Jesuitical

On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by America magazine’s editor in chief, Sam Sawyer, S.J., and America editor at large James Martin, S.J., to discuss the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88 in the early morning of April 21, 2025. He was the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit pope.Zac, Ashley, Sam and Jim discuss: - Their personal encounters with the pope and how Francis impacted their priesthoods, careers and prayer life - Pope Francis’ gifts as a pastor—and whether he will have a lasting impact on the papacy- How Pope Francis responded to criticism and sought to preserve the unity of the churchLinks for further reading: - Pope Francis, trailblazing Jesuit with a heart for the poor, dies at 88- How Pope Francis changed the place of women in the church- Pope Francis never stopped being a Jesuit- Trump, Vance and Biden react to the death of Pope Francis- A prayer for our beloved Pope Francis- Vatican releases Pope Francis’ final testament- What happens after a pope dies?- Pope Francis died after stroke and heart attack, Vatican says- Pope Francis’ funeral set for April 26, first photos of his body released- Before picking a new pope, the cardinals will politick- In last words, Pope Francis thanked his nurse ‘for bringing me back to the square’You can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Sam Sorich, an award-winning filmmaker teaching film production at John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, California. His latest film, which you can watch on YouTube, is “Things Hidden: The Life and Legacy of René Girard.”Zac, Ashley and Sam discuss: - How Sam’s love of filmmaking and faith led him to make a documentary on the life and work of philosopher René Girard- Mimetic desire, Girard’s central theory of human behavior and relationships- Girard’s insights that offer a new perspective on Christian theologyIn Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ plan to end a decades-long partnership with the U.S. government related to refugee resettlement after funding cuts from the Trump administration; and the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council in the history of the church. Zoom Event | Praying through Holy Week with ‘Jesuitical’ and Father James MartinAs we enter into Holy Week, join America Media for a subscriber-only virtual event with James Martin, S.J., and “Jesuitical” hosts Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless.Links for further reading: Things Hidden: The Life and Legacy of René Girard8beats 8beats and Cinematic Catholic Beauty: An Interview with Sam SorichU.S. bishops will cease refugee resettlement work with government after Trump funding freezeNicaea anniversary inspires faith, strengthens mission, theologians sayThe Council of Nicaea, Christian unity and a common date for EasterPope Francis hopes to travel to Turkey for Council of Nicea’s 1,700th anniversary"Inside the Vatican": The Council of Nicaea and the struggle for a common date of Easter Why the Council of Nicaea still matters—1,700 years laterYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining Zac and Ashley on this week’s episode of “Jesuitical” is Kerry Robinson, the president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, the domestic humanitarian arm of the Catholic Church in the United States. Kerry was recently awarded the Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, the oldest and most prestigious honor bestowed exclusively on American Catholics.Zac, Ashley and Kerry discuss: - Kerry’s family history of serving the Catholic Church- The importance of having more women in leadership positions in the church - How Kerry has navigated challenging political opposition to Catholic Charities’ work with migrants and refugeesIn Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the Supreme Court’s likelihood to side with Catholic Charities in a religious-rights case; and a recent article in The Economist about Carlo Acutis, who is set to be made the first “millennial saint” on Apr. 27, 2025. Links for further reading: Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, to receive 2025 Laetare MedalCatholic Charities USA: Working to Reduce Poverty in AmericaSupreme Court seems likely to side with Catholic Charities in religious-rights caseThe secret life of the first millennial saintZac’s NYC marathon Catholic Charities fundraiserYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining Zac and Ashley on this episode of “Jesuitical” recorded in Douglaston, N.Y., is Msgr. Robert Sarno, a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn and a former official of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. With 38 years of experience in overseeing the process of canonization and beatification of saints, Monsignor Sarno offers a deep dive into the world of Catholic relics, including their history, hierarchy and controversy. Zac, Ashley and Monsignor Sarno discuss: - How the devotion to relics began in the early Catholic Church and evolved over time- The distinction between first-class, second-class and third-class relics - Contemporary issues with the misuse and trafficking of relics Links for further reading: Why every Catholic church altar has a relic inside itHow are saints made in the Catholic Church? Inside the long, complicated and expensive processSt. Thomas Aquinas’ skull went on tour. Here’s what the medieval saint would have said about its venerationI’ve always loved relics. After my cancer diagnosis, they mean even more to me.I wear a third-degree relic every day. It reminds me that all things are possible through God.What to make of holy relicsYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Jubilee Year of Hope-themed episode of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley chat with Father Ramil Fajardo, a tribunal judge in the Archdiocese of Chicago, about indulgences: What are they? Where did they come from? And how are they practiced today? Zac, Ashley and Father Ramil discuss: - The evolution of indulgences, from the early church through the Protestant Reformation to today- The four current grants of indulgences, which involve acts of faith, charity, penance and witness- How to approach indulgences during the current Jubilee Year of HopeIn Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss a recent announcement from Buckingham Palace that King Charles II and Queen Camilla will be received in a Vatican audience by Pope Francis on April 8; and describe the busy lives of nuns working the Vatican switchboard to soothe anxious callers asking about Pope Francis’ health. Jesuitical is coming to Philadelphia! Join the Jesuitical team in Philadelphia for a Holy & Happy Hour at the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!Topic: How to talk to your friends about your faithDate: Tuesday, March 25, 2025Location: 1166 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146Time: 6 p.m. adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; 7 p.m. group faith sharing and happy hour (come to either or both!)Links for further reading: Vatican norms for Jubilee indulgence include pilgrimage, penance, serviceThe Key Of Heaven: A Prayer Book for CatholicsManual of IndulgencesThe Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Breaking: Pope Francis will receive King Charles III and Queen Camilla in audience in the Vatican on April 8At the Vatican switchboard, nuns soothe anxious callers about Pope FrancisYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Sofia Carozza, a developmental neuroscientist working in research and a co-host of “The Pilgrim Soul,” a Catholic podcast about the journey of faith in the modern world. Sofia is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Human Network Initiative at Harvard Medical School, where she uses computational modelling to study the role of the early-life environment in the development of the human brain. Zac, Ashley and Sofia discuss: - The brain as a “relational organ” linking body and spirit- The neuroscientific response to the question, “What does it mean to be human?”- Sofia’s experience as a person of faith in a “secular field”- Digital technology’s effects on our brains (and faith)In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley give an update on Pope Francis’ health after doctors lifted their “guarded prognosis,” meaning they no longer believe the pope is in imminent danger; next they discuss the lowering the standard age for confirmation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to 9.Jesuitical is coming to Philadelphia! Join the Jesuitical team in Philadelphia for a Holy & Happy Hour at the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!Topic: How to talk to your friends about your faithDate: Tuesday, March 25, 2025Location: 1166 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146Time: 6:00pm adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; 7:00pm group faith sharing and happy hourLinks for further reading: “The Pilgrim Soul: A Catholic Podcast” “An Appraisal of the Neuroscientific Revolution’s Promise of New Theological Horizons” by Sofia CarozzaThe Religious Sense by Luigi Giussani“The Faith of Fr. Luigi Giussani”Chest X-ray confirms improvements in Pope Francis’ conditionPope Francis is out of imminent danger. What’s next?Confirmation age lowered to 9 years old in Archdiocese of BaltimoreYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Kim Daniels, the director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. Kim is a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, and served in the 2021-24 Synod on Synodality as an expert participant, as a member of the Synod Communications Commission, and as the coordinator of one of the 10 major Synod study groups, which focused on the church’s mission in the digital environment.Zac, Ashley and Kim discuss: - How the Catholic Church is responding to the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID- Kim’s vision for implementing Catholic social teaching in the digital age - How the church and government partner to serve communities, including some myth-busting about where funds go and how they’re usedIn Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley are joined by Bill O’Keefe, the executive vice president for mission, mobilization and advocacy at Catholic Relief Services, to discuss the 50th anniversary of C.R.S. Rice Bowl—an ecumenical response to the problem of world hunger. Plus: an update on Pope Francis’ health, and the Trump administration terminates the U.S. bishops’ refugee resettlement contract.Links for further reading: Trump administration terminates US bishops’ refugee resettlement contractI led Catholic Relief Services. I’ve seen USAID projects change lives.Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public LifePope Francis’ hospitalization: The complex picture, three weeks inFormer USCCB spokesperson Kim Daniels appointed to Vatican commissionThe interfaith history of the C.R.S. Rice BowlThe Mission of C.R.S. Rice BowlYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 21 days of hospitalization, Pope Francis sent a brief message of thanks that was played for those praying for him in St. Peter's Square the night of March 6.Read Gerard O'Connell's report on the message here.Visit americamagazine.org for the latest on Pope Francis' health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley are joined by Sister Josephine Garrett, a sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth, a licensed counselor, host of the “Hope Stories” podcast and the author of the new book, Wilderness Within: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation. Presently a counselor in private practice, Sister Josephine earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2019. Prior to entering religious life, she worked as vice president in the home loans division of Bank of America. She resides in Tyler, Tex.Zac, Ashley and Sister Josephine discuss: - The challenges (and graces) that emerge in the spiritual wilderness- How therapy and counseling compare to spiritual direction and prayer- Why Lent promotes deeper reflections on our relationships with others and ourselvesIn Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley are joined by America’s editor at large, James Martin, S.J., to give an update on Pope Francis’ health after his 13th day in Gemelli Hospital, where he is being treated for pneumonia in both of his lungs. They also discuss Father Martin’s viral prayer for the pope during his illness, which is linked below. Links for further reading: Wilderness Within: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation A prayer for Pope Francis during his grave illnessUpdate: Pope Francis’ CT scan shows ‘normal progression of the lung inflammation’Pope Francis beats back speculation of imminent death or conclave as he continues pneumonia recoveryHope Stories with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFNSisters of the Holy Family of NazarethYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 SciencePope Francis, battling double pneumonia, ‘alert and responsive,’ according to Italian PMCardinals push back on rumors Pope Francis will resign while in hospitalThree ways Pope Francis should fix the procedures for papal illness, death and electionsYou can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.  You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices