Shoot The Shiitake with Father Leo: Recent Episodes
Father Leo
Catholic priest, TV & Radio Host, Best Selling Author, Former Martial Arts Instructor, award winning Break Dancer & Choreographer, and also professional chef (who won Food Network competition, "Throw Down with Bobby Flay" Season 7 Episode 1), talks with unique and interesting guests from all walks of life - drawing out connections to help bridge social divides. You may not expect what two completely different peoplehave in common, but this show will bring people to a better understanding of how we're all connected. We may not always agree, but we still have to learn how to live with each other, and have some fun in the process, even if it's just a casual opportunity to "Shoot the Shiitake!"
Fr. Leo interviews TV Host, Author and Speaker Chris Stefanik about what it means to live as a "real catholic," especially in todays world!!
This is a re-upload of episode 39 for you listening pleasure!
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, a convert to Catholicism, is a member of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice, and thrown in jail multiple times.
Please enjoy part one of this two part series about St. Joseph!
This audio presentation is supplemental to the Shoot The Shiitake Podcast format. This is also a re-upload of episode 86 incase you missed it!
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, a convert to Catholicism, is a member of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice, and thrown in jail multiple times.
Please enjoy part one of this two part series about St. Joseph!
This audio presentation is supplemental to the Shoot The Shiitake Podcast format. This is also a re-upload of episode 86 incase you missed it!
Sam Rocha joins Fr. Leo for a 2nd interview about Racism. We explore a historical, spiritual and practical approach to dealing with this problem in our modern world.
Twitter: @SamRochadotcom
This is Part 1 of 2 podcasts with Sam.
Does Fr. Leo sow hate and division? Well, Sam Rocha, his guest on today’s show, thinks so. But, at the end of the day, Fr. Leo and Sam show that disagreement doesn’t mean hate speech, especially when we don’t act hateful AND, listening is one I way I don’t sow hate and division, but building a bridge!
Twitter: @SamRochadotcom
Mountain Butorac is an American Living in Rome With his family. He is the founder of the Catholic traveler. He leads thousands of people in pilgrimage to Italy, Europe, and the Holy Land.
He is currently in lockdown during the coronavirus and he shares some of his insights about how Italy and particularly Rome has endured this unique experience in Rome's history.
Follow Mountain on Twitter!
@MountainButorac
More ways to follow Mountain:
https://linktr.ee/thecatholictraveler
Chef Steve Allbright, former employee - did I fire him or did he quit? makes another change from Buddhism to Catholicism. And, what kind of gifts do you give a guy like that?
*This is a re-uploaded episode from 2019. Steven and I will be joining forces with the Plating Grace and Grub food truck and the Franciscan Center of Baltimore!
Ex-Con, Drunk & Drug Addict, Buddhist & now Chef "confesses" and "teaches" priest about the power of invitation, inspiration and integration.
Steven Allbright is now the Culinary Director at The Franciscan Center of Baltimore! https://fcbmore.org
*This episode was originally released in 2018!
Fr. Leo meets John Minadakas and discusses Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, the immigrant story and the American Dream, what makes Jimmy’s Seafood Famous, and how his family restaurant is making a positive impact helping people in need due to the crazy covid lockdown of Baltimore’s restaurants.
Check out Jimmy’s Famous Seafood!
https://jimmysfamousseafood.com
Follow @JimmysSeafood on Twitter!
Fr. Leo Shoots the Shiitake with Fr. Simon Esshaki, a Chaldean Priest, along with his dad, a Deacon in the Chaldean Church. Learn their history, their customs and their love for food, faith and family … and fun!
Follow Fr. Esshaki!
@father_simon
My first Bishop ever to interview on Shoot the Shiitake, and catching him while he’s still very fresh as a first time Bishop, just having been recently ordained, Bishop William Byrne shares his thoughts and experiences as a Bishop, especially in a unique time in the life of the Church and World. Author, Social Media Personality and now Bishop, he carries all of these responsibilities with joy!
Musician, Friend and supporter of the BLM movement, Rufus Jones and Fr. Leo discuss racism from a technical, social, and even spiritual point of view. It gets deep, but it’s worth hearing the carry out order from Fr. Leo and his guest, Rufus.
Fr. Leo engages three friends who are priests, thought leaders and pastors for people, helping them with the struggles of the covid pandemic. They offer great insights, encouragement and hope! Listen, learn and live a fearless faith in Jesus, our Divine Physician!
Meeting a Chef who serves great food but also serves people in need, Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish shows us how to be a great chef and even a better man, husband, father and social philanthropist offering help to the Hospitality Industry during the Covid Pandemic Closures. Stay inspired and and well fed with Chef Gruel!
Check out Slapfish here:
https://www.slapfishrestaurant.com/
A trained chef and in the industry for over 25 years, he shares his passion, his struggles and why he created the Chef without Restaurants organization, to combat the stereotypes and prejudices that modern chefs have to experience. It’s an encouraging conversation about food that somehow turns spiritual!
King Randall, a young chef, community shifter and influencer, and founder of X for Boys - a program to help young men learn life skills and formation opportunities to better themselves, their communities and their future! A real mover and shaker! https://thexforboys.org/
Follow King on social Media!
@NewEmergingKing
Jeremy Tate is the founder of Classic Learning Initiative, restoring the foundation of Western Education, hoping to not just raise up smart kids, but integrated and virtuous students. Let’s admit, we have some pretty uneducated, entitled and brainwashed kids coming out of schools these days. Jeremy is on a mission to make sure education does what it’s supposed to do: make students perpetual learners! So, enjoy and keep education classic and classy!
Connect with Jeremy on Social Media!
@JeremyTate41
jtate@cltexam.com
Former Elections Official becomes a religious sister, and discusses voting and devotion, possible fraud and potential faith, and intimately how we can survive the election madness
Follow Sr. Susan Francois!
https://twitter.com/susanfrancois
Speaker, Author, and Happiness Consultant Paul George joins Fr. Leo in exploring happiness. They also both go down memory lane and reflect on how breakdancing got Paul and Fr. Leo working together to be evangelists on main stages around the country.
Fr. Scott Nolan denies Holy Communion to a parishioner because of a public lifestyle choices. It’s challenging to be a pastor. It takes courage to preach, practice and apply the Catholic Church’s teachings in pastoral settings. How would you approach this pastoral situation?
Could God call a surfer, rebel and wild child to the priesthood to spread devotion to Mary and the Divine Mercy? He does and he did with Fr. Donald Calloway. Listen to how God uses Filipina women, Mary and a postcard to lead him on a pilgrimage of faith that changed his life and so many other’s lives - leading them to God.
Fr. Arul Edward Joseph from India serves as a priest in the United Arab Emirates, where they serve an international Catholic Community that will make Catholics in the USA a little more reflective about their faith. He helps in the largest Catholic Parish in the world, and helps to enlargen the hearts of the faithful who have a unique challenge and cross to carry out their Catholic Mission in a Muslim world.
Jonathan Lutz is a normal college student, but not THAT normal, in that he is taking his Catholic Faith seriously, even if he wasn’t raised as a Catholic. How did he become Catholic and why does he remain a Catholic despite it being boring and all the scandals? God bless his faith!
Traumatized as a child, debilitating OCD throughout his life, alcohol and drug addicted, suicidal, and then one meeting with a caring counselor he experiences the first step to a cure! Now he’s a witness to faith!
More on Jack: https://www.jackabingham.com/
Follow Jack Here: https://www.instagram.com/jackbinghamauthor
Musician and speaker, Sarah Hart, shares her story about coming back to faith, and how coffee and donuts helped! Learn more about Sarah here! https://www.sarahhart.com/ https://www.facebook.com/sarahhartmusicofficial/ https://www.instagram.com/sarahhartmusic
Speaker, Author, Musician and Host of Happy Catholic Homestead shares how to deal with the messiness of life!
An American priest becomes a the Archbishop of Lithuania and shares a unique connection to a country that is recovering from socialism and communism.
Listen the how communism attempted to destroy the faith of the Lithuanians and hear how teenagers are protecting the faith and living the dream.
Fr. Roger Landry and I continue to discusses ways to make freedom practical and livable in our lives!
Fr. Roger Landry shares the theology and dogma of freedom and a working model of true freedom! This is Part 1, make sure to tune into Part 2 next week!
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, a convert to Catholicism, is a member of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice, and thrown in jail multiple times.
Please enjoy part two of this two part series about St. Joseph!
This is audio presentation is supplemental to the Shoot The Shiitake Podcast format.
Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, a convert to Catholicism, is a member of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. Before his conversion to Catholicism, he was a high school dropout who had been kicked out of a foreign country, institutionalized twice, and thrown in jail multiple times.
Please enjoy part one of this two part series about St. Joseph!
This is audio presentation is supplemental to the Shoot The Shiitake Podcast format.
Zuby, International student Nigerian descent living in England has words of wisdom regarding the debate about race.
Zuby, an independent artist and unique entrepreneur breaks into the rap scene, but in his own curse-word-free way!
From Bully to Bistro, “gangster” to gourmet, and former prisoner to plating grace!
This is a fun and inspiring conversation with Chef Malik Anderson who Fr. Leo is privileged to work with on some culinary activities. It goes to show that humility, hardwork and faith can go a long way - even when the odds seem stacked against you!
Enjoy this podcast and please share with others!
You won’t want to miss this amazing interview with Dr. Gregory Bottaro. Together, he and Father Leo share strategies, including Mindfulness for Catholics), to help us get through challenging times.
This week's podcast is about how a good natured millennial is dealing with the coronavirus and quarantine.
Fr. Patrick Hyde is a Dominican priest, administrator and director of campus ministry in Indianapolis, and has been selected to anoint people who are prepared to die due to Covid-19.
Join me in this unique deep discussion.
Elizabeth Lev, an Art Historian, professor, tour guide, and a leading influencer in the topic of Faith and Art. She resides in Rome and gives us an in-depth look at what has been happening in light of the Corona Virus in Italy, particularly in Rome, right around the corner from St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Francis offered a most sacred ritual and blessing that roots back to another plague.
Listen and enjoy this deep dish discussion with an American-Italian living in one of the Coronavirus epicenters.
JD Flynn is the editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency and a canon lawyer. He worked in the church as an archdiocesan chancellor, a canonical and policy advisor to several bishops, a communications director, an adjunct seminary professor, and in various other capacities.
He has served as a consultant to the USCCB, and served on the boards of Catholic non-profits and ministries. He has published in the Washington Post, the NY Post, First Things, National Review, and elsewhere. Flynn has a licentiate in canon law from Catholic University of America, and a masters in theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Here’s the 2nd Half of the Show where I try to “learn something” from Fr. Martin: how to build bridges. Why? Because every human is made in God’s image and likeness, and even if we vehemently disagree, we can learn from one another if we are willing to listen to each other. In this episode, you’ll also notice that while I could have gone into my interview with “guns a blazing,” that is not my intention nor my pastoral style. I hope this very challenging conversation can give you all an opportunity to ask more questions, not just simply dismiss people, but find the common ground.
Enjoy the Episode!
This is Part 1 of my interview with Jesuit Fr. James Martin, who has found himself in the middle of a controversy and his thoughts on the LGBTQ community. For the past few years has been writing and speaking about how the Church can better minister to LGBTQ Catholics.
Hope you enjoy Part 1 of this deep dish discussion!
Today, I interview.... MYSELF!
Give a listen to the introduction to the NEW SEASON of deep dish conversations between a priest, hungry to save souls, and his special guests and discussion of special topics!
Be sure to tell your family and friends about this new season of shows and encourage them to sign up at their favorite podcast platforms!
It's not something we like to talk about but it's real. How can we help people with mental illness when we're not doctors! Fr. Leo Shoots the Shiitake with someone who lives with it. It's a touching and hopeful message.
Fr. Leo talks with pilgrims, answering questions and even finding out what an Athiest thinks of the experience of faithful foodies in Jerusalem, Jordan, Galilee and beyond!
What do Harikrishna and Catholics have in Common? Find out on this special episode where Fr. Leo takes a road trip in Mexico and learns how to be a better Catholic from a Harikrishna, Luis Gonzales
Joe Condit of Catholic Speakers Organization talks about why he prefers the "Old Mass" known as the Extraordinary Form or the Tridentine Liturgy - and whether women should be in the sanctuary during prayers? Interesting stuff!
Matt Birk discusses Football, ProLife, God, Faith, Family and a dabble into politics. Why didn't he go to the White House under President Obama, and how is proving Football Players are hardly dumb!
Lino Rulli gets real about Catholic Media and how to discern if you're called to get involved in media in the first place
Pot smoker, surfer, now healer leading people in worship and even possible faith healing an atheist woman at an airport, just by praying over her?
Siegfried Group of Accountants, Leadership Lessons, Characteristics of success, the devil in the details, and bringing the "sexy" back to Accounting?!?
Kimberly Klacik talks Baltimore, politics, cleaning it up the "shiitake" hole, and more importantly talking about her own struggles, her family, her desire to do something good as an independent journalist.
This week, I “Shoot the Shiitake” with a convert, NFP skeptic, but now mother of 6 kids, and “crazy” enough to take her family on a 1000 mile road trip to taste the 50 best barbecue restaurants in Texas! Let’s welcome Katherine Whittaker!
Alexis Fuentes, #Divorced, #Preacher, #Former #Baptist, reaching out to a #Buddhist, as #Catholic Youth Minister, with a #TED Talks style message. She's proclaiming the Good News, a real message to real people in a really big city!
Millennial, Babylon, Social Media, Sex, Drugs, Church, Faith, Anime, Matching Socks, Big Hair, Afro, Racism, Mixed Races, cool people, trying to be cool, dating & more!
Adore #DelReyColletive #neighbors #loving #openhouse #EnnieHickman #Houston #Flooding #Food #RealLife #SevenKids #Spanish #crazy #PappaDeux #Cajun #GatorPeople
ProLife Insider in the #SanFran #BigTech, #Pinterest, #WhistleBlower, In the #News, #Computer Hack, #ProjectVeritas
Let's talk manhood, tough guys, cis gendered humble loving men. It's raining men "alleluia". What's toxic masculinity. Gillette are you listening?
Kelly is queer, but a faithful Catholic, working on the streets of San Fran, not for GayPride, but to help the homeless. Interesting, challenging but combines charity and justice in powerful ways.
Andrew Scala, single, teaching, professional, youth minister & figuring out his future as a priest, husband, with or without a sexual relationship. Does he have a "vocation"?!?!
Meet Fireman Sam, who represents so many heroes in the modern world. But, we need heroes more than ever in churches, so often times being attacked but unprotected!
Ashely describes what life has been after transgernder surgery. He may look like a mom but his children still calls "her" "dad." How do we make sense of all of it?
Meet Boris Rozumny, former Russian Olympiad, Possessed, miraculously cured, now lives a life of evangelical poverty and joy. Do you believe in this stuff?
Chef Steve, former employee - did I fire him or did he quit? makes another change from Buddhism to Catholicism. And, what kind of gifts do you give a guy like that?
Andy Miller & I talk Patreon, Catholic Money, Begging, Food Truck, Conversions, Living a Fancy Life (?), Are you listening (?), and what kind of car do I drive?
Fr. Leo dispels and confirms some Canadian stereotypes, New Zealand, Immigration, Being a Good Neighbor, Cultural Inclusion and the Catholic Church
A Hindu American, Landlord, Medical Professional tells me how to do what Jesus told me to do: Be A Good Neighbor.
Meet Fr. Kyle Schnippel from the Great American Baking Show. Did he win? How would we do if we competed against each other. Will he cook up something delicious for our soul? Listen and enjoy!
Fr. Leo gets into a deep dish discussion with Omar, a Christian living under Islamic laws. Is it dangerous, is it safe, what's it like to live in the dessert? Find out and enjoy!
What does Drugs, Rock & Roll & the Priesthood have in common? Find out with Fr. Rob Galea's amazing story and listen in on a special private concert!
Fr. Leo discusses a "lesbian" who wants to be a Patron Saint for people of Same Sex Attraction, and Fr. Leo shares insights on the Clergy Abuse Summit of Rome, while teaching honest and hopeful teaching about human sexuality.
Fr. Leo visits Australia's Culture Project Team and learns about who they are and what they do, and more importantly how they're changing culture with one simple question!
Fr. Leo discusses Marriage with John Prust all about what it takes to get married and how to stay married!
Go behind scenes of March for Life, meet some of the people who go, listen to perspectives about Covington Catholic debate and controversy!
Fr. Leo and Johnny Gillespie of Balanced Athlete discuss Yoga, as found in the BIBLE? And, mindfulness as a "Catholic Spirituality," and I learn how to use exercise my feet and stand properly!
Fr. Leo interviews "Righteous B" tattooed, hiphop rapping, "dirty vagabond" Catholic minister. #tattoos. Are tattoos sinful?
Fr. Leo shares his thoughts to give a helpful perspective on all the debate regarding immigration and President Trump's recent Oval Office Address. He gives his perspective as a Catholic Priest, a Political Science Student and Immigrant, and a professional chef who has to feed people on both sides of the border!
This week, I interview two very special people at the Kerygma Conference in the Philippines. I was invited to be the keynote speaker in November 2018. It was honor, but even more a blessing to meet so many great people. Listen to this episode and you’ll hear how life is messy, and it leads us feeling blind. But, Faith and Grace helps us to see!
Fr. Leo interviews TV Host, Author and Speaker Chris Stefanik about what it means to live as a "real catholic," especially in todays world!!
This week I air a special program of High School students having a chance to ask me anything they want. And, I have to do my best to answer their questions. Have a listen, enjoy and let me know how I did. AND, if you have a question that you’d like for me to answer, please don’t hesitate and reach out at ShootTheShiitake.Com or at FatherLeoFeeds.com
What does it take to become a star, and how does a young artist make it in the Big Apple and in a city that needs a little more sleep? Listen to my special discussion with Singer, Songwriter and Producer Mark Borino. Hopefully you’ll be moved, as I was, to be a little more prayerful than critical when it comes to music, and more importantly, to help people with talent to become a true star - a source of light that points to the source of light - ie., helps lead people to God!
Learn from Mark & Jenny Bello, sharing life lessons and the Gospel of ZA - Pizza! Having taught over 50,000 students in the art of Pizza Making, they've also changed lives, just from teaching people how to make pizza.
This week challenged my ability to be inclusive and to respect diversity. There’s no hiding the fact that I like to see things in “black and white” and that sometimes I think that promoting diversity is more about relativism. So, I was blessed to chat with Dr. Moses Davis, who is a “specialist” when it comes to diversity and inclusion! Enjoy this challenging topic, and test how good you are at accepting people who are different from you.
Fr. Leo interviews some Australian Dudes (aka Blokes) sharing what it's like to be a Rancher and a Cop in a city of with under 300 people in it.
This is a special podcast because it was one of the first recordings for this show a few years ago. I really didn’t know what I was doing, and it was a different format and idea of what the show is today. But, I liked this interview so much I had to put it out as an episode. So, I hope you enjoy this fun podcast with a few very unique people in the Australia. If anything, you can at least enjoy their accents!
LA transplant to heartland Texas, working with controversial Oil, but pro renewable energy and free market, gun lover, independent voter, aide reader, but also rather conservative, seeking 1000 Hail Mary's for Penance, and catholic revert - but above all honest and seeking BALANCE!
This week I share an interview with an impressive young man who considers himself Catholic and Gay - in that order. I gave him a codename “J” in order to protect his identity and his parish. This conversation is real, raw and hopefully a reasonable approach to making peace despite the differences. Instead of arguing, I just asked questions, listened and tried not to be judgemental. It was an alternative to the the disruptive division that played out in politics and the media. Enjoy this conversation. I’ll admit there will be some challenges, but hopefully it can be a helpful approach to our upcoming Thanksgiving Dinners with family members who have diverse backgrounds and opinions.
Fr. Leo meets recently graduated BEST Culinary Course candidates Sholanda and William, together they have 9 children, both formerly incarcerated, fighting the stereotypes, and helping to rebuild their life.
Fr. Leo shares returns from a retreat, politics free, but still has to find it when returning to the "real world," and therefore shares his insights guest free.
Top Model Contestant Leah Darrow and I team forces to provide pilgrims with an opportunity to discover beauty and truth in fashion, food and faith capitals in Italy, where we entertain pilgrims' questions and hopefully discover the answers.
Fr. Leo interviews German, Pro-EU, but also national pride for Mardi Gras, keeping it real as a Catholic who practices Zen Buddhist meditation.
Chef Brandon Chrostowski gets real and preaches some serious truth to me during this week's interview. He's a celebrated chef who's doing what I want to do - help ex-convicts by harvesting the power of food to do good!
Fr. Leo discusses chastity with Jason Evert, author, internationally renown speaker and founder of the ChastityProject.com. This interview teaches us the reason why there's so much bad news about sex is because we haven't learned the good news about it!
#sex, church, priest, scandal, jason evert, chastity, marriage, love, responsibility, hooking up, discipline, truth, catholic, spirituality
Fr. Leo gives GOOD NEWS about priests who tell the truth and those who avoid clericalism. Priests that are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and confront the media. Priests who work to save lives! Inspiring story of Fr. Neill and Joe, a former Death Row Inmate!
Fr. Leo is joined by an anonymous guest (because he works in a big DC agency) and they hash it out to try and find solutions to the clergy sex abuse crimes. It's not easy to discuss, but together they come up with some real ways to even approach the problem.
Fr. Leo meets missionary Friar Fr. Joseph Mary Dean to discuss World Meeting of Families and issues about Ireland.
Fr. Leo learns how to deal with all the horrible news about the evils of the sex abuse schedules from a priest ordained only 2 years ago! Lots to learn and lots of encouragement needed in this ongoing sex scandal tragedy a the hands of priests and mismanagement by Bishops!
Join Fr. Leo & Gus Lloyd and 150 other pilgrims as they take questions from fellow pilgrims on a cruise ship on the Danube River! It's a different episode, but a lot of fun, and you learn a lot more from Fr. Leo - and even hear him sing a song he wrote!
American Football, Bar Tender, Hungarian, Protestant and a "fan" of the Plating Grace Movement, Ben Lyons from Cleveland Ohio, by way of Budapest, Hungary joins Fr. Leo and tells him what he's learned about America, his faith, and his future!
Fr. Leo share his thoughts on the former Cardinal McCarrick sex abuse scandal. He doesn't have a guest, because some of his brother priests didn't want to get behind microphone. But, Fr. Leo isn't scared to share a perspective to help find a solution, rather than just throwing stones.