As the Church prepares to proclaim St. John Henry Newman as its newest Doctor of the Church, Bishop William Joensen welcomes Dr. Bud Marr, Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercy College of Health Sciences and a noted Newman scholar. Together, they explore Newman’s profound influence on faith, reason, and the modern Catholic intellectual tradition — and what his elevation means for believers today.

Join Bishop William Joensen as he sits down with Fr. Sylvester Okoh, BCC, Catholic Priest Chaplain at UnityPoint Hospitals in Des Moines and newly appointed liaison for the National Association for Catholic Chaplains in Iowa. Discover the vital role of hospital chaplains, the spiritual care they provide to patients and families, and how Fr. Okoh is helping strengthen Catholic chaplaincy across the state.

This week on Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen, Bishop is joined by Bill and Linda Ebbinga, long-time parishioners from Griswold, Iowa, who share their story of faith, family, and parish life in a small-town Catholic community.

On this episode of Making it Personal with Bishop Joensen, Jeanne Thill shares a powerful conversation with Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV, renowned author and spiritual director. Together, they discuss his book Overcoming Spiritual Discouragement and explore how to recognize, understand, and move beyond the struggles that weigh us down in the spiritual life. Drawing from Ignatian spirituality, Fr. Gallagher offers practical wisdom for finding renewed hope and confidence in God’s presence. #MakingItPersonal #BishopJoensen #FrTimothyGallagher #OvercomingSpiritualDiscouragement #CatholicSpirituality #IgnatianSpirituality #CatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast #Discernment #HopeInChrist

On this episode of Making it Personal with Bishop Joensen, Jeanne Thill welcomes Fr. Joe Pins, Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in West Des Moines. Together, they reflect on the life and legacy of Fr. John Acrea, who recently passed away. Fr. Pins shares how Fr. Acrea’s witness deeply impacted his own priesthood and the broader vocation story within the Diocese of Des Moines. This heartfelt conversation honors the memory of a faithful priest whose ministry shaped generations of Catholics. #MakingItPersonal #BishopJoensen #FrJohnAcrea #CatholicPriesthood #Vocations #DesMoinesDiocese #CatholicFaith #CatholicRadio #LegacyOfFaith #StFrancisParish

On this episode of Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen, we welcome Bishop John Edward Keehner, Jr., the newly appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City. After nearly three years of anticipation, Bishop Keehner was chosen by Pope Francis to shepherd the Sioux City diocese, succeeding Bishop Walker Nickless.

On this episode of Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen, Bishop Joensen sits down with John Huynh, Director of Social Justice for the Diocese of Des Moines and Catholic Charities, to discuss a powerful new pastoral reflection on immigration from the Iowa bishops. Rooted in Catholic social teaching, Scripture, and the lived experiences of migrant families, this letter invites Catholics to see immigration through the lens of faith—not politics.

Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen On this week’s episode, Bishop Joensen sits down with Pat and Sue Smith, proud parents of Fr. Nick Smith, the newly appointed pastor at St. Patrick’s Parish in Perry, and Noah Smith, who just entered the Jesuit novitiate on August 9. Pat and Sue share their family’s remarkable journey of faith, from raising seven children to witnessing two of them respond to God’s unique call to religious life. They discuss how Noah’s path to the Jesuits opened their eyes to Ignatian spirituality, the unique novitiate process, and what it means to entrust their son to God’s will — even when it’s both inspiring and, at times, challenging. They also reflect on Fr. Nick’s new pastoral role, the joys and responsibilities of shepherding a parish, and how their family life shaped two very different but equally beautiful vocations. It’s a heartfelt conversation about family, faith, and God’s providence — reminding us all that vocations are gifts from God, nurtured in the ordinary rhythms of Catholic family life. 📻 Tune in Saturday, August 23 on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network and Spirit Catholic Radio Network.