Church Meets World: The America Magazine Podcast

After the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021, thousands of Afghan refugees have been seeking a permanent home in the United States. This is the intimate family portrait of Ali, a child refugee since eleven years old, and his American foster parents, Mary and Mark Kaech.  The episode is based on an article written for America Magazine by J.D. Long-García called  Thousands of Afghan refugees fled to America in search of a new home. Too many are still waiting. Learn more about the Afghan Adjustment Act

Church Meets World is proud to share the latest podcast in the America Media family: Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols. Subscribe to the entire Hark! podcast series online, on apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It is hard to imagine a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve without Silent Night. Musicians may treat it differently—singing it a cappella, with spare chords on the organ in the background, or to the gentle picking of a guitar as its creators intended—but it is universally cherished. Its basic three-chord structure makes it a cinch to play and its lilting rhythm is perfect to soothe a congregation and lull a baby to sleep—even to sing to a president breathing his last. But it has also been usurped for evil. Join host Maggi Van Dorn on this final episode of “Hark!” as she plumbs the historical and emotional depths of this Austria-born classic with Jesuit priest Ed Schmidt and Rusty McDermott, the songbird mother of another Jesuit. To pull apart the chords and arpeggios of Silent Night, we invited back Colin Britt, the composer and conductor we spoke to in episode three about “Hark! the herald angels sing.”   Special thanks to the Liturgy Arts Group at Boston College, One Hope Project, Harpa Dei, Portsmouth Cathedral Choir; Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir, Convivium Records and the Ignatian Schola for allowing us to play their recordings of Silent Night.  To support the production of “Hark!” and to access other great Advent reflections from America Magazine staff, please subscribe at americamagazine.org/subscribe.  Related articles: Ed Schmidt, S.J. : Is ‘Silent Night' the greatest Christmas song ever?

What does it mean to be ruined for life? Join America's summer intern Amelia Jarecke, as she follows three young women who have spent the last year serving in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. They wrestle with lots of challenges, like: How do you live on a $100 month? Can you live simply and gluten-free without breaking the bank? How do you reconcile being Catholic and bisexual? What happens when your prayer life dries up? And what does it mean to take the Pedro Arrupe prayer seriously- and let your love for the world define everything? Related links: Jesuit Volunteers Corps

Three years ago, a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report described in graphic detail the abuse of over 1,000 minors at the hands of more than 300 priests. Then, Theodare McCarrick, an influential cardinal in the American Church, was found credibly accused of abusing minors and adult seminarians. For survivors, the news was painful, yet validating. How did this second wave of scandal–the news of both abuse and cover up–affect the Catholic faithful more broadly? What do they  believe caused the crisis? Did the Grand Jury report and news about McCarrick impact their faith and affiliation with the Catholic Church? Maggi Van Dorn, the host of the Deliver Us podcast, unpacks a new and ground-breaking survey conducted by America magazine and CARA in the latest episode of the “Church Meets World” podcast. *Audio correction: Only 33 percent of respondents said their parish actually helped them process the sex abuse crisis. The word “percent” was mistakenly omitted from the original file.  Related articles: Editorial: How you see the sexual abuse crisis Three years after the 2018 ‘summer of shame,' what do American Catholics think about the sex abuse crisis? AWAKE Milwaukee Related episodes from the Deliver Us podcast: Episode 2: How's Your Celibate Life Going? What is the cause of the sexual abuse crisis? Does it happen more in the Catholic church than other institutions? Episode 4:  Are the reforms working? How has the Catholic Church dealt with the abuse crisis? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the world went into lockdown, the residents at Terence Cardinal Cooke–a Catholic nursing home and rehabilitation center run by the Archdiocese of New York–did too. Many seniors required long-term care while others had only expected to stay for a short period of recovery. The pandemic changed everyone's experience. Ricardo da Silva, S.J., an associate editor at America, takes us through the center to hear from the residents who not only survived Covid but persevered through a year of extreme isolation from family, friends and loved ones. Hear their stories and where they were able to find what their chaplain, Juan Toro, calls “the memory of God.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a time when so much has been lost, what does it mean to grieve well? In this episode, America's audio producer, Maggi Van Dorn, turns the mic on herself to capture a more intimate side of a subject that is already pretty personal- the experience of grief. To help her unpack this strange and unpredictable force, she turns to friends and people whose lives have also been visited by grief.  Support this podcast by subscribing to America! Related Links: Ben Perry: Crying as a spiritual discipline may change how you see the world Liz Hauck:  Home Made: A Story of Grief, Groceries, Showing Up & What We Make When We Make Dinner. Britt Luby: I felt alone after my miscarriage. Then other women (like Meghan Markle) began sharing their stories. How to celebrate with the graduate in your life who is grieving the loss of a loved one Fr. Richard Leonard, S.J.: Where the Hell Is God? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1838, to save itself from financial ruin, the Jesuits at Georgetown University sold 272 enslaved persons. It’s a shameful piece of history and one that the Jesuits are reckoning with like many other communities and institutions today. But the bill of sale that has been recently recovered has enabled thousands of descendants to discover their ancestry and reunite for a better future. And the Jesuits have pledged $100 million to a partnership with those descendants called, the Descendants Truth & Reconciliation Foundation. And while this marks one of the largest collaborations of its kind - that is between a group of descendants and a religious institution - it’s not just about the money. It’s about reconciliation and transformation- much deeper work.  This episode is based on an article written by J.D. Long Garcia called The Jesuits have pledged to raise $100 million to advance racial healing. But reconciliation is about more than money. Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life is offering an online dialogue, Owning Slavery, Pursuing Justice, Seeking Reconciliation: Lessons from Georgetown and the U.S. Jesuits on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. You can RSVP to join or watch the recording here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should college athletes get paid? That’s the question we’re exploring in today’s episode of Church Meets World. It was written, produced and narrated by Kevin Jackson and based on a feature he wrote last year called, “Should colleges pay their athletes? What Catholic social teaching has to say.” This episode of Church Meets World is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Sign up for The Great Courses Plus and get an entire month of unlimited access to thousands of video and audio courses from the world’s best professors by visiting http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/cmw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America's poetry editor Joe Hoover S.J. sits down with Ohio's first poet laureate Amit Majmudar to talk about his poem "Year of the Rat." They discuss the unforgettable year that was 2020, writing during Covid, and mystical parallels between Catholicism and Hinduism. Read 'The Year of the Rat' here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riana decided to run away from home after getting into an argument with her mother for missing curfew. It was cold and nighttime. She had nowhere to go. Looking for help, she reached out to an older man who had given her his phone number earlier that day... Isabelle Senechal narrates the harrowing story of Riana, a young woman who was manipulated and coerced by a violent sex trafficker. The booming industry is largely hidden, but some faith-based anti-trafficking initiatives are making progress by tracking the digital footprints of traffickers using the most advanced data science to recommend policy solutions. Links from the show: How some researchers are using data science to fight sex trafficking Learn more about America's Joseph A. O’Hare, S.J., Postgraduate Media Fellowship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 6th, 2021, a violent mob, incited by President Trump, stormed the US Capitol. They were there to disrupt Congress as it was certifying the election of Joe Biden. The mob overwhelmed the capitol police and made their way into the offices and chambers, as elected officials ran for safety. In conversation with Fr. Matt Malone, America’s Editor in Chief, Fr. Bryan Massingale says the insurrection was a direct result of four years of lies from Donald Trump. This interview first aired as a video on America Media’s YouTube channel and has been reformatted for podcast with additional commentary from Sebastian Gomes and Maggi Van Dorn. Support this podcast by subscribing at Americamagazine.org/subscribe. Links from the show: Fr. Bryan Massingale’s article: The Racist Attack on Our Nation’s Capitol America’s Editorial: After the storming of the Capitol: We need accountability, repentance and a reckoning Watch Fr. Matt Malone, S.J. in conversation with Fr. Bryan Massingale: How to make spiritual sense of the attack on the Capitol Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your relationship with work undermining all the other goods in your life? If so, you might have what Jonathan Malesic calls a “demonic work ethic.” He’s not alone in saying so. After years of academic burnout, Jonathan made a trip to the Christ in the Desert monastery, where the Benedictine monks helped him rediscover the sacred rhythms of work and rest. Everyone from Thomas Aquinas to Annie Dillard has written about the importance of leisure, and yet, Catholic Ethicist Conor Kelly says that for most of us, our fast-paced, capitalist culture makes free time an afterthought. And we certainly don’t have federal laws like family leave or paid time off to support an ethic of leisure. So how do we make the most of our time? What’s the best recreation for your soul? And why must we see free time not as a luxury, but a necessity for the Christian moral life? Links from the show: The streaming era ruined our free time. Is it too late to reclaim it? Why we need a new theology of work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 20, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will make history in several ways: He received over 74 million votes, surpassing any presidential candidate in history. Biden is the oldest person and only the second Catholic to become president. And his running mate, Kamala Harris, is the first woman and first woman of color to hold the office of the Vice President. But beyond the polls, numbers and issues, Biden’s Catholic faith has become a subject of great interest. So we’re sharing an interview from 2015 that America Media’s editor-in-chief Fr. Matt Malone did with then Vice President Joe Biden. It was conducted just before Biden and President Obama hosted Pope Francis at the White House. It’s an intimate conversation about Biden’s faith, family and how tragic life experiences have shaped him personally. For ongoing coverage of politics and the presidential election visit americamag.org.

Just ahead of the election we're sharing the Voting Catholic podcast. To hear the full series, just search "Voting Catholic" wherever you get your podcasts! Voting Catholic Episode 1: "What Happened to the Catholic Vote?" A survey of the evolution of the Catholic vote from the election of JFK in 1960 to the election of Donald Trump. Show links: 8 facts about Catholics and politics in the U.S. US Bishops teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics: "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" Stay up-to-date with America Media's coverage of the 2020 election: www.americamagazine.org/newsletters You can support this media ministry at www.americamagazine.org/donate

On the anniversary of Emmitt Till’s murder on August 28, 1955, we reflect on the present day killing of George Floyd and the litany of Black Americans who have been crucified by racial injustice. In both, we witness how Floyd’s cry for his mama and Mamie Till Mobley’s public outcry at her son’s murder, turns private suffering into a public sin and catalyst for justice.  This episode was adapted from an America Magazine article written by Abraham Nussbaum, which you can read at: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/08/06/emmett-till-george-floyd-black-deaths-racism Thanks to Oregon Catholic Press for the use of John Becker’s “Litany of the Saints.” Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.  

Written and narrated by one of America's executive editors, Kerry Weber, the following coronavirus prayer is a reminder of God’s healing presence in a time of great fear and anxiety. Please pray along with us in the language of your choice: A Coronavirus Prayer - In English A Printable Version of "A Coronavirus Prayer" in English Una Oracion por el Coronavirus - En Español Une priere pour le coronavirus - En Francais Una Preghiera per il Coronavirus - In Italiano

In "Plague" journalist Michael O'Loughlin investigates stories of the AIDS epidemic and the Catholic Church. Mike is America’s national correspondent and he’s covered Catholicism for more than a decade. Mike is also gay and Catholic—and he’s curious how others manage this sometimes complex identity. No time in modern history has been more volatile for gay Catholics than the height of the AIDS epidemic. So he spent the last few years interviewing people who were right in the middle of it. People who fought, worked and grieved through it. Episode 1 will be available on World AIDS Day, December 1, wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more at www.americamag.org/plague

America This Week This is the series finale of "America This Week." Our guest is John W. Miller. We discuss his article "The opioid crisis demands a new solution. Churches are hoping to be part of it."  We also discuss these articles: Social media reinforces clean divisions, but reality is messy. The threat of a climate catastrophe is here. Will U.S. Catholics heed the call? Detroit Catholic schools and parishes to stop all sports on Sunday

This week's guest is Anna Keating. We discuss her article “Why Evangelical megachurches are embracing (some) Catholic traditions.” We also discuss these articles: Pope Francis tells women religious church cannot alter revelation on women’s diaconate Pope Francis’ almsgiver restores power (illegally) to homeless shelter in Italy How Mary can be a bridge between Christians and Muslims Can Christianity in northern Iraq survive after ISIS?

America This Week This week's guest is Jonathan Malesic. We discuss his article "Catholic colleges are searching for new homes in the Southwest. Can they succeed?" We also discuss these articles: Ideological bias cannot taint our approach to sexual abuse  The Mueller Report’s most pressing question: Who will hold Trump accountable? The Editors: Border security will not solve the immigration crisis

This week's guest is Lisa Hendey. We discuss her article "Here's how one Catholic stays faithful in the city of angels."  We also discuss these stories: Sri Lankan cardinal demands answers about security lapses after Easter bombings Seven tips for new Catholics, from one convert to another Two U.S. churches: One is closing down parishes, the other is standing-room only  

America This Week This week's guest is Gerard O’Connell, America’s Vatican correspondent. We discuss his new book, The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave That Changed History, an excerpt of which America has published.  We also discuss these stories:  Pope Francis kisses the feet of South Sudan leaders The wrong way to ask Catholics for money amid the sex abuse crisis Grieving the fire of Notre Dame during Holy Week    

America This Week This week's guest is Thomas More Garrett. We discuss his article “Can better corporate organization humanize the marketplace? Kickstarter is finding out.” We also discuss these articles:  How the Jesuits’ four new universal apostolic priorities support social enterprise Pope Francis: ‘Build bridges, not walls’ ‘Harry Potter’ books burned at Catholic parish in Poland

America This Week This week's guest is Nathan Schneider. We discuss his article "How can activists win more than a viral moment?" We also discuss these stories: Why Jesus movies should be strange Explainer: Why doesn't Pope Francis want people to kiss his ring? Founder, board of Vatican women's magazine quit    

This week's guest is Michael J. O'Loughlin, America’s national correspondent. We discuss his article “Meet the Vatican team running for the greater glory of God (and maybe the Olympics).” We also discuss these articles: The difficult questions Catholics need to ask after the college admissions scandal A Jesuit confesses his love for March Madness and NCAA basketball A history of Catholic School Sports, From Babe Ruth to LeBron James    

America This Week This week's guest is Maggi Van Dorn. We discuss Deliver Us, America's podcast on the sex abuse crisis.  We also discuss these articles:  I fasted on only bread and juice for Lent. This is what I learned. The most dangerous Devil is the one you cannot see Review: The life of Bing Crosby, reviewed

This week's guest is Sister Theresa Aletheia Noble. We discuss her article "Here's why Catholics are called to think about death—daily." We also discuss these articles: The Vatican summit on the protection of minors is over. What’s next? How should we react to Michael Cohen’s imperfect contrition? Pope Francis will open the secret archives on Pope Pius XII  

America This Week This week's guest is John Pfaff. We discuss his article Why today's criminal justice reform efforts won't end mass incarceration. We also discuss these articles: Pope Francis approves four priorities for the Jesuits’ next decade Vatican emphasizes transparency and accountability at upcoming sex abuse summit Catholic leaders resist Trump’s ‘national emergency’ plan to fund border wall

On Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will award the highly coveted Oscar for Best Picture to one of eight nominees. This year’s field is wide open—no one really knows who will walk away with the golden statue. But don’t worry, we brought in our best experts to weigh in. Father Eric Sundrup sat down with John Anderson of the New York Film Critics Circle, our culture columnist Bill McGarvey, and Eloise Blondiau, a producer here at America, to discuss each of the best picture nominees.

America This Week This week's guest is Olga Segura, an associate editor at America. We discuss her article "What Black Lives Matter can teach Catholics about racial justice." We also discuss these articles: The return of Daniel Berrigan's 'The Trial of the Catonsville nine' Explainer: Former Cardinal McCarrick faces laicization. What does that mean? Andrew Cuomo and the sad inheritance of ‘personal opposition’ to abortion

America This Week This week's guest is America contributor Betsy Shirley. We discuss her article “The era of the parochial school is over. Meet the Catholic educators searching for what’s next.” We also discuss these articles: The Jesuit institution uncovering the truth (and fake news) about saints Pope Francis on Yemen, Venezuela and the abuse of nuns by clergy Top 6 Catholic takeaways from President Trump’s State of the Union address

America This Week This week's guest is Michael R. Lovell. We discuss his article "We need both medicine and God to overcome trauma." We also discuss these articles: Donald Trump and the complicated diplomacy of deportation What my friendship with Pope Francis taught me about interfaith dialogue What the New York Times gets wrong about the abortion debate

America This Week This week's guest is Kaya Oakes. We discuss her article “How the Catholic Church can help single mothers.” We also discuss these articles: Trump’s latest proposal to end the shutdown and what the border wall won’t fix How the New Wave Feminists are changing the conversation around abortion One-third of U.S. bishops believe church ‘should’ ordain women as deacons

This week's guest is John W. Miller. We talk about his article "My ancestor owned 41 slaves. What do I owe their descendants?" We also discuss these articles:  USA Northeast Province releases names of Jesuits credibly accused of sexual abuse Polarization can bring about real political change. Our past proves it. Can high-tech maps help the church and save the planet? Time’s a’wastin’: two new books on procrastination

America This Week Our guest this week is Paul Mariani, S.J., and we're talking to him about his article, "The Extremely High Stakes of the China-Vatican Deal." We also talk about these articles: President Trump makes his case for the border wall, citing ‘a crisis of the soul’ How many members of the new Congress are Catholic? Tax incentives for Amazon? Less than prime.

America This Week Our guest this week is Jack Bentz, S.J., of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. He previously served as the director of the Catholic Student Center at Boise State. We discuss his recent article: How parishes can turn ‘Christmas Catholics’ into regular Massgoers.  We also discuss these articles:   “Mary Poppins Returns,” but what is she doing here? US Catholic bishops begin retreat to pray over clergy sexual abuse scandal Most people aren’t talking about God anymore—but they want to  

America This Week Our guest this week is James Martin, S.J., editor at large of America. We discuss praying the examen this Advent. We also discuss these articles:   ‘Brideshead Revisited’ changed my life. Can it work its magic on the ‘Downton Abbey’ generation? The America Profile: Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, the pro-life Catholic Democrat A man walks into a confessional after 37 years    

America This Week Our guest this week is Richard J. Clifford, S.J. We discuss his article Women have been leading since Biblical times—they can lead again today. We also discuss these articles:  Pope beatifies ‘Of Gods and Men’ martyrs A 1940s French film is one of the most Catholic horror movies ever made Lessons from John Alan Chau (and Francis Xavier) for Catholic missions today

America This Week Our guest this week is J.D. Long-García. We discuss his article As immigration denial rates increase, asylum seekers face setback at U.S. border. We also discuss these stories:  Former President George H.W. Bush dies at 94 What we can learn from Isaiah Understanding Pope Francis' controversial comments on homosexuality in the priesthood  

America This Week America This Week Our guest this week is Michael J. O'Loughlin, America's national correspondent. We talk about his and Olga Segura's article U.S. bishops adopt new anti-racism letter, first in almost 40 years. We also discuss these stories:  Father James Martin: Stop the assault on asylum seekers How can we strengthen faith formation classes? How pastoral failures in communication are provoking a crisis of faith

America This Week Our guest this week is John Miller. We talk to him about his article What are the dangers of artificial intelligence in our brave new world of self-driving cars?  We also discuss some of the stories our editors are most thankful for from the year:  Vatican Christmas stamps feature inmate's art No one had ever done a comprehensive survey of Catholic women. So we did. Óscar Romero

America This Week Our October 24 guest is Joe Hoover, S.J. We talk to him about his article No, there is not a “civil war” in the Catholic Church. We also discuss these stories: Exclusive: Should U.S. bishops speak out on politics—or stick to religion? What it means to be a Catholic feminist and why the church must embrace it Pope Francis appoints Archbishop Scicluna to top role in addressing abuse crisis Inside the Vatican