Dr. John Sehorn: Why Serious Study of the Faith Isn't Just for Theologians (+ more) | The Catholic Morning Show - 09/14/2026

Deacon Mark Campbell opens Monday, September 14 — the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross — filling in for Bo Bonner alongside Ayden Pugh. After the Saint of the Day reflection on St. Helena's recovery of the Holy Cross and its return by Emperor Heraclius in 629, Deacon Mark and Ayden talk relics: how a splinter of the True Cross is authenticated, the old quip about there being enough fragments worldwide to rebuild Noah's Ark, and why sacramentals exist to lift our minds and hearts toward Christ's suffering, resurrection, and our salvation. Deacon Mark also connects the feast to Sunday's Gospel on forgiveness — that we can only extend forgiveness once we've truly accepted that no sin is too great for Christ to forgive.Dr. John Sehorn, academic dean of the Graduate School of Theology at the Augustine Institute, joins to talk about the driving need for rigorous theological formation today — challenges that, as Pope Leo has pointed out, are less about technology than about what it means to be human. Dr. Sehorn walks through the Institute's St. Louis campus, now in its third year, and its distance education program (three of four master's programs are fully online with no residential requirement), how courses train students not just to know the faith but to hand it on, and where its 1,100+ alumni and roughly 550 active students are serving as catechists, DREs, K-12 Catholic teachers, Bible study leaders, and parents. He also shares his own conversion story: entering the Church in 2007 after studying Scripture back to "ground zero" and coming to recognize the Church as mother and teacher. Learn more at Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology.Gregory Kinser closes the show as one of the first full-time FOCUS parish missionaries in Iowa, serving at St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. Gregory explains how FOCUS's "win, build, send" model of spiritual multiplication — rooted in 2 Timothy 2:2 — translates from college campuses to a parish serving young adults, young families, empty nesters, retired couples, and older singles. More at FOCUS and St. John Paul II Parish.Listen live weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio, or catch up anytime at IowaCatholicRadio.com.#CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #AugustineInstitute #ExaltationOfTheHolyCross #FOCUS #CatholicEducation #ClassicalEducation #Evangelization #CatholicPodcast #CatholicFaith Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show. 🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.