It was Sept. 11, 2001, and a young Michael Duffy sat with his mother, watching the news unfold. The Twin Towers had been struck in what would become the most devastating terrorist attack on American soil. Like many, Michael couldn’t grasp the full weight of those images then — but they would profoundly shape his future, leading him to the priesthood.

“I remember seeing the pictures of Father Mychal Judge being carried out of the towers, and I asked my mother, ‘Who is going to take his place?’” now Father Duffy recently shared with Msgr. Roger Landry on the Shepherd Circle Priest Podcast. That’s when a quiet voice echoed in his heart: “Why not you, Michael?”

Father Judge was the first death certificate issued from the 9/11 attacks, which claimed more than 3,000 American lives. The idea of service was already familiar to Father Duffy, thanks to his family. “My grandfather, Richard Ware, an NYPD detective, lived a life of selfless duty,” he told the Register. “His unwavering love for my grandmother showed me the power of commitment. I pray I can love the Church half as well as he loved her.”

As if guided by Providence, his connection to Father Judge deepened. “As a high-school junior after 9/11, I read in the newspaper about Father Mychal Judge’s funeral, where his best friend, Father Michael Duffy, preached the homily,” Father Duffy recounted.

“Seeing my name with ‘Father’ in front of it was a jolt — it made me ask: ‘Why not me?’ That moment, paired with my grandfather’s example, guided me to my 13 years as a priest and my new role as a police chaplain.”

This powerful story is just one of many featured on the Shepherd Circle Priest Podcast, a new video series launched by the Napa Institute. Now in its ninth week, the podcast boasts an impressive roster of hosts, including Register contributor Msgr. Landry, Father Duffy, Father Eric Cadin and Father John LoCoco. 

Guests thus far have included Father John Burns of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Father Matt Wheeler of University of Southern California’s Caruso Catholic Center, and this week features Father Korey LaVergne, one of the great “ragin’ Cajun” Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, who is fortunate enough to work on the same land where Servant of God Charlene Richard rests. 

While vocation stories are a cornerstone, the podcast delves into much more, offering a unique look at the humanity of the priesthood with thought-provoking, hope-filled interviews. Listeners can hear about priests leaving dreams of rock ‘n’ roll behind, shepherding flocks through disasters like Hurricane Sandy and the coronavirus pandemic, and even sharing comical seminary tales, like the cardinal rule: “Never make a decision in a cold, dreary February!”

The Shepherd Circle Priest Podcast also fosters camaraderie among priests, addressing the challenges they face daily. 

“Sometimes the sheer amount of work and the occasional struggles, setbacks and opposition priests can sometimes face can leave them discouraged and prey to various temptations, including weakening their priestly commitment or even sometimes leaving the priesthood,” Msgr. Landry explained to the Register.

The podcast was born from a desire for priests to “share the stories not only of their callings but of the exercise of their priesthood,” hoping to remind those facing difficulties of their “first love” and to show them that others have navigated similar struggles. 

Mark Rohlena of the Napa Institute spearheads the production of this enriching content, driven by gratitude. “We are so grateful for the priests who have committed to host the Priest Podcast and find us the stories of these amazing men whom Jesus has called to serve the Church,” he told the Register.

Rohlena also points to the timeless wisdom of St. Jean Vianney, whose 100th canonization anniversary Pope Leo XIV recently highlighted. The patron saint of priests emphasized the essential role of priests, asking: 

“Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest — always the priest.”

Father Duffy, who recently interviewed his seminary friend Father Sean Suckiel about finding priests to celebrate Mass in 37 languages within the diverse Diocese of Brooklyn, hopes the podcast will be edifying. “My hope for the podcast is that it becomes a source of renewal for priests across the U.S.A., reminding them of the joy in their calling, and a spark for future vocations, showing the profound difference a priest can make in people’s lives,” he told the Register, much like the indelible mark his grandfather and Father Judge left on him.

“Together with Father Mychal Judge’s sacrifice as an FDNY chaplain, their examples inspire my ministry as a priest and now as a police chaplain, where I hope to be a source of support and hope for officers in their toughest moments, just as they serve our community.”

“It’s really fun to interview my brother priests,” Msgr. Landry said. “God is doing some wonderful things through his priests in day-to-day priestly life that often do not get much attention. This is a means to ‘take off the bushel basket’ to let the Lord’s light, shining through his ministers, brighten the lives of those who listen or watch the podcast.”

The series also allows the laity to connect with the life of a priest in a deeply personal way. Father Cadin observed that the podcast brings the often unknown into focus. “I think there’s a mystery to the priesthood and who a priest is, and because of different circumstances, it’s less common these days for them to get to know a priest, so they can’t as easily see themselves serving and loving God’s people as a priest,” he explained. But by hearing not only about the ministerial work but also the humanity of priests, the laity might now “see themselves answering the call to serve, because they hear a real joy and peace and love in the life and heart of priests.” What might have seemed “mysterious and foreign” can now become “familiar and accessible.”

Delving into this fascinating mystery, so inherent to the Catholic faith, and allowing “something positive” to emerge is what drives Father LoCoco’s participation. “This is an opportunity to have a platform where we can highlight the stories and narratives of God’s work in a lot of people’s lives and say, ‘Hey, where was it that God walked with you and has continued to walk with you?’ And just to provide an environment in a very informal setting to have that conversation.”

The podcast’s release is perfectly timed, coinciding with a renewed interest in the Catholic faith, an American-born Pope, and many churches reporting packed pews globally. “Being able to bring the humanity of the priesthood to the forefront is a really effective way of bolstering a vocation culture,” Father LoCoco stated, adding that he believes it will move more hearts to Christ.

As a vocations director, he sees the impact firsthand. “A lot of the young men that I walk with, one of the things that’s so attractive to them is they see a lot of the fraternity, the fellowship amongst priests in our diocese, and they see that’s very healthy, and that’s very attractive to them as well. Like, if I’m going to be a celibate and live this vocation and give my life to Christ, I think it’d be easy to think of yourself living alone in some rectory, right? It’s like they see how life-giving this is.”

With Catholics across the country packing stadiums to catch a glimpse of the baseball-loving American-born Pope, the timing is ripe for a vocations boom. As Rohlena reflected, we must never take our priests for granted. 

“We must pray for them every day and find ways to support them. This is a mandate for the laity. How can our clergy carry this wonderful burden as they are meant to without our prayers for them? We think the podcast will help us better understand what to pray for.”