Upstream Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Pat and Fr. Mike Schmitz tackle the tension priests encounter between being popular and being authentic. The conversation dives into the spiritual and practical dangers of avoiding conflict, the need for truth-tellers in leadership, and the importance of genuine relationships built on love rather than admiration. Together, Pat and Fr. Mike challenge listeners to choose truth over comfort, love over applause, and authenticity over approval.

With an increasing yearning for unadulterated truth and an attraction to the beauty of the sacraments, more and more people are curious about the Catholic Church. Today, Pat talks with his good friend, Fr. John Riccardo from ACTS XXIX, about the importance of sharing the fullness of the Church with conviction and joy and without apology.

...

Check out all the great work that Fr. John and ACTS XXIX team are doing at actsxxix.org.

One of the most important and visible tasks that priests carry out during Mass is the delivery of the homily. To some, this part of the role comes naturally, but to others, it can be a struggle. This week, our goal is to provide simple feedback and offer some advice in the hopes that it might help you make your homilies as impactful as they can be. P – Passionate, O – Organized, U – Understandable, R – Relevant. POUR yourself into your homilies, and trust those around you enough to receive constructive feedback. Don’t be performative, don’t be boring, and keep your homilies just long enough to get your message across.

...

Mentioned in this Episode: 

• Amen App: https://amenapp.org/ 
• Hallow App: https://hallow.com/ 
• Bible in a Year Podcast: https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/bibleinayear/
• 3-Minute Reset: https://3minutereset.org/

One of the most important and visible tasks that priests carry out during Mass is the delivery of the homily. To some, this part of the role comes naturally, but to others, it can be a struggle. This week, our goal is to provide simple feedback and offer some advice in the hopes that it might help you make your homilies as impactful as they can be. P – Passionate, O – Organized, U – Understandable, R – Relevant. POUR yourself into your homilies, and trust those around you enough to receive constructive feedback. Don’t be performative, don’t be boring, and keep your homilies just long enough to get your message across.

Parish priests are under a lot of pressure to be good at all things. Good homilists, good operators, good with pastoral care—the list doesn't stop.  It's unrealistic that any of us would be good at all things, yet the pressure persists.  In this episode, we discuss the "Working Genius" model created by Patrick Lencioni.  The "Working Genius" is an assessment that reveals an individuals strengths and weaknesses so that we work better together.  It's a helpful model for a priest to better understand what brings you to life, what exhausts you, and how to build a team around you so that your parish can grow stronger. 

Every pastor dreams of a parish that is full, vibrant, and active.  But making this dream a reality can be difficult, maybe even overwhelming.  So we look to established programs for structure and to take away the guess work.  Yet still, rolling out a new program at your parish takes serious commitment.  There never seems to be a shortcut.  

Or maybe we're just making this too complicated?  In today's show, Patrick shares a simple model for engaging parishioners through simple evangelization.  It's spontanoeous, daring, and sparks a new excitement in each of us.  Also, it's a time-tested model—the Apostles did it 2000 years ago, and it changed the world forever.

To lead our church and preach the Truth requires courage to swim upstream. Podcast host Patrick Lencioni invites seminarians, priests, and bishops to join him in this conversation. 

Pat and his friends Fr. John Riccardo of ACTS XXIX and Chris Jenson discuss small adjustments priests can make to their Christmas Masses. These adjustments could make this year’s Mass extra special for people who might only attend church once or twice a year and be an excellent reminder for those who attend more often.

YouTube video Pat references: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYLRuVy0t6Q

The Church in America is facing significant challenges related to the restructuring of parishes due to priest shortage. While some may suggest closing parishes to streamline operations, the Church is a spiritual entity that requires thoughtful, prayerful management rather than just business-like solutions. The approach taken to address these challenges can greatly impact vocations and the overall spiritual life of the Church. It’s essential to prioritize the protection of holy, faithful priests as the starting point for any strategy moving forward. Pat is joined by friends Chris Jenson and Matthew Rudolph to begin the conversation about this important topic.

Here is a link to the Multiple Parishes article by Patrick Lencioni

https://upstreampodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/UpStream-Multiple-Parishes.pdf

Accepting low standards comes at a cost. So, why do leaders tolerate it? In this episode, Pat sits down with his good friend Chris Jenson, a management consultant, and discusses what mediocrity really is, why leaders let it occur, and how to overcome it.