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Episode Description
Economist and university president Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre joins Ashley to share the bold new vision of Catholic International University, the fully online Catholic institution formerly known as Catholic Distance University. She explains how CIU is going global with new programs while remaining person-centered, affordable, and faithful to the heart and mind of the Church. Dr. Aguirre also reflects on the promises and perils of AI, and why the Church must lead in designing technology that serves the human person rather than replaces it.
As we mark Veterans Day, retired Army officer-turned-canon-lawyer Michele McAloon introduces listeners to the Military Council of Catholic Women and its Catholic Women of the Chapel groups that serve military bases around the world. She shares moving stories of military wives, mothers, and women in uniform who hold families together through repeated deployments, wounded-warrior homecomings, and life overseas while seeking Christ in the midst of it. Michele also describes her own journey from the cockpit to canon law, and her literary podcast, Cross Word, born of a burning question: what does it mean to be truly human?
Christopher Byrne, founder and president of DC Social Collective, joins to talk about building Catholic young adult community in the post pandemic, post dating-app age, and the thriving DC social scene he has sparked with his new initiative. From waterfront picnics to ballroom-style dances and sold-out winery nights, his events company has fast become one of the most vibrant hubs for adults aged 18-35, with over 4,000 members in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia tri state area. Christopher says the collective is all about connecting and community building, finding real friendships, and cultivating authentic joy.
Our TCA chaplain Msgr. Roger Landry checks in from the USCCB’s Fall Plenary in Baltimore with first impressions of newly elected conference president and vice president, and how their leadership may shape the Church in the United States. He also prepares us for the World Day of the Poor during this Jubilee of Hope, unpacking Pope Leo XIV’s message that the poor are not only the object of our charity, but teachers who show us where our hope truly lies.
Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!
Bios
Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre is President of Catholic International University (CIU) and a professor of economics. Before leading CIU, she spent three decades teaching and conducting research at The Catholic University of America, where she founded two master’s programs in integral economic development. A Fulbright scholar and specialist in international finance and integral economic development, Dr. Aguirre has advised the United Nations and government bodies across North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East on family policy, demographic change, and human capital. Under her leadership, Catholic International University – formerly Catholic Distance University – is expanding globally with new programs in theology, the liberal arts, education, and integrated technologies including AI. Dr. Aguirre earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and her undergraduate degrees in accounting and banking finance, as well as her CPA and MBA, in Argentina.
Michele McAloon is a canon lawyer for the Catholic Church and host of the podcast, Cross Word. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1985, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Army Transportation Corp, where she became an army pilot flying helicopters and fixed-winged aircraft. She married a fellow officer and later transferred to the Army Reserve, subsequently working with the State Department in Moldova, Azerbaijan, and Croatia. In 2010 she moved to Belgium where she studied at the Catholic University of Leuven and later completed a Master’s in Theology at what is now the Catholic Distance University of Charles Town, West Virginia. After transferring to Paris in 2012, she studied in French for a degree in Canon Law at the Catholic University of Paris. She earned her licentiate at age 54 and began hosting her literary podcast in 2020. She lives in Germany with her family.
Monsignor Roger Landry is a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts. A graduate of Harvard and the Pontifical North American College in Rome, he served as Attaché to the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the UN in New York. In 2024, he was appointed the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the USA by Pope Francis. He writes for numerous publications, speaks on radio and TV, and served as executive editor for the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River. He is the author of the book, Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God, and he leads pilgrimages to Rome, the Holy Land, and other sacred destinations. He was an on-site commentator for EWTN’s coverage of the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. He is national chaplain for Catholic Voices USA and New York Chaplain for the Leonine Forum. Father Landry traversed the full 1500-mile Eucharist Pilgrimage in 2024, an event which coincided with his 25th year in the priesthood.
Christopher Byrne is the Founder and President of DC Social Collective (DSC), an organization he launched in May of 2021 in response to a need for authentic connection during the COVID pandemic. With a background in marketing, communications, and event production, Christopher has grown DSC into one of the region’s most popular communities for young adults, hosting premier events across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. He is a graduate of George Mason University where he earned a B.S. in Communication and Public Relations, with hands-on experience in digital media development, brand positioning, market engagement, and project management. He served as Creative Director for the production of brand campaign videos for Northern Virginia Health Education Center, and formerly interned at the Washington Examiner.
The following transcript is machine generated.
Episode 343 Transcript
| Ashley | Welcome to conversations with consequences, now on EWTN radio on your host, Ashley McGuire. And I'm happy to have on the show an old friend of mine, Doctor Sofia Aguirre, and she is currently serving as the president of Catholic International University. But she also has an extensive educational background in the field of economics. And she's served at the Holy See and also for two white House administrations as a commissioner and advisor. So she's truly an expert in her field and has recently taken the reins at Catholic International University. So we wanted to have her on not only to discuss this university, but also they have a very big gala coming up with an exciting honoree, the founder of Halo The Prayer app that so many have downloaded and used daily. So thank you so much for taking the time to be with us, Doctor Aguirre. |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | Thank you Ashley, to having me here. I it's wonderful, to have the opportunity to talk to you today. |
| Ashley | So let's start with the university. It used to be known as Catholic Distance University, and the name recently changed to Catholic International University. Can you tell us what is Catholic International University? It's, no doubt piques the interest of listeners because we're in this sort of post-Covid era where so many people have, learned to engage in remote and, digital ways. |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | Thank you. Well, yeah, the Catholic University has existed for 42 years, 40 of which has been Catholic Distance University. We are today the only fully online, fully accredited Catholic institution in Catholic and Eastern higher education. In in the world, to the best of our knowledge, our mission is to communicate the heart and the mind of the church through online education and space where we are pioneers. We began. We were. They've taken university to go online, and the purpose was to reach more people. My predecessor, who was a real visionary doctor Marymount, saw the potential of online education, and she went back to school at the time in the 90s to develop a methodology to teach education and online. She realized it was a different space, a different, world. And she wanted to keep what always characterized as that is a person centered, rigorous, and faithful to the teaching of the church. Education. Since 2023, we have begun the implementation of what is call the building the University of the future is the name of our strategic plan. And what is that? It's a university that offers personal, rigorous education in the context of a global campus. We are not an extension of a university. We are a university that is online without borrowing our students from wherever they are family communities. We make a location accessible at a price is a very reasonable because we don't have the overhead and the cost of many other universities. We have innovative curricula, and what we seek is to really provide access to quality education to those who are seeking it and don't have that possibility. So in that sense, we we do have a very important role in higher education. And in many ways, I would say unique. We are somebody who seek to leave that mission of the church, for higher education, which is to be borne from the heart of the church. Communicate that. And that for us means being person centered, providing, bringing the truth to people in all fields and to serve the world in all the different fields of knowledge. |
| Ashley | Well, that's great, and that's that's interesting because it's, you're you're developing the strategic plan at a time when interest in higher education is declining, at least in the United States. I recently read that the percentage of high schoolers that are interested in, higher education, a college degree is down by 28 points. And I think one of the reasons you touched on is because of the cost. So where where do your students draw from? Are they are there countries that are predominant? Where where are people logging in from to study? |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | The reason you asked me earlier, the reason for the change in our name, until now, the Catholic descent university had only servers on the United States. And we were for 40 years only a department of theology, the largest in the country at the time. But the only. Why only a theology in 2023? Precisely because there's so many people, as you say, needed educated, relevant education, impactful education. And we the core, the wonderful message we have of of the Catholic richness, right? Intellectual richness. We decided to go to the world. And so we began our expansion. We are going to Latin America this year. And then we will go we are already in Africa, Asia, England and interesting enough. And we have diversify our offerings. So now we teach not only theology, but we have a department of liberal arts education. We have an education. We have, a Department of Business and Ecclesial Management. And we do have a Department of Integrated Technologies with a masters on AI that is will be started this spring. So we are diversifying both thematically and geographically and our students, therefore, our population has changed before we met, the majority of our students were people working in the church, serving the church in one way or another. It catechists, directors of programs, serving in different ways within the Catholic Church since then. Now we have students of all kinds of life. We also have a expanding some of our offerings and graduate offerings and a master's in Catholic social teaching in Spanish. So we also are reaching, the growing Catholic Spanish population. And what is wonderful is that in these in these times where not only people are questioning higher education, as Jesus mentioned, but also the universities are in crisis, right? They have lost in many ways, they're the reason for your existence. We want to be that beacon of life. Right. And on light, of light, bringing back really what is our mission from the heart of the church to teach the world, in a relevant and impactful way? I would say our diversification of, academic offerings in the past two years have been guided by that. We are. We need to. People need us in creation. You can think I, ecclesial management. So priests really can focus on their mission of sanctification. Right. Education. And, and and then also have that, impact precisely because they are still such crucial aspects of our education, of our life. So that's what we are doing, trying to be impactful and helpful. |
| Ashley | You mentioned that, you've mentioned a few times that your university is person centric. And so it's, you know, I think, right now there's a big conversation going on about how tech is dehumanizing phone screens that we're kind of losing personal connection. So how do you achieve that person centric experience when I'm assuming in many cases, your students aren't, you know, meeting their fellow students or their professors face to face? |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | Wow. This is very interesting because you're right. Courses are online and and synchronous. That's what provides this incredible flexibility. And yet people really connect with one another. Our methodology is, again, we are pioneers in this field. We are not past Covid 19. One more core wonderful online course extension of our universities, what we've been doing for many years and way before Covid 19. And so our methodology is such and I would say that is our goal of mind. Right. And as experts person center, because we engage our students as students, engage one another even though they don't do it in real time. At the same time, they do connect with one another, discuss. So, you know, definitely as person center, we are we really seek our students. You we don't tell them how to think, what to think. We to teach them how to think right and engage one another. Disagreement is not a problem, right? We can dialog and learn from one another. I mean, the basic tenants of Catholic liberal education that has been always the the, the best service the church has, any higher education or education in general, I would say, is where we are living day to day. And I would say precisely for that reason is that our retention rates are Ivy League retention rate. We have, even, one thing I didn't mention is we offer also continued education and an extension of that is our service to the prisoners. We have reached 3.3 million classes taken by prisoners in more than 1600 prisons in 46 states, plus the District of Columbia. And we a completion rate of 87%. Why? Why. Right. And and I think they hope discovering the meaning of their suffering or the need to make reparation, the fact that God loves them in spite of everything and and that not only for prisoners, but every single one of our students, we really are changing lives and you see it. I can give you so many examples of this, day in, day out of people across life, whether they are professionals, they establish a judge sitting right in a high court, a doctor, that deals with issues of end of life or birth, truck driver that is trying to bring his family back and he can he has to take the obligatory step. He has access to internet and is then when he engages in his courses in Spanish, AA is an associate degree focused on Catholic social teaching, trying to find and get to know his faith more, love God more, and help his family come back while serving his parish. On people who have a lot of problems and and challenges in their lives. And so they, we, we, engage right through technology, through, bringing the truth in a person centered way because we engage, but we engage not always at the same time. Right. But in a, in a period of time. |
| Ashley | You've mentioned, I a few times and, the world kind of immediately took note. I feel like when, Pope Leo chose the name Leo because the last Leo wrote, the encyclical Rerum Novarro, which was about the last real major revolution, the industrial Revolution and the role of man, in a post-industrial world. And now we're really in a post technological revolution world. And, you know, I think we're only, you know, at the very beginning of seeing, hopefully, a fruitful conversation, pioneered by the pope who's, who's made explicit that he cares about this issue. About AI and the role of technology. What do you see? I mean, beyond just what you're doing with the university, sort of the the role of the Catholic Church vis-a-vis AI and and technology more broadly. |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | Well, you know, this is interesting. Right before joining Catholic University, I took a year, to research AI and how they methodology of integral economic development, integral economics can engage AI and help the direction of AI in a way that is human centered and not reducing humanity. I certainly say, as you say, Pope Leo, his name alone says a lot. Right. And we are facing a new revolution that I would say is very important to realize. It's not just one more revolution. AI is omnipresent. This is in every aspect of our lives to a degree that not other technology has reach us, engages or direct us. And this is why it's so important that we understand it. And and this is part of the reason why, again, Catholic International has never been afraid of technology. We are pioneers on this occasion on technology, but we need to engage it in a healthy way. And that's why back in 2023, we already set up as one of the priorities, the core of the program I think we are going to develop. It was on AI and specifically prudential design of AI. So we want to equip people. I think that that's what we need to not only to understand how technology works, but how do we engage it and develop it in a way that is human person center. As you say, we are rapidly becoming right, very technically savvy. Everything is technology, but we need the wisdom of the heart, to really, as Pope Francis said some time ago. Right. We need we need the wisdom of the heart to come into this, engagement of technology. And that's what Catholic universities are. They are for, so we do want, to engage it. And there is not a rule of thumb, right? I think you need to look at the context, at least for my experience on, on, on the, on the year that I was doing research. And since then, colleagues who have joined us to develop the program, experts in AI, is it for health can be very helpful. You can think from taking notes to, you know, helping, provide more information and context in diagnosis, training. Sorry. Way. Physicians, where you can use, for example, virtual reality to be more present right than before, and bring the expertise of other more developed countries, sometimes to countries that have no access to the same thing. And that's one example in so many that we can use, but that's very different from a doctor just using AI instead of using critical analytical thinking, experience and person centered. Right. Pay attention to you as a person. And and so and that can dehumanize in the process, reduce our analytical and critical thinking, our capacity of all. You know, I as I was I've been thinking more and more, as you know, because I have taking one of your children to the museums I love to foster in young children that capacity of admiration, of observation of of looking at the beauty that God has put in our place and, and share in the joy. I think that one of the most important things in this technology is in age, in which we are living, is to really recover that capacity of, and that is not only not giving access to children to technology that can be harmful, not helpful. But also as an adult. Right? I mean, nothing happens. We don't we turn off the phone, right? Or we just simply don't. Bringing into the dining room. I always joke, but I think it's important to say that one of the most humbling experiences is to forget your phone, because you realize that, after all, you are not as important as you thought, right? They will continue going the university, continue functioning and serving the world has not changed because you have not access to your phone for a whole day. In fact, nobody can communicate with you and and and in a sense, this might seem simple, but is extremely important. Right. And so when we think about the use of technology, the development, the space where we live, this technology coming into our lives, is, is very important to keep that sense right of relation, the person that is in front of you or the person with whom you are communicating through this tool. And I think that that is something that at Catholic International, we really do well and many people do well. Right. And I hello. Look, you can tell me more information that your own prayer. Right? I mean, come on. And yet here you have an example of, of of, very innovative app that has brought people closer to the most important relationship we have in life, which is God himself, and not in a generic way, in a very person centered or 1 to 1 relationship. So it can be done, is we just have to use it well and be aware of what we are doing when we engage technology. |
| Ashley | Well, doctor, I get it. We are out of time. I wish we had more time to talk about your gala, which I'm very much forward to seeing, but, you're the first thing that came to my mind when you mentioned, in terms of, you know, the Catholic Church and the faith, combined well, with technology is the Halo app, and you're honoring Alex Jones, who founded that app. What a great service he's done. And there really are, you know, trying to be positive looking around. There are many ways that the church is, is engaging and reaching into people's lives and using technology, to create a person centered experience, as you say. So we thank you so much for your time. Where can I, listeners, find out about your university Catholic. |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | Are you that edu again Catholic I u that edu Catholic International University and you can find there we go and play there regardless. Well and yes, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor. Hello people with whom we shared so much in terms of our mission and goals. So thank you for having us. |
| Ashley | Thank you so much. And thank. |
| Dr. Maria Sophia Aguirre | You. Bye bye. |
| Ashley | Welcome to conversations with consequences. Now on EWTN radio. I'm your host, Ashley McGuire, and we are marking Veterans Day this week, with a very special guest. Her name is Michelle McAloon. She is a retired Army officer who has now become a canon lawyer and podcaster. And she's here to, mark veterans Day with us this week, especially to talk about something many of our listeners may not have heard of. I certainly had, and it's called the Catholic Women's Military Council. Welcome to the show, Michelle. |
| Michele McAloon | Well, thank you, Ashley, I appreciate it. And I appreciate the opportunity to be able to come on and talk. |
| Ashley | Great. So can you describe what this, women's Council is and what your role is or was with the council? |
| Michele McAloon | Sure. It's a military, council of Catholic Women. It is a, it's actually a worldwide organization. It's a nonprofit subsidiary of the Archdiocese for Military Services, U.S., a the Archdiocese for Military Services. They, they serve they serve active duty personnel, soldiers, sailors, Marines. They serve all of those people. They serve veterans, and they serve federal government workers living overseas. So there are 220 of these make CCW kind of installation around the installations around the world. And there is in a lot of these installations, there is something called a C walk, a Catholic women of the chapel. And these are groups of women, military retirees, spouses, veterans that get together. And what they do is they work with the chaplain, the priest chaplain, and they do evangelization. They do study. They do. It's a social activity. It's a support network. It's really it's really a great network of women across the world. |
| Ashley | Sure. So Amanda Fox, the president of the Catholic Women's Military Council, recently said, our military affiliated women shoulder extraordinary burdens. Women who wear the uniform and women who serve by supporting the uniform. They live out their vocations, hold families together, serve their chapels, they deploy, they become the whole home front. They embody the gospel in motion. I've written a book about this. I think there's a real push, to deny that men and women are different. And certainly men and women both valiantly serve in the military. But what are some ways that the military service affects women differently than men? |
| Michele McAloon | You know, in a lot of different ways, I always say, and I'm probably going to get blown up for saying this, but men can do things women that cannot do. Women see things that men cannot see. Right. And we are, we're we're different. And our abilities and our talents. And you see that come out in the military. You see that especially in military units, you see where women can see things in command and help commanders see things that they normally could not see in civilian and civilian and home life. The spouses, I tell you, they are heroic, especially some of the senior spouses that I've met that have had to bear and shoulder the burden of maybe 10 to 15 moves over 30 years of enrolling new children. You know, children into new schools of repeated deployments of and then having a, a soldier, sailor, marine, Air Force come back with PTSD or come back with health issues. There are some absolutely heroic women serving both in and out of uniform for the United States. |
| Ashley | Well, tell us a little bit about, the transition, your transition from serving in the military to becoming a canon lawyer and podcaster. |
| Michele McAloon | Well, you know, so what I did, I was in the reserves for a lot of years. I was active duty, and then I was reserves. I was living overseas following my husband, who was a U.S. defense attache, and we were in Croatia. And I decided to I always had an itch. I always had an itch that I wanted to answer. What does it really mean to be a human being? Right? Comes from The Terminator. If you ever watched the movie The Terminator series, that's the one question they ask in that itch. I had to answer that itch. I started, doing distance studying for theology, ended up at Leuven, where my husband was stationed in Belgium, Catholic University of Leuven, finished my degree there and then went to Paris again, where my husband was the defense attaché. And I, got my degree in canon law. And all of that was to answer the question, what does it mean to be a human being? And that answer to that question, you wind up at the door of the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church. I absolutely believe that. And so that's how I became a canon lawyer. And then I was, working on a radio station in Alabama, and I started my podcast, Crossword Books, because I really like books. So I interview authors and all kinds of fits together. |
| Ashley | Well, that's really interesting. Archbishop Timothy Rogelio just announced that, there will be a mission ready for him. And that it will be a council that will take place in DC. Is this something you're have ever attended in the past? |
| Michele McAloon | No, I haven't attended in the past. And I actually look forward to it. And it will bring women from probably literally all over the world to talk about, again, evangelization, study of theology, of how to best serve the the Catholic chaplains, priest chaplains on the post around the world. |
| Ashley | Well, Michelle McAloon, we thank you so much for your service, especially this week as we commemorate our veterans and especially for your unique contribution, to honoring and and ministering to, our women in uniform. Where can I listeners find your podcast and find out more about what you do. |
| Michele McAloon | On my website is book clubs.com and my podcast is Cross Word Books, and that's on Spotify and Apple and all of those that Ashley, thank you. Thank you for honoring veterans. I really appreciate that. |
| Ashley | Thank you so much for joining us today. |
| Michele McAloon | So thanks God bless. |
| Ashley | Welcome back to conversations with consequences here on EWTN radio. I'm delighted to be joined by our TCA chaplain, Monsignor Roger Landry, who has just returned from the USCCB, big meeting where we have the big news of a newly elected president and vice president and senior. What is what are your takeaways from these two new bishops who will be leading the conference and the conference more broadly? |
| Msgr Landry | There was no surprise, actually, that Archbishop Paul Coakley was elected the president of the conference. He has the great support of many of his brother bishops. He's been elected to the offices there, and they'll do a very good job. He's he's a good leader. He everybody says he knows how to run an efficient meeting where a lot of the bishops whose big cross each day has to sit through many meetings, like to have a meeting that's efficiently done. That doesn't waste any extra time, then, then would be necessary. He likewise is able to speak to people on all the major issues. He's extremely strong on the pro-life issue. He's likewise very strong on the immigration issue, strong on the death penalty issue. And so pretty much everybody very much likes him. He is the archbishop of Oklahoma City. And so he comes basically with, strong, mentality. The heartland Bishop Dan Flores has been a bishop since his late 30s. Very smart. He was the bishop's representative to try to lead the synod ality. Discussions both in Rome and over here in the United States because he's in Brownsville, Texas. He, he has a personal exposure and experience with the immigration issue, which is something that the US bishops are very much united and focused on, which was quite clear during the meetings when Archbishop Braulio, the outgoing president of the conference, as well as Bishop mark Seitz, who's the head of the Committee on Immigration, gave very strong statements about the humanity of all our brothers and sisters and sort of launched the theme, we will be with you. For me, as the National director of the Difficult Mission Society. Cardinal Dolan gave a 15 minute talk to all the brother bishops at the end of. Yes. At the end of Tuesday's, public session in which he challenged all the bishops in light of the fact that next year will be the 100th anniversary of World Missions Sunday, to step up to the plate and get a record. Wouldn't it be great, he said, if we were to hit an all time record leading the people of the United States to really care for our brothers and sisters all across the world who need the greatest treasure of all Jesus? Because as I never see saying, actually, 5.5 of the eight point bill, 8.1 billion people across the planet don't have the treasure that we can talk about every week in conversations with consequences of knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior. |
| Ashley | Well, certainly another thing that so many billions around the globe don't have is the very basics like food and comfort. And that's a fitting topic for my second question, which is, this coming Sunday is the World Day of the poor. Tell us about that. The history and its significance for the church. |
| Msgr Landry | We have a lot of annual observations in the church's liturgical calendar. But Pope Francis, back in 2017 said we should have a World Day of the poor in which the whole church focuses on poverty and on our poor brothers and sisters. And so we've been doing that. This will be the ninth time we've focused. The Pope always writes a letter with regard to that observation. And this year it's Pope Leo's first letter for the World Day of the poor. He gave it to us back on June 13th so that we could prepare. But it was written within the context of the Jubilee of Hope, focusing on how not only do the poor have to have great hope because they don't have any security and material resources, so they're not going to be lost by putting their faith, hope and love and mammon or the things that Mammon can buy. But they also become a source of, source of hope for all the rest of us. And this is something that when people go on mission trips, for example, to the poorest countries in the world, they come back just overwhelmed by how happy the people were, even though they had very few material possessions. And the reason for that is because they had to really rely on God so much more. And God delivers, not necessarily in the stuff we can't take through the eye of the needle material possessions, but he does actually give himself who is the greatest gift. And so Pope Leo's encouraging the entire church as we reach out to pray for and care for the poor. First, to learn from the poor how to be people of hope and then likewise to grasp the point that Mother Teresa always used to say that the worst poverty is spiritual poverty when we don't know God. And so we need to look at our own situation and say, are we able to be richer and are we able to share the greatest wealth of all? That is the treasure, the pearl of great price with those who don't yet know Jesus? |
| Ashley | Well, we thank you for this reminder of our call this Sunday and really every day to be close to the poor. And to do that in a special way this Sunday. So thank you, Monsignor, for your time, and we'll look forward to chatting with you next week. |
| Msgr Landry | You're welcome. Ashley God bless. |
| Ashley | Every morning, the Catholic Association reviews all the latest news and sends our subscribers a carefully curated collection of the most important news of the day. Items are specifically selected for a smart Catholic audience like you. Don't let the world take you by surprise. Subscribe to our daily media roundup at the Catholic association.org. Welcome to conversations with consequences on EWTN radio. I'm your host, Ashley McGuire, and I'm very happy to have on the show Christopher Byrne. He is doing so much in the Catholic social landscape here in our nation's capital. As the founder and president of DC Social Collective, which he launched in May of 2021, in response to a growing need for, I think, something everybody experienced, which was, a need for authentic community, connections with other people during the Covid pandemic with a background in marketing, communications and event production. Christopher has grown DSC into one of the region's most dynamic communities for young adults, hosting premier events across DC, Maryland and Virginia. Christopher, thanks so much for coming on the show and talking with me today. |
| Christopher Byrne | Thank you so much for having me, Ashley, and happy to be here and talk with you about all these exciting things that we've done for our community here in DC. |
| Ashley | So yeah, so I've seen the DC social collective, described as the largest and most consistent young adult social group. So tell us the story of how you started this. Was it an idea that came into your mind? Was it just something organic that grew into this? Tell us the story of how DC Social Collective came to be. |
| Christopher Byrne | Absolutely. So let's let's jump back into, 2020. So lockdown is in full effect. I think I was feeling pretty isolated after college when I, when I graduated, George Mason in 2019 and especially in 2020 when lockdown happened, I reconnected with my faith. I formed a Catholic men's group of about 20 guys. We would meet every Thursday at a pub in Fairfax and, and really personally support each other and, grow and fellowship with each other. The idea of DC social collective kind of started when I was in my men's group. I wanted to start a fraternity with the with the men's group and then grow it into a larger, nationwide community. And the guys didn't really want to do that. They wanted to keep it small. And I basically took it upon myself to, jump start what we know as DC social clubs. Right now, where we started doing picnic events in Old Town Alexandria on the waterfront, inviting hundreds of, young parishioners in the area from multiple churches. Those picnics blew up, in, like, a matter of months in the summer of 2021. And then I grew it into a brand, developed a website, and really marketed it to as many Catholic young adults as I could. So that's really where the idea came from. It was kind of a post Covid isolation. A lot of us were feeling and I wanted to give young adult, young adults, a new way to reconnect after Covid. And then it just grew from there. |
| Ashley | Well, it's interesting because I recently saw an article about how young people are moving away from dating apps, and I've been fascinated to see, how many people are on dating apps, young people, people you would think would have no problem getting a date, meeting someone. But people are kind of souring on that. And they said they're actually going back to old fashioned, asking their friends to just set them up. So are you seeing a lot of people who come to your events who are looking for romance for, for love? |
| Christopher Byrne | Absolutely. I think it's kind of an unspoken, notion that our, our events are a way for you to meet your future spouse. And, that's the social value that we provide. A lot of people, I think, this age, we're so digitally involved on, connectors connecting with one another that it's not effective. You can't replace in-person connection on your phone. And so when we're relying on instant gratification to, give us that next hit of dopamine on our on our dating apps, it just leaves us feeling empty. And that authentic connection is not there. So you can't replace two souls in one room or at an event together with being on your phone. So we use social media, we use digital communications to for, for a means to an end. And that end is to get people in person to authentically connect with one another. And, we've seen marriages develop from people meeting at our events, getting engaged, getting married. I said one of my best friends up with his now wife. And so it's just really beautiful to see the fruit that has come from from these in-person events. Okay. |
| Ashley | So yeah, that was another thing that caught my attention. And your your organization recently caught the attention of The Washington Post that was painting a broader picture about the dating scene in Washington, D.C., but I thought it was so great to see that you're actually people are getting married. I mean, that's really that's really doing God's work. So that's a wonderful thing. |
| Christopher Byrne | That's all for sure. |
| Ashley | You know, so the The Washington Post article talked a lot about the political angle of things and certainly things I don't think anybody would deny. The times feel more polarized than ever. Is that, do you sense that that's a barrier to entry for people coming to your events? Is that, a frustration or do people kind of set politics aside, when they show up at your events? |
| Christopher Byrne | Well, it's interesting because when we originally started at DC Social Collective, I mean, we're pulling in religious conservative audiences into these events. And since then, since it's grown from 2021 to now, 25, I mean, we got everybody from across the spectrum as far as, politics go. And we welcome everybody. And that's that's why we stay true to our meaning as, as, a Catholic based organization from the beginning as being a universal invite. Everybody's welcome. And I think when you come to these events, there, there isn't this sense of polarization. It's there's a strong sense of unity and connection. And these young professionals that are in the area, whether they moved out of state and recently just arrived in DC or Virginia or Maryland, they can feel at home and, and find connections that are like minded, value oriented young professionals that they can get along with. And so we've never had, an issue with politics being involved, even though we are in the heart of, the nation's politics right here. I mean, we got we have people from all across, all across the map on that. |
| Ashley | So it looks like a lot of your events are dances. And when I was growing up, I used to go to a lot of dances. Swing dances, you know, school dances and learning to actually swing dance and even some other types of dances, waltzes, Foxtrot. That was that was a thing. I mean, maybe I was the last generation that went to cotillion, but we learned to dance, and dancing was always a wonderful, innocent, fun and flirty way to get together with others. Can people still dance? |
| Christopher Byrne | Good question. And that is one of the, that is one of the value, that's some of the value that we offer to people that are coming to these events for the first time that may have not danced before. So we always offer a beginner lesson for each dance that we include. And dance is just one element of our events. I think you're right. It's it's a kind of a innocent classic, timeless way of meeting somebody. It's very human. And, I mean, it's just it it is timeless. There's no better way to break the ice than on the dance floor, in my opinion. And so, whether you're an experienced dancer, we have a lot of those, or you're intermediate or you're just. You never danced before. We always provide an instruction so people can feel comfortable and confident on the dance floor and really, you know, mix and mingle, naturally and casually. So. |
| Ashley | Okay. So. Yeah. And I was thinking that a lot of, it sounds like most of the people that go to your events are singles, but there's definitely, a need for community and community social events for married people, family. What's the kind of breakdown, are you really gearing towards singles, or do you do things for families and couples as well? |
| Christopher Byrne | Absolutely. I just got out of a conversation the other day with a friend about this. We broke it down. About 75% of our audience are singles, 25% are married couples, and of that, 25% are people that were single when they came to our events in the first place, found their spouse, and then they still keep coming back to our events because they love them so much. So we have so many great married couples in the area that keep coming back, whether it's our annual ball at Catholic University of America or it's our annual All American Country summer nights in July. These people, it it's kind of like a trip down memory lane for them that they come back, they have a great time. And so you don't have to be single to come to our events. You don't have to be married to come to our events. It's welcoming to everybody. And we've seen so many great couples come, especially for Valentine's, day. Every year we do a Valentine's Day event. So, I mean, it's a huge hit for singles because they're like, oh, I might need somebody. And it's exciting. But we also offer a couples discount for tickets so you can bring your partner, bring a date, bring your wife or husband. So we've we've really seen both segments of our audience come together in a beautiful way. |
| Ashley | I saw a quote from, somebody that works for the collective in an article. One of the articles I was reading that said that Dex's foundation is the to mystic concept. That leader, when rightly ordered, is necessary and even virtuous. I thought that was so interesting. What what what do you mean by that? |
| Christopher Byrne | Yeah, it's a it's a really kind of a deep quote here. I, I think in the mystic sense, leisure at leisure is not just time off, but it's participation and the good in beauty and community at its foundation. What we're trying to pin out hint at here is we don't specifically, program Catholic programing into our events. It's more of a natural way of getting together in community is a beautiful thing. And that's order towards God. And in and of itself. And so we don't just provide entertainment. These, these events are, opportunities for people to really experience joy. That's wholesome and life giving by meaning, others by meeting people that are like minded, just like themselves, that are starting their careers out. Or maybe they're, you know, looking at creating a new, new business or they're looking to date. And so I don't think you can really go wrong with the night of dancing, good music and friendship and fellowship amongst our community. I mean, that in and of itself as a Catholic principle that, you know, as part of our, our mission. And I think that mission has given us some great longevity in these last five years. And, and we're expanding and we're growing because of it. And and so we we owe it all to God. In, in the mystic, principle is just, it by its foundation. It's a human. These are human interactions and experiences and good ordered fellowship in community. So, yeah, I love that quote. And I'm glad that we covered that in that article. |
| Ashley | So, the the collective is addressing an issue that is really acute everywhere, but DC something that I think is very unique about the DC area is there's there is so much, there's so many young people and, you know, opportunities to socialize with others. But there's a lot of places in the country that don't have anything like this. And I think, you know, I was very struck by when I was looking at all of your fun events that I wish I could do, but they look so fun. They're just beautifully put together. And they're so they're clearly highly professionally organized, but. And I think sometimes we lose sight of the fact that bringing people together can be something simple, too. What advice would you have for, you know, somebody who's like you, yourself five years ago who's just wanting to take the first steps towards bringing people together, whether they're a young, single guy or, you know, a mom looking to meet other moms. I mean, I see this question posted constantly on social media. People are just looking to meet up. But what would your advice be to, those who are trying to form community where they are, who don't have, who don't live in the DC area and can't go to your fun, awesome events? |
| Christopher Byrne | Yeah, well, that's so great. I really appreciate the praise on that. We've had so many people reach out to us from out of state, especially one that, National Catholic Register article dropped. We had people reaching out from LA, Miami, Ohio, California, all these places, and Washington, and Oregon, like, we had so many people reach out and they were asking the same question that you just asked me. It's a I think at the end of the day, it's very simple. What is the goal of bringing these people together? I, I when I started DC social quite it wasn't just an aimless, let's just get everybody in there. Brother in there, sister and their mother together in Old Town Alexandria. I was like, I was, like, deeply involved in the Catholic community and in the young adult events that were going on in the area. And I saw this need for, you know, this, this, this need to make Catholic events fun again. I think that's that was my goal, where, I mean, you could go to a parish in the area and it could be, you know, on a Friday night at a church and it could be kind of stale and awkward. And I wanted to provide a unique experience for everybody that comes these young adult events to, meet up in and enjoy live music, enjoy dancing, enjoy good ordered fellowship. So that was my goal in the beginning. And I think for anybody that's working to do the same thing, I would always start with that one question. What is your goal? And pick, pick a, a way of getting an audience that you want to get together. For me, it was, you know, I'm in my 20s at the time, I was 24, and I want to mix and mingle with people of my age and I that share the same faith that share similar values. And so, I really geared all my marketing strategies and Facebook and, and, and messaging to those audience members that I had in mind. And so I started small with my men's group, with local women's Bible studies, with young adults in different parishes around the DMV. And I just built my way up from there because at least at the, you know, it's kind of like you mentioned earlier when, you know, setting your friend up with somebody is one of the best ways that you can really, you know, achieve success in dating because I think there's a standard that your friend has already met by being introduced to your other friend because they know each other or like, you know, you know them. And so for our events, I would say it's somewhat similar. There's a standard that we've already, measured with our audience where you can really, be confident that you're going to need some really great quality, like minded young professionals that share similar values. So, for anybody working out there to do the same thing, it doesn't happen overnight. But, if you do the right steps and ask yourself the right question and what your goal is, you can start, you know, building community of any different interest, whether it's, you know, career interest or you're, you're looking at, you know, single moms nights on Wednesdays or whatever it is. And, you can trust in God to, to help you grow that. As long as it's ordered. Or correctly. |
| Ashley | So that's really great. Well, we're almost out of time, but I'm dying to know, if you have a favorite event and then maybe. Can you give us a little, forecast for heading into the holidays and, you know, it's kind of peak, social time. So what are what are things coming down the pike and what's, you know, if you have a favorite, what's yours? |
| Christopher Byrne | Yeah, absolutely. Well, we have a couple great, exciting events coming up this weekend. We have our great Gatsby, at Old Farm Winery in Virginia. And so that's a very, very special, upscale Roaring 20s themed winery. Soiree. So very excited for that. And then we always do an annual Christmas ball. This year we're doing our second annual Christmas ball at Hotel Heron in Old Town Alexandria. Beautiful location. A lot of our audience members are in Old Town, so it's a great, you know, great convenient spot. And it's it's very upscale. So very excited for that. As far as my favorite event goes, I just am in love with our All American country summer nights parties every single summer. We started it as soon as in 2021, we started our All American Country Summer nights series, and it's just a an amazing all American experience. It is. It's something that everybody can enjoy. We always do a mixture of country line dancing, swing and two step, and we usually hire a band or a DJ for that. So, it's just a very, you know, wholesome, All-American experience. So I look forward to that each year. And and I'm looking forward to the events coming up in January. We're looking at doing another winery late night so people can expect that. And in the winter time, I think mixing salsa, and, mulled wine in a winery in the winter time would be an amazing idea. So that's something in the pipe as well. |
| Ashley | This was very fun. Great talking with you, Christopher. Where can people, find out more about how they can get connected and attend some of your events? |
| Christopher Byrne | Absolutely. Well, we do have a website, DC Social collective.com. It's DC social collective.com. We also have, a great, Instagram presence. So you can find us, on Instagram at DC Social Collective. We also have a Facebook in a, in a Facebook group that you can join. So all of these areas can sign up for our newsletter on our website and stay up to date with all the latest event invites. And we really welcome everybody into, we encourage people to bring their friend or their roommate or, or their date, whoever it is. We can't wait to see you at the next event. So thank you so much for having me. Ashley. |
| Ashley | Yes, thank you so much. This is something I wish existed when I was in my 20s, or even for those of you who are in your 30s or older. Sounds like a wonderful thing. So make sure to check it out and, to attend one of his fun parties. And thank you, Christopher, for joining the show today. |
| Christopher Byrne | Thank you so much, Ashley. |
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