Episodes
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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with Brian Strassburger, S.J., a Jesuit priest who serves as the director of Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries in the Diocese of Brownsville, Tex., and a co-host of the Jesuit Border Podcast. In his ministry, Brian not only celebrates Mass in migrant shelters and camps at the U.S.-Mexico border, but he and his team also provide basic orientation and advocacy for migrants navigating the complex U.S. immigration system.
Zac, Ashley and Brian discuss:
- What the election of Donald J. Trump might mean for migrants and his border ministry
- How Brian talks to Catholics who are concerned about chaos at the border and want to see greater immigration restrictions
- Brian’s vision of heaven: one where the poor and migrants are welcomed and honored, rather than dismissed and betrayed
Links for further reading:
The Betrayal of American Border Policy
The Jesuit Border Podcast
Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries
Donald Trump’s election has brought new fear to immigrant communities
As U.S. Catholic bishops meet, Trump looms over their work on abortion and immigration
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Sister Laura Vicuña Pereira Manso, an Indigenous activist fighting to protect the Amazon rainforest and serve its people. As the current vice president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon region (known as CEAMA) and a 2019 auditor of the Synod for the Pan-Amazon Region, Sister Laura has met with Pope Francis to make the case for women’s ministries, including restoring women deacons.
They discuss:
- Sister Laura’s experience at Amazon Synod, and whether synodality “works”
- What a typical day looks like when you are ministering to Indigenous communities in the Amazon and struggling against powerful (and violent) corporations.
- What she would say to those who criticize women deacons as a “Western obsession”
Links for further reading:
A Franciscan sister joins the fight for Indigenous rights in Brazil
A nun makes the case for women deacons to Pope Francis
What you need to know about the 2019 Synod on the Amazon
Brazilian Cardinal talks restoring women deacons, ordaining married men at synod press briefing
Synod Diary: Women deacons are not a ‘Western’ obsession
We’d like to give a special thanks to our translators, America O’Hare fellow Leilani Fuentes and Ellie Hidalgo of Discerning Deacons, who helped with the translations for this episode.
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by America magazine’s editor in chief, Sam Sawyer, S.J., to discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election, in which Donald Trump defeated the sitting vice president, Kamala Harris.
They discuss:
The Catholic vote in the election and how it differed from previous elections
How Catholic leaders might respond to a second Trump presidency
The role of faith and trust in God in the face of political turmoil
Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe
Links for further reading:
The day after Trump’s victory: searching for mercy, justice and God’s providence
Five political takeaways from the 2024 election
Voters in 3 states reject abortion ballot measures, defying trend around country
Trump courted white Catholics—and they helped him win the White House again
Donald Trump won: 5 Catholic takeaways
Donald Trump defeats Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States
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At the end of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Jesuitical’s co-host Zac Davis and producer Sebastian Gomes spoke with Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, about the synod’s final document, which kept open the question of women’s access to the diaconate. The cardinal also spoke to the urgent need for initiating processes of communal decision-taking in parishes and for greater accountability to synodality among U.S. bishops.
Thank you for following Jesuitical’s coverage of the Synod on Synodality. It was sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine and stay up to date on Catholic news and analysis.
Links:
Synodality—and ‘controversial’ issues—are here to stay: Takeaways from the Synod’s final document
Pope Francis says he will not write his own exhortation on synod, publishes members’ final document
Women Deacons and the Catholic Church: A Video Explainer
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On the eve of the highly anticipated publication of the final report for the Synod on Synodality, Jesuitical host Zac Davis and Inside the Vatican host Colleen Dulle speak with their colleague and synod delegate James Martin, S.J., about his experience this month inside the second assembly.
Zac and Colleen discuss:
- The atmosphere at this year’s synod assembly compared to last year’s
- How controversial topics like L.G.B.T. issues and women’s ordination have been tackled
- The deep conversion that took place among the members and the long-term impact of this gathering on the global church
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
Links from the show:
The Jesuit roots of the synod’s ‘conversations in the spirit’
‘Palpable outrage’: Synod delegates react to women deacons study group meeting
Synod Diary: The Vatican Curia is still learning synodality
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It is no secret that the reception of the synod in the United States has been uneven. Whether you participated in a synod listening session, or even heard about the Synod on Synodality when it was launched by Pope Francis three years ago, likely depends on whether your pastor or bishop made it a priority. To get a sense of the ways the synod is (and isn’t) taking root in the U.S. church, we spoke with Michael Sean Winters, a columnist covering the Catholic Church for National Catholic Reporter and a fellow at the Center for Catholic Studies at Sacred Heart University.
Zac, Ashley and Sebastian ask Michael Sean:
- Whether the Vatican gave bishops the time and resources needed to make the synod a success
- About the common claim that the U.S. church, where lay men and women already hold positions of authority in dioceses and chanceries, is already “synodal”
- If the synod process can help to reduce the polarization among U.S. Catholics
Links from the show:
Michael’s column at NCR
Become a subscriber to America to follow our daily synod diaries and much more!
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
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We are in the final stretch of the Synod on Synodality, and the question that looms large in and outside the synod hall is: Will this process give us concrete results? But some Catholics aren’t waiting for the synod’s final document or Pope Francis’ post-synod apostolic exhortation to start bringing synodality down to earth in practical ways. Avril Baigent, a facilitator at this year’s synod assembly, is a co-founder of the School for Synodality, a project that supports the synodal conversion of the Church in England and Wales.
Zac and Ashley ask Avril:
- What does synodal discernment look like in families, parishes and dioceses?
- Does every decision in the church need to be made “synodaly”?
- Is the “conversations in the spirit” method capable of producing concrete proposals?
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Sebastian discuss the lack of transparency around the synod’s Study Group 5, tasked with looking at the possibility of the female diaconate, which has led to “palpable outrage” among delegates and damage control on the part of the Vatican. Plus, the Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis will release the fourth encyclical of his pontificate, “Dilexit Nos” (“He Loved Us”), on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Links from the show:
‘Palpable outrage’: Synod delegates react to women deacons study group meeting
‘Dilexit nos’: Pope to publish encyclical on Sacred Heart of Jesus
Learn more about the School for Synodality
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From the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to speak boldly and to air their criticisms openly. Since, the pope initiated the three-year Synod on Synodality, critics of the process have done just that. One such critic is George Weigel, a distinguished senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the author of numerous books including his latest, To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.
To better understand the concerns of those who are skeptical of the synod, Zac and Ashley spoke with George, who is in Rome contributing to First Thing’s “Letters from the Synod” series. They discuss:
- The confusion around what synodality really means and whether the synod is a good use of the church’s “evangelical energy”
- Whether George sees the synodal process as inherently problematic or if he’s more concerned about who is, and isn’t, in the synod hall
- Whether the synod is in accordance with the vision of church articulated at the Second Vatican Council
In Signs of the Times, Zac discusses where we are in the synod process and looks ahead to the drafting of the assembly’s final document.
Links from the show:
The Synod on Synodality at the halfway point
Letters from the Synod
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
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Margaret Karram, was in Rome as a member of the Synod on Synodality on Oct. 7, 2023 when she learned her homeland, Israel, was under attack. Margaret, a Catholic Arab born in Israel, is also the president of the Focolare Movement, a lay Catholic organization that promotes unity and fraternity in countries around the world. Though part of her felt she should leave Rome, she ultimately decided that the experience of synodality could help Catholics to become “bridges of peace” in places, like the Holy Land, where hope for a just end to the conflict is all but lost. Ashley and producer Sebastian Gomes speak with Margaret about her upbringing, the Focolare Movement and her experience inside the synod hall.
They ask:
- What it was like to learn about Hamas’ attack on her homeland on Oct. 7 while in the synod hall
- About the difficulties and blessings she experienced growing up as a Catholic Arab in a majority Jewish neighborhood in Haifa, Israel
- How the Focolare charism of dialogue and unity can keep Catholics from despairing when we face situations like the war in the Holy Land, where peace seems impossible
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the ecumenical prayer service held for synod delegates on the 62nd anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. The vigil was held at the site of St. Peter’s crucifixion and included readings from Vatican II documents by fraternal delegates. Plus, in the synod hall, delegates have begun their discussion on Part III of the instrumentum laboris on “Places,” that is, how the church lives and proclaims the Gospel in particular contexts and cultures.
Links from the show:
Synod Diary: At the synod’s ecumenical prayer service, a cry for unity in a world at war
Cardinal Hollerich: Church is rooted in places and cultures
Learn more about the Focolare Movement
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
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While it might not generate as many headlines as women deacons or L.G.B.T. Catholics, the role of the bishops has emerged as one of the most prominent—and controversial—topics of the Synod on Synodality. Two of the 10 study groups established by Pope Francis are dedicated to bishops, and the pope used his opening address at the final session of the synod in Rome to defend his decision to include lay people as voting members in a Synod of Bishops.
Few people are better equipped to dig into questions around the role, qualifications and selection of bishops than Tom Reese, S.J., a senior analyst at Religion News Service and former editor in chief of America magazine. Tom has written several books about the history and structure of the episcopacy and has covered synods since the 1980s. Zac, Ashley and Sebastian talk to Tom about:
- How the process of choosing bishops has changed from the apostolic age to today
- The qualities we should look for in a bishop—holiness, theological smarts or administrative skill?
- How the role of bishops is being discussed and discerned at the synod
Zac and Ashley also share the tragic news that after a yearlong battle with cancer, friend and three-time guest Greg Hillis has passed away. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
Links from the show:
Pope Francis defends giving women and lay men voting rights at synod
Read Tom Reese’s column
17 Schoolgirls Die In Rwanda Attack
Nukes, contemplation and vocation: An introduction to Thomas Merton for young Catholics, interview with Greg Hillis
Living like monks in quarantine, interview with Greg Hillis
Greg Hillis & Family Cancer Journey
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On the eve of the final session of the Synod on Synodality, a diverse group of women working in ministry at the margins of the church had the opportunity of a lifetime: a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican. They brought their stories of serving Indigenous communities, working to protect the planet and bringing the Gospel to the peripheries. Among this global delegation was Rosella Kinoshameg, who is from the Odawa/Ojibway people and lives in the Wikwemikong Unceded Reserve in Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada.
Zac and Ashley talk with Rosella about:
- Her experience in Canada’s residential schools, state- and church-sponsored institutions that sought to strip Indigenous children of the language, traditions and heritage
- Her work in the “Diocesan Order of Service,” a unique ministry that empowers mostly Indigenous women to serve their own communities through communion services, praying at funerals and wakes and ministering to the sick and dying
- What she makes of the conversation about women’s ministry at the synod
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley recap the latest news from Rome, including Pope Francis’ announcement that he will create 21 new cardinals; the pope’s letter to Catholics in the Middle East on the anniversary of Oct. 7; and what the synod delegates are discussing in the Paul VI Hall this week.
Links from the show:
Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including Timothy Radcliffe, O.P.
Pope Francis to Catholics in the Middle East: Thank you for being able to pray and love despite everything
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
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Zac, Ashley and Sebastian are back in Rome to cover the second and final session of the Synod on Synodality, and who better to talk to about what to expect this month than Gerard O’Connell? America’s Vatican correspondent and co-host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, Gerry has covered every synod since 1985. Last year, the Jesuitical team spoke to Gerry about his career and why he considers this synod to be the most significant event in the life of the church since Vatican II. (Listen here!)
This year, Zac, Ashley and Sebastian bring their burning questions (and maybe a little synod skepticism) to Gerry for answers and analysis. They ask:
- Was it a mistake to relegate some of the “hot button” issues from last year’s synod to outside study groups?
- If most of the “hot button” issues are off the table, what are synod delegates going to discuss this year?
- What does it mean for the synod to “work”?
The team also gives a rundown of what’s happened at the synod so far: a two-day retreat for delegates, an unusual penitential service and the opening Mass, celebrated by Pope Francis.
Our Synod content is brought to you in part by the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University.
Links from the show:
From 2023: Everything you need to know about the Synod on Synodality
Women deacons, LGBT issues not on the agenda for October’s synod meeting
Vatican releases working document to guide October synod meeting
Father Radcliffe tells synod members: Don’t be driven by fear of the church changing—or staying the same
Interview: Timothy Radcliffe on how he prepares to give homilies—and preach to synod delegates
Synod opens with unusual penitential service: 7 cardinals ask for forgiveness for church’s sins
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On this first episode from the second phase of the synod on synodality in Rome, Zac and Ashley introduce the highly anticipated gathering at the Vatican and introduce two of the youngest synod delegates who reflect on their life-changing experience.
Our Synod content this year is brought to you in part by the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Learn more at: https://www.scu.edu/jst/becoming/
Follow America's coverage of the synod, including daily synod diaries delivered right to your inbox by becoming a subscriber. Visit: americamagazine.org/subscribe
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac share a “conversation in the Spirit” with Linda Staudt, a lay delegate from Canada who was selected to participate in the 2023 and 2024 Synod of Bishops for her extensive work in Catholic education and her involvement at the local, provincial, and national levels of the Canadian church. With her wealth of knowledge and experience, Linda has become a tireless evangelist for synodal listening at the grassroots level.
They discuss:
- Linda’s experience of being selected as one of seven lay delegates to the Synod on Synodality from North America, and her initial reaction to being chosen.
- The synodal process of listening, reflection, and discernment, and how it differs from traditional parliamentary-style meetings for its ability to reach and include the voices of those on the margins of the church.
- Linda’s advice for parishioners and clergy who are frustrated by a lack of synodal engagement in their diocese or parish.
Ashley, Zac, and the “Jesuitical” team join America’s “Inside the Vatican” team on their way to Rome to cover the 2024 Synod on Synodality. Great news: you can follow along from home! Visit AmericaMagazine.org/subscribe and you’ll get access to daily synod diaries along with our full coverage. If you have questions about the synod or topics about the Vatican you’d like us to cover during the synod, let us know! Send an email to [email protected]
Links from the show:
Five things to watch for in the upcoming October synod
I listened to Synod delegates opposed to LGBTQ issues. Here are my responses.
Women deacons, LGBT issues not on the agenda for October’s synod meeting
Vatican II—and its media coverage—has a lesson for today’s synod: Don’t expect immediate results
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This week on a live recording of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Bishop Kevin Sweeney, the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. (and a “Jesuitical” superfan!), about his spiritual journey as a young priest on Sept. 11, 2001, and his transition to becoming a bishop during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bishop Sweeney cites his knowledge gained in hard times as the catalyst for his pastoral approach to fostering community in an evolving church.
They discuss:
- Bishop Sweeney’s own vocational journey, from considering professional baseball to embracing the priesthood and, later, the episcopacy.
- How modern vocations of both men and women emphasize the radical Gospel call to co-responsibility among the laity in the life of the church.
- Tangible ways that the church can help navigate the upcoming U.S. presidential election with a spirit of unity and respect.
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ recent advice to Catholics voting in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where he called both major candidates “against life” and framed the election as a vote for the “lesser evil”; and curious stories about incorruptibility—the divine intervention that allows the bodies of certain saints to completely or partially avoid decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness.
Links from the show:
I was a young New York priest on 9/11. The lessons of that day stay with me as a bishop.
Beyond The Beacon Podcast
Pope Francis: Trump and Harris are ‘both against life’ but Catholics must vote and choose ‘lesser evil’
Nun’s incorruptible remains highlight rich heritage of Black Catholics in U.S., say experts
Carmelites find St. Teresa of Ávila’s body still incorrupt over 400 years after her death
Become a Jesuitical Patron and get access to the recording of an exclusive synod Zoom event with James Martin, S.J., held on Thursday, Sept. 19
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with gold medal-winning Olympic rower Nick Mead, who shares insights about being an Olympic athlete and praying with his team in Paris. Nick had the honor of being one of the two flag bearers at the 2024 closing ceremony (along with Catholic Olympic champion Katie Ledecky), and this fall, he’s preparing for his next win: a marriage in the Catholic Church.
They discuss:
How it felt to experience the excitement, camaraderie and faith sharing at the highest stage of athletic accomplishment
The training and sacrifices involved in being an Olympic athlete, including the intense conditioning schedule, the toll on relationships and the pressure to perform.
Nick’s religious background and experience with pre-marital counseling in the Catholic Church
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ recent trip to Asia and Oceania, including his stops in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore; and a new short documentary produced by their colleague and producer Sebastian Gomes on the state of the question of women deacons in the Catholic Church, which is now published on YouTube. Watch here!
What’s on tap?
Gatorade
Links from the show:
Women Deacons and the Catholic Church | An Explainer
Pope Francis visits ‘the periphery of the peripheries’ in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea
Pope Francis celebrates Mass for nearly half the population of Timor Leste
Pope Francis in Singapore: visiting a small but influential Catholic Church
What does Pope Francis’ ‘no’ mean for the Catholic debate over women deacons?
Beyond The Beacon Podcast
Become a Jesuitical Patron and get access to an exclusive synod Zoom event with James Martin, S.J., on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 6-7 p.m. ET.
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In the first episode of season eight of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley critique a general perception that younger priests are more conservative and rigid in their pastoral ministry. Joining them to discuss the countercultural decision to join the diocesan priesthood is the Rev. Wade Bass, a young priest who serves as pastoral administrator at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Allen, Tex., a suburb of Dallas.
They discuss:
- Father Wade’s call to the priesthood, experience in seminary and love of the liturgy
- The daily life and duties of young diocesan priests today, the joy and positive energy among younger priests, and the risks of loneliness and burnout
- The extent to which the ministry of these priests is—or is not—impacted by theological and ideological debates within the church
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ apostolic journey to Asia; a lawsuit from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., over a new procedural change by the United States government regarding the processing of green cards for foreign-born priests; and the tragic execution by Hamas of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose mother, Rachel, appeared on Jesuitical in November 2023.
Links from the show:
Pope Francis begins the longest trip of his papacy yet despite age and mobility issues
Mother of a Gaza hostage on keeping faith after Oct. 7: ‘It doesn’t make sense. And I still believe.’
Diocese sues immigration agencies over rule change that could force thousands of foreign-born priests to leave
U.S. Catholics are more liberal. Young priests are more conservative. Can the synod help us overcome our divisions?
Why Pope Francis is worried about seminaries and young priests with ‘authoritarian attitudes’
Join Jesuitical for a live recording on Wednesday, Sept. 11 in Madison, New Jersey!
Become a Jesuitical Patron and get access to an exclusive synod Zoom event with James Martin, S.J., on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 6-7 p.m. ET.
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley struggle to resist the temptation to “type” each other as they learn about the Enneagram from Liz Orr, a college chaplain who created the popular “Rude Ass Enneagram” Instagram account and authored the new book, “The Unfiltered Enneagram: A Witty and Wise Guide to Self-Compassion.”
They discuss:
Various personality types and how they relate to each other (including Zac and Ashley)
How we create defensive structures to protect our egos and what to do about it
What the Catholic Church as a community and institution can learn from the Enneagram about humble self-assessment
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the developing news around Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó, former nuncio to the United States, who has been formally charged with schism by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. They also preview the upcoming Jubilee year of hope and chart the pilgrimages and charitable works that will grant you an indulgence!
What’s on tap?
Spicy Margarita
Links:
Archbishop Viganó charged with schism by the Vatican, will face trial
Archbishop Viganò says he will not participate in Vatican schism trial
Rude Ass Enneagram Instagram account
The Unfiltered Enneagram: A Witty and Wise Guide to Self-Compassion
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley are joined by journalist Rachel Swarns to discuss her latest book, The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church. Rachel shares her wisdom about this important issue for U.S. Catholics and her experience as a Black Catholic, opening up a wide-ranging conversation about the work being done to repair such a grave injustice and promote racial justice in the church.
They discuss:
The history of Catholic slaveholding and the Jesuits’ involvement in the slave trade
The sale of enslaved people by the Jesuits in 1838, its impact on families and the reunion of the descendants
The efforts of Georgetown University and the church to repair this injustice
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley cover Pope Francis’ recent meeting with comedians from around the world (and America’s editor at large, James Martin, S.J.). They then discuss the pope’s trip to the G7 in Italy and the concerns he raised in his speech about artificial intelligence. Lastly, they talk about recent polling from the Vinia Research Group that found that Catholics’ belief in the real presence in the Eucharist is higher than a 2019 report from the Pew Research Group would suggest.
What’s on tap?
Prosecco
Links from the show:
Pope Francis jokes with Colbert, Fallon, Conan, Whoopi, Chris Rock, Gaffigan and others at the Vatican
Pope Francis has private meeting with Joe Biden at G7 summit
New Study Suggests More Than Two-Thirds of Catholics Believe the Eucharist is Truly Jesus
Do most Catholics think the Eucharist is ‘just a symbol’? It’s complicated.
The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church by Rachel L. Swarns
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Basketball fans know Steve Javie as a longtime N.B.A. referee and a frequent commentator on ESPN and ABC. But for the parishioners at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Newtown, Pa., he’s Deacon Steve.
In the midst of the N.B.A. finals tournament, Deacon Steve took some time out of his busy schedule to chat with Zac and Ashley about life on the court and in the pulpit.
They discuss:
His journey from zealous rookie ref to humble officiator in the N.B.A.
The dangers of turning sports into your religion.
How his career in refereeing has informed his ministry as a permanent deacon.
In Signs of the Times, a second miracle has been attributed to Blessed Carlo Acutis. Zac and Ashley discuss the life and legacy of the Italian teenager on track to be the first millennial saint. Plus, Pope Francis has again used a homophobic slur in a discussion about admitting gay men to seminary. How are Catholics supposed to understand these comments from a pope who famously said about gay priests, “Who am I to judge?”
Links from the show:
Pope Francis recognizes miracle needed for the first ‘millennial’ saint: Blessed Carlos Acutis
Pope Francis uses gay slur for second time in closed-door meeting, Italian reports allege
Jesuitical: Pope Francis used a homophobic slur. How should Catholics respond?
What’s on tap?
Miller Lite—on ice
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