Making it Personal with Bishop William Joensen

Bishop William Joensen, Jeanne Thill

Bishop William Joensen of the Diocese of Des Moines gets personal with his guests discussing both their personal and spiritual life.

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#332
September 26 · 26 min
Christ Our Life 2026: Iowa's Biggest Catholic Weekend with Ellen Miller & Marilyn Lane - 09/26/2026
Bishop William Joensen and Jeanne Thill welcome Ellen Miller and Marilyn Lane, co-founders of the Christ Our Life Catholic Conference, on the opening day of the ninth biennial gathering at Casey's Center in Des Moines. They share how speakers are chosen, what's new for families and youth, and why thousands of Catholics return every two years for Mass, Eucharistic adoration, confession, and world-class Catholic speakers. Whether you attend in person or by livestream, it's not too late to join thi
#331
September 19 · 26 min
Unpacking "No Public Money for Private Schools" with Shane Vander Hart - 09/19/2026
Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jeanne Thill welcome writer, blogger and 4:15 Communications founder Shane Vander Hart to examine the campaign-season slogan "No public money for private schools" — and why he argues the logic behind it is never applied to health care, food assistance or higher education. Vander Hart shares his conversion story at Drake University, explains how Iowa's Students First education savings accounts actually work, and answers the most common objections about accredita
#330
September 12 · 26 min
Meet the Diocese's New Vocations Director with Fr. Nick Smith - 09/12/2026
Father Nick Smith, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Perry and the newly appointed Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Des Moines, joins Bishop William Joensen and Jeanne Thill for a wide-ranging conversation on priestly discernment, family faith, and the dignity of human life. Fr. Smith reflects on his grandmother's death from Alzheimer's, his mother's recent Des Moines Register op-ed defending the worth of a life in decline, and how caring for the sick reshaped his own understanding of what
#329
September 5 · 26 min
How to become a Catholic Priest: Answering the Call with Connor Lynch - 09/05/2026
Connor Lynch, a seminarian for the Diocese of Des Moines studying at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, joins Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jeanne Thill weeks before his ordination to the transitional diaconate at St. Peter's Basilica. He traces his vocation from altar serving at St. Thomas Aquinas in Indianola through a high school mission trip to El Paso where a string of unmistakable signs confirmed God's call, and speaks candidly about the passage from seminary idealism thro
#328
August 29 · 26 min
From Storm Chaser to Shepherd: Fr. Ross Caniglia on Weather, Music, and the Call to Priesthood - 08/29/2026
Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jeanne Thill welcome Father Ross Caniglia — a former television meteorologist turned Catholic priest and published composer — for a conversation about weather, music, suffering, and the winding path to a vocation. A Council Bluffs native and Creighton graduate, Father Caniglia worked as an on-air meteorologist in Sioux City before entering seminary in 2013, and he now serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Plains Parish in the Diocese of Sioux City. He joins the s
#327
August 22 · 26 min
Freer Men: Duncan Kyhl and Parker Corwin on Silence, Sacrifice, and Saying Yes to the Call – 08/22/2026
Seminarians Duncan Kyhl and Parker Corwin join Bishop William Joensen and Jean Thill fresh off their first year of priestly formation, the Propaedeutic Year, to talk about trading careers, relationships, and even their phones for a deeper life of prayer. From a six-day tech fast and silent retreats to poverty immersion experiences at Phoenix's Andre House of Hospitality and Des Moines' Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the two men share how disconnecting from the world helped them discover real fr
#327
August 15 · 26 min
From Dominican University to the Vatican: Dr. Donna Carroll on the Future of Catholic Colleges – 08/15/2026
On this episode of Making It Personal, Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill welcome Dr. Donna Carroll, President of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), for a conversation on faith-driven leadership in Catholic higher education. Drawing on her 27 years as president of Dominican University in Illinois, Dr. Carroll discusses the shrinking tenure of Catholic college presidents, the growing need for trust between bishops and campus leaders, and a recent private audi
#326
August 8 · 26 min
From the New Age to the Sacred Heart: Michael Paul Hart's Conversion Story - 08/03/2026
On this episode of Making It Personal, Bishop William Joensen and Co-Host Jean Thill sit down with retired CNA and author Michael Paul Hart, whose memoir Could You Push Me in the Toilet? blends decades of hands-on health care experience with humor, heartbreak, and grace. Hart shares his unlikely path from the New Age movement to a life-altering vision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and, ultimately, to the Catholic Church. Bishop Joensen opens the show with diocesan news, including the election of
#325
August 1 · 25 min
Encountering Our Lady of Guadalupe: Giovanna Redondo on the Story Behind the Pilgrim Mother – 08/01/2026
Bishop William Joensen and Jean Thill welcome Giovanna Redondo, general coordinator of the Pilgrim Mother pilgrimage, for a conversation about the life-sized statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe now touring the Diocese of Des Moines ahead of the 500th anniversary of the Guadalupe apparitions in 2031. Redondo shares the origin of the six-year pilgrimage, the remarkable craftsmanship behind the statue, and what visitors can expect from the bilingual veneration experience as the Pilgrim Mother travels f
#324
July 25 · 25 min
Faith, Science, and the Search for Truth: Dr. Laura Upenieks on Bridging the Divide – 07/21/2026
Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill sit down with Baylor University sociologist Dr. Laura Upenieks to unpack why so many young people believe faith and science can't coexist. Fresh off her February address to U.S. bishops at the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Upenieks shares new research on religious disaffiliation, clergy engagement with science, and the surprising link between awe, spirituality, and wellbeing among scientists. It's a thoughtful, data-rich conversation about restoring
#323
July 18 · 25 min
The Doctor and the Eucharist: Dr. Diana Marar on Faith, Medicine, and Ministry in Council Bluffs – 07/18/2026
Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill sit down with Dr. Diana Marar, an internal medicine physician in Council Bluffs, Iowa, whose remarkable ministry brings the Eucharist directly to hospital patients. Dr. Marar shares her journey from Jordan's Melkite Christian community to the Catholic Church, describing how her deep prayer life and devotion to the Rosary shape both her medical practice and her Eucharistic ministry. The conversation also covers diocesan news, including the Saint Louis
#322
July 11 · 26 min
Gen Z On Fire for Christ: Alexis & Elik Mattis on Alpha, Marriage, and the London Leadership Conference - 07/06/2026
Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill welcome Alexis and Elik Mattis, young married members of Saint Boniface Parish's Alpha Advocates in Waukee, for a conversation on faith, marriage, and Gen Z evangelization. Elik shares how the Alpha course led him from no religious background into full communion with the Catholic Church, while Alexis reflects on returning to her cradle Catholic roots as an adult. The couple also recaps their trip to the international Alpha Leadership Conference in Lo
#321
July 4 · 26 min
Newly Ordained Fr. Stan Asjes Shares the Joy of His Ordination, with Family Friend Fr. Frode Eikeness – 07/04/2026
Newly ordained Fr. Stan Asjes joins Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill to share the graces of his priestly ordination for the Diocese of Des Moines and his first days celebrating the sacraments. He's accompanied by lifelong family friend Fr. Frode Eikeness, a diocesan priest from Oslo, Norway, who offers a striking perspective on faith, secularization, and renewal in Scandinavia. Recorded for Independence Day, the conversation also reflects on Catholic life in America at 250 years, vo
#320
June 27 · 26 min
From Advertising to the Altar: A Homilist's Journey with Fr. Richard Veras - 06/27/2026
Father Richard Veras, Director of Pastoral Formation and homiletics professor at Saint Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, joins Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill to share how he forms future priests to preach with authenticity and conviction. A longtime Magnificat contributor and author of The Word Made Flesh, Father Veras traces his path from writing advertising copy for a toy company to the parish priesthood, ministry at Ground Zero after 9/11, and the lay movement Communion and Liber
#319
June 20 · 26 min
Faith That Crosses Generations: Inside Intergenerational Faith Formation with Jenni Lihs - 06/20/2026
Jenni Lihs, Director of Faith Formation at Saints John and Paul in Altoona, joins Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill to unpack intergenerational faith formation — a whole-family model the parish has run for 23 years. She shares how a shared meal, community-building, and side-by-side learning draw parents, kids, grandparents, and even unchurched and interfaith families into deeper discipleship together. Bishop Joensen also previews a graced weekend across the Diocese of Des Moines, fro
#318
June 13 · 26 min
From Classroom to the USCCB: Faith, Formation & Family Life with Maria Parker – 06/13/2026
Bishop William Joensen sits down with Maria Parker, Assistant Director of the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to explore how Catholic education and intentional faith formation shape lives from the ground up. Maria shares her personal journey from a parish school in Philadelphia to the national stage of the USCCB, tracing how dedicated lay teachers, her time as a FOCUS missionary, and ongoing formation fueled her vocation
#317
June 7 · 26 min
Building Communities of Belonging: A Conversation on Disability Ministry with Patty Origer – 06/06/2026
Patty Origer, Evangelization and Catechesis team member and Disability Coordinator for the Diocese of Des Moines, joins Bishop Joensen and Jean Thill to reflect on over six years of disability ministry work. The conversation explores what it truly means for parishes to move from inclusion to belonging — ensuring that people with disabilities are not just welcomed, but fully embraced as members of the Body of Christ. Patty also highlights an upcoming virtual summer intensive on accompanying aging
#316
May 30 · 26 min
Confirmation Preparation and Discipleship with John Gaffney | Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen - 03/30/2026
On this episode of Iowa Catholic Radio’s Making It Personal, Bishop William Joensen and co-host Jean Thill welcome John Gaffney, Director of Evangelization and Mission for the Diocese of Des Moines. Together they discuss the Diocese’s decision to move the normative age of Confirmation to sixth grade, the discernment process behind the change, and how the Church is strengthening family-centered discipleship formation for young Catholics. The conversation explores Eucharistic Revival, restored ord
#315
May 23 · 27 min
Body and Identity: A History of the Empty Self with Dr. Angela Franks - 05/23/2026
Bishop William Joensen and Jeanne Thill welcome Dr. Angela Franks, associate professor of theology at The Catholic University of America, to discuss her new book Body and Identity: A History of the Empty Self. The conversation explores modern identity, the relationship between body and soul, social media culture, anxiety, authenticity, and how Christianity offers a deeper understanding of the human person. Dr. Franks reflects on philosophy, theology, family life, and the call to become the saint
#314
May 16 · 27 min
Servant Leadership in a Distracted World with Dr. Dan Ebener - 05/16/2026
Bishop William Joensen welcomes leadership expert, author, and educator Dr. Dan Ebener for a thoughtful conversation on servant leadership, emotional intelligence, humble inquiry, and strategic visioning in the Church. Drawing from decades of experience helping organizations navigate change, Dr. Ebener shares insights on listening, vulnerability, empathy, and building authentic relationships in leadership. Together they reflect on diocesan strategic planning, synodality, discipleship, and the im

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