Shows / Lights, Catholic, Action!
Lights, Catholic, Action!
The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing Catholic communities in Texas. On Lights, Catholic, Action!, we are going beyond the pews to bring you stories of faith and conversion from the Diocese of Fort Worth. Join host Sissel Anderson every Tuesday for inspiring conversations on life, faith, and community.
Episodes
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 16: Ministry in Joy and Grief
What happens when the career you planned gives way to a calling you never expected? Emmafae Lemons, of St. Stephen Parish in Weatherford, shares how God led…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 15: Make Friends with the Saints
Sainthood isn’t reserved for perfect people, and returning guests Jeff Hedglen and Ali Hoffman are here to prove it. Through hilarious stories, personal…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 14: What Every Parent Should Know
Safe Environment training can feel like one more requirement, but Crispin Montelione explains why it can make a life-changing difference for a child. The…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 13: God's Mercy is Bigger
What happens when you spend 18 years believing a past abortion is something you can never outrun? Betsy Kopor shares how a Rachel Retreat changed her life and…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 12: Faith and Neurodivergence
What if the way your brain works isn’t something to fix, but something to understand? Catholic Author Felicia Davis shares how discovering she has autism and…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 11: Rosaries and Ranching
Diego Soto was certain he would become a priest, but after five years in seminary, he found peace in taking a different path. Now a Catholic school teacher and…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 10: Faith Doesn't Clock Out
What does it look like to live your Catholic faith far beyond the walls of the Church? After more than 50 years in law, Robert Gieb shares how faith has shaped…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 9: Adventures of a Catholic Priest
What happens when a successful career in the car business gives way to an unexpected call to the priesthood? Father Jack McKone shares his remarkable journey…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 8: The Mission Field is College
What happens when the career you planned gives way to a mission you never expected? Sam Macaraeg shares how his journey from aspiring jazz musician to Catholic…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 7: God Had Other Plans
Sister Catherine Marie Nguyen never imagined becoming a religious sister, but an unexpected encounter with God’s love changed her plans and led her from dreams…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 6: When every door closed
What happens when the career you built, the business you trusted, and the plans you fought to save all fall apart? In this episode, Guadalupe Radio Network’s…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 5: The Classroom that Changed Her Life
A chance encounter in a second-grade classroom changed Nikki Leafgreen’s life, revealing how God could use Catholic education to fulfill her desire to change…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 4: Where Every Student Belongs
At Cassata Catholic High School, students who may have struggled elsewhere aren’t written off, they’re given the individualized support, flexibility, and…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 3: The Catholic Revival Happening on Campus
At the new TCU Newman Center, Father Jonathan Wallis shares his remarkable journey from the Episcopal Church to the Catholic priesthood and reveals how…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 2: Where sports build saints
In this episode, Diocesan Athletic Director Shannon Irwin shares how Catholic sports can do far more than build better athletes—they can shape character…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 3 Episode 1: What Every Catholic Needs to Know About AI
Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence is here to stay, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be hesitations with this influx of new technology. In this…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 40: The Joy that Went Viral
In our final episode of Season 2, guest host Christina Benavides chats with Catholic speaker and evangelist Ali Hoffman, a parishioner of St. Catherine of…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 39: Catholic Faith Behind the Badge
In this episode, retired Fort Worth police officer and Knight of Columbus Pat Henz shares unforgettable stories from decades in law enforcement—and how faith…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 38: Can College Strengthen Your Faith?
In this episode, University of Dallas president Dr. Jonathan Sanford shares how one Catholic university in North Texas is forming students to become leaders…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 37: Lead the Way Christ Did
In this episode, Catholic leadership coach BJ McKay breaks down how real influence doesn’t come from authority, but from mastering self-awareness, detachment…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 36: Why Adoption Deserves A Second Look
In this episode, Kasey Whitley shares her powerful journey from having no faith background to becoming Catholic—and how that path led her to champion adoption…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 35: Why Scouting Still Matters Today
In this episode, leaders from the Diocese of Fort Worth’s Catholic Scouting program reveal how scouting is shaping young people into leaders of faith, service…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 34: A Camera, A Calling, and Christ
In this episode, Diego Campos shares how a childhood love of filmmaking grew into a powerful documentary capturing the real spiritual journeys of college…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 33: Knights of Peter Claver in action
Have you ever heard of the Knights of Peter Claver? In this episode, Michael Barks takes us inside this historic Catholic organization and its mission of…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 32: From Italy to Fort Worth
Canon law can sound complicated—but at its heart, it’s about people and their relationship with God. In this episode, Dr. Sara Paglialunga takes us inside her…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 31: Forming Hearts Through Sacred Music
Sacred music doesn’t just teach notes—it forms hearts. In this episode of Lights, Catholic, Action, we’re joined by Ashley Ratcliff, choir director at St. John…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 30: Building robots, building futures
In this episode, meet the Robovikes—Nolan Catholic High School’s robotics team—who race against the clock each season to design, build, and compete with a…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 29: Behind the Formation of Deacons
Born and raised in Colombia, Paola Quintero-Araujo never imagined that a journey that began in dental school would lead her to help form future deacons for the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 28: Charity that Changes Lives
Heather Reynolds, CCFW CEO and President, and Beth Kwasny, CCFW board member, share how Catholic Charities Fort Worth is transforming lives across 28…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 27: A Catholic Detective’s Mission to End Modern Slavery
In this episode, Detective Maria Orand of the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force shares what it’s really like to confront modern-day slavery in our…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 26 (on location): Falling in love with scripture again
In this episode, Dr. Scott Hahn reflects on 40 years of Catholic faith, sharing how Scripture, the Eucharist, and a renewed hunger for the Bible are…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 25: Faith, Fire, and Molten Glass
From building massive glass installations around the world to creating Christmas traditions for local families, this episode reveals how art can draw people…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 24: Memento Mori, Catholic Style
'Memento mori', what does that mean? Estate-planning attorney Jenna Lusk—raised Catholic and formed at Texas A&M’s St. Mary community — explains how Memento…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 23: From Skeptic to Believer
A lesson in relentless prayer. Author and speaker Tim Francis shares how his mother’s relentless prayers pulled him from addiction and a reversion to the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 22: Cristo Rey's Bold Model
What if your Catholic high school sent you to work in corporate America one day a week while preparing you for college and deepening your faith? Cristo Rey…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 21: Wonder that Leads to Christ
From a haunting childhood tale in Honduras to an unexpected conversion at the University of Dallas, Oscar Ortiz—now the Diocese of Fort Worth’s Executive…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 20: Forming Disciples, Not Just Students
Sharing her journey from public-school educator to diocesan leader, Dr. Melissa Millard is a champion for Catholic schools as places that form joyful…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 19: Breaking News, Unshakeable Faith
From flaming batons and Miss America pageants to breaking some of DFW’s biggest stories, CBS 11 reporter Amelia Mugavero shares how God used rejection, late…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 18: Big Catholic Family, Bigger God Surprises
Growing up in a lively Catholic family of seven, siblings Julia and Michael Marincel share how their parents’ late conversion, homeschooling, vibrant Maronite…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 17: Called to be Light to the World
Some of us are formed in the faith from a young age, while others come into the Church later in life. Behind it all are faithful staff and volunteers at…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 16 (on location) : Hollywood Roles, Heavenly Priorities
In this special episode, actress and writer Siobhan Fallon Hogan reflects on how her Irish Catholic upbringing and strong, lifelong faith shape her family…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 15: From Gangsta to Gospel
This episode features Carlos Zamora, a cradle Catholic who shares how he drifted from the faith and then returned through a deep encounter with the Eucharist…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 14 (on location): Building a Culture of Safety
In this special edition of Lights, Catholic, Action! Deacon Bernie Nojadera, Executive Director of the USCCB’s Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 13: Eucharistic Adoration Changed Everything
From Texas A&M pre-med student to Director of Youth Ministry, follow Annette Calderon's path to discovering a deeper faith through St. Mary’s Catholic Center…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 12: Faith, Japan, and A Paint Brush
Host Sissel Anderson interviews self-taught Catholic artist John Andrew Sustaita, who shares how grief, the Camino de Santiago, and a love of Japanese culture…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 11: Professor Turned Pastor: Fr. Dan Pattee’s Journey
Fr. Dan Pattee, TOR— pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Fort Worth —recounts a faith-rooted childhood in Minnesota, a vocational pivot from pre-med to the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 10: Dr. Philomena's Joyful Catholic Witness
Spotlighting “Dr. Phil” — Dr. Philomena Ikowe — whose Nigerian roots, deep devotion to St. Philomena, and vibrant service at St. Joseph Parish reveal how…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 9: Inside Fort Worth's Respect Life Ministry
Terri Schauf, the Respect Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Fort Worth, shares how the Church’s efforts to advance the culture of life have grown stronger…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 8: A Pro Athlete turned Theology Teacher
Have you ever had a coach for a Theology teacher? Inspiring students to integrate faith into every aspect of life, Lauren Sajewich is a Theology teacher at…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 7 (on location): Tales from a Swiss Guard
Hear the history, training, and daily life of the Swiss Guard. In this episode of Lights, Catholic, Action on location, we chat with a former member of the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 6: From Megachurch to Catholic Seminary
From a non-denominational Christian upbringing to entering Catholic seminary. Robert Weisberg, a seminarian for the Diocese of Fort Worth, reflects on the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 5: God's Hand In Every Struggle
This episode of Lights, Catholic, Action! features Pat Pelletier, who shares her and her late husband Chuck’s powerful journey of faith, resilience, and…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 4: A Parish that Welcomes
In this episode, La’Wonda Peoples shares her journey of faith, from growing up in Selma, Alabama, during the Civil Rights era to finding a spiritual home at…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 3 (on location): Exploring a Polish Saint with Dr. Italy
In this special edition of Lights, Catholic, Action! (on Location), North Texas Catholic Editor Susan Moses chats with Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, a well-known…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 2: Culture Meets Catholicism
Angie Vo, a Fort Worth native and child of Vietnamese refugees, shares her journey of faith, community, and leadership. Hear about her involvement in the…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 2 Episode 1: A (Former) Fighter Pilot's Catholic Mission
Season two of Lights, Catholic, Action! kicks off with Clint Weber, who shares his journey from Marine fighter pilot to president of Nolan Catholic High…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 1 Episode 26: At the Heart of Canon Law
In this episode, Cheyenne Marrinan shares her journey from rural youth ministry to serving as the Tribunal Office Manager for the Diocese of Fort Worth. She…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 1 Episode 25: Serving the Poorest of the Poor
Michael Wanigasekera shares his powerful story of serving in the Peace Corps in Cambodia, where he faced extreme poverty, cultural challenges, and spiritual…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 1 Episode 24: Compassion that changes lives
Helping neighbors in need is the mission, and Victor Craig is leading the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the Fort Worth Diocese in serving neighbors in need…
- Lights, Catholic, Action!
Season 1 Episode 23: Why I became a religious sister
What inspires a young woman in college to leave behind her own plans and embrace the vows of religious life? In this episode, Sr. Anne Frances Ai Le, OP…