Talking Catholic brings the heartbeat of the Catholic faith to life through engaging, thoughtful conversations with leaders, ministers, educators, and everyday witnesses from across the Diocese of Camden and beyond.
Each week, co-hosts — including Jen Mauro, Marianela Núñez, Kari Janisse, Mike Bress, and Mike Walsh — sit down with guests to explore what brought them to where they are today and how they are living out and sharing the Catholic faith in their families, parishes, schools, ministries, and communities.
From deep-dive interviews with Catholic educators and ministry innovators to personal stories of conversion, service, and vocation, Talking Catholic showcases the diversity of voices and experiences that shape the life of the Church. Episodes illuminate the joy, challenges, and beauty of discipleship — offering listeners inspiration, insight, and a deeper understanding of how faith intersects with everyday life.
Available wherever you get your podcasts, Talking Catholic is more than a conversation — it’s a companion for Catholics seeking to grow in faith, understand the Church’s mission more deeply, and encounter the real-world stories of people living their Catholic identity with conviction and compassion.
Intro and outro music provided by A.J. Mee.
Our Latest Episodes
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Elena Brandt – FontSound
Elena Brandt, Swedesboro resident and founder of FontSound, LLC., is this week’s guest with Mike and Pete for a fantastic hour in the vault (assuming you can make it through the record-setting 14 minutes of news read and banter at the beginning. Sorry.). This driven and energetic young woman from Queens, NY, shares the story…
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Father Robert Sinatra – Leisure time
The third co-host is back! Fr. Robert Sinatra, pastor of Saint Padre Pio Parish in Vineland, joins Mike and Pete for a spirited hour of conversation that we thought was going to be about the importance of leisure time, something we tend to get a few minutes more of in the summer. However, what actually…
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Catholic Media Conference – Erin Friedlander and Mary Beth Peabody
Mike and Pete stray far from the friendly confines of The Vault as they attend the Catholic Media Conference in Green Bay, Wisconsin (www.cmctitletown.com/). Joining them this week are fellow attendees Erin Friedlander, communications director from the Diocese of Metuchen, and Mary Beth Peabody, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Catholic Schools Office of the…
About our hosts:
Jen Mauro
Jen is the managing editor of the Catholic Star Herald, the official Catholic newspaper of the Diocese of Camden. She has worked in Catholic media for 6 years and prior to that was a secular newspaper reporter for several publications in Texas, Germany and New Jersey. Jen is an avid traveler, reader, games player, wife and mother to several cats.
Mike Walsh
Mike is the Director of Communications for the Diocese of Camden and the Associate Publisher of the Catholic Star Herald newspaper. He joined the diocese in the fall of 2015. A photojournalist, Mike worked as a newspaper and medical publication reporter and a high school English and History teacher before switching to public relations for non-profits and law firms. A devoted podcast listener, he started the Talking Catholic as a weekly show with co-host Pete Sanchez in the winter of 2016. Mike is also a dutiful husband and father.
Marianela Nunez
Marianela is the Director of Enrollment for the Office of Schools, Diocese of Camden. In her role she oversees all enrollment initiatives at the 30+ schools in the diocese. A native of the Dominican Republic, she is also a wife and mother of two young children.
Kari Janisse
Kari graduated from Rowan University in 2004 with a degree in Graphic Design. After a few years of designing, she felt called to change careers and began working as a Youth Minister in the Camden Diocese in 2008. She worked at St. Bridget’s Church as the Youth Minister from 2008-2009. She went on to be the Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Williamstown from 2009-2022.
In August of 2022 she returned back to her roots at Rowan University as the Campus Minister at the Newman House at Rowan University through St. Bridget’s University Parish. Kari currently serves the college students sharing the Catholic faith with them at the public college campus.
Kari also is the host of two of Talking Catholic’s YouTube series, “Youth Ministry Insights” and “Young Adult Ministry Insights”. She is also a podcast co-host of the “Talking Catholic” podcast for the Camden Diocese.
Throughout the last fifteen years, Kari has spoken to thousands of youth, young adults and adults on many topics of the faith. Kari also runs an entertainment business where she performs as a stilt-walker, balloon artist and face painter. She has been married to her wonderful husband, Phil, for sixteen years and she is a proud mom of her five-year-old son, JohnPaul! Her deepest passion is sharing the Catholic faith with others and touching the hearts and lives of the young Church!