Kolbecast

AMDG. Today, we bring to you the speakers from the 2026 Kolbe Commencement.  
Kolbe Academy’s senior enrollment director Jon Bates serves as Master of Ceremonies, introducing Fr. Raymond Pendelton, who gives the invocation, and Kolbe Academy’s chief academic officer Megan Lengyel, who gives the welcome address. Then we hear from student speakers Laura Hill and Holden Mora, Kolbe instructor and theology chair Nick Senz, and Dr. Stephen Minis, president of Benedictine College.  
We hope that you enjoy the words of wisdom from all of these individuals, however, if you’d like to jump to a particular speaker, here are the timestamps for each speaker: 
Invocation by Fr. Raymond Pendleton: 01:16 
Welcome address by Mrs. Megan Lengyel: 02:41 
Laura Hill: 04:36 
Holden Mora: 12:03 
Nicholas Senz: 31:14 
Stephen Minnis: 53:41 
Relevant links & Kolbecast episodes: 
Kolbecast episodes with faculty speaker Nick Senz:  
300 The Gift of the Sacraments with Brendan Murphy discussing Nick’s book on the sacraments 
91 Kernels of Truth with Chrissy Almanzar 
Watch the entire 2026 commencement ceremony here. 
Benedictine College in Atchison, KS, is one of Kolbe Academy’s college partners.  
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Today, Kolbe advisors Pam Castor, Abby Ehlers, and Krysten Pizzurrro join the Kolbecast to discuss extra-curricular activities in homeschooling. Homeschooling is certainly about educating the minds of our children, but we’re always striving to bring about the well-being of the whole person. Activities outside of schooling can play an important role in this, with activities such as sports, serving in the parish, and groups such as scouting.  
These advisors give us some examples of how this can be done and provide us with advice on how to find balance. 
Links mentioned & relevant: 
Articles from the Academics & Advising section of the Help Center: 
Scheduling Recommendations 
Cultivating Friendships and Enriching Social Activities for Homeschool Students  
Scheduling the Elementary and Middle School Day 
Extracurricular Activity Tracker 
High Academics, Non-Academics, and Activities 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
258 Seeking, Finding, and Building Community - Groups and Extracurriculars 
313 Preparing for a Stellar School Year 
320 College Considerations 
125 Call the Advisor 
284 Flexibility and Structure for the Early Years with Pam Castor and Emmanuelle Wilhelm 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Kolbe Academy advisors Cecilia Byers and Elyse Williams return to the Kolbecast in a conversation about preparing students for college.  
From early preparations to discerning what might be the right field and the right college, Cecilia and Elyse provide great advice on how to navigate this journey and also how our Kolbe families can lean on them as advisors to help them along the way. 
Links mentioned and relevant: 
Career Guidance and Discernment section of Kolbe’s Help Center website 
Interest & Ability Tools article 
High School Graduation Plan Progress article 
College Planning section of Help Center 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
313 Preparing for a Stellar School Year 
230 A Multi-Pronged Approach to College Prep 
296 Tips for Testing Success 
241 Renew, Resolve, Reengage with Elyse, which discusses various types of career and aptitude testing 
84 The Essence of Catholic Education and 157 Renewal, Revival, Variety, and Unity with Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society 
Episodes with the College Partners and Life after Kolbe tags on the Kolbe.org/Podcast page 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Today, Kolbe Advisors Rylan Buchanan and Sarah Howard join the Kolbecast to offer some tips and advice on homeschooling. They also remind us of how Kolbe’s family advisors can help our parents effectively navigate their homeschooling journey. 
As Sarah points out, homeschooling can be a bit like making a tapestry. When you’re in the thick of it you can see the knots and it can look messy, but when you turn it around, you can see the beautiful work that has been done.  
Advisors like Rylan and Sarah help our families with that homeschooling work and can also encourage us to see the beautiful progress when we’re in the thick of it. 
Links mentioned & relevant: 
Kolbe Academy’s Family Advising Services 
HSLDA.org  
Help Center articles 
Grade Level Course Selection Guides 
6th-12th Grade Math & Science Sequence 
High School Graduation Plan Progress and Fillable Graduation Planner 
Scheduling Your Elementary and Middle School Day 
Scheduling Your High School Day 
Monitoring & Verifying Store Credit 
Related Kolbecast episodes:  
197 Tools in a Toolbox: Kolbe Student Support Services 
232 Part of the Family: Parents & Advisors as Partners 
269 Resources and Roadmaps 
243 Drawing Distinctions - Classical Education, Liberal Arts, and Liberal Education 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Kolbe’s own Neva Hernandez joins Bonnie and Steven to welcome Dr. Matthew Mehan to the Kolbecast. Dr. Mehan is a best-selling author and the Associate Dean and Professor of Government at the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College’s Washington D.C. campus.  
As we come to our country’s 250th birthday, we discuss history, poetry and Dr. Mehan’s new book The American Book of Fables.  
This new book explores our country and its history through the eyes of American animals and has materials for “Littles”, “Middles” and “Bigs” and with its beautiful illustrations can be enjoyed by the whole family. 
Links mentioned and relevant: 
The American Book of Fables by Dr. Matthew Mehan 
Trailer for The American Book of Fables 
Mr. Mehan’s Mildly Amusing Book of Mythical Mammals and The Handsome Little Cygnet, also written by Dr. Matthew Mehan and illustrated by artist John Folley 
Dr. Mehan is @mtmehan on Instagram and X 
Watch trailers for Dr. Mehan's books on YouTube 
Dr. Gerard Wegemer of the Thomas More Studies program at the University of Dallas 
Relevant Kolbecast episodes: 
192 Kitchen Doings, Neva’s Kolbecast debut 
175 A Both-And Approach with Dr. Jonathan Sanford, president of the University of Dallas 
312 Educating for Liberty with Dr. Tom Harmon 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. We are joined by mother, grandmother, author, speaker, and podcaster Lisa Hendey. Many parents, or at least their children, will be familiar with Lisa’s Chime Travelers series of books, which explore children who travel through time to meet saints who help them solve problems in their own time. The books have recently been made into an animated television series. We discuss the origins of the series and the process of bringing these wonderful stories on screen. We also visit about Lisa’s wide-ranging writing and speaking for audiences of all ages. 
Links mentioned and relevant: 
Chime Travelers website 
Chime Travelers trailer 
Lisa’s website 
Lisa’s Substack 
Holy Cross Family Ministries 
Lisa’s books 
Chime Travelers series
The Handbook for Catholic Women 
The Grace of Yes 
Jesus Every Day, Jesus Every Way 
Danielle Bean’s Substack 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
303 Hallow and the Road Home 
308 Understand, Live, and Share the Faith with The Augustine Institute 
131 It’s All about Relationship with Danielle Bean 
133 An Audience of One with Kolbe Academi alumni turned students of John Paul the Great Catholic University 
73 Through Beauty and Technology with Leila Castillo and Dolores Mihaliak 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Today we are joined by Kolbe homeschooling fathers Scott Patterson and Tony Guzzaldo. 
As we know, homeschooling can take all sorts of forms, and today we hear how two fathers work to make homeschooling successful in their families.  
We hear how their children are thriving in Kolbe’s homeschooling program and how homeschooling has enriched their relationships with their children along the way. 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
181 Chef Dad with Tony Guzzaldo 
263 Exploring God’s Cosmos: Astronomy for Everyday People 
162 Let Latin Conquer You with Steven’s wife Maggie Hayden and Dr. Jordan Almanzar 
62 Due Diligence with Darren Jones of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

AMDG. Today we are joined by Rebecca Dougherty. For many years, Rebecca put her master's degrees in theology and education to work in teaching high school theology, but these days she’s putting her gifts to work homeschooling her own children and providing insight and knowledge via her podcast.  
Additionally, she and her brother Fr. Gregory Pine are set to release a series of podcasts through Ascension Press’ Catholic Classics podcast covering Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection’s The Practice of the Presence of God.  
We are able to get some insight into homeschooling from Rebecca and also get a preview about the writings of this 17th century monk and the wisdom they contain. 
Links mentioned & relevant: 
More about Rebecca Dougherty 
Trailer and Facebook group for Ascension’s presentation of The Practice of the Presence of God 
Rebecca on Godsplaining
Catholic Light podcast
Fr. Gregory Pine discussing Pope Leo’s new encyclical Magnifica Humanitas  
Social media handles: 
Instagram: @ascensionpress, @catholiclightpodcast 
Facebook: @AscensionPress and @rebecca.raintreehoa 
X: @AscensionPress 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
179 Translation Tug of War with Dr. Matthew Minerd, the translator of Ascension’s edition of The Practice of the Presence of God
222 Something No One Has Understood Before  and 278 The Compatibility of Catholicism and Evolution with Dr. Daniel Kuebler 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey! 
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast!