Jesuitical

We have a great summer bonus episode, all about baseball! To listen to the full episode, become a patron of Jesuitical!This is the first season with a pitch clock in Major League Baseball, which was implemented to try to speed up the game and appeal to younger viewers. But to some longtime baseball fans the rule change feels gimmicky and disrespectful to the grand tradition of America's pastime.If the debate sounds familiar, that's because the Catholic Church is at a similar pivotal moment in its history. Younger people are not filling the pews as previous generations have, and Catholics are grappling with how to reform itself without compromising its authentic tradition. On today's episode, two past guests and baseball fanatics return to debate the pitch clock and draw analogies between the game and the church they love. J.D. Long-Garcia is a senior editor at America and Greg Hillis runs the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University. You can read their takes on the pitch clock here:J.D. Long-Garcia, "The pitch clock is a travesty. The Catholic Church must learn from baseball’s mistake."Greg Hillis, "Quit Trying to ‘Fix’ Baseball" and "In Praise of the Pitch Clock"Help support the production of Jesuitical by becoming a patron! It's simple, easy, and you can listen to bonus episodes on your podcast app! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the season finale of “Jesuitical,” Zac and producer Sebastian Gomes talk with Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., who leads the Vatican’s department for social justice and human development. (Ashley was out of the country at the time of the interview). Cardinal Czerny is also the co-author of the new book Siblings All, Sign of the Times: The Social Teaching of Pope Francis. We talk to him about: The disputed legacy of Vatican II How Pope Francis has developed the church’s social teaching How the church should relate to the outside world In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley point ahead to some stories to look out for this summer. And in As One Friend Speaks to Another, they look back at the season and the many graces it held.Links from the show:Jesuitical listener surveyLearn more about the O’Hare fellowshipVatican confirms Pope Francis will enjoy a ‘staycation’ in JulyPope Francis’ prep advice for World Youth Day: talk to your grandparents firstSiblings All, Sign of the Times: The Social Teaching of Pope Francis by Cardinal Michael Czerny and Father Christian BaroneIgnatian Wisdom Fellowship from Loyola University ChicagoSacred Heart Major Seminary’s online course "An Introduction to Spirituality”What’s on tap?Rum sunset, prepared by outgoing O’Hare fellow, Chris Parker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Jesuitical, Ashley and Zac chat with Bryan McCarthy, who teaches philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and is the author of a new paper, “Christianity and Psychedelic Medicine: A Pastoral Approach.” They discuss:  What the church teaches about drugs and intoxication How psychedelic drugs are being used in therapeutic settings, and how Christians should respond Bryan’s own religious experiences while using psychedelic drugs  During Signs of the Times, Ashley and Zac give initial reactions to the new working document for the Synod on Synodality and discuss a curious story involving a fake priest and serious labor violations out of California. Links from the show:  Bryan’s paper Vatican releases Synod document calling for discussion of women, LGBT Catholics, church authority and more California restaurant had fake priest hear workers’ confessions, Labor Department says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this year, Pope Francis called most Catholic homilies “a disaster.” Well, we’re doing something about it. This week, Ashley and Zac welcome Ricardo da Silva, S.J., their colleague and the host of the brand new podcast from America Media, “Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast.”“Preach” releases weekly and features a diverse cast of the finest Catholic preachers. On each episode, preachers open up their hearts and minds, sharing their spiritual lives, approaches to interpreting Scripture and techniques for preparing the best homilies.Whether you’re curious about preaching methods, or you’re a preacher looking for inspiration and best practices, “Preach” is here to accompany you through the liturgical year with great homilies and conversations about them.Follow “Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast” on your podcast app! Or at AmericaMagazine.orgIf you know a priest, deacon or lay preacher who would benefit from “Preach,” please share it with them! And, if you want to recommend a great preacher for “Preach,” let us know here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Linda K. Wertheimer, a journalist and the author of the book Faith Ed: Teaching about Religion in an Age of Intolerance. In a recent article in The New Republic, Linda explores renewed efforts in some parts of the country to get prayer back into public schools. They discuss: Linda’s experience of being the only Jewish student in a public school with weekly Christian Bible classes The history of school prayer at the Supreme Court How to balance religious freedom and inclusion in an increasingly diverse country In Signs of the Times, the hosts give an update on Pope Francis’ recovery after his three-hour abdominal surgery and discuss the approval of what would be the first publicly funded religious charter school in the nation.Finally, Ashley reflects on her vision of heaven.Links from the show:Surgeon: Pope Francis is ‘alert’ and cracking jokes after hernia operationCatholic virtual school approved by Oklahoma board would be first religious charter in the U.S.Inside the Christian Legal Crusade to Revive School Prayer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ashley and Zac are joined by Bishop John Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix to talk about losing several members of his family to suicide, a groundbreaking new mental health ministry in his diocese and how the church can better support those struggling with mental health issues. They are also joined by America colleague James Martin, S.J., who serves as a consultor for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. They discuss the dicastery’s new document “Towards Full Presence: A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media.”Finally, Zac brings a question to discuss: Does God take bribes? Links from the show: Bishop Dolan: How losing family to suicide led me to start a mental health ministryOffice of Mental Health Ministry of the Diocese of PhoenixNational Suicide Prevention LifelineAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionTowards Full Presence: A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social MediaVatican tells the bishops of Catholic Twitter: be reflective, not reactiveGod doesn’t accept bribes in prayer. Or does he?What’s on tap? Maker’s MarkSupport Jesuitical by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/americamedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Jesuitical is joined by Sister Donna Dodge, the president of the Sisters of Charity of New York, which recently decided to embark on a “path to completion,” meaning the over 200-year-old congregation will no longer accept new vocations (though their ministry continues). We discuss: How religious life has changed since Sister Donna joined in 1966 How the sisters discerned that it was time to let go—and how their charism of charity will live on in the work of lay collaborators Why the church needs to change the way it talks about “vocation” with young people And in Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley chat with America’s national correspondent, Michael O’Loughlin, about the controversy sparked by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ decision to include a group of “drag queen nuns” in their Pride Night this June.Links from the show:Drag queen ‘nuns’ will be included in LA Dodgers Pride Night. I have complicated feelings about it.The end of an era for the Sisters of Charity of New York Nerves, tears and chanting: What I saw during the New York Sisters of Charity vote to stop accepting membersWhat’s on tap? Scotch on the rocksSupport Jesuitical by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/americamedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore Toni Morrison's Catholic upbringing and her deep fascination with the rituals and aesthetics of Catholicism. Delve into her evolving understanding of Catholicism, spirituality, and religious themes in her work. Discover the origins of Toni Morrison's spiritual vision and gain insight into her life and celebrated novels. Dive into an interview discussing her book on Toni Morrison's spiritual vision, including the canonization of a devoted woman serving marginalized people.

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 JesuitsHow 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 CompanySupport Jesuitical by becoming a Patron at Patreon.com/americamedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices