On day two of the Iowa Catholic Radio Fall Fundraiser, Jeanne Thill sits down with ICR's Alexia Baker and Emmett McMenemy of the Diocese of Des Moines to talk Catholic social media, digital evangelization, and their viral Christ Our Life collab. You'll also hear stories from listeners and volunteers across Iowa, plus Bishop William Joensen on why the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few. Become one of those laborers and support Catholic radio in Iowa with a $25 monthly gift by texting GIVE to 515-223-1150.
The Harvest is Abundant! Be one of the laborers with a $25/month gift to Iowa Catholic Radio. Text GIVE to 515-223-1150 or give online: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/giving-options
It's day two of the 2026 Fall Fundraiser. This hour's goal is 12 new monthly donors at $25 a month for the next 12 months. Jeanne Thill explains why monthly gifts matter: like a steady paycheck, they let Iowa Catholic Radio plan ahead and keep connecting people to Christ.
IN THIS EPISODE
- Catholic social media as evangelization: Alexia Baker (Iowa Catholic Radio) and Emmett McMenemy (Diocese of Des Moines) share how they tell the stories of the people behind the mic and across the diocese.
- Seeds for Seminarians: a parishioner in Imogene farms a plot of land and donates all the proceeds to support seminarians.
- "Homilies No One Asked For," Emmett's lighthearted series, including Fr. Jason Lee's take on the Iowa State Fair.
- "Where's Alexia?" at the Iowa State Fair, plus the verdict on the peanut butter and jelly corn dog.
- The Christ Our Life collab: 563 young people in the youth breakout, Fr. Max Carson shredding on guitar, and four days of numbers: 8,000+ Facebook views, 15,000+ Instagram views, 4,000+ TikTok views, and 78 new followers across all three.
- Two vocation stories: Emmett's path from Drake University and a FOCUS missionary interview to diocesan communications, and Alexia's call home from Kansas City to Des Moines.
- Why Catholic media matters: how online content helped a friend's intellectual conversion through OCIA, and how online connections become real, in-person encounters.
- Listener and volunteer testimonies from Greg Rosa (St. Augustin, Des Moines), Mary Hazleton (St. John the Apostle, Norwalk), Christy Schultz, and Sam Halligan (St. Francis, West Des Moines).
- Mary Hazleton explains what happens to the prayer cards from the ICR State Fair booth: they're recorded in a prayer book, presented on the altar in the station chapel, and remembered at Mass.
- Bishop William Joensen on imagining an Iowa without Catholic radio.
HOW TO GIVE
- Text GIVE to 515-223-1150. You'll get a secure link back right away.
- Give online: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/giving-options
- Suggested gift: $25/month for 12 months. Every gift helps.
LISTEN MORE
- Making It Personal with Bishop Joensen: Saturdays at 8 a.m., Sundays at 11 a.m., and on podcast.
- All ICR local shows are on the ICR app and at IowaCatholicRadio.com: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/
- Diocese of Des Moines: https://www.dmdiocese.org/
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