Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell mark the Memorial of Saint Monica with a deep dive into why her prayers and tears for Saint Augustine still speak to parents today, plus Deacon Randy Kiel's preview of Sunday's readings from Jeremiah. Janelle Menz, Iowa Catholic Radio's new Director of Mission Growth, makes her first appearance to share her story and the station's plans to grow beyond Des Moines. It's Thursday news, Iowa Cubs and MLB scores, a Little League World Series elimination game for Davenport, and a preview of Friday's Dowling Catholic football season opener and Monday's Iowa Catholic Radio app relaunch.
Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell open the show on the Memorial of Saint Monica, with Mass today at 8 a.m. at Saint Mary's in Oskaloosa (95.7 FM).
As always on Thursday, Deacon Randy Kiel joins to preview this Sunday's Mass readings (22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time). This week's focus is the first reading, Jeremiah 20:7-9 — the prophet's raw, agonized complaint to God, "You duped me, O Lord" — which Deacon Randy unpacks as a picture of the consuming, purposeful fire of the Holy Spirit at work in a faithful life, even amid mockery and rejection. Full readings at USCCB.
Janelle Menz, Iowa Catholic Radio's new Director of Mission Growth, joins for her first on-air appearance. Originally from Dubuque and a graduate of Benedictine College, Janelle shares how Fr. John Riccardo's homilies drew her to the station as a listener, how she landed the new role after moving back to central Iowa, and her vision for connecting Iowa Catholic Radio to communities beyond the Des Moines metro — from the Iowa Great Lakes region to Mason City to southern Iowa. She points to this summer's "Growing the Faith" tour with Catholic Answers apologist Karlo Broussard (stops in Spencer, Creston, and Pella) as a glimpse of what's possible, and invites listeners to reach out at jmenz@iowacatholicradio.com. Watch for Janelle at the Christ Our Life Conference in September (ChristOurLifeIowa.com) and at her home parish, St. Pius X, in Des Moines.
The hosts also preview a relaunched Iowa Catholic Radio app arriving Monday, September 1 — iOS users will update automatically, while Android users will need to download the new version from the Android app store. The rebuilt app adds a full podcast library, an updated player, a live program schedule, the Sacred Music channel, and an easier-to-find Donate/Give button ahead of the station's fall fundraiser.
To close the show, Bo and Deacon Mark discuss why the Church asks the saints to intercede for us rather than praying to God alone, then turn to Saint Monica's own story — 17 years of prayer and tears for her son Augustine's conversion, and the well-known account of the bishop of Milan, St. Ambrose, telling her that "the son of these tears" could not be lost. They reflect on a noticeable shift in the prayer requests Iowa Catholic Radio collected in its prayer box at the Iowa State Fair this year — fewer petitions for a child's return to the faith, and more stories of health struggles and of prayers already being answered — and encourage listeners still carrying that particular grief to remain steadfast in prayer. Prayer requests can be sent any time to contact@iowacatholicradio.com or by text to (515) 223-1150.
Also in this episode: a first-time team member intro; the Iowa Catholic Radio booth's wrap-up notes from the fair; and tonight's Heartland for Kids benefit concert for Mary's Meals, 5:30–8:30 p.m. at Jasper Winery, 2400 George Flagg Parkway in Des Moines, featuring Nashville musicians Phoenix Mendoza, Josh Leo, and Kitty Steadman, with food from the Knights of Columbus and a free-will donation. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com. Forge's evening with former Navy SEAL officer Sam Blair is Monday, September 14 at Smash Park in West Des Moines (doors 7:30 p.m., talk at 8 p.m., tickets $25) — MyForge.org.
Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.
#CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #SaintMonica #SaintAugustine #IntercessionOfSaints #JanelleMenz #DowlingCatholic #LittleLeagueWorldSeries #CatholicPodcast #CatholicFaith