Jesuitical

Do “real Catholics” have to vote for Donald J. Trump? That’s what Jeannie Gaffigan was hearing from Twitter trolls and loved ones alike following her husband Jim Gaffigan’s uncharacteristically profanity-laced tirade against the president and his supporters during the Republican National Convention.  This week, Jeannie, one half of the Gaffigan comedy duo and author of the book When Life Gives You Pears: The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People, takes us back to that night and the examination of conscience it inspired. What was it like as a Mass-going mother of five to have her commitment to life challenged? What’s the best way to engage with friends and family across political divides?  In “Signs of the Times,” we discuss two pieces of news that came out of a newly released documentary about Pope Francis: an endorsement of same-sex civil unions and a sharp critique of the Trump administration’s family-separation border policy from Francis. (We recorded the conversation on Wednesday afternoon. T

Father Pat Conroy has served as the 60th chaplain to the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011 (with a brief interruption thanks to former Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan). He’s a Jesuit priest, but that doesn’t mean he’s the Catholic chaplain—he’s chaplain to all 435 members.  We talk to Father Conroy about his role, what Americans don’t understand about their representatives and what his prayer for our country is as we head into a heated presidential election.  During Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Carlo Acutis, who is on the way to becoming the first millennial saint, and ask why Pope Francis won’t wear a mask, even with rising Covid-19 cases at the Vatican.  If you haven’t had the time to read all of Pope Francis’ new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” we have some good news. Jesuitical is sponsoring a virtual reading group happy hour (yes, that means over drinks) throughout the month of November for Patreon supporters. For more details about that and how to support the show, visit our Patre

Our lives are shaped by language, even if most of us are not poets. But it helps to talk to one if you want to reflect deeply on how language, in the words of this week’s guest, can make or break a world, can fail us or save us. Pádraig Ó Tuama is an Irish poet and theologian and host of the podcast “Poetry Unbound” with On Being Studios. We speak with Pádraig about his love for words, the politics of poetry and the need for creativity in the work of peace and reconciliation. In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ new encyclical of human fraternity, “Fratelli Tutti.” The hosts give their top three takeaways and share what part of this (very long) document spoke to them personally.     We cannot do this work without your support, whether that’s becoming a member of our Patreon community, leaving a review on Apple podcasts or telling your friends and family about the show. Links from the show Fratelli Tutti Pope Francis closes the door on the death penalty in ‘Fratelli Tutti’ Americ

In the midst of a global pandemic, an economic recession and renewed unrest around racial injustice, it can feel overwhelming to highlight yet another crisis. But the Catholic Church is only two years removed from the summer of 2018, when the sexual abuse crisis came roaring back after the release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report and the crimes of former Cardinal Theodore McCarick had come to light.  “Crisis,” a new podcast from The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America, is trying to keep this issue on the minds and hearts of Catholics. This week, we talk to the show’s host, Karna Lozoya, about what has happened since 2018 and what the church still needs to do.  In Signs of the Times, we take a deeper look at the controversy around Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett’s religious affiliations, and ask whether or not the media and politicians need to learn to ask better questions about religion.  If you’re enjoying the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. If you’re fee

For many, the killing of George Floyd was a turning point. People of every age and race poured into streets across the country, demanding justice for not only Mr. Floyd but Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black men and women victimized by racist structures. But for this week’s guest, Anthea Butler, this moment feels more like a precipice than a turning point. Dr. Butler is an associate professor of religion and Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania, who has been seeking to raise awareness about systemic racism in her students and the wider culture for years.  We talk to Dr. Butler about how she sees these protests in the context of U.S. history, racism among Catholics and evangelicals, and the role of academics in the fight for racial justice. In Signs of the Times, the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has created an opening on the Supreme Court, and the two most likely judges to fill her seat are both Catholic women. Zac and Ashley discuss the history of Catholics on

Yes, we know that you’re (probably) already sick of the presidential campaign. The next six weeks are going to be filled with television ads, yard signs, push notifications and Facebook flame wars among friends and family. Yet we know that Catholics have a duty to be in political conversations, so the solution at America is not to tune out but to be more discerning about what to tune in to.  That’s why this week we’re talking with one of the best political reporters in the business: Scott Detrow. Scott covers the presidential campaigns for NPR and co-hosts the NPR politics podcast. We talk to him about how he approaches covering both the Biden and Trump campaigns, how Catholics are influencing this election and what role Joe Biden’s Catholic faith plays in his campaign. In Signs of the Times, a new poll found that 36 percent of young Catholics say they will attend Mass less often after the pandemic. Zac and Ashley discuss what churches can do to keep young people in the pews. Plus, we bring on America’s edi

Anyone who is familiar with “Catholic Twitter” or dives into the comments section of Catholic publications knows there are some ugly fights happening between Catholics on the internet—especially about Pope Francis. But is this just a social media phenomenon? This week’s guest doesn’t think so. Mike Lewis believes the pope’s most strident, reactionary critics are not just a fringe to be ignored or dismissed but an influential faction that is dividing the church and families. We talk to Mike about witnessing his own mother become convinced that Pope Francis was a heretic and how that affected his family and his faith. We ask why this pope has inspired such fierce opposition and what can bishops and the people in the pews do to promote unity within the church. In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis will sign a new encyclical on human fraternity, titled “Fratelli tutti,” on Oct. 3 at the tomb of St. Francis Assisi. Zac and Ashley discuss what solidarity means during (and after) the pandemic and what the document

Please tell us what you think about Jesuitical by filling out our listener survey! It takes about 10 minutes to fill out and can be found here. If you’ve spent any time looking for Catholic resources online, you have certainly come across the work of Bishop Robert Barron. The auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is the founder of Word on Fire Ministries and has been called a “Fulton Sheen for the 21st century.” He reaches millions of people over social media and has spoken about God in the expected (seminaries, Cathedrals) and unexpected (Google headquarters, Reddit AMAs) places alike. We caught up with him to talk about his ministry during coronavirus, attracting controversy (yes, we talk about that Jordan Peterson interview), West Coast Catholicism and the recent Black Lives Matter protests. This is our final show before our summer break. We’ll be popping in the feed periodically to share some thoughts and conversations with you, but otherwise we will be hard at work improving Jesuitica

If you are paying attention to the news these days, you have probably heard the term “systemic racism” used to describe the conditions in this country that made something as horrific as the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in broad daylight possible. The disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on people of color has also been talked about as an issue of “systemic racism.” But what exactly does that mean? How does it play out in different parts of American society and in individual lives? How do history, individual prejudices, government policy and social arrangement conspire to devalue the lives of some Americans? This week, we explore those questions through a specific lens: health care. Sarah Kureshi is a doctor of family medicine who teaches a course at Georgetown University on racial bias in the health care system. We ask Dr. Kureshi about the root causes of health inequalities, what the medical community is doing to root out racism and what the coronavirus pandemic has revealed about what

In cities across the country, Americans are taking to the streets and plazas to express their outrage over the killing of yet another black man at the hands of a white police officer and to demand radical changes in how law enforcement is carried out in the United States. And at dinner tables and on social media platforms, many families and friends are haltingly, belatedly, beginning to have conversations about what the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and the countless victims of police brutality who preceded them say about the soul of this country—and our own role in the longstanding injustices now captured so vividly on cell phone cameras and streamed on screens around the world. These conversations are not easy to have, and we shouldn’t expect them to be. But it helps when you have someone as knowledgeable, passionate and patient as our friend and former co-host Olga Segura to help you work through the issues. This week, we ask Olga how she approaches conversations about racism with

Pete Holmes played the game. He followed the rules. He went to church, attended a Christian college and saved himself for marriage. He was ready for God to hold up his end of the deal and deliver happiness and success.  Then his wife (the one he saved himself for) had an affair. Pete’s life started to spiral, sending him on a spiritual journey through atheism, agnosticism, drugs, to what he now calls “Christ-leaning spiritual seeker.” Pete is also the host of the podcast, “You Made It Weird,” where he talks to celebrities and spiritual masters about life’s big questions, and recently wrote a two-part episode of “The Simpsons,” “Warrin’ Priests.” We talk to Pete about his journey, detailed in his memoir Comedy Sex God, his interest in Father Richard Rohr and make a not-so-subtle case for the Jesuits to him.  (The conversation went long, so no Signs of the Times or Consolations or Desolations this week.) Links from the show:  Comedy Sex God Warrin’ Priests You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes Learn more

“This is a group of people who are figuring out how to pay their bills every month. And now they’re going to be faced with a more difficult challenge, and the government isn’t coming in to help them.” J.D. Long-Garcia is a senior editor at America working out of Phoenix, Az. He covers the south west, where the Catholic Church is growing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, his writing has focused on immigrant workers, an especially vulnerable group to the current economic disruption. “In some sense today, social distancing is a privilege. It’s for the privileged class. And that’s not this group of people. If they social distance, they aren’t going to have any money.” J.D. also discusses his journalistic approach to covering communities that are a part of his own life and heritage, and explains how undocumented immigrants bring much more to America than they take away. Don’t forget to join Jesuitical’s Facebook group! We cannot make this show or grow this community without your support. Please consider giving th

What do you do if God has commanded you to do something that could put your health and even life at risk? This is the wrenching question faced by thousands of Jewish women who visit mikvah’s, small, public pools, which women immerse themselves in as part of the purity ritual after having their period. Unlike the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday, this religious requirement cannot be dispensed or suspended. Emma Green, a staff writer at The Atlantic, spoke with some of these women about their struggle to reconcile their fidelity to God-given laws for sexual purity and their desire to keep their families and communities safe during the coronavirus pandemic. We ask Emma about this story as well as her insights into the reopening of houses of worship, how the pandemic will permanently change religious practice in the United States and the role of churches, synagogues and mosques in helping the nation to mourn. In Signs of the Times, on the fifth anniversary of the promulgation of “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis

You’ve heard of the “nones.” It seems like every week there is a new book, article or survey trying to explain the increasingly large segment of millennials and Gen-Zers who check “none” when asked about their religious affiliation. Tara Isabella Burton, a theologian, author and journalist, is less interested in what these young people are leaving behind (institutional religion) than in how they are finding or making their own meaning. From Harry Potter fan forums to SoulCycle, Crossfit and witchcraft, Americans are forming niche communities that play the role traditionally filled by churches. We ask Tara about the origins of the trend, the dangers of picking and choosing our own beliefs and rituals and whether institutional religion has a chance of reaching what she calls religion “Remixers.” In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis celebrates a Mass with 100 worshippers for the centenary of St. John Paul II’s birth—the first large gathering at St. Peter’s Basilica since the coronavirus shut down churches in It

Countries around the world are fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and Vatican City State is no exception. But since the coronavirus shut down Italy in early March, Pope Francis has pointed toward the world to come...on earth. The host of America’s “Inside the Vatican” podcast, Colleen Dulle, joins Ashley, Zac and Vivian to explain what Pope Francis has done to respond to the pandemic at the Vatican while calling on humanity to collaborate in building a new world that is more equitable and sustainable. Colleen also discusses the visionary life of Madeleine Delbrêl, “the French Dorothy Day,” as she is sometimes described. Colleen is currently working on a biography of the 20th century French activist, poet, mystic and visionary of lay leadership in the Catholic Church whom she describes as “the saint for Jesuitical listeners.” We treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share your experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church and the

For teens struggling with substance abuse and addiction, the typical pressures of high school can spill over into the realm of disastrous. Recovery high schools—with smaller class sizes, counseling and sober social activities—are designed to support students in recovery. The first recovery high school opened in 1979; today there are over 40 nationwide. But before Kolbe Academy, which opened last year in Bethlehem, Pa., none of the recovery schools were Catholic. This week we chat with the school’s (Jesuit-educated) founding principal, John Petruzzelli, about what makes Kolbe Academy unique and why he thinks it’s important for the church to be involved in supporting students in recovery. In Signs of the Times, we talk about Ashley’s feature article on Wyoming Catholic College and look at how Covid-19 has affected men and women religious and other vulnerable elderly populations. As always, thanks for listening and supporting our show. We’ll see you soon. Links from the show:  Kolbe Academy A visit to the

In every age there are a small number of Catholics who intentionally isolate themselves from society to serve God and the church through lives of “prayer and labor.”. They’re called monks. Gregory Hillis, an associate professor of theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky., knows one community of monks particularly well: the Cistercian monks at the Abbey of Gethsemani. In a recent essay for America, he shares some wisdom from the monks for living in solitude during a time of pandemic. Greg joins Ashley, Zac and Vivian in this bonus episode to explore the rigorous yet transforming practices of monastic life, the power of silence and letting go of a false sense of control over our lives. They also discuss the most famous monk of Gethsemani Abbey, the writer and mystic Thomas Merton. We treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share your experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church and the world. We cannot make this sh

A 25-minute conversation between President Trump and hundreds of bishops and other Catholic leaders sparked an intense debate about the right way for Catholic leaders to engage in politics. While the conference call got a lot of attention, it is just one story among many affecting the church in the United States, and as the national correspondent for Crux, Chris White has to try to cover them all. We talk to Chris about how he broke the story of the conference call, what the church might look like after the coronavirus pandemic and how he understands the relationship between his identities as a “Catholic” and a “journalist.” In our weekly survey of Catholic news, we highlight the Franciscan spiritual master Richard Rohr’s cameo on “The Simpsons” and a study examining the efficacy of prayer on patients recovering from Covid-19. We also discuss the disproportionate effect that the coronavirus pandemic is having on black Americans.    Links from the show:Richard Rohr on The Simpsons Clinical Study Considers

When the Covid-19 pandemic quarantined America’s editor at large, James Martin, S.J., he felt he had to offer some spiritual solace to people struggling with fear, isolation and uncertainty. So, he logged onto Facebook from his room in the America House Jesuit community and went live. Father Martin’s daily “faith sharings,” as he calls them, reach tens of thousands of people around the world who are cooped up at home because of the pandemic. They include Scripture readings and his personal reflections, scholarly commentary and live Q&A, including prayer requests. “Most of it is fun and upbeat. But in the comments from time to time you’ll see, ‘My father just died of coronavirus,’” Father Martin says. “It’s a sad time for so many people, but they’re desiring a sense of community, and that’s why so many people have tuned in.” Ashley, Zac and Vivian discuss with Father Martin how to pray in quarantine and what life is like in a small Jesuit community in Midtown Manhattan.  We treasure the community you all h

Father Michael Trail had administered the anointing of the sick many times in his first three years as a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Usually, he would sit at the bedside and hold the hand of a person nearing death while family and other loved ones gathered around to pray and say goodbye. In the time of the coronavirus pandemic, the essentials of the sacrament are the same but it looks very different. As part of the archdiocese’s task force of “priest-anointers” ministering to Covid-19 patients, Father Michael must now wear a gown, mask and gloves while administering the sacrament. There is no hand-holding, and no family members are allowed in the room. We ask Father Michael about the spiritual and emotional toll of ministering to patients and families in these difficult circumstances and how he thinks about the growing calls to reopen society given the suffering he has seen up close. In Signs of the Times, we discuss the meeting between President Trump and Catholic bishops and education leaders. P