Third Space Podcast

In this episode, I had a great conversation with Dr. David Lantigua about the Latin American roots of Pope Leo’s theology. We specifically talked about how Latin American theology is present in Leo’s exhortation Dilexi Te. We also discussed how the Latin American rereading of Vatican II is Leo’s hermeneutic of the Council, and how it cuts through the progressive vs. traditionalist paradigm that has caused so much division in the Church. **Unfortunately, there was a technology issue with the video recording, so I’m only able to publish the audio of this conversation.

Dr. David Lantigua is associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also codirector of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism. He is the author of “Infidels and Empires in a New World Order: Early Modern Spanish Contributions to International Legal Thought” from Cambridge University Press, 2020. He is currently completing a manuscript entitled Social Revolution after Pope Francis.

I also have a couple of podcast updates!

First, this is the final episode of Season Two! Like last year, I’ll be taking a break from podcasting through the summer to spend more time with family. Through the summer I’ll be rerunning “throwback” episodes from Third Space and Pope Francis Generation, and hopefully there’ll be a couple of new bonus episodes.

Also, I wanted to make an ask.

The Third Space podcast and substack is a crucial part of my “real job.” Like many millennials, my family’s income is in the gig economy. I work part-time as a professional counselor, then the rest of my income comes from consulting and coaching work about spiritual abuse in the Church and Third Space. I never anticipated that this Substack would become a real job, a key source of my income. But it has. And I’m grateful for it.

Obviously, I’m not the first creator to make an income off of Substack. However, many of the professional Substackers put some or all of their content behind a paywall. And that’s great! Writers and podcasters deserve to be paid for their work. But I’ve decided not to do that. I always want Third Space to remain a resource that’s completely free and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of their financial situation. That’s important to me.

But I’m realizing that you don’t know what I need unless I tell you, unless I ask.

The reality is that writing the essays and preparing for/recording podcasts take a significant amount of time, research, and emotional energy every week. Time and effort that, if I’m going to keep growing Third Space, also need to have financial growth. In the past year and a half, the overall subscribers have doubled, but the paid subscribers have essentially stayed the same.

If you have the resources and value Third Space—if you open these emails and listen to the podcast—if you believe these conversations are important for the People of God, please consider becoming a paid patron today.

You won’t get exclusive bonus content for upgrading. You’ll get the knowledge that you’re directly keeping these resources free for thousands of others, supporting my family, and ensuring Third Space can continue to grow.

There’s a few ways to support Third Space, and there are some new “thank you” gifts for your support. Thank you! See this link for more details:

https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/this-is-more-than-i-ever-expected

LINKS:

Leo’s Ode to Latin American Theologyhttps://www.commonwealmagazine.org/leo-francis-poor-exhortation-pope-poor-dilexi-te

Dr. David Lantiguahttps://theology.nd.edu/people/david-lantigua/

Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicismhttps://cushwa.nd.edu/

The Ecclesial Vision of Dilexi Tehttps://wherepeteris.com/the-ecclesial-vision-of-dilexi-te/

Dilexi Tehttps://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20251004-dilexi-te.html

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

As we approach the anniversary of Pope Leo’s election, I spoke with Sr. Carino Hodder about his first year as the Supreme Pontiff. We talked about how Leo’s Augustian background may be shaping his governing style, as well as how we see him as the “Catechist Pope.” We also discuss some of the ways Leo has addressed abuse in the Church and some of our hopes and expectations for how he will continue.

Sr. Carino Hodder is a Dominican Sister of Saint Joseph based in the New Forest in England. She assists her community with their apostolate of training catechists, primarily as a tutor on their Certificate in Catechesis. Since becoming a sister, she has worked as a First Holy Communion catechist, a Confirmation catechist, and a parish sister in a parish in London, as well as being involved in ongoing formation for all age groups. She also writes regularly for The Lamp magazine and has contributed to other publications including The Pillar, Plough, and Where Peter Is. She is also the author of ‘The Dignity of Woman in the Modern World’ published by the Catholic Truth Society and ‘Freedom Under Grace: Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience for Everyone’ which is forthcoming from Our Sunday Visitor.

LINKS

The Dominican Sisters of St. Josephhttps://www.dominicansisters.net/

Light of Truth: Live Catholic Formation for Everyonehttps://www.lightoftruth.uk/

Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, on the occasion of the Second National Meeting of local representatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adultshttps://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2026/04/16/260416c.html

Address the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (March 16, 2026)https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/march/documents/20260316-tutela-minori.html

Words Matter: A guest post about vulnerability and abusehttps://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/words-matter

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Third Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Last time I had Shaun on, we discussed St. John Henry Newman becoming a doctor of the Church. In this episode, we followed up that conversation to talk about Newman’s thoughts on personal conscience and the sensus fidei, and what that means for Pope Francis, and now Pope Leo’s, vision of a synodal Church. All of that led to a question about how a Catholic can navigate a conviction of their conscience that is out of line with Church teaching while still striving to be faithful to the Church.

Shaun Blanchard is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia on the Sydney campus. A North Carolina native and graduate of UNC, Oxford (Blackfriars Hall), and Marquette, Shaun writes on a variety of topics in early modern and modern Catholicism, especially Jansenism, Catholic Enlightenment, the history of the papacy, and the Vatican councils.

LINKS

Shaun Blanchard:https://nd-au.academia.edu/ShaunBlanchard

Shaun Blanchard - Doctor John Henry Newmanhttps://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/29-shaun-blanchard-doctor-john-henry

Traditionis Custodes Was Never Merely About the Liturgy:https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/traditionis-custodes-was-never-merely-about-the-liturgy/

The Reform Was Real: Continuity and change at Vatican II:https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/reform-was-real

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Third Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

It was great last night talking with Sarah Carter and Shaun Blanchard about Pope Leo’s ongoing catechesis on the documents of Vatican II

Highlights included discussion about the senses fidei (what does it mean and is universal consensus even possible?), the baptismal priesthood, how we have misunderstood the meaning of “hierarchy,” a question about the Church’s perspective on ordaining gay men to the priesthood, and more!

Sarah and I hope is to host live discussions every month following Leo’s catechesis. So keep an eye out for the next one.

Go ahead and follow Sarah at Recovering Catholic and Pope Leo Weekly.

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here: https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

Third Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

**This episode was recorded on March 25, a week before the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 against the Colorado law banning therapists from practicing conversion therapy on minors

Dr. Julia Sadusky graciously joined me again on the podcast, this time to discuss the bad psychology and bad theology that underpins conversion therapy. Last year, Julia, along with a group of other Christian mental health professionals, submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court (in Chiles v. Salazar) defending a Colorado law that bans licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors. I spoke with Julia about the origins of conversion therapy, the harm it causes, and how this court case could impact Christian mental health providers.

Dr. Julia Sadusky is an author, speaker, and licensed psychologist. She owns Lux Counseling and Consulting in Littleton, CO., where she offers individual, family, and couples therapy in addition to consultations for individuals and families around sexuality and gender. She also serves as a ministry educator, offering trainings and consultations to counseling centers and faith-based institutions on sexuality, gender identity, mental health, trauma-informed care, and the intersection of sexuality, gender, and theology. Other areas of focus include work with those experiencing complex trauma and eating disorders.

Dr. Sadusky’s most recent books are Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics and Talking with Your Teen About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (Ave Maria Press). Dr. Sadusky has coauthored two other books, including Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth (Brazos Press) and Gender Identity & Faith: Clinical Postures, Tools and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care (Intervarsity Press) with Mark Yarhouse, PsyD., and contributed to a four views book titled, Understanding Transgender Identities: 4 Views (Baker Academic).

LINKS

Julia Sadusky’s Website:

https://www.juliasadusky.com/

Conversion Truth For Families website:

https://www.conversiontruthforfamilies.org/free-guide

Julia Sadusky’s Amicus Brief:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-539/370705/20250826104808419_24-539%20Chiles%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf

Online Course: Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics:

https://talkingtoyourteencourse.com/

**Coupon code: Themiddlespace10 for 10% off the course for parents of teens

Book: Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth:

https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Gender-Identities-Understanding-Experiences/dp/1587434342/

Book: Gender Identity and Faith: Clinical Postures, Tools, and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care:

https://www.amazon.com/Gender-Identity-Faith-Clinical-Client-Centered/dp/0830841814/

Book: Emerging Sexual Identities: Navigating the Landscape with Today’s Youth (A Christian Guide to Understanding and Ministering to LGBTQ+ Youth):

https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Sexual-Identities-Understanding-Ministering/dp/1587436442

Julia Sadusky’s Substack:

https://drsadusky.substack.com/

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

 In the work I do with people who have experienced harm and abuse in the Church, a question that often comes up is: Why are you still Catholic?

Every person responds to that question in their own way. Maybe the most common response I hear is that it’s the sacraments, the Eucharist, that’s the thing that people feel keeps them connected to Catholicism.

But my answer to that question isn’t the Eucharist or the liturgy. Maybe the biggest thing keeping me Catholic is the Church’s teaching on the infinite dignity of every human person. Not the teaching itself necessarily, but the worldview, the moral vision, that comes out of it.

I wanted to share my love of this teaching, so for the past several weeks I have released a series of videos unpacking the prophetic and wildly unrealistic proclamation that every single human being has infinite dignity. I’m publishing these talks all together now into one podcast episode.

These talks will include discussion of the Church’s teaching on the universal destination of goods, the rights of immigrants, the death penalty, spiritual abuse, the preferential option for the poor, and more.

LINKS:

Watch the video series here:https://www.youtube.com/@CatholicThirdSpace/playlists

Dignitas Infinitahttps://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20240402_dignitas-infinita_en.html

Fratelli Tuttihttps://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html

Dilexi Tehttps://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20251004-dilexi-te.html

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

It was a joy yesterday meeting with Sarah Carter and Sr Carino Hodder OP to talk about Pope Leo’s ongoing catechesis on the documents of Vatican II.

Highlights included discussion about what it means for Scripture to be read in and for the Church; the Church as mystery and sacrament; the human and divine aspects of the Church; and the unity and diversity of the People of God. (It also seems worthy to mention that the resident Dominican breaks the stereotype and references Augustine ceaselessly while, if I recall correctly, not mentioning Aquinas once.)

Sarah and I hope is to host live discussions every month following Leo’s catechesis. So keep an eye out for the next one.

Go ahead and follow Sarah at Recovering Catholic and Pope Leo Weekly. She also put together a Leo Live Reading Companion.

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here: https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

Third Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode, I had a wonderful conversation with Anne Carpenter about Hans Urs von Balthasar, power, and vulnerability. Back in January, Anne had an essay in Commonweal titled, Raising the Bastions: Why the American Catholic right turned against Balthasar. In it, she was able to name the root sickness that I’ve seen and experienced in conservative Catholic spaces in the US, as well as in the institutional Church. Anne is insightful and profound, I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Anne Carpenter is a professor in the Department of Theological Studies at Saint Louis University. She is the author of Theo-Poetics: Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Risk of Art and Being (University of Notre Dame Press) and Nothing Gained Is Eternal: A Theology of Tradition (Fortress Press).

LINKS:

Raising the Bastions: Why the American Catholic right turned against Balthasarhttps://www.commonwealmagazine.org/carpenter-anne-balthasar-catholic-right

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

In this episode, I had a wonderful discussion with Dr. Julia Sadusky about the importance, difficulties, and challenges of talking with your kids about sex. More specifically, we talked about the harm caused by sexual shame, how to avoid passing shame onto our kids, and how to talk about sexuality in a way that honors dignity and conscience.

Dr. Julia Sadusky is an author, speaker, and licensed psychologist. She owns Lux Counseling and Consulting in Littleton, CO., where she offers individual, family, and couples therapy in addition to consultations for individuals and families around sexuality and gender. She also serves as a ministry educator, offering trainings and consultations to counseling centers and faith-based institutions on sexuality, gender identity, mental health, trauma-informed care, and the intersection of sexuality, gender, and theology. Other areas of focus include work with those experiencing complex trauma and eating disorders.

Dr. Sadusky’s most recent books are Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics and Talking with Your Teen About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (Ave Maria Press). Dr. Sadusky has coauthored two other books, including Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth (Brazos Press) and Gender Identity & Faith: Clinical Postures, Tools and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care (Intervarsity Press) with Mark Yarhouse, PsyD., and contributed to a four views book titled, Understanding Transgender Identities: 4 Views (Baker Academic).

LINKS

Dr. Julia Sadusky’s Website: https://www.juliasadusky.com/

Online Course: Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics:https://talkingtoyourteencourse.com/

**Coupon code: Themiddlespace10 for 10% off the course for parents of teens

Book: Start Talking to Your Kids about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics:https://www.amazon.com/Start-Talking-Your-Kids-about/dp/1646802225

Book: Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics:https://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Teen-about-Sex/dp/1646802241/

Dr. Julia Sadusky’s Substack:https://drsadusky.substack.com/

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Sarah Carter and I had a great conversation last night about Pope Leo’s ongoing catechesis on the documents of Vatican II.

We talked about God’s desires for us: to become human, to speak in our language, and to make us his friends. We also discussed the development of doctrine and how to interpret scripture.

Our hope is to host live discussions following this catechesis every month. So keep an eye out for the next one once we schedule it.

The live discussions will be available for paid subscribers of either Third Space or Pope Leo Weekly. (though I think last night I did something wrong and it was available to everyone! But thank you all for showing up, there were 150 viewers!) Then the recording will be made available to everyone in the days following.

Go ahead and follow Sarah at Recovering Catholic and Pope Leo Weekly. She also put together a Leo Live Reading Companion.

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here: https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

Third Space is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.