Fr. Steve: Welcome back to Open Door Policy, Danielle, how are you doing? Danielle: I'm doing well. How are you doing today, this fine evening or morning, depending on when people are listening? Fr. Steve: This fine nondescript moment in time, right? Danielle: This time, yeah. Fr. Steve: I am doing great. I'm very grateful for, just the gifts that we've had during this whole pandemic time, you know, looking back and saying like, there's been lots to complain about and worry about, but there's a ton to be grateful for. And one of the things I'm really grateful for is the people we have with us today. And so we have Fr. Patrick Gonyeau, hey Fr. Patrick! Fr. Patrick: Hey Fr. Steve and Danielle. Fr. Steve: Good to see you. And the wonderful Emily Mentock, Emily, how are you? Emily: I'm doing great. Thanks for having me in the studio for the first time. Fr. Steve: Thanks for being here, Danielle: You know, a few weeks ago. You called me and I answered, we were chatting. You went on a cool trip to Santa Fe, I want to say. And then you were just kind of like, hey, I don't know, I think that, like we were discerning about the podcast, about where we've been, where we're going, and we just discerned that it was time to step away and let some new folks steer as co-hosts. The listeners will remember Fr. Patrick Gonyeau, and Emily's a new voice, but very welcomed as well. So this is a special episode for us. This is a transition episode of sorts where we remember — how many episodes do we have? 50, 60, something like that? Fr. Steve: I think 409, it was. I believe that was the number. So, I love how you just dive right in Danielle. Like there's no buildup, no hiding it. Just dive right in. Ron, our wonderful producer, is telling me 54 episodes of Open Door Policy we've done. And 54 wonderful episodes with you, Danielle, and hearing all the graces that God is working in your life. Getting to share those graces in my life, as well as just meeting people all around the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond who are unleashing the Gospel, doing awesome things to make Jesus known and loved. And now we have a chance to offer that opportunity to Fr. Patrick and Emily. So we are so happy that you two are taking the reins of Open Door Policy and we are so confident the show is going to be just as good — and probably better — with you here. So thank you guys so much for doing this. Fr. Patrick: Hey Fr. Steve and Danielle, thank you for allowing us the opportunity to follow in your beautiful footsteps. I have loved Open Door Policy and I think for those out there right now, listening there's no doubt that — I'm sure there's people right now that heard this and it's like a shock, because the joy that the Lord has given you and Danielle, and the synergy, and the role that this podcast has played in the Unleash the Gospel movement to, week after week, give great interviews, give great inspiration, and do it with joy and love and humor. It's been no small feat and it's no small task to follow you guys, but we're counting on the same Holy Spirit who has done wonderful things through you guys to help Emily and I put a couple of wheels on our wagon, get some — hitch the donkeys and get on the dusty trail. Emily, you ready for it? Emily: I'm excited. Well, we're so grateful to both of you and for doing this episode with us. But as Fr. Patrick just alluded to for our listeners, I'm sure it's a bit of a shock. There's so many memories from Open Door Policy, and we'd actually love to spend some time talking with you guys today about some of those highlights of the show for the past few years. Fr. Steve: Woah, woah, woah, you’re going to interview us now? Emily: We’re going to interview you guys now for a little bit! Fr. Patrick: It’s gonna be great. Fr. Steve: Danielle, are you ready for that? Danielle: Dude, honestly, when you guys wrote me an email, I was like, “I am so nervous.” And then “I was like, why am I nervous? Like I've done this before.” Fr. Steve: They should be nervous! Danielle: And whenever my guests would be like, “I'm nervous,” I'd be like, “Why?” And now I'm like, “Oh man, I feel bad for saying that to everyone who said that to me.” So yeah, I'm ready, but I'm also nervous, right? Emily: Well we’ll just follow in your footsteps, trying to make it as fun as possible for you guys. So why don't we just start with, from each of you, and maybe Danielle, you can start: what would you say is your most memorable episode of these five seasons of Open Door Policy? Danielle: You know, when I was thinking about this, something that someone told me, right, right, right as I was starting ministry was this: ministry is about relationships, not about tasks. So when I was thinking about like my — like a memorable episode, actually one was just with a friend of mine, who is Joe Balistreri, he's, like, also delightful and talented and like super holy. But he's also a friend of mine in real life. Joe: This is why music is so powerful: when the word of God is set to music, I felt like, “God's bringing this home. I don't have to worry.” God’s speaking through the music. The Holy Spirit speaking through that piece: a language I speak. Danielle: That was a really cool highlight, was to really dive into a good friend’s spiritual experience as well. What about you, Fr. Steve? Fr. Steve: Well, just a moment about Joe: like, it was great having Joe on and talking about beauty, right? Talking about God, and how we can evangelize through beauty and how God speaks through beauty and Joe, who is the Director of Sacred Music in the archdiocese, how he has helped lots of people to experience God in that way. And I think, what a great gift that was and a great way for all of us to think about what it means to encounter God in what's beautiful. This is probably the wrong answer to give, but honestly, Danielle, some of my favorite moments, my favorite episodes were talking — maybe just the two of us talking about different things. I know we did like a couple of Christmas episodes and that was a lot of fun talking about Christmas memories and traditions we had growing up. Danielle: What is the best holiday side dish? Fr. Steve: Growing up, we had a relish tray of pickles, and I loved those. I know we're both from strong Catholic families, but you know, different in so many ways. So to hear the traditions you had and even now, like, how God's working in your life and then just share that, so, sorry if that's the wrong answer, Emily, but uh — Emily: No wrong answers here. No wrong answers. Fr. Steve: But honestly I think my favorite episodes were just Danielle and I talking. No offense to any guests, sorry. Danielle: Man, now I feel bad. Those are my favorite too! I also liked those! And then like, as I'm saying this I'm like, wait and Fr. Patrick was also a guest and he’s a great guy. Fr. Patrick: I wasn’t going to say it, but... Fr. Steve: I don't remember that episode… Danielle: So many great memories. Fr. Patrick: Who was one of your funniest guests that come to mind? There's just, you guys had good laughs. Fr. Steve: Oh, one of the funniest guests that we had on. That's a great question. You know, I think Fr. Patrick, when you were in the studio, we had a lot of laughs and I remember that being a great joy. I don't have any one-liners I can throw out there, but I do think having you in the studio was one of the funnest times we had,What about you? Danielle: You know, when I, yeah, I really thought it was hilarious when your sister came. Just because I think that, like, every person exists, but no one exists in a vacuum, right? So you were formed because of, like, your experiences, your family. So having her and meeting her, I was like, “Oh my gosh, like, I understand you so much better and differently.” And your sense of humor, because her sense of humor was yours. Like you guys had the same sense of humor. Emily: Two Fr. Steves! Fr. Steve: Could the world handle that? Fr. Steve’s Sister: Every Mass, I would literally pray before we went in that we sat on the side that the priest was distributing. And I don't know if it was God's sense of humor or some special punishment, but 99% of the time we did not sit on that side. And I might think — Fr. Steve: No one else was doing this in church, and there were 12 of us! Sister: We were not an inconspicuous crowd. We literally would stop traffic. And I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. Danielle: I love that one. Just for that reason, like, like seeing you in a different lens. That was fun. Oh, and you know what other one? I don't know if you remember this, but Mike Evoy — and you'll have to help me with the title because so many titles have changed, but he's, like, athletics of some kind, maybe CYO? Emily: He’s with CHSL, I think. Fr. Steve: Yeah, he's the associate administrator for the Catholic High School League. Danielle: Yeah, and his son came in, too, and that was super fun to have both of them. Yeah, Xavier. Fr. Steve: Xavier came ready, right? He came ready with notes and he was ready to go. Xavier: It's not about winning or losing. It's about growing deeper in faith. Fr. Steve: Amen! That’s great. Danielle: Perfect. Danielle: He had written down all of our rapid fire questions and he had already quizzed his dad on them. Like, cause he wants to be an announcer when he grows up. That was like, by far, the most homework we'd ever seen, but it was like fun, too. So those are lovely. Emily: One of the hallmarks of Open Door Policy is the rapid fire question. So is there a most unexpected answer you can think of to hear from one of the guests, as an answer to a rapid fire question? Fr. Steve: Yeah. I'll go first, Danielle. That'll give you a minute. I remember the favorite emoji question with Fr. John Riccardo. You remember that? It was great. Fr. John Riccardo: It’s like God's living stuffed animal. Fr. Steve: What is the context for sending the panda emoji? Is that, like — Fr. John Riccardo: Oh, it could be anything. Fr. Steve: Is that like a thumbs up in your mind? Is that a like, goodbye? Fr. John Riccardo: Could be happy, you get a panda. Could be, “hey, nice homily,” you get a panda. Could be “bad homily,” panda. Fr. Steve: So I've got more than one panda random text messages with that emoji from him. And I've sent him more than one as well. So, that was one of my favorite answers to rapid fire. How about you Danielle? Danielle: No kidding, that was mine too. Because I wrote notes on the homework we were given and I wrote PANDA, in all caps, because that was so unexpected. And like, Fr. John Riccardo is such a talented man and such a light and, like, so courageous and, like, cool and educated. When he was like, “My favorite —” like in my mind, I was like, “I don't even know if he uses emojis.” I just imagine that he, like, sent a text with like source material, right? Like, hyperlinks and proper MLA format. Fr. Steve: He uses footnotes. Danielle: Yeah, exactly. So when he's like, “Sometimes I just text people at pandas.” It was like, like my mind was like, “Who are we interviewing right now?” So I agree with you. Fr. Patrick: You guys have had — I was looking through the roster again. I've listened to the podcast, and I just was looking through the roster again, looking at all the different guests, just tons of guests. And you know, your answer can change in five minutes, but off the top of your head, thinking back about those episodes, who's one of the guests that, as you did the interview and you went home, you just found that you were really inspired in your walk with Christ? I know it happened all the time, so it's not to insult any guests that don't get mentioned, but (myself), but at anyways, who is somebody that particularly just — the grace of God — that touched your heart there, their witness on this podcast? Danielle? Danielle: You know this is the thing: it's such a beautiful and vulnerable thing to share faith experience with people, that just about every time I was really like, this is so sacred that people are sharing this with us. But the one that just, like, really got me was Dr. Ray. He had a story, he had a very tragic loss. His son died young. And he had an incredible encounter with Jesus through the process. And like, I didn't know that going in. I did not know him prior to the interview. So I didn't know the story going in, and it was like, so touching and moving that I was like, really moved to tears hearing it. Dr. Ray Bauer: I closed my eyes — and this has never really happened to me, I don't get visions or hear things ever. But I just was seeing my son, Joe, like, literally on the altar being worked on by Jesus. And it just sort of, I just knew, you know, the poor boy, he was so wounded and so messed up, but Jesus was working on him. So, it was like, I know it's not, he's not mine anymore, he's Jesus's. And I had this complete peace that had come over me. Two days after I lost my son. I can't even remember how I walked into the church that night. Danielle: There's a slight lag between when we record them and then when they are published, right? Thanks to Ron, our producer who, like, shines them all up. And there was, I remember, like I tried to tell people, I would just be talking to friends about the guests and, like, I could never even get through his story without crying because of — just how powerful his faith was, right? Like faith is always important, but it really matters when it's hard, right? And that's when it's, I think, really impressive. And so I was really moved by him, his story among so many others. How about you Fr. Steve? Fr. Steve: Yeah, that was great. We didn't, you know, I didn't have a great sense of how much we would talk about suffering there. And we've obviously shared a lot of laughs and a lot of joyful times, but to hear someone in the midst of suffering, that's about as deep as you can get when you lose a child. And to hear the way that Christ was his rock, not in a kind of superficial way that downplays the suffering, but in a way that says, “even in the midst of all of this, I will still trust in him.” I found that to be really beautiful. The guests that inspires me, just thinking about it now, you know, I had a chance to talk to Christina Marchetti not too long ago, and just, you know, the work she's done in the pro-life movement, the work she's done with her own family and kind of in this kind of witness she's providing, I found her to be just a really inspirational person and someone who has really walked the walk in her discipleship with the Lord, but also the way she feels called to work in this, the ministry of the pro-life movement. I'm constantly inspired by seeing that. So Christina was one of the ones that stood out to me as the most inspiring, Christina: You know, the clients we serve are not Catholic. They're not pro-life, they're there because they're in a really difficult spot and they're considering having an abortion, but because of the foundation I've been given, just that knowledge that life is valuable no matter what, and that God has a plan for each and every life and that there is a soul from the moment of conception — I mean, that has just so framed my mentality. When I go into counsel someone, or to train someone to counsel or how I shape our program. Emily: That's really great. Thanks so much for sharing those guys. I'm hoping that listeners will, you know, then be reminded of these beautiful moments that you've had over the years and can even go back and listen to some of those episodes. When you look at the experience as a whole of being on the show and hosting the show and hosting all these different people through the funny moments and those deep beautiful, vulnerable sharing moments, what would you say is one of the greatest blessings or more than one of being on the show and just the experience as a whole, Fr. Steve? Fr. Steve: Yeah, that's great. You know, I'm sure I'm going to bungle how I say this, because it could sound weird, but there've been a few people who've come up to me that I don't know, and who are listeners of the show and have told me how much it helps them in their discipleship. And I like, I don’t know, you know, you sit in a studio like this and there's just a couple of us and we're talking into microphones and you don't have a sense of who it's going to reach, and to kind of meet someone who is trying to follow the Lord or open to following the Lord and to hear that this was helpful for them — I found that to be just an incredible blessing. And, you know, before I go to bed, I make an examination of conscience, both what I need to repent of from that day, but also what I'm grateful for for that day. And I found the few times that happened, like, as I was going to bed making this examination of conscience, I was thinking just, “Man, God is so good that he lets me be a part of the work he does in people's lives.” And yeah, that's probably the greatest blessing. How about you, Danielle? Danielle: Yeah, that's, that's really profound. I think there was a lot, right? I think that there's this process, right, of deciding who our guests are. And so just like, so listeners know, Fr. Steve and I like a shared Google sheet and we'd, you know, write up all these names and try to make sure we were like, you know, giving good airtime to like all different kinds of, like, expression of vocation and all these things. And so I think one thing that was really cool is just realizing how beautiful discipleship looks in so many ways. You know, every time someone would come in and they would have just really cool stories and experiences. And so it was just really neat to see how the Holy Spirit was working in, like, all of these ways. I never left without being like, “Wow, what a great story, what a great human. I'm so glad we're all on the same team.” Fr. Patrick: I’ve got to ask you guys a curve — throw you guys a curveball. The man behind the machine. Like, the podcast is so beautifully produced by Ron Pangborn. What's your favorite Ron Pangborn memory? Fr. Steve: [laughs] That's a great question. Danielle has known Ron longer than I have. So I'm going to put Danielle on the spot to go first. Danielle: So yeah, so the listeners wouldn't know this either, but when Fr. Steve and I would be in a studio with the guests, Ron is there the entire time, too. Before we get there, after we leave putting things together... Fr. Steve: He lives here. He's got a little cot that folds into the wall. Danielle: This is all he does. And it's also funny, another thing the listeners wouldn't know is, we would try to talk about him and like thank him in the episodes, but he would always edit it out. So, yeah. So hopefully this makes it, Ron. Emily: Can’t edit this out! Ron: [in the distance] Yes, I can! [laughter] Fr. Steve: “Yes, I can,” we hear Ron calling out! Danielle: Well, so I used to work for the Chancery years and years ago and Ron and I worked in the same department. Fr. Steve: “Years and years ago….” Danielle: Yeah. Honestly, though! And Ron and I worked in the same department, and he had, like, kind of a staggered schedule. So he would come in maybe an hour or two later than everyone, ‘cause then he would stay like an hour or two later. And when he would come in, we would say a prayer together, him and I. And we would pick — like, we would switch every day. So sometimes it would be like Scripture, sometimes it would just be, like, a made up prayer or a traditional prayer, but it was super cool to have someone to pray with. Fr. Steve: Prayer Partner Pangborn. Fr. Patrick: Awesome. Danielle: Yeah. Yeah, he’s my friend. Fr. Steve: On a lighter note, Ron — sometimes I have to come back and record introductions or some other things, and I do like when Ron pushes me to give more energy. It’s easier to be more energetic when there's, kind of, people you're talking to in the room. But when we have to record other things, I'll hear from Ron, “Alright, let's get some of that energy. Come on, come on. Let's do another take.” So those are some — that's a fond memory of Ron I have. But I think now we're supposed to ask Emily and Fr. Patrick some questions. So we've done a lot of looking back, which is great, but the Christian life is not just about looking back. It's about looking forward in hope to what the future will hold. So I'll go first and Emily, what can we expect to see on this podcast in 2021 and beyond? Emily: Thank you so much, Fr. Steve. Yeah. We're super excited to bring Open Door Policy back after the break, during the pandemic. Some things that will be the same is definitely still having different guests on, sharing their stories. Like, you mentioned that it's been so powerful to hear from a variety of different people. One thing that I think we're really looking forward to doing is, you know, having that chance during this break to think about what does Open Door Policy mean? What does it mean to have that, you know, that sort of practice of “anyone is welcome to come in and share their story are welcome here.” And what does it look like to go out through those doors and give that testimony, witness and thinking about, of all those 54+ episodes that you've done, all the different moments that people were able to share, like, the time they encountered Christ. So Fr. Patrick and I are really inspired by that part of the podcast. And looking ahead to 2021 inviting others to share their faith journeys on the podcast as well. Fr. Patrick: Yeah. Being a listener to the podcast, I think, you know, it's beautiful, and having the guests in and hearing their stories, you know, the thing that's on my heart going forward is — Fr. Steve, did you do the 30 days Ignatian retreat? Fr. Steve: You betcha. Fr. Patrick: Yeah. The whole, you know, as you listen to the 54 episodes is there's always these moments of grace, and you and Danielle did a great job of always bringing out, highlighting, like the, the nuggets of grace that just serve as a great point to talk about for people to reflect on, and thinking about the paradigm in the Archdiocese of Detroit for evangelization of “encounter, grow, and witness,” this podcast has a great heritage of beautiful spiritual principles being unfolded episode after episode, that help people to continue to grow in their relationship with the Lord. So, as we have guests on who are witnessing, speaking about their encounter with the Lord Jesus, I think there's all kinds of beautiful graces that will continue to be released that help us grow. And then, you know, as best as we can, seeking to continue to allow this podcast to be something that equips people even to witness, gets them fired up to go out. So we're just, we're just continuing the great work, I pray, that's already been laid by you guys here. So that's my vision going forward is that this would continue to be, God-willing, a mighty instrument for the Lord to use, to inspire hearts with the Holy Spirit. Fr. Steve: Amen. Danielle: All right, guys. And then another question is: what are you looking forward to as co-hosts? What's making you excited? Emily: I’m really looking forward to just getting to know a lot of different guests from around the archdiocese. It's been super inspiring to me, coming here and hearing about Unleash the Gospel, it's not just the letter, it's not just, you know, the brand or the content that we're publishing, but it's really meant to be a movement of joyful missionary disciples. And, you know, it's not a movement without people or without building community around some people being inspired by the letter and actually going out and living their life differently. So I'm super excited just to get to hear the different ways people are doing that. I came here because I was called by the Lord to serve in the Chancery in our work, but I love to hear and connect with some of the people who are doing that work on the ground in their own lives, whether it's with their family or in their parish, in a different ministry. So that's what I'm most excited about just to be getting a chance to get to know the community that’s here. Danielle: I'm just gonna jump in really quick, Fr. Patrick, and then we're going to get to you, because I think that a lot of the listeners already know Fr. Patrick and maybe not Emily as well. So Emily, can you just tell me a little bit where, where you're going to church now and what you love about the city and kind of what brought you here? Fr. Steve: And where you’re from, too, like where you came from. Emily: Yeah, so I came from South Bend, Indiana. Fr. Steve: Is there a school there? Oh, St. Mary's College is there, right? [laughter] Emily: Holy Cross college, as well. Fr. Steve: And is there another one? Emily: There is, there's also the University of Notre Dame. Danielle: Oh, I’ve heard of it! Emily: Yeah. That's actually where I was working before I came here to the Archdiocese of Detroit. I'm now living downtown. So, about a year ago I had come here to visit for a work trip, but then God really put it on my heart that I was being called to serve in the archdiocese. And yeah, so a year later here we are. It's been an amazing, pandemic at all. So I actually work in the Chancery work in the Department of Communications. And I do a variety of different things there, but — Fr. Steve: Do you have a job title? Emily: I do have a job title. Fr. Steve: What’s your job title? Emily: My job title is Associate Director of Strategy for the Department of Communications. It's a very big title, but just given that the job I was actually, originally came here to Duke, got a little bit mumbled jumbled in the pandemic when the missionary strategic planning kind of got put on hold for Families of Parishes. So it's actually been a really exciting adventure to do a lot of different things, including now getting in this, I get to work with Fr. Pullis in this a lot, serving our different — Fr. Steve: She has to work with me. Emily: [laughs] — helping the other offices in the Chancery, you know, get engagement with the amazing work that they're doing and publishing content for the Unleash the Gospel brand, so. Fr. Steve: And is South Bend home or is that where you went to college or both? Emily: It's both. So I mostly grew up there. Our families are still there. So I always tell people, my friends, that the discernment to come here was even like a harder, bigger deal to me than even marriage, because it was a big deal to leave our families. But I feel I have roots in Detroit, too. So my dad grew up in the area and I still have some family in the suburbs and my grandparents lived in Grosse Pointe. So it was a little bit like coming home. I've felt connected to the city. Fr. Steve: So last question on this, on like the bio stuff, like tell me something about South Bend, other than like Notre Dame. Like something someone wouldn't know about South Bend. Emily: Oh, something they wouldn't know? There's, like, intense devotion to St. Joseph everywhere, which is pretty great. So multiple St. Joseph parishes, there's St. Joseph County, St. Joseph River. So it actually, it's a really super Catholic town, not even just Notre Dame, it was Catholic before that. And so I love it. So we went to a St. Joseph Parish there, and we've — I've been trying to parish hop a little bit during the pandemic just to get to know the area, but living downtown — and then I have to monitor the livestream masses on Sunday morning, too. So that's been — my parish has been the Cathedral livestream, as well. But also St. Aloysius is close to where I live, so that's been great. Fr. Steve:Awesome. Fr. Patrick: Oh, it's a beautiful church St. Aloysius. Do you like it? Emily. It is. Yeah, I do. But enough about me, you guys! Fr. Patrick, I would love to hear from you about why you were excited to join the podcast. Fr. Patrick: Well, you know, I kind of spent it on that last answer, but this one, I would just add the Holy Spirit, you know, this is a beautiful ministry that is, Holy Spirit-filled as part of the Unleash the Gospel movement. Just can't wait to see what the Holy Spirit has in store. So to be moving with the Holy Spirit in this podcast is what I'm most excited about. Fr. Steve: And I think Danielle's right. Most people do know Fr. Patrick, but you'll get to know more and more throughout this. And get to see all the wonderful gifts the Lord has given him for proclaiming the Gospel and being joyful and kind of being open to the work of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Patrick: Well, speaking of that, what do you, Danielle and Fr. Steve, what are the things that you're up to in your lives and ministry that you're excited about and going forward? Fr. Steve: Yeah. Do you want to start Danielle? Danielle: Well, I'll tell you guys what I'm working on today, that I'm really excited is, the listeners might not know this: I do a lot of art on my own. I do a lot of linoleum carving, and I do like really obscure Catholic linoleum carving, and Fr. Steve just helped me with one, because I found this legend about St. Peter and his wife, and I was like, is this legit? And I had to email him. And he's like, it's fine. I was like, thanks, man. So I was working on that, and then I'm working on a little series right now of saints when they were girls and with a focus on like discern- with diversity. So like really focusing on, like, I've just been really touched this summer to really try to, as like an artist be more, like, be more aware of how I portray what Catholicism is and how it's portrayed. And yeah. So working on that, that's been fun and then yes, that's my art at the moment. What about you, Fr. Steve? Fr. Steve: Yeah, a few cool things, fun things that I'm excited about. They're at different levels. So, one of them is this kind of course, we put together for, as Fr. Patrick mentioned, the Encounter, Grow, Witness paradigm, what we're calling the Detroit Model of Evangelization. Fr. Patrick: It looks good. Fr. Steve: Yeah, so we put that together towards the end of 2020 and going to share it with parish leaders and staffs to kind of think about, you know, as we move into Families of Parishes, to think about what it means for us to have a heart for evangelization, but also to be strategic about how we think about evangelization, because we know, you know, it might be in our bones in some ways, but it's not in, kind of, the lifeblood of our parishes often. We do have to be intentional about saying, how can we structure our parishes to move people along after they've encountered the Lord? How do we help them grow deeper? And after they've grown deeper, how do we make it not just kind of a country club where, you know, it's for the initiated, but that we go outward as Fr. Patrick said, and be men and women who witness to the power of Jesus’s mercy to the world. Another thing I'm working on, is you know, a new podcast coming out, that's geared more towards the parish staff in parish leadership model — sorry, parish staff and parish leadership members, just to help people who, you know, who feel their calling is to work full-time for the church or to give a significant amount of their time and effort and energy into that work, how we help them. It's so important — I know Danielle, you and I have talked about that — how, when we mix our faith and our work, that can really cause some challenges and some friction, some difficulties. And so we need, I just — it's been on my heart to be particularly attentive to helping people who work for and in the Church to grow closer to the Lord. And then the one that I am probably most excited about is the scripture challenge we're doing in 2021. So we're trying to make 2021 a year, this year, to be a year for growing as a disciple of the Lord. And Pope Francis has said time and time again that one of the best ways we can do that is to be rooted in the Word of God. Unleash the Gospel called us to recommit to time for reading Scripture. And so we know, you know, not, everyone's going to be able to pick up the Bible and plow through the whole Bible in a year. So we have plans for everyone, from the spiritual couch potato to the spiritual endurance athlete, to have a plan in 2021 to make Scripture a more ready part or a more regular part of your life. And so I am so excited for those efforts and to be helping people all throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit and beyond to make 2021 a year grow as a disciple in the Lord, especially by reading Scripture. Emily: Fr., Steve, you wrote an article, I think it was for the Encounter Grow Witness community, earlier this year, earlier in 2020, about how important reading Scripture was to the life of a disciple, and I was so inspired by that. And as someone who, my only encounter with the Bible really has been hearing it in Mass on Sundays, decided to start working my way through it. So I've been slowly but surely crawling through the Old Testament, but very excited to kind of try one of these new scripture guilds in 2021. Fr. Steve: Yeah!Praise God let's do an air high-five, a COVID safe high-five. Danielle: And what about — I think I saw an email that another 52 Sundays was coming out? Fr. Steve: 5-2 Sundays is back and better than ever. You know, this is one of my favorite projects we've done and just kind of Sunday by Sunday, a way to reclaim Sunday for the Lord. We heard from so many people how helpful it was. We didn't know there was going to be a pandemic, and we didn't know people were going to have to do this at home, but, you know, Fr. Patrick, Emily, Danielle, this is how God works. He moves us to do something. And then later on, we see why it was so important. And so, this new book of 52 Sundays, second year, we're doing a particular emphasis on martyrs this year. So each week we'll highlight a different martyr, because in Unleash the Gospel, the Archbishop called us to see martyrdom as the paradigm for discipleship. So super excited for 52 Sundays 2021 edition: all martyrs. I wanted it to be all red to mark martyrdom, um… Emily and her team vetoed that. Emily: A little creative direction got inserted there! There is red. [laughter] Fr. Steve: But it’s not, like, dripping with... Emily: It is not dripping in blood. Still family friendly. Fr. Steve:iThis is why Emily is so vital to the organization. Fr. Patrick: Strategy! Emily: And listeners, if you are hearing this, you can still order your copy of 52 Sundays or sign up for weekly emails at 52sundays.com. Fr. Patrick: That's awesome. 52 sundays.com. Hey you know, it's for the listeners who have got to enjoy Fr. Steve and Danielle, sometimes it's neat to hear different stories. And I just have a couple of really, really quick ones as we get ready to hang in the rafters of this studio the jersey of Fr. Steve Pullis and the Jersey of Danielle Center that shall never be worn again. Fr. Steve: What number are you Danielle? What number are you? Danielle: I'm going, gonna say four because my birthday and my birth month are the same and it's four-four. So you can send me a birthday card on April 4th if you want. Fr. Steve:Okay, perfect. Fr. Patrick: How about you Fr. Steve? Fr. Steve: I'd rather not say. No, I'm kidding. I'm totally kidding. That’s too personal! No, I would say double zero. Fr. Patrick: So in the studio, the next time you come through, you will see on this white pillar up high, as the good Lord is my witness, God willing, and the creek don't rise, your names will be enshrined up there. And a quick story for the listeners. Danielle Center — when I was assigned at the Shrine of the Little Flower, the first time I met her, she came down the hallway and I am not kidding, her joy was palpable. And she wasn't, like, shouting or anything, she was just coming down the hallway, and she had a book in her hand and she said hi and was just super kind and joyful and said, “Can I read you a quote?” And it was the Joy of the Gospel that had just come out, and she just dropped a great quote on me. And I remember leaving her presence saying, that woman is full of the Holy Spirit and the joy of the Lord. And, and it was my first time meeting Danielle and as all of you know, like, through and through that is Danielle Center, the real deal. Danielle: That is so funny, because I remember meeting you and I was like — but I don't remember any of that —I just remember being like, “Hey, do you want to pray with me?” And you were like, “Sure.” And then you left and I was like, “Oh, maybe I shouldn't have done that.” But then we were friends. So it all worked out. Fr. Patrick: It was great. The backstory is, I was actually on my way to go and pray like a blessing and deliverance for a house where there was activity. So I was scared. This is my first time going to do that. I was like, Ohhh, and then God let me meet Danielle. Fr. Steve: So let me tell the first time meeting Emily, if I can. Emily and I have been on, I don’t know, I feel like 200 Zoom meetings together. Emily: Oh my gosh. Yes. Fr. Steve: And then it was — the Archbishop was celebrating a Mass for the end of racism or praying against racism in the archdiocese. And this was in August, September at Corpus Christi... Emily: It must’ve been September, ‘cause I just moved here. Fr. Steve: So September and I get to see Emily in person. I thought, she is real! She’s not just a hologram on the computer screen. Emily: I thought you were so much taller than I thought! That was actually at Corpus Christi before you even knew your Fr. Patrick, but it was your parish. Fr. Patrick: I didn’t know you hadn't lived here until August. You have been on the screen. And Fr. Steve anybody, any of the priests in the diocese who were in the seminary with him or, or guys that were seminarians, Fr. Steve is like the ultimate brother. And he's always looking out. Like anybody that was younger than him or below his class, always making sure. And then, you know, just checking in on guys. That was my main recollection of Fr. Steve, just an amazing brother and still to this day among his clergy, amazing brother. And then also for sports fans out there, Fr. Steve never saw a jumpshot he didn’t like. [laughter] Danielle: Oh my God, that’s one of my favorite things to do is call Fr. Steve and ask him like sporting athletic questions. I'd be like, “Have you ever heard of the N-C-A-A?” And he's like, “It's the NCAA, Danielle, everyone knows what it is!” So fun. Listen to that laugh. Perfect. Fr. Steve: Well I am super confident that Open Door Policy is in great hands with Emily Mentock and Fr. Patrick Gonyeau. And I just want to thank both of you for taking the reins and as Fr. Solanus Casey says, I want to thank God ahead of time for what he's going to do through you with this podcast. Emily: Well, thank you Fr. Steve. On behalf of all the Open Door Policy listeners and everyone on our team, everyone who's ever been touched by the show, we just want to thank you guys for your years of service and all the hours that you've put into this podcast. And just thank God for the fruits that have come out of it, all the blessings and graces. And hopefully we'll have some more as the Open Door Policy legacy continues this year! Fr. Patrick: And you got to come back and visit Fr. Steve and Danielle, to at least see your name in the rafters. Emily: Definitely. Fr. Steve: All right, Danielle, we’ve got to do that, right? Danielle: Yeah. All right. Yeah. I'm making a shirt right now, as we speak. Emily: That’s great, yeah, we’ll hang it up. Well, thanks again so much for your time today to do this transition episode for the listeners. If you're hearing this now, you should expect to hear a new episode of Open Door Policy after many months away in just a few weeks, so be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or sign up for the emails at unleashthegospel.org. Fr. Patrick: Fr. Steve, you want to lead us in a prayer, brother? Fr. Steve: God, we praise you and thank you for all of these gifts, the gifts that have come in the past, and the gifts that will come. And we asked that we be worthy of what you have given us so that together we can make our way to heaven through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen. Danielle: Amen. God bless us. Danielle: This is Danielle Center. Fr. Steve: This is Fr. Steve Pullis. Fr. Patrick: This is Fr. Patrick Gonyeau. Emily: This is Emily Mentock, and this has been another episode of Open Door Policy.