Description

A picture is worth a thousand words. We know that saying very well, and it's, it's really true. In fact, I was just on a call with a colleague from across the country earlier this week and you know, when you're on, or Zoom and, and you're talking to one another and you're trying to describe what it is that you're planning on or thinking, and if there's a document or even better kind of an image or a diagram that kind of lays out what you're describing, you wanna say just like, well, hey, can I just show you?

You know, can I just share my screen? I'm sure you've been there and after I shared my screen. Then everything kind of made sense. I was able to explain it better. The other person was able to see it better, uh, not you know, listening to me describe it, but actually to see it on paper. Really made the difference.

And,. I think the same thing can be true in Catholic talks and in particular how we might employ the beauty, the evangelizing. Beauty of sacred art. Today I want to dig into how and why we might use sacred art in our talks.

Here’s an image of the bronze sculpture that made such an impact on me at the Vatican Museums

https://www.everypixel.com/image-12179653852684922977

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

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Description

I’ve often repeated the phrase that “communication is not what is said, but rather what is heard”, which is similar to Thomas Aquinas when he says that “everything that is received, is received in the mode of the receiver” (not the deliverer or presenter). Through many incredible stories (which included one of my favorite “worst talk stories” ever), ministry convictions, and tons of practical examples, Michael Marchand always aims to lean into the wisdom and life experiences of the audiences he speaks to. More than just ‘knowing your audience’, he and his colleagues at Project YM have made a habit of seeking out deep, meaningful engagement with the audiences they are serving, training, and leading.

Bio

Michael Marchand is a preacher, teacher, and innovator who is focused on serving his (second) favorite group of people on the planet: Catholic youth ministers. After years of working in parish youth ministry, Michael cofounded ProjectYM to do just that. Since then, his work with ProjectYM has taken him across the country and around the world – training, equipping, and supporting thousands of youth ministry leaders...and letting them know that they matter.

Link to Project YM’s special page for listeners of Better Preach - https://projectym.com/preach

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

 When you are giving a talk there are many things that can go wrong, apart from anything related to your content, preparation and delivery.

What do you do when the mic fails, video glitches, or powerpoint dies? How do you react when no one shows up to your talk or teenagers won’t stop looking at their phones?

In this conversation with my trusty occasional co-host, Connor Flanagan we dig into each of these questions and more…

Things will often go wrong How will you respond? There’s a lot more riding on your response than you might think.

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s death a few years ago, the conversation in the Church and America turned swiftly to race. And as often is the case those national conversations make their way into (and in a few years) out of, our lives. Today, I’d like to send that email again and you know, bring it to the top of your inbox. The discussion about race is an important one - not just for Americans at large, but for Catholics in the US, as well.

The issue is personal for me. My family, as you know is multi-racial - my youngest son is African American - and living in the Twin Cities through George Floyd, and the riots that followed - this question of racism and its effects has been top of mind since. In fact, the overlap of racial justice and poverty has been the context for the works of mercy God has invited my family into since 2020.

Along the way I started listening to Gloria Purvis’ podcast, who I am excited and honored to interview. Her podcast and writing has been a wonderful education on what it means to be black and Catholic in the US today. I encourage you to check it out if you haven’t yet. 10/10 recommend!

Gloria Purvis is an author, commentator and the host and executive producer of The Gloria Purvis Podcast. Through her media presence, she has been a strong Catholic voice for life issues, religious liberty, and racial justice.

Link to Gloria Purvis’ talk at the National Eucharistic Congress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWAxXDYNr38

Information about the process of Canonization for the first African American Saint. There are currently seven, underway.

https://www.usccb.org/committees/african-american-affairs/road-sainthood-leaders-african-descent

Book: Slavery by Another Name by Douglas Blackmon

https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Another-Name-Re-Enslavement-Americans/dp/B002D1W8ZY

Watch: Eyes on the Prize (2 Seasons) on Prime. There is a paywall, but the series is available here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.26619625-5243-4ea9-8b09-850310b93c4d?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

Book: When Affirmative Action was White by Ira Katznelson

https://www.amazon.com/When-Affirmative-Action-White-Twentieth-Century/dp/1324051086?adgrpid=180140477444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=748008426879&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=776688375324422722&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019551&hvtargid=dsa-2414841786926&hydadcr=&mcid=&hvocijid=776688375324422722--&hvexpln=67&tag=googhydr-20&hvsb=Politics_d&hvcampaign=dsadesk

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

So in my opinion, AI, and this is probably your opinion too, AI is here to stay and preparing talks as one example, which we'll get into, get into today, will never be the same. And I'm a bit late to the game for sure on this one, as many of you have been asking me, Hey, what are your thoughts on AI and preaching and that sort of thing?

And, and I think this is a great question and I'm excited to kind of dig into it today. And, um, to do that, I wanna share three simple ways that I use AI for many of the talks that I develop. Nowadays, I'm wondering if you do the same thing. In fact, I've put together a poll question on Spotify for any of you Spotify listeners out there, the video is on there as well.

The video that I throw on YouTube. Um, asking this very thing, a poll question on Spotify, how do you use AI with talk or homily prep? Please check that out. I would love to hear your thoughts. In addition to the three ways that I use ai, I also share two cautions that I hold as well when it comes to the overlap of preaching and this technology stick around.

That's sort of at the end and a really fun part of the conversation. Joining me today and sharing. His insights as well from the perspective of songwriting is my trustee occasional co-host, the One and only Connor Flanagan. Please be sure to answer the poll question on Spotify and stop by and say hi on Instagram at Better Preach.Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

Father Luke Marquard is a Priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul Minneapolis and a member of the Companions of Christ. Ordained in 2013, he serves as the pastor of St. Joseph's here in West St. Paul, along with a Master of Divinity degree. He also holds a master's degree in Education from the University of Notre Dame.

Check out St Joseph’s Website: www.churchofstjoseph.org

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

Ryan shares about some exciting upcoming episodes and asks you to join him for a special prayer request!

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.

Description

After many years of praying with the scriptures on a daily basis, I, I read the daily readings and. Kind of go through a process of, of Lexio, Davina and meditation with the scriptures. Each day I've seen that more and more and more. There's this sort of merging and kind of overlapping of how I approach the scriptures.

In prayer and how that informs my preparation for preaching. And I thought, oh, you know, it'd be fun. It'd be fun to talk about that. And I'd love to hear how you see this overlap in your own life between your prayer life and how preaching and teaching unfolds, um, in your life. So today we're gonna dig into each of the four steps of Lectio Divina, and how there is a connection and an overlap as we prepare for preaching.

Links

For more information about the Better Preach Podcast visit: www.ryanohara.org/betterpreach

Better Preach Podcast is now on YouTube. Here’s a link to the channel.

Check out Ryan’s FREE course on “sharing your faith as a Catholic.”

Follow Ryan on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook

Join the Better Preach email list.