Called to Lead Podcast
Called to Lead: Pastoral Leadership for Today’s Church
This podcast dives into the art and spirit of leadership in the Catholic Church. Through storytelling and dialogue with pastoral leaders, ministers, and scholars, the podcast bridges academic theology with practical ministry. These conversations invite listeners to better understand how today’s leaders answer God’s call and work to build just and inclusive communities. Episodes will drop weekly for the first twelve weeks.
Host
Dr. John Rinaldo serves as a Lecturer at Santa Clara University in the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries and brings a deep commitment to accompaniment, synodality, and shared leadership in the Church. He is a national trainer and has served the Church in a wide range of roles, including parish and diocesan ministry, Catholic school leadership, faith formation across all ages, and organizational leadership overseeing governance, finance, and fundraising.
John holds a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Organizational Development and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo welcomes Denise Utter, M.A., a freelance consultant, author, ICF trained coach with Vibrant Faith, and the Coordinator of Family Faith Formation for the National Community of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL). Drawing from her deep experience at both the parish and diocesan levels, Denise tackles the hard truth facing modern ministry: the transmission of faith to the next generation depends entirely on how we form and accompany adults, not just children.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo sits down with Dr. Tony Alonso, Aquinas Associate Professor of Theology and Culture and the inaugural Director of Catholic Studies at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
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In this season finale of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo shares a solo reflection to synthesize the key insights from the inaugural season.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo sits down with Matthew Carnes, S.J., Vice President for Mission and Ministry and Executive Director of the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education at Santa Clara University.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Meaghan Crowley-Sullivan, Curriculum and Professional Learning Developer for the iDEAL Institute at Loyola Marymount University.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Toby McChesney, Vice Provost for Graduate Programs at Santa Clara University.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Christopher Tirres, the Michael J. Buckley, S.J. Endowed Chair at Santa Clara University and the president-elect of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the U.S (ACHTUS).
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Diana Macalintal, an expert in the Baptismal Catechumenate and co-founder of Team Initiation.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Eugene R. Schlesinger, Ph.D., a systematic theologian and faculty member in the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries at Santa Clara University.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, host John Rinaldo sits down with Casey Stanton, co-director of Discerning Deacons. Casey shares her journey from parish social concerns ministry to leading a movement focused on the renewal of the diaconate and the inclusion of women’s leadership in the Catholic Church.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Christopher Wesley, founder of Marathon Youth Ministry, for a conversation grounded in real-world experience and long-term commitment to young people.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo is joined by Charleen Katra, Executive Director of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD).
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In this episode of Called to Lead, host Dr. John Rinaldo sits down with Dr. Paul Schutz, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University. Dr. Schutz is a theologian, liturgist, and author whose work bridges theological reflection with the lived realities of Church and world.
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In this episode of Called to Lead, John Rinaldo is joined by John Roberto, Executive Director of the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL) and a lifelong leader in faith formation in the Catholic Church.
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In this inaugural episode of Called to Lead, we begin by grounding the podcast in its purpose and vision.