September 21, 2021 • 23 mins
Kerry Campbell, Catholic writer, musician, teacher and creator of the podcast, "Raised Catholic," shares how prayer and God whispers have led her to new opportunities to grow her faith and the faith of others. Her podcast has become a place for Catholics on the margins to feel heard and to find God in their every day.
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(00:00):
Welcome to God Pods Faith Conversations from Boston College's Church in the 21st century center.
Hello,
this is Karen Kiefer,
director of the church in the 21st century center.
And again,
welcome to God Pods.
I'm so excited because we are launching a new God pod series that focuses on living our vocations.
(00:28):
I'm going to be interviewing a series of everyday Catholics and how they choose intentionally to use their gifts to revitalize their own faith and to revitalize other people's faith and also to revitalize the church.
(00:48):
So today,
our first guest is Kerry Campbell.
Now you might be thinking who's Carrie Campbell?
Well,
she's an everyday Catholic who is living her beautiful faith.
Um She's a music minister,
she's a music teacher for little ones.
Uh She's uh where is the beautiful title of Mother of Two.
(01:13):
She started this blog called My Little Epiphanies.
Um And she's also started her own podcast called Raised Catholic.
I met Carrie through social media and kind of out in the world.
Um I don't believe um that,
(01:34):
that I wasn't supposed to be Carrie.
Um This was a God wink.
And so I thought I'd dig a little deeper and find out a little bit more about Carrie and then have a conversation with her and we in fact,
did.
And now I want to share um some of Carrie's gifts and her wisdoms with you through this again,
first episode of sharing um and living our vocations here on the God Pod podcast.
(02:00):
Um Carrie,
welcome.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so happy to be with you.
Well,
we're just thrilled that you're here.
And um so let's begin,
like,
let's just take a walk back.
What?
Tell us,
share a little bit of your spiritual journey with us and then we can talk a little bit about your projects.
Sounds good.
(02:20):
So,
um I was born and raised Catholic in the early seventies in the Boston area.
So,
like many of us um a cradle Catholic.
My parents were really active in the church.
Um My mother had started um a food pantry and giving tree program.
So they walked the walk as well as talking the talk,
(02:40):
um you know,
weekly churchgoers.
Um And then,
you know,
like many young adults.
I,
I probably was away from the church for a little while,
came back and raised my kids in the church.
I'm a music minister um really active in our local curso program um at the Holy Cross retreat house.
And um you know,
(03:02):
I've just tried to serve this church.
I love um in this time that feels kind of troubling and broken for so many Catholics so well.
Um,
it seems to because you are living your faith.
Um,
not only in your own life but also in the life of your family and then also that you're,
(03:23):
you know,
committed to your parish that you have an opportunity,
um,
to be able to see things that maybe others can't see.
And at the same time,
um,
a beautiful commitment and devotion to the church where you're not gonna walk away and you're going to try to figure out how we make things better,
(03:43):
you know.
Um I'm,
I'm reading Pope Francis's book.
Let Us stream.
And I,
I love that.
He talks about how um our lives are filled with COVID challenges,
you know,
and uh a wonderful Jesuit here at Boston College,
Father William Nan used to say that um everyone has their good Fridays.
(04:05):
Um and it allows us the opportunity to struggle and um but also to realize the wonder of Easter.
And I feel like we all see Easter in our relationships and in our families and our gifts from God.
And so I know that you're so attentive to those gifts and trying to figure out a way to give them away to others and to bring others back to their faith,
(04:35):
which is such is,
is so needed and,
and it's such a beautiful thing.
And so I want to start with your blogging and your writing kind of using your writing right to get to get the word out and starting to blog on my little epiphanies,
talk to us about how that all started and why you chose to do it.
(04:56):
Sure.
Um Well,
I think I've always written just to process my life,
like I kind of know what I believe after I've written it.
Um And when my kids were small,
I was understanding,
actually going through kind of a faith process myself of renewing my own faith.
Um really trying to discern whether what I had been taught was something I wanted to pass on to my kids.
(05:18):
So,
um a real time of renewal for me when my kids were small,
um my mother had written me a letter,
she thought I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to say in understanding God,
the best way to do it is by understanding yourself as a parent because God is the perfect parent.
So anything that you would see in your Children,
(05:39):
um and um worry over or praise or anything like that,
you could also extrapolate that to a larger God who loves you and like just wants to be with you in every moment.
So,
you know,
a lot of the little things I found my kids doing,
you know,
even picking up a stick and running with it or,
um you know,
making a mess out of something that I had made.
(06:01):
Um,
you know,
I was thinking of it in terms of a metaphor of how God sees me in my own messes or in my own walk.
So I was writing a lot in that time of just ways that I saw God and the actions and reactions of my Children.
Um And so it,
that turned into lots of finding metaphors in everyday life,
finding God in grocery store situations and um at the beach and in sand,
(06:27):
pails and lots of things in nature.
So,
um my little epiphanies is a place to put all of those kind of reflections and musings together,
kind of kind of finding God in just everyday life and in symbols and metaphor.
I would say.
So,
would your advice to someone who's listening um be look,
(06:48):
be attentive,
look around,
acknowledge what's there,
what's not,
not,
not only around you but what's inside you.
Yeah,
absolutely.
And to let that still small voice speak within you because the Holy Spirit is alive and,
and working in you,
directing your gaze,
directing your ears.
And so,
yeah,
use your senses,
look up,
(07:09):
look around,
listen.
Yeah,
for sure.
Now,
what about,
what about the podcast?
Like?
How did that even start?
Was that through a series of fallen away Catholics that inspired you to hold on to them and,
and try to bring them back?
Well,
I would say my experience in curso,
(07:29):
which is um it's a retreat program,
but it's also,
it's um it's a,
an encounter with Christ,
how do you,
how do you spell that?
Ccocu RSI Llo?
And it's a worldwide program.
It's a four day retreat.
But then it's um it's,
they say it's a three day retreat and then your fourth day is how you live it for the rest of the time.
(07:50):
So I lived Curio at the Holy Cross Retreat house at Stonehill College.
Um,
but those programs exist everywhere and they can just look that up very much.
So.
Yeah,
it's all over the country,
all over the world.
Um But that gave me a lens of kind of living my life through encounter with God.
(08:10):
So interesting.
Uh so about the podcast.
So I had been thinking in terms of a lot of the Catholics that I know who were struggling Catholics in the church,
Catholics on the margins.
Catholics who went to mass a couple of times a year.
But a lot of them even just in the pews,
wondering,
is there more than what I'm hearing from some of the national discourse of um Catholic leadership?
(08:34):
Um Why is this God that I'm hearing from my pastor?
Doesn't sound like the Jesus that I,
that I know personally.
Yeah.
So a lot of people coming to me,
I guess,
I guess as a,
you know,
a leader in some ways and just in my parish,
but um also within my curso community um with their struggles and,
(08:55):
you know,
I've been writing for that audience for a time and then I really felt a pull from the Holy Spirit toward podcasting.
I've never done a podcast,
never something I intended to do.
But as you mentioned,
COVID does open these doors of opportunity.
And during COVID,
I was teaching far less.
Um and I just really felt the pull of the Holy Spirit just to try to start small um and do what I could to make a space for those wandering or struggling Catholics.
(09:26):
And I count myself among them.
So we're all in it together,
right?
So I see it when,
when we talked,
when we met earlier,
like,
I love that spirit,
like I said to you,
like jump and find your wings,
right?
And I think we as human beings,
like,
it's scary when you don't know what's next,
you know,
(09:46):
but it's all,
there's also such a beautiful comfort that we find in living our faith.
And like,
I love the fact that you were just like podcast.
Like,
I don't even know how to do this.
I don't know what I would say.
Um And then you just started and I correct me if I'm wrong,
but I think you said you just kind of googled how to do it.
And then,
(10:06):
you know,
the first couple of episodes you were doing on your phone and now I know you're rerecording them just,
you know,
because now you've become more attentive to,
you know,
how things sound on the podcast and all that but then you just started it.
Were you scared?
And then also when you release the first episode,
were you thinking who is even listening besides my husband and maybe my kids and maybe not your kids and probably not my husband.
(10:31):
Um Yeah,
you know what I I think when my kids were small,
we had some school budget issues in town and I became kind of a voice in that um fight never having thought I'd ever stand up at a town meeting or anything like that.
So this felt like that like I was meeting the moment that was called for.
(10:52):
So,
no,
I was not afraid,
but I also had no expectations of what it might be,
what it could turn into and I still don't.
Um uh yeah,
those first episodes on the phone speaking way too slowly.
I didn't think so because I listened to those.
I thought you might have heard the re-recorded well,
but yeah,
(11:12):
just doing the best I could to make a space and I knew immediately kind of the format that what I wanted to do was just offer a small reflection,
a little bit of some suggestions of how people can engage with their own relationship with God in and outside the church walls.
And then to encourage people that they can only their own faith lives,
it does not have to be directed by someone else that it is their responsibility and their right to,
(11:37):
to cultivate this relationship on their own and to find their voice.
Right.
And then over the years,
what I found talking to people is that people do want to find their voice.
They do want to,
uh,
to pray more.
They do want community,
they do want hospitality,
they do want to grow.
(11:57):
They're just trying to figure out where and how,
and,
and hopefully that that can be in the Catholic church,
you know,
that,
that they,
they will find that comfort in,
in the pew,
you know,
but um we're,
we're in a moment,
we're in a moment right now.
And um it's trying to figure out how do we each become catalysts for reform and change and um help each other grow our faith,
(12:27):
you know.
Um Where do you get your ideas?
Well,
the very,
the cornerstone idea of the whole podcast came from the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Um The day that that happened,
I,
I think I even wrote a poem which I rarely do,
but it just seemed to me a perfect picture of what the church is undergoing these days that the church is beautiful,
(12:49):
the church is broken,
damaged and what do we do in response to the fire that we're experiencing in the church?
Um So we're digging in ashes,
we're finding what's valuable and we're looking up for light to find how to rebuild the church in a way that is safe and helpful for people.
Um A welcoming place for um people who are outside of the church to come in.
(13:11):
Um So that whole process,
this long,
difficult process of restoring Notre Dame is kind of how I see um Lay Catholics in this time of how we can address this fire that's in the church and how we can make it into something better.
Now,
I know that you run and you had mentioned to me that sometimes on a long run you'll get an idea and then that will spark several days of writing or just getting your thoughts down.
(13:39):
And then,
um,
the next episode of Raised Catholic,
um,
is that,
is that how it goes?
Yeah.
So very much week to week.
Um,
it's a weekly podcast that comes out every Tuesday morning and where can people find it?
Oh,
sure.
You can find Raised Catholic anywhere you listen to podcasts,
Apple Spotify,
any of those places,
um,
(14:00):
wherever you like to listen,
it's an Anchor podcast.
So if some people are familiar with Anchor,
you can go straight there.
Um So,
um,
yeah,
it's a,
it's a weekly process.
I don't know what the topic will be as the week begins.
Um,
usually by Wednesday or Thursday,
I'll try to go out on a run and get some inspiration or,
and then start writing.
(14:21):
I,
you know,
have my hands in it a little bit every day.
So I'm writing some editing and then recording.
So,
um,
yeah,
very imperfect and kind of,
you know,
going with it as we,
as we go and trying very much to be spirit led as in my topics and what I'm saying,
what about the um people that are,
are listening,
you know,
to your podcast?
Do you ever hear from them or I know you've just done a podcast on water.
(14:46):
Yes.
So I got some great feedback from a friend.
So right now,
my podcast is very small.
Um Meaning your community,
my community,
which is why we invite you to be part of that community.
Oh,
I would love to hear from you.
So please do.
If you stop by the podcast or the or the blog,
just make sure you let me know who you are.
But yes,
(15:06):
I did a podcast on water and at the end kind of invited um listeners to think about how we interact with water and as a way to further our spiritual lives.
And I did hear from a friend who said he was listening while walking a dog and during that part of the podcast cut came up upon like Plymouth Harbor and en and engaged with water himself and,
(15:29):
and talk to God in that moment.
So that's the stuff I love.
I love how God is.
So in our details and would maneuver his walk to get to the point in my podcast to interact at that time to allow him to have this moment with him.
So,
um yeah,
grace.
That's the stuff I love.
Yeah,
I love those.
(15:49):
You know,
as mothers,
you're the mother of two.
I'm the mother of four.
And we think about our,
our kids and handing on the faith and,
and,
um,
sometimes I,
I think am I did,
I did,
I not do enough,
you know,
but I also know that God is so deeply tattooed on them and in them,
(16:14):
but the way that some of them choose to practice their faith,
their Catholic faith is very different from the way we were raised,
raised Catholic.
You know,
what are your thoughts on that and,
and your maybe reflections on in an episode?
Yeah.
So,
um my kids are 23 and 21.
They were raised in the front view of our church because we were music ministers.
(16:37):
So that's where they sat.
Um,
from the time they could sit till the time they went to college,
I would say that I,
I totally agree.
This generation is engaging with faith in different ways than how we were raised.
But I do see that they are,
they are wildly um generous.
(16:57):
They are justice minded.
They're,
they have strong moral centers and they will reflect a relationship with God in a way that we might not expect,
but which will serve the world and serve them.
I think it's to us as a church to find a way to help them to hear the gospel in a new way.
(17:18):
Um,
that's maybe apart from what they might hear from,
uh,
from a pastor or from,
um,
a national,
like Catholic church leader,
church media.
Um I think some of that has been really destructive but for them,
I,
I don't worry about this generation and I just think they are,
(17:39):
um,
what is the line from Catherine of Ciena?
Like if who you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire.
I see this generation doing that just in ways that we're different from our generation.
That's right.
And the importance of making their mark and making a difference.
And um I mean,
they certainly know technology.
(17:59):
So for them to do a podcast that would be easy.
Exactly.
Much more challenging.
Um II,
I would say for myself,
um But that said,
what's ahead for raised Catholic in the podcast?
What are you thinking?
It's a great question and I have kind of,
um I've come at raised Catholic very much uh trying to be obedient to a call from the Holy Spirit.
(18:23):
Um So,
I don't know,
I don't know the answer to that.
I'm very open to any door that God would have for me to walk through it.
Um But for right now I'm trying to make quality content for people and be um a curator of a community for I for a group of Catholics that I just know,
(18:43):
need a place to be.
So,
you know,
I'm thinking what you just said,
and our listeners are,
are probably curious,
like,
so what did that call sound like or what did that call look like?
You know.
Um Because people are probably thinking,
why am I not called or am I being called?
And I'm not listening,
you know.
So would you,
I know that that's intimate.
(19:04):
But would you mind sharing that?
No.
And in fact,
one of the podcasts I listen to,
they frequently ask the question like,
what does it sound like when God speaks to you?
And I think,
you know,
that could be a whole book.
I just think that topic is so fascinating for me.
It feels like,
um uh you know,
it's not an audible voice,
but it does feel like something in me that I can recognize in my heart center that I,
(19:29):
I know that it is,
it is the voice of God and it's not me.
And so especially this because I would never have chosen to do this.
Isn't it funny when we look at our lives and we look back and we're like,
if someone said,
oh,
you're going to be this or you're going to be doing that,
you'd be like,
you've got the wrong carry,
you've got the wrong Karen,
you know.
But God is the God of surprises and has a beautiful sense of humor too,
(19:53):
which I think God wants us to share,
you know,
I mean,
it's just,
um yeah,
and who knows what's next.
Right.
I mean,
I mean,
I'm sure you're doing this every week.
Are there weeks where you're just,
like,
so frustrated?
You're like,
I don't have,
I don't know what I want to say.
I like tired.
I need a vacation.
(20:13):
Right.
Um,
yeah.
No,
I mean,
I don't,
I wouldn't say I would say I'm teaching more.
I have less time for the project.
Are you back in the classroom?
Teaching music to little ones now?
So I'm getting more and more in person teaching.
So,
um finding time is a challenge,
but I feel strongly about this project and until I don't then I'll do it.
(20:35):
So um it still feels like something God has for me to do.
So that's wonderful.
Well,
I want people to find you.
I want people to read,
read your blog.
I want people to listen to your podcast and to be able to reach out to you.
So um you're also on Instagram,
which I love and I think you're like a foodie.
(20:58):
Yes,
you need to follow her Instagram.
So Carrie,
what's Instagram?
So you can follow me on Instagram at Kerry Campbell writes.
Um So Kerry K er Ry Campbell like the soup and writes with an s um So find me there.
My blog is my little epiphan dot com and raised Catholic.
(21:19):
You can find anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Well,
I know that I started the podcast by saying,
you know,
we're going to be everyday Catholics that um are using their gifts to serve the church.
And as Pope Francis would say,
let us dream,
right?
How we can dream about how we can do that.
But you're,
I don't know,
maybe I need to change the everyday Catholics because you're certainly not ordinary and,
(21:42):
and you're extraordinary in the gifts that,
that you're giving everyone.
So we just appreciate it and I feel humbled and honored to be able to shine just a little light on what you're doing and appreciate you so much,
Carrie and I look forward to being able to share um the church in the 21st century centers,
God pods,
you know,
with other people so that they can be inspired.
(22:04):
And I hope for those of you that are listening.
Um Think about like what gifts can you share?
We have just this extraordinary theologian here at Boston College,
Father Michael Himes who says you really never own anything until you give it away.
I think Jesus said that too.
But um so we hope that,
(22:26):
that Kerry inspires you to think about what you can give away,
to help,
not only share and grow your faith,
but to help our church in this moment um as we begin to build and,
and,
and embrace revitalization.
So thanks again,
Carrie,
thank you so much for having me.
(22:47):
It's been a joy for more Catholic faith resources.
Follow us at bc.edu backslash C 21 or via Facebook.
Twitter and Instagram.
Welcome to God Pods Faith Conversations from Boston College's Church in the 21st century center.
Hello,
this is Karen Kiefer,
director of the church in the 21st century center.
And again,
welcome to God Pods.
I'm so excited because we are launching a new God pod series that focuses on living our vocations.
(00:28):
I'm going to be interviewing a series of everyday Catholics and how they choose intentionally to use their gifts to revitalize their own faith and to revitalize other people's faith and also to revitalize the church.
(00:48):
So today,
our first guest is Kerry Campbell.
Now you might be thinking who's Carrie Campbell?
Well,
she's an everyday Catholic who is living her beautiful faith.
Um She's a music minister,
she's a music teacher for little ones.
Uh She's uh where is the beautiful title of Mother of Two.
(01:13):
She started this blog called My Little Epiphanies.
Um And she's also started her own podcast called Raised Catholic.
I met Carrie through social media and kind of out in the world.
Um I don't believe um that,
(01:34):
that I wasn't supposed to be Carrie.
Um This was a God wink.
And so I thought I'd dig a little deeper and find out a little bit more about Carrie and then have a conversation with her and we in fact,
did.
And now I want to share um some of Carrie's gifts and her wisdoms with you through this again,
first episode of sharing um and living our vocations here on the God Pod podcast.
(02:00):
Um Carrie,
welcome.
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so happy to be with you.
Well,
we're just thrilled that you're here.
And um so let's begin,
like,
let's just take a walk back.
What?
Tell us,
share a little bit of your spiritual journey with us and then we can talk a little bit about your projects.
Sounds good.
(02:20):
So,
um I was born and raised Catholic in the early seventies in the Boston area.
So,
like many of us um a cradle Catholic.
My parents were really active in the church.
Um My mother had started um a food pantry and giving tree program.
So they walked the walk as well as talking the talk,
(02:40):
um you know,
weekly churchgoers.
Um And then,
you know,
like many young adults.
I,
I probably was away from the church for a little while,
came back and raised my kids in the church.
I'm a music minister um really active in our local curso program um at the Holy Cross retreat house.
And um you know,
(03:02):
I've just tried to serve this church.
I love um in this time that feels kind of troubling and broken for so many Catholics so well.
Um,
it seems to because you are living your faith.
Um,
not only in your own life but also in the life of your family and then also that you're,
(03:23):
you know,
committed to your parish that you have an opportunity,
um,
to be able to see things that maybe others can't see.
And at the same time,
um,
a beautiful commitment and devotion to the church where you're not gonna walk away and you're going to try to figure out how we make things better,
(03:43):
you know.
Um I'm,
I'm reading Pope Francis's book.
Let Us stream.
And I,
I love that.
He talks about how um our lives are filled with COVID challenges,
you know,
and uh a wonderful Jesuit here at Boston College,
Father William Nan used to say that um everyone has their good Fridays.
(04:05):
Um and it allows us the opportunity to struggle and um but also to realize the wonder of Easter.
And I feel like we all see Easter in our relationships and in our families and our gifts from God.
And so I know that you're so attentive to those gifts and trying to figure out a way to give them away to others and to bring others back to their faith,
(04:35):
which is such is,
is so needed and,
and it's such a beautiful thing.
And so I want to start with your blogging and your writing kind of using your writing right to get to get the word out and starting to blog on my little epiphanies,
talk to us about how that all started and why you chose to do it.
(04:56):
Sure.
Um Well,
I think I've always written just to process my life,
like I kind of know what I believe after I've written it.
Um And when my kids were small,
I was understanding,
actually going through kind of a faith process myself of renewing my own faith.
Um really trying to discern whether what I had been taught was something I wanted to pass on to my kids.
(05:18):
So,
um a real time of renewal for me when my kids were small,
um my mother had written me a letter,
she thought I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to say in understanding God,
the best way to do it is by understanding yourself as a parent because God is the perfect parent.
So anything that you would see in your Children,
(05:39):
um and um worry over or praise or anything like that,
you could also extrapolate that to a larger God who loves you and like just wants to be with you in every moment.
So,
you know,
a lot of the little things I found my kids doing,
you know,
even picking up a stick and running with it or,
um you know,
making a mess out of something that I had made.
(06:01):
Um,
you know,
I was thinking of it in terms of a metaphor of how God sees me in my own messes or in my own walk.
So I was writing a lot in that time of just ways that I saw God and the actions and reactions of my Children.
Um And so it,
that turned into lots of finding metaphors in everyday life,
finding God in grocery store situations and um at the beach and in sand,
(06:27):
pails and lots of things in nature.
So,
um my little epiphanies is a place to put all of those kind of reflections and musings together,
kind of kind of finding God in just everyday life and in symbols and metaphor.
I would say.
So,
would your advice to someone who's listening um be look,
(06:48):
be attentive,
look around,
acknowledge what's there,
what's not,
not,
not only around you but what's inside you.
Yeah,
absolutely.
And to let that still small voice speak within you because the Holy Spirit is alive and,
and working in you,
directing your gaze,
directing your ears.
And so,
yeah,
use your senses,
look up,
(07:09):
look around,
listen.
Yeah,
for sure.
Now,
what about,
what about the podcast?
Like?
How did that even start?
Was that through a series of fallen away Catholics that inspired you to hold on to them and,
and try to bring them back?
Well,
I would say my experience in curso,
(07:29):
which is um it's a retreat program,
but it's also,
it's um it's a,
an encounter with Christ,
how do you,
how do you spell that?
Ccocu RSI Llo?
And it's a worldwide program.
It's a four day retreat.
But then it's um it's,
they say it's a three day retreat and then your fourth day is how you live it for the rest of the time.
(07:50):
So I lived Curio at the Holy Cross Retreat house at Stonehill College.
Um,
but those programs exist everywhere and they can just look that up very much.
So.
Yeah,
it's all over the country,
all over the world.
Um But that gave me a lens of kind of living my life through encounter with God.
(08:10):
So interesting.
Uh so about the podcast.
So I had been thinking in terms of a lot of the Catholics that I know who were struggling Catholics in the church,
Catholics on the margins.
Catholics who went to mass a couple of times a year.
But a lot of them even just in the pews,
wondering,
is there more than what I'm hearing from some of the national discourse of um Catholic leadership?
(08:34):
Um Why is this God that I'm hearing from my pastor?
Doesn't sound like the Jesus that I,
that I know personally.
Yeah.
So a lot of people coming to me,
I guess,
I guess as a,
you know,
a leader in some ways and just in my parish,
but um also within my curso community um with their struggles and,
(08:55):
you know,
I've been writing for that audience for a time and then I really felt a pull from the Holy Spirit toward podcasting.
I've never done a podcast,
never something I intended to do.
But as you mentioned,
COVID does open these doors of opportunity.
And during COVID,
I was teaching far less.
Um and I just really felt the pull of the Holy Spirit just to try to start small um and do what I could to make a space for those wandering or struggling Catholics.
(09:26):
And I count myself among them.
So we're all in it together,
right?
So I see it when,
when we talked,
when we met earlier,
like,
I love that spirit,
like I said to you,
like jump and find your wings,
right?
And I think we as human beings,
like,
it's scary when you don't know what's next,
you know,
(09:46):
but it's all,
there's also such a beautiful comfort that we find in living our faith.
And like,
I love the fact that you were just like podcast.
Like,
I don't even know how to do this.
I don't know what I would say.
Um And then you just started and I correct me if I'm wrong,
but I think you said you just kind of googled how to do it.
And then,
(10:06):
you know,
the first couple of episodes you were doing on your phone and now I know you're rerecording them just,
you know,
because now you've become more attentive to,
you know,
how things sound on the podcast and all that but then you just started it.
Were you scared?
And then also when you release the first episode,
were you thinking who is even listening besides my husband and maybe my kids and maybe not your kids and probably not my husband.
(10:31):
Um Yeah,
you know what I I think when my kids were small,
we had some school budget issues in town and I became kind of a voice in that um fight never having thought I'd ever stand up at a town meeting or anything like that.
So this felt like that like I was meeting the moment that was called for.
(10:52):
So,
no,
I was not afraid,
but I also had no expectations of what it might be,
what it could turn into and I still don't.
Um uh yeah,
those first episodes on the phone speaking way too slowly.
I didn't think so because I listened to those.
I thought you might have heard the re-recorded well,
but yeah,
(11:12):
just doing the best I could to make a space and I knew immediately kind of the format that what I wanted to do was just offer a small reflection,
a little bit of some suggestions of how people can engage with their own relationship with God in and outside the church walls.
And then to encourage people that they can only their own faith lives,
it does not have to be directed by someone else that it is their responsibility and their right to,
(11:37):
to cultivate this relationship on their own and to find their voice.
Right.
And then over the years,
what I found talking to people is that people do want to find their voice.
They do want to,
uh,
to pray more.
They do want community,
they do want hospitality,
they do want to grow.
(11:57):
They're just trying to figure out where and how,
and,
and hopefully that that can be in the Catholic church,
you know,
that,
that they,
they will find that comfort in,
in the pew,
you know,
but um we're,
we're in a moment,
we're in a moment right now.
And um it's trying to figure out how do we each become catalysts for reform and change and um help each other grow our faith,
(12:27):
you know.
Um Where do you get your ideas?
Well,
the very,
the cornerstone idea of the whole podcast came from the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Um The day that that happened,
I,
I think I even wrote a poem which I rarely do,
but it just seemed to me a perfect picture of what the church is undergoing these days that the church is beautiful,
(12:49):
the church is broken,
damaged and what do we do in response to the fire that we're experiencing in the church?
Um So we're digging in ashes,
we're finding what's valuable and we're looking up for light to find how to rebuild the church in a way that is safe and helpful for people.
Um A welcoming place for um people who are outside of the church to come in.
(13:11):
Um So that whole process,
this long,
difficult process of restoring Notre Dame is kind of how I see um Lay Catholics in this time of how we can address this fire that's in the church and how we can make it into something better.
Now,
I know that you run and you had mentioned to me that sometimes on a long run you'll get an idea and then that will spark several days of writing or just getting your thoughts down.
(13:39):
And then,
um,
the next episode of Raised Catholic,
um,
is that,
is that how it goes?
Yeah.
So very much week to week.
Um,
it's a weekly podcast that comes out every Tuesday morning and where can people find it?
Oh,
sure.
You can find Raised Catholic anywhere you listen to podcasts,
Apple Spotify,
any of those places,
um,
(14:00):
wherever you like to listen,
it's an Anchor podcast.
So if some people are familiar with Anchor,
you can go straight there.
Um So,
um,
yeah,
it's a,
it's a weekly process.
I don't know what the topic will be as the week begins.
Um,
usually by Wednesday or Thursday,
I'll try to go out on a run and get some inspiration or,
and then start writing.
(14:21):
I,
you know,
have my hands in it a little bit every day.
So I'm writing some editing and then recording.
So,
um,
yeah,
very imperfect and kind of,
you know,
going with it as we,
as we go and trying very much to be spirit led as in my topics and what I'm saying,
what about the um people that are,
are listening,
you know,
to your podcast?
Do you ever hear from them or I know you've just done a podcast on water.
(14:46):
Yes.
So I got some great feedback from a friend.
So right now,
my podcast is very small.
Um Meaning your community,
my community,
which is why we invite you to be part of that community.
Oh,
I would love to hear from you.
So please do.
If you stop by the podcast or the or the blog,
just make sure you let me know who you are.
But yes,
(15:06):
I did a podcast on water and at the end kind of invited um listeners to think about how we interact with water and as a way to further our spiritual lives.
And I did hear from a friend who said he was listening while walking a dog and during that part of the podcast cut came up upon like Plymouth Harbor and en and engaged with water himself and,
(15:29):
and talk to God in that moment.
So that's the stuff I love.
I love how God is.
So in our details and would maneuver his walk to get to the point in my podcast to interact at that time to allow him to have this moment with him.
So,
um yeah,
grace.
That's the stuff I love.
Yeah,
I love those.
(15:49):
You know,
as mothers,
you're the mother of two.
I'm the mother of four.
And we think about our,
our kids and handing on the faith and,
and,
um,
sometimes I,
I think am I did,
I did,
I not do enough,
you know,
but I also know that God is so deeply tattooed on them and in them,
(16:14):
but the way that some of them choose to practice their faith,
their Catholic faith is very different from the way we were raised,
raised Catholic.
You know,
what are your thoughts on that and,
and your maybe reflections on in an episode?
Yeah.
So,
um my kids are 23 and 21.
They were raised in the front view of our church because we were music ministers.
(16:37):
So that's where they sat.
Um,
from the time they could sit till the time they went to college,
I would say that I,
I totally agree.
This generation is engaging with faith in different ways than how we were raised.
But I do see that they are,
they are wildly um generous.
(16:57):
They are justice minded.
They're,
they have strong moral centers and they will reflect a relationship with God in a way that we might not expect,
but which will serve the world and serve them.
I think it's to us as a church to find a way to help them to hear the gospel in a new way.
(17:18):
Um,
that's maybe apart from what they might hear from,
uh,
from a pastor or from,
um,
a national,
like Catholic church leader,
church media.
Um I think some of that has been really destructive but for them,
I,
I don't worry about this generation and I just think they are,
(17:39):
um,
what is the line from Catherine of Ciena?
Like if who you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire.
I see this generation doing that just in ways that we're different from our generation.
That's right.
And the importance of making their mark and making a difference.
And um I mean,
they certainly know technology.
(17:59):
So for them to do a podcast that would be easy.
Exactly.
Much more challenging.
Um II,
I would say for myself,
um But that said,
what's ahead for raised Catholic in the podcast?
What are you thinking?
It's a great question and I have kind of,
um I've come at raised Catholic very much uh trying to be obedient to a call from the Holy Spirit.
(18:23):
Um So,
I don't know,
I don't know the answer to that.
I'm very open to any door that God would have for me to walk through it.
Um But for right now I'm trying to make quality content for people and be um a curator of a community for I for a group of Catholics that I just know,
(18:43):
need a place to be.
So,
you know,
I'm thinking what you just said,
and our listeners are,
are probably curious,
like,
so what did that call sound like or what did that call look like?
You know.
Um Because people are probably thinking,
why am I not called or am I being called?
And I'm not listening,
you know.
So would you,
I know that that's intimate.
(19:04):
But would you mind sharing that?
No.
And in fact,
one of the podcasts I listen to,
they frequently ask the question like,
what does it sound like when God speaks to you?
And I think,
you know,
that could be a whole book.
I just think that topic is so fascinating for me.
It feels like,
um uh you know,
it's not an audible voice,
but it does feel like something in me that I can recognize in my heart center that I,
(19:29):
I know that it is,
it is the voice of God and it's not me.
And so especially this because I would never have chosen to do this.
Isn't it funny when we look at our lives and we look back and we're like,
if someone said,
oh,
you're going to be this or you're going to be doing that,
you'd be like,
you've got the wrong carry,
you've got the wrong Karen,
you know.
But God is the God of surprises and has a beautiful sense of humor too,
(19:53):
which I think God wants us to share,
you know,
I mean,
it's just,
um yeah,
and who knows what's next.
Right.
I mean,
I mean,
I'm sure you're doing this every week.
Are there weeks where you're just,
like,
so frustrated?
You're like,
I don't have,
I don't know what I want to say.
I like tired.
I need a vacation.
(20:13):
Right.
Um,
yeah.
No,
I mean,
I don't,
I wouldn't say I would say I'm teaching more.
I have less time for the project.
Are you back in the classroom?
Teaching music to little ones now?
So I'm getting more and more in person teaching.
So,
um finding time is a challenge,
but I feel strongly about this project and until I don't then I'll do it.
(20:35):
So um it still feels like something God has for me to do.
So that's wonderful.
Well,
I want people to find you.
I want people to read,
read your blog.
I want people to listen to your podcast and to be able to reach out to you.
So um you're also on Instagram,
which I love and I think you're like a foodie.
(20:58):
Yes,
you need to follow her Instagram.
So Carrie,
what's Instagram?
So you can follow me on Instagram at Kerry Campbell writes.
Um So Kerry K er Ry Campbell like the soup and writes with an s um So find me there.
My blog is my little epiphan dot com and raised Catholic.
(21:19):
You can find anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Well,
I know that I started the podcast by saying,
you know,
we're going to be everyday Catholics that um are using their gifts to serve the church.
And as Pope Francis would say,
let us dream,
right?
How we can dream about how we can do that.
But you're,
I don't know,
maybe I need to change the everyday Catholics because you're certainly not ordinary and,
(21:42):
and you're extraordinary in the gifts that,
that you're giving everyone.
So we just appreciate it and I feel humbled and honored to be able to shine just a little light on what you're doing and appreciate you so much,
Carrie and I look forward to being able to share um the church in the 21st century centers,
God pods,
you know,
with other people so that they can be inspired.
(22:04):
And I hope for those of you that are listening.
Um Think about like what gifts can you share?
We have just this extraordinary theologian here at Boston College,
Father Michael Himes who says you really never own anything until you give it away.
I think Jesus said that too.
But um so we hope that,
(22:26):
that Kerry inspires you to think about what you can give away,
to help,
not only share and grow your faith,
but to help our church in this moment um as we begin to build and,
and,
and embrace revitalization.
So thanks again,
Carrie,
thank you so much for having me.
(22:47):
It's been a joy for more Catholic faith resources.
Follow us at bc.edu backslash C 21 or via Facebook.
Twitter and Instagram.
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