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.

Theology on Tap

Sometimes it’s difficult for the Catholic Church to reach young adults because many of them often move or don’t belong to any specific parish. But the church has found a positive way to reach both young Catholics who are heavily involved in their faith, as well as those who haven’t been to church in years.

Photo courtesy of RENEW International

Theology on Tap, an international program geared toward Catholics in their 20s and 30s, single or married, provides a way for young adults to connect with their peers, form friendships and build their faith at the same time.

The Catholic speaker series, which has taken place in the Archdiocese of Omaha off and on for many years, started in Chicago in 1981 and now is run by RENEW International. 

Participants typically meet in the laid-back atmosphere of a bar or restaurant – a more comfortable setting for those who might be intimidated by church activities or write them off as boring and stuffy – where they listen to a speaker talk about issues of faith and morals while enjoying food and drinks.

Beth Staab, a member of the Theology on Tap core team, said Theology on Tap works to inform and empower the young adults in attendance with information about their faith so their lives can be enriched and they can better spread the truth about the faith to others.

Being archdiocesan-based rather than parish-based allows it to be an event where young people from different parishes can meet and form friendships, she said.

“Anytime I go to a different parish than my own now, I can usually spot someone I've met at Theology on Tap,” Staab said.

In the Archdiocese of Omaha, two series of four speakers take place every year.

The Lenten series will begin Thursday, March 6, and will continue every Thursday in March at McKenna’s at 72^nd and Pacific streets in Omaha. Socializing and free appetizers begin at 7 p.m. and the speaker goes on at 7:30 p.m. It’s followed by a Q&A session around 8:15 p.m.

Many people stay afterwards to catch up with friends and get to know each other more, Staab said.

At the March 6 gathering, Father Paul Hoesing, vocations director for the archdiocese, will speak about what Pope Francis and his portrayal in the media. The talk is titled “Pope Francis Said What!?!?”

The March 13 speakers are Deacon Duane Karmazin and his wife, Eileen, of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Omaha, who will address the topic of chastity before marriage.

“It is difficult in this day and age for young adults to stay pure until they have discerned their vocation to marriage or religious life. It can be disheartening when that process takes more than a few years,” Staab said. “The deacon and his wife will speak from personal experience about the struggle of ‘Being Counter Cultural in the Hook-Up World,’ which is the title of their talk.”

On March 20, Father Steve Thomlison, associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Nebraska City, will speak about military chaplains. In his talk, “A Military Chaplin’s Reflections,” he will share his experiences of serving as a captain in the Nebraska National Guard, where he is an Army chaplain, and as the command chaplain for the Nebraska State Patrol.

The speaker at the March 27 event is Dr. Jerry Martin, a retired lieutenant colonel, who will talk about “When Is War Just?”

If you’re a young adult, consider attending the Lenten Theology on Tap series. It’s a great way to grow in your faith.

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, senior writer/reporter.

March for Life

Earlier this week, thousands of people – a majority of them young people – endured frigid temperatures and slippery snow as they marched through the streets of Washington, D.C., to protest legalized abortion in this country, which has claimed the lives of more than 55 million unborn babies since 1973.

Group from the Lincoln
Diocese with Bishop Conley.

Among them were nearly 600 youths from our listening area, including Jacinta Benton, a junior at Pius X High School in Lincoln. Benton said the Jan. 22 March for Life, which marked the 41st anniversary of the legalization of abortion by the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, was a positive and joyful way to give a voice to the voiceless children who have been aborted.

“We held signs and chanted things like ‘We love babies, yes we do, we love babies, how ‘bout you?’:)” Benton said.

She said in addition to bringing back fun memories and new experiences from D.C., she came home with a deeper respect for life and for Catholics.

“Sometimes you forget there are other Catholics in the world who are as on fire with their faith as you are,” Benton said. “It was very refreshing and hopeful to see how many others agree and hope for the same thing: the end of the genocide called abortion.”

While many of us were unable to go to the March for Life, we can do something similar by participating in the Nebraska Walk for Life Jan. 25 in Lincoln. The 10 a.m. walk will begin on the north side of the State Capitol Building and conclude at the UNL Student Union. There Emily Horne, a legislative associate with Texas Right to Life, will speak about how Texas closed abortion facilities and stood up to pro-abortion forces at the Texas State Capitol last summer.

A pro-life Mass, sponsored by the Bishops’ Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, will precede the walk at 9 a.m. at St. Mary Church on 14th and K streets in Lincoln. Bishop James Conley of Lincoln will preside at the Mass, with Bishop William Dendinger of Grand Island concelebrating. Father Walter Nolte, chaplain to the Respect Life Apostolate for the Archdiocese of Omaha and pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Omaha, will be the homilist.

Jeff Schinstock, director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Lincoln, said he tells people to go to pro-life marches because “seeking justice brings people to seek Jesus Christ.”

While a march may not affect or change the abortion laws in this country, it does change hearts, he said.

“It serves as a beautiful seed that leads to flourishing spiritual lives,” Schinstock said.

More important, it is a large and loud step towards protecting the vulnerable, he said.

I agree. A large group of people walking through the streets of a city, holding signs about God’s love, mercy and forgiveness makes bystanders think. Hopefully it changes the hearts and minds of pro-abortion advocates or those indifferent to the abortion issue.

I’ve participated in several local and national pro-life marches, and I do it to be a voice for the voiceless, for my all those babies who weren’t given a chance to live because they were aborted. I march for the moms who choose life even when it’s not an easy choice, for the parents who choose adoption over abortion, for those women who want to be mothers but can’t because of infertility, and for the couples who have been hurt mentally, physically and spiritually by abortion. 

I also march for those organizations that help pregnant women contemplating abortion choose life. It’s one thing to protest, but it’s another thing to sit next to a scared, pregnant woman and promise to help her through her pregnancy. I think it’s just as important to support pregnancy care centers, which provide all sorts of assistance to mothers and fathers, including free pregnancy tests, medical services, educational programs, baby items and ultrasound screenings.

So, let’s not give up. Continue the good fight to end abortion. Pray, speak out and support life from conception to natural death. 

Blogged by Lisa Maxson, senior writer/reporter

Pilgrimage

It’s been nearly 10 years since I traveled to Italy on a pilgrimage, yet I can still remember the vibrant-colored facades in Venice, the peacefulness of Assisi and the overwhelming excitement I felt seeing the late Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

That 10-day trip not only took me to amazing and holy places, including Florence and Padua, but also brought to life the lives of the saints. I saw the stone on which St. Anthony laid his head while resting in the garden, prayed in front of the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St. Francis of Assisi, the room where St. Philip Neri levitated while in meditation, the incorruptible bodies of St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Catherine of Siena and the chains that bound St. Peter.

For me, that Italy pilgrimage made a huge impression on my faith life, and it’s something I’ll always cherish.

You have a chance this fall to make a pilgrimage and walk in the footsteps of St. Paul, when Spirit Catholic Radio sponsors a Mediterranean cruise to celebrate the station’s 15^th anniversary. Steve Ray, an author, producer and Bible scholar, will lead the Oct. 31-Nov. 9 pilgrimage, which will take you to Athens, Philippi, Thessaloniki, Ephesus, Pergamum, Corinth, Patmos and Istanbul, with an optional trip to Rome, Lanciano and Manoppello.

After many years of planning pilgrimages, Steve has developed a unique itinerary that you won’t find anywhere else. Most cruise lines serve a mix of secular and Biblical attractions, but the ports on this cruise have been handpicked by Steve and are all focused on the Bible.

Joining Steve will be Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln; Father Michael Voithofer, associate pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Omaha; Father Scott Courtney, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Steinauer and Sacred Heart Parish in Burchard; and Jim Carroll, executive director of Spirit Catholic Radio. 

Steve and his wife, Janet, are the writers, producers and hosts of the Footprints of God video series. Steve is the author of five books, speaks around the world and is a guest on many radio and television programs. 

If you’re interested in the pilgrimage, you can find more information on our website, spiritcatholicradio.com.

 Blogged by Lisa Maxson, Senior Writer/Reporter

WOWT Holiday Food Drive: Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

If we see someone who needs help, do we stop? There is so much suffering and poverty, and a great need for good Samaritans. - Pope Francis

Santa posed for a photo with Bruce, Jen and Matt.

Hard-working men from Two Men and a Truck.

Cindy Jandrain of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul;
Matt Willkom and Bruce McGregor of Spirit 102.7-FM; and
Joe Chiodo, Jackie Ochoa and Ross Jernstrom of WOWT.

Mary Jorgensen and Ross Jernstrom of WOWT 6 News. 

Spirit Catholic Radio's very own Spirit Mornings team embraced the frigid temperatures this weekend to join forces with WOWT 6 News for the annual WOWT NBC Omaha Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Spirit Mornings co-hosts Jen Brown, Bruce McGregor, Matt Willkom and Director of Underwriting Mary Jorgensen helped gather donations on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Hyvee parking lot at 51st and Center in Omaha. 

Donations were also being accepted at the Hyvee in Papillion at Shadow Lake Towne Center. Two Men and a Truck were on-site providing transportation for the food items.

Individuals from the community generously gathered non-perishable food items, household items and personal care items to be donated to those in need through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. 

Currently, the most-needed items include canned fruit, canned tomato products, peanut butter, canned vegetables, double roll toilet paper, rice and monetary donations for fresh meat and milk.

"Even though it was cold, the outpouring of love from the community warmed my heart," said Jen Brown.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was very satisfied with the outcome of the food drive. An astounding 16,000 pounds of food and $1,500 in cash donations were gathered on Saturday.

A Catholic lay organization, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to person service to the needy and suffering.

For more information about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and how you can get involved, please visit their website.

Prayer for the Hungry 

A Mealtime Prayer
Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts:
The gift of food, for us and for others;
Of generosity, that when we have plenty
None should go hungry the whole world over;
The gift of hearts that grow in humility and compassion
For each of your children who suffers misfortune;
The gift of your love that extends our reach,
And would not deny your gifts to another.
Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Blogged by Kelly Miller, Marketing and Promotions Manager.

The National Catholic Youth Conference

Group of young ladies traveling to NCYC with
chaperone Irene Lempke of Spirit Catholic Radio.

It’s been a few days but I’m still on a high from what I experienced at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis last weekend.

Words cannot describe how powerful it was to see 23,000 teens so excited and on fire for their faith. Although I went 10 years ago when I was in high school, this time, going as a chaperone for the youth group at St. Patrick Parish in Gretna gave me a different perspective, especially since I’ve grown so much in my faith since then.

The Nov. 21-23 conference featured Mass, workshops, musical performances, eucharistic adoration and a theme park inside the Indianapolis Convention Center filled with fun activities, service opportunities and a wondrous, widespread wearing of crazy hats by the Catholic teenagers.

The closing Mass was my favorite part. Seeing that many people come together to take part in the Eucharist is overwhelming to say the least. The Holy Spirit was unmistakably present during the Mass.

NCYC really solidified my faith. It really rejuvenated me in my faith journey and my faith walk with our Lord. I feel so blessed to have been able to experience NCYC with the group of girls from Gretna. It was wonderful to see their joy as they experienced one of my fondest high school memories.

Here are some of their reflections on NCYC:

Lyndsey Harpenau: NCYC truly impacted my life in the best way possible. It brought me closer to God and strengthened my faith. It inspired me to make Mass on Sunday a priority and to have some alone time with God every week. I was most inspired by the Mass on Saturday night and the motivational speakers. It was awesome to see more than 100 priests proceed to the altar when Mass started. The speakers really hit home for me. They taught me great life lessons that I will carry out the rest of my life.

Callie Hawkins: It was really insane to see 23,000 other Catholic teens come together to celebrate our King.

Ellie Karloff: It was fun to be surrounded by so many people who believe in the same things as I do.

Jillian Staley: It changed my life. It changed my outlook on everything. I could relate to just about everything I heard from the speakers. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I hope I can experience it again. If you haven’t been to NCYC, you must go!

Lizzy Isaacson: NCYC was a great experience. It gave me more courage to live out my faith because I got to see thousands of other teens who are on fire for Jesus and are trying to live their lives for him.

Abby Brown: I loved the speakers because they were really inspiring and motivated me to do more with my faith. I am really thankful I got to go to this amazing conference with some amazing people.

Kayla Calvert: One of the best things I took away from the weekend is how blessed I am to have the parents I do and that I am going to try harder to get along with them, especially my mom. God gave me two amazing people for parents.

Blogged by Irene Lempke, Advancement Coordinator

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

Walk for Faith and Pro-Life Conference

I recently attended two really great events: the Walk for Faith and the Nebraska Pro-Life Conference.

I was only able to attend the beginning of the penitential walk but I wish I could’ve stayed for the whole thing. It was mighty cold, but the scenery, peacefulness and prayerfulness were amazing.

The 5.4-mile walk began at 8:30 a.m. at the 4-H camp near Schramm Park, and included repetitive prayers throughout - The Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Stations of the Cross, Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and petitions. It concluded at the Holy Family Shrine near Gretna with confessions and noon Mass. Each participant offered a private intention for the walk.

About 60 pilgrims participate in the Walk of Faith Oct. 19 near Gretna. 

Those who participated in the walk, confession and Mass also received a plenary indulgence because the shrine is a designated site for plenary indulgence during the Year of Faith.

Father Jim Buckley, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Omaha, coordinated and led the walk. He said he participated in a similar walk in Ireland and thought it was “very effective spiritually,” and wanted to bring it home to the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Many times during the walk, participants prayed, “I will attempt day by day to break my will into little pieces. I want to do God’s holy will, not my own.” Father Buckley said this was the purpose of the walk – to strengthen your will to do good things you don’t want to do.

Angie Krejci of St. Joseph Parish in Springfield came to the walk with her husband and five children because they wanted to participate in this “unique opportunity.”

“We live in this area. We love to hike and it’s beautiful out here, so when we heard about it, we wanted to be a part of it,” she said. “I think it’s good for our kids to see us doing this together. Sometimes we do fun things as a family at the park or the zoo, but this was something that we could do together that was part of our faith.”

Father Buckley said he hopes to hold this walk again next year. If he does, I want to participate in the whole thing.

Pro-Life Conference

Titled “Life, Dignity and Disability: A Faith that Welcomes,” this year’s pro-life conference, which took place at Ramada Plaza Omaha, featured speakers and topics that focused on disabilities.

I arrived just before Father Shenan Boquet, president of Human Life International, gave the first talk of the day, which centered on the dignity of the human person. He said our culture needs a “re-introduction to Jesus,” who shows us the path of life by his actions – of accepting all people no matter their state in life.

He said we live in a society fabricated by the culture of death and we need to be humble yet bold in our proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ, especially when it comes to abortion, euthanasia and other sins against life.

Nathaniel Cunningham, a member of St. Teresa Parish in Lincoln, said he came to the conference this year to hear Father Boquet and the other speakers, including Peter Kreeft, a philosopher from Boston College, and Jeff and Sarah Schinstock, his friends from Lincoln.

Sarah and Jeff Schinstock of Lincoln share their story of raising a child with disabilities
at the Nebraska Pro-Life Conference Oct. 19 at Ramada Plaza Omaha.

I attended the Schinstocks’ breakout session on parenting a child with a disability and was moved by their honesty and deep faith. The couple spoke candidly about their relationship with their oldest daughter, Regina, who has severe autism – and the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs.

“As Catholic Christians we have to recognize the dignity of every single soul, of every person created by God, and see them the way God sees them,” Sarah said. “It’s such a beautiful message to bring to the culture, which is such a culture of death, and to show them the beauty and the joy that these incredible gifts from God bring to our lives, especially our Regina, helping us to be less selfish and less prideful and grow in virtue.”

The annual pro-life conference is never a disappointment and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the dignity of the human person, relevant issues related to life and practical ways to fight the culture of death.

I just hope the conference and the walk won’t again be on the same day.

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.