COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two seminarians from the Diocese of Charlotte have taken to the radio waves this year to evangelize.
As part of their third year in theology studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum, Britt Taylor and Alfonso Gamez are assigned to record a weekly podcast that airs on St. Gabriel Catholic Radio 820 AM on Tuesdays at noon and Sundays at 1 p.m.
The 30-minute show is a conversation between Gamez, Taylor and a third seminarian from the Diocese of Columbus, designed to encourage vocations and shed light on aspects of the faith.
“We talk about contemporary issues: the faith, how it influences us, the sacraments, morals,” said Gamez, who is a parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville. “Each pre-recorded episode is led by one of us. The topic is chosen by that leader, and he kind of guides the discussion and provides the contents for that episode.”
Pictured: Diocese of Charlotte seminarians Britt Taylor, center, Alfonso Gamez, right, and Diocese of Columbus seminarian P.J. Brandimarti are recording a weekly podcast that airs on St. Gabriel Catholic Radio. (Photo provided by St. Gabriel Catholic Radio)
This is the first year in their studies where they’ve learned enough to actually “teach” the faith, said Taylor, who is a parishioner at St. Matthew Church in Charlotte. While some of their classmates are teaching RCIA classes, their assignment is this radio show.
The seminarians say they have more flexibility in “teaching” on the radio show than their classmates doing in religious education classes.
“We can take topics we’re passionate about and be able to communicate and really have a dialogue with one another,” Taylor said. “We can communicate in such a way that it’s approachable and other people can actually comprehend what we’re saying.”
Without direct interaction with the audience, Gamez said, they have to prepare topics in a way that anticipates any confusion that the presentation could evoke.
“We have to prepare for that and explain things at a basic level. That is allowing us to be effective teachers, instead of presuming a lot of knowledge,” Gamez said.
Some show topics so far have been about aspects of the spiritual life, consumerism, the sacraments of confession and anointing of the sick, as well as vocation discernment and how they found their way to the seminary, Taylor said.
“Maybe there’s a young person listening to it who may be inspired to a vocation,” Taylor said.
There are shows about more practical topics as well, Gamez said, including the spirituality of staying fit and the Christian notion of friendship as a virtue.
“When we’re thinking of shows, we try to pick topics where the listener is not just going to listen to a 30-minute lecture, but something they can actually incorporate into their own spiritual life,” Taylor said.
“We’re going to record one on Eucharistic Adoration. So when we look at our experience with Adoration, we have to think how we can convey that in such a way that someone’s inspired to spend some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament and pray to our Lord.
“We have to look at different ways to inspire people to not only live out their faith, but also encourage them to increase it so that they’re growing spiritually through our ministry on the radio,” he said.
While St. Gabriel Catholic Radio is based in the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, on a clear day the radio station can be heard across the entire state. Each of the shows is archived for listening online as well. The shows will continue to air through the academic year and next summer. The seminarians estimate they will record 30 to 40 shows this year.
“It’s an awesome experience,” Taylor said.
Gamez said he hopes he can bring the skills he’s learned back to the Charlotte diocese and possibly work with the new Carolina Catholic Radio Network to air local evangelization radio programs after he has been ordained a priest.
“It provides a unique opportunity to see how this tool is used for communications and evangelization,” he said.
— Kimberly Bender, Online reporter
Listen online
At www.stgabrielradio.com: Catch all of “The Seminarians” podcasts listed under “archive” on St. Gabriel Catholic Radio’s website
"Joined by Grace: A Catholic Prayer Book for Engaged and Newly Married Couples" by John and Teri Bosio. Ave Maria Press (Notre Dame, Indiana, 2017). 136 pp., $9.95.
"Forever: A Catholic Devotional for Your Marriage" by Jackie Francois Angel and Bobby Angel. Pauline Books and Media (Boston, 2017). 163 pp., $15.95.
"Prayers for Catholic Couples: With Reflections from Pope Francis' 'The Joy of Love,'" compiled and edited by Susan Heuver. Word Among Us Press (Frederick, Maryland, 2017). 167 pp., $11.95.
Whether they know it or not, married couples today need lots of prayer to live their vocation well. They always have, but perhaps today they may need it more than ever. Three recently published books approach this need in rather different ways.
Of the three, the most like a traditional Catholic prayer book is "Joined by Grace," in which John and Teri Bosio have compiled a great many traditional Catholic prayers, from prayers from the Mass to litanies to praying with some of the saints to other devotions, such as the rosary and the stations of the cross, each with a brief explanation.
For couples already connected well to a parish and mainly comfortable with formal prayers, this may be quite helpful; however, it's unfortunate that these prayers and devotions aren't linked more specifically with the joys and challenges that marriage presents.
The second book, "Forever" by Jackie Francois Angel and Bobby Angel, is designed as a four-week exploration of the theology of the body from St. John Paul II, a theology that some couples have found more helpful than others. It tends to be rather didactic and not as devotional as a prayer book often would be, perhaps suitable for a couple to read aloud to one another daily, but what the Angels have done here requires a considerable time commitment on the part of a couple.
Last, but not least, is "Prayers for Catholic Couples," which includes brief excerpts from Pope Francis' 2016 apostolic exhortation "The Joy of Love" ("Amoris Laetitia"). Susan Heuver has done a fine service for couples in making insights from this compassionate document easily available to couples for their reflection.
In his introduction to his pastoral letter, Pope Francis explained, "It is my hope that, in reading this text, all will feel called to love and cherish family life, for 'families are not a problem; they are first and foremost an opportunity.'" That tone indeed comes through in this little book.
Pope Francis talks about the lack of perfection in families: "No family drops down from heaven perfectly formed; families need constantly to grow and mature in their ability to love."
He observes about marital fidelity that "just as a good wine begins to breathe with time, so too the daily experience of fidelity gives married life richness and 'body.' Fidelity has to do with patience and expectation. Its joys and sacrifices bear fruit as the years go by and the couple rejoices to see their children's children. The love present from the beginning becomes more conscious, settled and mature as the couple discovers each other anew day after day, year after year."
He even discusses parenting: "It is also essential to help children and adolescents to realize that misbehavior has consequences. They need to be encouraged to put themselves in other people's shoes and to acknowledge the hurt they have caused. ... It is important to train children firmly to ask forgiveness and to repair the harm done to others."
After each brief excerpt from "The Joy of Love" Heuver includes a reflection question or two and a short prayer for the couple to share. These offer an opportunity for a couple to reflect on their lives on the run, which is often the only opportunity they may have.
All three of these books of prayers could be helpful for couples trying to live a faith-filled, sacramental marriage in a world that seems to value change and superficiality instead.
— Kathleen Finley, Catholic News Service. Finley is the author of several books on practical spirituality, including "Prayers for the Newly Married" and "The Liturgy of Motherhood: Moments of Grace," and previously taught in the religious studies department at Gonzaga University.