Garrett Fulks and Om Sharma

[Recorded: Friday, July 21, 2023] This One Small Step mini-conversation was recorded in Charlottesville, Virginia as part of the Sorensen Institute’s summer High School Leaders Program in 2023. Garrett Fulks (17) is from Kingwood and Om Sharma (16) is from...

I Do Believe
January 16, 2020 App Interview

Amidst Thanksgiving preparations of 2019, Linda Pfeffer speaks with her grandson, Nico Joel, while his mother talks about teriyaki chicken in the background. Linda shares about her relationship with God, Catholicism, and spirituality in general that resonates with Nico as...

Harvest Already There – Paulist Fr. Bernard Campbell

In this conversation with Emanuele Sesta, Paulist Fr. Bernard Campbell discusses his life and ministry as an American priest in Italy. At the time of this interview in 2018, Fr. Bernie was the vice rector of St. Patrick's Catholic American...

Interview with Stephine (situational questions)

In this interview, I asked Stephine 12 questions based on a situation and what she would do. These questions related back to the ideas of freedom, God, justice, morality, etc.

Janel Bowers and David Wesley discuss investing in others and life events that form deep values.

Janel Bowers discussed how creating new avenues for people to thrive and have dignity has given her a sense of deep joy. Her work through Friends of JCDS gives her the opportunity to match her own gifts and passions with...

Jamie Citerin and Laura McInturf

Jamie Citerin talks with her mother (64) about her life from growing up in Elkhart Indiana to family history, to being a young mother in the 1970's, from her faith to historical events that she has witnessed/experienced.

Abebech Mergia and Charlie Shin

Abebeck, a caregiver with PACE, talks with coworker Charlie about Fasika (Ethiopian Easter) and explains this special time in her culture. Also talks about the importance of neighbors, coworkers and participants.

Aunt Cherry (sibling #12)

My Aunt Cherry is the 12th of my Grandma Classy's children. We talked for a bit about the coronavirus, the ways she is keeping up with there grandchildren and how her church has handled the transition. My favorite part of...

Acting Justly with our God

Paulist Fr. Tim Sullivan has been a social justice-minded community type from the start. His upbringing is deeply influential on his ministry. His youth included extensive involvement in the Christian Family Movement that works to make parishes a "family of...

"I wanted to see the world:" Sailor, History Buff Paulist Father Marcos Zamora

Paulist Father Marcos Zamora joined the U.S. Navy to see the world. In many ways, he'd already experienced a lot of world culture--he grew up in a multiethnic community in Chicago and he'd studied ancient cultures en route to becoming...

“I wanted not to live on a pedestal”

Fr. Ken McGuire describes himself as a theological liberal who peers say still gets along well with conservatives. Father Ken says a Ph.D. in anthropology shaped him to understand how people approach situations from different mindsets and it made him...

"Open to the surprising encounter" -Paolo Puccini, CSP

Paolo Puccini describes himself as a pilgrim and a missionary. His Catholic journey and evangelization led him to the Paulist Fathers. After several years of study and formation with the community, in September 2019, Paolo made his final promises to...

“It’s a service of humility”

"Life in the priesthood is one of humility," says Michael Hennessy in this interview recorded shortly before his May 2018 ordination as a priest. Hennessy is a New Englander who started thinking about being a priest when he was teaching...

Mellissa Stuart and Liz Wessel

Mellissa shares about her calling to help people throughout her life and on her 30 journey as a home health aide and more recently as an Admin Assistant working in home care and hospice. Melissa’s faith is reflected in her...

Jakenzie Fletcher-Thrower and Sydney Campbell

[Recorded: Friday, September 8, 2023] Jakenzie Fletcher-Thrower (17) from Virginia and Sydney Campbell (19) from Maryland participated in this One Small Step conversation as part of their Public Service Pathways 1-credit UNST course at UVA. Jakenzie shares her passion for...

Auntie-Grandma Jewel (sibling #7)

In the midst of the pandemic my family has been blessed with new life. I spoke with my Aunt Jewel about the experience of becoming a great-grandma during the outbreak. I thought I knew my aunt pretty well but this...

“It was a better use of my life.”

Father Frank DeSiano calls himself a "lifer." He entered the Paulist junior seminary as a teenager. That was more than 45 years ago. He's a noted leader in evangelization or sharing of the Catholic faith. Father Frank has been the...

Jenesi and Harrison's Interview

I interviewed my best friend Harrison, 19 years old, he is a Native American from the Cherokee tribe. I asked him questions about kind people he’s met, if he has any regrets, and he expresses his desire to follow and...

"The Prophetic Push"

Evan Cummings, C.S.P., made his final promises to life with the Paulist Fathers in late 2018. Just before that, he spoke about how wikipedia led him to the community, how some of his most profound spiritual moments come while kneading...

Inspired by the healing ministry of Jesus Christ

"My dad was a carpenter, my mother's name is Mary and I have no illusions that I'm Jesus Christ," says Paulist Father Frank Desiderio in this interview with Jennifer Szweda Jordan conducted for The Paulist Fathers in Lake George, New...

A creative–and a priest

Growing up as an only child afforded Paulist Fr. Tom Holahan a huge imaginary world, where his creativity was nurtured. He loved the creative life and exploring the world so much that he couldn't see himself taking on the responsibility...

Common Ground Tacony Oral History Project: Rich

Rich, a longtime resident, of Tacony is now caretaker an abandoned and overgrown citygarden in Keystone Park. Working his whole life as a contractor and 22 years in recovery, Rich talks about his experiences living through addiction to then building...

Her Own Space: Self Care, Sisterhood, and South Korea with Robin

Traveling while black means researching more than ticket prices and exchange rates. There's a savviness to surviving racism in the United States and abroad as colorism, cultural appropriation, and xenophobia abound. Robin's faced it all as a black woman teaching...