Jesuitical

When Pete Lucier deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 he believed in the war and the Marine Corps and violence. It was only after returning to civilian life that he began to question not only the reasons for the United States’ Middle East wars but his identity as a soldier who is loved “for my sins,” as he wrote in America. Following the U.S. drone strike on an Iranian general and ominous talk of “World War III,” we wanted to talk to Pete about the ways Americans think and talk about war. We ask about how his experience in Afghanistan has changed his relationship to violence—and God—and about the responsibility of Catholic citizens in times of ongoing conflict and new military tensions.  In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis condemns anti-Semitism once again ahead of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz; President Trump offers new guidelines for praying in public schools; and the consecration of a female Espicopalian bishop at a Catholic Church in Virginia gets called off in the face of internet ou

Awareness of the Catholic Church’s—and the Jesuits’— role in slavery in the United States has grown in recent years thanks to reporting and research from journalists, univerisities and descendents. But there is still much that remains unknown about the enslaved people owned, rented and borrowed by the Catholic Church: How many of them were there? Who are their descendents? What were their day-to-day lives like?  The Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project, a collaboration between the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States and St. Louis University, is working to uncover the untold stories of enslaved peoples. We talk with Jonathan Smith and Laura Weiss from the project about what they’ve learned so far and what they hope to achieve.  In Signs of the Times, we break down the controversy surrounding Cardinal Robert Sarah’s new book on celibacy and what Pope Benedict’s role is in it. We also look at how Catholic bishops are advocating for refugee resettlement on the state level and a n

In April of last year, seven Catholic activists broke into the naval submarine base in Kings Bay, Ga., home to several nuclear-armed submarines. Inside, they carried out nonviolent actions to protest the U.S. nuclear weapon’s program: They spilled their blood on the property, beat weapons with hammers and put crime-scene tape around the base. All seven were arrested, convicted and await sentencing. One of those Catholics was Martha Hennessy. Martha is the granddaughter of another Catholic peace activist: Dorothy Day. We ask her how she prepared spiritually for the protest, how her grandmother has shaped her faith and what she thinks about the state of Catholic activism. In Signs of the Times, we discuss the U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian military leader and how Catholic leaders are (and aren’t) responding. Plus: a 100-gallon blessing of holy water on farmland in Louisiana and Pope Francis’ eventful New Year’s Eve.  Tell us what you think about the episode on our Facebook page, follow us on Twi

Are you working out for the body of a god? What about the body of a convict? Meet Coss Marte, our guest this week. After being arrested at 19 for running a multimillion dollar drug trade in New York City, Coss was sent to prison. There, doctors told him that his health problems and weight could kill him within a few years. After dropping 70 pounds in six months, and helping train other convicts to make dramatic changes, Coss also experienced a religious revival in a moment of desperation. Now Coss is the head of ConBody: a gym that offers prison-style bootcamp classes taught by formerly incarcerated trainers. We’ll be talking with Coss about how ConBody was developed, how his faith helped him while incarcerated and his prison reform activism. After, we’ve got consolations and desolations, where we tell you where we did or didn’t find God this week. (Originally released on July 28, 2017) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the end of an era. As you heard on last week’s episode, our cohost Olga Segura is leaving America Media, and therefore Jesuitical, to freelance full-time and work on a book on race, the Black Lives Matter movement and the Catholic Church, which will be published in 2021. To quote from Olga’s farewell newsletter for Patreon supporters:  James Baldwin—my answer to “Who would you canonize” during our first live show and my favorite writer—once wrote, “Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” You—Ashley, Zac, my producer Eloise Blondiau and our listeners—helped me to remove the cover I often hid behind. I stopped code-switching and I stopped being afraid of who I was: an Afro-Latina writer in the Catholic world.  Olga offered sharp and thoughtful commentary on ecclesial and secular affairs, advocated for justice and vulnerably shared her true self with us and our listeners. Change is hard, and this will not be easy for any of us. Olga provided a unique and

If you are a fan of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” you probably remember thinking when you first saw the High Sparrow: Wow, that guy looks exactly like Pope Francis. That guy was Jonathan Pryce, a distinguished Welsh actor on the stage and screen. And it was a likeness that proved irresistible for the director of “The Two Popes,” now streaming on Netflix. In the film, Pryce plays Jorge Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, who has been called to Rome by Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins), to discuss the latter’s decision to renounce the papacy. We ask Pryce how he prepared to play the pope, whether the film changed his perception of the Catholic Church, and about his own spirituality. In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis abolished the “pontifical secret” for cases of sexual abuse; how are advocates and victims reacting? Also at the Vatican, the Peter’s Pence collection comes under scrutiny for potentially misleading donors. And in U.S. church news, Gwen Stefani needs an annulment, a survey of how the length

This week, we talk to Kaya Oakes, a contributing writer for America and a teacher at the University of California, Berkeley. Kaya is the author of The Nones Are Alright: A New Generation of Believers, Seekers, and Those in Between on the religiously unaffiliated or religious “nones.” Most recently, she wrote an article on spiritual direction and why so many non-Christians are seeking the practice. We talk to Kaya about Ignatian spiritual direction, her training to become a spiritual director and more. In Signs of the Times, we discuss the appointment of Cardinal Luis Tagle, a.k.a. “Chito,” as the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; Nancy Pelosi’s viral “As a Catholic” moment; the Nativity scene depicting Mary, Jesus and Joseph in cages; new research on how the gap between church attendance among the poorest and richest in America has grown since the 1970s; and how Blue Christmas services can help people struggling during the holidays. Feel free to send us your questions, concer

The story of Catholics and the AIDS epidemic in the United States is often told as one of “gays versus the church.” But the reality was much more complicated than that. So complicated that our colleague, Michael O’Loughlin, has spent years talking to people who lived through that harrowing period to paint a fuller picture of how Catholic patients and activists, religious sisters and bishops, hospital administrators and volunteers responded to the crisis. And now you can hear their stories in a new podcast from America Media, “Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church.” We ask Michael how the church was a source of both healing and hurt, whether the relationship between the church and the L.G.B.T. community has changed since the height of the epidemic and what the deep faith of gay Catholics who lived through this period can teach us today. In Signs of the Times, a Jesuit priest wants to create a less toxic gaming environment and Pope Francis wants you to set up a nativity scene. Plus, a groundb

This week the Jesuitical team are bringing you a new podcast from America Media. In “Plague,” America’s Michael O'Loughlin investigates stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church. The release of the first episode coincides with World AIDS Day. In this first episode, Mike tells the story of David Pais, whose journey exemplifies the experience of many gay Catholics who were personally affected by the AIDS epidemic in the early days. He describes the role his faith played helping him cope with his own diagnosis—and his struggle as he walked away from the church in anger.  You can learn more about "Plague" at americamag.org/plague. You can find Mike on Twitter @mikeoloughlin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we welcome, for the second time, Stephanie Butnick and Liel Leibovitz, two-thirds of the Jewish podcast, “Unorthodox.” They just published an amazing new book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia: From Abraham to Zabar’s and Everything in Between. We talk to them about Jewdar, Chinese food and Christmas, Drake, Thanksgivuhkuh and other fascinating entries in the book! In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis urges us to ask: “Do I, a Christian, have at least one poor person as a friend?” And he considers updating the Catechism to include “ecological sins.” In our third and last story, we discuss a new study from the Pew Research Center that analyzes how American adults feel about the relationship between religion and politics. Feel free to send us your questions, concerns, cocktail recipes or join us for discussion on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can help other listeners find the show by leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! If you’re not doing so already, please consider supporti

Pope Francis’ reforms of the Catholic Church are, depending on whom you ask, a long-awaited breath of fresh air or a slippery slope toward surrender to the modern world. Austen Ivereigh, who has already written one biography of Pope Francis and closely documented the historic events of his papacy, is out with a new book, Wounded Shepherd: Pope Francis and His Struggle to Convert the Catholic Church. We ask Austen about why exactly some in the church are resistant to or skeptical of the pope, what Francis’ biggest reforms have been and what complaint Pope Francis had with his first book.  In Signs of the Times, we look at an exciting new initiative in San Diego, where Bishop Robert McElroy proposed that by the end of 2022, 25 percent of parish leadership positions should be filled by young adults. We also talk about the U.S. bishops’ meeting in Baltimore, where they elected their first Latino president, and what it could mean for the present and future of the church. Plus: a look at the falling number of Lati

We’ve all heard Jesus’ command to “love your enemy.” But can you love your enemies if you don’t know who they are? On the podcast “Know Your Enemy,” hosts Matthew Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell—self-described Bernie Bros—try to understand their political rivals on the right’s own terms, providing “a leftist’s guide to the conservative movement.” We sat down with Matt, an associate editor at the Catholic magazine Commonweal, to talk about his own political conversion (he was a conservative well into his 20s), what the left can learn from the conservative movement and how the Trump era is reshaping Catholic politics. In Signs of the Times, we discuss the decision of a South Carolina priest to deny Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Marco Rubio’s challenge to Republicans to take up the cause of working people and to build a “common good capitalism.” Plus, seven anti-nuclear activists are convicted for their acts of civil disobedience and a church in Arizona has its first sensory-friendly Mass

This week Ashley and Olga interview Ruth Graham, a staff writer at Slate who consistently reports on religion with sensitivity and nuance. Ruth isn't afraid of tackling the most difficult topics—she recently got an interview with former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick by traveling all the way to Victoria, Kansas. She talks about what she learned about the small town where the former cardinal now lives, why the former cardinal still won't confess and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Synod of Bishops for the Amazon is underway in Rome. This week, we welcome Luke Hansen, S.J., a former associate editor at America and special correspondent for the synod, to discuss why the synod is so significant. Since the start of the synod on Oct. 6, Luke has been reporting on the ground. He has written on indigenous leaders sharing their experiences with bishops in Rome, ministries for women in the Amazon and the possibility of ordaining married men.    We talk to Luke about why Catholics all around the world should care about the synod, Pope Francis’ involvement at the gathering, the influence of laypeople and more. (You can find all of Luke’s reporting and all of our coverage on the synod here.)    In Signs of the Times, we talk about Pope Francis going viral on Twitter, and how he is asking us to stop being hypocrites; New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio squaring off in the latest edition of Cabrini-Gate; the $3,000 “Jesus Shoes” that sold out in 24 hours; a church bingo

Loneliness: When you’re experiencing it, it can seem like you are the only person in the world who feels this way. But when you say it out loud, you find out almost everyone, at some point, has had the feeling that they are missing out or that they don’t belong.  That is why I am so grateful that this week’s guest, Gabriella Jeakle, was willing to write so openly about being lonely in college in an article for America magazine. She writes not from the perspective of having graduated and knowing “things will get better” but as someone in the thick of it—a freshman at a Jesuit college, determined to get her degree but unsure if she will ever really feel like she belongs.  We ask Gabriella how she is learning to live with loneliness and how her faith has helped her in this time of transition. In Signs of the Times, the Synod of the Bishop on the Amazon opens in Rome and Pope Francis creates 13 new cardinals. Stateside, the Supreme Court opens its new term and a big abortion case is on the docket. Next, was M

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.” James K.A. Smith is not the first to write a book explaining Augustine’s relatability, but he is perhaps the best at communicating it. This week we talk to Smith about his new book On the Road with St. Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts.  In Signs of the Times we preview the upcoming Synod for the Amazon region and talk about how the Vatican marked the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. We also look at one

Faith is probably not the first thing you think of when you hear “Silicon Valley.” But Rep. Ro Khanna, who represents the capital of the tech world in Congress, says many people in his diverse district can be found in the pews on Sunday. The Democratic congressman is one of the four Hindus currently serving in Congress and the son of Indian immigrants. We ask him how his faith shapes his politics, his interfaith outreach and his efforts to build bridges between India and Pakistan—and within the Democratic Party. In Signs of the Times, we’ve got an update on the situation at Brebeuf, the Jesuit high school that was told it could no longer call itself Catholic after administrators refused to fire a male teacher who is married to another man. Plus: the financial effects of the sex abuse crisis, mobs at Mass, all-natural burials and the pope’s message to the press.  Let us know your thoughts about the show on Facebook or Twitter, and please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon comm

As someone who never attended Catholic grammar or high school, I am not exactly the most qualified to break down what makes a Catholic school movie great. Then again, I rarely let qualifications get in the way of my opinions.  A few weeks ago, Ciaran Freeman, a former O’Hare fellow at America and member of the Jesuitical team wrote the definitive ranking of the 10 greatest Catholic school movies of all time. As you might expect, people had a lot of strong feelings about the ranking, good and bad. One person who is much, much more qualified to discuss the rankings is Hunter Harris. Hunter is a staff writer at Vulture, an alumna of Catholic education and a Catholic school movie savant. We talk about the quirks of “Superstar,” the staying power of “Doubt” and why “Lady Bird” is the greatest Catholic school film of all time.  In Signs of the Times, we preview the upcoming German “synodal journey” and the Vatican’s ongoing dialogue with German bishops. We also look at what one bishop is doing with church resourc

If you’ve never been on a retreat—or if you have—this week’s guest is perfect for you. Father Joe Laramie is a Jesuit and campus minister. For years, Father Joe has been giving retreats, and this year, he published Abide in the Heart of Christ: A 10-day personal retreat with St. Ignatius Loyola. The book uses the Spiritual Exercises to “help in the formation of your heart according to Christ.”  We talk with Father Joe about the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatian retreats versus other retreats and what this ministry has taught him. In Signs of the Times, we recap Pope Francis’ recent trip to sub-Saharan Africa, including comments he made during his papal flights; Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Catholics protesting immigration in New Jersey; the new archbishop of Seattle; Pope Francis getting stuck in an elevator—for 25 minutes; and finally, our thoughts on the new trailer for “The Two Popes,” a film starring Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict and Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis.  Feel free to send us your questions, con

This summer, the hosts of this podcast learned they have something in common with Malcolm Gladwell: We all think being called “jesuitical” should be considered a compliment. Malcolm, a staff writer at the New Yorker and the author of several best-selling books, recently became obsessed with “thinking like a Jesuit” as a way to tackle new and complicated problems. In a three-part series on his podcast, “Revisionist History,” he takes a deep dive into St. Ignatius’ philosophical tradition and the unexpected ways it can be applied today. We ask him how he first encountered the Jesuits, if there are any dangers to this way of thinking and why he calls himself a “wannabe Catholic.” In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis creates news cardinals (no Americans, but three Jesuits!) and calls for swift action on climate change. Nuns in New Orleans donate land to help protect the city from flooding and a Catholic school in Tennessee donates all their Harry Potter books to the garbage bin. Finally, we discuss two tough sto