Spirit Celebration Dinners | Lincoln & Omaha

Spirit Catholic Radio's annual Spirit Celebration Dinner has been given a makeover! With the expansion of the Spirit Catholic Radio Network, covering more of the state of Nebraska, we've decided to expand our annual dinner. Starting in 2014, there will be four separate Spirit Celebration Dinners--one in Lincoln, Omaha, Northeast Nebraska and Central Nebraska.

The purpose of this special event will stay the same--to celebrate Spirit Catholic Radio along with the people who make its success possible, including listeners, volunteers, donors, local priests and religious and on-air guests.

The first two dinners were held recently. The Lincoln Spirit Celebration dinner was held at Beacon Hills on Thursday, Feb. 27. Approximately 200 friends of the radio network came together to celebrate the mission. 

The evening's featured speaker was Fr. Kenneth Borowiak, pastor at St. Michael in Lincoln. Fr. Borowiak was also awarded the Spirit Award for his commitment to the mission of Spirit Catholic Radio. Receiving the Spirit of KVSS award were Fr. Gary Coulter, Fr. Daniel Rayer, Jim & Sue Ruigh, Dan & Barb Schepers, Fr. Adam Sughroue and Dr. Bryan & Mary Welty.

The Omaha Spirit Celebration Dinner was held Tuesday, March 4 at Creighton Prep. Approximately 350 friends of the radio network came together for the event. The featured speaker was Doug Barry, host of EWTN's Life on the Rock. Barry spoke about the importance of the New Evangelization and Catholic radio. 

Receiving the Spirit Award was Fr. Joseph Taphorn of the Archdiocese of Omaha for his contributions to Spirit Catholic Radio. Receiving the Spirit of KVSS award were Sr. Mary Lucy Astuto, Sharon Doran, Fr. Ryan Lewis and Fr. Michael Voithofer. 

Upcoming dinners will take place in Grand Island on April 29 and Norfolk on May 5. Information regarding these dinners will be available at spiritcatholicradio.com soon. 

Lincoln Spirit of KVSS Award recipients Dr. Bryan and Mary
Welty; Jim and Sue Ruigh; and Dan and Barb Schepers.

Lincoln Spirit of KVSS Award recipients Fr. Daniel Rayer;
Fr. Gary Coulter; and Fr. Adam Sughroue.

Fr. Kenneth Borowiak, Spirit Award recipient, speaks 

at the Spirit Celebration Dinner held in Lincoln Feb. 27.

Executive Director Jim Carroll, Sharon Doran and
Sr. Mary Lucy Astuto at the Omaha dinner. 

Executive Director Jim Carroll, Fr. Ryan Lewis and
Fr. Michael Voithofer at the Omaha dinner. 

Fr. Joe Taphorn accepts the Spirit Award
at the Omaha dinner.

Speaker Doug Barry at the Omaha dinner.

Omaha dinner at Creighton Prep on March 4. 

Blogged by Kelly Miller, marketing and promotions manager.

Spirit Catholic Radio Team and Habitat for Humanity

Wearing dust masks, hard hats, gloves and white, protective suits, members of the Spirit Catholic Radio team came together Tuesday for a cause. 

Their mission? Assisting Omaha's Habitat for Humanity by providing volunteer labor. 

Members of the Spirit Catholic Radio crew joined Habitat for Humanity representatives Tuesday morning at an older Omaha home that is being rehabilitated. The rehab process will transform the structure from one in desperate need of TLC to a safe, clean, updated home ready for the love of a new family.

During the current stage of the home's progress, help with demolition work was needed, so that's just what the Spirit team was able to provide. 

Wielding hammers, shovels, brooms and garbage bins, the group of Spirit volunteers worked along side Habitat for Humanity representatives to help move the project one step closer to its completion.

Because the families who receive homes through Habitat for Humanity are required to assist in the building process, the team was blessed to meet one of the individuals who will eventually be living in the home, as she worked along side Spirit volunteers.

"Spirit Catholic Radio is extremely blessed by hundreds of our own volunteers each year," said Mary Jorgensen, director of underwriting for Spirit Catholic Radio. "Being able to turn around and volunteer our time for an organization in the listening area is really special and we're proud of that."

The radio network will continue this volunteer work and has plans to choose other non-profits and organizations throughout the listening area that need assistance.

About Habitat for Humanity Omaha Source

In 2014 Habitat for Humanity of Omaha will complete up to 50 homes.  Homes are built with donor contributions, volunteer labor and donated materials. The families who partner with us are required to work up to 350 hours of Sweat Equity on the homes being built. Their monthly mortgage payments are then used to build more homes.

Habitat Omaha builds new houses, and renovates existing homes. These houses are modest and affordable. Most Habitat houses are located in Northeast Omaha neighborhoods east of 42nd Street. Mission Statement: "Building community through homeownership."

Blogged by Kelly Miller, marketing and promotions manager.

Steve Ray

Encounter Jesus. This is the theme Spirit Catholic Radio has chosen to represent our 15th year of broadcasting the Gospel message throughout the heartland.

To kick off this special year of helping others Encounter Jesus, we were blessed to have best-selling author, speaker and friend of the network, Steve Ray, join us on Sunday and Monday in Omaha and Lincoln.

Steve spoke to approximately 800 people at St. Robert Bellarmine in Omaha on Sunday, Jan. 19 and a crowd of approximately 600 at St. John the Apostle in Lincoln on Monday, Jan. 20. 

His talks surrounded the Gospel of St. John and were engaging and rich with interesting facts and Scripture. 

If you would like to hear Steve's talks, they are available for download on his website for a donation of $5. Click here for more information.

The team at Spirit Catholic Radio wishes to thank everyone who joined us at the Steve Ray events. We are blessed to have you as listeners and look forward to working together this year to help others Encounter Jesus. 

Steve Ray talks to the crowd at St. Robert Bellarmine in Omaha.

Steve Ray talks to the crowd at St. Robert Bellarmine in Omaha.

Steve Ray talks to the crowd at St. Robert Bellarmine in Omaha.

Karol Carroll, Steve Ray and Executive Director
Jim Carroll at the Omaha event.

Emily Carroll, daughter of Executive Director Jim Carroll,
helped out at the Omaha event.

Steve speaks to the crowd in Lincoln.

Steve speaks to the crowd in Lincoln.

Steve receives a blessing by Fr. Adam Sughroue
before speaking in Lincoln.

A large crowd at St. John the Apostle in Lincoln.

Steve speaks at St. John the Apostle in Lincoln.

Steve speaks to the crowd in Lincoln.

Blogged by Marketing and Promotions Manager, Kelly Miller

Heartland Catholic Women's Conference

This past weekend Spirit Catholic Radio was happy to be a co-sponsor of the Heartland Catholic Women’s conference in Omaha. More than 400 people – including several Spirit Catholic Radio staff members – came to be inspired in their faith and to grow in fellowship with other women.

Sharon Doran speaks at the conference.

Themed “Women at the Well,” the Nov. 2 conference focused on conversion and discipleship through an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Speaker Sherry Weddell, author of “Forming Intentional Disciples,” talked about the journey to discipleship and about charisms, or gifts, given by the Holy Spirit.

Crystalina Evert, a national chastity speaker, shared her story of conversion.

Weddell, co-director of the Catherine of Siena Institute in Colorado Springs, Colo., invited those gathered to reflect on where they are on their journey to discipleship. She encouraged them to be open to spiritual and personal change, to beginning the journey to discipleship again and to grow closer to Jesus in the midst of his church.

Charisms, she said, are given at baptism and confirmation to help people in their Christian mission. They are not natural talents or chosen by the person, and they are always used for the sake of others. They are instruments of healing and evangelization that help reveal Jesus to others.

There are an unlimited number of charisms but they include hospitality, service, mercy, administration, music, writing and craftsmanship, she said.

To discover your charism, Weddell said a person should explore possible charisms, experiment with them through action and examine your experience. She also said you should evaluate your effectiveness and look for feedback from others.

Read more about Weddell and these topics at siena.org.

Evert, a wife and mother of seven, shared her life story of growing up in a broken home, falling away from the church as a teen by living an unchaste life, and coming to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

She said even though she has a strong relationship with Christ now, she continues to work through the effects of sin in her life. She regularly meets with a counselor, participates in Eucharistic adoration and goes to the sacrament of reconciliation.

You can find out more about Evert at her website, womenmadenew.com, and at chastityproject.com, a ministry she and her husband, Jason, founded.

Friend of Spirit Catholic Radio, Sharon Doran, of the Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study, spoke at the conference as well. Her talk was focused on the woman at the well from John 4. 

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter

Prayerful protest draws hundreds despite rain

Cold temperatures, wind and rain didn't keep hundreds of people – including Richard Majorek – from participating in yesterday’s annual Life Chain in Omaha.

Richard Majorek, a member of St. Thomas More Parish in 

Omaha, prays during the Life Chain Oct. 6 in Omaha.

“The devil is going to try to keep me from being here any way he can … he’s going to send this rain storm, but he doesn't know how persistent I am,” said Majorek, a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Omaha who has been coming to the Life Chain for nearly 10 years.

He stood by himself near 73rd and Dodge streets, without an umbrella, holding a sign that read “Adoption: The Loving Option.”

“I’m pro-life and my faith calls me to be here,” he said.

The Oct. 6 Life Chain, which took place from 2 to 3 p.m., extended along Dodge Street between 60th and 90th streets. Many, like Majorek, held signs with such phrases as “Abortion Kills Children,” and “Lord, Forgive Us and Our Nation,” and praying for mothers considering abortion, unborn babies and conversion of hearts.

Megan Kangiser, a junior at Creighton University in Omaha, stood with other members of Creighton’s Students for Life group on the corner of 72^nd and Dodge, praying the rosary and singing.

Several members of Creighton University’s Students for Life 

group participate in the Life Chain in Omaha. 

“Today’s about conversion,” she said. “I realize standing out here isn’t going to actually fix too much, but hopefully someone’s heart will be converted.”

In cities across the state – and North America – pro-life advocates lined streets Oct. 6 for an hour to pray for an end to abortion.

In Hastings, Neb., where it also was cold and windy, Michelle Sorensen stood with her children – Jack, 7, Paxton, 6, and Ava, 3 – along Burlington Street, hoping to get people driving by to think about abortion.

“The Life Chain is a great way to teach children about life and love,” said Sorensen, a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Roseland.

The Life Chain is about being a witness in the public square for the cause of those killed or injured by abortion, said Ann Marie Bowen, president of Nebraskans United for Life.

“We come together in faith and from all faiths to prayerfully demonstrate our peaceful presence for the end of abortion,” she said.

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter.