Avsnitt
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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/subscribeLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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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 used
In 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 contract
I led Catholic Relief Services. I’ve seen USAID projects change lives.
Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
Pope Francis’ hospitalization: The complex picture, three weeks in
Former USCCB spokesperson Kim Daniels appointed to Vatican commission
The interfaith history of the C.R.S. Rice Bowl
The Mission of C.R.S. Rice Bowl
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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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.
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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 ourselves
In 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 illness
Update: 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 recovery
Hope Stories with Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
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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 Science
Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, ‘alert and responsive,’ according to Italian PM
Cardinals push back on rumors Pope Francis will resign while in hospital
Three ways Pope Francis should fix the procedures for papal illness, death and elections
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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Simon Critchley, the Hans Jonas Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York and a Director of the Onassis Foundation, about his new book, Mysticism. Among the most prolific of modern academic philosophers, Simon has written over twenty books, from works of philosophy to studies on topics from Greek tragedy and dead philosophers to David Bowie, football and suicide.
Zac, Ashley and Simon discuss:
- The historical development of the concept of “mysticism,” how it was suppressed during the Reformation and its resurgent relevance for today.
- Emotionally-charged forms of piety in the high Middle Ages among women mystics like Julian of Norwich
- How modern mysticism can provide access to the sacred and transcendent in a melancholic world
In Signs of the Times, Zac is joined by Fr. Sam Sawyer, S.J., editor-in-chief of America, for a conversation about Pope Francis’ strongly worded letter of support to the Catholic bishops of the United States in which he denounced the mass deportation of undocumented migrants initiated by President Donald Trump, and corrected Vice President JD Vance’s theology.
Links for further reading:
Mysticism by Simon Critchley
Pope Francis’ letter, JD Vance’s ‘ordo amoris’ and what the Gospel asks of all of us on immigration
Pope Francis to U.S. Catholic bishops: Oppose mass deportations
What’s on tap?
Gin Martini
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This week, Zac and Ashley chat with Dr. Gina Zurlo, the Yang Visiting Scholar of World Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, about her groundbreaking research on women outpacing men in worldwide church participation.
Zac, Ashley, and Gina discuss:
- Gina’s experience co-authoring World Christian Encyclopedia (Third Edition), a 1,000-page textbook that documents the changing status of global Christianity over the past 120 years, which she presented to Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2023.
- Why the participation and leadership of women in churches is often overlooked or underreported
- Suggestions for how the church can better support and empower women in leadership and ministry
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley cover the hundreds of emails obtained by the Associated Press that reveal the extent to which the NFL’s New Orleans Saints helped the Archdiocese of New Orleans contain the damage of new revelations of sexual abuse; and the Vatican’s new rules on how to worship when when a holy day of obligation falls on a Sunday.
Links for further reading:
Gina Zurlo’s website
Gina Zurlo’s Groundbreaking Research on Women in World Christianity
World Christian Encyclopedia (Third Edition)
Emails reveal extent of New Orleans Saints’ damage control for Catholic sex abuse crisis
When a holy day of obligation falls on a Sunday: Vatican releases new rules
What’s on tap?
Black coffee
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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with journalist Helene Stapinski and her son, Dean Jamieson, a fiction writer from Brooklyn who, now in his 20s, finds himself drawn to the Catholic Church his mother left behind two decades ago because of the sex abuse crisis.
Zac, Ashley, Helene and Dean discuss:
- Helene’s faith journey, from a “cradle Catholic” and member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps to a mom disillusioned by the church’s sex abuse scandal and culture-war stances
- How Dean became “Catholic curious” in college and started attending Mass, drawn to the aesthetics, anti-consumerist values and sense of community he found in the church
- How the priest at Dean’s local parish in Brooklyn has sought to actively engage young adults and welcome them (and sometimes their parents) back
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Vice President JD Vance’s accusations that the U.S. bishops were being critical of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration because it would hurt their “bottom line”; the threat to Catholic Charities by Trump’s directive to freeze federal financial assistance programs; and the Vatican’s latest document on “the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence” that addresses the ethical challenges raised by AI and warns against “creating a substitute for God.”
Links for further reading:
“Turning Out, Tuning In? I left the Church, but now my twenty-something kids seem drawn to it”
Vice President Vance: Thank you for making headlines about the bishops’ care for immigrants
JD Vance suggests U.S. bishops only care for immigrants to protect ‘their bottom line’
Trump executive order will strip funds from Catholic Charities, White House says
New Vatican document on A.I. warns against ‘creating a substitute for God’
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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with James T. Keane, senior editor at America and columnist for the Catholic Book Club, a weekly newsletter on literature and the arts. Jim’s new book, Reading Culture Through Catholic Eyes, explores 50 Catholic writers, thinkers, and “firebrands” who have influenced Catholic culture—and yes, as Jim’s colleagues, we may sound a little biased when we say it’s well worth the read. Just take our word for it. Even better, grab a copy and see for yourselves.
Zac, Ashley and Jim discuss:
- What makes someone a “Catholic writer”
- Why so many of us get stuck on the same Catholic writers
- The works of three lesser-known Catholic authors: Myles Connolly, Andre Dubus and Mary Karr
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss inauguration prayers for the 47th U.S. president Donald J. Trump offered by Pope Francis, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Father Frank Mann and Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde; the Cuban government’s plan to release 553 prisoners in response to Pope Francis’ Jubilee request to set the captives free; and increased family benefits for Vatican City-State employees.
Links for further reading:
Reading Culture through Catholic Eyes: 50 Writers, Thinkers, and Firebrands Who Challenge and Change Us
Pope Francis assures Donald Trump of his prayers, but says mass deportations would be a ‘disgrace’
If the Catholic Church is pro-life, why is its maternity leave so bad?
After the election, people may know your political party—but will they know you’re a Christian?
God lifts up the underdogs
Lean into love, not fear, this World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Beirut Jesuit pastor tells preachers
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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Kelly Ryan, the president of Jesuit Refugee Service USA, about her 30 years of experience working with refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in light of a second Trump administration. A two-time U.S. presidential political appointee, Kelly has also worked extensively with faith-based organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See.
Zac, Ashley and Kelly discuss:
- The origins of Jesuit Refugee Service, from its founding in 1980 by Pedro Arrupe, S.J., to assist refugees, especially those fleeing the Vietnam War
- Challenges at the U.S. southern border, including the dangerous journeys many migrants make and the difficulties in processing their asylum claims
- Concern about potential changes to refugee admissions and deportation policies under the incoming Trump administration
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss Pope Francis’ autobiography Hope, which features critical reflections about his rowdy youth and staunch defenses of his most controversial moves; plus they chat about the 2025 College Football National Championship between the University of Notre Dame and Ohio State University, including some words on Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s current coach, a Catholic convert—and a former Buckeye.
Links for further reading:
Opening doors at Advent and all year long: How J.R.S. responds to the plight of refugees
Pope Francis acknowledges mistakes and defends most controversial decisions in new autobiography
Notre Dame story
Father Pedro Arrupe: a controversial Jesuit’s bumpy path to sainthood
A Jesuit border priest on Trump and the plight of migrants
109th World Day of Refugees and Migrants Message from Pope Francis
Jesuit Refugee Service
JRS is on Instagram: @jrs_usa
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On Jan. 6, Pope Francis announced that Cardinal Robert McElroy will be the next archbishop of Washington, D.C. Cardinal McElroy, currently the bishop of San Diego, spoke with Zac and Ashley on the “Jesuitical” podcast back in 2023, and this week, they’re revisiting that conversation. In it, Cardinal McElroy embraces the synodal vision and pastoral approach of Pope Francis and calls upon the church to dismantle the “structures and cultures of exclusion” that alienate some Catholics, including women, the poor, divorced-and-remarried couples and L.G.B.T. Catholics.
Zac, Ashley and Cardinal McElroy discuss:
- Cardinal McElroy’s 2023 article in America on the Eucharist and radical inclusion for L.G.B.T. people, women and others
- Why synodality is the connective tissue of the Catholic faith that enables us to work through disagreements in communion
- How to handle polarization in the church on issues like sexuality, marriage, racism and poverty
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences of 37 of the 40 prisoners on federal death row to a sentence of life in prison without parole; Pope Francis’ appointment of Italian missionary nun Sister Simona Brambilla as the first woman to lead a major Vatican dicastery; and the exciting news that a soccer-loving Catholic nun from Brazil is officially the oldest living person at nearly 117.
Links for further reading:
Cardinal McElroy to lead D.C. archdiocese, Vatican announces
Cardinal McElroy on ‘radical inclusion’ for L.G.B.T. people, women and others in the Catholic Church
Biden commutes 37 death row sentences before Trump can resume executions
A woman leads a Vatican office for the first time ever. Why now?
Historic first: Pope Francis appoints woman as prefect of Vatican dicastery
A soccer-loving nun from Brazil is world’s oldest living person at nearly 117
Zac’s New Year’s recommendation: What if you're already on top of things?
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On “Jesuitical” this week, Zac and Ashley chat with Colleen Dulle, an associate editor at America and co-host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, about how realistically the new film “Conclave” portrays the process of selecting a new pope. They praise the film’s historical accuracy but raise eyebrows over the complex theological implications around the film’s twist ending. Warning: This episode contains major spoilers.
Zac, Ashley and Colleen discuss:
- The challenges of translating the complexities of the Catholic Church to a mainstream audience through a cinematic lens
- Varying reactions to “Conclave” from Catholics, including Bishop Robert Barron’s critique of the film
- The role and representation of women, including nuns, in the Catholic Church as depicted in the film
In Signs of the Times, Zac, Ashley and Colleen discuss Pope Francis’ new autobiography Hope, which reveals two assassination attempts on his life during his trip to Iraq in 2021; and a recent liturgical debate sparked by Cardinal Blase Cupich’s guidance to parishioners in the Archdiocese of Chicago that discouraged kneeling to receive Communion.
Links for further reading:
‘Conclave’ explainer: Could that twist ending really happen?
Your Take: Is ‘Conclave’ worth seeing for Catholics?
‘Conclave’ hits theaters. What really happens when a new pope is elected?
Pope Francis reveals he survived two assassination attempts during visit to Iraq
Hope: The Autobiography by Pope Francis
Should you stand or kneel to receive communion? Cardinal Cupich stirs debate after weighing in
What’s on tap?
French 75s
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley interview bestselling Irish author John Connell on how embracing the farm life preserved by his family for generations brought him closer to God and greater inner peace. John’s new book, The Lambing Season, explores the rhythms and realities of raising livestock, as well as the profound spiritual guidance John gleaned from a simple flock of sheep.
Zac, Ashley and John discuss:
- How John’s spiritual awakening on a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain led to his transformation from journalist and world traveler to shepherd on his family’s farm
- John’s discovery of the spiritual and therapeutic power of lambing season in Ireland
- The contrast and balance between rural and urban life, and the need for citydwellers to “make appointments with nature”
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after a fire in 2019, Pope Francis’ latest consistory that created 21 new cardinals on Saturday, Dec. 7, and how the Loyola Chicago Ramblers recovered after (seemingly) snubbing their very own Sister Jean from a celebratory fist bump after their win against Eastern Michigan.
Links for further reading:
The Lambing Season: Stories of Life on an Irish Family Farm
The Cow Book: A Story of Life on an Irish Family Farm
Pomp and presidents at the reopening of Notre Dame in Paris
Podcast: Pope Francis creates 21 cardinals, calls for an end to U.S. death penalty
Read: Pope Francis’ homily and message to new cardinals
A busy weekend for Pope Francis: The Immaculate Conception, a consistory and prayers for death row inmates in the United States
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Madeleine Kearns, an associate editor at The Free Press, and the author of a recently reported article, “The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils.” Maddy shares how the veil boom evokes a “lost type of Catholicism” that satisfies the desire for reverence challenged by the reforms of Vatican II.
They discuss:
- The motivations of young women who veil—from personal expressions of piety and nostalgia to political posturing
- Whether individual practices of worship impact communal worship in the church
- How young people engage with the “sacred space” of Mass today
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley discuss a Brooklyn priest wrapped up in scandals involving a federal corruption investigation, New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams and pop star Sabrina Carpenter. Plus: Environmentalists in Italy try (and fail) to stop Pope Francis from cutting down a Christmas tree to decorate St. Peter’s Square.
Links for further reading:
The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils
NYC priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter to shoot a music video in church further stripped of duties
The Priest, the Power Broker and the Pop Star
Local group protests cutting down 200-year-old tree for Vatican’s Christmas
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In this special Jesuitical episode to kickstart the Advent season, Ashley speaks with her colleague, Maggi Van Dorn, the host and creator of America's podcast, "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols." Maggi previews an all new season of "Hark!" launching today, November 29, and reveals what she uncovered about the Magi and the star of Bethlehem while working on the classic carol, "We Three Kings."
Hark! is available everywhere. Listen on Apple or Spotify or your podcast app.
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This week’s episode of “Jesuitical” features a conversation with Brian Strassburger, S.J., a Jesuit priest who serves as the director of Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries in the Diocese of Brownsville, Tex., and a co-host of the Jesuit Border Podcast. In his ministry, Brian not only celebrates Mass in migrant shelters and camps at the U.S.-Mexico border, but he and his team also provide basic orientation and advocacy for migrants navigating the complex U.S. immigration system.
Zac, Ashley and Brian discuss:
- What the election of Donald J. Trump might mean for migrants and his border ministry
- How Brian talks to Catholics who are concerned about chaos at the border and want to see greater immigration restrictions
- Brian’s vision of heaven: one where the poor and migrants are welcomed and honored, rather than dismissed and betrayed
Links for further reading:
The Betrayal of American Border Policy
The Jesuit Border Podcast
Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries
Donald Trump’s election has brought new fear to immigrant communities
As U.S. Catholic bishops meet, Trump looms over their work on abortion and immigration
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Sister Laura Vicuña Pereira Manso, an Indigenous activist fighting to protect the Amazon rainforest and serve its people. As the current vice president of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon region (known as CEAMA) and a 2019 auditor of the Synod for the Pan-Amazon Region, Sister Laura has met with Pope Francis to make the case for women’s ministries, including restoring women deacons.
They discuss:
- Sister Laura’s experience at Amazon Synod, and whether synodality “works”
- What a typical day looks like when you are ministering to Indigenous communities in the Amazon and struggling against powerful (and violent) corporations.
- What she would say to those who criticize women deacons as a “Western obsession”
Links for further reading:
A Franciscan sister joins the fight for Indigenous rights in Brazil
A nun makes the case for women deacons to Pope Francis
What you need to know about the 2019 Synod on the Amazon
Brazilian Cardinal talks restoring women deacons, ordaining married men at synod press briefing
Synod Diary: Women deacons are not a ‘Western’ obsession
We’d like to give a special thanks to our translators, America O’Hare fellow Leilani Fuentes and Ellie Hidalgo of Discerning Deacons, who helped with the translations for this episode.
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On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by America magazine’s editor in chief, Sam Sawyer, S.J., to discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election, in which Donald Trump defeated the sitting vice president, Kamala Harris.
They discuss:
The Catholic vote in the election and how it differed from previous elections
How Catholic leaders might respond to a second Trump presidency
The role of faith and trust in God in the face of political turmoil
Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe
Links for further reading:
The day after Trump’s victory: searching for mercy, justice and God’s providence
Five political takeaways from the 2024 election
Voters in 3 states reject abortion ballot measures, defying trend around country
Trump courted white Catholics—and they helped him win the White House again
Donald Trump won: 5 Catholic takeaways
Donald Trump defeats Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States
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At the end of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Jesuitical’s co-host Zac Davis and producer Sebastian Gomes spoke with Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, about the synod’s final document, which kept open the question of women’s access to the diaconate. The cardinal also spoke to the urgent need for initiating processes of communal decision-taking in parishes and for greater accountability to synodality among U.S. bishops.
Thank you for following Jesuitical’s coverage of the Synod on Synodality. It was sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine and stay up to date on Catholic news and analysis.
Links:
Synodality—and ‘controversial’ issues—are here to stay: Takeaways from the Synod’s final document
Pope Francis says he will not write his own exhortation on synod, publishes members’ final document
Women Deacons and the Catholic Church: A Video Explainer
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On the eve of the highly anticipated publication of the final report for the Synod on Synodality, Jesuitical host Zac Davis and Inside the Vatican host Colleen Dulle speak with their colleague and synod delegate James Martin, S.J., about his experience this month inside the second assembly.
Zac and Colleen discuss:
- The atmosphere at this year’s synod assembly compared to last year’s
- How controversial topics like L.G.B.T. issues and women’s ordination have been tackled
- The deep conversion that took place among the members and the long-term impact of this gathering on the global church
Jesuitical’s synod coverage is sponsored in part by the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.
Links from the show:
The Jesuit roots of the synod’s ‘conversations in the spirit’
‘Palpable outrage’: Synod delegates react to women deacons study group meeting
Synod Diary: The Vatican Curia is still learning synodality
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