Joining Ashley and Zac to cover the cosmos on this week’s episode of “Jesuitical” is Guy Consolmagno, S.J., the director of the Vatican Observatory and author of the new book, A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science. A research astronomer, physicist and Jesuit brother, he has served at the Vatican Observatory since 1993, and in 2015 Pope Francis appointed him director. He is the author of God’s Mechanics and co-author of Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? and Turn Left at Orion.

Zac, Ashley and Brother Guy discuss: 

- The relationship between science, theology and faith—how science points to God and God enables science

- Brother Guy’s passion for teaching science and inspiring “oh my God” moments in his students

- Brother Guy’s vocation story and the history of Jesuits making scientific advancements 

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley unpack Pope Francis’ recent hospitalization for a respiratory infection, later confirmed as double pneumonia. As of Thursday, Feb. 20, he is stable, without fever and in good spirits. 

Links for further reading: 

A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, ‘alert and responsive,’ according to Italian PM

Cardinals push back on rumors Pope Francis will resign while in hospital

Three ways Pope Francis should fix the procedures for papal illness, death and elections

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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Simon Critchley, the Hans Jonas Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York and a Director of the Onassis Foundation, about his new book, Mysticism. Among the most prolific of modern academic philosophers, Simon has written over twenty books, from works of philosophy to studies on topics from Greek tragedy and dead philosophers to David Bowie, football and suicide.

Zac, Ashley and Simon discuss: 

- The historical development of the concept of “mysticism,” how it was suppressed during the Reformation and its resurgent relevance for today.

- Emotionally-charged forms of piety in the high Middle Ages among women mystics like Julian of Norwich

- How modern mysticism can provide access to the sacred and transcendent in a melancholic world

In Signs of the Times, Zac is joined by Fr. Sam Sawyer, S.J., editor-in-chief of America, for a conversation about Pope Francis’ strongly worded letter of support to the Catholic bishops of the United States in which he denounced the mass deportation of undocumented migrants initiated by President Donald Trump, and corrected Vice President JD Vance’s theology. 

Links for further reading: 

Mysticism by Simon Critchley 

Pope Francis’ letter, JD Vance’s ‘ordo amoris’ and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration

Pope Francis to U.S. Catholic bishops: Oppose mass deportations

What’s on tap?

Gin Martini

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This week, Zac and Ashley chat with Dr. Gina Zurlo, the Yang Visiting Scholar of World Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, about her groundbreaking research on women outpacing men in worldwide church participation.

Zac, Ashley, and Gina discuss: 

- Gina’s experience co-authoring World Christian Encyclopedia (Third Edition),  a 1,000-page textbook that documents the changing status of global Christianity over the past 120 years, which she presented to Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2023.

- Why the participation and leadership of women in churches is often overlooked or underreported

- Suggestions for how the church can better support and empower women in leadership and ministry

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley cover the hundreds of emails obtained by the Associated Press that reveal the extent to which the NFL’s New Orleans Saints helped the Archdiocese of New Orleans contain the damage of new revelations of sexual abuse; and the Vatican’s new rules on how to worship when when a holy day of obligation falls on a Sunday. 

Links for further reading: 

Gina Zurlo’s website

Gina Zurlo’s Groundbreaking Research on Women in World Christianity

World Christian Encyclopedia (Third Edition) 

Emails reveal extent of New Orleans Saints’ damage control for Catholic sex abuse crisis

When a holy day of obligation falls on a Sunday: Vatican releases new rules 

What’s on tap?

Black coffee 

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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with journalist Helene Stapinski and her son, Dean Jamieson, a fiction writer from Brooklyn who, now in his 20s, finds himself drawn to the Catholic Church his mother left behind two decades ago because of the sex abuse crisis. 

Zac, Ashley, Helene and Dean discuss: 

- Helene’s faith journey, from a “cradle Catholic” and member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps to a mom disillusioned by the church’s sex abuse scandal and culture-war stances

- How Dean became “Catholic curious” in college and started attending Mass, drawn to the aesthetics, anti-consumerist values and sense of community he found in the church

- How the priest at Dean’s local parish in Brooklyn has sought to actively engage young adults and welcome them (and sometimes their parents) back

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Vice President JD Vance’s accusations that the U.S. bishops were being critical of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration because it would hurt their “bottom line”; the threat to Catholic Charities by Trump’s directive to freeze federal financial assistance programs; and the Vatican’s latest document on “the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence” that addresses the ethical challenges raised by AI and warns against “creating a substitute for God.”

Links for further reading: 

“Turning Out, Tuning In? I left the Church, but now my twenty-something kids seem drawn to it”

Vice President Vance: Thank you for making headlines about the bishops’ care for immigrants

JD Vance suggests U.S. bishops only care for immigrants to protect ‘their bottom line’

Trump executive order will strip funds from Catholic Charities, White House says

New Vatican document on A.I. warns against ‘creating a substitute for God’

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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with James T. Keane, senior editor at America and columnist for the Catholic Book Club, a weekly newsletter on literature and the arts. Jim’s new book, Reading Culture Through Catholic Eyes, explores 50 Catholic writers, thinkers, and “firebrands” who have influenced Catholic culture—and yes, as Jim’s colleagues, we may sound a little biased when we say it’s well worth the read. Just take our word for it. Even better, grab a copy and see for yourselves. 

Zac, Ashley and Jim discuss: 

- What makes someone a “Catholic writer” 

- Why so many of us get stuck on the same Catholic writers 

- The works of three lesser-known Catholic authors: Myles Connolly, Andre Dubus and Mary Karr

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss inauguration prayers for the 47th U.S. president Donald J. Trump offered by Pope Francis, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Father Frank Mann and Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde; the Cuban government’s plan to release 553 prisoners in response to Pope Francis’ Jubilee request to set the captives free; and increased family benefits for Vatican City-State employees.

Links for further reading: 

Reading Culture through Catholic Eyes: 50 Writers, Thinkers, and Firebrands Who Challenge and Change Us

Pope Francis assures Donald Trump of his prayers, but says mass deportations would be a ‘disgrace’

If the Catholic Church is pro-life, why is its maternity leave so bad?

After the election, people may know your political party—but will they know you’re a Christian?

God lifts up the underdogs

Lean into love, not fear, this World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Beirut Jesuit pastor tells preachers

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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Kelly Ryan, the president of Jesuit Refugee Service USA, about her 30 years of experience working with refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in light of a second Trump administration. A two-time U.S. presidential political appointee, Kelly has also worked extensively with faith-based organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See. 

Zac, Ashley and Kelly discuss: 

- The origins of Jesuit Refugee Service, from its founding in 1980 by Pedro Arrupe, S.J., to assist refugees, especially those fleeing the Vietnam War

- Challenges at the U.S. southern border, including the dangerous journeys many migrants make and the difficulties in processing their asylum claims

- Concern about potential changes to refugee admissions and deportation policies under the incoming Trump administration

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ autobiography Hope, which features critical reflections about his rowdy youth and staunch defenses of his most controversial moves; plus they chat about the 2025 College Football National Championship between the University of Notre Dame and Ohio State University, including some words on Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s current coach, a Catholic convert—and a former Buckeye. 

Links for further reading: 

Opening doors at Advent and all year long: How J.R.S. responds to the plight of refugees 

Pope Francis acknowledges mistakes and defends most controversial decisions in new autobiography

Notre Dame story 

Father Pedro Arrupe: a controversial Jesuit’s bumpy path to sainthood

A Jesuit border priest on Trump and the plight of migrants

109th World Day of Refugees and Migrants Message from Pope Francis

Jesuit Refugee Service

JRS is on Instagram: @jrs_usa

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On Jan. 6, Pope Francis announced that Cardinal Robert McElroy will be the next archbishop of Washington, D.C. Cardinal McElroy, currently the bishop of San Diego, spoke with Zac and Ashley on the “Jesuitical” podcast back in 2023, and this week, they’re revisiting that conversation. In it, Cardinal McElroy embraces the synodal vision and pastoral approach of Pope Francis and calls upon the church to dismantle the “structures and cultures of exclusion” that alienate some Catholics, including women, the poor, divorced-and-remarried couples and L.G.B.T. Catholics.

 Zac, Ashley and Cardinal McElroy discuss: 

- Cardinal McElroy’s 2023 article in America on the Eucharist and radical inclusion for L.G.B.T. people, women and others

- Why synodality is the connective tissue of the Catholic faith that enables us to work through disagreements in communion 

- How to handle polarization in the church on issues like sexuality, marriage, racism and poverty

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences of 37 of the 40 prisoners on federal death row to a sentence of life in prison without parole; Pope Francis’ appointment of Italian missionary nun Sister Simona Brambilla as the first woman to lead a major Vatican dicastery; and the exciting news that a soccer-loving Catholic nun from Brazil is officially the oldest living person at nearly 117. 

Links for further reading: 

Cardinal McElroy to lead D.C. archdiocese, Vatican announces

Cardinal McElroy on ‘radical inclusion’ for L.G.B.T. people, women and others in the Catholic Church

Biden commutes 37 death row sentences before Trump can resume executions

A woman leads a Vatican office for the first time ever. Why now?

Historic first: Pope Francis appoints woman as prefect of Vatican dicastery

A soccer-loving nun from Brazil is world’s oldest living person at nearly 117

Zac’s New Year’s recommendation: What if you're already on top of things?

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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Colleen Dulle, an associate editor at America and co-host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, about how realistically the new film “Conclave” portrays the process of selecting a new pope. They praise the film’s historical accuracy but raise eyebrows over the complex theological implications around the film’s twist ending. Warning: This episode contains major spoilers. 

Zac, Ashley and Colleen discuss: 

- The challenges of translating the complexities of the Catholic Church to a mainstream audience through a cinematic lens

- Varying reactions to “Conclave” from Catholics, including Bishop Robert Barron’s critique of the film

- The role and representation of women, including nuns, in the Catholic Church as depicted in the film

In Signs of the Times, Zac, Ashley and Colleen discuss Pope Francis’ new autobiography Hope, which reveals two assassination attempts on his life during his trip to Iraq in 2021; and a recent liturgical debate sparked by Cardinal Blase Cupich’s guidance to parishioners in the Archdiocese of Chicago that discouraged kneeling to receive Communion.

Links for further reading: 

‘Conclave’ explainer: Could that twist ending really happen?

Your Take: Is ‘Conclave’ worth seeing for Catholics?

‘Conclave’ hits theaters. What really happens when a new pope is elected?

Pope Francis reveals he survived two assassination attempts during visit to Iraq

Hope: The Autobiography by Pope Francis 

Should you stand or kneel to receive communion? Cardinal Cupich stirs debate after weighing in

What’s on tap?

French 75s

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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley interview bestselling Irish author John Connell on how embracing the farm life preserved by his family for generations brought him closer to God and greater inner peace. John’s new book, The Lambing Season, explores the rhythms and realities of raising livestock, as well as the profound spiritual guidance John gleaned from a simple flock of sheep. 

Zac, Ashley and John discuss: 

- How John’s spiritual awakening on a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain led to his transformation from journalist and world traveler to shepherd on his family’s farm 

- John’s discovery of the spiritual and therapeutic power of lambing season in Ireland

- The contrast and balance between rural and urban life, and the need for citydwellers to “make appointments with nature”

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after a fire in 2019, Pope Francis’ latest consistory that created 21 new cardinals on Saturday, Dec. 7, and how the Loyola Chicago Ramblers recovered after (seemingly) snubbing their very own Sister Jean from a celebratory fist bump after their win against Eastern Michigan. 

Links for further reading: 

The Lambing Season: Stories of Life on an Irish Family Farm

The Cow Book: A Story of Life on an Irish Family Farm

Pomp and presidents at the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris

Podcast: Pope Francis creates 21 cardinals, calls for an end to U.S. death penalty

Read: Pope Francis’ homily and message to new cardinals

A busy weekend for Pope Francis: The Immaculate Conception, a consistory and prayers for death row inmates in the United States

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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Madeleine Kearns, an associate editor at The Free Press, and the author of a recently reported article, “The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils.” Maddy shares how the veil boom evokes a “lost type of Catholicism” that satisfies the desire for reverence challenged by the reforms of Vatican II. 

They discuss: 

- The motivations of young women who veil—from personal expressions of piety and nostalgia to political posturing

- Whether individual practices of worship impact communal worship in the church 

- How young people engage with the “sacred space” of Mass today

In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss a Brooklyn priest wrapped up in scandals involving a federal corruption investigation, New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams and pop star Sabrina Carpenter. Plus: Environmentalists in Italy try (and fail) to stop Pope Francis from cutting down a Christmas tree to decorate St. Peter’s Square.

Links for further reading: 

The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils

NYC priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter to shoot a music video in church further stripped of duties

The Priest, the Power Broker and the Pop Star

Local group protests cutting down 200-year-old tree for Vatican’s Christmas

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