The Pilgrim Soul

Sofia and Giuliana discuss subsidiarity, a principle of Catholic Social Teaching. What is subsidiarity and how is it commonly misunderstood? Can Catholic Social Teaching free us from ideology and partisan politics? What invitation does the principle of subsidiarity pose to each one of us? What gifts come from obeying it, both personally and socially? // Our weekly challenge is to donate to a local organization. And our media recommendation is the book Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Encyclicals: Caritas in Veritate by Pope Benedict XVI, Quadragesimo Anno by Pope Pius XI, Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone Luigi Giussani’s books Il Tempo e il Tempio and Generating Traces in the History of the World Mother Teresa’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech Summary of Catholic Social Teaching: www.caritas.org/who-we-are/catholic-social-teaching/ // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna and Sofia confront existential nihilism, the experience of the emptiness and meaninglessness of life. How is our society afflicted by nihilism? What symptoms in our culture point to this loss of meaning? In our own lives, what does the battle against nihilism look like -- and in the end, what saves each of us from the abyss of nothingness? // Our weekly challenge is to ask yourself, when you get out of bed each morning this week, “What saves me from nothingness?” And our media recommendation is Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel Nausea. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Fr. Julian Carron’s book The Radiance in Your Eyes Will to Power, a collection of the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche T.S. Eliot’s Choruses from The Rock The fourth homily from “In the Beginning” by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Viktor Frankl’s essay “Reductionism and Nihilism” Vivek Murphy’s 2017 article on the epidemic of loneliness: hsc.unm.edu/school-of-medicine/education/assets/doc/wellness/murthy-loneliness.pdf // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Giuliana and Sofia take on two forms of difficulty in prayer: distraction and desolation. What causes these difficulties? Is it possible that they can be a gift from God? And what practical steps can we take if we’re plagued by distraction or stuck in desolation? This is a follow-up episode to the one on prayer. // Our weekly challenge is to go for a walk in silence. And our media recommendation is East Coker, the second poem from T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Cardinal Robert Sarah’s book The Power of Silence Fr. Jacques Philippe’s book Time for God Saint John of the Cross’ poem Dark Night of the Soul Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s writings in Come Be My Light Luigi Giussani’s book La Convenienza Umana della Fede The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila by Herself // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Fr. Colin Parrish joins Sofia on the podcast for a conversation about evangelization. Who is called to be a missionary? What does it mean to share the Gospel without proselytizing? Is it possible to be a witness for Christ in the everyday circumstances of an ordinary life? What if we fail? // Our weekly challenge is to ask God (1) how He is going to answer a persistent need of your own heart, and (2) how He wants to use you to respond to the needs of someone in your life. And our media recommendations are the songs Pontiac 87 by Protomartyr and This Must be the Place by The Talking Heads. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We're happy to pass on a message to Fr. Colin. // Other resources we mention: Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Vita Consecrata Luigi Giussani’s book The Journey to Truth is an Experience St. Thérèse of Lisieux's autobiography Story of a Soul The life of St. Francis Xavier: www.jesuits.global/saint-blessed/saint-francis-xavier/ // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna and Sofia explore the ideas of poverty and detachment. Our points for discussion include: What is poverty of spirit and why should we desire it? How is it related to material poverty? How are we personally trying to grow in freedom through detachment? // Our weekly challenge is to engage in some form of fasting. And our media recommendations are the book The Long Loneliness and the film Life Is Beautiful. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Saint Francis’ Canticle of the Sun Luigi Giussani’s book Morality: Memory, and Desire Mother Mary Francis’ book of reflections Come Lord Jesus Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s “I Thirst” letter to her sisters // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Fr. Chase Pepper joins Sofia on the podcast to share some wisdom about death. What’s missing in our Western society’s relationship to mortality and mourning? What alternative does the Church offer? What steps can we take so that, when we are confronted with our finitude, fear and anxiety can give way to gratitude? // Our weekly challenge is to visit and pray at a cemetery. And our media recommendation is the collection of poetry “Love Poems from God,” compiled by Daniel Ladinsky. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We’re happy to pass a message on to Fr. Chase as well. // Other resources we mention: The beatitudes (Catechism 1716-1729), the three theological virtues (1812-1829), and the corporal works of mercy (2443-2449) Introduction to the Order of Christian Funerals www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/OCF/OCF-Intro.pdf Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s book Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life The “Sayings of Light and Love” of Saint John of the Cross Paul Tillich’s Systematic Theology, volume I An interview given by Fr. Luigi Giussani in 1987: english.clonline.org/fr-giussani/t246/fr-giussani-three-interviews // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna and Sofia have a conversation about faith through the lens of heresy, which is the choice of a partial view of God. What were some of the major heresies of the early Church? Where do we see them in the culture today -- and in our own lives? And what do mercy and tenderness have to do with it? // Our weekly challenge is to meditate on the story of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32. And our media recommendation is the film The Painted Veil. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Check out the Minding Scripture podcast at www.mindingscripture.com. // Other resources we mention: G.K. Chesterton’s book Orthodoxy Romano Guardini’s book The Lord Athanasius’ treatise Against the Arians Charles Peguy’s poem The Portal of the Mystery of Hope Sigrid Undset's trilogy of novels Kristin Lavransdatter Luigi Giussani’s diagram of the Incarnation: https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/assets/418909/1200x/guissani.jpg Augustine’s treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Sofia and Giuliana talk about prayer. What is the relationship between prayer and the rest of our lives? Why does Luigi Giussani say prayer is begging? Then, through the lens of our personal journeys, we explore the unique beauty and power of different forms of prayer, including the Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Lectio Divina, and the Rosary. Stay tuned for a follow-up episode on dealing with difficulties and dryness in prayer. // Our weekly challenge is to download the prayer app Hallow. And our media recommendation is the Galician song Lela: youtu.be/lGLRrW7lwUE. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Luigi Giussani’s book The Religious Sense Saint Teresa of Avila’s book The Interior Castle The poetry of Saint John of the Cross Fr. Aldo Trento’s foundation in Paraguay: www.sanrafael.org.py The Rule of Saint Benedict // Links to overviews of the prayer forms prayer we discussed: Mass: www.usccb.org/offices/public-affairs/structure-and-meaning-mass Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours: www.universalis.com/lauds.htm Eucharistic Adoration: www.catholic-link.org/how-to-go-to-adoration-eucharist Lectio Divina: www.bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/lectio-divina-beginners-guide Rosary: www.catholic.com/tract/the-rosary // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Adrianna and Giuliana discuss suffering. We start by talking a bit about theology: If God loves us, why do we suffer? Then, we get more personal: How have we found freedom in suffering? Who has inspired us to live suffering well? What steps are we trying to take in our own experiences of suffering? / Our weekly challenge is to commemorate 3PM on Friday — the time Jesus died. And our media recommendation is the novel East of Eden by John Steinbeck. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Saint Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic letter Salvifici Doloris Saint Augustine’s Confessions Mother Teresa’s letters in the book Come Be My Light Fr. Jacque Philippe’s book Interior Freedom "Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday" // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”

Sofia and Adrianna talk about hospitality. How can we learn to welcome others? What elements of our economy and culture are hostile to hospitality? And what do love, sacrifice, and heaven have to do with it? // Our weekly challenge is to make a home-cooked meal and share it with someone. And our media recommendation is the film Babette’s Feast. // We’d love to hear from you! Write to us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pilgrimsoulpodcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or find us on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pilgrimsoulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Our website is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pilgrimsoulpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. // Other resources we mention: Dorothy Day’s reflection from the Dec 1945 issue of The Catholic Worker Luigi Giussani’s text “The Miracle of Hospitality” The Rule of Saint Benedict St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s Sermons on the Song of Songs CS Lewis’ sermon “The Weight of Glory” // Our theme music is Nich Lampson’s “Dolphin Kicks.”