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2024 - 2025 | 1 Season

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Actors and authors, astronauts and athletes. Join Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of Franciscan University of Steubenville, as he chats with Catholics from many walks of life about God’s unique call and the unexpected places following that call has taken them.

35:42

9. In Person with Nina Shea

Father Dave speaks with Nina Shea, a senior fellow and director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, who has spent 40 years working as a human rights lawyer to advance religious liberty. Their sobering conversation spans the globe as they touch on the persecution of Christians in the United States, Mexico, Iraq, Nigeria, China, and other countries; the paramount importance of freedom of speech in fighting attacks against religion; modern-day martyrs; and what we can do to shine light on those oppressed for their faith today.

33:47

8. In Person with Bishop Cozzens

On the morning after the election of Pope Leo XIV, Father Dave speaks with Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, sharing their first reactions to the news of this American-born pope, what his choice of the name “Leo” signifies, and Pope Leo’s initial words about carrying the cross. Bishop Cozzens also shares the story of his own vocation to the priesthood, life-long love for the Eucharist, and call to lead the National Eucharistic Revival and Congress, as he invites everyone to share the love of Christ with others daily.
35:58

7. In Person with Kevin Chilton

Father Dave chats with retired U.S. Air Force General Kevin P. Chilton about his witness as a Catholic U.S. Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut, and now as a Catholic business leader. General Chilton shares insights and stories on his passion for flight, leading by example, people who influenced his life, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, bringing the Eucharist to space, and more.
37:22

6. In Person with Arthur Brooks

Bestselling author Arthur C. Brooks joins Father Dave for a lively conversation about evangelization, how to disagree well, the mutual interlocking need people have for one another, and how to better love our enemies.
36:24

5. In Person with Katie Prejean McGrady

Wife, mom, author, radio show host and podcaster Katie Prejean McGrady talks about her faith and vocation journey in this humorous and inspiring interview with Father Dave. They share stories about 16-year-old Katie, crawfish boils vs. crawfish étouffée, Carlo Acutis, evangelizing, the National Eucharistic Congress, and being a Catholic wife and mom.
31:35

4. In Person with Leonard Leo

Leonard Leo speaks with Father Dave about how he lives out his faith as an advisor to U.S. Presidents, a defender of conservative judicial nominees, and a tireless promoter of many conservative causes and ventures.
39:53

3. In Person with Bishop Caggiano

Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, talks to Father Dave about growing up Italian Catholic in Brooklyn, loving our enemies, remodeling projects (he’s a DIYer), unique evangelization opportunities, the Sacrament of Confirmation, and his prayer for greater unity in the Church.
33:30

2. In Person with Matt Birk

Super Bowl champion-turned-entrepreneur Matt Birk discusses the Catholic faith, football, family, adoption, Catholic education, and other highlights of his life story with Father Dave.
31:03

1. In Person with Jonathan Roumie

Jonathan Roumie chats with Father Dave about how he lives the faith through his artistic talents, what playing Jesus has taught him about prayer and the Eucharist, how he deals with fame, the movie character he’d most like to play, and more.

Nina Shea

Nina Shea, a human rights lawyer for 40 years, is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute. She works extensively for the advancement of individual religious freedom and other human rights in U.S. foreign policy as it confronts an ascendant Islamic extremism and other authoritarian regimes. She advocates in defense of those persecuted for their religious beliefs and identities and on behalf of diplomatic measures to end religious repression and violence abroad, whether from state actors or extremist groups.

Bishop Cozzens

Bishop Andrew Cozzens became the bishop of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, in 2021. As chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, he leads the National Eucharistic Revival, whose 2024 National Eucharistic Congress drew 60,000 participants. He serves as chair of the board for NET Ministries, St. Paul’s Outreach, the Institute for Priestly Formation, and the Seminary Formation Council and is a member of Franciscan University’s Episcopal Advisory Board. Bishop Cozzens has also ministered at the University’s Steubenville Youth Conferences and Adult Conferences.

Kevin Chilton

Now president of Chilton & Associates, LLC, General Kevin Chilton retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011 as commander of the U.S. Strategic Command. During his 34-year career in the Air Force and NASA, he served as a fighter pilot, astronaut aboard three space shuttle missions, and assistant vice chief of Staff of the Air Force among other roles. He and his wife, retired General Catherine A. Chilton, have four children. They both serve on the Franciscan University Leadership Institute Advisory Board.

Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He is also a popular columnist at The Atlantic, and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including Build the Life You Want, coauthored with Oprah Winfrey, and From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.

Katie Prejean McGrady

Katie Prejean McGrady is a wife, mom, host of three podcasts, and daily radio show host of The Katie McGrady Show on The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM 129. Katie has spoken at many of Franciscan University’s Steubenville Conferences for teens and adults, the National Eucharistic Congress, and events around the world. She writes regularly for national Catholic publications and is the author of four books. She makes her home in Louisiana with her husband and daughters.

Leonard Leo

Leonard A. Leo is the chairman of CRC advisors and chairman and trustee of Marble Freedom Trust. He also serves as the co-chairman of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, for which he received the 2009 Bradley Prize for advancing freedom and the rule of law. Also chairman of the Teneo Network, his writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.

Bishop Caggiano

Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, is a noted catechist who serves on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis and its Subcommittee on the Catechism. He’s also a member of Franciscan University’s Episcopal Advisory Board and received an honorary degree from Franciscan in 2024. Under his leadership, Bridgeport launched a diocesan-wide synod for renewal and pastoral planning, a leadership institute, guilds for health care workers and professionals, and other initiatives to revitalize liturgical life and engage youth.

Matt Birk

Super Bowl champion Matt Birk played football for Harvard University then for the Minnesota Vikings, where he was named Man of the Year six times and selected six times for the NFL Pro Bowl. He joined the Baltimore Ravens where he was part of the team to win Super Bowl XLVII. Author of All-Pro Wisdom: The 7 Choices That Lead to Greatness, Matt now speaks professionally about leadership and teamwork.

Jonathan Roumie

Actor, producer, director, and voice-over artist Jonathan Roumie was born and raised in New York City and graduated from The School of Visual Arts with a degree in filmmaking. He is best-known for his award-winning role as Jesus in The Chosen, the critically-acclaimed, streaming TV series about the life of Christ. Jonathan also serves as lead narrator and strategic advisor for the Hallow app.

Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR ’89

Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, has served as the president of Franciscan University of Steubenville since 2019.  He is a solemnly professed member of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Province of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance. Father Dave has hosted multiple video series including The Wild Goose on the Holy Spirit, Sign of Contradiction on St. Francis of Assisi, and 10th Hour Production’s My father’s Father on God the Father. Author of seven books, Father Dave hosts Franciscan University Presents on EWTN and cohosts the popular podcast, They That Hope.