Holy Donors

Part three makes us feel like we’ve stepped into an Indiana Jones movie. “An archeologist fighting the Nazis to find the Necropolis while being sponsored by a mysterious oil man across the seas.” You just can’t make this stuff up. George was made for such a time as this. The Vatican needed a donor that would give unlimited funds, keep the project a secret and take the risk that it may fail as it h...

Would you risk it all for a hunch? That’s exactly what George did when he went after that new well. And he risked not just his current all, but his future all as well with his wife's ultimatum. If you aren’t familiar with the oil business of George’s time, you might not know that not everyone kept their integrity, let alone their faith, when playing a risky game of chance. Luckily, George was able...

"George Strake: The Wildcatter" Please give a warm welcome to our star, George W. Strake, Sr., not to be confused with the country star, George Strait. George Strake, born to humble beginnings and raise by his sisters, grows up as a hard-working young man. It’s no surprise that when he meets a young lady who is richer than he is, he’d do just about anything to prove he deserves her. So, in 1919, h...

Journey with Andrew, Matt, Thaddeus and Rhen as they walk through the creation of Season 3, The Saintly Socialite: Katharine Drexel of Holy Donors, a behind the scenes look of the research involved and the process of recording. The sacrifices that Katharine made to serve God had ripple effects through her lineage as well as all those who come to know her. Learning of how bold and brave she was, en...

In part 4 of Katharine’s story, we finally see her work come to fruition as well as her journey to sainthood. In her lifetime, she saw the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament grow from her original five sisters upwards to 500. When she passed at the age of 94, she had survived typhoid fever, multiple heart attacks, bomb threats, riots, prejudices, tornadoes and more. And through it all, her love for...

In part three, we discover what radical choice Katharine has made for her future. But as with most things in her life, she is not going to simply go with the flow, she is instead creating her own path and paving a new way. She is a woman on a mission and nothing, not strikes, riots, prejudice, tornadoes, typhoid or the KKK will knock her off course. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament will take t...

In part two, we discover that more tragedy has befallen Katharine in her young life. She has, in a sense, lost her North Star and is thrust into adulthood and discernment for her future. For six years, she struggles with where to go next, where she is being led and what course her life should take. With so much riding on her decision, it’s no wonder that as her health declines she makes a radical...

"Katharine Drexel: The Saintly Socialite" As Matt says, the saints live in one of two ways, they either start out bad and turn good or they start out good and get even better. In season three we are introduced to Katharine Drexel, The Saintly Socialite, and are encouraged to remove the rose-colored glasses of her commonly known story. Not everything is what it seems, and Katharine is no stranger t...

Journey with Andrew, Matt, Thaddeus and Rhen as they walk through the creation of Season 2, The Capitalist: John Raskob of Holy Donors, a behind the scenes look of the research involved and the process of recording. In the process, we are given even more stories of John and Helena and the differences they made throughout their lives. Season 3 is coming soon and Matt can’t wait! --- Recommended rea...

A turning point in John’s life has come. It’s during the mid-1920s when he realizes that he has become someone. With this realization comes knowing that he could make a difference in the church that he loved so much. And the biggest impact which he could have was bringing the secular business knowledge that he had gained to the church. Throughout his life and through the losses that he experienced...

God’s plan is the best plan. We all think we know what is best until something comes along to change our course. As we become more acquainted with John, we discover this deep faith that he carried. Out of defeat and failure, he leans into his faith and comes out even stronger. When the dream of politics fails, he says “what’s next.” And what came next looked a lot like the tallest building in the...

The man, the myth, the legend. Perhaps this phrase was originally coined after the life of John Raskob. We thankfully pick up and receive the answer to the question we were left with last episode, “can John save his relationship with the DuPont Company?” In this episode we follow John through his early career, the beginning of WWI, finding love in an unusual way and creating a family. With 13 chil...

"John Raskob: The Capitalist" The man behind the man. What does GM, the Empire State Building, DuPont Chemical Company, Al Smith and the DMC have in common? A single man. Born in Lockport, New York in 1879, to a hard-working family, he discovered amounts of drive, moxie and gumption that most didn’t understand. He had a drive that just wanted to “do.” This drive would take him thousands of miles f...

Danny Thomas: The Extraordinary One: A Summary Journey with Andrew, Matt, Thaddeus and Rhen as they walk through the creation of Season 1 of Holy Donors, a behind the scenes look if you will. In the process, we are given a wonderful reflection of Danny Thomas and his journey. As well as how learning about what he did and sacrificed and achieved still impacts us today. -- Specials thanks to Nichole...

We are brought back to this image of Danny’s mother in prayer. A woman on her knees begging for her son to be saved, in total devotion to God. And we continue to see how this impacts Danny and how that in turn transformed so much of the world we know today. We see how it transformed the entertainment industry, the healthcare industry and the future of fundraising. And while Danny went on to receiv...

Danny Thomas is “living the dream” in Hollywood with big movie roles co-starring Doris Day as well as his own sitcom, “Make Room for Daddy” in 1953. But his dream of realizing the St. Jude Children’s Hospital is starting to become a reality as well. We can see a ‘Me, You, We’ approach taking shape with the “gentle” reminder from Abe Lastfogel that he needs to get serious about his pledge to St. Ju...

Danny Thomas is committed to working in showbusiness, but with a fledgling career and a child on the way he is in need of some help. The "Hollywood" version of the story tells that in one shining moment Danny had a vision and made a pledge to St. Jude that changed the course of his life, but the real story is an escalation of three pledges over a number of years and at different stages in Danny's...

"Danny Thomas: The Extraordinary One" In June 1940 a 28 year old struggling entertainer with a tenth grade education, two young children, no job, and no clear path in life found himself at a 5am daily Mass just looking for a little hope, and a little help. He said a prayer and asked the little-known St. Jude for help, promising to build a shrine for the saint if he could only find his way in life....

Welcome to Holy Donors, where we share inspiring stories of radical generosity that have changed the world! In this introductory episode we discuss the show's vision and format, meet our hosts, and get a sneak peek at the first several seasons. Visit holydonors.com to learn more