Archives

Below are the listed archives of radio shows. Scroll through the list to listen to specific shows or to find informative links associated with each show.

show archives | listening instructions | podcast instructions | download shows | Year: 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
Date	Topic	Description	Links	Listen
12/24/2006	45. Simple Gifts: A Profile of Heifer International	This is a story that has something for everyone. It's about the whole wide world and very small communities. About a 60 year old organization and an 8 year old girl. About lending a hand and standing on your own. It's about faith, hope and love. And cows and goats and sheep! This is a story about simple gifts. About paying them forward and passing them on. This is the story of Heifer International. An organization working exclusively in the areas of livestock distribution and agricultural technology to develop programs that will alleviate hunger and poverty throughout the world. You want to listen all the way through because the last "chapter" alone is worth waiting for! Guests are: Mr. Ray White, Director of Public information for Heifer International; Mr. Umaru Sule of Cameroon Africa,Heifer Community Relations Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Region and a Heifer beneficiary; Mrs. Katrina Guettler, Heifer supporter and mother of very special guest, 8 year old Miss Elle Guettler, Heifer fundraiser extraordinaire.	Heifer International
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12/10/2006	44. Voice of the Faithful: A Profile of the Lay Organization	The Chinese symbol for the words "crisis" and "opportunity" is one and the same. Ancient Chinese civilizations knew long ago what we all have come to understand: that out of great and unbearable crisis, something good can come. The sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church is certainly a crisis. What good can possibly come of it? Groups like Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) have some ideas. VOTF is recognized as one of the most promising lay organizations to evolve in the Catholic Church in recent years. It's motto is, "Keep the faith, change the church" and that's just what they hope to do. First, by supporting those who have been abused and then, by working to shape structural change within the church. Will the proposals they make to achieve the first goal be accepted by the church hierarchy? And if not, how can they move on to their ultimate goal of structural change? What ideas and strategies does VOTF have to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again? Listen in as VOTF President, Ms. Mary Pat Fox and VOTF secretary, Dr. Gaile Pohlhaus discuss these and other questions.	Voice of the Faithful
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11/26/2006	43. Global Warming: The Faithful Response	Global Warming. It's the most devastating environmental crisis facing the planet today. The faith community, in general, has rallied round the issue somewhat late in the game, but the scientific community has been sounding a warning for nearly 2 decades. Still others deny the problem exists at all. Why? Who stands to gain from such willful ignorance? And who will be hardest hit by global warming's calamitous effects? The answer to the latter is, of course, the poor. Which is why this is not only a moral issue impacting all of humanity, but a social justice issue as well. Can we turn this around? What's being done and by whom? Our guest, environmentalist Bill McKibben discusses these and other questions. Mr. McKibben, a devout Methodist and a prophetic voice in the environmental movement, wrote the first book on the topic, The End of Nature, in 1989. A former staff writer with the New Yorker magazine, he currently is a visiting environmental scholar at Middlebury College, Vermont.	National Council of Churches-Ecojustice The National Religious Partnership for the Environment
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11/12/2006	42. Ignatian Volunteer Corps: Volunteerism in Retirement	"What have you got for me?" That was the question posed to Fr. Jim Conroy, SJ. The inquirer was the parent of a newly ordained young Jesuit. He was an older man, about to retire, and he too felt a need for spiritual growth. He too was on a personal journey and he too wanted to serve the world's neediest. He knew there were all sorts of Jesuit sponsorted programs for the young. "But," he repeated, "What have you got for me?" Thus was born the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, or IVC, a volunteer program for lay people 50 years and older that incorporates service to the poor with the spirituality of the Jesuit founder, St. ignatius. There are now over 200 IVC volunteers across the country. This show tells the story of 3 of them. Guests are: IVC volunteers, Mr. Tom Tiffany, Ms. Duffy Laws, and Mr. Jerry May. Their stories will bring a smile to your face and entertain you. And, as always, you will be inspired by their humility and commitment. Also interviewed is Mr. Bill MacSherry, a regional director of the IVC.	Caroline Center Project PLASE, Inc. Ignatian Lay Volunteer Corps Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
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10/22/2006	41. Muslim Christian Understanding: Myths & Misconceptions	In the paradox of all paradoxes, the world - though whole - remains forever divided. And so, for obvious reasons, Provoke turns its attention to the timely subject of the perceived divisions today between the Muslim world and the Christian world. What are the misconceptions held by people of both traditions and cultivated over a thousand years? Can we separate fact from ficition? Perception from reality? Religion from culture? In this show, our guests attempt just that and offer some practical ideas of where to go from here. Guests are: Dr. John Esposito, director of the Center for Muslim Christian Understanding at Georgetown University; Dr. Zahid Bukhari, director of the American Muslim Studies program at Georgetown; and Mr. Ibrahim Ramey, director of the American Muslim Society,human rights division.	Center for Muslim Christian Understanding Pax Christi
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10/15/2006	40. The Fuel Fund: Safety Net for Many	At Provoke, we claim to be a voice for the voiceless and that mission leads us to examine dramatic issues that affect the least among us throughout the world. But sometimes that claim leads us to look no further than our own backyard; to examine the hardships of our neighbors right around the corner. This week's show does just that as we examine the efect the soaring costs of gas and electricity have on the economically fragile throughout the United States and what programs are in place to serve as a safety net for them when the heat is turned off or the lights go out. Listen in as our guest, Mary Ellen Vanni, Executive Director of the Maryland Fuel Fund (partner in a nation-wide network) discusses the social justice aspects of this issue. Guest host is Dr. Steve Miles, Theology Professor at Loyola College in Maryland.	National Fuel Fund Fuel Fund of Central Maryland
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10/08/2006	39. All God's Children Join Hands: Ministry to Children	This is one of our favorite kind of stories: the story of ordinary people living extraordinary lives, well outside the reach of any spotlight. Jill Wrigley and her husband Michael Sarbanes are both lawyers by profession who have chosen to spend their careers in the non-profit sector. But it is what they do outside their jobs that is the real story. Living "intentionally" in a blighted city neighborhood, they have developed an important and compassionate ministry not only to their 3 children who are special in their own right, but to all the children in the neighborhood. Though they would blush at the label, Jill and Michael are what we call "authentic Christians". Through their story we learn that what one believes and how one lives really can be one and the same.	Best Buddies Big Brothers/Big Sisters CPHA
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10/01/2006	38. Amazing Life: Embryonic Stem Cell Research	When does life begin? When is a person a person? Is there something worse than death? Is there something better than life? These are questions we are compelled as human beings to ask,even as the answers elude us. And the questions keep coming: Why - for so many - does "compassion for the most vulnerable" seem to end at birth? Why - for so many others - does the end justify the means? For the rest of us, how do we balance our desire to alleviate pain and suffering in the world with a respect for life? Do we have our priorities straight when it comes to spending our vast but limited resources? All this in a half hour! Listen in as guest host, Sarah Ford, tries to make sense of this weighty and important issue. Guests are: Fr. Kevin Fitzgerald,SJ, Chair of Catholic Healthcare Ethics at the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University, PhDs in Molecular Genetics and Bioethics. Rabbi Elliot Dorff, vice-chair of the Conservative Movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards and author of their position paper on embryonic stem cell research, chair of the Society of Jewish Ethics.	Moratorium Campaign Catholic Relief Services Lutheran World Relief
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09/24/2006	37. The Emergent Church	Of this week's show it can be said, "It's about time". Not to be confused, however, with "long overdue". Rather, today's show is about the precarious relationship between The Times and Time. The mind tripping connection between Timeless Truths and Deceptive Assumptions. We could not have presented this topic one day sooner, although, in many ways, the issues and problems discussed are centuries old. This week's topic is "The Emergent Church", a relatively new movement dedicated to developing revitalized approaches to Christian theology, community and mission, in dialogue with all denominations and traditions. For our guest, what started as a question regarding the next generation, turned into an examination of what he'd been taught in the past. Don't miss this fascinating story of one man's awakening to the social justice message of the Gospels. Guest: Mr. Brian McLaren, best selling author of such books as, "The Secret Message of Jesus" and others. Brian is a leader in the Emergent community and a man Time Magazine referred to as a "paradigm shifter". Special guest host: Dr. Steven Miles, Profesor of Theology, Loyola College of Maryland	Fellowship of Reconciliation National Council of Churches
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09/17/2006	36. Our Best Kept Secret: Catholic Social Teaching	We begin our NEW SEASON by sharing with you a treasure from our own tradition. It has been called "our best kept secret" and with good reason. Not only have most of those outside our tradition never heard of it...we venture to guess not many within our tradition have either! It is called "Catholic Social Teaching" and it hides in plain sight. In a political climate where groups are lumped together in a box labeled "single issue", CST not only defies that simplistic notion, but provocatively calls all Catholics to a deep concern over a multitude of complex issues. CST. What is it? And how is it applied today? Listen in to this enlightening discussion. And tune in every week. We're just getting started! Guests are Fr. David Hollenbach, SJ, director of the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College; Fr. John Donahue, SJ, formerly of the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley and the Raymond Brown Distinguised Professor of New Testament Studies at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore; and Mrs. Marie Dennis; Director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns and V.P. of Pax Christi International.	Center of Concern Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns Pax Christi
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07/02/2006	35. Quality Education: A Civil Right-Part 2	As we discovered in Part 1, the Balimore City Public School System is failing in its mission to provide a quality education to many of the children in the city. Sadly, it is a problem that can be found to varying degrees in city school systems throughout the U.S. In Part 2, we highlight some of the creative educational initiatives designed to help make a difference, at least in the lives of some school children. But is that enough? Can we be content to rescue pockets of children? Or must we, as our guests suggest, insure as a civil right access to a quality education for all our children? And if so, what role can each of us play? For a list of guests, see Part 1.	The Algebra Project Baltimore Reads, Inc. Quality Education as a Civil Right
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06/11/2006	34. Quality Education: A Civil Right-Part 1	Part One: "Separate and Unequal". It's no secret that the Baltimore City public school system is failing in its mission to educate the children of Baltimore. What is alarming is just how bad things have gotten on every level; from the condition of the school buildings to the shortage of qualified teachers. Tragically, as goes Baltimore, so go many of the urban school systems throughout the United States. What does this say about us and our priorities as a city? A nation? A society? We discussed the problem with students, educators, church activists and civil rights leaders. And make no mistake, this is a civil rights issue. Guests are: long time civil rights activist, Dr. Robert Moses who is the creator of the educational initiative called the Algebra Project; educator Fr. Bill Byron, SJ, former President of Catholic University and prolific writer on the subject of education and social justice; Episcopal Rector, Reverend Lee Ann Tolzman, a Baltimore Education Advocate; Mr. Jay Gillen, a Baltimore City school teacher and advisor to the Baltimore Algebra Project; and student activists, Ms. Chelsea Carson and Mr. Ryan Mason.	The Algebra Project
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06/04/2006	33. Recurring Themes: Part 2	This week, we continue our reflection with Part Two of our "Recurring Theme" series. On this show we examine the themes of: the inherent dignity of each human being; meeting the needs of the world...both figuratively and literally; and the power of one to make a difference. As we said last week, the message is simple. Living it is not. But our guests over the past year have shown us how to do so.	Moratorium Campaign Cristo Rey Network Save Darfur
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05/28/2006	32. Recurring Themes: Part 1	Reflection is an important part of Provoke's mission, so we decided to step back and reflect on some of the recurring themes found in all our shows.We were neither disappointed nor entirely surprised by what we discovered. What did impress us was the steadfast simplicity of the message. However, as we've learned, "simple" is not the same as "easy". Yet on Provoke we have met remarkable people who understand that living faith requires loving action and attempt to do just that against all odds. In Part One of this series, we examine the themes of "Concern for the Poor and Vulnerable" and "The Connectivity of the Human Race". Listen in as our guests from around the world talk about the importance of these ideas to daily life.	Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic Relief Services Jesuit Volunteer Corps East Justice for Immigrants
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05/07/2006	31. Iraq: No Objective Reality	When given the opportunity to interview 3 women from Iraq who were in the U.S. as part of an Iraqi delegation here to speak before Congress, we jumped at the chance. As people of faith who believe in the power of non-violence we thought, "Who better to tell us about the futility of war than those who have experienced it first hand? What more poignant perspective could we explore than that of mothers and wives?" We'd like nothing more than to leave you with the impression that the women spoke in one, gentle and unified voice in the name of peace and brotherhood. But the truth is, that's not what happened. From the moment the women refused to be interviewed together, to the alarming declarations they made, they revealed far more about themselves and the human condition than they had any intention of doing. There was no objective reality and we wondered, "Whose version of reality is more illusory? The women's? America's? Or ours - those of us who believe non-violent conflict is possible? It left us asking the question: Would God call us to the impossible? Listen in as Buthaina, a rabid anti-Saddamist and Shi'a; Faiza, a Shi'a who is a member of a political party run by a Sunni; and "Layla" a Sunni too afraid to use her real name tell us about life in Iraq today.	Pax Christi Network: a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
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04/23/2006	30. The Death Penalty	As people of faith, we are taught to embrace the concepts of forgiveness and redemption, even as our humanity inclines us towards vengeance and retribution. Nowhere is this struggle more obvious than in the difficult and emotional debate over the death penalty. Currently, more than 3,000 individuals are on death row in the U.S. Given the track record of our judicial system, some of them are undoubtedly innocent. Others have committed some of the most heinous of murders. Still others, well,there but for the grace of God... The death penalty. Is it right or wrong? Just or unjust? Is it applied fairly and equitably or with great disparity? Listen in as guest host, Mr. Chris Lowney (author of "Heroic Leadership" and "A Vanished World") interviews our very special guest, Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking" and "The Death of Innocents". Sr. Prejean is a tireless crusader who believes the death penalty is not a peripheral moral issue, but one that gets at the heart of who we are as a society.	Moratorium Campaign Amnesty International
Date	Topic	Description	Links	Listen
04/09/2006	29. Gender Violence in East Africa	Much of Africa is torn apart by brutal civil wars. The perpetual unrest wreaks havoc on the lives of millions of innocent civilians. Nowhere is this more evident than in the lives of women and girls who suffer unspeakable brutality at the hands of not only outside rebel forces,but also by the men of their own national armies and worse, their very own communities. How do you nurse someone back from the brink of total despair? How do you heal this particularly horrific trauma? And how do you do it within the prevailing cultural context? Listen in as our guest, Dr. Simone Lindorfer, a specialist in the area of inter-cultural, community-oriented trauma work and gender-based violence discusses these questions and more. She calls her work,"Sharing the pain of the bitter hearts" and she has dedicated her life to it, working in Africa for such organizations as Caritas International and others. As she speaks, her compasion is palpable.	Catholic Relief Services Lutheran World Relief
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03/26/2006	28. The Ethics of Lobbying	Several years ago, the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University began a research project on the lobby industry. The lobby industry wields enormous influence in this country yet has managed to escape the microscope not only of public scrutiny, but of self-evaluation as well. The goal of the Woodstock study was to clarify basic ethical principles of lobbying and a mission established by our founding fathers, but long since forgotten. Is lobbying a social justice issue? Is social justice a lobbying issue? Listen in as the show attempts to answer these questions while it progresses from the theoretical to the practical.Guests are: Mr. Philip Lacovara, lawyer/lobbyist and major participant in the Woodstock Study; Ms. Joan Claybrook, President of Public Citizen, the advocacy organization founded by Ralph Nader 35 years ago; and Sister Simone Campbell, Director of Network Social Justice Lobby.	Network Social Justice Lobby Public Citizen
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03/05/2006	27. Dear Drug Dealers: An Open Dialogue	Last summer, after 2 nights of double homicides, Baltimore Sunpapers columnist Dan Rodricks began what amounted to an open dialogue with the drug dealers and addicts of the city. He urged them to find a way out of "the life" and offered help to anyone seeking it. The dialogue has been going on ever since. What motivated Dan to start this one man crusade? What does he hope to accomplsh? And who is he really trying to reach? The results will amaze and inspire. Listen in to this very entertaining but heartfelt interview with Dan Rodricks.	Christopher Place Academy Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Marian House
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02/19/2006	26. The Year of the City	Last fall, when Fr. Brian Linnane accepted the post as the 24th president of Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland he fully expected to shape his inaugural address around a commitment to a robust intellectual and academic life for the Loyola community. Instead, he delivered a speech pledging a mission driven commitment to service and social justice and announced that the academic year 2006-2007 would be the "Year of the City". What made Fr. Linnane change his focus? What responsibility does an institution have to its host city and those who live there? How can a university serve and strengthen the city it finds itself in and leave it better than it found it? Listen in as guest, Fr. Brian Linnane, SJ answers these questions and more. It is an uplifting story of one man using his position of influence to make a difference.	Caroline Center Beyond the Boundaries B.U.I.L.D.
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01/29/2006	25. The Crime of Human Trafficking: A Global Phenomenon	Human trafficking. A term that sends a shiver up one's spine. When did this term enter our collective vocabulary? What does it mean? Who and what does it apply to? Where does it take place and why? The buying and selling of human beings as a commodity: in a world where so many claim to believe that each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, what does human trafficking tell us about ourselves? Guests are: Sr. Mary Ellen Dougherty, SSND, Office of Migration and Refugees for the USCCB; Sr. Ethel Howley, SSND,former SSND NGO representative to the UN. Both women have done extensive work on behalf of the victims of human trafficking. Joining them is Ms. Andrea Bertone, director of HumanTrafficking.org.	United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) HumanTrafficking.org Casa de Maryland
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01/15/2006	24. Barbarism in Darfur	Since the Holocaust to end all holocausts, the world has stood by and witnessed Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and now, Darfur. If we look outward, towards Africa, we may see Darfur as merely a story about barbaric people. But, if we look inward, we see that it is as much about us and our response to the crisis. When will "never again" mean never again? On this show, Provoke asks the questions: How can something like this happen in the 21st century? What can be done to stop it? And most importantly, what should our response be as people of fatih? Guests include: Rabbi David Saperstein and Reverend Richard Cizik of the Save Darfur Coalition; Greg Elder of Catholic Relief Services; Hashim El-Tinay of the Salam Sudan Foundation and others.	Catholic Relief Services Save Darfur
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