The goal of the Forte Catholic Podcast is to inspire, uplift, and share the Good News in a way that will help you take the next step in your faith, no matter where you are on your journey with God.

Taylor Schroll 11/13/24 Taylor Schroll 11/13/24

Story Time w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast 405

Taylor has stories of his birthday week & one of the craziest week's of ministry he's had in a long time! Kathryn has stories of Aggie Football & a project she did for her kid's homecoming and one final surprise you'll want to wait to hear until the end of the episode.

Donate
Forte Catholic is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Support the work with a tax-deductible donation here. Thanks! https://www.fortecatholic.com/donate

Produced by Taylor Schroll
Editing & Episode art by Sarah Allen

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 10/2/24 Taylor Schroll 10/2/24

Change w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast 401

Kathryn has some exciting new & Taylor isn't a fan of all the change going on in his life. They talk through some of the funny (and not so funny) things going on and how to handle constant change.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 8/21/24 Taylor Schroll 8/21/24

Kathryn Whitaker: Parenting Guru | Forte Catholic Podcast 397

Taylor is in a new stage of parenting with a JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT and kids at two different campuses for the first time. We know a few of you have been through this and...HOW DO YOU DO IT!?!?! Kathryn shares some tips, tricks, encouragement and tough love with Taylor on the things that have worked best for her, especially in new seasons of parenting. To close out the show, Taylor shares one of the biggest things that Catholics LOVE that is actually currently annoying him.

Taylor is in a new stage of parenting with a JUNIOR HIGH STUDENT and kids at two different campuses for the first time. We know a few of you have been through this and...HOW DO YOU DO IT!?!?!

Kathryn shares some tips, tricks, encouragement and tough love with Taylor on the things that have worked best for her, especially in new seasons of parenting.

To close out the show, Taylor shares one of the biggest things that Catholics LOVE that is actually currently annoying him.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 7/10/24 Taylor Schroll 7/10/24

Hemp Homily, Monastery Visit & Answered Prayers w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 393

Taylor shares three stories today about God showing up in some of the strangest places & one story about how Christians can just be the dumbest sometimes lol. We hope you enjoy this conversation about finding God in the strangest places, the most obvious places and the strange reactions when it happens.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 7/5/24 Taylor Schroll 7/5/24

Aggie Baseball, Loyalty & Leadership w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 392

KATHRYN WHITAKER CALLED FOR AN EMERGENCY EPISODE! The Texas A&M Aggie Baseball team has had QUITE the saga over the past few weeks and she has THOUGHTS! It's a story of triumph, failure, loyalty, dishonor, anger and so much more! We hope you enjoy our conversation on this hot stove issue of the summer (with fancy connections to Church issues as a bonus.)

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 6/19/24 Taylor Schroll 6/19/24

50th Birthday, The King & Redemption w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 390

Kathryn celebrates a monumental birthday, is part of a record breaking concert & Taylor has his deepest spiritual insight of the year! Quite the episode!

Kathryn celebrates her 50th birthday this week & has a cool announcement about a new project and shares what it was like being a part of the largest concert in US History, seeing George Strait perform at Texas A&M to 110k people.

Taylor shares the deepest spiritual insight he's received in a year that came from a surprising source. We hope it impacts you as much as it has him.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 4/24/24 Taylor Schroll 4/24/24

Softball, Germany & Mentorship w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 385

Taylor shares his epic fails over the last couple of weeks while Kathryn discusses her upcoming trip to Germany & the importance of mentorship.

Taylor shares his epic fails over the last couple of weeks & how softball and his spiritual life are showing some similarities.

Kathryn discusses her upcoming pilgrimage to Germany & Austria while Taylor questions what could possibly be Catholic about everyone's FAVORITE country. She actually knocks the question out of the park and makes him look quite dumb!

Finally, they share the importance of the mentors they have both had in their lives and what that shows us about the importance of having and being mentors.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 3/27/24 Taylor Schroll 3/27/24

Holy Week & Why We're Catholic w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 381

Taylor & Kathryn reflecting on the Holiest of Weeks on the Church calendar, explaining why we became Catholic & stick with it after all this time.

Taylor & Kathryn sit down to kick off Holy Week and share their favorite (and least favorite) parts of this special week! They rank the liturgies of the Triduum, explain why they enjoy each one & share what's on their hearts and minds as they head into this week.

They also discuss the very different reasons they both became Catholic but then the oddly similar reasons that they remain Catholic.

We hope you have a blessed Holy Week! We're praying for you. Please pray for us.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 3/6/24 Taylor Schroll 3/6/24

Kathryn Whitaker's First Guest Appearances | Forte Flashback

We're doing a Forte Flashback this week, highlighting our cohost Kathryn Whitaker's first two appearances on the podcast as a guest. These conversations were the seeds planted that eventually led to her joining us on a monthly basis.

Today's show kicks off with her first appearance is person on Ep 256. We were recording in Liv Harrison's house so the three of us shared some things that are anchors or foundations for them as people that keep us strong during even the toughest of times.

Then we go alllll the way back to Ep 153. This was back in our radio/podcast days. The title of the episode was "Nightmares Are You Scaring /you" which is still one of my favorite episode titles. We discuss her book "Live Big, Love Bigger: Getting Real with BBQ, Sweet Tea and a Whole Lotta Jesus" which is a title that perfectly captures Kathryn's aura. She shares her story of dealing with loss and pain, how it affected her relationship with Christ and, as a bonus, how to share your faith without being a weirdo.

If you like this episode, all of our episodes are available wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube. Check out our backlog if you've joined us at some point in the last eight years!

A great place to start is the list of our top ten episodes which can be found at ForteCatholic.com/podcasts.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 2/28/24 Taylor Schroll 2/28/24

Lent, Blackjack & Gen Z Bible w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 378

Taylor & Kathryn do a Lenten check-in, discuss their differing views on the Gen Z Bible trend on social media & Taylor shares about how his best night ever at a blackjack table relates to Heaven, Hell & our spiritual lives.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 1/31/24 Taylor Schroll 1/31/24

Providence, Jason Kelce & the Purge w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 374

Taylor shares a crazy story of how God's providence came in the clutch! He & Kathryn discuss their shared love for Jason Kelce & Kathryn talks about he big house purge project and it's implications on family life & our spiritual lives.

Taylor was recently leading worship for a retreat and ended up actually leading worship for two retreats simultaneously! Can he now bilocate? MAYBE! He shares the wild story of how this happened with Kathryn and you!

Next, our hosts talk about their shared love for Jason Kelce. They discuss how his innate confidence in who he is is so inspiring.

To close the show, Kathryn shares about her yearly PURGE of her house and it's implications on her family life, stress levels & it's connections to our spiritual lives.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 12/27/23 Taylor Schroll 12/27/23

The Christmas Episode! w/ Aaron Weber | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 369

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you! The gang is all hear with our yearly guest, comedian Aaron Weber. All three cohosts join in the celebrations to discuss what we love & hate about this season, if Mary knew & questioning some holiday traditions.

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you! The gang is all hear with our yearly guest, comedian Aaron Weber. All three cohosts join in the celebrations!

Taylor is first joined by Allison Sullivan to share their favorite & least favorite parts about the Christmas season.

Then, Fr. Anthony & Aaron Weber join in for the second segment. Having Aaron as our Christmas guest is a yearly tradition since 2018! This year, we discuss holiday traditions, Aaron's Comedy Central special this year, & Father Anthony's pastoral heart. Check out more from Aaron at https://aaronwebercomedy.com/

Kathryn Whitaker joins Taylor for the final segment as they debate "Mary Did You Know?" Choosing a side on whether she knew or not has become a yearly Catholic online tradition & Taylor & Kathryn are on opposite sides of the debate. They hash it out and hope to sway you to their side.

Thank you so much for listening! We love you guys! Merry Christmas!

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 12/20/23 Taylor Schroll 12/20/23

Paths to Holiness, Phone Upgrades & College Football w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 368

Taylor & Kathryn discuss how there are multiple pathways to holiness within Catholicism and somehow how spiritual growth equates to phone upgrades. They also discuss their opinions on the college football playoffs, Jimbo Fisher’s firing, fairness & leadership.

Kathryn Whitaker cohosts our final episode of Advent. She & Taylor talk about how there are multiple pathways to holiness within Catholicism. This has been accepted for generations (i.e. different religious orders) but these days people find what works for them and want to impose it on everyone else.

Taylor shares one of his strangest quirks and discusses how iPhone upgrades mirror his spiritual life. How do we deal with spiritual growth?

To close the show, Kathryn has some hot takes on the College Football Playoff committee's decision & Texas A&M's historic firing of Jimbo Fisher. This connects to our moral life as we discuss fairness, excess, leadership & more.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 11/22/23 Taylor Schroll 11/22/23

Thanksgiving & Mind Ya Business w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 364

Happy Thanksgiving! Taylor was reminded that it is hard to be negative and thankful at the same time so recalling what we are grateful for is a great remedy. He & Kathryn share what they are thankful for & also keep the Thanksgiving spirit alive but talking about minding your own business, especially when you don't have all the facts.

Happy Thanksgiving from our crew to yours! We hope this episode gives you some laughs while you're avoiding your in-laws ;)

There has been some negativity floating around the past few weeks so we decided to combat it with some thanksgiving! Of course it was perfect timing with the holiday this week, but Taylor was also reminded that it is hard to be negative and thankful at the same time so recalling what we are grateful for is a great remedy. He & Kathryn share the things in their personal lives, families, church, work and more that they are most thankful for this year.

In keeping with the theme of Thanksgiving, we had to talk about arguing and people not minding their own business ;) Kathryn shares a ridiculous comment she received that definitely crossed the line. She shares the story & what bothered her about it. She & Taylor talk about how we should all mind our own business a little more, especially when we don't have all the facts. Like mama always said, if you aint got nuthin nice to say then don't say nuthin!

We hope y'all all have a beautiful Thanksgiving! We are so grateful you listen to our show. :) Blessings on you and yours this week!

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 10/25/23 Taylor Schroll 10/25/23

Am I a Jerk? w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 360

Taylor shares two awkward stories and asks Kathryn if he is the villain in them. Kathryn speaks on stewardship & catches herself in an Aggie & parenting conundrum.

Taylor was put in a couple scenarios that we so awkward and we wasn't sure if he was the jerk or if it was the people who put him in those situations. So he turns to Kathryn for wisdom and guidance after sharing the stories.

They also discuss how Taylor is currently in a never-ending Mass, Taylor calls Kathryn out on one of her beloved Aggie traditions & they work through some feedback they received from a priest who listens to the show. Kathryn closes the show by sharing about the importance of being good stewards of the gifts God has given us.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 9/27/23 Taylor Schroll 9/27/23

Change & Battling Shame w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 356

Taylor & Kathryn discuss the importance of continual change in the spiritual life. Taylor also shares a story of a grown man shaming some teenagers and how rage welled up in Taylor when he saw it. It opens up a conversation about how shame has no place in the Christian life.

Taylor & his kids were on their own this last weekend and it was a glimpse into how much things have changed over the years. We often don't notice gradual change until something special happens(like a rare weekend where Taylor's wife gets a break). Kathryn also shares how she has been in a season of change and the importance of continual change in the spiritual life.

Next, Taylor shares a story about how he saw a grown man shaming some teenagers and it enraged him. He & Kathryn talk about battling shame and how it has no proper place in the lives of Christians.

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 8/30/23 Taylor Schroll 8/30/23

Johnny Football, Tribalism, Consequences & Forgiveness w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 352

The Johnny Manziel documentary just came out. Kathryn is a fan of Johnny. Taylor can't stand him! They discuss a plethora of topics surrounding this Texas A&M College Football star, his rise, fall & how we are left to sort through the wreckage.

While Johnny is the impetus for our conversation, we discuss topics from a Catholic point of view like tribalism, sports, consequences for our actions, forgiveness & how all of those things together make life a bit more complicated than we might like.

This is a rare ONE SEGMENT episode because there was just so much to dive in to on this topic. We hope you enjoy this rare episode :)

Check out Kathyrn's viral open letter to Johnny here: https://kathrynwhitaker.net/2013/02/an-open-letter-to-johnny-football/

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 5/3/23 Taylor Schroll 5/3/23

Roller Coasters, Practice & Parenting w/ Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 337

Taylor is joined by Kathryn Whitaker in studio as they talk about the high highs and the low lows of the last couple of weeks. They also discuss the importance of being a "practicing" Catholic and how that may mean a shift in focus on how we view our spiritual journeys.

Taylor is joined by Kathryn Whitaker in studio as they talk about the high highs and the low lows of the last couple of weeks. Taylor shares the good, bad and ugly from his track coaching, parenting and spiritual life. Kathryn shares her insight and wisdom from her experiences as a mom and Catholic.

They also discuss the importance of being a "practicing" Catholic and how that may mean a shift in focus on how we view our spiritual journeys. Enjoy!

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 3/8/23 Taylor Schroll 3/8/23

Ordinations, Repetition & Jesus w/Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 330

Taylor shares a beautiful story from a Deacon ordination he added that also had a funny ending. They also discuss the importance of repetition & a few reflections on the life of Jesus.

Today's episode is brought to you in part by Almighty Legends. Their goal is to deliver a unique and thoughtful action figure line that will create a positive change in the way collectors, both young and seasoned, collect and play. Almighty Legends aims to blend the greatest story ever told with the youthful imagination of those that love classic action figures. These figures are based on the Bible and take a legendary approach.

Support the project and get your archangels figurines here

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Never miss out on the craziness of each episode by hitting the subscribe button RIGHT NOW! Help other people find the show by taking a few moments to leave a review in your podcasting app. Thanks!

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.

Taylor Schroll 1/18/23 Taylor Schroll 1/18/23

Italy, Conspiracy Theories & the Turing Test w/Kathryn Whitaker | Forte Catholic Podcast Ep 323

Live from Austin, Texas! Today's episode was recording at Kathryn Whitaker's home in the capital of the great country of Texas! She recently returned from a family trip to Italy and shares all about her experiences in the heartland of our faith. We also test her mettle at our favorite game "Freestyle Preaching" and Taylor shares his thoughts on conspiracy theories and the Turing Test.

Live from Austin, Texas! Today's episode was recording at Kathryn Whitaker's home in the capital of the great country of Texas!

Kathryn recently returned from a family trip to Italy and shares all about her experiences in the heartland of our faith. We also test her mettle at our favorite game "Freestyle Preaching" and Taylor shares his thoughts on conspiracy theories and the Turing Test.

We hope you enjoy this week's episode!

Subscribe/Rate

Never miss out on the craziness of each episode by hitting the subscribe button RIGHT NOW! Help other people find the show and #MakeCatholicismFunAgain by taking a few moments to leave a review in your podcasting app. Thanks!

Donate
Forte Catholic is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Support the work with a tax-deductible donation here. Thanks! https://www.fortecatholic.com/donate

Episode art by Becka Gerhart

All music used on the show is by Brandon “BeTheSymbol” Morel. Find his music at bethesymbol.com.