Jesuitical

It’s early in the morning. Mary Magdalene is going to visit the tomb of Jesus. What does she look like? How does she feel right now? You decide to go with her. Last week we spoke to Tucker Redding, S.J., a Jesuit in formation and a producer of “Jesuitical.” He just wrapped up a 10-episode podcast series called “Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer,” in which he guides the listener through a pivotal story in the life of Jesus as described in the four Gospels. Today, we bring you the final episode in the series, in which you, the listener, accompany Mary Magdalene as she makes her way to the tomb on Easter morning and unexpectedly encounters the risen Jesus. “Imagine” is an emotionally charged experience grounded in a tried method of prayer handed down by the Jesuits. Happy Easter from Ashley, Zac and Vivian! We treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share both the joys and challenges you experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church and the world. We cannot make this show or grow this community without your support. Please consider giving through Patreon. And thank you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura Fanucci was up in the middle of the night with her 5-week-old newborn when the words came to her: “When this is all over....” She wrote the poem on her phone and when she posted it on Instagram the next morning it caught fire. Politicians, celebrities, corporate brands and influencers shared her words with millions of people hungry to imagine what life will look like on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic. When she is not going viral, Laura is an author and mother of five who writes about parenting, grief and the sacramentality of everyday life. We ask her why she thinks her poem resonated with so many people, what her experience losing twin girls in a miscarriage taught her about processing and sharing our grief and how she is celebrating Holy Week in her very full house. In Signs of the Times, we discuss the acquittal of Cardinal George Pell on charges of sexual abuse. What are the implications of the high-profile case in Australia for the wider church? Next, we talk about Holy Week at home: what we are (and aren’t) doing to mark the death and resurrection of our Lord in a time of closed churches and social distancing.  We want to see your modified Easter celebrations, too. Show and tell us what you’re doing this week over on our Facebook page. During these strange and difficult times, we are committed to accompanying you all through this podcast and the larger Jesuitical community. If you can support our work by becoming a member of our Patreon community, we would be most grateful. Thank you, and Happy Easter! Links from the show Australia’s high court overturns guilty verdict against Cardinal George Pell on final appeal Vatican responds with measure to Cardinal Pell’s acquittal and release from prison Easter Sunday Mass with America Media Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America Good Friday livestream “When This Is Over,” by Laura Fanucci  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is it like to walk with the disciples through a vivid scene from the Gospels? It is possible through a spiritual practice called Ignatian contemplation that the Jesuits have been doing for centuries. That’s why our guest for this week’s bonus episode is Tucker Redding, S.J. He is the creator and writer of a new podcast retreat from America Media called, “Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer.” There is no better time than Holy Week to try this enriching spiritual practice! You can find it in “The Word” podcast feed wherever you listen to podcasts.  Plus, Assistant Editor Vivian Cabrera is back to co-host this bonus episode! It’s the “everything you wanted to know about Vivian” edition, including what she is reading and baking (sourdough bread) while living in self-quarantine. Now more than ever, we treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share both the joys and challenges you experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church. We cannot make this show or grow this community without your support. Please consider giving through Patreon. And thank you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not really fair or responsible to draw comparisons between the Black Plague and our current coronavirus pandemic. Our situation pales in comparison to 50 million deaths, or roughly 50% of Europe’s population alone in the mid-14th century. But what was true then is true now: The Catholic Church needed to change the way that it normally operated. And, as usual, history can be an illuminating teacher. Winston Black is a professor and medieval historian who focuses on the intersection of medicine and religion in the Middle Ages. We ask him to describe just how severe the Black Plague was, the church’s pastoral response and lessons the church can learn today. As we mentioned on the show, Jesuitical is going to try to increase our production during this time. That means you can expect more than one episode a week in your podcast feeds. You can listen to our first bonus conversation, featuring Matt Malone, S.J., president and editor in chief of America (a.k.a. our boss), now. We talk about developing a new appreciation for the Eucharist and what real political leadership looks like in this crisis. You can also connect with the show in our Facebook group, where members of the community are planning a Zoom meetup for other Jesuitical listeners.  Please pray for us, and know that we are praying for you.  Links from the show:  Signs of the Times:  Read: Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi address on coronavirus and Jesus calming the storm Podcast: Inside Pope Francis’ unprecedented Urbi et Orbi blessing for the end of coronavirus Site crashes as half million-plus watch England’s rededication to MaryCoronavirus forces Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre to close its doors for first time since 1349: 'Very sad'For Shut-In Pilgrims, the World’s Holiest Sites Are a Click AwayCatholic leaders praise Colorado's repeal of death penalty Books by Dr. Black:  Medicine and Healing in the Premodern West: A History in Documents The Middle Ages: Facts and Fictions   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Running a Catholic media organization during a pandemic.Developing a new appreciation for the Eucharist from quarantine.What real political leadership should look like in a time of crisis. Matt Malone, S.J., the editor in chief of America Media (a.k.a. our boss), is the guest for this first bonus episode of Jesuitical during the coronavirus pandemic. We talk with him about running a media ministry in these unsettling times and how his role as a priest has changed since the suspension of public Masses. We also ask Father Malone what it’s like to live in quarantine with 13 other Jesuits and discuss the Jesuit roots of Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Lucky for us, Father Malone brings a special dispensation from our Lenten fast from alcohol! Cheers from away! Plus, Assistant Editor Vivian Cabrera (who sits between Zac and Ashley in the office keeping the peace) helps cohost the conversation. Welcome Vivian! Now more than ever, we treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share both the joys and challenges you experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church. We cannot make this show or grow this community without your support. Please consider giving through Patreon. And thank you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No priest becomes a bishop imagining he will one day tell his people not to come to Mass. But across the United States and much of the world, bishops have had to make the heartrending decision to shutter their churches and cancel the public celebration of the Mass and other sacraments.  This week, we speak with Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Ky., about how his ministry has changed amid the coronavirus pandemic. We ask how people in his diocese responded to his decision to suspend public Masses, the creative ways his priests are ministering to their parish communities and what he would want to say to Catholics who are struggling with their faith in this time of sorrow, fear and uncertainty.  On Signs of the Times, Kathleen McChesney, advocate for victims of clergy sex abuse, receives one of the U.S. church’s most prestigious awards. Plus we discuss the closure of a historic Catholic newspaper and the devastating effect of the coronavirus pandemic on parishes’ finance as well as the people who work for and are served by the local church. Finally, the creative ways priests are bringing the sacraments to their flock—and how the rest of us are keeping the faith alive at home.  Now more than ever, we treasure the community you all have helped to build on Jesuitical’s Facebook page. Don’t hesitate to share both the joys and challenges you experience during this difficult moment in the life of our church. We cannot make this show or grow this community without your support. Please consider giving through Patreon. And thank you. Links from the show Kathleen McChesney, advocate for abuse victims, to receive Laetare Medal Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper terminates all employees, comes as 'a shock' to staff With Masses suspended, parishes face collection shortfalls and perilous finances Indianapolis Archdiocese shuts down drive-thru confessions What’s on tap?Hand sanitizer. Lots of hand sanitizer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips treated the United States’s first coronavirus patient. She is the chief clinical officer and executive vice president at Providence St. Joseph Health, a Catholic hospital located outside Seattle. We asked her about where we are as a country in addressing this pandemic. Her answers were pretty clear: We aren’t even close to overreacting; we need to support our medical professionals; it’s normal to be afraid, but we don’t need to be conquered by our fear. Dr. Compton-Phillips also gives insight into the unique role that Catholic health care is and should be playing during this pandemic, and what it’s done in previous public health emergencies.  On Signs of the Times, we discuss what trying to practice our faith looks like from home and how the pandemic is affecting the church around the world. We also share a bit of good news: Washington State’s lieutenant governor (and former Jesuitical guest) Cyrus Habib announced that he's not running for re-election—he’s joining the Jesuits instead.  Links from the show:  Coronavirus: News, Reflections, Analysis. What you need to know. Jesuitical’s Facebook group—Join the discussion Podcast: Pope Francis makes pilgrimage through the deserted streets of Rome Washington Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib will not seek re-election in order to join the Jesuits Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib: Why I am giving up elected office and joining the Jesuits What’s on tap? Nothing still, but we are starting to re-think our penances…. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Lent in full-swing and warmer weather around the corner, many Catholics are probably thinking about food and their bodies more than normally. But what if the way that we’re approaching fasting and dieting is harmful—especially to our neighbors who inhabit larger bodies? This week, we speak with fat activist and host of the Fat & Faithful podcast, Amanda Martinez Beck. “It took me a long time to believe that God was not disappointed with my body,” Amanda wrote in a piece for America titled “Why Lent can be a dangerous time when you’re recovering from an eating disorder.” We talk with Amanda about how her relationship to her body and health has changed over time, and how Catholics can be more welcoming to people with larger bodies. In Signs of the Times, we take on what is on everyone’s mind: coronavirus. We look at how Catholics around the world are responding practically, and ask if there are some spiritual lessons to be learned from the pandemic. We also discuss the recently announced 2022 synod of bishops on—wait for it—synodality, and check in on how our Lenten practices are going. Let us know what you think about the episode on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and help other listeners find Jesuitical by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a member of our Patreon community. Patrons get access to an exclusive newsletter written by one of your hosts each week. Links from the show:  Fat & Faithful podcast Amanda’s Twitter Coronavirus: News, Reflections, Analysis. What you need to know. Pope Francis chooses ‘synodality’ as theme for 2022 synod Can Catholics eat the Impossible Burger during Lent? Sure — but it’s kind of missing the point, experts say. What’s on tap?  It’s Lent: Nothing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past 10 years, George Williams, S.J., has passed through metal doors plastered with the word “CONDEMNED” to minister to the men on death row at San Quentin State Prison, located on the north side of the San Francisco Bay. As the Jesuit chaplain for the California prison, he provides spiritual counseling, teaches theology and says Mass in what many would consider the most hopeless of circumstances. Yet amid the sin and injustice that he sees each day, Father Williams also encounters conversion, forgiveness and grace. We ask Father Williams how he spiritually prepares men for the death penalty or life without parole, how Jesuit spirituality resonates with inmates and what he would say to Catholics who disagree with Pope Francis’ pronouncement that capital punishment is “inadmissible.” Zac is on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, so no Signs of the Times this week. However, he sends a special message to the Jesuitical podcast community! You can tell us what you think about the interview on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and help other listeners find Jesuitical by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a member of our Patreon community. Patrons get access to an exclusive newsletter written by one of your hosts each week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is a beautiful thing when the sacred and the quirky come together in such a way that only Catholicism can arrange. Filling a crop duster plane with holy water and blessing an entire small town definitely qualifies as sacred and quirky in the best way. This week we chat with Father Matthew Barzare, the pastor of St. Anne Church in Cow Island, La., who gave the blessing. We get the full story from Father Matt: Where did the idea come from? Were there logistical issues? Canonical issues? What buildings got blessed? (Sneak peak: The town bar is among them.) In Signs of the Times, we unpack Pope Francis’ Lenten message and get a special Lenten penance from our friends Stephanie Butnick and Liel Leibovitz from Unorthodox, the world’s leading Jewish podcast. We also discuss the devastating revelations of the sexual misconduct by the late founder of L’Arche, Jean Vanier.  Tell us what you think about the episode on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and help other listeners find Jesuitical by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a member of our Patreon community. Patrons get access to an exclusive newsletter written by one of your hosts each week!   Links from the show Internal report finds that L’Arche founder Jean Vanier engaged in decades of sexual misconduct Pope Francis delivers annual message for Lent Pope Francis recognizes the martyrdom of Jesuit Rutilio Grande and two lay companions in El Salvador Why does it take so long for the Catholic Church to recognize martyrs of justice? Louisiana parish uses plane to bless town with 100 gallons of holy water What’s on tap?Everything but the liquor cabinet (before we start our dry Lent) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices