Among The People

Being Christlike Means To Heal Those Who Are Suffering

In this episode of Among the People, we had two very special guests calling in from Brazil, Fr. Dennis Moorman and Sr. Euphrasia Nyaki, also goes by Sr. Efu. They speak about their journey to becoming part of the Maryknoll community and their call to dedicate their life to mission. Sr. Efu talks about her passion to serve with women who have gone through trauma and her calling to work with them to heal their wounds. Fr. Dennis, said his experience with alcohol addiction and other mental il...

Finding Inspiration through the Life and Spirituality of Fr. Thomas Fredrick Price, M.M.

On today's episode of Among the People, Fr. Joe and Luna sit down with Fr. Jim Najmowski, M.M. He worked for a number of years in South Korea and North East China and is currently working on the causes for sainthood for our Maryknoll Founders, Fr. Price Fredrick Price and Bishop James A. Walsh. In today’s discussion, Fr. Jim will share some of his insights on the life, spirituality and mission vision of Fr. Price. Visit us at https://maryknollsociety.org

Understand, Respect and Accept the Other, Interview with Fr. Doug May, M.M.

In this episode of Among The People, we sit down with Maryknoll Missioner, Fr. Doug May. Growing up in a small town near Buffalo, NY, Fr. Doug now serves as a missionary Priest in Cairo, where he has been for more than two decades. He is the only United States-born, English-speaking priest in Egypt. He provides pastoral care for several communities in the Cairo area. He also works as the international coordinator for the Center for Intercultural Dialogue and Translation and the Center fo...

Journey to the Priesthood with Maryknoll, A Mystical Experience

In this episode of Among the People, Fr. Joe and Luna site down with Deacon, Gregory McPhee who will be ordained as a Maryknoll Priest on Saturday, August 22nd.  Deacon Gregory shares his incredible, mystical experience of how he came to find his vocation as a missioner, along with his story of mission around the world.  If you are interested in learning more about Maryknoll, please visit https://maryknollsociety.org Interested in learning more about a life of mission? https://maryknol...

Children Saved During Years of Genocide in Guatemala

There's no question that today's episode of Among the People is going to leave you in awe as we sit down with Maryknoll Brother, Marty Shea. He's a missionary from Chicopee Falls, who's worked with the indigenous poor of Guatemala for over 50 years. His missionary journey since 1985 has taken him through the massacres in the jungles of El Peten to exile in Mexico to return with the people to their homeland in 1998. In today's episode, Brother Marty talk’s about his life with the people i...

Pistaco: A Tale of Love in the Andes

Interview with award winning author, Lynn Monahan In this episode, Fr. Joe Veneroso and Megan Fleming sit down with Maryknoll Magazine editor-in-chief and award winning author Lynn F. Monahan. You will be inspired by Lynn’s reflections from reporting in Central and South America, along with his time spent with missioners in Asia and Africa. Only someone in his unique role at Maryknoll can share with us such a range of transformational experiences from the lives in service of Maryknoll mi...

Unifying Different Cultures Through Faith in Japan

When I got there, this reality was already present. I just happened to be assigned there, because the Bishop learned that given my Central American background, being born in El Salvador, I speak Spanish, come into the United States, becoming an American, I learned English ... Eventually I was sent to the Philippines by Maryknoll before this assignment, and I learned the language of the south of the Philippines, and also Japanese, which I studied as soon as I got there. I studied it for three...

Journey to The Priesthood

Today we’re joined by Fr. Daniel Kim, one of our newest Maryknoll Missioners, who was ordained in 2017. You might know Fr. Daniel from our Lenten Reflections on Social Media.  Fr. Daniel is originally from Southern California and recently served in Mission in Hong Kong.  In this episode you’ll learn how our own Fr. Joe Veneroso is Fr. Daniel’s “Spiritual Grandfather,” and we’ll also discuss how a traumatic event at the age of 22, influenced his vocation to the priesthood. ­

Different signs, same connections in Cambodia

We're here today with Karen Bortvedt, who is the Recruitment and Relationship Manager for the Maryknoll Lay Missioners.  Karen coordinated various immersion trips while in college – including one to Nicaragua. She served with the Border Servant Corps for one year and has since worked with various non-profit organizations.  She worked at the Deaf Development Program as the Communication Coordinator. On any given day, she was found developing the communications strategy; documenting DDP’s ...

The Meeting of Mission and Science in East Africa

From Brooklyn to Peru, a legacy with Maryknoll, Fr. Raymond Finch, M.M.

For those of you who are fans of Maryknoll, you know Fr. Finch from the weekly Journey of Faith reflection he sends you every Sunday.  Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., Fr. Finch was inspired by one of Maryknoll’s first priests and fellow Brooklynites, Bishop Francis Xavier Ford, who was martyred in China in 1952.  Fr. Finch was one of the first students to attend the school in Brooklyn named in honor of the martyr, Bishop Ford High School.  Journey with us to the highlands of Peru, where ...

Opening Yourself to God's Direction

Newly ordained Maryknoll Fr. Jonathan Hill's path to mission began when he was very young. Influenced by his jet-setting grandparents who read bedtime stories to him from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Jonathan knew early in his life that he wanted to help people - with childhood dreams of becoming a Veterinarian in the Serengeti, living as a cowboy in Wyoming, or becoming a missionary. Fr. Jonathan, who was raised a Baptist, was inspired by the work of St. Teresa of Calcutta and found a str...

Fr. Robert Wynne, M.M. Celebrating 50 years as a Maryknoll Missioner

In this episode we sit down with Fr. Robert Wynne who celebrates his 50th Jubilee as a Maryknoll Missioner this year.  His 50-years of Mission work have included Hawaii as well as Cambodia, an active missionary country of which Fr. Wynne requested to join at the age of 68 in 2007.  Fr. Wynne share's stories of his missionary work and the transformative qualities of the people he’s worked with during his career as a Maryknoll Missioner.  

Brother Ryan Thibert, How is God leading us in this moment?

In this episode of Among The People, we are excited to welcome the newly ordained Maryknoll Brother, Br. Ryan Thibert.  Although Br. Ryan recently took his permanent oath to a life of service with the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, he has already had a substantial amount of experience as a missioner. With life changing experiences situations in Jamaica and Bolivia, Br. Ryan learned early in his mission experience that 'being present' for those most in need has helped not only those he ser...

Fr. John Barth, M.M. Life long mission work with refugees

Fr. John Bath has been a Maryknoll Missioner for 28 years and has extensive mission experience working with refugees in Cambodia and South Sudan.  In this episode, you will hear how Fr. Barth built a successful program in Cambodia to train the blind in massage therapy. This program was so successful that it is still active in both Cambodia and now Peru.  Seventeen years later, Fr. Barth is now working with the South Sudanese refugees in Uganda, delivering food and supplies to villages an...

Gerard O'Connell, The Election of Pope Francis

We are joined by Gerard O'Connell, associate editor and Vatican correspondent for America Magazine, who recently authored Orbis Books' the Election of Pope Francis, an Inside Account of the Conclave that Change History. Gerry, who's covered the Vatican for nearly 35 years, brings special insight into the current pope as he and his wife, who's also a Vatican correspondent from Argentina, were friends with Cardinal Bergoglio before he was elected in 2013. Contrary to the predictions of mos...

Fr. Daniel Kim offers a Special Lenten Message

Hello everyone, it's Father Daniel Kim here. Thank you so much for your questions. According to this list, it seems like the most common question is, surprise, surprise, why do we give up things for Lent? Well, I'll give you the short answer. It's because Christians, we are called to imitate the life of Christ, and that involves the time he spent in the desert, where for 40 days he was not only tempted by the Devil, but through self denial prepared himself for the ministry, the very pu...

Father Russ Feldmeier, M.M., From Peace Corps to Catholic Foreign Mission among the people of Korea

On this episode of Among The People, we sit down with Father Russ Feldmeier, a Maryknoll missioner who spent 36 years on foreign mission assigned to Korea following his time with the Peace Corps. He is currently heading the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers formation house in Chicago. Our co-host, Fr. Joe Veneroso and Fr. Russ have a deep history with each other, both serving in the Peace Corps in Korea prior to joining Maryknoll. We will also talk about the Catholic Church’s past and future ...

Fr. Mike Bassano, Part 2 The mission of Being Good to One Another

Father Mike is an actor. Always has been, always will be. He’s also a missionary with a vast array of experiences in Latin America, Asia and Africa.   Turn your dial up and learn about the versatile and spiritually gifted Father Michael Bassano, M.M., who currently works with refugees in a UN-run camp in South Sudan. Follow his exciting and remarkable journey from Chile to Thailand to Tanzania and beyond as a Maryknoll missioner of unshakable faith and calling.   In this deeply movin...

Fr. Mike Bassano, Part 1 The mission of Being Good to One Another

From the streets of Chile, during the protest demonstrations against torture, to caring for HIV/AIDS patients in Thailand and now serving the people of Sudan, Fr. Mike Bassano share his reflections and stories as a Maryknoll missioner.

Fr. Frank Breen, Working with the United Nations in Mission for Refugees

On this special episode of Among The People, we recognize the celebration of International Children's day by interviewing Father Frank Breen, M.M. Father Breen shares with us his extensive work in Africa and here in the United States serving immigrants and refugees. 

Fr. Stephen Booth, A Soldiers journey to Mission

Fr. Alejandro Marina, Discussing Mission in Latin America

In this episode we speak with Fr. Alejandro Marina M.M., one of the newest Maryknollers, though he celebrated twenty five years as a priest prior.  Coming from Argentina, Fr. Alejandro offers a unique perspective on the growing challenges of doing mission throughout Latin America. He explores the reasons why in a part of the world where most of the people are christian, many face terrible situations of injustice, poverty and oppression. Fr. Alejandro also shares many of his thoughts on s...

Brother Octavio Duran, At the side of a Saint for the World in El Salvador

“Its a good feeling knowing that the universal church is recognizing his life as a prophet, as a priest, and as a martyr.” This is how Franciscan Br. Octavio Duran describes soon-to-be canonized Archbishop Oscar Romero. Br. Octavio personally knew Bishop Romeo, often interviewing him at the Catholic Radio Station in San Salvador, accompanying him in pastoral visits, and documenting the Bishop’s life and work in photographs. In addition to this episode, you’ll be able to read more about...

Fr. Ray Nobiletti, Administering in the darkness of 911

It’s a beautiful September morning. Maryknoll Fr. Ray Nobiletti had just celebrated 8 o’clock Mass in Transfiguration Church in Lower Manhattan. The primary election for the Mayor of New York City was that day and the elementary school at Transfiguration was buzzing with the start of brand new school year. In fact it was the children’s 2nd day of school. The date is September 11, 2001. After Mass Fr. Nobiletti received a phone call and was informed that a plane had crashed into the World T...

Fr. John Cioppa, A Career of Mission in China and Hong Kong

On September 7, 1918, the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers sent four Missioners to China, including Maryknoll co-founder Fr. Thomas F. Price, Fr. James E. Walsh, M.M., Fr. Francis X. Ford, M.M., and Fr. Bernard F. Meyer, M.M. This year as we prepare to celebrate 100 years of Mission Sending on September 7th, we had the privilege of sitting down with Fr. John Cioppa, M.M., an 86-year-old Maryknoll Missioner, who knew one of the original 4 Maryknoll Missioners to China - Bishop James E. Walsh....

Fr. Ed Dougherty, Missioner and Procurator General to the Vatican

We’re joined in studio by Fr. Ed Dougherty M.M., former Superior General of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and representative of Maryknoll in Rome to the Holy See – Pope Francis. Fr. Dougherty shares his story of growing up in the Kensington section of Philadelphia to riding motorcycles, learning Swahili, and how he would hunt for his own food in the rural region of Musoma, Tanzania. He discusses his mission work teaching theology in Tanzania as well as his work in the United States ...

Heidi Cerneka, Where the world doesn't even know you exist

On this episode of Among the People we sit down with Heidi Cerneka, a Maryknoll Lay Missioner who's career has been spent serving incarcerated women in the United States, Brazil and Kenya. In this episode, Heidi shares how women are generally overlooked in prison policy and advocacy as well as the social and economic justice issues that are leading Women to be in prison in the first place. Heidi defines the difference between Women incarceration versus Male incarceration and how when Wom...

Kevin Ahern, PhD, The Role of Faith in Modern Social Justice Movements

Today we're here with Kevin Ahern, Orbis Books Author and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College.  In this episode we dive into the challenges and opportunities the Church offers from the perspective of young people as it relates to today's social movements and the current political and religious divisions that exist not only in western society, but throughout the world.    As a young Professor, Kevin truly has his finger on the pulse of young people in the Catholi...

Fr. Rick Bauer, Bringing comfort through Palliative Care

Today we sit down with Maryknoll Missioner, Fr. Rick Bauer. Fr. Rick spent time in Mission in Namibia and is now introducing palliative care – the care of the spiritual and emotional aspects of those who are sick and suffering - overseas. After his residency and certification as a Chaplain from New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital, Fr. Rick is now in east Africa introducing palliative care to those with health issues including a large majority of those directly affected by HIV/AIDS.   ...

Fr. Fred Hegarty, Mission path continues

In this episode, Father Fred Hegarty, M.M. joins us to share his incredible story of mission in Chile during his 65 years as a missioner priest. At 91 years of age, Fr. Fred is able to take us back to his early days in Chile when he started out as a parish priest navigating dirt roads and mountain trails to share the Gospel with poor farmers and ended up becoming their advocate. Today, Fr. Fred continues to enliven the lives of all those around him.  If empowering people with God's love is...

Fr. Robert Jalbert, Duty in the Cold War, Mission in East Africa

Today we sit down with one of the most recognizable and respected Maryknoll Missioners and U.S. Air Force Veteran, Fr. Robert Jalbert, M.M.. Fr. Bob heads the Church Engagement Division here at Maryknoll where he and his team are creating and supporting a “culture of mission” in the Catholic Community in the U.S. During his Missionary career, Fr. Bob served in East Africa in both Kenya and Tanzania and today is actively involved in forming communities of missionary disciples around the w...

Fr. David La Buda, Building Mission; Tattoo Removal Machines and Radio Stations

Maryknoll missioner, Father David La Buda joins Among The People, discussing his dynamic stories from Latin and Central America. From his ministry work with Honduran and Nicaraguan gang member tattoo removal, building radio stations and being taken prisoner in the jungle of Guatemala, Father La Buda’s reflections on a life of mission go far beyond ‘adventure’.  

Fr. John P Martin, An Evolving Relationship with Tradition

Today we sit down with missioner, author and Maryknoll priest, Fr. John P Martin.    Fr. Martin shares experiences from his missionary work in Mexico and Bangladesh. He reflects on his struggles with his Vocational calling as a Missionary versus the traditional calling of being a Sacramental Minister.  Father John also talks about his deep culture shock experiences during his time in Bangladesh, then in India where he fulfilled his dream of further understanding the Hindu Bengali culture...

Fr. Richard Albertine, Reflections on a life of mission in Africa and Venezuela

From his ministry during the apartheid in South Africa, serving in both Nigeria and Namibia, to his mission work in Venezuela, Fr. Richard Albertine shares his incredible reflections on life as a Maryknoll missioner overseas.   

Jeannine Hill Fletcher, The Sin of White Supremacy

We sit down with Jeannine Hill Fletcher, professor at Fordham University, a theologian and author of The Sin of White Supremacy (Orbis Books). Get ready as we take a deep dive into the inner section of theology and issues of diversity as it relates to gender, race and religion.   We'll be discussing how Jeannine was able to step back from her suburban, predominantly white catholic environment and upbringing to see the work that still needs to be done.  As you listen to this episode, we...

Fr. Mike Snyder, Mission in East Africa with his guitar

In this episode, Father Mike Snyder joins us to share his story about his foreign mission work in East Africa, how he saw the face of Jesus Christ in an old lady named Stella and how the music he plays on his guitar has united people from all parts of the world. About Father Mike Fr. Mike Snyder M.M. is a native of Rutherford and Wayne, New Jersey. After ordination, he was assigned to Tanzania, East Africa where he served for a total of 26 years. During that time he was stationed in va...

Christopher Reilly, The role of music in the catholic faith, and it's future.

On this episode of Among the People, we interview our Director of Music, Worship, & Ritual, Chris Reilly. Chris, a leader in pastoral music, gives us a glimpse into the world of someone whose made music for the Church for decades! We’ll cover his life, how he was influenced by music, a brief history of sacred music, as well as the shifts he's seeing in the Church including, a surprising shift towards a more traditional celebration of worship.  Chris will also give us his expert insight...

Jim Forest, Exploring his recent work, At Play in The Lions's Den: A Biography and Memoir of Daniel Berrigan

In this episode we are joined by Orbis Books Author, Jim Forest. Jim takes us through his early years that inspired his writing, from childhood to his time in the United States Military and into his lifelong work as an activist for peace.  He reflects on his call to christianity, his time working with Dorothy Day at the Catholic Worker and how he was first introduced and inspired by Daniel Berrigan. About Jim Forest Jim Forest is an internationally renowned peacemaker and spiritual wri...

Jana Laiz, Getting Outside the Comfort Zone

Today, we’re joined in the studio by award winning Author and recent speaker at Maryknoll, Jana Laiz. As you will hear in this interview, Jana’s mission is to change the world, one book at a time. You will hear how the topics she is so passionate about such as climate change, the global refugee crisis, equal rights are woven into her stories; stories that are not only take her readers on a captivating journey, but also speak to critical issues of our time… You may even learn a thing or two...

Kevin Foy, Bringing Young People to Global Mission

In this episode, Megan and Father Joe interview Kevin Foy,  National Team Leader of Teacher and Catechist Outreach at Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. They discuss Kevin's experiences as a former teacher working with youth, his life as a catechist and a lay person who is helping to promote and transform the church in the US among young people.  Kevin has more than fifteen years experience ministering to and with ethnically and economically diverse communities across the United States, has w...

Fr. Jim Martin, Finding Good in All things

Recently, Jesuit Father James Martin, Orbis Books author (Essential Writings and This Our Exile), editor-at-large of America magazine and consultant to the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communication, shared his thoughts on prayer, forgiveness and more with our senior marketing technologist, Adam Mitchell. Father Martin is an American Jesuit priest, a writer, and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America. He grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and now lives in the America House Jes...

Fr. John Dear, Working For A New Culture of Non-Violence

In Episode 2 of Among The People, Father John Dear joins us to discuss how he has committed his life to promoting world peace, social justice, non-violence and awareness to the extreme dangers we face with climate change. His empowering message will motivate you to deeply consider your personal role in ending violence, racism and poverty as he shares his own accounts of non-violent activism, incarceration, protest and putting himself in harm’s way for the promotion of peace and justice. “To ...

Brother John Beeching, His experience with Mother Teresa, Burmese Refugees and War.

We are proud to bring you the first episode of "Among The People", with an impactful interview with Maryknoll Brother, John Beeching. In this Episode, Brother John shares: • His time with Mother Teresa, a story we're sure you've never heard. • His war experiences in Beirut and Yemen. • Managing the trauma of war. • His selfless work with the Mon refugees of Myanmar and Thailand. • Christian love and Buddhist compassion. About Brother John: Much of Brother Beeching's work in Thailand has invo...