Sharing the Faith with Dr. Tom Neal

Dr. Tom Neal talks with Peter Andrastek, a senior ministry consultant with Evangelical Catholic, about his article “The Catholic Church Lacks an Imagination for Lay Agency” and the broader vocation of the laity. Peter emphasizes the need for pastoral leaders to understand and support laypeople's secular vocations, and suggests reframing the "parish" less as the primary place of evangelization and more as a center of apostolic formation, since the main “turf” of evangelization is the secular world itself.
To learn more about Peter Andrastek, click HERE.

Dr. Tom Neal talks with theologian Dr. Petroc Willey about catechesis as a living “echo” of God’s good news rather than just classroom instruction. They discuss how parents are the primary catechists, forming their children through prayer, loving presence, beauty and order in the home, and rich storytelling that awakens imagination, and how praying with the Catechism helps catechists interiorize and share the faith more deeply.

Guest host Dr. Luke Arredondo talks with Fr. Stephen Koeth about his book, "Crabgrass Catholicism: How Suburbanization Transformed Faith and Politics in Postwar America", which which explores the profound impact of post-war suburbanization on American Catholicism. Fr. Koeth discusses how the move from urban ethnic parishes to suburban communities fundamentally transformed Catholic life, affecting everything from parish structure and education to political identity.

In this special episode, Michele Kenaga, the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, fills in for Dr. Tom Neal and talks with Dr. Carmina Chapp about family catechesis and the concept of the "domestic church." They also discuss the importance of family faith formation and the challenges of implementing family catechesis in parishes, particularly in a secular culture that often pulls families away from faith.

Dr. Tom Neal welcomes Dr. Christopher Gawel back to the podcast to continue their discussion about understanding the religiosity of Gen Z. They discuss five key characteristics of this generation, including their view of science and faith, the importance of personal identity, the pursuit of happiness versus joy, the ethics of kindness, and their digital-native lifestyle. Dr. Gawel emphasizes the need for the Church to engage with young people by understanding their perspectives, providing opportunities for personal spiritual experiences (like adoration), and maintaining an authentic online presence.