The Forum

Welcome back to The Forum. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Sam Halligan. Sam is a former Damascus missionary currently serving the Church through an organization called Forge (not to be confused with the Columbus men’s workout group with a same name), as the Des Moines City Director. In this role, he helps coordinate and strengthen the growing network of men and small groups in Des Moines. But t...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by a man who has had a profound impact on my life: Joe Domina. How do you summarize a friendship like this?  Joe and I met in Columbus a few years back, when he was living here and working as an EMT. Joe and I wound up in the same Catholic men’s small group, where he was consistently a brother in tight places and an unfailing encourager. He al...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by one of the men I’m most proud to have worked with: John Packer Stevenson. Packer is the man who successfully pushed the creation of my role within SPO a couple years ago, and the man who mentored me to success in that crucial first momentum-defining year. But before he was my boss, he was my friend and brother. Packer and I built a relation...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by a good (though sadly moving away) friend of mine, James Downs. James is a nurse practitioner, an avid outdoor adventurer, a bit of a free spirit, and a man who understands the outward call of mission in a Catholic man’s life. We sit down and discuss his recent South American mission trip, the purpose he finds in his work, and the joys of be...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I had the joy of sitting down with Jay Collins. Jay is a good friend, the president of the local YCP (Young Catholic Professionals) chapter, and almost as good as me at ultimate frisbee. He’s the kind of man who understands how to get things done, how to lead a team, and how to think entrepreneurially. But the thing that set him free in college to become...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, Rylee Deitsch is with us in the studio. Rylee is a close friend and trusted brother in building the culture of The Arena, and is an all-around high-achiever. Rylee gives me encouragement for Gen Z men: he’s squared away, successful in his career, and is sacrificial and gritty in a way that few men (young or old) truly are. But even more importantly, Ryle...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Pauzé, the man who more than any other brought me into the Catholic Church. Mike and I met in 2021, when he was my neighbor. One day he walked over and introduced himself to me, and we quickly got into a deep conversation about symbolism, Christianity, and Jonathan Pageau. He invited me to come around to his group of charismatic Cathol...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Hartings, my roommate and one of my best friends. Sam has personally called me on to greater joy and trust in the Lord consistently, and his heart for mission and for adventure is infectious. This episode is a joy to me. Sam shares his heart and his stories from a mission trip he took a couple years ago to Brazil, and how that trip in p...

Welcome back to The Forum. In this episode, I’m joined by Anthony Schmelzer, a Damascus (CYSC) missionary. In addition to developing the financial systems and processes that keep Damascus running, Anthony is also the young patriarch of a beautiful and growing family. He’s an example to me personally of how to bless and cherish your wife, and how to rejoice in your children, all while staying Kingd...

(Apologies for the audio quality issues in this episode. The cause has been resolved for future episodes.) Welcome back to The Forum. For Episode 2, I’m joined by Andy Johanni. Andy brings a direct challenge to men who want more than comfort and surface-level “happiness.” Drawing from King David’s charge to Solomon: “Take courage and be a man,” Andy asks what it actually means to pursue greatness...

Welcome to The Forum! For this kickoff episode, I'm joined by a good friend and a man I respect immensely: Mitch Wilson. Mitch works for Saint Paul's Outreach (SPO) as a development officer and a regional supervisor, which makes him my boss. He's the best boss I've ever had, and a class act all around, with deep roots in the local Catholic community. Join us as Mitch and I dive int...