Above: Host Joelle Zarnowski interviews Fr. John Rose during an episode of Catholic Conversations. (Photo credit | Rick Mossotti)
The weekly podcast offers Catholic insights by local clergy and laity
By Tami S. Scott, Editor
Sun photos | Rick Mossetti
Every Tuesday at midnight, a new episode of “Catholic Conversations” is released for its growing audience. The podcast, which can be accessed through YouTube, Spotify, Apple and other apps, made its debut in December with host Joelle Zarnowski, communications specialist at the Diocese of Syracuse.
With the diocese already having many channels to connect with its Catholic community — The Catholic Sun, SOLIS magazine, Catholic TV and social media — the podcast is its latest endeavor to reach an even wider audience that wants to learn about or deepen their Catholic knowledge and faith.
“[The diocese is] on Instagram and Facebook, and we’re very active on those platforms … but a podcast was something that I thought would be a different platform for us to reach people, and a great way to evangelize and educate …,” Zarnowski said. She pitched it to the communications team, and it’s been a collaborative effort ever since.
With seven episodes under her belt at press time, guests have included Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, retired priest Father John Rose, Father Brendan Foley, Father Christopher Seibt, Deacon Jeff Dixe and Gabby Patwell — each from within the diocese and discussing different topics related to Catholicism and our local Catholic community.
The podcasts last around 15 minutes to avoid overwhelming listeners who have tight schedules; the goal is to listen to the entire podcast in one sitting.
“For us, with the topics we’re talking about, it’s really important that we can get the message across in a time that they can just listen to it all in one straight shot,” Zarnowski said.
So, what have been some topics so far?
Fr. Seibt, pastor of Divine Mercy in Central Square and Sacred Heart in Cicero, offered insight into Mary’s role in salvation history.
Dc. Jeff Dixe, director of Adult & Ministerial Formation, spoke about the vital role of the laity in the Church and how their contributions shape parish life. He also introduced the Formation for Ministry program.
Fr. Brendan Foley, Spanish apostolate at St. Anthony of Padua in Syracuse, shared the history and significance of Las Posadas, an Advent celebration among the Latino community.
Bishop Lucia reflected on the past year in the diocese and shared his hopeful vision pertaining to the 2025 Jubilee Year.
As we enter February and March, upcoming themes include World Marriage Day, youth leadership, women’s history and more.
“[Joelle] does a fabulous job at breaking things down to a very basic level …,” said Patwell, who is the diocese’s digital specialist.
Catholic topics can be confusing or sometimes given high-level explanations, leaving both Catholics and non-Catholics scratching their heads.
“She does a good job of explaining through [the guests] and through herself what the topic is [about].”
A “cradle Catholic” who attended Catholic schools and has worked a decade with the diocese, Zarnowski said she continues to learn about the faith all the time.
“So, for somebody who has been born and raised Catholic and had Catholic education and has been involved in parish life for their entire life … if there are still things that I’m learning, then certainly there are other people out there who maybe have misconceptions or misunderstandings of the Catholic faith,” she said.
Episodes won’t always take on a serious tone, though. “We can find ways to make it fun and engaging and creative and enjoyable for everyone. And so, if there are ideas that people have that they want to toss out at us, please do.”
And she’s serious!
“That’s why we’re here — to serve the people of the diocese,” said Zarnowski, who admits to being camera shy. “The whole goal in this is to give them what they’re looking for. So, if there’s something specific that they want to hear, we want to know that so we can provide it.
Listeners can offer their feedback by emailing [email protected].
You can also spread the word about this new podcast by visiting and watching the episodes at https://www.youtube.com/@syrdio, where you can subscribe, like, and share.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a digital medium that consists of audio and/or video episodes. Each episode has a specific theme. They can run short or long, and there are numerous ways to access them.
