Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell mark the beatification day of Venerable Fulton Sheen with EWTN's Debbie Cowden, who shares how the new EWTN Parents initiative helps Catholic families raise saints without falling for social media's "perfect parent" highlight reels. Deacon Randy Kiel previews Sunday's readings from Ezekiel and Philippians on God's justice and Christ's self-emptying love, and Nick Rahe of Cheeses n' Jesus Cheesecake Co. introduces the new Catholic Business Alliance of Central Iowa. It's news, sports, and weather for Thursday, September 24, plus Christ Our Life Conference and Pickle for a Purpose details.
Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell open the show on the historical Feast of Our Lady of Ransom, on a landmark day for the Church: the beatification of Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen this afternoon at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, with an estimated 50,000 Catholics expected to attend. Iowa Catholic Radio carries full EWTN coverage today beginning at 9 a.m. (regular programming interrupted), with Teresa Tomeo setting the stage on Catholic Connection at 8 a.m. Mass today at 8:30 a.m. at Saint Anthony in Knoxville (95.7 FM).
Deacon Randy Kiel previews this Sunday's readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Ezekiel 18, where the Lord hears Israel's grumbling that His ways are "not fair" and answers with the bigger picture of justice and salvation, and Philippians 2, where Saint Paul points to kenosis, Christ pouring Himself out, and to the name of Jesus, which itself means salvation.
Debbie Cowden, senior manager of social media for EWTN and co-author of The Prayer Book for Tired Parents (EWTN Publishing), joins Deacon Mark to introduce EWTN Parents, a new Instagram initiative she runs with colleague Caroline Perkins that drew more than a million views in its first month. A working mom of four, Debbie tackles the excuses parents make for skipping daily Mass, monthly confession, or a holy hour, and offers realistic alternatives, like a "holy fifteen minutes" with the kids or a Wednesday confession time instead of Saturday. She also explains her viral (and controversial) advice to leave the oversized "Mass bag" of snacks and toys at home and swap it for a worship aid, like a toddler missal, quoting now-Blessed Fulton Sheen on the Eucharist as the greatest love story ever told. Follow EWTN Parents on Instagram at @ewtnparents and find Debbie's book at Tired Catholic Parents.
Nick Rahe, owner of the Ankeny-based Cheeses n' Jesus Cheesecake Co., shares how Eucharistic adoration led him from a cycle of job burnout to baking Jesus-themed gourmet cheesecakes, even though he'd never made one before April 2025. Nick also introduces the Catholic Business Alliance of Central Iowa, a grassroots networking and fellowship group he co-founded about six months ago. The group meets the second Wednesday of each month, 5:30–7:30 p.m., at Magee's Irish Pub & Eatery in Ankeny (come-and-go, informal); search "Catholic Business Alliance of Central Iowa" on Facebook to join. Order cheesecakes at CheesesNJesus.com.
Upcoming events: the Christ Our Life Conference, Saturday and Sunday, September 26–27 at the Casey's Center in Des Moines, also livestreamed online at ChristOurLifeIowa.com. Pickle for a Purpose, a pickleball fundraiser for Dorothy's House in partnership with Iowa Catholic Radio, Saturday, September 26, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at Hickory Glen Park in Pleasant Hill: $50 per team (minimum four games) in the competitive bracket, $25 per team in the recreational bracket. More at DorothysHouse.org.
Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.
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