"I don't have optimism, I have hope – which is a theological virtue. They can't touch my hope but my optimism is in short supply," says Deacon Dennis Dolan in this episode of Deacons Pod.

Deacon Dennis and Deacon Drew Dickson, two of the Paulist Deacon Affiliates, host this episode that looks at both a memorable Gospel reading of Lent and troubling issues raised by recent actions of the U.S. federal government.

This episode also includes Deacons Pod's first podcast crossover: The inclusion of a powerful interview from a recent episode of "The Francis Effect" podcast between Heidi Schlumpf and Meghan Clark, a professor of moral theology at St John’s University in New York City.

In the interview, Professor Clark outlines the devastating impact of the recent federal funding cuts for USAID and Catholic Relief Services.