Jesuitical

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac sit down with Dean Detloff, a research and advocacy officer at Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, to talk about the importance of foreign debt relief in the Jubilee Year. Ashley, Zac and Dean discuss: - The biblical roots of forgiving debts in a jubilee year - How foreign debt stunts the development of poor nations - Why framing matters when it comes to debt forgiveness versus relief and justice In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Zac discuss Charlie Kirk’s memorial service, including the stark juxtaposition of Erika Kirk’s and President Trump’s messages. They also talk about the recent execution of Father Mathew Eya in Nigeria, where 7,000 Christians have been killed so far this year.  Zac and Ashley also react to the recent escape attempt by three elderly Austrian nuns and the retirement of Loyola Chicago’s Sister Jean. In “As One Friend Speaks to Another,” Zac catches Ashley up on what he’s been up to and the perspective of being a new father. Links for

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley sits down with Sam Sawyer, S.J., president and editor in chief of America Media, and J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor for America to respond to the murder of Charlie Kirk. Ashley, Fr. Sawyer and J.D. discuss: - Why this is a difficult (but necessary) conversation - Why people rush to say, "This is terrible, but..." - Significance of the murder in national political life In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Sebastian discussed some more of the reactions in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death from prominent Catholics on both sides of the political aisle, including Pope Leo’s prayers for Kirk and his family.  They also discuss the recent “Grace for the World” concert in St. Peter’s Square and how Pope Leo celebrated his 70th birthday.  Links for further reading:  - Sam’s article: The aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination: If we have to look at violence, let’s do it the right way. - Bishops and Catholic leaders call for prayer after conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot a

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Jack Bentz, S.J., a Jesuit priest and the host of the “Catholics in Ordinary Time” podcast and Substack. Father Jack also works in campus ministry at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Ashley, Sebastian and Father Jack discuss: - What kids are looking for in campus ministry and parish settings - Surprise lessons from a Jordan Peterson talk - The ways parishes can get people coming back to Mass In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Sebastian discuss the recent canonizations of Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, the “Grace for the World” concert being hosted at the Vatican with notable A-listers and Pope Leo’s upcoming 70th birthday. In a new expanded version of our faith sharing segment, “As One Friend Speaks to Another,” Jack Consolie, Outreach’s communications and development associate, discusses his recent article: “Carlo Acutis and I: The (complicated) spiritual connection of a shared cancer journey.” Our faith s

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian unpack the trend of “hot priests” on social media with Maggie Phillips, a contributing writer for Tablet Magazine. Maggie recently published an article exploring the phenomenon of the “hot priest”: Thou Shalt Not Scroll Past a Hot Priest. Ashley, Sebastian and Maggie discuss:  - What the “hot priest” trend says about the cultural status of the Catholic Church  - Is there a benefit to being recognizably religious? - The dangers of conflating social media engagement and evangelization In Signs of the Times, Colleen Dulle, America’s Vatican correspondent and host of “Inside the Vatican,” sits down with Ashley and Sebastian to discuss Pope Leo’s response to the tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis as well as his recent meeting with Father James Martin. They also take a look back at his summer activities and discuss what Leo’s talkative brother, John Prevost, has revealed about our new pope. In a new expanded version of our “As One Fri

On this last "best of" episode of summer 2025, Zac and Ashley resurrect an interview with the always entertaining Father Dave Dwyer, the executive director of Busted Halo, a media outreach of the Paulist Fathers, and the author of the book “Mass Class: Your Questions Answered.” Is there a question you have about the Catholic Mass that you’ve always been too embarrassed to ask? Like: When we say, “Only say the word and my soul shall be healed,”...what’s “the word”? Well, you’re in luck. Press "play." Mass Class: Your Questions Answered, by Father Dave Dwyer What’s on tap? Pick your poison: Negroni You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagram:⁠ @jesuiticalshow You can find us on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/jesuitical⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a ⁠⁠digital subscriber⁠⁠ to America magazine at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jesuitical is bringing back a poignant yet hopeful conversation with Sister Donna Dodge, the president of the Sisters of Charity of New York, which recently decided to embark on a “path to completion.” That means the over 200-year-old congregation will no longer accept new vocations (though their ministry continues). We discuss: - How religious life has changed since Sister Donna joined in 1966 - How the sisters discerned that it was time to let go—and how their charism of charity will live on in the work of lay collaborators - Why the church needs to change the way it talks about “vocation” with young people You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagram:⁠ @jesuiticalshow You can find us on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/jesuitical⁠⁠⁠ Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a ⁠digital subscriber⁠ to America magazine at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Francis' 2021 decree, Traditionis custodes, which limited the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, set off a heated and at times toxic debate between more traditionalist Catholics and those who want to see the reforms of the Second Vatican Council more fully implemented. Is there a way for us to talk about the liturgy without it turning into a war? On this "best of" episode, we're revisiting a conversation with Rev. Pierre Amar, a priest in the Diocese of Versailles in France. Father Amar grew up attending the Latin Mass and was ordained into the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, an order dedicated to the celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass rite. But he also loves and celebrates the novus ordo or ordinary form, and does not think the two forms of the liturgy need to be in conflict. You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagram:⁠ @jesuiticalshow You can find us on Facebook at ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/jesuitical⁠⁠ Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America ma

Forget what you think you know about Saint Augustine. Maybe you only know the cities that take his name, or you had a tough experience in your introduction to philosophy class and found him medieval (in the pejorative sense) and scrupulous. But what if Augustine was actually the first to hone in on and clearly express our human desire for authenticity, that restlessness that all of us have felt at one point in our lives? What if, “Augustine might make Christianity believable for you even if you’ve heard it all, been there, done that, and left the stupid Christian t-shirt at home.” On this "best of" Jesuitical episode, James K.A. Smith talks about his book “On the Road with St. Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts.” Read Smith's article on the election of Pope Leo XIV: "What to expect from an Augustinian pope": https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/05/12/smith-augustinian-pope-leo-250662 On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts by James K. A.

The hot weather couldn’t keep Ashley and Zac away from the mics, so they’re back with a summer “best of” series, featuring some of the most interesting and engaging interviews from the past few years. What does it mean to be a mystic in the modern age? Many of us think of mysticism as something for spiritual masters who lock themselves away from the world in monasteries and convents and dedicate their lives to constant prayer. But we are all called to a close and yes mystical relationship with God and to lead lives of contemplation. And today's guest, Kelly Deutsch, wants to help people do just that. After entering a convent, Kelly came down with an illness that left her bedridden for 18 months—and spurred great spiritual desolation and growth. She went on to found Wanderlust, a center for contemplative formation, which provides podcasts, courses and other spiritual resources to those hunger for a closer union with the divine. What’s on tap? Seltzer Water with Lime You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagr

The hot weather couldn’t keep Ashley and Zac away from the mics, so they’re back with a summer “best of” series, featuring some of the most interesting and engaging interviews from the past few years. In this episode, Professor Kenneth Bartlett, a renowned Renaissance historian and author from the University of Toronto, explores the enduring legacy and allure of the eternal city of Rome for Catholics. Why did Peter go to Rome? Is he actually buried under St. Peter’s Basilica? And why has Rome remained the center of the Roman Catholic Church for 2,000 years? What’s on tap? Brunello di Montalcino (of course!) You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagram:⁠ @jesuiticalshow You can find us on Facebook at ⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/jesuitical Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at ⁠⁠americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Christopher White, the former Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter. Next month, Chris will start a new position as the associate director for strategic engagement and a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life. Chris’s forthcoming book is, Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy. Zac, Ashley and Chris discuss:  - Chris’s background as a Vatican reporter and the experience of covering the Vatican bureaucracy - Why Chris argues that the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV was the most important conclave in 60 years - What Chris’s extensive research has revealed about the kind of person Pope Leo is  In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley chat with Connor Hartigan, Leilani Fuentes and Grace Lenahan as they end their 2024-25 Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Media Fellowships at America. Click here to learn more about the program. If you’re interested or know so

This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley are thrilled to speak with their friend and colleague Father James Martin about his new podcast, “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.,” which launched this week. We then share Jim’s conversation with actor and comedian Whoopi Goldberg. Whoopi is known for playing a larger-than-life nun in “Sister Act,” but did you know she was also raised Catholic and educated by nuns until the eighth grade? Jim and Whoopi talk about her struggles with organized religion, the importance of laughter in a life of faith and her bold request to Pope Francis when they met in 2024. Links from the show: Listen to (or watch) “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J., on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Whoopi Goldberg on God, authenticity and ‘acting the fool’ Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and the importance of friendship in the spiritual life LAST CHANCE TO JOIN THE FIRST-EVER JESUITICAL RETREAT! Join us at the studio and headquarters of America Media

This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley talk with U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat who has served as a senator from Delaware since 2010.  Zac, Ashley and Senator Coons discuss:  How the senator’s Protestant upbringing and the example of his parents shaped his perspective on service Why Democrats need to be more open about their faith in the public arena  How Senator Coons feels about having the first American pope In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the recent removal of mosaics by alleged abuser Father Marko Rupnik from the Vatican News website and an op-ed in America by Archbishop John Wester on why President Trump’s “big beautiful bill” betrays the poor.   BE PART OF THE FIRST-EVER JESUITICAL RETREAT! Join us at the studio and headquarters of America Media in New York City for two days of community, prayer and sharing stories of faith. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how we make the podcast, meet fellow young Catholics, pray with America staff and editor in chief Sam

This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley share a live interview recorded at 6ABC studios in Philadelphia, Pa., featuring prior provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, Robert Hagan, O.S.A. Father Rob discusses the case for the canonization of Bill Atkinson, O.S.A., an Augustinan friar who was the first quadriplegic ordained in the Catholic Church and whose life—according to Father Rob—was a miracle.  Zac, Ashley and Father Rob discuss:  Father Rob’s vocation story and why Father Bill inspired him to become an Augustinian priest How Father Bill’s radical dependence on others and unwavering faith in the midst of great suffering inspired those around him  The case for Father Bill’s canonization  In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley unpack recent backlash against the Charlotte diocese for a leaked draft on liturgical norms amid traditional Latin Mass restrictions; The Catholic University of America in Washington’s two new degrees in artificial intelligence; and Pope Leo and R

Joining Zac and Ashley on this week’s episode of “Jesuitical” is Jamie Baxter, Founder & CEO of Exodus 90. The program, which helps men to strengthen their faith through prayer, asceticism and fraternity, faced some early skepticism from the Church—and the Jesuitical team—that led to valuable innovation.  Zac, Ashley and Jamie discuss:  Jamie’s conversion story, going to seminary and ultimately discerning out How the idea for Exodus 90 originated and the challenge of being an entrepreneur in the Catholic Church What asceticism can teach men about life, sacrifice, community and finding God Healthy (and unhealthy) “Catholic masculinity” and men’s spiritual formation  BE PART OF THE FIRST-EVER JESUITICAL RETREAT! Join us at the studio and headquarters of America Media in New York City for two days of community, prayer and sharing stories of faith. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how we make the podcast, meet fellow young Catholics, pray with America staff and editor-in-chief Sam Sawy

On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Mark Francis, C.S.V., who was a seminary classmate of Pope Leo (then known as Bob Prevost) at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in the late 1970s. Father Mark is the provincial of the Chicago province of the Viatorian community, and he describes Pope Leo as a thoughtful and sensitive leader—even in their seminary days. Zac, Ashley, and Fr. Mark discuss:  Pope Leo’s formation at C.T.U., where he learned alongside women and engaged with social justice issues How Pope Leo’s language skills, governing experience and global perspective will be key assets in his papacy  Why efforts to put Pope Leo in a box are doomed to fail Links for further reading:  Jesuitical Storytelling Retreat Podcast: Inside Pope Leo XIV’s first week Pope Leo XIV, in first U.S. appointment, names San Diego’s new bishop Pope Leo’s first audience: God’s love is generous, not calculating Pope Leo’s Chicago roots: a conver

Welcome to America magazine’s Conclave Podcast. Our editors are on the ground in Rome covering the first days of Leo XIV’s historic papacy. Today, Pope Leo met with members of the Vatican press corps and the thousands of other media in Rome covering his election, telling them to be peacemakers and calling for the release of all imprisoned journalists.  On our final episode recorded in Rome, the team discusses: How Pope Leo related to the media, and the importance of his message of peace and truth in a world threatened by war and the rise of A.I. Pope Leo’s meeting with the College of Cardinals on Saturday, in which he signaled that he would continue the work started by Pope Francis Pope Leo’s “honeymoon” period—and the opposition he will inevitably face This episode features: Sebastian Gomes, America’s executive editor of audio and video Gerard O’Connell, America’s Vatican correspondent  Ashley McKinless, executive editor and co-host of America’s “Jesuitical” podcast

Welcome to America magazine’s Conclave Podcast. In this episode, the team discusses the Augustinian (and American) roots of Pope Leo XIV. They discuss: Pope Leo XIV is an alum of Villanova University. What’s the atmosphere is like on campus right now? The Augustinian roots of Pope Leo: the intellectual, spiritual and social principles that will lead his ministry How poverty, chastity and obedience are a path to freedom and joy Subscribe to America to get our extensive coverage of the historic election of Pope Leo XIV at: ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠⁠ Links from the show: ⁠Pope Leo XIV’s first Sunday blessing: Appeals for peace, vocations and happy Mother’s Day.⁠ ⁠Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s first formal address to the College of Cardinals⁠ ⁠Pope Leo XIV’s message to the cardinals: Vatican II and Pope Francis are here to stay⁠ ⁠⁠Pope Leo XIV: What to expect in the coming days⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s first homily⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Who was Pope Leo

Welcome to America magazine’s Conclave Podcast. In this episode, veteran Vatican reporter Gerard O'Connell speaks to Colleen Dulle and Sam Sawyer, SJ about the unexpectedly quick election of Pope Leo XIV, who was elected on the fourth ballot in the conclave. They discuss: What the speedy election tell us about the conclave? Why a pope from the U.S. was thought to be "impossible", and why it happened anyway. Analyzing Leo XIV's first address to the world and homily to the cardinals. Who was Leo XIII? Who is Leo XIV in light of his legacy? Leo XIV was once a poor missionary in Peru and a capable administrator on a global stage Subscribe to America to get our extensive coverage of the historic election of Pope Leo XIV at: https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Links from the show: Pope Leo XIV: What to expect in the coming days Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s first homily Who was Pope Leo XIII? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the America magazine conclave podcast. We are thrilled to join the church in welcoming Pope Leo XIV! Our team was just in St. Peter’s Square for the historic election, and we’re here with first reactions and some important details about the life and ministry of the missionary Augustinian friar turned pope: the now former-Cardinal Robert F. Prevost. Links from the show: Robert Francis Prevost elected first American pope Peru rejoices for their former bishop: Pope Leo XIV Prepare to be surprised by the next pope Sign up for America’s subscriber-exclusive “Conclave Diary” daily newsletter and get all of our extensive coverage at: ⁠⁠⁠AmericaMagazine.org/Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices