Jesuitical

Should you care about what’s going on at the Vatican? It seems clear that you should pray for the pope and for the people making important decisions about the church’s governance, but should you follow the updates about hirings and firings, exhortations and motu proprios?

Colleen Dulle, host of America’s podcast “Inside the Vatican,” will tell you why paying attention to the Vatican regularly could become a spiritual practice and put the headlines you see about the church in context.

In Signs of the Times, we look back at Pope Francis’ trip to Morocco (his third visit to a Muslim-majority nation), ask why were there Catholic priests burning Harry Potter books in Poland and give our initial thoughts and reflections on Pope Francis’ new apostolic exhortation on young people and the church, “Christ Lives.” Oh, and we wade into the Legging Wars underway at the University of Notre Dame.

You may have heard, we’re celebrating our 100th episode this month with a live event featuring James Martin, S.J., and Kirsten Powers. You can buy tickets here. If cost is a prohibitive factor, we have complimentary tickets available thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Catholic Travel Centre. Just send me an email if you’d like one.

Links from the show:

Solidarity on Tap

Our Live Show!
Pope Francis celebrates largest Mass in the history of Morocco

Catholic priests burn Harry Potter books in Poland

Northern Ireland soccer fans face ban after filmed singing anti-Catholic song

Woman Begs World to Shield Her 4 Catholic Sons From Legging-Clad Butts

Pope signs Apostolic Exhortation to young people

What’s on Tap?

Not much. Lent is feeling extra long.

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Matias Benitez and Matt Chen are students at Regis High School in New York City, and in February of 2018, the teenagers started HeForShe, the school’s first feminist club. Every week, a dozen or so students gather after school to discuss the treatment of women and topical, sometimes difficult topics, like the Kavanaugh hearing. We talk to Matt and Matias about HeForShe, how they define feminism and what they hope fellow students learn from their club.

In Signs of the Times, following the massacre at Christchurch in New Zealand, Bishop Kevin Doran criticizes “faith-filled” Catholics who demonize Muslims. We discuss the upcoming book by our Vatican correspondent, Gerry O’Connell, on the election of Pope Francis. The founder of Women Church World, Lucetta Scaraffia, resigns as editor in chief of the all women’s magazine. And an archbishop in New Mexico reminds Catholics that “Santa Muerte” goes against church teaching.

Feel free to send us your questions, concerns or cocktail recipes at [email protected], or join us for discussion on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon community, where you can enter to win a free ticket to our live show in April. The live show, celebrating our 100th episode, will feature an introduction by James Martin, S.J., and a panel with the hosts and Kirsten Powers, a CNN political analyst and former guest on Jesuitical.

The event will be on April 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at America Media’s headquarters. You can find ticket information and more here.

Links from the show:

Bishop criticizes 'faith-filled' Catholics who spread fear of Muslims

Exclusive: Inside the election of Pope Francis

Founder, board of Vatican women’s magazine quit

New Mexico archbishop again denounces ‘Santa Muerte’

What’s on tap?

Just water. Lent.

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“Walk together, work together, love each other.” That is how Pope Francis described the journey of building Christian unity in the 21st century. Michael Rudzena is walking that path as part of the John 17 Movement, an ecumenical group dedicated to responding to the prayer of Jesus that “all who believe in me be one.” Michael was born into a Catholic family that eventually found a new spiritual home in the Baptist church. Today, he is the founding pastor of Trinity Grace Church, a non-denominational church in New York City, and is part of a group of evangelical and Pentecostal faith leaders that has met with Pope Francis to advance “a communion of friendship and love.”

We asked Michael about his encounter with the pope, the internal diversity of the evangelical Christian community and the misconceptions Catholics have about evangelicals (and vice versa).

In Signs of the Times, we say a prayer for Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who recently suffered a stroke, and discuss the cases of two bishops removed from ministry over the handling of or involvement in sexual misconduct. Next, we explore what the Catholic Church says about vaccinating your children, break down which Catholic and Jesuit schools will compete in this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament and talk about the ways sacred spaces can be opened up to the wider community.

As always, we want to hear from you! Joining our Facebook group is a great way to connect with other listeners, discuss the Catholic news of the day and share your own consolations and desolations.

Also: If you can make it to New York City on April 24, we are going to be celebrating our 100th episode with a fantastic live event featuring Kirsten Powers and James Martin, S.J. More details here.

Cardinal DiNardo, USCCB president, ‘resting comfortably’ after suffering mild stroke
Two bishops removed from ministry over allegations of sexual harassment
Unvaccinated Student in Kentucky Sues After Being Barred From Playing Basketball
Acoustics make Utah Catholic churches top venues for community concerts
March Madness 2019: Catholic Schools Look To Maintain Winning Tradition

Lenten sacrifice.

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Marquette University men’s basketball standout Markus Howard is having a banner year. He’s earned the Big East Conference Player of the Year award on his way to leading Marquette toward a (hopefully) deep run in the N.C.A.A. tournament.

He’s also become a leading advocate for mental health care.

We talk to Markus about why he decided to start going to therapy and why he started talking about it publically. Are we closer to ending the stigma surrounding mental health care?

In Signs of the Times, we lament the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people, many who worked for humanitarian agencies. We ask: was Pete Davidson’s joke comparing support for R. Kelly to support for the Catholic Church offensive? Why did an elementary school teacher tell her student to wash off his ashes on Ash Wednesday? Why was a child of a same-sex couple denied admittance to a Catholic school? Finally, what’s the future of religious life going to look like when fewer people are entering orders?

This week I talked about how inspired I was by the community found on our Facebook group. It’s a great reminder that this podcast is a ministry and a community. Thank you.

PS: If you haven’t joined our Facebook community, you can find it here.

Feel free to send us your questions, concerns, cocktail recipes or let us know what you gave up for Lent at [email protected], or join us for discussion on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Links from the show:

Catholic Relief Services Mourns The Loss Of Four Staff Killed In Ethiopian Airlines Crash

Pete Davidson Compares R. Kelly to Catholic Church on Saturday Night Live

Utah teacher facing discipline for making Catholic student remove Ash Wednesday mark

Catholic School in Kansas Faces a Revolt for Rejecting a Same-Sex Couple’s Child

2 out of 3 religious orders had no entrants in 2018

Markus Howard brings awareness to his own mental health

What’s on tap?

Water, Seltzer, Tea.

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When Mireille Twayigira was two, she fled Rwanda with her family after her father was killed in the country’s genocide. At the age of eight, she entered a Jesuit Refugee Service school in Malawi. After she graduated from secondary school as one of the best students in the country, she traveled to China, where she learned Chinese and, in 2016, graduated as a doctor.

We talk to Mireille about the role of education in her life, how her faith has kept her strong and what it means to be a symbol of hope in your 20s.

In Signs of the Times, during the 2016 presidential campaign, Michael Cohen threatened to sue Fordham University if they released Donald Trump’s grades or SAT scores. Pope Francis will open the secret archives of Pope Pius XII. Why is this significant? The Leadership Roundtable, a church reform group, has released a 40-page report that lists recommendations for dealing with the sexual abuse crisis. We discuss some of the takeaways.

And finally, we tell you what we’re giving up for Lent.

Feel free to send us your questions, concerns, cocktail recipes or let us know what you gave up for Lent at [email protected], or join us for discussion on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Links from the show:

Fordham confirms Cohen threatened legal action if Trump’s grades became public

Pope Francis will open the secret archives on Pope Pius XII

Archdiocese to organize parish network of mental health resources

Catholic leadership group offers plan to fight abuse and cover-up

Pope Francis: Give up gossiping for Lent

What’s on tap?

Coffee, because Lent.

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Catholics love a good nun story. A chainsaw-wielding sister cleans up after Hurricane Irma? Social media gold. Nuns playing soccer? Yes please. And who can forget Sister Jean? (Not Zac). But every day and on every continent women religious are doing life-saving, cutting-edge work in hospitals, research laboratories, refugee camps and prisons. And those are the stories Dawn Araujo-Hawkins tells as a writer for National Catholic Reporter’s Global Sisters Report.

We ask Dawn what she wished more people knew about the work of women religious, especially black sisters, and about her own experience working as a person of color in the mostly white Catholic media world.

In Signs of the Times, we bring you the top takeaways from the Vatican’s historic summit on child sexual abuse and discuss the case of Cardinal George Pell, the highest-level church official ever to be convicted of abusing a minor. Next, Pope Francis plans to write an apostolic exhortation on last year’s youth synod. What is an apostolic exhortation and why should we care? And finally, a new poll shows growing support for pro-life positions.

You can let us know what you think about our conversation with Dawn or any of our stories in our Facebook group. And thanks as always to our supporters on Patreon!

Signs of the Times

Vatican sex abuse summit: what you need to know

Cardinal Pell, most senior Catholic charged with child sex abuse, convicted, Vatican

Cardinal Pell news is ‘painful’ and he has right to defend himself to the end

Pope to issue post-synod document on young people in March

New poll: Big majorities of Democrats and young people reject late-term abortion

What’s on tap?

Sevenhill Cellars Inigo (Jesuit-made!) Riesling

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Vinson Cunningham doesn’t meet many people who believe in hell—but he still does. We sit down with Vinson, who is staff writer at the New Yorker, to discuss his recent essay “How the Idea of Hell Has Shaped the Way We Think.”

We talk about our first memories of hell, how it still impacts our lives and our culture, and why it might be easier to describe hell than heaven.

In Signs of the Times, we look at the laicization of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick and preview the Vatican’s summit on sexual abuse. Sister Norma Pimentel, a former guest on Jesuitical, runs into conflict with the city commissioners of McAllen, Tex. And could contactless payment be on the way for church donations? One cluster of parishes in Dublin, Ireland, is trialing it, and we are here for it.

We want to hear from you! One great place to do that—and chat with other Jesuitical listeners—is our Facebook group. We’re sharing news and consolations and desolations throughout the week.

Links from the show:

“How the Idea of Hell Has Shaped the Way We Think.”

Vatican sex abuse summit: what you need to know

Vatican emphasizes transparency and accountability at upcoming sex abuse summit

Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick laicized by Pope Francis

New York gives sex abuse victims more time to sue, press charges

Border city to close Catholic Charities center run by Sister Norma Pimentel

Catholic Church To Trial Contactless Payment For Donations

More of Vinson Cunningham’s writing

What’s on tap?

Wild Turkey Bourbon

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This week, America and Spoke Studios published “Deliver Us,” a new podcast about the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church.

Maggi van Dorn is the host and executive producer of “Deliver Us.” Following the release of the Pennslyvania grand jury report last summer, Maggi, like so many Catholics in the United States, found herself asking: How did could happen? And what, if anything, could Catholics do to help? She put her resources and audio skills together and decided to create “Deliver Us,” which features survivors, experts and advocates discussing ways in which the church and Catholics can move forward.

We talk to Maggi about how the podcast centers the stories of survivors and what it means to be hopeful as a Catholic during this crisis.

In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis has, for the first time, acknowledged the abuse of Catholic sisters. We discuss why this matters and what it shows us about the sex abuse crisis. Last month, Nicolás Maduro was sworn in as Venezuela’s president, which has led to protests across the country. Political leaders, including President Trump, state that the rightful president is Juan Guaidó, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly. Pope Francis has stated that he is “always available” to assist diplomatically but that these negotiations can only occur if both sides ask for help. Pope Francis has a history of getting involved in Latin America. Why does this matter?

On Feb. 7, the Supreme Court allowed the execution of Domineque Ray, a Muslim death-row inmate in Alabama, to proceed without an imam; and a young Catholic asks the pope to go vegan for Lent. Finally, we ask: Do you have an obligation to attend your local parish?

Feel free to send us your questions, concerns or cocktail recipes to [email protected], or join us for discussion on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Links from the show:

Women religious organization issues statement on abuse of sisters

Nun’s Rape Case Against Bishop Shakes a Catholic Bastion in India

U.S. bishops condemn court's denial of imam's presence at execution

Francis expresses openness to Vatican mediation in Venezuela

Venezuela opposition envoys visit Vatican, Rome officials to press Juan Guaido's cause

Open letter asks Pope Francis to adopt vegan diet during Lent

What’s on tap?

Coffee

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In recent years, there has been a lot of debate around the word “consent” when it comes to preventing sexual assault on campus. What can Catholic colleges and universities bring to these discussions? To find out, we talk with Brianna Maturi, who leads Loyola Marymount University's consent program, called LMU Cares.

We ask Brianna about the hook-up and dating scene on campuses today, what a culture of consent looks like after college and what bystanders can do prevent sexual assault and harassment.

In Signs of the Times, we discuss Pope Francis’ historic trip to the Arabian Peninsula and Cuba’s newest Catholic Church. Next, how should bishops respond when Catholic politicians support abortions. And in Midwest news: The bishops in Illinois come out against the legalization of recreational marijuana, and the University of Notre Dame covers up murals of Christopher Columbus.

Let us know what you think about our conversation with Brianna or any of these stories on our Facebook page or Twitter. And please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Also: If you want to learn more about Pope Francis’ trip to the U.A.E., check out the latest episode of Inside the Vatican, from our colleague and friend of the podcast, Colleen Dulle.

Links from the show

Pope Francis to world’s religious leaders: We build the future together or there will be no future

Cuba’s first church inauguration since the revolution

Canon law examined in wake of push for excommunication over abortion

Illinois Bishops Advise Against Legalization of Marijuana

University of Notre Dame to Cover Up Prominent Columbus Murals

How one Catholic university is trying to create a culture of consent

What’s on tap

Margaret River Distilling Co.’s Giniversity, provided by our friends at Adelaide’s Catholic Office for Youth and Young Adults and Pub Theology Adelaide

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This week, Jesuitical is coming to you live from Australia. We’ve mastered driving on the left side of the road (sort of); we got up close and personal with a kangaroo; and even though Ashley tried to leave me to drown in the Great Barrier Reef, we managed to record this week’s episode.

On our first international trip, we headlined the Archdiocese of Adelaide’s World Youth Day celebrations. In addition to leading workshops and giving a few talks, we recorded this live show. In Signs of the Times, we talk about Pope Francis’ visit to Panama for World Youth Day, review the pope’s new prayer app, “Click to Pray,” look at a few stories from the Australian church, and break down the Covington Catholic controversy.

In our interview, we chat with Sebastian Duhau, Australia’s representative at the Synod on Young People. We look at the Synod’s final document and talk about what still needs to be done to have young people lead in the Catholic Church.

P.S. A HUGE thank you to the Catholic Office for Youth & Young Adults at the Archdiocese of Adelaide for inviting us to the other side of the planet and for being amazing hosts.

What’s on Tap?

Adelaide’s own Coopers Birell low-alcohol beer.

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