Welcome to Jesuitical, a podcast for young Catholics hosted by two young, lay editors at America—Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless. Each episode features a guest w...
How a modern-day shepherd found God on his Irish family farm
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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52:14
The Catholic women bringing veiling back to Mass
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
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 Media at americamagazine.org/subscribe.
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53:39
Astronomy, religion and prophecy–the story behind the star of Bethlehem
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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25:00
A Jesuit border priest on Trump and the plight of migrants
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
You can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.
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44:17
The Indigenous sister risking her life to protect the Amazon
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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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/subscribe
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Welcome to Jesuitical, a podcast for young Catholics hosted by two young, lay editors at America—Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless. Each episode features a guest who offers a unique perspective on faith, culture or current events. We also bring you some of the top (and maybe more obscure) Catholic news of the week. And we'll ask: Where do we find God in all this?
Ireland