EquipCast - Episodes Tagged with “Accompaniment”

Episode 210: Life as an Evangelization Coordinator: How Accompaniment Transforms a Community

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Today, we begin a series where I talk to Evangelization Coordinators from across our archdiocese. You’ll hear the honest stories, hard-won wisdom and quiet ways God is moving through the people helping to lead parish renewal from the ground up. In this first episode, Renee Eames of the St. Joseph Family of Parishes, shares what the role looks like day-to-day. Her warm wisdom reminds us that evangelization isn’t about big programs or perfect strategies—it’s about people. It’s about staying close to Jesus in the small moments, letting your heart be softened, and choosing unity when division would be easier. Her story reveals how simple everyday faithfulness—prayer, presence, and quiet accompaniment—can quietly renew a community. This conversation is a reminder that God works through every relationship, every interruption, and every act of love toward the person right in front of you.

[00:00] Meet Renee Ames
[01:20] Renee Background Story
[06:52] Small Town Life
[11:10] Family Of Parishes
[13:20] New Evangelization Role
[22:49] Keeping Eternity First
[28:08] Prayer As The Root
[32:08] Launching Alpha Locally
[35:48] Teamwork and Formation
[38:23] Back To The Fundamentals
[41:41] Workplace Evangelization
[46:04] Unity Through Hard Talks
[49:53] Patience For Long Fruits
[51:21] Practical Advice And Sendoff

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)

Episode 209: OCIA - Rediscovering the Heart of Parish Life

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

What if the ancient way of welcoming seekers is exactly what we’re missing? When Dr. Chris Burgwald, Chancellor for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, and I dug into the roots of OCIA, it struck me how much wisdom we’ve left sitting on the shelf. The early Church knew how to walk with people—slowly, personally, lovingly—and somewhere along the line, we traded that for efficiency. Dr. Burgwald shows why returning to this ancient, relational way of forming disciples isn’t nostalgia; it’s the key to helping people truly encounter Jesus and find a home in His Church again.

And what’s amazing is that this shift doesn’t just change the journey for newcomers—it transforms the entire parish. When we implement OCIA the way the Church actually envisions it, gifts surface, people step forward, and a culture of prayer and hospitality begins to grow. Communities rally around seekers, and in the process, everyone gets formed. One person’s “yes” becomes an invitation for an entire parish to rediscover its mission.

[01:15] Meet Chris Bergal
[12:23] Why People Are Converting
[17:16] What Is OCIA?
[22:34] Vatican II and Mission
[25:22] Doing OCIA Well
[30:20] Three Pillars of OCIA
[37:50] Practical Parish Implementation
[41:41] Parish Renewal and Activation
[45:13] Handling Hard Situations
[48:46] Not Assembly Line Discipleship
[52:20] Model for All Formation
[56:25] Teamwork and Leadership Models

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)

Episode 204: How to Break Your Clear Path (Part 2)

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0600

What happens when we start trusting programs more than we trust people?
Discipleship slows down—because programs don’t accompany anyone. People do. Programs support the mission, but people are the mission.

In part two of this conversation on what really breaks a clear path to discipleship, we talk honestly about why great programming isn’t enough, how over commitment burns out your best leaders, and why accompaniment and simplicity matter more than adding one more initiative.

If you’re longing for a parish that actually helps people take their next step with Jesus, this conversation will challenge how you think about ministry—and invite you to build a clear path that’s relational, sustainable, and truly missionary.

[00:57] Defining a Clear Path to Discipleship
[03:34] Number 6: Skip the Connectors
[14:35] Number 7: Have Something for Everybody
[23:51] Number 8: Start with a Big Public Launch
[29:20] Number 9: Exempt Current Members
[36:50] Number 10: Build it for Your Current Members
[42:28] Final Thoughts and Encouragement

ClearPathBook.com

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)

Episode 122: Why Small Groups for Men are so Powerful in the Catholic Church

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We are all called to evangelize, but have you ever felt limited, feeling like you don’t have much to give? Perhaps you only have 1-2 free hours a week. Or you are only around “hard cases”, people who seem unlikely to want to talk about faith. Perhaps, you feel like your only sphere of influence is your own parish. But those people don’t need evangelizing…do they?

This week, I talk to Greg Doring, a personal friend who used small groups as a tool to reach other men. In this episode, we’ll discuss how to evangelize wherever the Lord plants you and how miraculous things can happen even when you only have a few hours to give.

In this episode, Greg talks about how:

his investment in the lives of a few men has overflowed to his children.
he intentionally invited men who were very unlikely to want to be in a small group.
he only had two hours a week to give, but the Lord used that to bless this group.
men came back to confession and fell in love with the Lord in adoration.
micro resolutions were powerful for his small group.
we can face the fear of failure and step out, taking a risk, to share our faith.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)

Episode 116: The Power of Charisms in Evangelization: The Archdiocese of Omaha Mentorship Program

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 04:00:00 -0500

What keeps you from sharing your faith with others? Not enough time, knowledge, or energy? Perhaps it’s a fear of failure? Or maybe you imagine someone who evangelizes as having a skillset that you don’t. We know Jesus wants us to “go and make disciples”, so it stands to reason that he wants us to go just as we are.

Today, I talk with Kelly Peklo and Matt Keller, graduates of the Archdiocese Mentorship Program. They share their journey to understand God’s call to evangelize and how they made that call fit into their lives. They talk about learning to pray and to hear the Lord’s voice. And he wasn’t asking them to share their faith like a famous tele-evangelist or door-to-door salesman. He was calling them to use their unique strengths, to share His love with others, by simply being themselves.

In this episode, you will be encouraged to:

Cultivate a strong prayer life in order to enhance evangelization efforts.
Discern and embrace your charisms, allowing the Holy Spirit to be your guide in sharing the Gospel.
Confront fear and embrace the notion of 'fruitful failure', valuing the lessons gained from evangelization efforts.
Find peace in the understanding that outcomes are in God's hands during evangelization.

Also, check out the Mentorship Program!
For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)

Episode 112: Intentional Accompaniment: How to Share Your Faith Boldy and Fruitfully with Michael Hall

Archdiocese of Omaha — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 04:00:00 -0600

Ever felt the weight of wanting to share your faith but not knowing where to start? Trust me, I’ve been there. When I first dipped my toes into evangelizing, I stumbled through it, making more than my fair share of blunders. But you know what changed the game for me? Learning to lean on the Holy Spirit and building genuine connections that sparked meaningful conversations about faith.

Now, let’s be real, most of us aren’t born experts at this stuff. That’s why I’m thrilled to bring you an episode featuring someone who truly gets it: Michael Hall. He’s the brains behind the book “Intentional Accompaniment” and serves as the Interim Director of Program Support for Catholic Christian Outreach in Canada (kind of like FOCUS in the US).
Michael walks us through practical tools and techniques for evangelizing in our everyday lives, whether it’s within our parish community or our own families. And the best part? He breaks it down in a way that feels totally doable.

Join us to:

Discover how nurturing your relationship with God can naturally lead to authentic faith-sharing.
Learn why taking small, intentional steps is the secret sauce to success.
Find out how having a mentor to guide you along the way can make all the difference.

If you’ve ever felt hesitant about evangelizing or wondered where to even begin, this episode is tailor-made for you!

Also, check out Michael's book or see more resources from Catholic Christian Outreach.

For more practical advice and experiences from real people sharing their mission with the world, go to https://equip.archomaha.org/podcast/.

A Production of the Archdiocese of Omaha
Editor: Taylor Schroll (ForteCatholic.com)