Name: Prayer and Action (Guest: Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt) by Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word
Duration: 51 min 7 s
Description: Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt is a priest for the Salina Diocese and currently serving as the Chaplain for St. Isidore's Catholic Student Center at Kansas State University. He is also the founder of Prayer & Action, a ministry that inspires teens to encounter Christ and serve those in need.

Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt is a priest for the Salina Diocese and currently serving as the Chaplain for St. Isidore's Catholic Student Center at Kansas State University. He is also the founder of Prayer & Action, a ministry that inspires teens to encounter Christ and serve those in need.

Prayer and Action (Guest: Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt)

Catholic author and commentator Noelle Mering joins Fr. Mark Mary, MFVA, on Power & Witness to explore the renewal of faith and culture through truth, beauty, and authentic Christian witness.

In this heartfelt and intellectually rich conversation, Noelle shares her journey of conversion and formation—from her California roots to studying philosophy and co-founding Theology of Home. She and Fr. Mark Mary discuss the modern crisis of identity, the call to live beautifully amid confusion, and how family life, faith, and friendship can rebuild a culture of grace.

The Battle for Beauty and Truth (Guest: Noelle Mering)

Blessed Are You - Fr. Gregory Dick, O Praem - Homily 2

Fr. Mark talks with Fr. Will Straten of St. Mary’s Catholic Center at Texas A&M, one of the most vibrant and evangelizing campus ministries in the country. Fr. Will shares how students are formed as disciples, how small groups and missionaries impact campus life, and how worship, beauty, and community lead thousands of young people to Christ. A hopeful look at the future of the Church.

Why 260 Students Are Joining OCIA This Year at Texas A&M (Guest: Fr. Will Straten)

Former EWTN President Doug Keck  joins Fr. Mark Mary on Power & Witness to explain why trust still matters in Catholic media amid scandals, digital chaos, and cultural doubt. He reflects on 30 years at EWTN, the rise of lay evangelization, young Catholics (especially men) seeking solid tradition, Mother Angelica’s legacy of bold faith and redemptive suffering, and the network’s role as a reliable touchstone today.

Why Trust Still Matters (Guest: Doug Keck)

Dr. Stacy Trasancos, PhD chemist and Holy Apostles adjunct professor, shares her radical journey from atheism and materialism to Catholicism. Once viewing people as "complex atom systems," a desperate prayer led to conversion, marriage, sacraments—and reconciling science with faith through the Eucharist and reason. Discover why science was born from religion, how faith expands scientific horizons, and her fight against materialism in this powerful witness. Perfect for STEM believers, converts, or anyone exploring faith & science.

A Chemist's Conversion to Catholicism (Guest: Dr. Stacy Trasancos)

In this wide-ranging and candid conversation, Marcel LeJeune (President of Catholic Missionary Disciples) joins Fr. Mark to tackle the "lonely island" of the modern priesthood and the stagnation of the average parish. Marcel pulls back the curtain on why young priests are burning out and why our strategic plans often gather dust in binders.

Inside the Episode:

📌 THE PRIESTHOOD CRISIS: Why the jump from seminary to parish life is causing a spike in anxiety and cynicism—and how lay families can provide a "Bethany" of rest.

📌 THE MESSY WITNESS: Why your "crying" kids and the laundry on your couch are actually your best tools for evangelization.

📌 EVANGELIZING WITHOUT BEING "WEIRD": Why questions like "Tell me about the God you don't believe in" are more effective than any argument.

📌 PARISH RENEWAL: The secret to resolving staff conflict and why your parish "coffee shop" strategy might be failing.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Introduction: Marcel LeJeune and Missionary Disciples.
00:45 – The "Lonely Island" of the Priesthood.
05:30 – Creating "Bethany": Inviting Father into your domestic mess.
12:15 – Seminary vs. Reality: The culture shock of the newly ordained.
21:17 – "Land the Plane": The secret to effective homilies.
33:53 – God Has No Grandchildren: How family evangelizes.
40:30 – The Coffee Shop Strategy: Underhanded evangelization.
45:18 – Practical Tips: Asking the right questions to strangers.
51:27 – Closing: Just have the guts to try.


Why Our Priests are Lonely and Our Parishes are Stuck (Guest: Marcel LeJeune)

As marriage rates plummet and "woke" ideologies fail to deliver on their promises, Pete Burak argues that the solution lies in the fundamental cell of society: the family. In this episode, Pete shares practical, hard-won lessons from 15 years of marriage, offering a roadmap for young people who are hesitant to say "I do."

Restoring the Family and the Mission of Men (Guest: Pete Burak)

7 Last Words Talk 5 - Fr. Hugh Gillespie

Power & Witness, a podcast by Fr. Mark Mary, MFVA (co-host of EWTN's Life on the Rock) is about the witness of faith through the power of the Holy Spirit in the world today. The title is taken from Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses...to the end of the earth."

Prayer and Action (Guest: Fr. Gale Hammerschmidt)

Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

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