Kolbecast

265 Chosen to Be a Saint - Commencement 2025

AMDG. The Kolbe Academy Class of 2025 has graduated, and it’s time to celebrate! Kolbe Chaplain Fr. Charlie Archer, Executive Director Mary Rowles, Kolbe teacher Brendan Murphy, President of Walsh University Dr. Tim Collins, and three accomplished Kolbe graduates take the stage to share their reflections on Kolbe’s education and their rousing exhortations for the Class of 2025.  
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
100 In the Beginning with Kolbe Academy co-founder Mrs. Dianne Muth 
132 Monday Morning Assembly and 242 Finish Line in Sight featuring student speakers Dhilan Matthews & Colin Lengyel 
Episodes with Brendan Murphy: 169 No Made-Up Answers and 218 The Questions behind the Questions 
Episodes with Elizabeth Hoxie: 89 The Master Blueprint, 112 Cura Personalis: The Intro, 136 Cura Personalis: The Sequel, 213 This Is a Beginning, and 21 To Live Fully Alive 
159 Now We See in Part 
Other relevant links: 
Watch the entire 2025 commencement ceremony here.  
More about Dr. Tim Collins, president of Walsh University 
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! 

264 Spiritual Friendship featuring Fr. Wayne Sattler

AMDG. “Sister, is God a person for you, or an idea?”  
Diocesan priest, author, and former hermit Fr. Wayne Sattler joins the Kolbecast to share his life-story from high school teacher to almost-married to hermit; his two books, which originated in his notes from years leading spiritual retreats; spiritual direction, or as he prefers to call it, “spiritual friendship”; relating to God as a person, not as an idea, which is the theme of one of his books; and so much more. Fr. Sattler’s humor, hope, and humility shine through every story he tells, and his words reflect the wisdom he has gained from his years of experience counseling others.  
Links mentioned & relevant: 
Books & articles by Fr. Wayne Sattler:  
Remain in Me and I in You – Relating to God as a Person, Not an Idea 
And You Will Find Rest: What God Does in Prayer 
Wasting Time with God, an article on Catholic Exchange 
Other books: 
The Four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance by Josef Pieper 
Seeking Spiritual Direction by Rev. Thomas Dubay S.M.  
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
183 Gratuitous Gifts: Sherry Weddell on Charisms 
123 A Change of the Ages, 213 This Is a Beginning, and 224 Forming Apostolic Hearts with Msgr. James P. Shea 
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! 

263 Exploring God's Cosmos - Astronomy for Everyday People

AMDG. In Kolbe’s new astronomy program, the sky’s the limit of what students can learn. Astronomy teacher Antonia Castro and course developer Vanessa Delgado are here to discuss the third quadrivium subject and Kolbe’s updated astronomy program. The duo examine why astronomy is the “mother of the scientific field” and explain their efforts to bring students a foundational experience in applied mathematics and physics, while also sparking wonder at the grandeur of God’s creation. “Everything is difficult if you don’t know what it is,” Antonio reflects. “But once you start looking into it, step by step, it’s easy,” he promises. 
From building telescopes to mapping relative distances, this astronomy course has something for the most theoretical mind to the most practical learner. 
Links mentioned & relevant:  
Exploring the Heavens: Kolbe Academy's High School Astronomy Course with link to free download/preview of text and course materials 
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham 
Vatican Observatory podcast 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
107 Wander & Wonder and 241 Renew, Resolve, Reengage with Vanessa Delgado 
249 Stories Crafted with Care from Kolbe Academy Press 
259 Seeing the Story: Classical Reflections on Art 
114 Kolbe Academy Past, Present, and Future featuring Kolbe Academy Executive Director Mary Rowles 
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! 

262 Childlike Joy for Our New Pope with Katie Bogner

AMDG. “Don’t feel like it’s too late— you can pick this up and study and learn about it anytime you want.”  
Author of the brand-new book We Have a Pope Katie Bogner and Kolbe kindergarten teacher Kimberly Wolf join the Kolbecast to share their experience talking to young students about the new pope and papal election process. Katie explains the inspiration behind her new book, how she simplified her explanation of a papal conclave to make it appropriate for young readers, and what her writing process looks like (“They have all actually started as really detailed spreadsheets,” she notes). Kimberly shares stories of watching the papal election with her students and the questions they asked, as well as how she used Katie’s resources in her classroom. The duo reflects on avoiding politics in the midst of papal news and the importance of continuing celebration. “Ride this wave as Catholics,” Katie says, “Keep celebrating.”  
Related links: 
We Have a Pope published by the St. Paul Center & illustrated by Kortnee Senn of Studio Senn 
Follow @stpaulcenter @emmausroadpublishing and @katherine.bogner on Instagram. 
Kolbecast episodes mentioned & relevant: 
184 Hope & Wonder and 248 Intentionality & Purpose for Lent & Holy Week with Katie Bogner & Shari Van Vranken 
Spotlights on Kolbe Academy’s online elementary program: 
81 The When and the How of Online Elementary 
82 Move & Groove 
122 Bridge Year 
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! 

261 Lisa Popcak - Make It about Relationship

AMDG. In a continuation of last week’s episode, Lisa Popcak shares her advice for new homeschooling families, including what aspects of education matter most and what worked in her own family. “I had promised her… you will be 100% fine,” Lisa recalled. “And sure enough, she got recruited by her college… and got almost a full ride to be a pre-med student.”  
Lisa reflects on her children leaving the home for college, navigating hard seasons in the home, liturgical living, and so much more.  
Kolbecast episodes mentioned & relevant: 
260 Flow & Connection through Learning, the first part of our conversation with Lisa Popcak 
255 Family Life as Liturgy with Dr. Greg Popcak 
131 It’s All about Relationship with Danielle Bean 
62 Due Diligence with Darren Jones of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) 
105 Not Just for Special Occasions 
Related links:  
CatholicHOM (Households on Mission) 
CatholicCounselors.com 
More2Life Radio & podcasts 
Books by Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcak 
Momfidence podcast 
BeDADitudes podcast 
Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté 
Books by the Popcaks mentioned in this conversation: 
Discovering God Together: The Catholic Guide to Raising Faithful Kids 
Parenting Kids with Grace (birth to age 10) 
Parenting Your Teens and Tweens with Grace 
Once upon a Lifetime Podcast 
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! 

260 Lisa Popcak on Flow & Connection through Learning

AMDG. Catholic podcaster and co-founder/vice-president of  CatholicCounselors.comLisa Popcak shares her wisdom on homeschooling and raising children in the faith. Lisa advocates for “flow” rather than structure in the homeschool day and paints a picture of what a rich— but achievable— prayer life looks like in a busy home. “We have to get away from the idea that our prayer life has to be rigorous,” Lisa says. “If our children are called to a rigorous monastic life, God will give them the grace for that. We have many saints who were… and many saints who went a different way.”  
 
Kolbecast episodes mentioned & relevant: 
255 Family Life as Liturgy with Dr. Greg Popcak 
131 It’s All about Relationship with Danielle Bean 
Related links:  
CatholicHOM (Households on Mission) 
CatholicCounselors.com 
More2Life Radio & podcasts 
Books by Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcak 
Momfidence podcast 
BeDADitudes podcast 
Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld & Gabor Maté 
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! 

259 Seeing the Story - Classical Reflections on Art

AMDG.  “I always knew I liked these things and I knew they were beautiful, but now I know why.”  
In a special sneak peek episode, Kolbe Academy team members Carol Gilpin, Stephanie Foley, and Therese Prudlo join the Kolbecast to discuss the brand new art history and architecture book. The trio discusses the layout of the new art book, revealing the thought process and design work that went into the new text. “It’s like we’re having a conversation with that artist… a real human connection,” Stephanie reflects.  
Whether you are considering purchasing this book for your children or interested in picking up a beautiful, readable art book for yourself, this episode is a must-listen!  
Related Kolbecast episodes:  
194 Visual Literacy with Amanda Shepherd 
249 Stories Crafted with Care featuring Carol Gilpin, Stephanie Foley, and Stasha Becher 
186 Full Circle (of Fifths) and 201 The Soundtrack of Life with Carl Hasler and Olivia Knuffke on the topic of music 
Links mentioned & relevant: 
Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists 
Art History text 
The “Not-Artistic” Parent’s Guide to Art Appreciation with free download/preview of artist spotlights 
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! 

258 Seeking, Finding, and Building Community -- Groups & Extracurriculars

AMDG. Do you worry about finding a strong community for your children outside the home? Homeschooling moms Dee-dee and Krysten join the Kolbecast to share about their homeschool communities. Filled with practical advice and anecdotes from their years of experience, Dee-dee and Krysten’s conversation makes building a thriving community feel accessible to anyone.  
Dee-dee started her own homeschooling group after moving to an area that didn’t have a strong homeschooling community. What started as a small gathering in Dee-dee’s household snowballed into a huge community of homeschool families. “The most successful groups are the ones that grow organically,” Deedee notes. Her homeschool group now offers copious enrichment activities such as drama, theatre, and a brown bag lunch program for the needy in the community. 
Krysten runs the largest homeschool group on a military base in the nation. Krysten addresses the ins and outs of running a homeschool non-profit organization, from cautionary tales to inspiring successes in evangelization. “God will open the doors that need to be open,” Krysten says. “Lean into what God is calling you to do.” 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
214 A Long View with Charles & Dee-dee Mihaliak 
155 Mission Intent: Pathways to Serve and 156 Mission Intent: Formed to Serve with and about homeschooling military families 
105 Not Just for Special Occasions addressing socialization 
3 Dramatic Arts and 73 Through Beauty and Technology with Dolores Mihaliak 
208 A Mosaic of Experience and 246 Orientation toward the Eternal with Kolbe Academy alumnus Charlie Mihaliak 
Relevant links: 
School & Co-op Partnerships with Kolbe Academy 
Adoro Te, the homeschool group that Dee-dee and her family helped found 
Cultivating Friendships and Enriching Social Activities for Homeschool Students from the Kolbe Academy Help Center 
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!