Glad You Asked

Here in the United States, the principle that church and state should be separate is so woven into the fabric of our culture, many take it for granted as a fact of American life. We understand that everyone in the nation is entitled to practice the religion of their choice and worship freely, but also that the nation does not have an official religion, and that civic spaces should be religiously neutral.

Yet not everyone in the United States is committed to this long-standing idea. Both Christian nationalists and Catholic integralists dislike the idea that religion and statecraft should be kept separate. Some want to make Christianity the state religion. Others would like to use the force of government to enforce certain practices and ban others, based not on natural law or the constitution, but on their interpretation of their denominational creeds.

So it's not surprising that some political thinkers have been raising the alarm, warning that the boundary between church and state is in jeopardy. What Catholics ought to think about this, however, is a different question. After all, our allegiance is to God first, before the state. And as people involved in public life, why wouldn't we want to use whatever tools are in our grasp—including the tools of governance—to create a society more aligned with Catholic principles?

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to political philosopher and activist Stephen Schneck about where the idea of separation of church and state came from, and what Catholics should think about it. Schneck is retired faculty at the Catholic University of America, where he served as Director of the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies. Under President Obama he served on the White House Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He is on the board for Catholic Climate Covenant, Sojourners, and Democrats for Life of America. He has published extensively on political philosophy and public policy.

Learn more about this topic and read some of Schneck's work in these links.

"The danger of blurring the line between church and state," a U.S. Catholic interview.

Any religion allied with nationalism is dangerous, by Stephen Schneck

"We don't understand religious freedom. COVID-19 proved it." by Don Clemmer

"Does religious freedom favor some religions over others?" by Elizabeth Shakman Hurd

"How the Supreme Court Is Dismantling the Separation of Church and State," by Hayley Durudogan and Sydney Bryant

"'The great dechurching': Why so many Americans are leaving their churches," by Jonathan Chang and Meghna Chakrabarti

"In a First Among Christians, Young Men Are More Religious Than Young Women," by Ruth Graham

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, a congregation of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

In the Christian tradition, "apocalypse" simply means revelation, or unveiling. Yet somewhere along the line, the word came to be associated not just with prophecies about the end of the world, but with the end of the world itself—or at least with vast catastrophes and the fall of civilizations. And for some reason, people love stories about such catastrophes. This fascination with the apocalypse is not confined to fringe religious groups waiting for Jesus to return, or preppers hiding out in bunkers. It's not even confined to people of faith. Apocalyptic themes can be found across the gamut of our entertainment, from pop culture to more highbrow offerings. Whether nuclear war, climate catastrophe, alien invasions, lethal pandemics, or hostile artificial intelligence, envisioning the world we know it being snuffed out appears to be prime entertainment.

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to author, scholar, and educator Ed Simon about the concept of apocalypse, whether humans have always obsessed over the world ending, and why we're so interested in the end times anyway. Simon is the author of over a dozen books, including The Dove and the Dragon: A Cultural History of the Apocalypse (Fortress Press), and Writing During the Apocalypse (Bloomsbury Publishing). He is the Public Humanities Special Faculty in the English Department of Carnegie Mellon University and the Editor-in-Chief for Belt Magazine and the forthcoming Pittsburgh Review of Books.

Learn more about this topic, and read some of Simon's work, in these links.

Writing During the Apocalypse, by Ed Simon

The Dove and the Dragon: A Cultural History of the Apocalypse, by Ed Simon

"Apocalypse is the Mother of Beauty," by Ed Simon

"On the Limits of Language at the End of the World," by Ed Simon

"Why Are We So Obsessed With the End of the World?" by Christian Lorentzen

"In today's political rhetoric, apocalypse always looms," by Heidi Schlumpf

"The Book of Joel offers hope in the face of apocalypses," by Alice Camille

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, a congregation of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

For many, the term "anarchy" connotes chaos, disorder, even violence. Yet some anarchists are pacifists. And some are even Christian. The earliest Christian communities, some scholars believe, had certain anarchist tendencies, such as making decisions through group consensus, versus top-down hierarchy. Later on, of course, the church became more structured and hierarchical. But those anti-institutional threads of tradition never quite went away. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when the concept of anarchy became formalized, various groups explicitly identifying as Christian anarchists emerged, in Russia, Europe, and the United States.

While anarchism might work for less structured Christian groups, like Anabaptists or Quakers, it seems an uncomfortable fit for Catholics, given the church's emphasis on rules and hierarchy. So does this mean that Catholics can't be anarchists? What would Catholic anarchism even look like?

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to journalist and Catholic worker Renée Roden about whether Catholics can be anarchists. Roden has written extensively on the Catholic Worker movement, and on economic and labor movements, She is a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic, as well as to The Nation, Religion News Service, The Associated Press, Washington Post, Commonweal, Sojourners, America, and Notre Dame Magazine. She also writes frequently for catholicworker.org and its newsletter, Roundtable.

You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Roden's work, in these links:

"Christian anarchism is as old as Christianity itself," by Renée Roden

"The Anarchism of the Catholic Worker," by Renée Roden

"A Short History of Religious Anarchism," by Kevin Daugherty

"Divine revelation leads to revolution," by Alice Camille

The belief that the movement of heavenly bodies shapes or predicts events has been around for thousands of years and can be found in many ancient cultures. Even today, some people look to their horoscopes when seeking insight on life decisions. Others read their horoscopes just for fun, without really believing in astrology, or using it to make serious choices. Still others would never dream of reading their horoscopes, viewing this as a form of divination or witchcraft which could open the door to demonic forces.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists astrology among other divination practices (including conjuring the dead, palm reading, and recourse to mediums) that Catholics should avoid. Pope Francis reminded the faithful to cling to Jesus, not horoscopes or fortunetellers, for security in life. But do these warnings refer to all uses of astrology? What about people who read their horoscopes for fun, or look to the positions of the celestial bodies when planning agricultural practices like planting crops or pruning fruit trees?

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to historian Luis Campos Ribeiro about the origins of astrology, how Christianity has regarded it over the centuries, and what the Catholic Church teaches today about looking to the stars for guidance. Ribeiro is a historian of art and of science, with a focus on astrology, astronomy and their connections to art in the Medieval and Early Modern eras. He has a doctorate degree in History and Philosophy of Sciences from the University of Lisbon, and has written multiple articles, and two books, including Jesuit Astrology: Prognostication and Science in Early Modern Culture (Brill).

Learn more about this topic and read some of Campos Ribeiro's work in these links.

"Should Catholics consult their horoscopes?" by Kathleen Manning

"Cling to the Lord, not horoscopes, fortunetellers, pope says," by Junno Arocho

"Nautical astrology: a forgotten early modern tradition," by Luis Campos Ribeiro

Jesuit Astrology: Prognostication and Science in Early Modern Culture, by Luis Campos Ribeiro

"What are the ancient origins of your zodiac sign?" by Catherine Caruso

"The Meaning of Coincidence," by Edward Tverdek

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, a congregation of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

The tradition of churches as places of refuge for those in fear of the law goes back centuries. It figures in several popular stories set in the Middle Ages, including The Hunchback of Notre Dame (both the novel and the Disney film), and the legend of the outlaw Robin Hood. In the nineteenth century, in the United States, enslaved people sometimes took refuge in churches. Later, in the twentieth century, people escaping the draft occasionally did so as well. The tradition has endured into the twentieth century, with immigrants and refugees in the United States turning to churches for sanctuary.

In fact, in 2011, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sent their officers a memo, telling them to avoid arresting people in "sensitive locations" such as churches, schools, and hospitals.

Now, however, the role of churches as sanctuaries has become uncertain, as the current administration has stripped churches and schools of those immigration enforcement protections.

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk with theologian Leo Guardado about the origin and significance of the sanctuary church tradition, the legal status of sanctuary churches, and whether the magisterium of the Catholic Church officially supports this longstanding tradition. Guardado has a personal connection to this topic, as he escaped the civil war in El Salvador as a child. He has worked ecumenically in the borderlands in defense of migrant communities, and is the author of numerous articles and two books, including Church as Sanctuary: Reconstructing Refuge in an Age of Forced Displacement (Orbis Books)

You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Guarddado's work, in these links.

The Sanctuary Movement

Church as Sanctuary: Reconstructing Refuge in an Age of Forced Displacement, by Leo Guardado (Orbis Books)

"Churches have a long history of being safe havens — for immigrants and others," by BIll Chappell

"4 steps to becoming a Catholic sanctuary church," by Melissa Walker

"What the Birth of the Sanctuary Movement Teaches Us Today," by Kyle Paoletta

"Social Justice — Catholic Churches and Hospitals as Sanctuaries and Places of Refuge," by Brian Kane, PhD

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, a congregation of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Catholics have frequently taken a stand against civil authorities, even breaking the law, to remain true to their faith.

The early martyrs refused to worship the Roman gods and were murdered for it. Saints have stood up against oppressive authorities, helped the innocent escape unjust laws, and held onto their faith even when it was illegal. Catholics were murdered for opposing the Nazi regime, and persecuted for their work in civil rights. Many Catholics who grew up with stories of these heroes of faith and justice took away the implicit lesson: Sometimes being a follower of Jesus means breaking the law.

If these stories count as instances of civil disobedience, does that mean civil disobedience has a place in the Catholic tradition? Does the official magisterium of the church have any teachings supporting–or critiquing–civil disobedience? What is civil disobedience, anyway?

To answer these questions, the Glad You Asked hosts talked to Jack Downey, a scholar of civil disobedience who is also the John Henry Newman Professor of Roman Catholic Studies and a professor of religion and classics at the University of Rochester.

Downey's scholarship focuses on contemporary justice movements, liberation theology, religious history, and contemplative traditions. He is the author of The Bread of the Strong, a study of contemplative influences on Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement.

You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Downey's work, in these links.

"We are all called to protest, says this civil rights lawyer," A U.S. Catholic interview

"Holy disobedience," by Jim Forest

"Traditional Disobedience: Renewing the Legacy of Catholic Activism," by John Gehring

"The Unlikely Catholic Activist Who Believed in Civil Disobedience 'Animated by Love'," by John Loughery

"A Metaphor for the Planet," by Jack Downey

The Bread of the Strong: Lacouturisme and the Folly of the Cross, 1910-1985, by Jack Downey (Fordham University Press, 2015)

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, a congregation of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Over the past 75 episodes, the Glad You Asked podcast has addressed dozens of your top questions about Catholic history, scripture, and theology. The hosts have posed questions like: Do dogs go to heaven? Was Jesus a refugee? And should Catholics use AI? And dozens of teachers, theologians, activists, and scholars have joined the show to share their expertise on these and other most-searched queries about Catholicism.

On October 3, 2025, Glad You Asked is coming back with even more answers to all your burning questions. Questions to look forward to in the upcoming season include: Should Catholics read their horoscopes? Can Catholics be anarchists? And what does the church teach about civil disobedience? And the season will close with a special three-part season finale about Mary, the Mother of God.

Sign up for updates at USCatholic.org/gyapodcast. Or subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the USA-Canada province of the Claretian Missionaries, a congregation that tends to the religious and pastoral needs of vulnerable communities. To find out more and get involved please visit www.claretians.org.

In February of 1300, Pope Boniface VIII, in the papal bull Antiquorum Habet Fida Relatio, declared the first-ever Catholic Jubilee Year. Anyone who made a pilgrimage to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome, and who repented and confessed, would receive "the fullest and broadest pardon for all sins committed," Boniface proclaimed. One of the thousands of pilgrims who journeyed to Rome that year was the painter Giotto, who created a fresco commemorating the event. Another was the poet Dante Alighieri, who references the Jubilee in his Divine Comedy—ironically, this appears in Canto 18 of Inferno, where he compares the movement of the damned along the eighth circle of hell to the Roman method of traffic control during the Jubilee.

The jubilee tradition goes back far further, however, originating in Judaism, before Christianity had even begun. In the Israelite tradition, the jubilee was associated with things like forgiving debts, freeing enslaved people, and other concrete gestures of material justice. In the Catholic tradition, however, the Jubilee focuses not on debt forgiveness but on forgiveness of sins.

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk with scholar Dean Dettloff about the origins of the Jubilee Year, its significance in the Catholic tradition, and whether there is any likelihood that the Catholic Jubilee will recover its ancient tradition of concrete liberation. Dettloff is the Research and Advocacy Officer for Development and Peace–Caritas Canada. He holds a PhD in philosophy from the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where he also teaches as sessional faculty.

You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Dettloff's work, in these links.

What Is a Holy Year? HISTORY

"This Jubilee year, be open to the gift of hope," by Alice Camille This Jubilee year, be open to the gift of hope - U.S. Catholic

"Take action against mass incarceration this Jubilee year," by Alessandra Harris Take action against mass incarceration this Jubilee year - U.S. Catholic

"Canada must lead global debt cancellation, like it did 25 years ago," by Dean Detloff Canada must lead global debt cancellation, like it did 25 years ago - The Hill Times

"Mourning a Pope We Often Ignored," by Dean Detloff Mourning a Pope We Often Ignored | Sojourners

"A May Day Saint," by Dean Detloff A May Day Saint | Commonweal Magazine

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

The earliest documented use of the term pro-life was in a book on parenting and child education. The book, Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Child Rearing, by A.S. Neil, was published in 1960 and contained the statement that "no pro-life parent or teacher would ever strike a child. No pro-life citizen would tolerate our penal code, our hangings, our punishment of homosexuals."

However, that's not how the term is typically used today. In the early 1970s, following Roe v. Wade, anti-abortion activists began using the term pro-life in reference to their opposition to legalized abortion. Even then, many activists thought being pro-life ought to entail a holistic approach to life issues: that people should oppose not only abortion, but also war, the death penalty, income inequality, and racism.

This idea that pro-life ought to refer to all life really began to pick up steam in 2016, partially as a response to the mainstream pro-life movement's alliance with far right political leaders. Today, many people who used to identify as pro-life no longer do so. They feel the term has been tarnished.

Should "pro-life" mean opposition to abortion, or should it be more inclusive? Has the term been compromised by its association with various political agendas? And how should Catholics respond to this debate?

On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to Bishop John Stowe about what it means to be a pro-life Catholic. Stowe is bishop of the diocese of Lexington, Kentucky and a priest in the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. In keeping with the Franciscan tradition, Stowe has long been a pastoral voice for justice for the poor and for environmental justice. He's also spoken repeatedly for immigrant rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Learn more about this topic in these links.

"U.S. Catholic readers critique the pro-life movement," by Kathleen Bonnette U.S. Catholic readers critique the pro-life movement - U.S. Catholic

"As election nears, Catholics reflect on abortion politics," by Cassidy Klein As election nears, Catholics reflect on abortion politics - U.S. Catholic

"4 ways progressive pro-lifers can reengage with Democratic leaders," by Rebecca Bratten Weiss 4 ways progressive pro-lifers can reengage with Democratic leaders | National Catholic Reporter

"Will the synod listen to women on reproductive issues?" by Ashley Wilson Will the synod listen to women on reproductive issues? - U.S. Catholic

"In debates about reproductive health, listen to Black women," a U.S. Catholic interview In debates about reproductive health, listen to Black women - U.S. Catholic

"A new way to think about the 'consistent ethic of life'," by Steven P. Millies A new way to think about the 'consistent ethic of life'

"It's Time to Move Past the Pro-Life / Pro-Choice Dividing Line," by Rebecca Bratten Weiss It's Time To Move Past The Pro-Life / Pro-Choice Dividing Line | Rebecca Bratten Weiss

"Do restrictive abortion laws actually reduce abortion? A global map offers insights," by Michaeleen Doucleff MAP: Click to see abortion laws — and rates of abortion — around the world : Goats and Soda : NPR

"The movement against abortion rights is nearing its apex. But it began way before Roe," by Deepa Shivaram The history of the anti-abortion movement in the U.S. : NPR

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

Catholic history is full of famous excommunications involving court intrigue and geopolitical conflicts. Henry VIII of England was excommunicated twice: first in a "provisional excommunication," by Pope Clement, then again by Pope Paul III, in 1538. An earlier English monarch, Henry II, also clashed with the church—specifically, with Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury. Though Becket never excommunicated Henry, he did excommunicate a number of his supporters. Further back in history, yet another Henry, the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV, was famously excommunicated by Pope Gregory VII. The emperor ended up walking on foot to Canossa Castle in 1077, and kneeling in the snow doing penance for three days, begging for his excommunication to be lifted.

Stories like this might suggest that excommunication was a tool for political leverage, or a weighty and dramatic event that only happened when the Catholic Church wielded massive political power. But excommunications still happen today, and most of them do not involve state leaders.

On this episode of the podcast, the hosts talk with canon lawyer Dawn Eden Goldstein about the canonical and theological significance of excommunication. Goldstein is one of the few laywomen in the world to hold both a theology doctorate licensed by the Holy See and a licentiate in canon law.

She is also the first woman to earn a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake. She is also the author of several books, including The Sacred Heart: A Love for All Times (Loyola Press) and Father Ed: The Story of Bill W.'s Spiritual Sponsor (Orbis Books).

You can find more information about this topic and read some of Dawn's work in these links.

"What is excommunication?" by Michelle Arnold What is excommunication?

"Excommunication is not the church's equivalent of capital punishment," by Thomas Reese Excommunication is not the church's equivalent of capital punishment | National Catholic Reporter

"Vatican excommunicates former nuncio to the US, found guilty of schism," by Carol Glatz Vatican excommunicates former nuncio to the US, found guilty of schism | USCCB

"What is canon law?" by Dawn Eden Goldstein What is canon law? - U.S. Catholic

The Dawn Patrol The Dawn Patrol

Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.