Lights, Catholic, Action! – Diocese of Fort Worth launches weekly podcast March 4

A behind-the-scenes look at Lights, Catholic, Action! Podcast host Sissel Anderson and Diocesan Communications Director John Cuccaro in the recording studio. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)

FORT WORTH — On the surface, it’s a simple 20-minute weekly podcast, but a deeper look — in truth, a deeper listen — reveals that the new podcast produced by the Diocese of Fort Worth delves into the identity and mission of the Catholic Church in North Texas.

Lights, Catholic, Action! premiered on March 4 on YouTube (@CatholicDioceseofFortWorth) and various podcast apps.

Each Tuesday, a new 15–20-minute episode will drop, featuring interviews with clergy, diocesan employees, and interesting people in the parishes. 

The podcast is a first for the diocese, which has existing communication channels via the diocesan website, social media platforms, YouTube videos, and the North Texas Catholic, its website and social media.

“The key is multi-channel communications. In today’s world, no two people seem to get their information from the same sources,” explained John Cuccaro, director of communications. Having the podcast also available to view on YouTube increases its reach by accommodating people who prefer to watch the segments.

Cuccaro has also expanded the reach of diocesan communications by appearing as a frequent guest, sometimes accompanied by others, on the local Catholic radio station of the Guadalupe Radio Network.

Countdown to launch

Introducing a podcast to the diocesan communication channels was suggested by Cuccaro last spring, when he interviewed for the position of director of communications.

Preparation began in earnest in October, with research, trials, and decisions on everything from camera lenses to logos.

Diocesan Director of Creative Services Juan Guajardo serves as producer and director of Lights, Catholic, Action!, which taps into his expertise in photography and videography, as well as his deep knowledge of the diocese, for which he has worked in various capacities since 2008.

Cuccaro credits Guajardo with making the project a reality, saying, “Although our entire communications team is working to make the podcast a success, Juan, as producer and director, is the strong technical and creative force driving this project.”

“We definitely want [the podcast] to be at the highest level,” said Guajardo, who has won awards from the Catholic Media Association for photography and videography.

“Our diocese has put a great weight on reaching people through beauty, and through beauty teaching us, showing us, truth and goodness,” he continued.

Friendly and familiar

Listeners may recognize the host, Sissel Anderson, from KATH 910 AM radio, the local affiliate of Guadalupe Radio Network, where Anderson has worked as the North Texas assistant since 2017, doing both behind-the-scenes and on-air work.

The St. Philip the Apostle parishioner shared her secret on how to have an engaging conversation with her guests: Forget about the lights and the cameras and just pretend to have a casual chat with a friend at a coffee shop.

Anderson, who describes herself as “naturally curious, and not afraid to ask a random question,” knows she’s on the trail of an interesting topic when the podcast guest’s eyes light up about their job or ministry.

The podcast’s initial guests are diocesan employees, which helps listeners understand the many roles and ministries within the diocese.

Then, Cuccaro described, “From there, we want to expand out a little bit. We’ll go out to the parishes to show the great diversity of Catholics … all the different lifestyles, different age groups, different ethnicities, different professional pursuits. All can come under the Catholic umbrella. This is your Church too.”

Identity and mission

Guajardo said the podcast goes beyond entertainment into education and even evangelization.

He said, “This will be another leap in reaching people where they are, and how they consume news, and not just news but even entertainment that’s wholesome and inspiring. Hopefully, it goes beyond that and is evangelizing and catechizing in some form.

“I totally give Bishop [Michael Olson] credit on embracing the idea and telling us, ‘Go forth with it and make it happen.’ He definitely sees the value in being a Church reaching out to others, to the people in pews and even outside of the pews,” Guajardo continued.

As Anderson hosts each episode, she’s aware of building deeper connections and offering uplifting examples of lived faith within the local church.

She said, “Often, listening to the news is bleak and disheartening, but there are people in the pews, people doing ministry, who are living out their vocations in faith. By sharing those stories, the podcast brings a hopeful outlook. I hope people watch or listen and follow their example.”

Lights, Catholic, Action! can serve as another tool the diocese uses to help form our identities in Christ and bring others to Him in His Church.

The podcast’s purpose, like that of other diocesan communications, is ultimately simple, Cuccaro said. “The wider the net that we cast, the more souls we can reach.”