The Catholic Morning Show

Deacon Mark Campbell welcomes Nelcy Vargas, Program Manager of Victim Services and Outreach for the Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program, Diocese of Des Moines.

Help That Is Always Available Based in Council Bluffs, the program serves victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking with:

The Need in Rural Iowa Last fiscal year the program served 1,500 victims and...

Maddie Cain joins Deacon Mark Campbell — turning the tables after once interviewing him on her own diocesan podcast — to talk about The Gardener.

Where the Story Came From After a miscarriage at seven weeks between her first and second children, Maddie kept picturing Jesus holding her baby in a field of flowers. That image, rooted in Mary Magdalene mistaking the risen Christ for the gardener, became the heart of the book.

A Gardener, a Garden, and the Snowdrop Raquel of The Little Rose Shop — Maddie's freshman-year roommate at Benedictine College — invited her to write the book. To...

This Sunday's Readings Deacon Randy Kiel of Christ the King Parish in Des Moines joins Deacon Mark Campbell to preview the readings for the Solemnity of All Saints — Sunday, November 1, 2026: First Reading, Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Second Reading, 1 John 3:1-3; Gospel, Matthew 5:1-12a. Read along at USCCB.org.

One Revelation, Not Many Deacon Randy notes that the Book of Revelation is a single revelation of God given to John — not a vision or prophecy of John's own making — unveiling what is yet to come on earth and what is already happening in heaven.

Who Are the 14...

Episode Notes Deacon Mark Campbell hosts this Thursday, October 29 edition of The Catholic Morning Show on Iowa Catholic Radio.

All Saints Day Readings with Deacon Randy Kiel Deacon Randy Kiel of Christ the King Parish in Des Moines previews the readings for the Solemnity of All Saints, Sunday, November 1, 2026: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; and Matthew 5:1-12a (the Beatitudes). He breaks down the biblical numerology behind the 144,000, why the white robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb point to our salvation, and how St. John answered the divisions and Gnostic errors of the early Church...

Feeling apathetic about the election or frustrated with your choices? Dr. John Huynh, Director of Social Justice for the Diocese of Des Moines and Catholic Charities, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to reframe voting as an act of love for neighbor and the common good. As always, the Church does not endorse candidates or parties.

Highlights:

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Struggling to build a daily prayer habit? Hadleigh Thomas, product manager on Ascension's app and communications team and a key leader in Alto's development, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to explain how Alto makes daily prayer simple: just open it and pray.

Highlights:

Happy Feast of Saints Simon and Jude! Deacon Mark Campbell hosts this Wednesday edition of The Catholic Morning Show with a focus on prayer, conscience, and the call to faithful citizenship just days before Election Day.

In this episode:

Karmen Bower, director of faith formation for the Diocese of Sioux City, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about the growing number of people entering the Catholic Church. A Polk City native who was baptized at Our Lady's Immaculate Heart in Ankeny and studied theology and philosophy at Benedictine College, Karmen says Catholic resources have exploded in the last 15 years, and podcasts, video, and Catholic radio are helping draw people to OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.

If you feel God drawing you toward the Catholic Church, Karmen's advice is simple: start with a conversation...

Chris Magruder, founder and executive producer of The Veil Removed and co-host of Catholic Women Now, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to tell the story behind one of the most-watched Catholic short films of the past decade.

In 2014, after a radio conversation about a woman who had seen the veil lifted at Mass, Chris attended Mass and prayed during the elevation of the host: Lord, if everyone could see this, no one would leave your Church. She sensed a clear reply: show them. The result, released in 2019 with Spirit Juice Studios, is a short film depicting Christ's sacrifice...

Deacon Mark Campbell, Ayden Pugh, and in-studio guest Jason open Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time on the Memorial of Pope Saint Evaristus, the early pope credited with dividing Rome into parishes. Today's Mass is at 6 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas in Indianola.

Deacon Mark and Jason, a lifelong Cubs fan, talk about the public witness of faith in this year's MLB postseason, from Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick's Catholic faith to the Catholic chaplains who serve all 30 Major League clubs, and why finding peace in God matters more than winning or losing. They...

Austin Neal, annual giving and outreach manager for Above + Beyond Cancer, returns to talk with Deacon Mark Campbell about life after a cancer diagnosis. Founded in 2011 by Des Moines oncologist Dr. Richard Deming, Above + Beyond Cancer is a cancer survivorship program offering free classes and community for patients, survivors, and caregivers, with plans to expand statewide.

Austin walks through the programming, all of it free: pole walking in Waukee, Windsor Heights, and Des Moines; the Row + Renew rowing club; tai chi; cooking and nutrition classes; a weekly spin class with Dr. Deming at the MercyOne center in...

Mike Aquilina, author of more than 70 books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion and co-founder, with Scott Hahn, of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about his new book, The Church Fathers for Our Time (Emmaus Road Publishing).

Mike explains that the Gospel has always been a countercultural message. The early Christians were persecuted and often challenged the authorities, even after the Roman Empire became Christian. Abortion, contraception, and euthanasia were already common in pagan society, and the Church formed a strong consensus on them very early. The Fathers, some...

Deacon Mark Campbell, Janelle Manns, and Ayden Pugh open Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time on the Memorial of Saint Fulk of Piacenza, the 13th-century bishop remembered as a peacemaker between the rival cities of Piacenza and Pavia. Today's Mass airs at noon from St. Joseph in Mason City (Epiphany Parish) on 89.3 FM.

Janelle recaps the 65th annual Dowling Catholic Pancake Breakfast, complete with pancake trivia (the world's largest pancake was 49 feet across), and the crew swaps pumpkin-carving stories ahead of All Hallows' Eve.

Mike Aquilina, author of more than 70 books on Catholic...

Fr. Dan Kirby of St. John the Apostle Parish in Norwalk previews this Sunday's readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the greatest commandment: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. He explains why the first commandment still applies today, how possessions, pleasure, and politics can become our idols, and how the Mass, prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and good Christian friends let the Lord truly be Lord of our lives. Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never...

Allison Franz and Tonia Martin of Mary's Helping Hands join Deacon Mark Campbell to preview the annual Born to Run 5K and 1-mile fun run, a timed race and family-friendly morning that supports moms, dads, and caregivers of young children across central Iowa.

Race details: Saturday, November 14, at 9 a.m. at Confluence Brewing Company, 1235 Thomas Beck Rd., Des Moines. The 5K and 1-mile fun run start together and loop around Gray's Lake, and the 5K is professionally chip-timed. Registration is $37 through Sunday, October 25, at 11:59 p.m., then $45, with age-based pricing for kids and family discounts for groups...

Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota, who chaired the historic 10th National Eucharistic Congress in 2024, the first in more than 80 years, joins Deacon Mark Campbell following the announcement that the 11th National Eucharistic Congress will return to Indianapolis in July 2029.

Bishop Cozzens shares why the decision was a difficult one: organizers seriously considered other cities, but Indianapolis, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, and the relationships built in 2024 made it the most prudent place to build on a strong foundation, especially for an organization that, as he puts it, lost the playbook between 1941 and 2024. He describes...

Deacon Mark Campbell, Brian Egan, and Ayden Pugh close out the week on Friday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano, the Franciscan preacher and patron saint of judges. Today's Mass is at 8:15 a.m. at St. John the Apostle in Norwalk.

Fr. Dan Kirby of St. John the Apostle Parish in Norwalk previews this Sunday's readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the greatest commandment: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. He explains why the first commandment still applies today, how possessions...

Forty-seven years after St. John Paul II celebrated Mass on a hillside at Living History Farms, Fr. Greg Leach, a retired priest of the Diocese of Des Moines, shares his story.

Fr. Leach discusses:

Deacon Mark Campbell welcomes Very Rev. David Esquiliano, rector of the Cathedral of the Epiphany, pastor of Cathedral Parish, and judicial vicar of the Diocese of Sioux City.

Fr. Esquiliano discusses:

Deacon Randy Kiel of Christ the King Parish, Des Moines, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to prepare for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Deacon Randy discusses:

It's Thankful Thursday on the memorial of St. John Paul II. Deacon Mark Campbell and Brian Egan reflect on gratitude in the midst of life's storms, share what they're thankful for, and remember the Pope who came to Iowa.

In this episode:

Katie Patrizio, director of faith formation at Saint Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines and host of Sunday Dive, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about the growing number of people entering the Church through OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Nearly every pastor and OCIA leader she talks with says this year's group is the biggest yet, and most inquirers at her parish are young, from their early twenties into their thirties. One 16-year-old found the parish website, booked an appointment, and drove himself in to say he wanted to become Catholic.

Katie...

Fr. Travis Crotty, vocations director for the Diocese of Sioux City, joins Deacon Mark Campbell from his new assignment as parochial administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Estherville, Holy Family Parish in Emmetsburg, and Immaculate Conception Parish in Graettinger. With Fr. Crotty and Fr. Shane Deman, the diocese's director of seminarians, both now leading parishes, the vocations office has added help: Fr. Zach Jones of Divine Mercy Parish in West Bend will visit high schools and Newman Centers, including the University of Iowa and Iowa State, and Deacon Dan Goebel, deacon chaplain at Gehlen Catholic in Le Mars, will...

Deacon Mark Campbell, Brian Regan, and Ayden Pugh open Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time on the Memorial of Saint Ursula and Companions, early martyrs venerated at Cologne. Today's Mass is at 8:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart in Melcher with Fr. Hoffman, who Deacon Mark crossed paths with last night as his group made a pilgrimage to Saint Francis of Assisi in West Des Moines, marking 800 years since the death of Saint Francis.

Look up tonight: the Orionid meteor shower, debris from Halley's Comet, peaks tonight with roughly 10 to 20 shooting stars an hour. A bright...

Bo Bonner talks with Elyse Risovi, a Dowling Catholic High School senior and member of the Student Philanthropy Council who serves on this year's Pancake Breakfast committee.

Elyse discusses:

65...

Deacon Mark Campbell welcomes Msgr. James Shea, president of the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, since 2009 and a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck.

Msgr. Shea discusses:

Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell, with producer Brian Egan, open the show on the memorial of St. Paul of the Cross, founder of the Passionists.

In this episode:

For Respect Life Month, Maria Campbell joins her husband, Deacon Mark Campbell, for a heartfelt conversation about miscarriage, stillbirth, and how the Church can accompany grieving families. As many as one in five known pregnancies ends in miscarriage, yet few parents know what to expect or what options they have.

Maria shares her own story, two miscarriages in 2002 and 2003 and a stillbirth at 26 weeks in 2012, and the hurtful comments she heard along the way ("at least you can get pregnant"). After years of quietly walking with mothers who found their way to her, she met Rebecca Harpring...

Deacon Mark Campbell and Brian Regan open Monday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time on the Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues, and Companions, the French Jesuit missionaries martyred in North America between 1642 and 1649.

Deacon Mark begins by leading prayer for Fr. Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, a Redemptorist priest and pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Guayaquil, Ecuador, who died Saturday when a large crucifix fell from the wall behind the altar while he celebrated a livestreamed Mass. A word of caution: many links to this story go straight to th...

Bo Bonner talks with Danny Akright, director of communications for Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, about the Pope Leo Village build. Bishop William Joensen blessed the site in April, and walls for six new affordable homes go up on Tuesday in Des Moines' River Bend neighborhood.

Danny discusses:

The St. Thomas More Center in Panora is home to Catholic Youth Camp, but its mission of forming missionary disciples runs year-round. Gigi Wilwerding, the center's first full-time retreat coordinator, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to talk about the retreats it hosts on campus and brings to parishes.

Gigi discusses:

Deacon Mark Campbell welcomes Deacon David Penton of Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, based in Algona and spanning seven churches across Kossuth County and West Bend. Deacon Dave also serves as Coordinator of Formation for the Office of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Sioux City, after years of teaching high school theology.

Preparing for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 18), he explores Matthew 22:15-21, where Jesus tells the Pharisees and Herodians to repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God:

Bo Bonner is back in the studio with Deacon Mark Campbell and producer Brian Egan to close out the week on the memorial of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Apostle of the Sacred Heart.

In this episode:

Deacon Mark Campbell welcomes Dr. Matthew Breuninger — the author whose book helped Deacon Mark through a season of healing — ahead of his talk for the Catholic Medical Association St. Pius X Guild's St. Luke Feast this Sunday, October 18, at St. Augustin Church in Des Moines. The event is free and open to the public, with a freewill offering.

Dr. Breuninger, who holds a master's in theology from Ave Maria University and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Baylor University, discusses:

Less than three weeks after suffering a cardiac emergency on the way to a road game, Dowling Catholic freshman head coach Claude Wilkins joins Deacon Mark Campbell to share his story.

Coach Wilkins — 17 years on the Dowling staff, 15 as head coach at the freshman level — describes a game day that began like any other, the decision to invite athletic trainer Blake Willey to sit beside him at the front of the bus, and the coaches who caught him and began CPR within moments. After paramedics restored his pulse and surgeons cleared a major blockage, his doctors encouraged a sl...

Deacon Mark Campbell and Deacon Randy Kiel of Christ the King Parish in Des Moines prepare for Sunday, October 18 — the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Deacon Randy explores:

On the memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus (St. Teresa of Ávila), Deacon Mark Campbell and producer Brian Egan bring you a show about healing, grace, and being chosen.

In this episode:

mily Jaminet joins Deacon Mark Campbell for her monthly visit to talk about turning busy homes into houses of prayer, especially during October, the Month of the Holy Rosary, as Pope Leo XIV encourages the faithful to pray the rosary every day.

Emily shares the habits that have shaped prayer in her own family of seven children: setting a peaceful tone by dimming the lights and lighting a candle near a statue of Mary; keeping the weeknight rosary simple so everyone knows what to expect; inviting each person to share one intention, which offers a window into...

Msgr. Frank Bognanno, retired priest of the Diocese of Des Moines and longtime friend of Iowa Catholic Radio, joins Deacon Mark Campbell from his new home in Georgia to talk about his decade-long mission to bring clean water to Tanzania.

Msgr. Bognanno recalls his first visits about ten years ago, when the water was so unsafe he couldn't use the tap to brush his teeth, and when the local bishop told him the region's number one problem was "water, water, water." He describes schools collecting rainwater off rooftops into tanks, children falling ill and missing class, and...

Deacon Mark Campbell and Brian Regan open Wednesday on the Memorial of Pope Saint Callistus I, the former slave and deacon who became pope in 217, gave his name to the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus on the Appian Way, and was martyred around 222.

With Pope Leo XIV recovering at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after surgery confirmed early-stage lung cancer, Deacon Mark shares the latest on the Holy Father's condition and leads a prayer for his healing through the intercession of Saint Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients. For Respect Life Month, Deacon Mark and Brian also reflect on the...