November 9, 2020 • 64 mins
The Deacons sat down with Mr. Mike Allen Director of Family Life and Evangelization at the Catholic Diocese of Lexington. Mike is a former Methodist pastor and youth minister. It was an exciting discussion where we heard about his faith journey including his conversion to Catholicism and much more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:12):
Did you ever stop and think vice versa? Just kidding.
Then maybe, I don't know asingle thing that I haven't
noticed. Then when I see you myheart starts racing.
(00:34):
I don't know.
It's the same thing. My headstart shaking.
Tim Stout (01:14):
Today is November 6 2020. Friday the 31st week in
Ordinary Time and you are tunedin to deacons, discussions,
drinks.
Unknown (01:31):
heart starts racing. I don't know if it's the same for
my hand shaking. But this time,this time.
Tim Stout (02:18):
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to another
episode of deacons discussionsand drinks. I'm Deacon Tim
Stout.
Dallas Kelley (02:23):
I'm Deacon Dallas Kelly.
Tim Stout (02:26):
And Father Lynn when is taking a medical absence
tonight. So nothing major justpieces he's off. Right. So
Dallas you there. Check check.
Roger. We're back in the studiotonight. After being off last
weekend much needed rest restfulweekend after being outside in
that nice fall cold weather outthere on the outside steps of
(02:48):
Cardona.
Dallas Kelley (02:54):
That was pretty good time went down. Sorry,
absolutely. Cold and
Tim Stout (02:59):
cold and had a fire going. And people gave away a
lot of money. In a way a bunchof money gave away some money to
the guy who's on the FinanceCommittee. I never did hear if
he donated that back in billbounty if you're listening.
Don't forget 10% goes to thechurch. Hey, tonight, we got a
special guest good to join usvia zoom. You guys have probably
(03:22):
heard his name before. If you'relive in the Diocese of Lexington
or been around St. Francis'sjohn very long. Mr. Mike Allen,
the director of family life andevangelization for the Diocese
of Lexington. He's going to joinus at the top of the hour.
Should be a great discussion. Ifyou haven't heard Mike's story
before or heard him talk abouthis ministry. It's good guy to
(03:42):
talk to any Dallas. Very much.
So I think the first time Iheard his story was he was at
our church for something. Ican't remember what it was. But
he was remembering getting upthere and talking about
Dallas Kelley (03:51):
Yeah, he actually told his whole conversion story.
It was Yeah, but I think it wasduring a mass. So pretty, pretty
powerful.
Tim Stout (03:58):
I'm excited about that. So but let's let's just
jump into current events. Isthere anything going on in the
world right now?
Dallas Kelley (04:04):
That was saying no controversy, no, nothing.
Tim Stout (04:08):
Things just hunky dory. Just getting getting back
to normal life, you know, COVIDelections? I really think that
most people have lost theirminds. You know what I mean? And
here's I'm going to give this asmy current event. This is my
explanation of what is happeningwith the election. And it's it's
(04:29):
kind of my opinion, it's kind ofas a result of COVID as well.
But we have lost all sense ofcivility, decency, respect, for
the Office of the President, andfor politicians in general. And
the reason I think that we'velost that is because all of our
politicians have lost it foreach other. Right? You with me
(04:52):
when I say that, so none of thepoliticians treat each other
with respect. So we're startingnow to emulate the politicians.
And we're starting to not treatthe politicians with any respect
as well. So the offices that weused to hold near and dear, they
don't mean anything to usanymore. And now what is
starting to happen is since wetreat people that we used to
(05:14):
respect in that way, now we'restarting to treat each other
that way. Have you noticed thaton social media? Oh, just
Dallas Kelley (05:19):
leave me alone?
No.
Tim Stout (05:21):
Have you noticed that on social media, I've seen
people on social media that Ithink are the nicest people
going at it with people. Andthis, this isn't just church
thing. This is, you know, peopleride bikes with its people I've
socialized with, it's peopleI've worked with. I mean, it's
all over the world. But all overthe board, people are just
(05:42):
tense.
Dallas Kelley (05:43):
I've always said that with social media, every
thought that pops into your headdoes not have to be put down and
wrote out and push, push, send.
I don't need to know. And Ishouldn't need to know, every
thought you're thinking.
Tim Stout (06:00):
That's a good point.
And that's probably part of it.
And, you know, the thing thatI've tried to do with this, with
this election is just take adeep breath posted as a last day
of status update the other day,just take a deep breath, and let
it play out. You know, ifthere's cheating on one side,
there's cheating on the otherside. Right? This is like a
(06:21):
reverse complete reversal. Whathappened in 2000? Right, we
have, we have a standing vise wehad we have former vice
president running, running foroffice in 2000. He lost by the
narrowest avert margins, and ittook to December middle of
December before he conceded. Nowwe have a former vice president
is probably going to win andit's going to take the standing
president prior to the middle ofDecember to can see. So let's
(06:44):
just everybody take a deepbreath, sit back, relax.
Dallas Kelley (06:47):
And the hanging Chad, do you remember they
Tim Stout (06:51):
just treat each other nice, right? Just treat each
other? Nice. We'd love eachother. Love each other? Set?
Simple. That's my part of it.
How about you? What's yourcurrent event?
Dallas Kelley (06:59):
I was your homily. Last time to
Tim Stout (07:03):
love everybody.
That's a good. It's a goodposition today,
Dallas Kelley (07:05):
our current event this is from Catholic news
agency. And the only reason Ibring it up I don't mean I don't
mean it is it's funny becauseit's not funny. It's just
something I've never ever heardbefore. is a the Catholic
Diocese of Fresno has taken outa restraining order against a
(07:28):
priest. And that's what caughtmy eye. I mean, you hear priest
in the news a lot, but I'venever heard of restraining or,
and they lost it in launched aninvestigation after he was
accused of drug use physicalabuse threatening behavior and
linked to gang gangs. BishopJoseph brenum of Fresno at Mass
(07:52):
last night, he is not allowed onthe property. And on and on and
on. I've never heard as a priestgetting a restraining order.
Tim Stout (08:01):
Do you think that's related to COVID?
Dallas Kelley (08:07):
As in Well, I
Tim Stout (08:08):
mean, you know, COVID is causing us to do different
things, we're forgetting how tointeract with people. Because
we're not around people, right?
We're restricted. You know,there's that one of the one of
the one of our customers, theyused to have a place where all
the operators could get gettogether, it's an industrial
setting, and they could sitthere and talk and, you know,
(08:29):
have lunch together now. Noweverybody is isolated, they can
never be I got about 1516employees, they can never be in
the same room together. Andthere, there's the pod word that
are they're putting people inpods. So they're not they don't
interact with anybody. So allday long, they sit in front of a
computer or terminal or controlstation, and they do their job.
They lunch by themselves, andthen they go home, or is that at
(08:52):
one of our customers. So butthat's happened in a lot of
places, right? We were We wererestricting our interaction, or
not interact even, you know,even us and mass, right? I mean,
at the end of mass, it used tobe that we would shake
everybody's hand teller behindsomebody had a problem or
something they talked to us,we'd would commune with them, we
would communicate with them, wewould be in community with them.
(09:14):
And that's just not happeninganymore. And I think that we're
forgetting how to interact withpeople. That's my theory.
Dallas Kelley (09:27):
But we're also not allowed. Okay, pass is over
supposed to leave the parkinglot.
Tim Stout (09:33):
It's true. I'm just I'm just saying that the COVID
is having a lot more a lot moreissues than, than I think we. We
acknowledge. Can't get mymicrophone right today. Steve,
that sound okay. Over there. So,so that's your current event?
Unknown (09:51):
Yes.
Tim Stout (09:53):
Anything else going on in the world? Well, I mean,
you know, since last time we wewere on the Dodgers won a world
series.
Dallas Kelley (10:02):
I didn't know that. I mean, I watched that
baseball is one thing I didwatch a lot of this. Like
baseball rates did halfwaydecent courses is it was 60
games season two, but theydidn't play 180 that was 62
games.
Tim Stout (10:19):
I think it was something like 62 games. But I
mean, you know, the Dodgers?
They were they were do they wereway, way overdue?
Dallas Kelley (10:30):
Yeah. When I heard the last I didn't realize
that I thought they had wantedsince then. They've been in the
series though. With less.
Tim Stout (10:36):
Yeah, they've been to the World Series three or four
times over the last four or fiveyears. So now it was they were
do and I'm glad they got themonkey off their back. So that's
why I'm wearing my Dodger bluetonight. Go Go Dodgers. And I'm
trying to think what elseanything else happened?
Dallas Kelley (10:54):
I don't know. I wonder if my counted Dodger fan.
Tim Stout (10:57):
He's probably a Dodger fan.
Dallas Kelley (10:58):
I've seen that many reds game. I know. He's a
reds fan.
Tim Stout (11:02):
Like he's a reds fan.
Okay, well, we'll find out herein just just a couple minutes.
What else is going on? COVIDelection Dodgers winning the
World Series. There's one thingthat's kind of big going on
right now. What do you thinkthat is?
Dallas Kelley (11:16):
I don't know.
What
Tim Stout (11:17):
is it? I don't know.
I'm asking you. It's huntingseason Dallas.
Dallas Kelley (11:21):
Come on and season. Yeah, I've been hunting
and fish I went fishing the dayand
Unknown (11:29):
boat broke.
Tim Stout (11:31):
You broke your new boat.
Dallas Kelley (11:33):
No, I didn't very good. It wouldn't start it
wouldn't like electrical issuewouldn't turn over nothing.
totally
Tim Stout (11:40):
blank. Getting off the trailer or
Dallas Kelley (11:43):
Wow, I was way I had to get towed had to stop. So
mine told me brand brand newboat. That's now it's not a
motor issue. It's something'snot a fuse blue or something.
It's not making any contact inthe ignition.
Tim Stout (11:58):
So the There's your fishing report for the week. So
So if Jason berries, listen, andhe didn't get down the wall, he
got out in the water, but hisboat broke down. And I was
hoping to hear because I wentscouting with you for the big
game Dear Mr. de contam while hewent walk into the woods, and
I'd like to tell that story tosomebody because I said Dallas
had his retirement. And I lovedyour quote when asked you that
(12:22):
question. So I'll just ask youDallas, how's retirement? Is it
doesn't suck. It doesn't suck.
So I agree with you. I can'twait to experience I have
Dallas Kelley (12:35):
an old author Arthur movie. Deadly more.
Deadly more.
Tim Stout (12:41):
All right. Well, I think our guest is here. So
without further ado, I'll do alittle brief intro here. Mike,
can you hear us okay?
Unknown (12:51):
Yes. Can you hear me?
Tim Stout (12:52):
I can hear you just fine. Great. So if you can hear
us, we can hear you. That'sgood. Mr. Mike Allen for the
past 15 years has been thedirector of family life and
evangelization for the Dioceseof Lexington. He also teaches at
Lexington Catholic High School.
And before he and his familyentered the Catholic Church.
Mike was a United Methodistpastor and youth minister for
over 15 years. That's 30 rightthere. If I've got that
(13:15):
calculation right. Before he andhis wife Angie found themselves
before they saw the light andcame to the Catholic faith drawn
to the Catholic faith, I thinkis the word he used. They've
been married for 32 years haveseven children. Wow. Ages 15 to
28 and a four month oldgranddaughter. We'll talk about
(13:35):
grandkids Mike as I got to twothat are both young. Mike and
Mike is also likes to native sowelcome to the show, Mike Mr.
Mike Allen.
Dallas Kelley (13:47):
Thanks and a Dodger fan. Right.
Tim Stout (13:49):
And a Dodger fan.
Unknown (13:50):
No, you know my I've been on a journey with the
Dodgers. Because back in the 70sand 80s I hated the Dodgers
because I was a reds fan andthey were in the NL West
together, which made no senseCincinnati and the National
League West but that's what itwas. And so you know, those
teams with you may not be oldenough to remember Tim Steve
(14:12):
Garvey Oh yes,
Tim Stout (14:13):
Davey Lopes on say
Unknown (14:16):
I despised those guys.
Tim Stout (14:19):
Steve Garvey, maybe loaves Bill Russell Ron say
Jaeger behind the plate. I can'ttell you the outfield West
because that's where theychanged everybody. But dusty
Baker dusty Baker. Yeah.
Unknown (14:28):
Big Monday, Reggie Smith. You know,
Dallas Kelley (14:31):
how do you really feel about Mike?
Mike Allen (14:34):
Well, and then of course, when they switch
divisions now it's the Cardinalsthat I despise and and on maybe
just below them the Braves. ButI have a good friend that I grew
up with and church youth groupand stuff and whose Walker
bueller's mother. Oh, wow. Andso I was pulling pulling for him
a little bit. Yeah.
Tim Stout (14:55):
Oh, yeah. I mean, last year after after he had a
good showing in the in the Thepostseason as well. You know,
there was a good quote fromTommy Lasorda. That's it. Said
Walker, you're gonna be a Dodgerfor a long time. So
Unknown (15:09):
he he makes it look effortless and he he reminds me
a little bit he's just a tinybit bigger. That reminds me a
little bit of Orel. Hershiser
Tim Stout (15:17):
Yeah, good St. Bill right. Lane then also another
Kentucky connection for theDodgers. Will Smith play at the
University of Louisville so wewon't hold that against and we
won't but I think I think hisfeatures pretty good for for
catcher he hits pretty good fora catcher and you know they
didn't go to him towards the endof the series I put him in the
(15:39):
DH instead of behind the platebut
Unknown (15:41):
well congratulations I know it's been a long time
coming for the Dodgers and hardto believe a great franchise
like that had been on a 32 yeardrought and happy crazy maybe
the red so you know red so oneand a 90 so maybe there's gonna
be some symmetry there. We canhope
Tim Stout (15:57):
we can help dow said they had a good year this year
for 60
Dallas Kelley (16:00):
game sees the Reds right? We're above 500
right?
Unknown (16:04):
barely
Dallas Kelley (16:07):
two games on it.
And they scored what two runsand how many games? Well, they
scored zero runs in the play.
Oh, that's right. Zero. That'sright. Zero Yeah,
Tim Stout (16:16):
they went that extra inning game and it was
Dallas Kelley (16:18):
Yeah, that's what it was. It was a I was saying
zero runs and I'll know a lotmore innings but even though it
wasn't that many
Tim Stout (16:26):
well that's a lot about baseball. We could talk
baseball all night long becausethe dogs won World Series some
great games though. I did I didenjoy the whole postseason I
think the posts it'll beinteresting if they keep this
this lineup right the waythey've got the structured. The
one thing I don't like about itis I don't like the three game
series to start because somebodygets hot. You can get busted
(16:48):
out.
Unknown (16:48):
Oh, yeah. No, no, no question.
Tim Stout (16:50):
So maybe that'll be what triggers the Reds into the
world's pool for the reds. We'vebeen to thousand how many reds
game? Steve's you don't say staybehind the cameras over here.
But he's a big time. reds fan.
Big time Bengals fan. He's he'she's had a lot of heartache.
But, Mike, let's let's talk alittle bad about you won't talk
about you or you won't talkabout your ministry first. What
(17:11):
do you think?
Unknown (17:13):
Doesn't matter?
Tim Stout (17:15):
What's Uh, what's it like coming from the Methodist
Church to Catholicism? I mean,I've heard your story, you came
to our church? Gosh, it seemslike 10 or 10 or 11 years ago
and told your whole story up atthe pulpit. I forget what the I
don't know if that was a missionor if you what, what you're
there for. But I was amazed atyour story. I mean, it's a it's
a great, great story, can youcan you kind of tell us how a
(17:36):
guy goes 15 years as a Methodistminister and converts to
Catholicism?
Unknown (17:42):
Yeah, I mean, and everybody's journey is
different, of course, but minewent down a path that started
with curiosity. Not everthinking you would go anywhere.
But you know, I grew up in inLexington and went to Baptist
churches when I was reallylittle. And then in high school,
(18:04):
got involved in the MethodistChurch, really active youth
group, and it really had aprofound impact on my life. And
then when I graduated college,university Kentucky go cats. I
even though I was an engineeringmajor, and then graduated with
an engineering degree. That's tohave ended up. I ended up going
(18:26):
to Asbury seminary because Ifelt a call to full time
Christian ministry. And, youknow, I wasn't really anti
Catholic, I just was largelyignorant of Catholicism. Now my
grandmother, she was sayingattack half. She, she was she
was from rural Wolfe County,Holly Chihuahua, Kentucky.
Tim Stout (18:49):
I don't know where that where is that at? Wolfe
County?
Unknown (18:52):
Ah, wolf counties, like, you know, next to Morgan
County, West Liberty. Okay.
Well, wolf counties camptonyou've ever camped it? Well,
Tim Stout (19:02):
my daughter is in Morehead. So since
Unknown (19:05):
it sits out the Mountain Parkway, you go right
through Wolfe County. And shewas a little tip from a town
called Holly Chihuahua. And thelegend was they called it a
lychee walk because there weretwo ways to get there and it was
hell each way. But she, shecalled Catholics cat Lakers. I
remember very well. So I waspretty ignorant of the Catholic
(19:30):
faith. You know, even as aChristian pastor, but I was like
I said, I had some vagueperceptions about the Catholic
faith but not enough to worryabout and it was just largely
irrelevant to my life. And whenI was it was interesting. I had
a class when I came back toschool to Asbury to to get work
(19:53):
on a doctorate degree. I had apreaching professor who gave us
a list of novels. He said Pickone of those novels and read it
and write a paper on how thethemes in that novel might be
used in preaching. And I justsaw one novel that a friend of
mine had referenced a philosophyfester that I do. And it was by
(20:18):
Graham Greene, who was a Britishauthor Catholic, not exactly a
poster boy of Catholicsainthood. But his novels which
I read several of them becausethey were so good. And he had a
very, his books were justhaunted with Catholic imagery
(20:39):
and the vivid descriptions ofthe mass and so forth. And it's
interesting how conversionsometimes happens. Because if I
had picked up a book that said,why you should become a
Catholic, I would have had my,my arguments marshaled and my
defenses up and you know, I'd beready to take on the challenge.
(21:02):
But because it was art,literature, it snuck in a side
door, and it just picked alittle curiosity in me. And over
the next, I don't know, probablyfive or six years. I just
gradually I would have aquestion about why the Catholics
believe that or why did they dothat? Or, you know, I've
discovered that my perceptionsof the Catholic faith, were not
(21:27):
always accurate.
Tim Stout (21:28):
Were you discovering all this on your own? Or was was
somebody leading you in thatdirection? Were you able Who
were you asking these questions?
Or were you just researching andresearching
Dallas Kelley (21:39):
where was you getting answers from non
Catholics or Catholic?
Unknown (21:43):
No, I was mainly Catholic material. And it was it
was, in many ways, an individualpersonal journey. I didn't have
many Catholic friends, but Ididn't really consult with
anybody. I was just, you know,I, I had also begun subscribing
to a journal called first thingsthat was not technically a
(22:07):
Catholic journal. But there werea lot of Catholic writers. So
God Father Richard, johnNewhouse, of blessed memory, he
was a pain relief.
Dallas Kelley (22:15):
Fantastic. I remember him.
Unknown (22:17):
Yeah, he was. Yes. He was a Lutheran pastor who became
Catholic, and so forth. So butyou know, as I would have these
little I describe it, that I'dhave these little epiphanies
along the way, like, Oh, that'swhy Catholics do that. Or, oh, I
was wrong about what Catholicsbelieve about this, or, oh,
that's the biblical passage thatCatholics, we used to undergird
(22:42):
that teaching and so forth. Andso I was having these little,
you know, lightbulb momentsalong the way. And I was, found
myself, not just curious, butthen started, see some,
something attractive about theCatholic faith. And, you know, I
would even find myself defendingthe Catholic faith in
(23:04):
discussions with non Catholics.
You know, like, even though, youknow, of course, I wasn't going
to become Catholic in my mind,but I wanted people to have a
fair picture.
Tim Stout (23:14):
You were being added, you're being an apologist
already.
Unknown (23:17):
Yeah, in many ways. And so, and there came a point,
probably around April of 2004.
There were a couple of booksthat I read, it's in which those
all those light bulbs kind ofcame together, and I saw this
just I would describe it as thepanoramic beauty of the Catholic
(23:39):
faith. And I realized that I wasno longer just curious or
attracted, that believed it, youknow, which provoked a crisis
because this was we were livingin a Methodist parsonage we had
(23:59):
six kids, you know? It was like,what, what are we gonna do?
Well, you know, and my wife
Tim Stout (24:08):
was Angie on this journey with you, or, you know,
I mean, we were we were had tobe communicating something to
her on the way.
Unknown (24:15):
Yeah, we had, you know, six kids 11 and under so deep
theological conversations werenot common,
Tim Stout (24:23):
didn't happen at the dinner table.
Unknown (24:25):
But, you know, she would get in the car and turn on
the radio and it was tuned tothe Catholic station or
something, you know, so it kindof raised an eyebrow. And she
knew that I was having thisinterior kind of, you know, that
I was on this journey and butBut what happened is just, you
(24:50):
know, I actually prayed to Godabout it and said, you know, God
if this is if you wanting me tobecome Catholic, then you're
going to have to convince mywife because So, I can't do
that. And, you know, I thought Iwould, I'd kind of click taking
the monkey off my back because,you know, then I just would try
and trust it to God. And, youknow, funny thing happens when
(25:12):
you do that, because she beganto pick up some of these books
that I had lying around thehouse just on her own and
started reading them. And thenshe found herself on the same
journey. And then we're both Ijust couldn't remember. There
that summer of oh four, we wouldjust lie there at night. And it
felt like, like a, like, therewas a 50 pound rock on our
(25:36):
chests. It was just like, wefelt this just overwhelming
sense of call, you know, andwhat are we going to do with
this and so forth. And so therest, as they say, is kind of
history really
Tim Stout (25:51):
2004 happened then?
Unknown (25:53):
Well, we entered the church in in actually in August
of 2005.
Tim Stout (25:59):
Which parish
Unknown (26:00):
because Mary Queen, the Holy Rosary? Because we, you
know, in the Methodist Church,there's some actually, you know,
Methodism is sort of a, I wouldexplain it this way. Methodism
began as a renewal movementwithin Anglicanism, or the
(26:20):
Episcopal Church or, you know,the Church of England. So in
some ways, Methodism is toAnglicanism, what Anglican ism
is to Catholicism. So, you know,Methodist Church, you have a
bishop, and as pastors, we wereappointed by bishop to a
congregation. And typically inthe Methodist Church is very
(26:44):
similar to in our own diocese,where, you know, you have your
appointment has to either berenewed every year, or you might
be moved to a different church.
And so I knew sometime in thearound November, December of Oh,
four that this was going to haveto be our last year, as in, in
Methodist ministry, and
Dallas Kelley (27:09):
wasn't wasn't there a time I remember, if I
remember your story, right?
Where you told you told yourwife, Angie that could Can we
just think, can we just thinkwe're Catholic, instead of
instead of actually going over,you know, and the uterus draw
Aryan or drew in or something?
Unknown (27:29):
Yeah, I started having cold feet, you know, and just
recognizing how scary it was.
And my wife is always been aperson with stronger faith in
me. And so I told her, you may,we can just forget this whole
thing. I remember it was aSaturday morning, cuz we had
gotten into the habit we livejust in the shadow of Christ,
(27:52):
the king, the drill, I thinkthat there was some sort of
gamma rays coming out of thecathedral drawing said that we'd
gotten in the habit ofindividually, because our kids
were also young, sneaking into adaily mass over at the
cathedral. And, you know, wewould have this habit of
(28:14):
sneaking in late sitting in theback, and then slipping out
early, which turned out to be agood, good practice for actually
being Catholic. Ever,
Tim Stout (28:23):
you pass the test.
Unknown (28:26):
So she was leaving, it was a Saturday morning, and I
would sit there drinking a cupof coffee, and she was walking
out the door. And I said, Angie,maybe we don't have to do that.
This. Maybe we could justappreciate the Catholic Church
from a distance and be contentwith that. And I never forget.
Thanks for reminding me DallasDeacon. She she had her back to
(28:47):
me. And she it felt like, gosh,two minutes, but was probably 10
seconds. And then she turnedaround. And her eyes were
welling up with tears. And shesaid, all of my life, I've
wanted to wanted it to be truethat it is the body and blood of
(29:09):
Jesus Christ. And I never letmyself believe it before she
said I I have to do this. And soat that point, I knew I was in
big trouble.
Tim Stout (29:23):
You hit the point, it hit the point of no return at
that point.
Unknown (29:25):
Yes, yes. So you know, so we could Yeah, we entered the
church in August of oh five justhad our 15 year anniversary as
Catholics and was father Bobstill there was no father Bob. I
mean, the father Baba came inlater for an interim you know,
kind of thing. He's always he'severybody's interim, you know,
in retirement.
Tim Stout (29:45):
These are spirits.
Well, he was our pre COVIDspiritual director. We haven't
seen
Unknown (29:50):
a great great pre scrape man. I'm, I'm trying to
think of Who was that? I thinkit was. I think father Danny
schwendeman and No, father,Jacob Curie and I think were the
two priests that were there.
They were not pastors at thatpoint. So.
Tim Stout (30:09):
So did all the kids come at the same time?
Unknown (30:13):
Yes, our four oldest, because a lot of folks by well
maybe or may not know this, ifyou're seven years old and up,
if you come into communion inthe church, then you have to be
confirmed. Right? Because you'reconsidered an adult in the
faith.
Tim Stout (30:32):
So a lot of people don't know that. That's true.
Unknown (30:35):
Oh, yeah. So there are a folder for oldest were
confirmed. And then, of course,all our children had been
baptized as infants, because inthe Methodist Church, we do
baptize infants. And, yeah, soour two sons and our youngest
daughter, you know, they werethey were really young. So they
went through the whole processof first communion and
(30:56):
confirmation of the rest.
Tim Stout (30:58):
And so you, you come into the church, and if I've got
my math correct, you go rightinto the job that you have
today. The director of Yeah,family life.
Unknown (31:09):
Well, it's a it's interesting.
Tim Stout (31:11):
That would have been a bishop gainer.
Unknown (31:14):
Actually, I, we entered the Catholic Church on August
13. I started working for thediocese July 1, so I was
actually employed by the diocesefor six weeks before I was fully
Catholic. We had gotten to knowyou know, I had reached out to
Bishop gainer in like the fallof oh four, somebody had
(31:36):
recommended that I do that. Justtell them our story and see if
he had any guidance in terms ofvocational sort of things, you
know, and he was, of course youdon't Bishop Gaynor, very much a
pastor's heart and kind personand we met whether he met with
me and he came over to our housefor dinner and so forth. And so
(31:58):
he talked about that. Thediocese was thinking about
creating a position the directorof family life, they had had
that office before, but it wasjust part time and had been
closed for a couple of years. Sohe said, You know, when I think
when that when we decide that toopen that office again, I would
think you might be a you know,candidate for that. I can't
(32:19):
promise anything, of course. Andso we went through all that
spring of Oh, five, I had noidea what I was going to do for
a living and you know, we housewe lived along to the church and
our wife is pregnant with herseventh at that point, and
Tim Stout (32:38):
you had to have a lot of trust in God at that point.
Unknown (32:42):
It was the it was a really crisis of faith for me.
Because Yeah, I didn't, I didn'tknow what I was gonna do. And I
kept hitting like closed doorafter closed door. And you know,
so we we got down to, we were itwas the day before we were going
(33:03):
to move out of the Methodistparsonage. We had already signed
a lease to rent a house that Ididn't know how I was going to
pay the bill. And I calledBishop Gaynor because, you know,
he, he had been a slow process,nothing moves fast in the
church, as you know. So I justthought I thought I thought I'd
(33:24):
call him Bishop meter, just seewhere the, you know what, where
the position was, and then ifthey were gonna start
interviewing or whatever, and Icalled him the day before we
were we were putting stuff inboxes, you know, to move out, I
call them and after a couple ofminutes, you know, I asked him
about the position. He said, I'mso glad you called he said,
(33:45):
because I just was in a meetingearlier today and we've decided
that we're going to go a hole goahead and open the position. And
I want to offer you theposition. Wow. And yeah, and you
know, it's funny because Bishopgainer said you probably want to
take some time to pray aboutthis. I said
Dallas Kelley (34:08):
I said here's a note.
Unknown (34:11):
I said Bishop gainer I have prayed about it accept
Tim Stout (34:16):
it. Last is prayer known demand boom
Unknown (34:19):
boom a Yeah. So really, I'm grateful every day for that
opportunity because he took areal leap you know, in hiring me
so
Tim Stout (34:32):
so at that point it was was it just family life at
that point? Not evangelization?
Just family life?
Unknown (34:36):
Yeah, evangelization yet add got added later.
Tim Stout (34:40):
Yeah. So So tell us just a little bit about what
your responsibility is what whatthat office at the diocese is
responsible for? I mean,obviously we Dallas and I do a
lot of stuff with with focus. Sowe know that part of it pretty
much counseling and stuff, buttell our listeners kind of what
what you do and Maybe how youcan help them if they need help.
Unknown (35:04):
Sure. And I it's funny because I we talk about what
what is my office do? Well, it'sit's me.
Peopleabout about five of us share a
share and administrativeassistant who's fantastic. I
mean, she's Claudia'soutstanding, but it but it is,
(35:25):
you know, when it's us, so whenI first started the position,
you asked me again, are youokay? So you hired me, what do
you want me to do? And he, hereally wanted us to strengthen
and develop and evaluate anddeepen our process of marriage
preparation. And that's probablybeen in terms of the chunk
(35:48):
that's take that takes the mostof my time over the last 15
years, because we have acomparatively speaking, we have
a more rigorous process ofmarriage preparation than the
average diocese. So everyCatholic Diocese, yes, average
Catholic Diocese, right. So andso you know, we have the we we
(36:14):
try to give couples a goodunderstanding of what marriage
is what, why it even exists, howit fits within the Catholic
faith, or an understanding ofour sexuality. Usually, they're
related through the lens of PopeSt. john paul, the second is
theology the body. So that, youknow, because what we felt like
(36:37):
was, what we were doing inmarriage preparation was was
good, but we felt like it wasincomplete. Because the typical
pre pre k in a class primarilytalked about relationship
skills, which are important, ofcourse, your skills and virtues.
But it's also very important tohave a vision and understanding
(37:00):
of what marriage is as areality. So I would compare it
to somebody who's preparing forpriesthood or the deac, and they
had a religious life that it'snot, you know, for the potential
priest in seminary, they don'tjust need to learn about how to
(37:23):
do the things that a priestdoes, which they do, but to do
that, but they also need to havea real understanding of what the
priesthood is what it means tobe a priest. And so that's kind
of the, we tried to bring thatout in to augment what was
already being done. And then wealso asked, I asked me, a full
(37:46):
course. So for couples ofnatural family planning, so they
can kind of have an idea of howto live out this vision of our
sexuality and fertility withinmarried life. So you know, to
try to train and develop leadersand parishes, I do some teaching
(38:09):
myself, try to coordinate allthat stuff. And that that takes
a good bit of time. And andenergy. As you probably know
that, go ahead. But I was justwondering, do you have enough
focus couples out there? And youmean,
Tim Stout (38:26):
facilitators? Yes.
Unknown (38:27):
facilitators. Now, we could always use more for sure.
And yeah, focus is for those ofyou don't know who what focus
is, it's a it's a premaritalinventory.
Tim Stout (38:40):
Not a sale, not a test. How do
Unknown (38:43):
you remember that?
Well, from your training isspelled with two C's in the
middle, it's not misspelled.
It's facilitating open couplecommunication, understanding and
study, and so called theindividual fiance's, respond to
about 150 plus differentstatements, whether they agree,
disagree or uncertain. And thenwhen they complete the survey,
(39:07):
which they do online, itgenerates a report that compares
their responses, so they can geta better picture of maybe, you
know, where are they, wherethey're particularly strong?
Maybe some growth areas, maybethings that they thought they
had discussed, but hadn'treally? Yeah,
Dallas Kelley (39:25):
I like, I like when we get get them back. And I
see the overall is compatibilityis 22%. You're like, Oh, is it
gonna be alone session?
Tim Stout (39:36):
Well, the exact opposite of that is when it's
99%. You're like, okay, you allsat in the same room together.
Unknown (39:42):
Yeah, that's exactly.
It's all it.
Tim Stout (39:46):
I mean, I enjoy it.
Kelly and I really, really enjoyit. We've I don't know if we've
had as many couples as you I'vehad not even close. Dallas is
the go to guy at the parish. Butyou know, it's a fun, it's a fun
ministry. For us, we enjoy it.
We enjoy meeting the youngcouples and, you know, hearing
their stories and watching themgrow through the process. I
(40:09):
mean, that to me, that's that'swhere we know, that focus works
is because you can see from thefirst meeting to the, you know,
it's second, third, however manyyou are, by the time you get to
the end, they've changed as acouple. So, and I think that's
what you want to see. Right?
That's you want to see that thatgrowth?
Unknown (40:26):
Then no question. And then for them to, you know, be
willing to grapple with things.
I mean, if this has not happeneda lot, but it does happen.
Occasionally. We're a couplewhat will go through the
marriage preparation process,and they'll earn, you know,
What, this? We probablyshouldn't be doing this. And,
you know, that's certainly notthe aim of what we do. But if
(40:47):
that's the case, better to findout now, then, and save yourself
a lot of heartache that can comelater.
Tim Stout (40:58):
Yeah, do you? Do you have statistics in the database?
Do keep statistics of peoplethat don't get married, they go
through focus. But that I mean,that hasn't happened to us? I
don't think not too bad ourmarriage, but yeah,
Unknown (41:12):
I'd say, you know, I would spit ball and say less
than 5%.
Tim Stout (41:17):
But what about the sister part of this? Does the
diocese do much with refocus?
Because I think that might besomething that we need in our
parish?
Unknown (41:29):
Yeah, I mean, we, of course, I think I took you guys
through it with your spouse'sand your the agonal formation,
Tim Stout (41:37):
I believe. Yes. That was enlightening.
Unknown (41:40):
Yeah, I mean, I did and every focus facilitator has the
is certified to do refocus to soit's always, you know, when
you're in a diocesan office,it's it's sort of a, you try to
walk that fine line, because, Imean, ultimately, ministry best
happens in the local parish.
Right. That's, that's reallywhere, you know, we have this
(42:02):
understanding of subsidiarity.
subsidiarity, right. So, there,I mean, I, what I sometimes you
know, how I see my offices is tobe a resource to help. The local
(42:23):
parish should be any supportthat I can make kind of see, see
me if there's somehow anextension of the staff. But if
there are people in the parishthat want to do that sort of
thing, I'll do anything that Ican do to help that happen.
Tim Stout (42:37):
Does that does that happen typically in a one on one
environment? Or does it happenin a group environment? What I
mean, because we did, obviously,we did it that through the
acronym formation, which is aunique situation, but is that
something that's done in a groupformation? Or would you say that
if a parish is going to offerit, they should offer one on
one? No,
Unknown (42:55):
I think it can be either way. I you know, I think
Usually, I mean, if you're, ifyou're administering refocus it
to a couple who is in real needof some marital healing,
probably it should be best donein an individual, one or two on
(43:16):
two circumstance. But if you'redoing it as an enrichment
course, you know, you may startit with it being enrichment and
fun.
Tim Stout (43:28):
We got this piece and we have a problem.
Dallas Kelley (43:31):
When we did focus, I mean, you talk about
the 99 percentile, man, my wifeis like 99.9 we got we didn't we
we were done. There was nothingto discuss. And we sat back and
watched the whole room fight. Itwas funny.
Tim Stout (43:50):
We did Dallas, you knew your spouse, Dallas, you
are you and Sherry are unique.
You know you are a perfectmatch. You were born for like
Dallas Kelley (43:57):
the things though.
Tim Stout (43:59):
They never argue.
Dallas Kelley (44:00):
We never argue. I don't know what to tell you.
Tim Stout (44:04):
Yeah, go figure, Mike. I know what you're
thinking. Yeah,
Unknown (44:07):
I know crazy.
Dallas Kelley (44:08):
Mike, let me ask you. When I do focus, and we
kind of go over the next stepsafter focus. I try to steer and
it's just my opinion, I wantedto get yours. I try to steer
everyone towards the retreat.
Okay. Instead of the otheroptions that I have like the
gods playing I forget, I forget.
(44:29):
Which do you prefer of those twooptions do you think are better
and because I just think it'sbetter to be with other other
engaged couples.
Unknown (44:39):
Yeah, so you know, we we have these three primary
components the God's plan forjoyfilled marriage, the what we
call the married life component,which can be either a sponsor
couple or a class at a parishthat offers it like Christ, the
king or Mary Queen, seat and soforth and natural family
planning. in normal times,meaning nine pandemic times, we
(45:02):
offer a full weekend retreatseveral times a year. So that
you could fulfill those firsttwo components, the God's plan
and the married life in oneweekend. And I like that I think
they're, you know that there'sa, there's a great deal of
benefit of having that dedicatedtime through a whole weekend, of
(45:23):
course, they get to know theother couples, you'd know them
more personally. You know, justlike anybody who goes on a
retreat, there's an opportunityfor more lengthy, intentional
reflection. So yeah, I'm a bigfan of the retreat, we've kind
of had to re calibrate things,not just for the pandemic,
(45:44):
because when Cliff Cliff youclosed, so we went from having
three a year to the least rightnow we're having to a year, once
we get past the pandemic,there's a Methodist retreat
center in slo County, that thatwe're going to be using,
Dallas Kelley (46:04):
but right now, it's not in person, right. You
Unknown (46:06):
don't you don't think nothing's in person right now.
And you know, probably won't beuntil, I mean, I'm assuming
probably at least next summer.
Tim Stout (46:18):
Yeah, that's that was gonna be one of my questions is
has the pandemic affected yourministry?
Unknown (46:24):
Yeah. I mean, we, everybody's on a learning curve,
of course. And, you know, usinglike, everybody's got zoom
fatigue. Recognize, but man, youlook at the numbers, and in
nationwide in Kentucky, it'sit's a little bit, you know,
it's a little unnerving.
Tim Stout (46:43):
And it didn't, it didn't end Tuesday.
Unknown (46:46):
Yeah. Yeah, I thought it was supposed to end after the
election, talking about, youknow, I think our positivity
rate was like, what, 6.7% todayor so, but it's gonna get
Dallas Kelley (46:56):
better. That's the promise. It'll get better.
Tim Stout (46:58):
It's gonna get better.
Unknown (47:00):
Eventually, hopefully.
But, you know, so and we'reworking on like, so the married
life, that that happens, thatone of the options is to take a
class in a parish. So what we'redoing on that is, we got a bunch
of different leaders of thatfrom different parishes in
Lexington. And we're in themiddle we just filmed. We're
using a production company towe're going to take the
(47:21):
presentations, we're going tohave them professionally edited
and put together and we'll havecouples be able to rather than
sit in a six hour zoom call,they'll be able to do it at
their own pace.
Tim Stout (47:40):
Who doesn't? Who doesn't love a sixth person?
Unknown (47:45):
Oh, yeah, that's, that's beautiful. I've got one
tomorrow. So yeah, andwonderful. But you know, and so
then they'll have they'll meetwith with a with the facilitator
couple, once they finish thatjust to, you know, kind of break
down what they gain from it. Imean, it's, as I said to
somebody the other day, it's notideal, but we, we tossed ideal
(48:07):
out the window some time ago. So
Tim Stout (48:09):
yeah, Dallas and I both have had a wedding. I mean,
we I had one, probably in themiddle of the pandemic, yes. And
you've had one in the lastmonth. You know, it definitely
has changed the whole Ministryof marriage, not just the prep
side, but all the way throughto, to the ceremony itself. And
it's I like the wedding that Idid, because it was it was
(48:30):
simple. You know, there wereonly 20 I think there were 25.
At that point, we can have 25people in our church, and that's
how many people were there. Andit was actually with a Methodist
minister, it was it was kind ofokay, and interesting. But it
was, it was great, becausenobody was on edge. You know,
how, you know, everybody wantseverything to be perfect at a
wedding. But here, everybodyknew it wasn't gonna be perfect.
(48:52):
We were just, we were justtrying to make it happen. And
everybody, that's what the goalwas, we want it, they loved each
other. They didn't want to waitfor six months or another year.
Let's just make this happen. Andeverybody was so nice. Which
doesn't always happen in awedding.
Unknown (49:08):
And it's, you know, this this time is tough on you
know,
Tim Stout (49:11):
I mean, some marriages have gotten closer to
the pandemic, and then othershave exacerbated some
difficulties. And we weretalking about that before for
you came on actually just this,my current event was the
pandemic and the election andthat a lot of people have lost
their minds in this country. Andin the state. A lot of our
(49:32):
friends, you know, I'm saying,you know, I just see people
under the stress and thepressure of, of not being in
community with people notinteracting with people in a
normal way, that stress that'sgoing on. And you know, what's
happening in marriages, it'sprobably a little bit more
hidden now than it was before.
Right? Because they'reeverybody's at home and you
don't see it.
Dallas Kelley (49:55):
You know, except in mine,
Tim Stout (49:57):
except to Dallas.
Don't argue at all. But, youknow, I think it's a it's a very
challenging environment. And,you know, I can't wait for it to
be over whenever that's going tobe whenever that's gonna happen.
Unknown (50:10):
You and me, brother for sure.
Tim Stout (50:12):
So, what's one thing that that somebody should know
about the, the family life atthe diocese? what's what's one
thing that the hidden treasureis something that people don't
know that they should know aboutthe ministry or resources or
trying to push? Well,
Unknown (50:30):
you know, we, we, of course, we try to keep in mind
all the different places thatpeople are, you know, we've,
we've developed over the lastseveral years of ministry for
divorced Catholics, you know,people hear that term divorce
Catholic and they think that'slike, jumbo shrimp or something,
(50:51):
you know, they don't gotogether, right? I mean, we all
know the church has beenimpacted by divorce and, you
know, how do we help peoplealong that journey toward
healing and a lot ofmisconceptions about what the
Church teaches? And you know,it's, it's, I mean, the
(51:12):
beautiful thing about theCatholic Church is, you know, we
understand, I mean, if Iremember somebody said to me,
Well, why in the world would youhave a ministry to divorced
persons? Because we believethat, you know, the marriage,
the marriage is permanent. Isay, well, we we also know that
we're all called the Hopi holy,but we build still build
(51:33):
confessionals. There's a lot.
There's a lot of brokenness.
Yeah,
Tim Stout (51:39):
I had an aunt that most of my adult life. She was
she got divorced when I was ayoung young kid, probably, I
don't know. 1415 years old. Shelived in Somerset moved up to
back to load live with her mom.
For the whole time. I knew herwent to mass every Sunday, and
never went to Communion becauseshe thought she couldn't go to
(52:01):
me. Oh, yeah, as a divorcedCatholic. So you know that that
ministry is important, just froman education point of view, to
really educate what the Churchteaches. So many people think
they understand it, and theydon't.
Unknown (52:17):
And of course, you know, we're a real growing edge
for me and for several of us atthe diocese to has been, you
know, used to be in the diocesethat we had regarding Spanish
language ministry, we had sortof a, a silo setup where, you
(52:38):
know, Hispanic ministry was itsown silo, right. And it was
separate from all the otheroffices and what, you know, and
really prompted a lot by Bishopjohn, and for good reason. We're
on that slow journey towardbeing more integrated. So that,
you know, I'm not just thedirector of family life
(52:59):
ministries for the Englishspeaking Catholics for the
diocese, but for everybody,right. So, you know, I've been
as best I can learning Spanish,we have some wonderful volunteer
couples, who, whose whoseEnglish is about as good as my
Spanish, which not not, but butbut fluent in their lives. And
(53:21):
people who think about oneparticular couple, who, whose
dedication to the church and totheir ministry is one of the
greatest and most profoundcommitments that I've ever seen
from, from a lay volunteer. Imean, just and that's, you know,
(53:43):
that's, that's, that's abeautiful thing. And the kind of
thing, as you know, it says, inleadership in the church,
sometimes the one of the mostchallenging things sometimes is
to define people who lay at thevolunteers who will really own a
(54:04):
particular ministry, and nothave to be cajoled push for it.
Yeah, to have somebody who ownsit and takes it. That's it.
That's a that's a prettyprofound thing.
Tim Stout (54:19):
And it's always a good idea until you want them to
be in charge of it, or to moveforward. Wait a minute, I can't
do that. So when you findsomebody that does that, that is
that's a good thing that moveson their own so and always like
this is usually the lastquestion always end up with Mike
who is a guest we should have onour show.
Unknown (54:40):
Oh, that's a great question. I'm
Tim Stout (54:45):
not to put you on the spot. We've had you know, we've
had living spirit. Oh, do youknow Rocco? palmo. Do you know
he is the whistle? Yeah.
Unknown (54:52):
whispers in the lows.
Yeah. Yeah, we had him on.
Dallas Kelley (54:55):
We had Gus Lloyd on satellite radio and
Tim Stout (54:58):
we've had some good ones. Now we've had the world
famous Mike Allen.
Unknown (55:03):
Yeah, world famous your thing.
Dallas Kelley (55:05):
Now we're thinking about quitting, because
we can't stop that. Yeah,
Unknown (55:08):
yeah, that's that.
That's right.
Tim Stout (55:10):
We would like to have you in the studio though. So
when the pandemic is over, wewould like you to come in and
because we can take questionsand stuff, and it just, it's a
little bit different, moreintimate setting.
Unknown (55:22):
You know, I would, in terms of future guests, I don't
know how well you know, DeaconEduardo fortini, who is the
coordinator of Hispanicministry, and the diocese.
Dallas Kelley (55:34):
I get his emails all the time, but I read them.
Unknown (55:37):
He is, he is one more one of the most energetic
Tim Stout (55:41):
passionate, he's from global. Is he from Colombia?
Unknown (55:45):
No, he is a he was born and raised in Argentina. Well,
he, early years he wasArgentina. And then he was in
Genoa, in Italy.
Tim Stout (55:55):
I love that. I love his accent. He was Oh, yeah, he
was on the training session wejust had a week or so ago. And
I'm like, if we needed to castsomebody for the Godfather, he
would be perfect.
Unknown (56:08):
Well, and he's, you know, he's been involved with
with several others. We've had,there's been I don't want to go
into too much detail, butdemonic oppression and
possession is a reality, youknow, right. Oh, no. And he, and
he has been, you know, involvedwith several situations.
Tim Stout (56:34):
What's one of the things is, one of the persons on
my list is somebody who is anexpert in exorcism, I want to
try to find the national leaderon exorcisms and I want to have
him on the show.
Unknown (56:44):
That's my but now there's a I know there's a
priest in Covington, that is anofficial Exorcist for the
diocese there.
Tim Stout (56:53):
I know they like to keep that secret. Sometimes they
don't like to really talk aboutit. But you know, I, you know, I
think it it. It's real. And, youknow, in today's world,
sometimes we will A lot ofpeople say that evil doesn't
exist or, you know, there is nohell. And you know, it does. And
there is so
Unknown (57:14):
another another guest I would mention too, is Jason
Hall. And if you know, Jason, I
Tim Stout (57:18):
know Jason Well, yeah, absolutely.
Unknown (57:20):
Director of the executive of Catholic Conference
of Kentucky, so he'd be a great,that's a that's a
Tim Stout (57:25):
great. Both of those are great suggestions, Mike. So
I reached out to both of them. Ithink they both be. You know,
Jason, obviously, he's, he'scoming out of his hot season
right now, you know, since theelections over so all that is
over? Is it over? Well, it islike it is. There's a
Dallas Kelley (57:42):
well, there's a lot but we pretty much know who
won.
Tim Stout (57:46):
There's a lot of new faces going to Frankfort. So
it'll be it'll be interesting.
I'm part of the work. I'm partof a lobbying group for our
industry. And, you know, the,when there's an election that
has this, many new faces go intoFrankfurt, you got to work. You
think because people going inFrankfurt don't know a lot of
things they don't know, a lot ofthese issues they run because
(58:08):
they've got a problem in theirdistrict or in their area, and
they want to try to fix thatthing. But there's a whole lot
more going on. On Jason. So
Unknown (58:16):
Jason knows more about has forgotten more about
politics than I know. He waskind of I think I get a sense he
was when he was young. He waslike an Alex P. Keaton, you
know, from the old family tiesshow. And, you know, he worked
in Frankfort for many yearsbefore he became Catholic. So
Tim Stout (58:34):
yeah, great suggestions. Well, Mike, we
appreciate your time. We will wehave a little gift we send you
if you were here, we would giveit to you. But I'll send it to
you in the mail and you'll getit because you know, we can't
see each other during thepandemic, but it's
Unknown (58:47):
not a Dodger jersey
Tim Stout (58:48):
as it is not. It actually is it's a rosary. It's
a what's called a rugged rosary.
Unknown (58:53):
Oh wonderful, but
Dallas Kelley (58:54):
it was blessed by Tommy Lasorda.
Tim Stout (58:58):
Actually, you know who the one of the biggest who
was Catholic Catholic Dodgerfans there there is is Vince
Golly. I mean, he's a he's aknight. Oh, yeah. You know, he's
Unknown (59:09):
sad.
It's sad that he stepped down,you know, and wasn't able to
call the games this year.
Tim Stout (59:15):
What a what a good guy and you know, what, you
know, not a ministry but alifelong desire, lifelong
dedication to a team for sure.
So
Unknown (59:25):
I am a little disappointed fatherland whatnot
here too. I mean, that wasalways spices things up a little
bit. We had a restraining order
Dallas Kelley (59:34):
against
Unknown (59:36):
PDFs. I
Dallas Kelley (59:37):
threw in some different names to protect the
innocent, but he was the one
Unknown (59:41):
he maybe maybe the the FCC crackdown
Tim Stout (59:44):
on you a little bit.
But he's usually here. He had atooth tooth. He had a tooth
emergency tooth extraction orsomething. So Oh, obviously he
can't talk. Imagine that.
Imagine that. Yeah, so he cantype very well. We've we've been
sacked via text. But next timewhen you come into the studio,
he will be here and you know, aslong as it's in the next couple
(01:00:08):
years while he's still assignedhere to our parish. So you know,
he's been here for 14 years. 13years, however long. He's on
extended play.
Unknown (01:00:17):
Well, I look forward to the pandemic being over and be
happy and be there andthrowback. Oh, cool. And with
you guys.
Tim Stout (01:00:24):
Alright. Well, Mike, we appreciate it and have a
blessed day and we will see yousoon.
Unknown (01:00:30):
All right, thanks.
Tim Stout (01:00:31):
Thanks, Mike Allen.
Dallas Kelley (01:00:32):
God bless us.
Unknown (01:00:36):
There you go. Boom. My gallon.
Tim Stout (01:00:42):
Good show. He's a good guy.
Dallas Kelley (01:00:44):
For a sign of the day. There is a sign of the day.
Tim Stout (01:00:48):
is Steve ready for the sign of the sign as a sign
of the day? Saint Nicholas, havea look and companions. I'm gonna
have to learn a little bit aboutthis because I haven't heard
this one before. But here is thesite of the day.
Unknown (01:01:06):
This is Franciscan media saint of the day for
November 6. Today we celebrateSt. Nicholas tablets and
companions. Today's saint andhis three companions are among
the 158 Franciscans to have beenmartyred in the Holy Land. Since
the friars became custodians ofthe shrines and holy places in
(01:01:27):
1335. Nicholas was born in 1340to a wealthy noble family in
Croatia. He joined theFranciscans and was sent to
preach in Bosnia. In 1384. Heand a fellow friar volunteered
to serve in the Holy Landmissions. their duties included
looking after the holy places,caring for the Christian
(01:01:48):
pilgrims, and studying Arabic.
In 1391, Nicolas and three otherfriars decided to take a more
direct approach to convertingthe Muslim population. reading
from a prepared statement inJerusalem's Mosque of Omar. They
stated that all people mustaccept the gospel of Jesus. When
the mosque official ordered themto retract the statement they
(01:02:08):
refused. After beatings andimprisonment, the friars were
beheaded before a large crowd.
In 1970, Nicholas tablets andhis companions became the first
Franciscans martyred in the HolyLand to be canonized. There's
more about the saints along withinspiration in Catholic
resources at our website, Saintof the day.org. From Franciscan
(01:02:31):
media. This has been st of theday.
Tim Stout (01:02:35):
Saint Nicholas tab like another Franciscan
Franciscan media really likesFranciscan saints. Have you
noticed that? Hey, next week,we're working on some things.
Look, possibly getting somebodyfrom Stephens ministry to come
talk about what that ministry isall about. So ministry that's
been in our parish, I think alittle bit over a couple years
now. Or might just talk aboutputting on what violins got it
(01:02:58):
up his sleeve, maybe some someCatholic topics. We talked about
reformation and counterreformation just for theory,
those are some things we've hadon the list. We just need to get
them off my list. So anyway,next week tune in never know who
we might have on we might haveJason Hall who knows. Deacon
Eduardo fortini. So thanks toMike Allen, you've got a
(01:03:22):
suggestion for a topic or aguest let us know. If you're not
following us on social media youshould be if you found us, click
the like button, click thesubscribe button. If you're on
YouTube. Or if you're onpodcast. Listen to us on our
radio or Spotify, Amazonpodcast, whatever you're
listening to us on Subscribe,like us. And if you want to
(01:03:44):
support the ministry, ss fj.org. That's SS f j.org, St.
Francis and john.org where youcan support all the ministries
with a click of a button, whichis the way to do it during the
pandemic don't have to worryabout touching and passing
money. Can't wait to hear thestudy about how money passes
COVID the person people soanyway, most important, tell
(01:04:06):
your friends give us a listen.
We thank you for being here.
Dallas, can you give us ablessing and set us on our way
Dallas Kelley (01:04:11):
I sure can make a piece of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with everyone here in thestudio and everyone out there
listening and May almighty Godbless you, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Tim Stout (01:04:23):
Until next week, I'm Deacon Tim Stout.
Dallas Kelley (01:04:27):
I'm Deacon Dallas
Tim Stout (01:04:28):
Kelly. Will be back next time. Good night everybody.
Unknown (01:04:35):
Did you ever stop and think why spend too much time
just getting ready? Maybe Idon't know a single thing that I
haven't noticed. Then when I seemy hospital
Did you ever stop and think vice versa? Just kidding.
Then maybe, I don't know asingle thing that I haven't
noticed. Then when I see you myheart starts racing.
(00:34):
I don't know.
It's the same thing. My headstart shaking.
Tim Stout (01:14):
Today is November 6 2020. Friday the 31st week in
Ordinary Time and you are tunedin to deacons, discussions,
drinks.
Unknown (01:31):
heart starts racing. I don't know if it's the same for
my hand shaking. But this time,this time.
Tim Stout (02:18):
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to another
episode of deacons discussionsand drinks. I'm Deacon Tim
Stout.
Dallas Kelley (02:23):
I'm Deacon Dallas Kelly.
Tim Stout (02:26):
And Father Lynn when is taking a medical absence
tonight. So nothing major justpieces he's off. Right. So
Dallas you there. Check check.
Roger. We're back in the studiotonight. After being off last
weekend much needed rest restfulweekend after being outside in
that nice fall cold weather outthere on the outside steps of
(02:48):
Cardona.
Dallas Kelley (02:54):
That was pretty good time went down. Sorry,
absolutely. Cold and
Tim Stout (02:59):
cold and had a fire going. And people gave away a
lot of money. In a way a bunchof money gave away some money to
the guy who's on the FinanceCommittee. I never did hear if
he donated that back in billbounty if you're listening.
Don't forget 10% goes to thechurch. Hey, tonight, we got a
special guest good to join usvia zoom. You guys have probably
(03:22):
heard his name before. If you'relive in the Diocese of Lexington
or been around St. Francis'sjohn very long. Mr. Mike Allen,
the director of family life andevangelization for the Diocese
of Lexington. He's going to joinus at the top of the hour.
Should be a great discussion. Ifyou haven't heard Mike's story
before or heard him talk abouthis ministry. It's good guy to
(03:42):
talk to any Dallas. Very much.
So I think the first time Iheard his story was he was at
our church for something. Ican't remember what it was. But
he was remembering getting upthere and talking about
Dallas Kelley (03:51):
Yeah, he actually told his whole conversion story.
It was Yeah, but I think it wasduring a mass. So pretty, pretty
powerful.
Tim Stout (03:58):
I'm excited about that. So but let's let's just
jump into current events. Isthere anything going on in the
world right now?
Dallas Kelley (04:04):
That was saying no controversy, no, nothing.
Tim Stout (04:08):
Things just hunky dory. Just getting getting back
to normal life, you know, COVIDelections? I really think that
most people have lost theirminds. You know what I mean? And
here's I'm going to give this asmy current event. This is my
explanation of what is happeningwith the election. And it's it's
(04:29):
kind of my opinion, it's kind ofas a result of COVID as well.
But we have lost all sense ofcivility, decency, respect, for
the Office of the President, andfor politicians in general. And
the reason I think that we'velost that is because all of our
politicians have lost it foreach other. Right? You with me
(04:52):
when I say that, so none of thepoliticians treat each other
with respect. So we're startingnow to emulate the politicians.
And we're starting to not treatthe politicians with any respect
as well. So the offices that weused to hold near and dear, they
don't mean anything to usanymore. And now what is
starting to happen is since wetreat people that we used to
(05:14):
respect in that way, now we'restarting to treat each other
that way. Have you noticed thaton social media? Oh, just
Dallas Kelley (05:19):
leave me alone?
No.
Tim Stout (05:21):
Have you noticed that on social media, I've seen
people on social media that Ithink are the nicest people
going at it with people. Andthis, this isn't just church
thing. This is, you know, peopleride bikes with its people I've
socialized with, it's peopleI've worked with. I mean, it's
all over the world. But all overthe board, people are just
(05:42):
tense.
Dallas Kelley (05:43):
I've always said that with social media, every
thought that pops into your headdoes not have to be put down and
wrote out and push, push, send.
I don't need to know. And Ishouldn't need to know, every
thought you're thinking.
Tim Stout (06:00):
That's a good point.
And that's probably part of it.
And, you know, the thing thatI've tried to do with this, with
this election is just take adeep breath posted as a last day
of status update the other day,just take a deep breath, and let
it play out. You know, ifthere's cheating on one side,
there's cheating on the otherside. Right? This is like a
(06:21):
reverse complete reversal. Whathappened in 2000? Right, we
have, we have a standing vise wehad we have former vice
president running, running foroffice in 2000. He lost by the
narrowest avert margins, and ittook to December middle of
December before he conceded. Nowwe have a former vice president
is probably going to win andit's going to take the standing
president prior to the middle ofDecember to can see. So let's
(06:44):
just everybody take a deepbreath, sit back, relax.
Dallas Kelley (06:47):
And the hanging Chad, do you remember they
Tim Stout (06:51):
just treat each other nice, right? Just treat each
other? Nice. We'd love eachother. Love each other? Set?
Simple. That's my part of it.
How about you? What's yourcurrent event?
Dallas Kelley (06:59):
I was your homily. Last time to
Tim Stout (07:03):
love everybody.
That's a good. It's a goodposition today,
Dallas Kelley (07:05):
our current event this is from Catholic news
agency. And the only reason Ibring it up I don't mean I don't
mean it is it's funny becauseit's not funny. It's just
something I've never ever heardbefore. is a the Catholic
Diocese of Fresno has taken outa restraining order against a
(07:28):
priest. And that's what caughtmy eye. I mean, you hear priest
in the news a lot, but I'venever heard of restraining or,
and they lost it in launched aninvestigation after he was
accused of drug use physicalabuse threatening behavior and
linked to gang gangs. BishopJoseph brenum of Fresno at Mass
(07:52):
last night, he is not allowed onthe property. And on and on and
on. I've never heard as a priestgetting a restraining order.
Tim Stout (08:01):
Do you think that's related to COVID?
Dallas Kelley (08:07):
As in Well, I
Tim Stout (08:08):
mean, you know, COVID is causing us to do different
things, we're forgetting how tointeract with people. Because
we're not around people, right?
We're restricted. You know,there's that one of the one of
the one of our customers, theyused to have a place where all
the operators could get gettogether, it's an industrial
setting, and they could sitthere and talk and, you know,
(08:29):
have lunch together now. Noweverybody is isolated, they can
never be I got about 1516employees, they can never be in
the same room together. Andthere, there's the pod word that
are they're putting people inpods. So they're not they don't
interact with anybody. So allday long, they sit in front of a
computer or terminal or controlstation, and they do their job.
They lunch by themselves, andthen they go home, or is that at
(08:52):
one of our customers. So butthat's happened in a lot of
places, right? We were We wererestricting our interaction, or
not interact even, you know,even us and mass, right? I mean,
at the end of mass, it used tobe that we would shake
everybody's hand teller behindsomebody had a problem or
something they talked to us,we'd would commune with them, we
would communicate with them, wewould be in community with them.
(09:14):
And that's just not happeninganymore. And I think that we're
forgetting how to interact withpeople. That's my theory.
Dallas Kelley (09:27):
But we're also not allowed. Okay, pass is over
supposed to leave the parkinglot.
Tim Stout (09:33):
It's true. I'm just I'm just saying that the COVID
is having a lot more a lot moreissues than, than I think we. We
acknowledge. Can't get mymicrophone right today. Steve,
that sound okay. Over there. So,so that's your current event?
Unknown (09:51):
Yes.
Tim Stout (09:53):
Anything else going on in the world? Well, I mean,
you know, since last time we wewere on the Dodgers won a world
series.
Dallas Kelley (10:02):
I didn't know that. I mean, I watched that
baseball is one thing I didwatch a lot of this. Like
baseball rates did halfwaydecent courses is it was 60
games season two, but theydidn't play 180 that was 62
games.
Tim Stout (10:19):
I think it was something like 62 games. But I
mean, you know, the Dodgers?
They were they were do they wereway, way overdue?
Dallas Kelley (10:30):
Yeah. When I heard the last I didn't realize
that I thought they had wantedsince then. They've been in the
series though. With less.
Tim Stout (10:36):
Yeah, they've been to the World Series three or four
times over the last four or fiveyears. So now it was they were
do and I'm glad they got themonkey off their back. So that's
why I'm wearing my Dodger bluetonight. Go Go Dodgers. And I'm
trying to think what elseanything else happened?
Dallas Kelley (10:54):
I don't know. I wonder if my counted Dodger fan.
Tim Stout (10:57):
He's probably a Dodger fan.
Dallas Kelley (10:58):
I've seen that many reds game. I know. He's a
reds fan.
Tim Stout (11:02):
Like he's a reds fan.
Okay, well, we'll find out herein just just a couple minutes.
What else is going on? COVIDelection Dodgers winning the
World Series. There's one thingthat's kind of big going on
right now. What do you thinkthat is?
Dallas Kelley (11:16):
I don't know.
What
Tim Stout (11:17):
is it? I don't know.
I'm asking you. It's huntingseason Dallas.
Dallas Kelley (11:21):
Come on and season. Yeah, I've been hunting
and fish I went fishing the dayand
Unknown (11:29):
boat broke.
Tim Stout (11:31):
You broke your new boat.
Dallas Kelley (11:33):
No, I didn't very good. It wouldn't start it
wouldn't like electrical issuewouldn't turn over nothing.
totally
Tim Stout (11:40):
blank. Getting off the trailer or
Dallas Kelley (11:43):
Wow, I was way I had to get towed had to stop. So
mine told me brand brand newboat. That's now it's not a
motor issue. It's something'snot a fuse blue or something.
It's not making any contact inthe ignition.
Tim Stout (11:58):
So the There's your fishing report for the week. So
So if Jason berries, listen, andhe didn't get down the wall, he
got out in the water, but hisboat broke down. And I was
hoping to hear because I wentscouting with you for the big
game Dear Mr. de contam while hewent walk into the woods, and
I'd like to tell that story tosomebody because I said Dallas
had his retirement. And I lovedyour quote when asked you that
(12:22):
question. So I'll just ask youDallas, how's retirement? Is it
doesn't suck. It doesn't suck.
So I agree with you. I can'twait to experience I have
Dallas Kelley (12:35):
an old author Arthur movie. Deadly more.
Deadly more.
Tim Stout (12:41):
All right. Well, I think our guest is here. So
without further ado, I'll do alittle brief intro here. Mike,
can you hear us okay?
Unknown (12:51):
Yes. Can you hear me?
Tim Stout (12:52):
I can hear you just fine. Great. So if you can hear
us, we can hear you. That'sgood. Mr. Mike Allen for the
past 15 years has been thedirector of family life and
evangelization for the Dioceseof Lexington. He also teaches at
Lexington Catholic High School.
And before he and his familyentered the Catholic Church.
Mike was a United Methodistpastor and youth minister for
over 15 years. That's 30 rightthere. If I've got that
(13:15):
calculation right. Before he andhis wife Angie found themselves
before they saw the light andcame to the Catholic faith drawn
to the Catholic faith, I thinkis the word he used. They've
been married for 32 years haveseven children. Wow. Ages 15 to
28 and a four month oldgranddaughter. We'll talk about
(13:35):
grandkids Mike as I got to twothat are both young. Mike and
Mike is also likes to native sowelcome to the show, Mike Mr.
Mike Allen.
Dallas Kelley (13:47):
Thanks and a Dodger fan. Right.
Tim Stout (13:49):
And a Dodger fan.
Unknown (13:50):
No, you know my I've been on a journey with the
Dodgers. Because back in the 70sand 80s I hated the Dodgers
because I was a reds fan andthey were in the NL West
together, which made no senseCincinnati and the National
League West but that's what itwas. And so you know, those
teams with you may not be oldenough to remember Tim Steve
(14:12):
Garvey Oh yes,
Tim Stout (14:13):
Davey Lopes on say
Unknown (14:16):
I despised those guys.
Tim Stout (14:19):
Steve Garvey, maybe loaves Bill Russell Ron say
Jaeger behind the plate. I can'ttell you the outfield West
because that's where theychanged everybody. But dusty
Baker dusty Baker. Yeah.
Unknown (14:28):
Big Monday, Reggie Smith. You know,
Dallas Kelley (14:31):
how do you really feel about Mike?
Mike Allen (14:34):
Well, and then of course, when they switch
divisions now it's the Cardinalsthat I despise and and on maybe
just below them the Braves. ButI have a good friend that I grew
up with and church youth groupand stuff and whose Walker
bueller's mother. Oh, wow. Andso I was pulling pulling for him
a little bit. Yeah.
Tim Stout (14:55):
Oh, yeah. I mean, last year after after he had a
good showing in the in the Thepostseason as well. You know,
there was a good quote fromTommy Lasorda. That's it. Said
Walker, you're gonna be a Dodgerfor a long time. So
Unknown (15:09):
he he makes it look effortless and he he reminds me
a little bit he's just a tinybit bigger. That reminds me a
little bit of Orel. Hershiser
Tim Stout (15:17):
Yeah, good St. Bill right. Lane then also another
Kentucky connection for theDodgers. Will Smith play at the
University of Louisville so wewon't hold that against and we
won't but I think I think hisfeatures pretty good for for
catcher he hits pretty good fora catcher and you know they
didn't go to him towards the endof the series I put him in the
(15:39):
DH instead of behind the platebut
Unknown (15:41):
well congratulations I know it's been a long time
coming for the Dodgers and hardto believe a great franchise
like that had been on a 32 yeardrought and happy crazy maybe
the red so you know red so oneand a 90 so maybe there's gonna
be some symmetry there. We canhope
Tim Stout (15:57):
we can help dow said they had a good year this year
for 60
Dallas Kelley (16:00):
game sees the Reds right? We're above 500
right?
Unknown (16:04):
barely
Dallas Kelley (16:07):
two games on it.
And they scored what two runsand how many games? Well, they
scored zero runs in the play.
Oh, that's right. Zero. That'sright. Zero Yeah,
Tim Stout (16:16):
they went that extra inning game and it was
Dallas Kelley (16:18):
Yeah, that's what it was. It was a I was saying
zero runs and I'll know a lotmore innings but even though it
wasn't that many
Tim Stout (16:26):
well that's a lot about baseball. We could talk
baseball all night long becausethe dogs won World Series some
great games though. I did I didenjoy the whole postseason I
think the posts it'll beinteresting if they keep this
this lineup right the waythey've got the structured. The
one thing I don't like about itis I don't like the three game
series to start because somebodygets hot. You can get busted
(16:48):
out.
Unknown (16:48):
Oh, yeah. No, no, no question.
Tim Stout (16:50):
So maybe that'll be what triggers the Reds into the
world's pool for the reds. We'vebeen to thousand how many reds
game? Steve's you don't say staybehind the cameras over here.
But he's a big time. reds fan.
Big time Bengals fan. He's he'she's had a lot of heartache.
But, Mike, let's let's talk alittle bad about you won't talk
about you or you won't talkabout your ministry first. What
(17:11):
do you think?
Unknown (17:13):
Doesn't matter?
Tim Stout (17:15):
What's Uh, what's it like coming from the Methodist
Church to Catholicism? I mean,I've heard your story, you came
to our church? Gosh, it seemslike 10 or 10 or 11 years ago
and told your whole story up atthe pulpit. I forget what the I
don't know if that was a missionor if you what, what you're
there for. But I was amazed atyour story. I mean, it's a it's
a great, great story, can youcan you kind of tell us how a
(17:36):
guy goes 15 years as a Methodistminister and converts to
Catholicism?
Unknown (17:42):
Yeah, I mean, and everybody's journey is
different, of course, but minewent down a path that started
with curiosity. Not everthinking you would go anywhere.
But you know, I grew up in inLexington and went to Baptist
churches when I was reallylittle. And then in high school,
(18:04):
got involved in the MethodistChurch, really active youth
group, and it really had aprofound impact on my life. And
then when I graduated college,university Kentucky go cats. I
even though I was an engineeringmajor, and then graduated with
an engineering degree. That's tohave ended up. I ended up going
(18:26):
to Asbury seminary because Ifelt a call to full time
Christian ministry. And, youknow, I wasn't really anti
Catholic, I just was largelyignorant of Catholicism. Now my
grandmother, she was sayingattack half. She, she was she
was from rural Wolfe County,Holly Chihuahua, Kentucky.
Tim Stout (18:49):
I don't know where that where is that at? Wolfe
County?
Unknown (18:52):
Ah, wolf counties, like, you know, next to Morgan
County, West Liberty. Okay.
Well, wolf counties camptonyou've ever camped it? Well,
Tim Stout (19:02):
my daughter is in Morehead. So since
Unknown (19:05):
it sits out the Mountain Parkway, you go right
through Wolfe County. And shewas a little tip from a town
called Holly Chihuahua. And thelegend was they called it a
lychee walk because there weretwo ways to get there and it was
hell each way. But she, shecalled Catholics cat Lakers. I
remember very well. So I waspretty ignorant of the Catholic
(19:30):
faith. You know, even as aChristian pastor, but I was like
I said, I had some vagueperceptions about the Catholic
faith but not enough to worryabout and it was just largely
irrelevant to my life. And whenI was it was interesting. I had
a class when I came back toschool to Asbury to to get work
(19:53):
on a doctorate degree. I had apreaching professor who gave us
a list of novels. He said Pickone of those novels and read it
and write a paper on how thethemes in that novel might be
used in preaching. And I justsaw one novel that a friend of
mine had referenced a philosophyfester that I do. And it was by
(20:18):
Graham Greene, who was a Britishauthor Catholic, not exactly a
poster boy of Catholicsainthood. But his novels which
I read several of them becausethey were so good. And he had a
very, his books were justhaunted with Catholic imagery
(20:39):
and the vivid descriptions ofthe mass and so forth. And it's
interesting how conversionsometimes happens. Because if I
had picked up a book that said,why you should become a
Catholic, I would have had my,my arguments marshaled and my
defenses up and you know, I'd beready to take on the challenge.
(21:02):
But because it was art,literature, it snuck in a side
door, and it just picked alittle curiosity in me. And over
the next, I don't know, probablyfive or six years. I just
gradually I would have aquestion about why the Catholics
believe that or why did they dothat? Or, you know, I've
discovered that my perceptionsof the Catholic faith, were not
(21:27):
always accurate.
Tim Stout (21:28):
Were you discovering all this on your own? Or was was
somebody leading you in thatdirection? Were you able Who
were you asking these questions?
Or were you just researching andresearching
Dallas Kelley (21:39):
where was you getting answers from non
Catholics or Catholic?
Unknown (21:43):
No, I was mainly Catholic material. And it was it
was, in many ways, an individualpersonal journey. I didn't have
many Catholic friends, but Ididn't really consult with
anybody. I was just, you know,I, I had also begun subscribing
to a journal called first thingsthat was not technically a
(22:07):
Catholic journal. But there werea lot of Catholic writers. So
God Father Richard, johnNewhouse, of blessed memory, he
was a pain relief.
Dallas Kelley (22:15):
Fantastic. I remember him.
Unknown (22:17):
Yeah, he was. Yes. He was a Lutheran pastor who became
Catholic, and so forth. So butyou know, as I would have these
little I describe it, that I'dhave these little epiphanies
along the way, like, Oh, that'swhy Catholics do that. Or, oh, I
was wrong about what Catholicsbelieve about this, or, oh,
that's the biblical passage thatCatholics, we used to undergird
(22:42):
that teaching and so forth. Andso I was having these little,
you know, lightbulb momentsalong the way. And I was, found
myself, not just curious, butthen started, see some,
something attractive about theCatholic faith. And, you know, I
would even find myself defendingthe Catholic faith in
(23:04):
discussions with non Catholics.
You know, like, even though, youknow, of course, I wasn't going
to become Catholic in my mind,but I wanted people to have a
fair picture.
Tim Stout (23:14):
You were being added, you're being an apologist
already.
Unknown (23:17):
Yeah, in many ways. And so, and there came a point,
probably around April of 2004.
There were a couple of booksthat I read, it's in which those
all those light bulbs kind ofcame together, and I saw this
just I would describe it as thepanoramic beauty of the Catholic
(23:39):
faith. And I realized that I wasno longer just curious or
attracted, that believed it, youknow, which provoked a crisis
because this was we were livingin a Methodist parsonage we had
(23:59):
six kids, you know? It was like,what, what are we gonna do?
Well, you know, and my wife
Tim Stout (24:08):
was Angie on this journey with you, or, you know,
I mean, we were we were had tobe communicating something to
her on the way.
Unknown (24:15):
Yeah, we had, you know, six kids 11 and under so deep
theological conversations werenot common,
Tim Stout (24:23):
didn't happen at the dinner table.
Unknown (24:25):
But, you know, she would get in the car and turn on
the radio and it was tuned tothe Catholic station or
something, you know, so it kindof raised an eyebrow. And she
knew that I was having thisinterior kind of, you know, that
I was on this journey and butBut what happened is just, you
(24:50):
know, I actually prayed to Godabout it and said, you know, God
if this is if you wanting me tobecome Catholic, then you're
going to have to convince mywife because So, I can't do
that. And, you know, I thought Iwould, I'd kind of click taking
the monkey off my back because,you know, then I just would try
and trust it to God. And, youknow, funny thing happens when
(25:12):
you do that, because she beganto pick up some of these books
that I had lying around thehouse just on her own and
started reading them. And thenshe found herself on the same
journey. And then we're both Ijust couldn't remember. There
that summer of oh four, we wouldjust lie there at night. And it
felt like, like a, like, therewas a 50 pound rock on our
(25:36):
chests. It was just like, wefelt this just overwhelming
sense of call, you know, andwhat are we going to do with
this and so forth. And so therest, as they say, is kind of
history really
Tim Stout (25:51):
2004 happened then?
Unknown (25:53):
Well, we entered the church in in actually in August
of 2005.
Tim Stout (25:59):
Which parish
Unknown (26:00):
because Mary Queen, the Holy Rosary? Because we, you
know, in the Methodist Church,there's some actually, you know,
Methodism is sort of a, I wouldexplain it this way. Methodism
began as a renewal movementwithin Anglicanism, or the
(26:20):
Episcopal Church or, you know,the Church of England. So in
some ways, Methodism is toAnglicanism, what Anglican ism
is to Catholicism. So, you know,Methodist Church, you have a
bishop, and as pastors, we wereappointed by bishop to a
congregation. And typically inthe Methodist Church is very
(26:44):
similar to in our own diocese,where, you know, you have your
appointment has to either berenewed every year, or you might
be moved to a different church.
And so I knew sometime in thearound November, December of Oh,
four that this was going to haveto be our last year, as in, in
Methodist ministry, and
Dallas Kelley (27:09):
wasn't wasn't there a time I remember, if I
remember your story, right?
Where you told you told yourwife, Angie that could Can we
just think, can we just thinkwe're Catholic, instead of
instead of actually going over,you know, and the uterus draw
Aryan or drew in or something?
Unknown (27:29):
Yeah, I started having cold feet, you know, and just
recognizing how scary it was.
And my wife is always been aperson with stronger faith in
me. And so I told her, you may,we can just forget this whole
thing. I remember it was aSaturday morning, cuz we had
gotten into the habit we livejust in the shadow of Christ,
(27:52):
the king, the drill, I thinkthat there was some sort of
gamma rays coming out of thecathedral drawing said that we'd
gotten in the habit ofindividually, because our kids
were also young, sneaking into adaily mass over at the
cathedral. And, you know, wewould have this habit of
(28:14):
sneaking in late sitting in theback, and then slipping out
early, which turned out to be agood, good practice for actually
being Catholic. Ever,
Tim Stout (28:23):
you pass the test.
Unknown (28:26):
So she was leaving, it was a Saturday morning, and I
would sit there drinking a cupof coffee, and she was walking
out the door. And I said, Angie,maybe we don't have to do that.
This. Maybe we could justappreciate the Catholic Church
from a distance and be contentwith that. And I never forget.
Thanks for reminding me DallasDeacon. She she had her back to
(28:47):
me. And she it felt like, gosh,two minutes, but was probably 10
seconds. And then she turnedaround. And her eyes were
welling up with tears. And shesaid, all of my life, I've
wanted to wanted it to be truethat it is the body and blood of
(29:09):
Jesus Christ. And I never letmyself believe it before she
said I I have to do this. And soat that point, I knew I was in
big trouble.
Tim Stout (29:23):
You hit the point, it hit the point of no return at
that point.
Unknown (29:25):
Yes, yes. So you know, so we could Yeah, we entered the
church in August of oh five justhad our 15 year anniversary as
Catholics and was father Bobstill there was no father Bob. I
mean, the father Baba came inlater for an interim you know,
kind of thing. He's always he'severybody's interim, you know,
in retirement.
Tim Stout (29:45):
These are spirits.
Well, he was our pre COVIDspiritual director. We haven't
seen
Unknown (29:50):
a great great pre scrape man. I'm, I'm trying to
think of Who was that? I thinkit was. I think father Danny
schwendeman and No, father,Jacob Curie and I think were the
two priests that were there.
They were not pastors at thatpoint. So.
Tim Stout (30:09):
So did all the kids come at the same time?
Unknown (30:13):
Yes, our four oldest, because a lot of folks by well
maybe or may not know this, ifyou're seven years old and up,
if you come into communion inthe church, then you have to be
confirmed. Right? Because you'reconsidered an adult in the
faith.
Tim Stout (30:32):
So a lot of people don't know that. That's true.
Unknown (30:35):
Oh, yeah. So there are a folder for oldest were
confirmed. And then, of course,all our children had been
baptized as infants, because inthe Methodist Church, we do
baptize infants. And, yeah, soour two sons and our youngest
daughter, you know, they werethey were really young. So they
went through the whole processof first communion and
(30:56):
confirmation of the rest.
Tim Stout (30:58):
And so you, you come into the church, and if I've got
my math correct, you go rightinto the job that you have
today. The director of Yeah,family life.
Unknown (31:09):
Well, it's a it's interesting.
Tim Stout (31:11):
That would have been a bishop gainer.
Unknown (31:14):
Actually, I, we entered the Catholic Church on August
13. I started working for thediocese July 1, so I was
actually employed by the diocesefor six weeks before I was fully
Catholic. We had gotten to knowyou know, I had reached out to
Bishop gainer in like the fallof oh four, somebody had
(31:36):
recommended that I do that. Justtell them our story and see if
he had any guidance in terms ofvocational sort of things, you
know, and he was, of course youdon't Bishop Gaynor, very much a
pastor's heart and kind personand we met whether he met with
me and he came over to our housefor dinner and so forth. And so
(31:58):
he talked about that. Thediocese was thinking about
creating a position the directorof family life, they had had
that office before, but it wasjust part time and had been
closed for a couple of years. Sohe said, You know, when I think
when that when we decide that toopen that office again, I would
think you might be a you know,candidate for that. I can't
(32:19):
promise anything, of course. Andso we went through all that
spring of Oh, five, I had noidea what I was going to do for
a living and you know, we housewe lived along to the church and
our wife is pregnant with herseventh at that point, and
Tim Stout (32:38):
you had to have a lot of trust in God at that point.
Unknown (32:42):
It was the it was a really crisis of faith for me.
Because Yeah, I didn't, I didn'tknow what I was gonna do. And I
kept hitting like closed doorafter closed door. And you know,
so we we got down to, we were itwas the day before we were going
(33:03):
to move out of the Methodistparsonage. We had already signed
a lease to rent a house that Ididn't know how I was going to
pay the bill. And I calledBishop Gaynor because, you know,
he, he had been a slow process,nothing moves fast in the
church, as you know. So I justthought I thought I thought I'd
(33:24):
call him Bishop meter, just seewhere the, you know what, where
the position was, and then ifthey were gonna start
interviewing or whatever, and Icalled him the day before we
were we were putting stuff inboxes, you know, to move out, I
call them and after a couple ofminutes, you know, I asked him
about the position. He said, I'mso glad you called he said,
(33:45):
because I just was in a meetingearlier today and we've decided
that we're going to go a hole goahead and open the position. And
I want to offer you theposition. Wow. And yeah, and you
know, it's funny because Bishopgainer said you probably want to
take some time to pray aboutthis. I said
Dallas Kelley (34:08):
I said here's a note.
Unknown (34:11):
I said Bishop gainer I have prayed about it accept
Tim Stout (34:16):
it. Last is prayer known demand boom
Unknown (34:19):
boom a Yeah. So really, I'm grateful every day for that
opportunity because he took areal leap you know, in hiring me
so
Tim Stout (34:32):
so at that point it was was it just family life at
that point? Not evangelization?
Just family life?
Unknown (34:36):
Yeah, evangelization yet add got added later.
Tim Stout (34:40):
Yeah. So So tell us just a little bit about what
your responsibility is what whatthat office at the diocese is
responsible for? I mean,obviously we Dallas and I do a
lot of stuff with with focus. Sowe know that part of it pretty
much counseling and stuff, buttell our listeners kind of what
what you do and Maybe how youcan help them if they need help.
Unknown (35:04):
Sure. And I it's funny because I we talk about what
what is my office do? Well, it'sit's me.
Peopleabout about five of us share a
share and administrativeassistant who's fantastic. I
mean, she's Claudia'soutstanding, but it but it is,
(35:25):
you know, when it's us, so whenI first started the position,
you asked me again, are youokay? So you hired me, what do
you want me to do? And he, hereally wanted us to strengthen
and develop and evaluate anddeepen our process of marriage
preparation. And that's probablybeen in terms of the chunk
(35:48):
that's take that takes the mostof my time over the last 15
years, because we have acomparatively speaking, we have
a more rigorous process ofmarriage preparation than the
average diocese. So everyCatholic Diocese, yes, average
Catholic Diocese, right. So andso you know, we have the we we
(36:14):
try to give couples a goodunderstanding of what marriage
is what, why it even exists, howit fits within the Catholic
faith, or an understanding ofour sexuality. Usually, they're
related through the lens of PopeSt. john paul, the second is
theology the body. So that, youknow, because what we felt like
(36:37):
was, what we were doing inmarriage preparation was was
good, but we felt like it wasincomplete. Because the typical
pre pre k in a class primarilytalked about relationship
skills, which are important, ofcourse, your skills and virtues.
But it's also very important tohave a vision and understanding
(37:00):
of what marriage is as areality. So I would compare it
to somebody who's preparing forpriesthood or the deac, and they
had a religious life that it'snot, you know, for the potential
priest in seminary, they don'tjust need to learn about how to
(37:23):
do the things that a priestdoes, which they do, but to do
that, but they also need to havea real understanding of what the
priesthood is what it means tobe a priest. And so that's kind
of the, we tried to bring thatout in to augment what was
already being done. And then wealso asked, I asked me, a full
(37:46):
course. So for couples ofnatural family planning, so they
can kind of have an idea of howto live out this vision of our
sexuality and fertility withinmarried life. So you know, to
try to train and develop leadersand parishes, I do some teaching
(38:09):
myself, try to coordinate allthat stuff. And that that takes
a good bit of time. And andenergy. As you probably know
that, go ahead. But I was justwondering, do you have enough
focus couples out there? And youmean,
Tim Stout (38:26):
facilitators? Yes.
Unknown (38:27):
facilitators. Now, we could always use more for sure.
And yeah, focus is for those ofyou don't know who what focus
is, it's a it's a premaritalinventory.
Tim Stout (38:40):
Not a sale, not a test. How do
Unknown (38:43):
you remember that?
Well, from your training isspelled with two C's in the
middle, it's not misspelled.
It's facilitating open couplecommunication, understanding and
study, and so called theindividual fiance's, respond to
about 150 plus differentstatements, whether they agree,
disagree or uncertain. And thenwhen they complete the survey,
(39:07):
which they do online, itgenerates a report that compares
their responses, so they can geta better picture of maybe, you
know, where are they, wherethey're particularly strong?
Maybe some growth areas, maybethings that they thought they
had discussed, but hadn'treally? Yeah,
Dallas Kelley (39:25):
I like, I like when we get get them back. And I
see the overall is compatibilityis 22%. You're like, Oh, is it
gonna be alone session?
Tim Stout (39:36):
Well, the exact opposite of that is when it's
99%. You're like, okay, you allsat in the same room together.
Unknown (39:42):
Yeah, that's exactly.
It's all it.
Tim Stout (39:46):
I mean, I enjoy it.
Kelly and I really, really enjoyit. We've I don't know if we've
had as many couples as you I'vehad not even close. Dallas is
the go to guy at the parish. Butyou know, it's a fun, it's a fun
ministry. For us, we enjoy it.
We enjoy meeting the youngcouples and, you know, hearing
their stories and watching themgrow through the process. I
(40:09):
mean, that to me, that's that'swhere we know, that focus works
is because you can see from thefirst meeting to the, you know,
it's second, third, however manyyou are, by the time you get to
the end, they've changed as acouple. So, and I think that's
what you want to see. Right?
That's you want to see that thatgrowth?
Unknown (40:26):
Then no question. And then for them to, you know, be
willing to grapple with things.
I mean, if this has not happeneda lot, but it does happen.
Occasionally. We're a couplewhat will go through the
marriage preparation process,and they'll earn, you know,
What, this? We probablyshouldn't be doing this. And,
you know, that's certainly notthe aim of what we do. But if
(40:47):
that's the case, better to findout now, then, and save yourself
a lot of heartache that can comelater.
Tim Stout (40:58):
Yeah, do you? Do you have statistics in the database?
Do keep statistics of peoplethat don't get married, they go
through focus. But that I mean,that hasn't happened to us? I
don't think not too bad ourmarriage, but yeah,
Unknown (41:12):
I'd say, you know, I would spit ball and say less
than 5%.
Tim Stout (41:17):
But what about the sister part of this? Does the
diocese do much with refocus?
Because I think that might besomething that we need in our
parish?
Unknown (41:29):
Yeah, I mean, we, of course, I think I took you guys
through it with your spouse'sand your the agonal formation,
Tim Stout (41:37):
I believe. Yes. That was enlightening.
Unknown (41:40):
Yeah, I mean, I did and every focus facilitator has the
is certified to do refocus to soit's always, you know, when
you're in a diocesan office,it's it's sort of a, you try to
walk that fine line, because, Imean, ultimately, ministry best
happens in the local parish.
Right. That's, that's reallywhere, you know, we have this
(42:02):
understanding of subsidiarity.
subsidiarity, right. So, there,I mean, I, what I sometimes you
know, how I see my offices is tobe a resource to help. The local
(42:23):
parish should be any supportthat I can make kind of see, see
me if there's somehow anextension of the staff. But if
there are people in the parishthat want to do that sort of
thing, I'll do anything that Ican do to help that happen.
Tim Stout (42:37):
Does that does that happen typically in a one on one
environment? Or does it happenin a group environment? What I
mean, because we did, obviously,we did it that through the
acronym formation, which is aunique situation, but is that
something that's done in a groupformation? Or would you say that
if a parish is going to offerit, they should offer one on
one? No,
Unknown (42:55):
I think it can be either way. I you know, I think
Usually, I mean, if you're, ifyou're administering refocus it
to a couple who is in real needof some marital healing,
probably it should be best donein an individual, one or two on
(43:16):
two circumstance. But if you'redoing it as an enrichment
course, you know, you may startit with it being enrichment and
fun.
Tim Stout (43:28):
We got this piece and we have a problem.
Dallas Kelley (43:31):
When we did focus, I mean, you talk about
the 99 percentile, man, my wifeis like 99.9 we got we didn't we
we were done. There was nothingto discuss. And we sat back and
watched the whole room fight. Itwas funny.
Tim Stout (43:50):
We did Dallas, you knew your spouse, Dallas, you
are you and Sherry are unique.
You know you are a perfectmatch. You were born for like
Dallas Kelley (43:57):
the things though.
Tim Stout (43:59):
They never argue.
Dallas Kelley (44:00):
We never argue. I don't know what to tell you.
Tim Stout (44:04):
Yeah, go figure, Mike. I know what you're
thinking. Yeah,
Unknown (44:07):
I know crazy.
Dallas Kelley (44:08):
Mike, let me ask you. When I do focus, and we
kind of go over the next stepsafter focus. I try to steer and
it's just my opinion, I wantedto get yours. I try to steer
everyone towards the retreat.
Okay. Instead of the otheroptions that I have like the
gods playing I forget, I forget.
(44:29):
Which do you prefer of those twooptions do you think are better
and because I just think it'sbetter to be with other other
engaged couples.
Unknown (44:39):
Yeah, so you know, we we have these three primary
components the God's plan forjoyfilled marriage, the what we
call the married life component,which can be either a sponsor
couple or a class at a parishthat offers it like Christ, the
king or Mary Queen, seat and soforth and natural family
planning. in normal times,meaning nine pandemic times, we
(45:02):
offer a full weekend retreatseveral times a year. So that
you could fulfill those firsttwo components, the God's plan
and the married life in oneweekend. And I like that I think
they're, you know that there'sa, there's a great deal of
benefit of having that dedicatedtime through a whole weekend, of
(45:23):
course, they get to know theother couples, you'd know them
more personally. You know, justlike anybody who goes on a
retreat, there's an opportunityfor more lengthy, intentional
reflection. So yeah, I'm a bigfan of the retreat, we've kind
of had to re calibrate things,not just for the pandemic,
(45:44):
because when Cliff Cliff youclosed, so we went from having
three a year to the least rightnow we're having to a year, once
we get past the pandemic,there's a Methodist retreat
center in slo County, that thatwe're going to be using,
Dallas Kelley (46:04):
but right now, it's not in person, right. You
Unknown (46:06):
don't you don't think nothing's in person right now.
And you know, probably won't beuntil, I mean, I'm assuming
probably at least next summer.
Tim Stout (46:18):
Yeah, that's that was gonna be one of my questions is
has the pandemic affected yourministry?
Unknown (46:24):
Yeah. I mean, we, everybody's on a learning curve,
of course. And, you know, usinglike, everybody's got zoom
fatigue. Recognize, but man, youlook at the numbers, and in
nationwide in Kentucky, it'sit's a little bit, you know,
it's a little unnerving.
Tim Stout (46:43):
And it didn't, it didn't end Tuesday.
Unknown (46:46):
Yeah. Yeah, I thought it was supposed to end after the
election, talking about, youknow, I think our positivity
rate was like, what, 6.7% todayor so, but it's gonna get
Dallas Kelley (46:56):
better. That's the promise. It'll get better.
Tim Stout (46:58):
It's gonna get better.
Unknown (47:00):
Eventually, hopefully.
But, you know, so and we'reworking on like, so the married
life, that that happens, thatone of the options is to take a
class in a parish. So what we'redoing on that is, we got a bunch
of different leaders of thatfrom different parishes in
Lexington. And we're in themiddle we just filmed. We're
using a production company towe're going to take the
(47:21):
presentations, we're going tohave them professionally edited
and put together and we'll havecouples be able to rather than
sit in a six hour zoom call,they'll be able to do it at
their own pace.
Tim Stout (47:40):
Who doesn't? Who doesn't love a sixth person?
Unknown (47:45):
Oh, yeah, that's, that's beautiful. I've got one
tomorrow. So yeah, andwonderful. But you know, and so
then they'll have they'll meetwith with a with the facilitator
couple, once they finish thatjust to, you know, kind of break
down what they gain from it. Imean, it's, as I said to
somebody the other day, it's notideal, but we, we tossed ideal
(48:07):
out the window some time ago. So
Tim Stout (48:09):
yeah, Dallas and I both have had a wedding. I mean,
we I had one, probably in themiddle of the pandemic, yes. And
you've had one in the lastmonth. You know, it definitely
has changed the whole Ministryof marriage, not just the prep
side, but all the way throughto, to the ceremony itself. And
it's I like the wedding that Idid, because it was it was
(48:30):
simple. You know, there wereonly 20 I think there were 25.
At that point, we can have 25people in our church, and that's
how many people were there. Andit was actually with a Methodist
minister, it was it was kind ofokay, and interesting. But it
was, it was great, becausenobody was on edge. You know,
how, you know, everybody wantseverything to be perfect at a
wedding. But here, everybodyknew it wasn't gonna be perfect.
(48:52):
We were just, we were justtrying to make it happen. And
everybody, that's what the goalwas, we want it, they loved each
other. They didn't want to waitfor six months or another year.
Let's just make this happen. Andeverybody was so nice. Which
doesn't always happen in awedding.
Unknown (49:08):
And it's, you know, this this time is tough on you
know,
Tim Stout (49:11):
I mean, some marriages have gotten closer to
the pandemic, and then othershave exacerbated some
difficulties. And we weretalking about that before for
you came on actually just this,my current event was the
pandemic and the election andthat a lot of people have lost
their minds in this country. Andin the state. A lot of our
(49:32):
friends, you know, I'm saying,you know, I just see people
under the stress and thepressure of, of not being in
community with people notinteracting with people in a
normal way, that stress that'sgoing on. And you know, what's
happening in marriages, it'sprobably a little bit more
hidden now than it was before.
Right? Because they'reeverybody's at home and you
don't see it.
Dallas Kelley (49:55):
You know, except in mine,
Tim Stout (49:57):
except to Dallas.
Don't argue at all. But, youknow, I think it's a it's a very
challenging environment. And,you know, I can't wait for it to
be over whenever that's going tobe whenever that's gonna happen.
Unknown (50:10):
You and me, brother for sure.
Tim Stout (50:12):
So, what's one thing that that somebody should know
about the, the family life atthe diocese? what's what's one
thing that the hidden treasureis something that people don't
know that they should know aboutthe ministry or resources or
trying to push? Well,
Unknown (50:30):
you know, we, we, of course, we try to keep in mind
all the different places thatpeople are, you know, we've,
we've developed over the lastseveral years of ministry for
divorced Catholics, you know,people hear that term divorce
Catholic and they think that'slike, jumbo shrimp or something,
(50:51):
you know, they don't gotogether, right? I mean, we all
know the church has beenimpacted by divorce and, you
know, how do we help peoplealong that journey toward
healing and a lot ofmisconceptions about what the
Church teaches? And you know,it's, it's, I mean, the
(51:12):
beautiful thing about theCatholic Church is, you know, we
understand, I mean, if Iremember somebody said to me,
Well, why in the world would youhave a ministry to divorced
persons? Because we believethat, you know, the marriage,
the marriage is permanent. Isay, well, we we also know that
we're all called the Hopi holy,but we build still build
(51:33):
confessionals. There's a lot.
There's a lot of brokenness.
Yeah,
Tim Stout (51:39):
I had an aunt that most of my adult life. She was
she got divorced when I was ayoung young kid, probably, I
don't know. 1415 years old. Shelived in Somerset moved up to
back to load live with her mom.
For the whole time. I knew herwent to mass every Sunday, and
never went to Communion becauseshe thought she couldn't go to
(52:01):
me. Oh, yeah, as a divorcedCatholic. So you know that that
ministry is important, just froman education point of view, to
really educate what the Churchteaches. So many people think
they understand it, and theydon't.
Unknown (52:17):
And of course, you know, we're a real growing edge
for me and for several of us atthe diocese to has been, you
know, used to be in the diocesethat we had regarding Spanish
language ministry, we had sortof a, a silo setup where, you
(52:38):
know, Hispanic ministry was itsown silo, right. And it was
separate from all the otheroffices and what, you know, and
really prompted a lot by Bishopjohn, and for good reason. We're
on that slow journey towardbeing more integrated. So that,
you know, I'm not just thedirector of family life
(52:59):
ministries for the Englishspeaking Catholics for the
diocese, but for everybody,right. So, you know, I've been
as best I can learning Spanish,we have some wonderful volunteer
couples, who, whose whoseEnglish is about as good as my
Spanish, which not not, but butbut fluent in their lives. And
(53:21):
people who think about oneparticular couple, who, whose
dedication to the church and totheir ministry is one of the
greatest and most profoundcommitments that I've ever seen
from, from a lay volunteer. Imean, just and that's, you know,
(53:43):
that's, that's, that's abeautiful thing. And the kind of
thing, as you know, it says, inleadership in the church,
sometimes the one of the mostchallenging things sometimes is
to define people who lay at thevolunteers who will really own a
(54:04):
particular ministry, and nothave to be cajoled push for it.
Yeah, to have somebody who ownsit and takes it. That's it.
That's a that's a prettyprofound thing.
Tim Stout (54:19):
And it's always a good idea until you want them to
be in charge of it, or to moveforward. Wait a minute, I can't
do that. So when you findsomebody that does that, that is
that's a good thing that moveson their own so and always like
this is usually the lastquestion always end up with Mike
who is a guest we should have onour show.
Unknown (54:40):
Oh, that's a great question. I'm
Tim Stout (54:45):
not to put you on the spot. We've had you know, we've
had living spirit. Oh, do youknow Rocco? palmo. Do you know
he is the whistle? Yeah.
Unknown (54:52):
whispers in the lows.
Yeah. Yeah, we had him on.
Dallas Kelley (54:55):
We had Gus Lloyd on satellite radio and
Tim Stout (54:58):
we've had some good ones. Now we've had the world
famous Mike Allen.
Unknown (55:03):
Yeah, world famous your thing.
Dallas Kelley (55:05):
Now we're thinking about quitting, because
we can't stop that. Yeah,
Unknown (55:08):
yeah, that's that.
That's right.
Tim Stout (55:10):
We would like to have you in the studio though. So
when the pandemic is over, wewould like you to come in and
because we can take questionsand stuff, and it just, it's a
little bit different, moreintimate setting.
Unknown (55:22):
You know, I would, in terms of future guests, I don't
know how well you know, DeaconEduardo fortini, who is the
coordinator of Hispanicministry, and the diocese.
Dallas Kelley (55:34):
I get his emails all the time, but I read them.
Unknown (55:37):
He is, he is one more one of the most energetic
Tim Stout (55:41):
passionate, he's from global. Is he from Colombia?
Unknown (55:45):
No, he is a he was born and raised in Argentina. Well,
he, early years he wasArgentina. And then he was in
Genoa, in Italy.
Tim Stout (55:55):
I love that. I love his accent. He was Oh, yeah, he
was on the training session wejust had a week or so ago. And
I'm like, if we needed to castsomebody for the Godfather, he
would be perfect.
Unknown (56:08):
Well, and he's, you know, he's been involved with
with several others. We've had,there's been I don't want to go
into too much detail, butdemonic oppression and
possession is a reality, youknow, right. Oh, no. And he, and
he has been, you know, involvedwith several situations.
Tim Stout (56:34):
What's one of the things is, one of the persons on
my list is somebody who is anexpert in exorcism, I want to
try to find the national leaderon exorcisms and I want to have
him on the show.
Unknown (56:44):
That's my but now there's a I know there's a
priest in Covington, that is anofficial Exorcist for the
diocese there.
Tim Stout (56:53):
I know they like to keep that secret. Sometimes they
don't like to really talk aboutit. But you know, I, you know, I
think it it. It's real. And, youknow, in today's world,
sometimes we will A lot ofpeople say that evil doesn't
exist or, you know, there is nohell. And you know, it does. And
there is so
Unknown (57:14):
another another guest I would mention too, is Jason
Hall. And if you know, Jason, I
Tim Stout (57:18):
know Jason Well, yeah, absolutely.
Unknown (57:20):
Director of the executive of Catholic Conference
of Kentucky, so he'd be a great,that's a that's a
Tim Stout (57:25):
great. Both of those are great suggestions, Mike. So
I reached out to both of them. Ithink they both be. You know,
Jason, obviously, he's, he'scoming out of his hot season
right now, you know, since theelections over so all that is
over? Is it over? Well, it islike it is. There's a
Dallas Kelley (57:42):
well, there's a lot but we pretty much know who
won.
Tim Stout (57:46):
There's a lot of new faces going to Frankfort. So
it'll be it'll be interesting.
I'm part of the work. I'm partof a lobbying group for our
industry. And, you know, the,when there's an election that
has this, many new faces go intoFrankfurt, you got to work. You
think because people going inFrankfurt don't know a lot of
things they don't know, a lot ofthese issues they run because
(58:08):
they've got a problem in theirdistrict or in their area, and
they want to try to fix thatthing. But there's a whole lot
more going on. On Jason. So
Unknown (58:16):
Jason knows more about has forgotten more about
politics than I know. He waskind of I think I get a sense he
was when he was young. He waslike an Alex P. Keaton, you
know, from the old family tiesshow. And, you know, he worked
in Frankfort for many yearsbefore he became Catholic. So
Tim Stout (58:34):
yeah, great suggestions. Well, Mike, we
appreciate your time. We will wehave a little gift we send you
if you were here, we would giveit to you. But I'll send it to
you in the mail and you'll getit because you know, we can't
see each other during thepandemic, but it's
Unknown (58:47):
not a Dodger jersey
Tim Stout (58:48):
as it is not. It actually is it's a rosary. It's
a what's called a rugged rosary.
Unknown (58:53):
Oh wonderful, but
Dallas Kelley (58:54):
it was blessed by Tommy Lasorda.
Tim Stout (58:58):
Actually, you know who the one of the biggest who
was Catholic Catholic Dodgerfans there there is is Vince
Golly. I mean, he's a he's aknight. Oh, yeah. You know, he's
Unknown (59:09):
sad.
It's sad that he stepped down,you know, and wasn't able to
call the games this year.
Tim Stout (59:15):
What a what a good guy and you know, what, you
know, not a ministry but alifelong desire, lifelong
dedication to a team for sure.
So
Unknown (59:25):
I am a little disappointed fatherland whatnot
here too. I mean, that wasalways spices things up a little
bit. We had a restraining order
Dallas Kelley (59:34):
against
Unknown (59:36):
PDFs. I
Dallas Kelley (59:37):
threw in some different names to protect the
innocent, but he was the one
Unknown (59:41):
he maybe maybe the the FCC crackdown
Tim Stout (59:44):
on you a little bit.
But he's usually here. He had atooth tooth. He had a tooth
emergency tooth extraction orsomething. So Oh, obviously he
can't talk. Imagine that.
Imagine that. Yeah, so he cantype very well. We've we've been
sacked via text. But next timewhen you come into the studio,
he will be here and you know, aslong as it's in the next couple
(01:00:08):
years while he's still assignedhere to our parish. So you know,
he's been here for 14 years. 13years, however long. He's on
extended play.
Unknown (01:00:17):
Well, I look forward to the pandemic being over and be
happy and be there andthrowback. Oh, cool. And with
you guys.
Tim Stout (01:00:24):
Alright. Well, Mike, we appreciate it and have a
blessed day and we will see yousoon.
Unknown (01:00:30):
All right, thanks.
Tim Stout (01:00:31):
Thanks, Mike Allen.
Dallas Kelley (01:00:32):
God bless us.
Unknown (01:00:36):
There you go. Boom. My gallon.
Tim Stout (01:00:42):
Good show. He's a good guy.
Dallas Kelley (01:00:44):
For a sign of the day. There is a sign of the day.
Tim Stout (01:00:48):
is Steve ready for the sign of the sign as a sign
of the day? Saint Nicholas, havea look and companions. I'm gonna
have to learn a little bit aboutthis because I haven't heard
this one before. But here is thesite of the day.
Unknown (01:01:06):
This is Franciscan media saint of the day for
November 6. Today we celebrateSt. Nicholas tablets and
companions. Today's saint andhis three companions are among
the 158 Franciscans to have beenmartyred in the Holy Land. Since
the friars became custodians ofthe shrines and holy places in
(01:01:27):
1335. Nicholas was born in 1340to a wealthy noble family in
Croatia. He joined theFranciscans and was sent to
preach in Bosnia. In 1384. Heand a fellow friar volunteered
to serve in the Holy Landmissions. their duties included
looking after the holy places,caring for the Christian
(01:01:48):
pilgrims, and studying Arabic.
In 1391, Nicolas and three otherfriars decided to take a more
direct approach to convertingthe Muslim population. reading
from a prepared statement inJerusalem's Mosque of Omar. They
stated that all people mustaccept the gospel of Jesus. When
the mosque official ordered themto retract the statement they
(01:02:08):
refused. After beatings andimprisonment, the friars were
beheaded before a large crowd.
In 1970, Nicholas tablets andhis companions became the first
Franciscans martyred in the HolyLand to be canonized. There's
more about the saints along withinspiration in Catholic
resources at our website, Saintof the day.org. From Franciscan
(01:02:31):
media. This has been st of theday.
Tim Stout (01:02:35):
Saint Nicholas tab like another Franciscan
Franciscan media really likesFranciscan saints. Have you
noticed that? Hey, next week,we're working on some things.
Look, possibly getting somebodyfrom Stephens ministry to come
talk about what that ministry isall about. So ministry that's
been in our parish, I think alittle bit over a couple years
now. Or might just talk aboutputting on what violins got it
(01:02:58):
up his sleeve, maybe some someCatholic topics. We talked about
reformation and counterreformation just for theory,
those are some things we've hadon the list. We just need to get
them off my list. So anyway,next week tune in never know who
we might have on we might haveJason Hall who knows. Deacon
Eduardo fortini. So thanks toMike Allen, you've got a
(01:03:22):
suggestion for a topic or aguest let us know. If you're not
following us on social media youshould be if you found us, click
the like button, click thesubscribe button. If you're on
YouTube. Or if you're onpodcast. Listen to us on our
radio or Spotify, Amazonpodcast, whatever you're
listening to us on Subscribe,like us. And if you want to
(01:03:44):
support the ministry, ss fj.org. That's SS f j.org, St.
Francis and john.org where youcan support all the ministries
with a click of a button, whichis the way to do it during the
pandemic don't have to worryabout touching and passing
money. Can't wait to hear thestudy about how money passes
COVID the person people soanyway, most important, tell
(01:04:06):
your friends give us a listen.
We thank you for being here.
Dallas, can you give us ablessing and set us on our way
Dallas Kelley (01:04:11):
I sure can make a piece of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with everyone here in thestudio and everyone out there
listening and May almighty Godbless you, Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Tim Stout (01:04:23):
Until next week, I'm Deacon Tim Stout.
Dallas Kelley (01:04:27):
I'm Deacon Dallas
Tim Stout (01:04:28):
Kelly. Will be back next time. Good night everybody.
Unknown (01:04:35):
Did you ever stop and think why spend too much time
just getting ready? Maybe Idon't know a single thing that I
haven't noticed. Then when I seemy hospital
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