Épisodes

  • How should Catholics respond to the murder of Charlie Kirk?
    Sep 19 2025
    This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley sits down with Sam Sawyer, S.J., president and editor in chief of America Media, and J.D. Long-Garcia, senior editor for America to respond to the murder of Charlie Kirk. Ashley, Fr. Sawyer and J.D. discuss: - Why this is a difficult (but necessary) conversation - Why people rush to say, "This is terrible, but..." - Significance of the murder in national political life In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Sebastian discussed some more of the reactions in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death from prominent Catholics on both sides of the political aisle, including Pope Leo’s prayers for Kirk and his family. They also discuss the recent “Grace for the World” concert in St. Peter’s Square and how Pope Leo celebrated his 70th birthday. Links for further reading: - Sam’s article: The aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination: If we have to look at violence, let’s do it the right way. - Bishops and Catholic leaders call for prayer after conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot and killed - Charlie Kirk, free speech and the danger of politics without God - Pope Leo said he is praying for Charlie Kirk and his family - How Pope Leo plans to govern the church: From Rome to China to Gaza - Pope Leo calls out billionaires and income inequality in first interview 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 magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 min
  • Why people leave the church–and why they join
    Sep 12 2025
    This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Jack Bentz, S.J., a Jesuit priest and the host of the “Catholics in Ordinary Time” podcast and Substack. Father Jack also works in campus ministry at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Ashley, Sebastian and Father Jack discuss: - What kids are looking for in campus ministry and parish settings - Surprise lessons from a Jordan Peterson talk - The ways parishes can get people coming back to Mass In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Sebastian discuss the recent canonizations of Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, the “Grace for the World” concert being hosted at the Vatican with notable A-listers and Pope Leo’s upcoming 70th birthday. In a new expanded version of our faith sharing segment, “As One Friend Speaks to Another,” Jack Consolie, Outreach’s communications and development associate, discusses his recent article: “Carlo Acutis and I: The (complicated) spiritual connection of a shared cancer journey.” Our faith sharing segment is a project funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. Links for further reading: - Fr. Jack’s podcast: Catholics in Ordinary Time - Fr. Jack’s Substack - Jack Consolie’s article: “Carlo Acutis and I: The (complicated) spiritual connection of a shared cancer journey” - Pope Leo XIV declares Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati saints in a celebration of youthful devotion - On the ground for the canonization of Saints Acutis and Frassati: Crowds, communion and Cheez-Its 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 magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h
  • We need to talk about ‘hot priests’
    Sep 5 2025
    This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian unpack the trend of “hot priests” on social media with Maggie Phillips, a contributing writer for Tablet Magazine. Maggie recently published an article exploring the phenomenon of the “hot priest”: Thou Shalt Not Scroll Past a Hot Priest. Ashley, Sebastian and Maggie discuss: - What the “hot priest” trend says about the cultural status of the Catholic Church - Is there a benefit to being recognizably religious? - The dangers of conflating social media engagement and evangelization In Signs of the Times, Colleen Dulle, America’s Vatican correspondent and host of “Inside the Vatican,” sits down with Ashley and Sebastian to discuss Pope Leo’s response to the tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis as well as his recent meeting with Father James Martin. They also take a look back at his summer activities and discuss what Leo’s talkative brother, John Prevost, has revealed about our new pope. In a new expanded version of our “As One Friend Speaks to Another” segment, Emma Camp, an assistant editor at Reason magazine, discusses her Faith in Focus article “The case for showing up to church—even if you don’t believe in God.” Links for further reading: “Thou Shalt Not Scroll Past a Hot Priest” Maggie’s article in America: "Lay volunteers are often the backbone of Catholic parishes. But they need support, too" Emma’s article: “The case for showing up to church—even if you don’t believe in God” “Pope Leo calls for stop to ‘the pandemic of arms’ after Minnesota Catholic school shooting” “Pope Leo’s response to the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: 3 takeaways” “Father James Martin: Pope Leo wants to continue Francis’ approach to LGBTQ Catholics” “Pope Leo just extended his vacation. What do popes do to relax?” “14 Things We Learned About Pope Leo From His Brother’s Latest Interview” What’s on tap? Aperol Spritz 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 magazine at https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 h et 15 min
  • Best of Jesuitical: Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Mass
    Aug 29 2025
    On this last "best of" episode of summer 2025, Zac and Ashley resurrect an interview with the always entertaining Father Dave Dwyer, the executive director of Busted Halo, a media outreach of the Paulist Fathers, and the author of the book “Mass Class: Your Questions Answered.” Is there a question you have about the Catholic Mass that you’ve always been too embarrassed to ask? Like: When we say, “Only say the word and my soul shall be healed,”...what’s “the word”? Well, you’re in luck. Press "play." Mass Class: Your Questions Answered, by Father Dave Dwyer What’s on tap? Pick your poison: Negroni 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 magazine at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 min
  • Best of Jesuitical: How a religious order decides it’s time to close up shop
    Aug 22 2025
    This week, Jesuitical is bringing back a poignant yet hopeful conversation with Sister Donna Dodge, the president of the Sisters of Charity of New York, which recently decided to embark on a “path to completion.” That means 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 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 magazine at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 min
  • Best of Jesuitical: What's the deal with the Traditional Latin Mass?
    Aug 15 2025
    Pope Francis' 2021 decree, Traditionis custodes, which limited the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, set off a heated and at times toxic debate between more traditionalist Catholics and those who want to see the reforms of the Second Vatican Council more fully implemented. Is there a way for us to talk about the liturgy without it turning into a war? On this "best of" episode, we're revisiting a conversation with Rev. Pierre Amar, a priest in the Diocese of Versailles in France. Father Amar grew up attending the Latin Mass and was ordained into the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, an order dedicated to the celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass rite. But he also loves and celebrates the novus ordo or ordinary form, and does not think the two forms of the liturgy need to be in conflict. 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 magazine at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 min
  • Best of Jesuitical: Is Augustine the most relatable saint?
    Aug 1 2025
    Forget what you think you know about Saint Augustine. Maybe you only know the cities that take his name, or you had a tough experience in your introduction to philosophy class and found him medieval (in the pejorative sense) and scrupulous. But what if Augustine was actually the first to hone in on and clearly express our human desire for authenticity, that restlessness that all of us have felt at one point in our lives? What if, “Augustine might make Christianity believable for you even if you’ve heard it all, been there, done that, and left the stupid Christian t-shirt at home.” On this "best of" Jesuitical episode, James K.A. Smith talks about his book “On the Road with St. Augustine: A Real World Spirituality for Restless Hearts.” Read Smith's article on the election of Pope Leo XIV: "What to expect from an Augustinian pope": https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/05/12/smith-augustinian-pope-leo-250662 On the Road with Saint Augustine: A Real-World Spirituality for Restless Hearts by James K. A. Smith 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 magazine at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 min
  • Best of Jesuitical: How to become a mystic (and keep your day job)
    Jul 25 2025
    The hot weather couldn’t keep Ashley and Zac away from the mics, so they’re back with a summer “best of” series, featuring some of the most interesting and engaging interviews from the past few years. What does it mean to be a mystic in the modern age? Many of us think of mysticism as something for spiritual masters who lock themselves away from the world in monasteries and convents and dedicate their lives to constant prayer. But we are all called to a close and yes mystical relationship with God and to lead lives of contemplation. And today's guest, Kelly Deutsch, wants to help people do just that. After entering a convent, Kelly came down with an illness that left her bedridden for 18 months—and spurred great spiritual desolation and growth. She went on to found Wanderlust, a center for contemplative formation, which provides podcasts, courses and other spiritual resources to those hunger for a closer union with the divine. What’s on tap? Seltzer Water with Lime 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 magazine at⁠ ⁠⁠americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    29 min