Deacon Randy Kiel and his son Micah Kiel, both licensed mental health counselors, join Deacon Mark Campbell in studio to tell how their family journeyed from doubt back to the Catholic Church and to announce their upcoming podcast, In Session with the Counseling Guys. Deacon Randy also breaks open Sunday's Gospel, the parable of the tenants in Matthew 21, and explains why the Church cannot die, while Fr. Nick Smith reflects on the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels. It's Max Out the Match Friday on the final day of the Iowa Catholic Radio Fall Fundraiser, The Harvest Is Abundant, as listeners push past $200,000 raised this week.
MAX OUT THE MATCH FRIDAY: Every gift through 10 a.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 is TRIPLE-MATCHED. Text GIVE to 515-223-1150 or give online: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/giving-options
It's day four and the final day of the on-air Fall Fundraiser, "The Harvest Is Abundant." Up to $14,000 in gifts this morning will be triple-matched, and reaching it would put Iowa Catholic Radio on track for a new Fall Fundraiser record. During this hour, listeners pushed the week's total past $200,000. Thank you!
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IN THIS EPISODE
Sunday Gospel Preview with Deacon Randy Kiel
Deacon Randy Kiel of Christ the King Parish in Des Moines, founder of Kardia Counseling, joins us in studio to break open this Sunday's Gospel (Matthew 21:33-43), the parable of the tenants in the vineyard. The landowner sends servant after servant and finally his son, yet even his death cannot stop the vineyard from bearing fruit. The stone the builders rejected becomes the cornerstone. Deacon Randy and Deacon Mark explain why the Church cannot die and why the gates of hell will not prevail against it. They also explain why we live in the victory Christ has already won rather than in a war still being fought.
From Doubter to Deacon: The Kiel Family's Return to the Church
Deacon Randy and his son Micah, his partner in practice, tell their family's conversion story. Randy started on AM 1150 in late 1993, when it was still an evangelical station, and he doubted when it quietly became Catholic. Other highlights include:
- A Scott Hahn apologetics tape he once handed back and called "Mormon propaganda"
- Micah challenging his dad from the truck: "Why are you still fighting this?"
- A meeting at the Basilica that ended with the Tantum Ergo welling up from his childhood
- A mentor's words: "Your inner child is still Catholic"
- Randy's prayer that his whole family would come into the Church together, which they did
Micah shares what struck him most about becoming Catholic: a home where you can't get kicked out. Deacon Randy also reflects on the sense of belonging Iowa Catholic Radio helps foster, always pointing listeners back to the Church.
NEW PODCAST ANNOUNCEMENT: In Session with the Counseling Guys
Deacon Randy and Micah Kiel are launching a new show later this year about the intersection of mental health and the spiritual life. It aims to fight the stigma around mental health, cover topics like empathy and addiction, and include plenty of father-son dynamics and joy along the way.
Upcoming Events with Deacon Randy Kiel
- "All Stressed Out, Nowhere to Go": Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, 4 p.m., St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianola
- Marriage Workshop: A full Saturday in January at St. Augustin, Des Moines. It is free (a lunch goodwill offering is welcome), requires a reservation, and is open to everyone, inside or outside the parish.
More details coming to the events page at IowaCatholicRadio.com: https://www.iowacatholicradio.com/
Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels
Fr. Nick Smith, pastor of St. Patrick in Perry, reflects on today's Gospel (Matthew 18). He explains how every person is assigned a guardian angel and invites listeners to befriend theirs.
ALSO ON THE SHOW
- Saint of the Day: The Holy Guardian Angels
- Tonight on the Iowa Catholic Radio Network: Dowling Catholic hosts Cedar Rapids Kennedy for Homecoming and Athletic Hall of Fame inductions. Pregame starts at 6:30 p.m. and kickoff is at 7 p.m. from Valley Stadium in West Des Moines.
- Diocese of Des Moines News: Level 1 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist formation starts next weekend. Contact St. Pius X in Urbandale or St. Boniface in Waukee to sign up.
Iowa Catholic Radio has been connecting people to Christ for 21 years and is now launching into its 22nd year. Listen on eight signals across Iowa, the Iowa Catholic Radio app, or IowaCatholicRadio.com.
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