The Power of Community in Faith Formation with Dr. Mark Heyman, Renée Roden, and Luisamaria Hernandez

Quick Summary

How do you find authentic Catholic community in a world that’s more connected yet more isolated than ever? In this episode of Religion to Reality, hosts Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich explore why community keeps emerging as a central theme in faith formation, and why finding the right fit can be so challenging.

From whiskey tastings to Catholic Worker houses to digital book clubs, discover how different forms of community serve different spiritual needs. You’ll hear honest conversations about parish shopping, the struggle to commit, and why sometimes the best community isn’t the one with perfect liturgy or programs, it’s the one where you show up consistently. Whether you’re searching for your spiritual home or wondering if online connections can ever replace in-person fellowship, this episode offers practical wisdom for the journey.

In this Episode, We Explore:

Community Happens When People Need It (2:00-3:30)

• Why genuine encounters with God spark the desire for community
• How passion and shared interests naturally create fellowship

Whiskey and the Word: An Unconventional Small Group (4:00-14:00) Guest: Dr. Mark Heyman, Licensed Psychologist & Small Group Leader

• Creating low-barrier entry points for men’s fellowship
• Why forced sharing turns people off from faith groups
• The importance of consistency: same time, same place, every week
• Understanding that not every group can (or should) be for everyone
• How whiskey breaks down barriers without being about getting drunk

Living in Community: Lessons from Catholic Worker Movement (20:00-32:00) Guest: Renée Roden, Journalist & Catholic Worker Member

• The reality check: community life is hard, even with a 1,300-year-old rule
• Why intimacy and friendship are foundational to sustainable community
• The temptation to become dictators of our own countercultural communes
• How families are successfully living the Catholic Worker vision
• Why conversion of heart requires healthy community support

Digital vs. In-Person Community (37:00-52:00) Guest: Luisamaria Hernandez, DeSales Media Success Consultant

• Using digital spaces as entry points to in-person connection
• Why commitment leads to consistency (and vice versa)
• The power of showing up: how to actually find communities in your area
• Why bulletins still matter (they’re for introverts!)
• Understanding when virtual community serves vs. when it falls short

Meet Our Guests

Dr. Mark Heyman Licensed psychologist and host of the Whiskey and the Word men’s group at St. Bridgid Parish in San Diego. Mark brings together men for fellowship, faith discussion, and whiskey appreciation—creating a space where authentic conversation happens organically.

• Website: thediabetespsychologist.com

Renée Roden Journalist, author, and Catholic Worker community member who writes about faith, culture, and the challenges of living radical hospitality. Featured previously on R2R Episode 7 discussing the expressive fruits.

• Website: reneedarlineroden.com

Luisamaria Hernandez Success and Solutions Consultant at DeSales Media with extensive experience in Catholic young adult ministry, including five years co-leading the young professional women’s group at Harvard Catholic Center.

• Website: luisamariahernandez.com

Memorable Quotes 

“It’s so hard to convert your own heart over and over and over again. And if you’re not in a healthy community that supports you in that journey and is full of people committed to that together, it’s going to go south so quickly.” — Renée Roden

“Every group can’t be all things to all people.” — Fr. John Gribowich

“If you have that consistency, you’re going to naturally be more committed. And I mean, structure would lead to clarity.” — Luisamaria Hernandez

“We are just relational beings, right? That’s just what we are. That’s exactly how we are able to come to discover who we are.” — Fr. John Gribowich

Key Moments

[00:00] Introduction: Why community keeps coming up in discipleship conversations
[02:00] Fr. John on discovering yourself through community encounters
[04:00] Mark Heyman: How Whiskey and the Word started
[05:30] The structure (or lack thereof) of their weekly gatherings
[08:00] Why observation periods help newcomers feel comfortable
[10:00] The debate: Does focusing on whiskey exclude some people?
[13:00] Every group can’t be all things to all people
[15:00] Dave’s parish shopping journey and coming full circle
[20:00] Renee Roden: Community life is harder than it looks
[22:00] Why Catholic Worker families are thriving
[24:00] The danger of becoming your own dictator
[27:00] Navigating different Catholic expressions in Worker houses
[32:00] The importance of clarification of terms in community
[37:00] Luisamaria on digital vs. in-person community
[42:00] How commitment creates consistency
[45:00] Practical tips: Join the WhatsApp groups and talk to people after Mass
[50:00] Why virtual spaces work best for task-oriented gatherings

Resources Mentioned

• SENT Community – Catholic entrepreneurship group where Dave met Mark Heyman
• Exodus 90 – Men’s spiritual program mentioned by Mark’s group members
• Catholic in Recovery – Organization founded by Scott Weiman
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) – Process for becoming Catholic
• Harvard Catholic Center – Location of Luisamaria’s young professional women’s group
• CALLED Learning Community – Co-founded by Fr. John Gribowich (see below)
• Jenny Odell’s work – Referenced regarding countercultural communes
• Dorothy Day – Founder of Catholic Worker Movement
• Peter Maurin – Co-founder of Catholic Worker Movement

Next Episode Preview

Join us next week as we dive into data from other studies and take a closer look at the Synod on Synodality. How is the global Church listening to its members, and what does that mean for your local parish?

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