Jesuitical

Last weekend Jesuitical took the show on the road for our first live recording at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in my hometown, Arlington, Va. The Teach-In is the country’s largest Catholic social justice gathering, which brings together students from Jesuit high schools and colleges and other members of the Ignatian family for three days of learning, prayer and advocacy. For this week’s interview, the tables were turned and your hosts were in the hot seat. Our audience had some extremely thoughtful questions for us: How has our faith changed since graduating from college? How do you convince teens who say they like God but not religion that the church has something to offer them? And, of course, if we could canonize one person, living or dead, Catholic or not, who would it be? And in Signs of the Times, Pope Francis makes an extra-long distance call to the International Space Station. Next, the “chainsaw nun” now has an IPA named in her honor [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we talk with celebrity nun, Sister Simone Campbell. Sister Simone is the leader of the Nuns on the Bus and executive director of the NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. We talk balancing spirituality with fame, women religious, Catholic feminism, Paul Ryan and more.  In Signs of the Times, next week is Halloween, and some women religious warn: sexy nun costumes aren’t funny. Half of U.S. citizens don’t think you need to believe in God to be a good person—what exactly does it mean to be good? Have you heard of the Palmarian Catholic Church? Well, Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and infamous for getting Catholicism wrong, has a new book out focusing on the creepy, Catholic sect (as a bonus, you guys get to hear about Zac’s schismatic church rabbit hole). Earlier this year, the Vatican released a survey in anticipation of next year’s Synod 2018 on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment. The three of us took the survey ba [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“What does religion have to offer me?” It’s a question more people are asking as affiliation with organized religion continues to fall. Brandon Vogt thinks that Catholics should be ready with answers. “Today, as the world becomes more and more disinterested and disenchanted with religion, we need this positive approach [to being Catholic more] than a negative defense,” he says. Vogt, the guest on this week’s episode of Jesuitical, is the author of Why I am Catholic (And You Should Be Too). In it, Vogt recounts his conversion to Catholicism and the arguments that convinced him to enter the church. He also outlines arguments he thinks will convince those skeptical of what the Catholic Church teaches. Before the interview with Vogt, we summarize and discuss the top [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to be a feminist? I wasn’t raised one—I barely even understood what the word meant growing up. It wasn’t until my 20s that I began to fully engage with feminist ideas and literature, from Betty Friedan to bell hooks to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. For me, feminism is intersectional, incorporating various aspects of my identity: being a woman of color, an immigrant, a writer, and a person of faith. This week, in a women’s only episode—Zac is on a much deserved vacation—Ashley and I discuss our personal relationships with the feminist label, Catholicism and more with this week’s guest, Claire Swinarski. A former FOCUS missionary, Claire is the host of “The Catholic Feminist Podcast.” And, in Signs of the Times, Pope Francis reaches [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even super fans (your hosts included) of Grammy-nominated Christian artist Matt Maher may not know this fun fact: The Canadian musician went to a Jesuit high school in Newfoundland! On this week’s episode, we ask Matt if Ignatian spirituality has influenced his music, how the music industry has changed since he released his first album in 2001 and about the place of protest and suffering in his latest album, “Echoes,” which dropped on Sept. 29. In Signs of the Times, we talk about how we, as individuals and a country, responded to the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. Are thoughts and prayers enough? Is this the right time to talk about gun control? Next, a former ESPN employee fired for writing a racist headline and about to become a Catholic priest show the power of second chances. And in other sports news, a Catholic diocese decrees that student athletes and spectators cannot take a knee during the national anthem. Also, they might have found Santa’s gra [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tiny homes—you’ve probably heard of them. They’re littered all over Instagram and Pinterest, and HGTV has dedicated a show to hunting them. But what you probably haven’t heard about is how they could be a solution to end chronic homelessness. This week we talk to Andrew Lunetta, a graduate of LeMoyne University, who is the executive director of A Tiny Home for Good. Only 27, Andrew “builds and manages safe, affordable and dignified housing for individuals facing homelessness in Syracuse, New York.” How does he do it? In Signs of the Times, we discuss the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified, funeral Mass-crashing and the controversy around N.F.L. players taking a knee. This week we’re giving away print copies of the latest issue of America if you leave us an iTunes review! To have one personally mailed to you, leave us a review on iTunes and send us [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, we talked about how to pray—this week, we bring you the music for those prayers as we talk with Catholic rockstar Audrey Assad. She is the daughter of a Syrian refugee, an author, speaker and producer who uses her music and her various social media platforms to talk about her Syrian identity and movements like Black Lives Matter. We talk to Audrey about her latest album, “Inheritance,” her conversion to Catholicism and more. We’ve also got an exclusive preview (!) of her next album, “Evergreen,” which debuts next year. Next in Signs of the Times, we pray for Mexico and the lives lost in the latest earthquake to hit the country. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we talk about “Siervas,” a rock band from Peru made up of 11 nuns. And an 11- [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chances are if you’re Catholic you’ve said it, or at least thought it: I am terrible at praying. I know I have (and am). You’ve tried the rosary. You’ve given the Examen a shot. You even dragged yourself to adoration. Why isn’t God answering?! Especially in this long slog between Pentecost and Advent, it’s easy to get discouraged. Fear not, dear listener. This week, we bring back Father James Martin, who has written a new book on prayer, In All Seasons, For All Reasons: Praying Throughout the Year. We ask him: How to (pumpkin?) spice up your prayer life during plain ol’ Ordinary Time? What’s your favorite way to pray? And what’s the worst prayer advice you’ve ever heard? (You can enter to win a free copy of Father Martin’s book if you leave us a review on iTunes, screenshot the review and then send it to jesuitical@americamedia.org!) We also asked listen [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rap got religious last year. At least that’s what Zac wrote earlier this year for America. The truth is, while it may have gotten more explicit about religion in 2016, hip-hop has always had a deep religious undercurrent to its bars and beats. This week we’re chatting with Alex Nava, the author of In Search of Soul: Hip-Hop, Literature, and Religion. We talk to Alex about religion’s influence on hip-hop and why people are surprised to find out about it. If you need any convincing before or after listening to us—go listen to Kendrick Lamar’s “How Much a Dollar Cost.” In Signs of the Times, we talk Pope Francis in Colombia, rapping nuns, beer-brewing monks and proposing in front of Pope Francis. Links from the show: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you connect our episode title to Beyoncé, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs or even Vampire Weekend, maps matter. This week we are talking with Molly Burhans, the founder and executive director of GoodLands, a startup that is mapping the global Catholic Church. Information can change lives and Molly helped us wrap our heads around the amazing work she and h [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices