within the French Bishops’ Conference.

Through her 10-year mission at the French Bishops’ Conference she became deeply connected to synodality, having helped prepare the Synod on “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment” in France and the Synod on Young People in Vatican City.

Follow Sister on Twitter: @SrNatB

In this episode, we touch on:

Women’s leadership in the Church
The challenges women face in leadership
The gifts and possibilities women bring to the Church
The Synod on Synodality and what it has taught us about leadership

During this discussion, we reference many important organizations, documents, and resources, such as:

Kathleen McChesney: From Crisis to Transparency

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 1 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of Kinsale Consulting and was a founding member of Leadership Roundtable’s Board of Directors. Kathleen is a trusted expert who has extensive experience advising bishops and other Catholic leaders on child protection. She works directly with dioceses and organizations to audit and review policies and practices to make improvements to strengthen protection of children and vulnerable adults.

McChesney has a distinguished career in service. Prior to working for the Church, she served in many leadership positions in the FBI, heading its field offices in Chicago and Portland, Ore., and the FBI’s International Training Academy, before being appointed as an Executive Assistant Director — the Bureau’s third-highest position. She has also held unique leadership positions at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and The Walt Disney Company.

In 2002, in the wake of the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” revelations of abuse in the Church, she was selected by the USCCB to establish and lead a national office for child protection. McChesney developed and oversaw a national compliance mechanism to ensure that all Catholic dioceses complied with civil laws and internal policies relative to the prevention, reporting, and response to the sexual abuse of minors. She coordinated a major research study into the nature and scope of the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, and has published and lectured frequently on the issue of sexual abuse of minors in youth-serving organizations.

McChesney is the co-author/co-editor of two books: “Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: A Decade of Crisis;” and “Pick Up Your Own Brass: Leadership the FBI Way.” She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Notre Dame, Catholic University, and Ana Maria College. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the National Center for Women in Policing and the Notre Dame Laetare Medal.

In this episode, McChesney discusses co-responsible leadership in decision-making — especially with regard to women, protecting children and vulnerable adults — and maintaining hope in the midst of challenging times.

You can learn more about her work at Kinsale Consulting at www.KinsaleMgmt.com.

Amy Goldman: The Power of Connection

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Amy Rauenhorst Goldman is CEO and Chair of GHR Foundation, a hope-fueled global funder of service to people and their limitless potential for good. Goldman steers the foundation’s direction with optimism and a background in diplomacy and social investment that has inspired new approaches to philanthropy in collaboration with partners and communities around the world. Under her leadership, GHR reimagines what’s possible when accelerating progress locally — toward racial and educational equity in the Twin Cities community and Catholic schools — globally — through change-making approaches to persistent development challenges alongside the Church; and through groundbreaking research to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. Amy is an alumnus of Georgetown University and serves on its board of directors as well as the Walsh School of Foreign Service board of advisors. She is a trustee of the board for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is also a member of Opus Holding board of directors, Jesuit Refugee Service International Development Group, Mayo Clinic Leadership Council, and Council on Foreign Relations.

Goldman holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.

In this episode, we touch on:

Amy’s passion for philanthropic work
Pope Francis’ leadership and the institution of Praedicate Evangelium
The power of working together as a co-responsible Church

You can learn more about GHR Foundation at https://www.ghrfoundation.org/.

Sr. Teresa Maya, CCVI: Investing in Our Leaders

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Sister Teresa Maya, CCVI, is a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio and has been since 1994. Her education ministry has spanned several decades, during which time she has served as teacher, history professor, administrator, and speaker. Sr. Maya is passionate about pastoral formation, particularly of Hispanic/Latino leaders in the Church in the United States. She has a commitment to life-long learning and a strong conviction in the future of consecrated life. Sr. Maya got her B.A. at Yale University, her M.A. at the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley and the Ph.D. in El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City. She served in the leadership of her religious institute and on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) presidency from 2016-2019. She currently accompanies other religious congregations as facilitator and consultant.

In this episode, we touch on:

God’s call to accompany one another in our vocations
women religious and their ongoing efforts to support the Church at the margins
the importance of inclusion and welcoming women and young people into leadership

This episode is brought to you by CHRISTUS Health. Christus Health is a Catholic not-for-profit health system made up of 600 centers — including long-term care, community hospitals, walk-in clinics, and health ministries — based in Texas. Christus Health is a community of more than 45,000 employees including 15,000 physicians. They are sponsoring this episode in honor of our esteemed guest Sr. Tere and had this to say: “CHRISTUS Health is proud to honor Sister Tere Maya. Her leadership shaped our ministry for the present and future and our ministry will forever carry her handprints.”

Fr. James Martin, SJ: Welcoming Truly Diverse Leadership

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 17 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Fr. James Martin is a Jesuit priest, best-selling author, Editor-At-Large of America Media, and a leader working to build inclusivity in the Catholic Church. Among his books are the best-selling “The Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life,” “Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone,” and “Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.” His ministry focuses on building inclusivity for LGBTQ Catholics that is grounded in Christ’s love and Catholic teaching. Fr. Martin is a frequent commentator in the media about issues of religion and spirituality and sought-after public speaker.

Follow Fr. Martin:

Twitter: @JamesMartinSJ

Facebook: @JamesMartinSJ

Instagram: @jamesmartinsj

In this episode, we touch on:

The need to welcome and include others
The value of diversity in the Church and society
Diverse leadership, especially that of young adults

This episode of the podcast is generously sponsored by Susan King. Susan is a member of Leadership Roundtable’s Board of Directors and a renowned journalist, spending more than 20 years as an anchor and reporter in Washington, D.C. Today, she is the Thomas Kerry Distinguished Professor and former Dean of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Susan is sponsoring today’s episode in memory of a Catholic leader who greatly inspired her: the late Cokie Roberts. Cokie was a devoted Catholic and long-time journalist for ABC News and NPR.

Kim Daniels: Faith-Informed Leadership

webmaster@catholiccharitiesusa.org (Catholic Charities USA) — Wed, 8 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Kim Daniels is the director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University and an adjunct professor in Georgetown’s Department of Theology and Religious Studies. She was appointed by Pope Francis as a Member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication in 2016, and in that role was an advisor to the organizing committee for the February 2019 Vatican Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church. In August 2021, Daniels was also appointed a member of the Synod 2021-2024 Communications Commission. She is also a consultor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, and has advised the U.S.C.C.B. and other Catholic institutions on a broad range of issues where Church teachings intersect with public life, including immigration, human life and dignity, religious liberty, and care for creation.

Follow her on Twitter: @KDaniels8

In this episode, we touch on:

Faith’s Impact on Leadership
Pope Francis’s Impact
Women’s Leadership and how its absence has impacted the Church
The contributions of young adults in the Church