The Damascus Podcast
The official podcast of a Catholic missionary movement, sharing its ministry methods, and hosting conversations with leaders in Catholic life.
This is the content marketing arm of a specific Catholic missionary organization, Damascus. It's part recruitment tool, part training manual, and part faith-based talk show. The episodes alternate between interviews with notable Catholic figures, roundtable discussions with their own missionaries, and solo presentations from leadership explaining their specific ministry framework (e.g., 'Withdrawal, Encounter, Community, Mission').
“Unlike general Catholic talk shows, this podcast is explicitly tied to the methodology of a single, active organization. It's notable for its transparency, dedicating entire episodes to explaining its internal strategies, like the 'Behind the Mission' segments, effectively making its playbook public.”
Who hosts this show
The Damascus Podcast is the official podcast of Damascus, a Catholic missionary movement in Ohio focused on youth and young adult evangelization. It serves as an extension of their ministry, which includes summer camps, retreats, and a two-year missionary formation program. The show combines long-form interviews, roundtable discussions with their missionaries, and solo episodes explaining their ministry's core methodologies to translate the 'Damascus experience' for a broader audience.
Credentials & credits
- Co-founder and Executive Director of Damascus
- Master's Degree in Theology from the Pontifical College Josephinum
- Bachelor's degree in theology and philosophy from Ohio Dominican University
- Author of 'Holiness Revolution' and 'Dream Bigger!'
- International Catholic evangelist and speaker
- Former Director of Evangelization for Catholic Youth Summer Camp (CYSC)
Other ventures
- Damascus (missionary movement)
- Catholic Youth Summer Camp (CYSC)
- Co-host of 'Beyond Damascus' podcast and radio show
- Appeared on A&E's reality show 'God or the Girl'
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Fr. Dave's Path to St. FrancisJun 26, 2026 · 11 min
- 02
- 03Why Camp Works: The Timeless Way God Calls His People (Ep. 11)Jun 17, 2026 · 29 min
- 04He Held His Son Through Cancer Treatment Every Day for 6 WeeksJun 12, 2026 · 9 min
- 05MEN NEEDED – Nick Redd and Joe Masek (Ep. 10)Jun 10, 2026 · 1h 32m
- 06"Look For My Face." — Missionary RoundtableJun 5, 2026 · 11 min
- 07Hard Questions Aren't the Enemy of Faith. Here's Why. (Ep.9)Jun 3, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 08The Altar Burned Up or MultipliedMay 29, 2026 · 11 min
Notable episodes
- 01Journeys and Jubilee — Fr. Dave Pivonka (President of Franciscan University) (Ep. 12)
A representative example of their interview format with a major figure in the American Catholic landscape, discussing ministry origins and leadership.
- 02Why Camp Works: The Timeless Way God Calls His People (Ep. 11)
This solo-hosted episode is a perfect example of the 'Behind the Mission' format, where the host details the organization's core ministry framework.
- 03Fr. Dave's Path to St. Francis
A deep dive into a specific spiritual tradition (Franciscanism) and the nature of a religious vocation, typical of the show's more theological discussions.
What you'll be asked on this show
The primary interview host often begins by establishing a personal connection, sharing how the guest's work has impacted his own faith journey. Questions are framed from a place of personal curiosity and are designed to explore the guest's origin story, key ministry projects, and theological mindset. The host creates a reflective, conversational space, allowing guests to speak at length and often asks follow-up questions based on specific theological terms the guest uses.
The show utilizes multiple formats: solo-host teachings, guest interviews, and missionary roundtables, often hosted by different staff members like Dan DeMatte or Brad Pierron. Regardless of format, episodes consistently open with the tagline, 'The Damascus Podcast, where encounter meets mission.' The tone is earnest, practical, and focused on actionable ministry.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
8 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“What was the origin story or inspiration for [your signature project]?”
The host often asks this after sharing his own personal connection to the guest's work, creating a warm entry point into the project's history.
- Q.02
“What drew you to the Franciscan way of life and the story of St. Francis?”
This question seeks to understand the foundational vocational calling of guests from a specific spiritual tradition.
backstory
1- Q.01
“What were some of the highlights from your time in [previous role]?”
This question is used to surface formative experiences and trace the guest's career trajectory.
personal
2- Q.01
“Were you expecting your current role, or did it come as a surprise?”
Asks this to understand a guest's reaction to major career transitions and their sense of vocation.
- Q.02
“Did you ever imagine your work would have the impact it has had?”
This question invites the guest to reflect on the success and scale of their ministry from a personal perspective.
process
2- Q.01
“How does your order practically live out its core charism?”
This moves the conversation from abstract theology to concrete, real-world application of a group's mission.
- Q.02
“What is the key to the success of your ministry?”
A framing question used to have guests break down their operational or spiritual methodology for the audience.
mindset
1- Q.01
“How does our human desire for control conflict with a life of faith?”
Aimed at exploring the psychological and theological barriers that listeners might face in their own spiritual lives.
Signature segments
- · Tagline: '...where encounter meets mission.'
- · Segment: 'Behind the Mission'
- · Segment: 'Missionary Roundtable'
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically leaders and influencers within the American Catholic and Franciscan world. The show books university presidents, founders of adjacent ministries, and members of religious orders who have a significant platform and whose work aligns with the Damascus mission of evangelization.
- Fr. Dave Pivonkaon Journeys and Jubilee — Fr. Dave Pivonka (President of Franciscan University) (Ep. 12)
- Joe Masekon MEN NEEDED – Nick Redd and Joe Masek (Ep. 10)
- Nick Reddon MEN NEEDED – Nick Redd and Joe Masek (Ep. 10)
- Sr. Agnes Mariaon The Altar Burned Up or Multiplied
- Sr. Philomena Clareon The Altar Burned Up or Multiplied
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is the official media outreach of the Damascus non-profit missionary movement and does not appear to feature third-party sponsors or advertisements.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of The Damascus Podcast?
- The podcast features several hosts from the Damascus ministry, primarily Dan DeMatte, the co-founder and Executive Director of Damascus, and Brad Pierron, the Director of Mission Awareness.
- What is Damascus?
- Damascus is a Catholic missionary movement based in Ohio that focuses on youth and young adult ministry through summer camps, retreats, and missionary formation programs.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- The show varies in format, including long-form interviews with Catholic leaders, 'Missionary Roundtable' discussions, and 'Behind the Mission' solo episodes that explain their ministry's methods.
- Is The Damascus Podcast still releasing new episodes?
- Yes, the podcast is active and typically releases new episodes on a weekly basis.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The Damascus Podcast is available on its official website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Speaker Booking - Damascusdamascus.net
- [02]Leadership - Damascusdamascus.net
- [03]Dan DeMatte - Ave Maria Pressavemariapress.com
- [04]About - Damascus.netdamascus.net
- [05]The Damascus Podcast - Official Pagedamascus.net
- [06]The Damascus Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [07]Dan DeMatte - Sacred Heart Radiosacredheartradio.com
- [08]The Damascus Podcast - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
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