The Follow to Lead Podcast

Follow to Lead with Guest Curtis Martin

On this episode of “Follow to Lead,” Kyle and Fr. Randy will be joined by Curtis Martin, Founder and CEO of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students - or FOCUS. FOCUS, one of the fastest-growing college outreach apostolates in the Catholic Church, was founded in 1998 as a national outreach to college students on campus. Starting with just two missionaries on one campus, they now have hundreds of full-time missionaries serving tens of thousands of college students on campuses throughout the United States. On our program, Curtis will share about FOCUS, it’s past, present, and future plans along with valuable insights regarding Catholic Education.

Follow to Lead with Guest Fr. Michael Zimmerman

Our guest for this episode of Follow to Lead is Fr. Michael Zimmerman, who currently serves as assistant Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Boston and adjunct Scripture Professor at St. John’s Seminary. When the world went into lockdown with the pandemic in the Spring of 2020, Fr. Michael used that time to write 27 scripts for a series of vocation videos called Scivias. This video series serves as a guide for men discerning the priesthood. These videos make great resources for schools in their work of inviting young men to discern whether God may be calling them to Holy Orders.

Follow to Lead with Guests Sebastian D’Amico and Jennie Punswick

Please join Sebastian D’Amico and Jennie Punswick from the Holy Family School of Faith in Kansas City in a lively discussion about Faculty Faith Formation. Formation is always a challenging area in Catholic schools and this program will provide insights as well as some practical approaches that can be implemented. In addition to working with schools on faith formation, Sebastian is on the theology faculty at St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS. Jennie works full-time with schools in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, providing formation for several school.

Follow to Lead with Guest David Savage

This episode features David Savage, who was recently appointed as Executive Director of the Papal Foundation. Prior to this position, he was Co-Founder of and Chief Marketing Officer at Content Watch Holdings, Inc., the makers of the "Net Nanny,” which earned the award as Tom's Guide's "Best Parental Control App" for 2020, and Mashable's "Best Bet" for Parental Controls for iPhones, so social media and technology will be one of the areas discussed. Passionate about his Catholic faith, David has also been heavily involved, in a volunteer capacity, in a number of Catholic ministries and organizations, such as the Catholic Leadership Institute, Theology of the Body Institute Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), Sisters of Life and Generation Life.

Follow to Lead with Guest Rhonda Gruenewald

Today we will be talking with Rhonda Gruenewald, the Founder of Vocation Ministry. She is often referred to as the “Vocation Lady.” She is a passionate convert to Catholicism and a former high school English teacher. Through her organization, Vocation Ministry, Rhonda has worked with more than 6,000 vocation promoters and ministries nationwide, presenting informational workshops to deacons, priests, religious, and laity on how to establish or revive a vocation ministry. 

Follow to Lead with Guest Emily Cavins

Today we are talking with Emily Cavins, who has participated in several excavations in Israel, and with her husband, Jeff, leads annual pilgrimages to Israel and other Bible related destinations such as Turkey, Greece, Italy, Jordan, and Egypt. She was the co-editor of  “Amazing Grace for Mothers,” and developed the “Great Adventure Kids” bible study materials that centers around teaching children the plan of salvation history and based on her husband Jeff’s “The Story of Salvation: A Journey through the Bible.” She is also the author of “Lily of the Mohawks: The Story of St. Kateri,” the first Native American Saint from North America

Follow to Lead with Guest Meg Hunter-Kilmer

In this episode, we will be talking with Meg Hunter-Kilmer, who describes her apostolate as being a Hobo for Christ. She is an author and speaker who, after 5 years as a full-time religion teacher, quit her job and packed everything into the trunk of her car to drive around the country and fly around the world as a hobo missionary. So, since June 2012, she has traveled the country and internationally, speaking to anyone who’ll listen about the goodness of God, Catholic apologetics, Christian morality, and the life of prayer.

Follow to Lead with Guest Jonathan Weiss

Our special guest is Jonathan Weiss, who shares about a new video trilogy called “Mass for the Ages,” about the Latin Mass, which features insights from experts on liturgy along with inspiring stories. The first episode has just been released. This series of programs was already in production prior to Pope Francis’ Motu Proprio, “Traditiones Custodes,” so this will be a very interesting program. 

Follow to Lead with Guest Kyle Pietrantonio

Fr. Randy Sly turns the tables on his co-host, Kyle Pietrantonio, Executive Director of Duc In Altum Schools Collaborative, to interview him about his career in Catholic Education, the genesis of Duc In Altum and what the future holds as the DIA continues to grow. Having served as a teacher, principal and Head of School, Kyle also provides some truly valuable insights into the present and future of Catholic Education.

Follow to Lead with Guest Dr. Jay Richards

Our guest for this episode is Dr. Jay Richards, the William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, Executive Editor of The Stream an online Christian news service, and Research Assistant Professor in the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. At the Heritage Foundation, Dr. Richards will focus primarily on the areas of protecting life, marriage, religious liberty, and renewing civil society.

Jay has a Ph.D., with honors, in philosophy and theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. He also has a Master of Divinity, a Master of Theology, and a B.A. with majors in Political Science and Religion. He is the author and editor of more than a dozen books, which includes writing the New York Times bestsellers “Infiltrated" (2013) and co-writing “Indivisible" (2012). His most recent book, co-authored with Jonathan Witt, is "The Hobbit Party.” If I keep listing Jay’s accomplishments, we would not have any time left for the program. Today, we will be exploring his conversion to the Catholic faith, his newly begun work at the Heritage Foundation and some observations regarding Catholic Education in America.