Candid Catholic Convos

Year over year, the Hispanic population in Central Pennsylvania grows, creating vibrant communities in York and Adams counties. And if you watch the news, they’ll tell you this is a bad thing, that the things that make us different are things to be feared. The reality is we’re more alike than you think. Today we're chatting with Father Michael Rothan, the Spanish Apostolate of Hanover, to talk abo...

So often we as human beings operate under one of two assumptions - that we're perfect with no room for improvement, or we're so broken, so damaged, there's no hope for restoration. In reality, we are walking, talking construction sites. Today we're chatting with Father Dwight Schlaline from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Hanover, who's 250 year old church is currently undergoing an e...

Spring is here, and that means so is Lent! Father Paul Clark joins us to chat about some best practices to make these next forty days more fruitful and draw us closer to Christ.

Some people think divorce is the easy way out of a marriage and an annulment is just like a giant undo button. Some Catholics think if you get divorced, it means you’re excommunicated. With all the fog surrounding this topic in the church, it’s time we clear the air once and for all. This week Barb Bettwy, director of the Tribunal for the Diocese, joins us to talk about what an annulment is and is...

Sports are, in so many ways, like a religion. Like religion, sports can convey important lessons about culture and values. But as much as you could compare sports to organized religion, practicing your actual faith on the field, at least on a national level, was strongly discouraged, until a few weeks ago. So it begs the question – are faith and athletics intrinsincly linked? To unpack this, Eric...

If you’re like me and your kids are in Catholic School, or maybe your kids are older but they attended Catholic school in the past, or you yourself went to Catholic School, then you know this week is a big one – it’s Catholic Schools Week. Today we're joined by Daniel Breen, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Harrisburg, to explain to us why Catholic education is fundamental in...

Today we’re continuing our conversation with Father Sawicki, picking up right where we left off last week. We’re finally going to answer the question why can’t women be priests, as well as dive into the infallibility of the Bible, apocryphal texts, and the difference between being good versus being saved.

For those who’ve never experienced it, who’ve maybe only heard that the Catholic church is strict or full of rules or elitist, why would someone WANT to become Catholic? And going a step further, why is it that the Catholic church is seen as having this overarching authority, a predominant presence, if it’s not respected as an institution? Today Father Jonathan Sawicki joins us to unpack these not...

Why is it that 80% of New Year's Resolutions fail, especially those focused on body image? Is it that we have terrible willpower? Or could it be that the balance between bodily health and spiritual health is tipped further one way than the other? Bill Donaghy of the Theology of the Body Institute joins us today to chat about the theology of working out to honor God, and just because New Years Day...

A new year is here! That means new goals, fresh perspectives, and a feeling of hope. Whether you are married or dating, a fresh perspective in your relationship is probably in order. Regina Boyd, licensed mental health counselor specializing in marriage and relationships, joins us via zoom to talk about ways we can grow in our relationships, dismantling myths around marriage counseling, and how ou...

Joy to the World! Bishop Gainer and WHP 580's Michael Parks join us for our annual Christmas episode. Merry Christmas and many blessings to all!

Part four of our series on the Eucharist! Father Joshua Brommer of The Cathedral Parish at St Patrick in Harrisburg shares his experiences of 40 hours devotions.

How can we prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas this Advent season? By taking care of our spirit - wiping away our sins at Mass and confession. Today, Father Tim Sahd of Seven Sorrows Parish in Middletown is sharing with us why and how we should go to confession, as well as how it’s helped him on his faith journey.

Advent is suddenly upon us, and with it comes all the Christmas planning. If you find yourself overwhelmed by your to-do list, take a moment to consider the pregnant Blessed Mother, and focus instead on "nesting" in your faith - featuring a special message on the history of advent with Bishop Ronald Gainer.

Thanksgiving is upon us, and with it, all those reminders to be grateful. But what is gratitude, and how can we practice it throughout the year? Sister Geralyn Schmidt joins us today to unpack this virtue with tangible tips to practice it.

For decades there has been a sort of unwritten reverence for the ability to keep your work life and your emotional state separate, but in a world increasingly obsessed with productivity, it's getting harder to not let one affect the other. Spiritual director Chris Wood joins us to continue our conversation on grief and societal expectations in this week's episode.

Did you know roughly 1.4 million serving in the U.S. armed forces are Catholic, and there are more than 10 million Catholic Veterans nationwide? This Veteran's Day, we're chatting with Mike Rang, Deputy Vice Commander of Catholic War Veterans, to bring awareness to the nation's only Congressionally Chartered Catholic Veteran's organization.

Today we're continuing our conversation with Father Szada around Halloween, exploring additional topics like the difference between praying to a saint versus talking to the dead, poltergeists, superstitions and Santeria.

Have you ever wondered what the origin of Trick or Treat was? Or why we use the colors black and orange for Halloween? Can Catholics even participate in a holiday so closely associated with the occult? Father John Szada, our Diocesan Exorcist, joins us to unravel the history and traditions of Halloween and how it actually began as a Catholic holiday.

Growing up is hard. Sometimes growing up Catholic can make life harder, especially in a society that values instant gratification. Today we're joined by Zach Haney, the new director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries with the Diocese of Harrisburg to chat about the challenges our youth and young adult population faces and the community of faith we’re striving to create for them.

Part three of our series on the Eucharist! Father Richard Lyons of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in McSherrystown shares his experiences of feeling at home in the church and his parish's recent Eucharistic Procession.

Catholics come in all shapes, sizes and walks of life, each of us with our own calling. Today we're chatting with this year's Diocesan Women's Conference capstone speaker, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, about hearing God's call and answering without hesitation. Link to register - https://www.hbgdiocese.org/event/womens-conference/

Monday, September 19, 2022, is the first ever post-Roe March for life, and it's being held right here in Central Pennsylvania! Joining us today to talk about this historic moment and important issues facing our political decision makers are Eric Failing of PA Catholic Conference and Alexis Sneller of PA Family Institute. Resources: PA Catholic Conference - https://www.pacatholic.org PA Family Inst...

911. What do you think of when you hear the numbers 9-11? For years those numbers meant simply a call for help. But for the last twenty years, they’ve also signified the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on the United States of America, and one of the deadliest days ever on American soil. Today Father Bateman joins us to talk about his experiences as a priest during 9/11 and his time servi...

Raising Catholic kids now is harder than it's ever been with all the things vying for their attention, but take comfort - even the Virgin Mother's Son ran off without telling her when He was barely a teenager. Adam Arehart, director of Family Life and Ministries, joins us today to share some real-world tips and tricks to help us play the long game when it comes to parenting.