Congressman Francis Rooney is a conservative Republican from a conservative district in Florida, but the issues he wanted to discuss with host Mike Jordan Laskey were not standard GOP talking points: he wanted to talk about fighting climate change, protecting the Everglades and stopping offshore drilling in Florida. He brought up economic inequality and his vote for a $15 per hour minimum wage. He railed against partisan gerrymandering. It's disappointing the Congressman isn’t running for reelection this year because his commitment to building bridges across partisan divides is rare. We sure could use more elected leaders with open minds in this polarized era.

Congressman Rooney also talked about his tenure as the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, a position he held from 2005 until 2008. He shared some great behind-the-scenes stories about his experiences with Pope Benedict XVI, and also what he learned about the church by engaging with the Vatican on diplomatic affairs. Finally, he talked about how his Jesuit education impacted him, which included stops at Georgetown Prep, Georgetown University and Georgetown Law.

This episode is part of a series on faith and politics inspired by the new Jesuit document titled “Contemplation and Political Action: An Ignatian Guide to Civic Engagement.” Read the document and see the rest of our faith and politics coverage at jesuits.org/election2020.