Jesuitical

By America MediaNews Religion & Spirituality Christianity News Commentary Spirituality

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Jesuitical episodes

May 19, 2023 Faith, culture and ritual in Toni Morrison's life and writings
“Can we consider Toni Morrison a Catholic novelist,” Nadra Nittle asked in an article for America in 2017. Since Morrison’s passing in 2019, Nadra has been exploring that question in more depth, and the result is her new book: Toni Morrison's Spiritual Vision: Faith, Folktales, and Feminism in Her Life and Literature, out this month from Fortress Press.
This week, Zac reintroduces this popular interview with Nadra Nittle from 2021 which explores the Catholic sensibilities and love for aesthetics of the acclaimed writer Toni Morrison.
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32 min
May 12, 2023Joining a parish (or club) could save your life.
This week, Jesuitical is joined by Pete Davis to talk about his new documentary “Join or Die,” “a film about why you should join a club — and why the fate of America depends on it.” They discuss:
Why Americans join fewer clubs and associations than they used to
Why churches are suffering the same fate
The work of Robert Putnam in his groundbreaking book, Bowling Alone

During Signs of the Times, Zac highlights a new transcript of Pope Francis in conversation with Jesuits in Hungary.
Links from the show:
“Join or Die”
‘This is God’s Style’: Pope Francis’ conversation with Hungarian Jesuits
How could a country that was 90 percent Catholic “disappear” Catholic priests and seminarians?
Who is the real Bergoglio?
What’s on tap?
Tank 7 American Saison Ale from Boulevard Brewing Company
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49 min
May 05, 2023Luke Russert on losing his father, quitting journalism and traveling the world
This week on Jesuitical, we’re joined by Luke Russert, the author of the new memoir Look for Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself. Luke is the son of Tim Russert, the legendary host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and served as an NBC News correspondent from 2008 to 2016. We talk to Luke about:
What it was like to lose his father and hero Tim Russert the year he graduated from college
Why he decided to leave a successful career in journalism to travel the world
The limits of travel when it comes to processing grief and finding yourself
And during Signs of the Times, Ashley and Zac discuss the following news stories:
The historic participation of Catholic cardinals and bishops at the coronation of King Charles III this weekend
The Sisters of Charity of New York’s decision to no longer accept new members and to embark on a “path of completion”
The maiden voyage of a Staten Island Ferry named for Dorothy Day
Links from the show:
Look for Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself
British Catholics will attend a coronation for the first time since the Reformation
Sisters of Charity of New York Vote on Congregation’s Path to Completion
Onboard the first journey of a Staten Island ferry named for Dorothy Day

What’s on tap?
Guinness

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1 hr
May 02, 2023 Why Hulu's "The Pope: Answers" is the most thrilling movie out right now
Everything is on the table: immigration and racism, women's ordination, abortion, sexual abuse, pornography, gender identity and dating apps. We’ve never seen a conversation with the pope like this. In Hulu’s “The Pope: Answers,” Francis sits with a group of 20 to 25-year-olds to discuss their most profound questions and struggles with faith and the church’s teachings. The young people also get practical, asking if the pope gets a salary.
Ashley and Zac are joined by two Jesuit colleagues, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., and Jim McDermott, S.J., to discuss the new documentary and how Catholics can process this profoundly honest conversation that seemingly raised more questions than answers.
Read more:
In Hulu’s ‘The Pope: Answers,’ Pope Francis talks abortion, gender identity, dating apps and more with 10 young adults by Ricardo da Silva, S.J.
Hulu’s ‘The Pope: Answers’ is the most thrilling movie out right now by Jim McDermott, S.J.
Listen to the full conversation here.

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14 min
April 28, 2023Will ChatGPT change the Catholic Church? Should it?
This week, Jesuitical is joined by Sam Sawyer, S.J., the new editor in chief of America Media to talk about:
How Sam went from working as a software developer to joining the Jesuits
The Catholic Church’s approach to technology, and what A.I. and ChatGPT have in store for it
His latest essay in America: “Catholicism, authentic communion and the way out of our polarization trap”
And during Signs of the Times, Ashley and Zac discuss the following news stories:
Pope Francis has given women the right to vote at the synod for the first time in history
Pope Francis losing his blue verification checkmark on Twitter
Two events in Catholic-Anglican relations: A gift from Pope Francis to King Charles III and a “breakdown in communication” between a visiting Anglican group in Rome and the Basilica of St. John Lateran

Links from the show
Support America’s Anniversary!
“Catholicism, authentic communion and the way out of our polarization trap”
Does ChatGPT have a soul? A conversation on Catholic ethics and A.I.
Pope Francis gives relics of the True Cross to King Charles III for his coronation
Over 50 Anglicans celebrate liturgy at Pope Francis’ cathedral after “breakdown in communication”
What’s on tap?
Negronis and Aeropress Coffee

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1 hr 3 min
April 21, 2023 Should Catholics have kids during a climate crisis?
Let’s face it: talking about climate change can feel depressing and futile. It seems like every few years there’s a new dire report, another agreement signed, and little progress is made. This week’s guest, Dorothy Fortenberry, is a writer and executive producer of “Extrapolations,” a new show from Apple TV+ that aims to shake us from our complacency by showing us what the world might look like in 10, 20, 30 years if we stay on our current trajectory. We talk to her about getting people to care about climate change, her love of Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical “Laudato Si’” and the ethics of having kids in a climate crisis.
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss a controversy between a group of Franciscans and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and talk about how Catholics should react to SatanCon, a gathering of members of the Satanic Temple in Boston next week.
Links from the show:
Military archdiocese: The end of Walter Reed’s pastoral care contract is ‘incomprehensible’
Boston 'SatanCon' prompts Catholics to respond with prayer and the Gospel
Watch “Extrapolations” on Apple TV+
I was at the first Earth Day. And I carry what I learned about care for creation to this day by James Martin, S.J.
This Earth Day, meet the artist making beautiful icons of God’s endangered creatures by Jim McDermott, S.J.
What’s on tap?
Micheladas
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58 min
April 14, 2023 Fr. Ron Rolheiser on sex, spiritual energy and what isolation does to our souls
This week, Jesuitical chats with Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., spiritual master and the author of many books, including “The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality.” Ashley and Zac talk to Father Rolheiser about the importance and universality of spiritual energy, sex, isolation and the differences between therapy and spirituality.
During “Signs of the Times,” the team is joined by Michael O’Louglin to unpack an FBI memo that seems to be targeting “traditionalist Catholics.” Later they discuss Hulu’s new documentary, “The Pope: Answers.”
Links from the show:
RonRolheiser.Com
House committee alleges FBI used undercover agent to produce analysis on ‘radical traditionalist’ Catholics
In Hulu’s ‘The Pope: Answers,’ Pope Francis talks abortion, gender identity, dating apps and more with 10 young adults
What’s on Tap?
Sparkling wine, with bubbles that are rising (like Jesus)
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1 hr 13 min
April 07, 2023Praying on the Way of the Cross
For this special triduum edition of Jesuitical, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of a regular interview, we’re sharing an episode from the America Media podcast “Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer,” by our friend and colleague Tucker Redding, S.J. In this episode, Tucker guides us through an imaginative prayer focusing on the Way of the Cross, the time between Jesus’ trial under Pontius Pilate and his crucifixion.
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley give an update on Pope Francis’ health and time in the hospital, and then they share their favorite parts of the Easter Triduum.
Happy Easter everyone!
Links from the show:
Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer
After hospital pizza party and baptizing a baby, Pope Francis expected to return to Vatican Saturday
The Easter Vigil is the longest liturgy of the year. And it’s so, so worth your time.
More Easter content from America

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35 min
March 31, 2023What Sister Jean learned in her first 100 years about God, Life and Basketball
Before Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, B.V.M., captured the heart of America during Loyola Chicago’s Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018, she was Zac’s hero and mentor while he was attending Loyola. To be fair, she had been many things to many people in 100 years of life. Sister Jean is out with a new book (written with help from ace basketball writer Seth Davis) titled Wake Up With Purpose!: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years. She joins the podcast to discuss that magical Final Four run, why she loves being around young people and where she believes the Catholic Church is headed.
During Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley give an update on Pope Francis’ health and discuss why an A.I.-generated image of him in a puffer jacket went viral. Finally, Zac explains where he found God during jury duty.
Links from the show:
“Wake Up With Purpose!”
What you don’t know about Loyola’s Sister Jean
How Loyola Chicago’s Sister Jean prays—on and off the court
Vatican: Pope Francis’ condition improving after resting overnight in hospital
AI-generated images of Pope Francis in puffer jacket fool the internet

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54 min
March 24, 2023 Going on ‘Digital Pilgrimage’ and praying with a smartphone
What if you could pray with the Black Madonna of Montserrat, on the banks of the River Cardoner or the cave in Manresa where St. Ignatius developed the Spiritual Exercises—from the comfort of your couch? Today’s guest, Vivian Richards, S.J., wants to help Catholics do just that. Father Vivian is a Jesuit priest of India’s Karnataka province and part of the team of Jesuits who developed the JesuitPilgrimage app. The app provides photos, prayer and audio guides and interactive maps to bring users to the significant spots in the life of St. Ignatius and the Society of Jesus. We talk with Father Richards about how smartphones can help (and hurt) our prayer life, what it’s like to work at the Jesuit curia (a.k.a the home office) and what it means to take a “digital pilgrimage.”

And in Signs of the Times, Ashley and Zac discuss President Joe Biden’s asylum policy being at odds with Catholic teaching, the five lucky cousins who will receive an inheritance from the late Pope Benedict XVI and Georgetown University poaching the star coach of Providence College’s men’s basketball team.

Links from the show:
Bishop Seitz on Biden’s new asylum policy: Death cannot be the cost of our immigration laws
Five cousins of late Pope Benedict XVI may receive small inheritance
Georgetown hires Ed Cooley to revive Hoyas men's basketball
JesuitPilgrimage App

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39 min

About Jesuitical

From the publisher's feed

Jesuitical is a podcast from America Media for saints and sinners. Tune in every week for honest conversations about the Catholic Church and our world today—sometimes over drinks. Hosted by Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis.