"The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve"
Mark 10:45

The Called to Serve Podcast shares the stories of the many people in the Albany Diocese who are dedicating their lives to serving God as they further the mission of the Catholic Church. We thank them all for their dedication and for taking the time to share their stories with us, hopefully inspiring others to reflect on how God may be calling them to serve.

You can hear Called to Serve on WOPG Radio 
Monday-Saturday at 9:35am, and Sunday at 10:28am.
89.9 FM / 1460 AM or streaming live at https://pax-et-bonum-radio.org/index.php
 or https://stations.radioboss.fm/r/WOPG

Episode 53: My guest is Deacon Gary Riggi. He serves as deacon at Our Lady of the Valley in Middleburgh, Director of Engagement at the City Mission in Schenectady, the Director and Retreat Master at the Joshua House in Altamont, and he is a spiritual director. He shares how he feels called to serve and about his deep love for God and the joy he finds in serving Him. (Recorded May 2025)

Episode 52: My guest is Sr. Sue Zemgulis, Administrator of the Dominican Retreat and Conference Center in Niskayuna. She talks about how she feels called to serve and what the Dominican Retreat and Conference Center has to offer. (Recorded April 2025)

Episode 51: My guest is Fr. Tom Fallati, Parochial Vicar at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Schenectady, and Assistant Director of Vocations, to name just a few of his roles, reflects on his first year as a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. (Recorded April 2025)

Episode 50: My guest is Kris Rooney, a Spiritual Director in our diocese. She is talking about what Spiritual Direction is and how does someone know if it’s something that might be good for them. (Recorded April 2025)

Episode 49: My guest is Julie Baaki, Executive Director of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, NY. She talks about the history of the Shrine, the national designation by the USCCB earlier this year, and the many blessings people experience on the grounds. (Recorded March, 2025)

Episode 48: My guest is John Gray, anchor at News 10 ABC and FOX 23 news. He is also an author and is talking with us about his latest book, “The Carpenter’s Son.”

Episode 47: My guest is Justin Hollingshead who is discerning a vocation to the priesthood in our diocese. You can contact him at Justin@rescuevocations.org 

Episode 46: Mary Keniry is the regional program director for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program with Catholic Charities. It’s a federally mandated, state funded program that advocates for individuals living in long term care facilities. Catholic Charities has held this contract in the Capital Region for 10 years. (Feb. 2025)

Episode 45: My guest is Erin Reilly, a parishioner in our diocese and a convert to the faith. She talks about why she chose to become Catholic and how God is working in her life.

Episode 44: My guest once again is author Jonathan Fanning. He is returning for a second episode to discuss ways that people or parishes can use his book, Conversations with the Monk.

Episode 43: My guest is Jonathan Fanning, an inspirational speaker and author in our diocese, talking with us about his fourth book, Conversations with the Monk.

Episode 42:  My guests once again are Gerard and Geraldine Havasy, a husband and wife in our diocese who wrote a book called, “Travels with Mary, Mother of God.” In this episode, they take us on a tour of their home, sharing some of the special Marian artifacts that they highlight in their book.

Episode 41: My guests are Gerard and Geraldine Havasy, a husband and wife in our diocese who co-authored a book, “Travels with Mary, Mother of God.” They are collectors of depictions of Mary from around the world. Over the course of seven decades, they have visited six different continents. They explain how the book came about and how their kids and grandkids inspired this effort.

Episode 40: My guest is Dave Stagliano, Associate Director for Youth and Young Adult ministries for the diocese. He talks about how invitations from others helped him to realize his call to serve.

Episode 39: My guest is Sr Teresa Grace Baillargeon, Vocation Directress for the Sisters of the Resurrection. She talks about the difference between communal and personal prayer and the value of each in our spiritual journey.

Episode 38: My guest is Leslie Dykeman, a volunteer at the Diocesan Cemeteries Office. She started serving in that role after her sister went to St. Agnes Cemetery to visit family gravesites. Leslie has been enjoying her work in the cemeteries office ever since. 

Episode 37: My guest is Kevin Wilson, author of “The Saint I Knew: Exciting Encounters with Holiness.” Kevin is a parishioner in our diocese. He said this book came from his personal desire to know more about the many saints in our church. He hopes this will help others to see the saints as role models.

Episode 36: My guest is Fr. Dan Quinn. He is Pastor at All Saints Church, All Saints Academy, Blessed Sacrament Church, Blessed Sacrament School, The Shrine Church Nuestra Senora de las Americas, Mater Christi Parish, Mater Christi School, as well as Assistant Director of Vocations for the Diocese. He shares how he feels called to serve.

Episode 35: My guest, once again, is Kelly Grimaldi, Director of Education and Program Development for Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. In this episode, she talks about the rich history available at Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. We recorded at St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands, but Kelly says tours are available at any of the Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. If you are interested, reach out to Kelly for more information. kelly@adcemeteries.org; (518) 350-7679.

Episode 34: My guest is Kelly Grimaldi, Director of Education and Program Development for Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. In this episode she talks about an archival grant they recently received to help preserve the cemeteries and she shares that the Albany Cemeteries are part of the upcoming I Love NY Path Through History Tour on the weekend of Oct 11-13.
https://www.iloveny.com/things-to-do/path-through-history/path-through-history-weekend/

Episode 33: My guest is Paul Heckman, a member of the Eucharistic Revival Committee bringing the 40 Hours Devotion to Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville Fri, Oct. 11 through Sun, Oct 13. A full schedule of events can be found at www.icglenville.com

Episode 32: My guest is Dr. Mary Ellen Mallia, a graduate of Siena College and current Director of Sustainability at University at Albany. She is talking about Earth’s Cry, Humanity’s Call: Symposium on Integral Ecology at Siena College on October 10-11, 2024. To learn more about the symposium, or to register to attend in person or virtually, please visit: https://www.siena.edu/centers-institutes/laudato-si/earths-cry-humanitys-call-a-symposium-on-integral-ecology/

Episode 31: My guest is David Amico, Director of the Office for Discipleship Formation for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. He is talking about Catechetical Sunday, which is Sunday, September 15, 2024 this year, and the theme which will be carried out in catechesis in the diocese for the school year. (Recorded August 2024)

Episode 30: My guest, once again, is Alex Turpin, a seminarian in our diocese. In this episode, he talks about the beauty of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (Recorded August 2024)

Episode 29: My guest is Alex Turpin, a seminarian in our diocese. He talks about how he feels called to serve. (Recorded August 2024)

Episode 28: My guest is Deacon Randy Velez. He served at St Thomas the Apostle Church in Cherry Valley. He is retired, but still actively serving so many in our church. In Episode 27, he talked about something he calls Grassroots Ministry. In this episode, he shares some of the blessings he has experience in that ministry. (Recorded July 2024)

Episode 27: My guest is Deacon Randy Velez. He served at St Thomas the Apostle Church in Cherry Valley. He is retired, but still actively serving so many in our church and talks about something he calls Grassroots Ministry. (Recorded July 2024)

Episode 26: My guest is Anne Frame, Executive Assistant to Bishop Edward Scharfenberger and the Multimedia Specialist in the Communications Office for the Diocese. (Recorded July 2024)

Episode 25: My guest is Fr Jim Kane, Director of the Office of Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. That is a role he has been in for close to 42 years now. He is retired as a pastor but still serves at daily Mass and on weekends at St Clare’s in Colonie. (Recorded June 2024)

Episode 24: My guest, once again, is Beth Dennis, a 4^th grade teacher at St. Pius X School in Loudonville. She is also discerning to become a Dominican Associate of Peace. In this one she shares about the blessings that came from a paper crane project that she worked on with her St. Pius students. (Recorded June 2024)

Episode 23: Beth Dennis is a 4^th grade teacher at St. Pius X School in Loudonville. She is also discerning to become a Dominican Associate of Peace. She talks about her own spiritual journey and how she feels Called to Serve. (Recorded June 2024)

Episode 22: Sister Angela Marie Leo, with the Sisters of the Resurrection & the Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese, shares about being called to Rome before making final vows in her order. (Recorded May 2024)

Episode 21: Sister Angela Marie Leo, with the Sisters of the Resurrection, also works in the Catholic Schools Office for the Diocese. She shares about how she feels called to serve. (Recorded May, 2024)

Episode 20: My guest this week is Tom Acemoglu, Pastoral Associate for Evangelization and Catechesis at St. Ambrose Church in Latham. He talks about the blessings that can come from embracing the awkward. (Recorded May, 2024)

Episode 19: My guest this week is Michelle Schulmerich, Senior Executive Administrative Assistant for the Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Vicar for Vocations, and Chief Operating Officer for the Diocese. She shares how she feels called to serve in her role. (Recorded May, 2024)

Episode 18: Richard Putorti, Music Director for St. Mary’s Crescent, Co-Chapter Director for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) Albany Chapter, and the Region 2 Rep for the National Chapter. In this episode, Richard talks about what NPM is, what the group does, and shares information about a big NPM event coming to our diocese in September. (Recorded May, 2024)

Episode 17: Richard Putorti, Music Director for St. Mary’s Crescent, Co-Chapter Director for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, Albany Chapter, and the Region 2 Rep for the National Chapter. In this episode, Richard talks about his own faith journey. (Recorded May, 2024)

Episode 16: Jim Cuggino, a 90-year-old parishioner of St Clement’s Church in Saratoga Springs, joined forces with the founder of Spa City Catholic, the young adult group in Saratoga Springs, to organize a Generations of Faith event on April 13, 2024. You can learn more about that event here https://evangelist.org/news/2024/mar/22/generations-of-faith/. We sat down with Jim after the event to ask how it went and to learn more about his hopes for the Catholic church. (Recorded April, 2024) 

Episode 15: Lisa Petrocelli, Secretary in the Office for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs and an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Discipleship Formation for the Diocese talks about her love for Rome. (Recorded April, 2024)

Episode 14: Lisa Petrocelli, Secretary in the Office for Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Affairs and an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Discipleship Formation for the Diocese, talks about her own faith journey and how she feels called to serve. (Recorded April, 2024)

Episode 13: Fr. Bob Longobucco, Vicar General for the Diocese and Pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Niskayuna, talks about how he is Called to Serve. (Recorded March, 2024)

Episode 12: Fr. Bob Longobucco, Vicar General for the Diocese and Pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Niskayuna, talks about how we are all Called to Serve. (Recorded March, 2024)

Episode 11: Will Capuano, Founder of Spa City Catholic (Young Adult Group) returns to talk about a new program he is working on called Generations of Faith. It brings together young adults and seniors so they can share stories and learn from each other. You can email SpaCityCatholic@gmail.com for more information on Generations of Faith. (Recorded March, 2024)

Episode 10: Will Capuano, Founder of Spa City Catholic (Young Adult Group) talks about what inspires him to be as involved as he is in sharing the Catholic faith. 
To learn more about the growing number of Young Adult Groups in our diocese https://www.rcda.org/youbelong  (Recorded March, 2024)

Episode 9: Amy Bryant, Executive Director of Albany Diocesan Cemeteries (Recorded March, 2024)

Episode 8: Deacon Tom Fallati talks about his call to serve God in ministry. (Recorded February, 2024)

Episode 7: Mike Kane, Director of Real Property for the Diocese and Officer Sal Sturiale, Albany Police Department talk about a big donation of Beanie Babies from Mike's family to the Albany Police Department, and how those Beanie Babies are being used to help children. (Recorded February, 2024)

Episode 6: Tom Cronin, Director of Evangelization & Strategic Planning for the Diocese - Talking about Strategic Planning. (Recorded February, 2024)

Episode 5: Tom Cronin, Director of Evangelization & Strategic Planning for the Diocese - Talking about Evangelization. (Recorded February, 2024)

Episode 4: Nancy Bielawa, Executive Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese. (Recorded January, 2024)

Episode 3: Mary Fay, Associate Director of Discipleship Formation for the Diocese; responsible for the ministries of Marriage & Family, Pastoral Care, and Respect Life (Recorded January, 2024)

Episode 2: Amy Brozio-Andrews, Archivist for the Diocese (Recorded January, 2024)

Episode 1: Sr. Teresa Grace Baillargeon, C.R., Vocation Directress for the Sisters of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Recorded December, 2023)