Jesuitical

You don’t have to have a Ph.D. in theology to write about religion (thank goodness)—but Tara Isabella Burton’s work shows it certainly doesn’t hurt. After getting her doctorate in theology at Oxford University, Tara became the first full-time religion correspondent for Vox (with a V she is quick to clarify). There she translates religious stories to a largely secular audience and brings a theologian’s lens to questions of public policy and values. Tara also published her first novel this year, Social Creature, a thrilling story about striving and sin in the decadent world of upper-class New York. We ask her about the book, how her own own faith has shaped her writing and why everyone should study theology. Jesuitical is on vacation until August, so no Signs of the Times this week, but we still want to hear from you! Come share your consolations and desolations or some interesting Catholic news in our Facebook group. You can also find us on Twitter @jesuiticalshow, support us on Patreon and send us an email

Rachel Held Evans grew up loving the bible. Like, was on her high school’s homecoming court representing the Bible club. She was taught to honor and defend it from all its enemies, science and history included. But her Biblical worldview started to fall apart in college. Neat, pre-packaged answers that she was taught weren’t satisfying anymore. “I never had permission to challenge the Bible,” Rachel told us on this week’s podcast. “And yet when I began doing that it's like all these new layers of meaning began to unfold and it became a richer experience.” Rachel talks to us this week about her new book, “Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again.” We talk about why finding enchantment in the Bible is important, how to teach Bible stories to your kids and more. In this week’s rundown of Catholic news, we discuss what Catholic organizations are doing to help immigrant families separated at the border; Philippine priests seeking gun permits in light of recent murders; and a Kenya

Ask most people what they know about black Catholic sisters, and they will probably murmur something about “Sister Act.” Dr. Shannen Dee Williams did, too, until she began digging into communities’ archives and uncovering the previously hidden lives of African-American women religious. Now she’s telling those stories in a forthcoming book (with an amazing title), Subversive Habits.  Shannen tells us about the incredible resilience and deep faith of black Catholic women in the face of racism, discrimination and exclusion. We ask her how these stories affected her own faith and what racial reconciliation in the church looks like today. In our news segment this week, we talk fun Catholic World Cup facts, an update on the synod on young adults and Pope Francis’ controversial comments on abortion and Nazis. Finally, we discuss the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents at the border—and what you can do to help.  Have you checked out our Facebook page yet? Starting today, we’ll

This week, we talk with Jeremy McLellan, a comedian from Charleston, S.C. Jeremy was recently named a “New Face of Comedy” at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He was recently baptized at this year’s Easter Vigil. We talk to the comedian about his time living in a L’Arche community, his struggles with depression and making people laugh in 2018. In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis accepts the resignations of Chilean bishops and meets with energy executives to discuss care for the poor and the environment. In Baltimore, the archdiocese is letting Catholic couples get married outside of the bride or groom’s parish. A new study claims that kids who attend Catholic schools have more self-control than those who do not. The Catholic Memes Facebook group sparks controversy after posting a meme that many are describing as anti-Semitic. Finally, last month the Catholic Women’s Forum and the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture sponsored a conference on the #MeToo movement. We discuss the conference

It was a curious Tweet that came across my timeline. Was A.C. Slater really getting baptized in the Jordan River? Got baptized in the same river Jesus did...#JordanRiver #Jesus #JohnTheBaptist pic.twitter.com/WIuPtqEk9b — Mario Lopez (@MarioLopezExtra) March 22, 2018 And there was another one—this time at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Annunciation: Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she was going to be the mother Christ of here...#AnunciationCathedral #RomanCatholic #AngelGabriel #VirginMary pic.twitter.com/QVMEr9Gyf9 — Mario Lopez (@MarioLopezExtra) March 21, 2018 Mario Lopez is a TV host and actor. You might know him as A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell” or from “Dancing with the Stars.” He is currently one of the hosts of “Extra”—and a promoter of the Gospel. It’s one thing for celebrities to be privately religious; using their platforms for evangelization is quite another. This week we talk with Mario about his pilgrimage to the Holy Land, what it’s like to be faithful in Hollywood,

How do you change the mind of someone who thinks you don’t belong in this country because of your faith? Make them laugh, says Negin Farsad, Muslim-American comedian, actress, writer and filmmaker. And she does. Back in 2014, she took a troupe of Muslim comedians on tour in America’s heartland to talk (and joke) about Islamophobia for the documentary film “The Muslims Are Coming!” Today, she continues to work in what she calls “social justice comedy,” using humor to confront religious hatred and racism. We ask her how she walks the line between laughing with and laughing at the people she would like to convince. In Signs of the Times, the supporters of Ireland’s Eighth Amendment suffered a resounding defeat in the May 25 referendum, opening the door to abortion on demand. We talk about the future of the church and the pro-life movement in light of this setback. Plus: an archbishop in Australia faces jail time for failing to report sexual abuse; an ecumenical group of faith leaders takes on racism in Minneso

Cyrus Habib is the 16th and current Lieutenant Governor of Washington State. Born in Baltimore, Md., Cyrus is a three-time cancer survivor and has been fully blind since he was 8-years-old. His parents immigrated to the United States from Iran before he was born, and he is both the first and only Iranian-American official to hold statewide elected office in the United States. We ask Cyrus how his Catholic faith shapes his public service and how citizens and politicians alike can work toward the common good in these polarized times. In Signs of the Times, during the royal wedding, Bishop Michael Curry name-dropped French Jesuit, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Who was this controversial Jesuit philosopher? Next, Pope Francis is creating 14 new cardinals, and a Seattle nun is taking on the gun industry—from the inside. Plus, Irish citizens are voting today on whether or not to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which recognizes that both mothers and unborn children have an equal right to life. We discuss why repealing

It’s not an easy position for faithful Catholics to stake out, criticizing a popular pope. But Ross Douthat is worried about where Pope Francis is leading the Catholic Church. In his new book, To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism, the New York Times op-ed columnist argues that Francis’ “truces” with the modern world—specifically his more pastoral approach on issues ranging from divorce and same-sex relationships to euthanasia—threaten to not only divide and weaken the church but betray the very words of Jesus. We ask Ross whether he thinks people in the pews share his concerns, what mercy means for Catholics who feel hurt by Catholic teachings and what gives him hope about the church. In Signs of the Times: a Catholic school showcases a caged tiger at prom. Bad idea or the worst idea? Plus, new rules for contemplative nuns, the United States’ first African-American priest gets a step closer to sainthood, thoughts on the new Pope Francis biopic and news from the Holy Land. Final

What makes a Christian movie? Can you define it based on its themes and subjects? Or is it all in whom it’s marketed at? Alissa Wilkinson is a film critic at Vox, where she covers film and culture. Before writing at Vox, Alissa was critic-at-large at Christianity Today. We discuss the role of religion in film, whether “Christian” or not, what her favorite films are and more on this week’s show. During Signs of the Times, our weekly Catholic news update, we discuss whether the Catholic-imagination themed Met Gala was offensive or awesome, what some churches are doing to aid immigrants in the midst of destructive decrees from the Trump administration and whether non-Catholic spouses might be able to receive communion at Mass. Last week, we launched a Facebook group—you should join! It’s a great way to meet other young-ish, hip-ish and lay-ish Jesuitical listeners. You can also follow us on Twitter and support the show on Patreon. Links from the show: Why the Met Gala is a good thing for Catholicism Sess

This week, we talk with Wajahat Ali, a contributing op-ed writer for The New York Times, where he covers religion, family life and U.S. politics. Wajahat is also one of the producers of the Emmy-nominated series, “The Secret Life of Muslims,” which takes a look into the lives of U.S. Muslims. We talk with Wajahat about the perception of Muslim Americans in the age of Trump, and how his Jesuit education has made him a better Muslim. In Signs of the times, Cardinal Pell stands trial for sex abuse; Katy Perry visits the Vatican; Catholic leaders oppose Bavarian crucifix order; and parishes are closing in Pittsburgh, Pa. Following the forced resignation of Jesuit House chaplain, Patrick Conroy, we ask: Why did this happen And finally: Prom season in Michigan had one Catholic high-school bringing out “modesty ponchos.” We discuss whether or not this is problematic. Follow us Twitter @jesuiticalshow, send us an email at jesuitical@americamedia.org and support our work by becoming a part of our Patreon community.

“Any way I tell this story is a lie.” Mary Karr opens her memoir “Lit” with a warning about the inevitable unreliability of memory. But don’t be fooled. Mary Karr delivers many truths that you need to hear. Mary Karr is an award-winning poet and New York Times best-selling author. Her poems have been published in the New Yorker, the Atlantic and the Paris Review. Her trilogy of memoirs, The Liars Club, Cherry and Lit, chronicle her traumatic childhood in southeast Texas, her turbulent coming of age as a woman and poet, her marriage and motherhood, alcoholism and recovery and conversion to the Catholic faith. We were grateful to chat with Mary about all of this and more during our live event at America’s headquarters in New York City, sponsored by the Catholic Travel Centre. Before we delve into the live recording, we’re reunited with Olga (who missed the live event, succumbing to a nasty fever) to discuss the week’s top Catholic news: A surprise parish visit from a Catholic NBA all-star; Pope Francis gives

As I write this, thousands of students across the country are walking out of their high schools to protest gun violence. April 20 marks the 19th anniversary of the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colo., which left 13 dead. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in modern U.S. history. Tragically, that grisly record had been overtaken several times in the last two decades, most recently at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. After the Parkland shooting on Feb. 14, which left 17 students and employees dead, listeners asked that we dive deeper into the topic of gun violence. So this week, we are talking with Patrick Blanchfield, a writer who has covered the topic for n + 1 among other publications. We ask him why advocacy for gun control has been so ineffective; why religion and theology play such an important role in these debates; and whether the student activism following the Parkland shooting represents a new and promising front for those seeking to pass more

Whoever says you have to choose between science and faith has not met Guy Consolmagno, S.J.—a Jesuit brother and director of the Vatican Observatory. We ask what projects the pope’s astronomers are working on now, if he believes in aliens and why people in every time and place look to the stars with big questions. And in Signs of the Times, Pope Francis denounces a chemical attack in Syria that killed dozens of innocent civilians. How should the United States respond? And U.S. and Mexican bishops push back on President Trump’s plan to send the National Guard to secure the border as a group of Central American migrants travels north seeking sanctuary. Next, the pope has released a new apostolic exhortation on holiness. Zac, Olga and I discuss our favorite parts of the document. Plus, updates on Catholics in France, Sweden and Brazil—where one church decided to incorporate a drone into the liturgy. As always, we want to hear from you. You can tweet us @jesuiticalshow or send us an email jesuitical@america

“You know, I don’t know about Jesuits except what I am learning,” Sarah Silverman tells us on this week’s episode of Jesuitical. “Every Jesuit I meet, I find that I adore and just love the bringing emotion and feelings and intellect together.” Every week, during the interview portion of the podcast, we feature a guest, Catholic and sometimes non-Catholic, that offers an interesting perspective on faith, culture or the news. This week, we welcome Sarah, a comedian, actress and host of “I Love You America with Sarah Silverman.” We discuss why she loves Jesuit priests even as a non-believer, whether or not hell exists and why the world desperately needs Mr. Rogers. Before our conversation with Sarah (which starts at 12:15), we discuss and analyze this week’s top Catholic news:this year’s NCAA tournament champions, Villanova and Notre Dame; and Joan Roanhauer, the first woman to lead Jesuit Refugee Services. We also discuss Pope Francis’ latest Easter message, in which he calls for an end to conflicts in the H

For this week’s episode, we’re bringing you our live recording from last Friday, March 23 at Loyola University Chicago. We’re talking with a frequent guest of the show, James Martin, S.J., about his new podcast “The Examen with Father James Martin.” Now, I will admit—I have always wanted to be good at praying the Examen (like a good Jesuit-educated Catholic), but for various reasons (sloth and original sin) have not been able to. Father Martin told us all why he has never missed a daily Examen since he entered the Jesuits, and why it’s been so essential to his ministry. For Signs of the Times, we mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate by discussing our favorite moments from his papacy, and where he has fallen short. We know many of you might be listening in the heart of Triduum and could be looking for a show on that topic. If so, we’ve got you covered. You can check out our interview with Father Martin from last year, where we talked all things Holy Week. Once again, want to give a huge

What is a papal ninja and how do you become one? This week, we went straight to the source to find out. Sean Bryan competes on the hit NBC show “American Ninja Warrior,” where he takes on insanely difficult obstacle courses—for the greater glory of God. And that’s just his side gig. Sean also helps lead the Lay Mission Project, which forms lay people to live out their faith and transform whatever corner of the secular world they work in. We ask Sean how to pray while doing pull-ups and which church leaders would make good ninjas. And in Signs of the Times: It snowed. Again. The 427th Nor’easter to hit New York this March kept us out of the studio on Wednesday so just a couple of headlines delivered by yours truly: a Catholic school in Australia is in trouble for letting girls wear shorts; Pope Francis gives his imprimatur to tattoos; and World Downs Syndrome Day gives us time to reflect on the human dignity of people with disabilities—in and outside the womb. Once again, want to give a huge thank you to ou

It’s taken over a year for us to get our boss, Matt Malone, S.J., on Jesuitical—and we promise it was worth the wait. Matt is president and editor in chief of America, and the reason why Jesuitical exists in the first place. This week we talk to him about Pope Francis’ election five years ago, for which he was present, the spiritual side of St. Patrick’s day and his journey to working at America. In Signs of the Times we chat about  our favorite topic of all time: Catholic sisters, since it’s National Catholic Sisters Week, and we also discuss how Catholics should be responding to the Parkland students’ call for gun reform. Thank you to all of our new patrons this week! To see the full unedited interview, visit patreon.com/americamedia to donate. Shout out to our VIPs: Kody Teaford and Vivian Veloso Macaspac; and our Super Fans, Jim Eraci and Ben Bartosik. As always, we want to hear from you. Write us an email at jesuitical@americamedia.org and follow us on Twitter @jesuiticalshow. Learn more about your

This week, due to inclement weather, we were unable to record on our usual Wednesday. This week’s episode is an abbreviated one, sans consolations and desolations, but have no fear: It’s a good one. Since Selection Sunday—the official start of the NCAA tournament and office bracket pools across the nation—is this weekend, we decided to bring in Joe Lunardi, the ESPN bracketologist and administrator at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. We talk to Joe about the art of bracketology, how his Jesuit education has influenced his career and more. Finally, in Signs of the Times, we talk “Lady Bird” getting snubbed at the Oscars, Francis’ five years and a new feast day for Mary. We want to give a huge thank you to listeners who have pledged to support Jesuitical through our new Patreon page. Shout out to Super Fans Jessica, Caroline Marcotte and Sarah Neville Jimenez and Ambassador Emilee Hunter Macguire. We are grateful for your investment in our little (but growing!) podcast community. As always, we want

I feel the same way about poetry that I do about prayer: I know it’s good for the soul; I really respect those who have mastered the art—and I have a very hard time getting into it. To which Elizabeth Acevedo, this week’s guest, (wisely) responds: “Maybe you just haven’t found the right poet.” Liz is a slam poet and author of the upcoming novel, The Poet X, set for release on March 6. In the book and in her spoken-word poetry, Liz explores her identity as a Dominican woman and wrestles with the Catholic faith of her upbringing. We ask her what it means for Latinos and people of color to see themselves reflected in literature. In Signs on the Times, Catholic activists, including priests and sisters, were arrested on Capitol Hill this week as they voiced their support for Dreamers. Plus, why has the Catholic Church fought against attempts to extend the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases? And why are the bishops in Texas cutting ties with the state’s largest pro-life group? Finally, some l

How’s your Lent going? Did you make it at least a few days (unlike me) before breaking your Lenten practice? If you’re trying to up your prayer game this Lent and haven’t quite figured out how to do it yet, you won’t want to miss this week’s guest. Luigi Gioia, a professor at the Pontifical University of Sant’Anselmo in Rome, is the author of Say It To God: In Search of Prayer, which the Archbishop of Canterbury has chosen for his official Lent book of 2018. “Far too spiritual, our prayer is asphyxiated by good manners,” Luigi writes in his new book. We ask Luigi about why almost everyone has a difficult time with prayer and what it means to truly find God everywhere in our lives. In Signs of the Times, we give an update on Pope Francis’ handling of the sexual abuse crisis in Chile, the U.S. bishops’ national call-in to Congress day for Dreamers, discuss the Secret Service’s new chaplain and more. In other news, we’re starting a Patreon page! We’ve been blessed to do the show for a full (liturgical) year,