In this week's episode, Father Brian Kennedy of the Diocese of Phoenix shares details about his childhood growing up in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, a city of 2,300 people, to his calling to the priesthood discerning just after high school. He also discusses his decision to enter the Congregation of Holy Cross, an order that emulates the Holy Family, and his work serving at the Andre House, a ministry to the homeless and vulnerable in the Phoenix area. He also shares the many joys of serving his diverse parish, Saint John Vianney Catholic Church.

This week, Father LoCoco talks to Father Michael Nugent of the Diocese of Arlington about priestly vocation after working on Wall Street as well as for the CIA.

Raised in a military family, Father Nugent also offers insights into the similarities behind military formation and priestly formation, and his future of serving as a chaplain for the Navy.

He also shares what he loves most about his life as a priest as he leads the faithful at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Annandale, Virginia.

On this week's episode Father Robert Gahl, a priest of Opus Dei, discusses his own call to the priesthood, his work at the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America where he has relaunched Church Management Programs including the Master in Ecclesiastical Administration and Management.

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Father's call did not come early in life

02:15 Seeing JPII in Toronto

03:00 When someone asked: Why aren't you a priest?

03:30 Amazing connection with saints

05:00 Working as a professor at Santa Croce

05:40 Doctoral dissertations of priests including Father John Burns

07:00 Long history working with Cardinal Pell

07:30 Teaching the virtues to CEOs

09:00 Schedule of a priest helped Cardinal Pell in prison

11:50 Helping priests prepare for the administrative responsibility

12:50 Thinking like an apostolic entrepreneur

13:30 A corporation centered on the celebration of the Holy Eucharist

16:00 The art of fundraising or friend-raising

18:00 Investing creates good stewards of the Church

19:30 Working closely with seminaries

21:00 When the parish is healthy, the diocese of healthy

23:00 What we learn from the Parable of the Talents

24:40 Program also open to the laity

25:45 Helping to build a foundation for the administrative tasks

26:45 Mentorship opportunity under a pastor

28:00 Getting a Masters' in church management

On this week's episode, Father John LoCoco discusses own calling to the priesthood, the role of a Holy Hour in discernment, and his important work serving the faithful at St. John Vianney Catholic Parish and school. He also discusses his important work in canon law working with Catholics seeking annulment.

00:00 Introduction

01:13 Meet Father LoCoco

01:50 Coming from a large family of 8

02:50 Once a jock, always a jock

03:45 Studying abroad led to vocation call

05:30 Studying philosophy in seminary

07:00 Studying at the Northern American College in Rome

07:55 "Always with seminarians even on vacation"

12:00 First time serving sisters as a priest

15:00 Time moves differently in confessional

19:00 Spending time in DC

22:00 Canon law and the graces from annulment

26:00 Leading a house for those discerning

32:00 Learning how best to serve the faithful at your parish

34:00 Life on Long Island and cold mozzarella pizza

35:20 Remembering Pope Francis and the future with Pope Leo XIV

39:00 Milwaukee and Midwest life

In this week's episode, Father Paul Shovelain of the Diocese of Minneapolis shares some unique outreach he is doing at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and his parish school and discusses the fruits he is witnessing by being mission-oriented and why faith formation is at the core of this "culture of evangelization."

00:00 Introduction

02:30 Helping students understand Catholic culture

04:05 3 core values at the heart of this mission

05:50 Getting parents and families involved at the start

08:30 Reaction from parishioners has been outstanding

09:25 Simple invitation to relationship

10:25 How are families living out their faith?

12:30 Holding events where the whole family is invited

13:00 Special way of celebrating All Saints' Day

16:05 Journey to the Inn event involves entire community

17:30 Parishioners getting involved

18:35 Discovering a joy that we are all made for

20:50 The 'Faith, Family, and Fellowship Mass'

22:44 Culture of discipleship helping prayer life for all

23:35 Modeling prayer first and then teaching

26:00 Special outreach to teachers and staff

29:30 Inviting Christ to be everywhere on our campus

32:00 Monthly joy award for staff

33:28 The many fruits from this intentional discipleship

35:40 Mission matters...

39:20 How can other priests bring this culture of evangelization to their parish and school?

In this week's episode, Dominican Father Joseph Anthony Kress discusses his own vocation story beginning with a trip to Lourdes in high school where he acquired his habit Rosary that he still carries to this day, why it's more about the knowledge of love than the love of knowledge, what he learned serving as chaplain to undergrad students at UVA, and the popularity of his podcast, 'Godsplaining.'

00:00 Introduction

02:20: From the Blue Ridge to the Big Apple

03:08 Serving as Promoter of the Rosary

03:50 How did 'Godsplaining' podcast begin?

06:20 Learning about the Dominican order

07:40 The desire for a "knowledge of love, not a love of knowledge"

09:20 "Graduate level home-schooling" at Dominican House of Studies

09:45 Getting steeped in the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas

10:46 6 months after ordination, serving as chaplain at UVA

11:40 Learning to be authentic and genuine with college kids

13:15 "Authenticity is the currency of this generation."

14:20 Young adults hungry for the truth about faith

15:45 Needing a priest approachable not relatable

17:30 Fruits of pastoral leadership: weddings & vocations

18:00 Strong interest in cloistered life and religious orders

19:00 The shock of leaving chaplaincy to work in NYC

20:00 Getting back to the spousal-hood of priesthood

23:00 Understanding the 'spirituality of fundraising'

27:30 The work of promoting the Rosary and the Blessed Mother

28:00 Father's own vocation story during his visit to Lourdes

30:25 Fierce faith of those approaching baths with terminal illness

31:00 Witnessing so many accept their fate of death at Lourdes

31:30 Death-bed confessions at a hospital with a fallen away father

34:00 Calling in a Catholic priest in dire moments, exorcism

34:50 "Court-side seats to the Lord's mercy"

35:50 Advice on how to pray the Rosary as a seminarian/priest

Happy 1 year anniversary of the Shepherds Circle Priest Podcast!

On this week's episode, Father Dominic Rankin of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., discusses his calling to the priesthood at a very early age, the fastest time he's ever run a marathon (and it's impressive!), the impact his upbringing had on his vocation (his twin sister is a Dominican nun!), and the spiritual warfare young men experience when considering a vocation.

00:00 Introduction

05:00 Running 13 marathons thus far

07:45 Upbringing in Quincy, Illinois

09:00 Wanting to be a priest as a little boy

10:20 Making the decision to enter seminary during community college

11:20 The important work of vocation direction

12:30 Going to seminary in Indianapolis and studying philosophy

16:40 Reflecting on a day in the life in the priesthood

18:20 Expectations of the priesthood

21:20 The ability to always pray for the faithful

24:00 Philosophy of St. Ignatius to always be mindful

25:20 The work of being present among the many duties of the day

28:40 Wrestling with the fear of uncertainty

30:40 Helping one men who are discerning but feel insufficient

33:00 Looking at the disciples, God calls those with faults

35:00 Approaching the day with a mindset of a saint

36:50 Father Dominic Rankin offers a prayer