Glad You Asked

Conversations among Catholics about trans people and the church often center on questions of inclusion and belonging in relation to church life and teachings. Can trans people be baptized into the church or partake in other sacraments? Should trans Catholics be allowed to join religious orders? The conversations often proceed as though trans Catholics are fundamentally a problem to be solved.  Even when the intention is to be welcoming, making this the primary discussion among Catholics fails to recognize that trans Catholics are already part of our families, communities, workplaces, and parishes. Trans Catholics are already a part of the church.  Some theologians and pastoral leaders suggest that shifting the focus of these discussions could lead to a broader understanding of church life. As well as considering what we owe to trans people, we should also consider how trans people enrich the church—how their active participation in church communities might help us deepen our theology and pastoral witness.  On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to guest Kori Pacyniak about what the church can learn from trans Catholics. Pacyniak is a queer, nonbinary, and trans Catholic who is a doctoral candidate at the University of California Riverside. They studied religion and Portuguese at Smith College and have a master of divinity from Harvard and a master's degree in theology and trauma from Boston University. Ordained as a priest through Roman Catholic Womenpriests, Pacyniak focuses on creating sacred space and liturgy by and for queer and trans Catholics. Learn more about this topic and read some of Pacyniak's writing in these links. “Gender diversity has always been part of the church,” by Emma Cieslik Gender diversity has always been part of the church - U.S. Catholic “As a transgender Catholic, I don't see gender diversity as a threat to our faith,” by Maxwell Kuzma As a transgender Catholic, I don't see gender diversity as a threat to our faith - Outreach “Trans and Catholic: A parent's perspective,” by Deacon Ray Dever Trans and Catholic: A parent's perspective - U.S. Catholic “We cannot abandon trans Catholics,” by Father Bryan Massingale We cannot abandon trans Catholics - U.S. Catholic “Pope Francis Calls for the Inclusion of Trans People in Catholic Church Practices,” by Dallas Knox Pope Francis Calls for the Inclusion of Trans People in Catholic Church Practices | GLAAD “God Doesn't Want You to Be Miserable,” by Kori Pacyniak "God Doesn't Want You to Be Miserable.” - New Ways Ministry “The Women Who Want to Be Priests,” by Margaret Talbot The Women Who Want to Be Priests | The New Yorker Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

The Catholic Church, albeit not a democratic nation-state, has one of the most long-standing voting traditions in the world. When a pope dies, their successor is chosen by election. However, only a few Catholics—the cardinals of the church—participate. And the Catholic magisterium teaches that even though humans vote, it's the Holy Spirit guiding the process. Even though the pope is the head of state for Vatican City, the election of a new pontiff is supposed to be about God's will for the church, not about the triumph of this or that political faction.   The Catholic Church has held many conclaves over the centuries, some contentious. The recent death of Pope Francis provoked widespread media speculation not only about who would succeed him but how the process of choosing a pope works at all. Especially in an era where everything is visible and conducted for an audience, the very secrecy of the conclave—as the voting process is called—adds to the intrigue.  On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to guest Don Clemmer about who chooses a pope, how the process works, and some of the traditions associated with the conclave. Clemmer is editor of Connection magazine for the NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and coproducer of the Just Politics podcast. He has written extensively for U.S. Catholic, as well as for many other publications, and previously worked in the media relations office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Find out more about this subject, and read some of Clemmer's work, in these links.  “How is a pope chosen?” by Jacob Kohlhaas How is a pope chosen? - U.S. Catholic “What happens when a pope dies?” by Amanda Osheim What happens when a pope dies?  “What is the College of Cardinals?” by Jacob Kohlhaas What is the College of Cardinals? - U.S. Catholic “What is the origin of the papal smoke?” by David Pitt What is the origin of the papal smoke? - U.S. Catholic “The 12 cardinals who might succeed Pope Francis,” by Don Clemmer The 12 cardinals who might succeed Pope Francis - U.S. Catholic Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

According to the gospel of Matthew, shortly after Jesus was born an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee with his family to Egypt, since King Herod was going to try to kill the new baby. They stayed there, according to Christian tradition, until Herod had died and it was safe to return. This incident, popularly known as the “flight to Egypt,” has inspired an array of artistic depictions. It has also inspired a popular pro-immigration argument: Christians should welcome those seeking safety in their country, because Jesus, too, was a refugee. The Vatican has even published various documents citing Jesus' refugee status.  But was Jesus really a refugee? Would the Holy Family be granted refugee status, according to the laws and definitions of today? On this episode of the podcast, theologian and social ethicist Glenn Butner talks to the hosts about what it means to be a refugee, the significance of the flight to Egypt, whether it is accurate to call Jesus a refugee, and the theological implications of this topic.  Butner is an associate professor of theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the author of multiple books on theology and social ethics, including Jesus the Refugee: Ancient Injustice and Modern Solidarity.  You can learn more about this topic and Butner's work in these links.  Jesus the Refugee: Ancient Injustice and Modern Solidarity, by D. Glenn Butner Jr. Jesus the Refugee: Ancient Injustice and Modern Solidarity | Fortress Press “Was Jesus a refugee?” by Alice Camille Was Jesus a refugee? - U.S. Catholic “Think of the Holy Family fleeing Herod and pray for migrants, pope says,” by Cindy Wooden Think of the Holy Family fleeing Herod and pray for migrants, pope says | National Catholic Reporter Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for the 93rd World Day of Migrants And Refugees  Message on the occasion of the 93rd World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2007 (October 18, 2006) | BENEDICT XVI What is a refugee? Definition and Meaning What is a Refugee? Definition and Meaning | USA for UNHCR Refugees and Asylum Refugees and Asylum | USCIS Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

Belief in a literal six-day creation, including a literal Adam and Eve, is more associated with evangelical Christianity than with Catholicism. Most Catholic schools teach evolutionary theory as the best and most reliable account of the origin of life and see no conflict between this and orthodox Catholic faith. At the same time, some Catholics still promote a creationist view on the origins of humanity. What does the Catholic Church have to say about this? Are Catholics obliged to believe that Adam and Eve were real people who talked to God, were tempted by a snake, and got cast out of a garden because they ate a forbidden fruit? If so, how does this fit with everything science has to tell us about evolution? And if the church accepts evolution, how does this affect other core Catholic teachings, especially on original sin?   On this episode of the podcast, science writer John Farrell talks about how the Catholic Church has grappled with the challenges posed by evolution over the years, as well as what science has to say on the question of whether Adam and Eve were real.  John Farrell is the author of The Day Without Yesterday: Lemaître, Einstein and the Birth of Modern Cosmology (Basic Books, 2005) and The Clock and the Camshaft: And Other Medieval Inventions We Still Can't Live Without (Prometheus Books, 2020). He has contributed to U.S Catholic and many other publications, including Commonweal, Cosmos Magazine, New Scientist, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, the Boston Globe, Salon, Forbes and the Tablet of London.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Farrell's writing, in these links.  “Do Catholics believe in evolution?” by John Switzer “What is original sin?” by Joel Schorn “Benedict's thinking on creation and evolution,” by John L. Allen Jr. “Middle ways on evolution,” by John Farrell “What would an updated natural law ethic look like?” by John Farrell  “The Bible is far more than history. It is legendary.” by Alice Camille “Evolution is our fundamental reality,” by Ilia Delio Original Sin: Origins, Developments, Contemporary Meanings, by Tatha Wiley Original Selfishness: Original Sin and Evil in the Light of Evolution by Daryl P. Domning and Monika K. Hellwig Lone Survivors: How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth, by Chris Stringer Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

Nearly a century ago, a Spanish priest named Josemaría Escrivá founded a religious movement intended to summon Christians of all races, ages, and social classes to renew the world, not by separating themselves from it, but by making their everyday lives holy.  Today, the group Escriva founded, known as Opus Dei (“Work of God”) is a highly respected group with approximately 90,000 members, active in 70 countries. St. Pope John Paul II was an admirer of Escrivá and officially canonized him in 2002. Opus Dei members include priests and religious but also laypeople who work ordinary jobs, have families, and are involved in the life of their parishes.  Many of these Opus Dei members are unaware that the organization has been accused of human trafficking and labor exploitation and is the subject of a criminal investigation in Argentina. According to the report that concluded the investigation, people holding different positions within Opus Dei recruited women and girls from low-income families in several South American countries, promised them job training, and placed them in grueling work situations without pay. Opus Dei has also been accused of financial crimes such as fraud and money laundering.  Opus Dei leadership denies these allegations, claiming their critics have concocted false charges by taking details out of context. So how do we balance these allegations with the experience of thousands of ordinary Catholics and with Escrivá's vision of an inclusive church? What exactly is Opus Dei and how does it relate to the rest of the church?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to journalist Gareth Gore about what Opus Dei is, how it functions, and the details of the allegations against the group. Gore is the author of Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church (Simon & Schuster). Based in London, Gore has reported from over 25 countries and covered some of the biggest financial stories in recent years.  For more information about this topic, and to read about Gore's book, check out these links.  Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church, by Gareth Gore Opus | Book by Gareth Gore | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster “Argentine prosecutors accuse Opus Dei leaders in South America of trafficking and labor exploitation,” by Debora Rey Argentine prosecutors accuse Opus Dei leaders in South America of trafficking and labor exploitation | AP News “Women in Argentina claim labor exploitation by Opus Dei,” by Debora Rey Women in Argentina claim labor exploitation by Opus Dei | AP News “How Opus Dei manipulated its way into power,” by John Farrell How Opus Dei manipulated its way into power - U.S. Catholic “In Argentina, Opus Dei 'categorically' denies allegations it's involved in human trafficking,” by Junno Arocho Esteves In Argentina, Opus Dei 'categorically' denies allegations it's involved in human trafficking | National Catholic Reporter “Peruvian Opus Dei cardinal denies allegations of sexual abuse of minor,” by Elise Ann Allen Peruvian Opus Dei cardinal denies allegations of sexual abuse of minor - Catholic Herald “Opus Dei Contests Charges of Malfeasance in Author's New Book,” by Ken Oliver-Méndez Opus Dei Contests Charges of Malfeasance in Author's New Book| National Catholic Register “Miracle attributed to Blessed Josemaria is approved”  Miracle attributed to Blessed Josemaria is approved - Opus Dei “Split in Vatican on Opus Dei's miracle,” by Giles Tremlett Split in Vatican on Opus Dei's miracle | World news | The Guardian Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

Christian history has multiple stories of people who felt called by God to separate themselves from the bustle of society and live alone, often in remote places. In the first centuries of Christianity, the desert fathers and mothers went into the wilderness seeking a simple life of spirituality and prayer. In the Byzantine Empire there were the stylites, or pillar-saints, who lived atop columns and practiced extreme asceticism.  Other hermits lived in seclusion within society, sometimes in little cells attached to churches. In the Middle Ages, this practice became more popular, especially among women, some of whom were physically walled up in their cells, with no door or means of exit, representing their death to the world. Known as anchorites or anchoresses (from the ancient Greek ἀναχωρεῖν, meaning “to withdraw”), the most famous of these was the mystic and theologian Julian of Norwich.  The tradition of the hermit vocation has deep roots in pre-Christian practices, too. Hebrew scriptures are filled with stories of people fleeing into the desert to escape society and draw closer to God. In the New Testament, both John the Baptist and Jesus follow their example. And other religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sufism, also have traditions associated with the eremitic life.  But what about today? What does the life of a Christian hermit look like, in the modern era? On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to Brother Christian Matson, a professed hermit in the Diocese of Lexington. Brother Christian professes a rule of life that allows him to support himself financially through his work in the arts while he lives a life of contemplation in a private hermitage. You can learn more about the hermit vocation, and about Brother Christian's work, in these links.  “What is a hermit?” by John Christman What is a hermit? - U.S. Catholic “How To Be Alone,” by Alexander Jusdanis How To Be Alone | Sojourners “Medieval anchoresses found spiritual freedom in tiny cells,” by Ellyn Sanna Medieval anchoresses found spiritual freedom in tiny cells - U.S. Catholic “Sixty Feet Above: The Difficult Sanctity of Simeon Stylites,” by Eric Shuler Sixty Feet Above: The Difficult Sanctity of Simeon Stylites “The Desert Fathers and Mothers” The Desert Fathers and Mothers — Center for Action and Contemplation “Catholic diocesan hermit approved by Kentucky bishop comes out as transgender,” by Jack Jenkins Catholic diocesan hermit approved by Kentucky bishop comes out as transgender | National Catholic Reporter “Theater partnership puts depression, suicide prevention under spotlight,” by Buddy Forbes Theater partnership puts depression, suicide prevention under spotlight Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

The Bible is full of vivid, fascinating characters: heroes and antiheroes, tricksters and villains. One of the most memorable biblical villains is Queen Jezebel, wife of King Ahab in Kings 1 and 2. Jezebel shows up in multiple stories: persecuting the prophet Elijah, trying to institute the worship of the god Ba'al, conniving to steal a vineyard, and finally dying a gruesome death. She is mentioned in the book of Revelation, too, when the author refers to a woman in the church at Thyatira who “calls herself a prophet and is teaching and beguiling my servants to engage in sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols” (Rev. 2:20).   Because she lured her husband to worship a false god, and because she is remembered as wearing makeup and finery, she has come to be associated with ideas about women as dangerous, immoral temptresses. The name “Jezebel” has become a slur for a promiscuous woman who leads men astray, and this slur has been used especially to demean and demonize Black women.   But who was Jezebel really? Was she the sexually promiscuous character these slurs imply, and why does scripture depict her as a super-villain?    On this episode of Glad You Asked, theologian and biblical scholar Stacy Davis talks to the host about the character Jezebel and the history of using her as a weapon against Black women. Davis is a professor of religious studies and Theology at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and the author of Haggai and Malachi in the Wisdom Commentary Series (Liturgical Press). She is an associate editor of The Africana Bible: Reading Israel's Scriptures from Africa and the African Diaspora, as well as for the forthcoming Westminster John Knox Bible.   You can learn more about this topic in these links: “Jezebel from an African-American Perspective,” by Stacy Davis  whc.bibleodyssey.com “The Jezebel Stereotype,” by David Pilgrim The Jezebel Stereotype - Anti-black Imagery - Jim Crow Museum “Who Exactly Was the Original Jezebel?” by Wednesday Martin Who Exactly Was the Original Jezebel? ‹ Literary Hub “Jezebel Isn't Who You Think She Is,” by Nyasha Junior Jezebel Isn't Who You Think She Is - Dame Magazine “Naming the 333 women in the Bible,” by Alice Camille Naming the 333 women in the Bible - U.S. Catholic   Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.

As of March 2025, Elon Musk, the richest person in the world according to Bloomberg, was valued to be worth 311 billion dollars. To help put this quantity in perspective: In order for the average middle-class person earning around $45,000 a year to earn even $1 billion, they would have to devote all their time to work, while spending nothing, for over 21,000 years—that is, longer than human history.  Given the extent of dire need across the world, it seems grossly unethical for anyone to have that kind of money. From a Catholic perspective, we need to take seriously not only concerns rooted in natural law ethics, regarding the flourishing of the person and the common good, but also traditional teachings about the moral obligations around money. Scripture is filled with warnings about the serious, possibly eternal punishments in store for those who hoard wealth at the expense of the poor. Does that mean billionaires are going to hell? On this episode of Glad You Asked, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to moral theologian Nicholas Hayes-Mota about the Catholic Church's teaching on wealth and whether amassing vast amounts of money is a sin.  Hayes-Mota is a social ethicist and public theologian whose research interests include the theology of community organizing, Catholic social thought, contemporary virtue ethics, democratic theory, and AI ethics.    Read more about the ethics of wealth inequality: “Pope Francis: Powerful and Rich Risk Going to Hell If They Ignore the Poor,” by David Gibson “Why the wealth gap is bad for everyone.” A U.S. Catholic interview “Why wealth inequality matters,” by Kevin Clarke “The Universal Destination of Goods in St. John Chrysostom,” by Antônio Lemos Rerum Novarum (Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor), encyclical of Pope Leo XIII Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples), encyclical of Paul VI Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship), encyclical of Pope Francis   Read more by Nicholas Hayes-Mota: “We need to reclaim the legacy of Christian nonviolence,” U.S. Catholic “Principle in Practice: A MacIntyrean Analysis of Community Organizing and the Catholic Social Tradition.” Journal of Catholic Social Thought “Partners in Forming the People: Jacques Maritain, Saul Alinsky, and the Project of Personalist Democracy.” Journal of Moral Theology “An Accountable Church? Broad-Based Community Organizing and Ecclesial Ethics,” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics  

In the United States, nativity scenes are part of the ordinary landscape of Christmas—even in secular spaces. You might see a blow-up nativity scene, all in garish colors, in front of a neighborhood store. Or in church, traditional statuary depicting European-looking characters. Some homes and religious organizations feature nativity scenes from around the world, with the holy family in diverse cultural garb. But no matter the aesthetic there are common elements in most nativity scenes: Baby Jesus in the manger, Mary and Joseph close by, a few placid animals, some devout shepherds and magi, with an angel hovering on high.  But how accurate are these scenes? Would the Holy Family really have been surrounded by animals? Did shepherds actually show up immediately after Jesus was born? And did Mary worry at all about the safety of putting a newborn infant in an animal's feeding trough?  On this episode of the podcast, scholar Jaime Waters talks to the hosts about what the nativity was really like and who was there. Waters is an associate professor of Old Testament at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. She is presently working on a commentary on the book of Jeremiah for the Wisdom Commentary Series from Liturgical Press, and a book on methods of biblical interpretation. She has written multiple articles for America magazine about the intersection of scripture and justice issues. You can learn more about this topic and read some of Waters' writing in these links: “Who was really at the Nativity?” By Emily Sanna https://uscatholic.org/articles/201912/who-was-really-at-the-nativity/  “What are we missing in our depictions of the nativity?” By Kelly Nikondeha https://uscatholic.org/articles/202212/what-are-we-missing-in-our-depictions-of-the-nativity/  “A nativity collection shows different imaginings of Christmas”  By Jerry Bleem, O.F.M. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201712/a-nativity-collection-shows-how-different-cultures-imagine-christmas/  “The journey of the magi is long and risky, but it ends with joy”  By Jaime Waters https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/12/16/epiphany-scripture-reading-242059  “The loving dynamics in the Holy Family”  By Jaime Waters https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/11/18/word-scripture-lectionary-liturgy-readings-mass-241843  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.  

Often, Catholics refer to Mary with the various honorifics we have attached to her over the centuries: Mother of God, Blessed Virgin, or Queen of Heaven. When we imagine her, we may think of famous paintings representing her as a queen, crowned and throned, holding baby Jesus. While these titles all highlight important theological truths about Mary, and our religious art helps us venerate her as the most important saint of the church, we may sometimes lose sight of who Mary was historically. Long before the church developed our various doctrinal understandings about her, Mary was a Jewish woman born into a particular family, culture, and political situation. But compared with the vast amount of theological writing on Mary, the historical material we have about her is pretty scant.  Who was Mary of Nazareth, really? What was her life like? How did she dress, what did she eat, and what level of education did she have? On this episode of the Glad You Asked podcast, guest AJ Levine helps us get a clearer picture of the historical Mary, beneath the halo and beyond the holy cards.  Levine is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. She was the first Jew to teach the New Testament at Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute. She has held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies. Her books include The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (HarperOne) and Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi (HarperOne). Her most recent book is Jesus for Everyone: Not Just Christians (HarperOne). Learn more about this topic, and read some of Levine's writing, in these links. “Mary, Mary, quite contrary,” By Elizabeth Johnson https://uscatholic.org/articles/201101/mary-mary-quite-contrary/  “It is time to free Mary and let God have her own maternal face,” By Christine Schenk https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/simply-spirit/it-time-free-mary-and-let-god-have-her-own-maternal-face  “All mothers stand at the cross with Mary,” By Sister Laurie Brink, O.P. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202005/all-mothers-stand-at-the-cross-with-mary/  “Why did God choose Mary?” By LaRyssa Herrington https://uscatholic.org/articles/202305/why-did-god-choose-mary/  “Witnesses, patrons, faithful disciples: The women at the cross and the tomb,” By Amy-Jill Levine https://www.abc.net.au/religion/amy-jill-levine-women-at-the-cross-and-the-tomb/13843886  “A Jewish take on Jesus: Amy-Jill Levine talks the gospels.” A U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/201209/a-jewish-take-on-jesus-amy-jill-levine-talks-the-gospels/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.  

It's difficult to avoid artificial intelligence these days. When searching on Google or reading product reviews, there's a good chance that you'll be offered the option to read an AI-generated summary. Or maybe an AI tool will offer to write your work email for you. Savvy users are typically able to detect the errors in AI summaries, but even the most cautious and informed person might find it difficult to sort through what's accurate and what isn't. And while an ethical student wouldn't want to entrust their carefully thought out ideas to an AI writing program, it might be a temptation for those less skilled at writing, or less concerned about morals.  These are just a few ways AI disrupts our already hectic human lives. There are also questions about AI taking human jobs, AI being used to spread disinformation, AI romantic partners, even AI contract killers. The ethical issues around AI are real. But does this mean AI itself is bad? Are there ethical ways of using it? On this episode of Glad You Asked, guest Brian Green talks to the hosts about what AI is, what the real ethical concerns are, and whether Catholics should use it at all.  Green is the director of technology ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. His work focuses on the impact of technology on human life, society, and religion. He has contributed to a number of books on AI and ethics and is the author of Space Ethics (Rowman & Littlefield). He's been a lead contributor on three World Economic Forum case studies on ethical practices at Microsoft, Salesforce, and IBM and has worked with the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education. Learn more about this topic in these links.  “How should Christians respond to the challenges of AI?” By Kate Ott https://uscatholic.org/articles/202307/how-should-christians-respond-to-the-challenges-of-ai/  “AI isn't all doom and gloom, says this theologian” A U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/202307/ai-isnt-all-doom-and-gloom-says-this-theologian/  “‘Oppenheimer' offers a sober lesson in the era of AI” By Danny Duncan Collum https://uscatholic.org/articles/202311/oppenheimer-offers-a-sober-lesson-in-the-era-of-ai/  “Futuristic fiction asks important ethical questions about AI” By Jeannine Pitas https://uscatholic.org/articles/202308/futuristic-fiction-asks-important-ethical-questions-about-ai/  Journal of Moral Theology, Special Issue on AI https://www.academyforlife.va/content/dam/pav/documenti%20pdf/2022/AI/Spring%202022%20Special%20Issue%20AI.pdf  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Even 700 years after his death, St. Thomas Aquinas is still one of most influential theologians in the history of the Catholic Church. The Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian wrote extensively about morals, liturgy, the sacraments, humanity, and the nature of God. He drew on multiple non-Christian and pre-Christian traditions to articulate the relationship between natural reason and revealed truth.  Today, Aquinas' ideas remain central to Catholic thought. But not all his ideas have aged well. And this can pose a problem, especially when people treat him as an authority on the level of the magisterium. Some of the ideas from Aquinas that self-described Thomists like to reiterate not only aren't church teaching—they're also incorrect. But would Thomas Aquinas be a Thomist? What would the saint think about popular takes on his ideas today? And why is this academic quibble politically significant? On this episode of Glad You Asked, journalist Heidi Schlumpf, who recently wrote about this topic for U.S. Catholic, joins the hosts to talk about why conservative influencers love Aquinas and why disputes about his thought are relevant for the public square.  Schlumpf is a senior correspondent for and former executive editor of the National Catholic Reporter. She previously served as the managing editor of U.S. Catholic and has reported extensively on religion, spirituality, social justice, and women's issues. She is the author of Elizabeth A. Johnson: Questing for God (Liturgical Press). You can read more about this topic and read some of Schlumpf's writing in these links. “Would Thomas Aquinas be a Thomist?” By Heidi Schlumpf https://uscatholic.org/articles/202406/would-thomas-aquinas-be-a-thomist/  “Why ‘trads' seek to root the church's future in the past” By Angela Denker https://uscatholic.org/articles/202207/why-trads-seek-to-root-the-churchs-future-in-the-past/  “Two very different parishes point to divisions in the church” By Peter Feuerherd https://uscatholic.org/articles/202105/parish-differences-show-division-in-church/  “J.D. Vance's Catholicism. Theological profile of Trump's heir apparent” By Massimo Faggioli https://international.la-croix.com/opinions/jd-vances-catholicism-theological-profile-of-trumps-heir-apparent  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Religious nationalism is on the rise, both in the United States and globally. While this poses multiple challenges to justice work, it also raises theoretical questions for Christians, including the question of how Catholics should understand the relationship between church and political powers. For centuries, when monarchy was the default, Catholics argued about this. Should the pope control the king, or vice versa? Can kings appoint religious institutional leaders? What if a pope excommunicates a monarch? Somewhere along the line, a political idea called integralism developed. Integralism proposes a much closer relationship between political and religious authorities than most Americans are comfortable with. But despite our longstanding embrace of the separation of church and state, this seemingly obscure idea has entered our public discourse, associated with some right-wing influencers and political figures—including Vice President-Elect JD Vance.  So what is integralism? Is it the same as nationalism, and does it threaten our constitutional ideas about religious liberty? On this episode of the podcast, scholar Nicholas Hayes-Mota talks to the hosts about what integralism is and how it relates to the current political climate.  Hayes-Mota is a social ethicist and public theologian whose research interests include the theology of community organizing, Catholic social thought, contemporary virtue ethics, democratic theory, and AI ethics. He is a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Santa Clara University's College of Arts and Sciences. You can learn more about this topic and read some of Hayes-Mota's work in these links. “What is Catholic integralism?” By Steven P. Millies https://uscatholic.org/articles/201910/what-is-catholic-integralism/  “The Integralist Argument Is Wrong, Even If You're Catholic”  By Kevin Augustyn https://www.discoursemagazine.com/p/the-integralist-argument-is-wrong-even-if-youre-catholic  “The strange world of Catholic 'integralism'—and Christian nationalism”  By Jack Jenkins https://www.ncronline.org/news/strange-world-catholic-integralism-and-christian-nationalism  “The not-so-Catholic candidacy of J. D. Vance”  By Jason L. Miller and Rebecca Bratten Weiss https://uscatholic.org/articles/202407/the-not-so-catholic-candidacy-of-j-d-vance/  “Faith at the expense of freedom”  By Rebecca Bratten Weiss https://www.christiancentury.org/features/faith-expense-freedom  “We need to reclaim the legacy of Christian nonviolence”  By Nicholas Hayes-Mota https://uscatholic.org/articles/202405/we-need-to-reclaim-the-legacy-of-christian-nonviolence/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.  

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This verse, sometimes called the Great Commission, includes a mandate to perform baptisms. But does that mean Jesus was telling everyone to go out and baptize? In the gospel passage, Jesus is speaking only to the eleven men who were closest to him, sometimes called the apostles. Traditionally, Catholics have believed that those eleven men were the first priests, and that this is why the mandate to baptize was directed at them.   But does that mean only priests can perform baptisms? And does it mean that a person who is able to baptize should do so any time they get a chance, even if the person hasn't asked for baptism, doesn't want it, or is too young to make the decision? What about if a person was adamant about rejecting baptism, but is now unconscious, and dying? Should a good Catholic try to get them baptized anyway?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, Claretian Father Paul Keller talks to the hosts about the church's rules around baptism: who can baptize, who can be baptized, and what makes a baptism valid. Keller is the provincial superior for the USA-Canada Chapter of the Claretian Missionaries and a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic on issues relating to pastoral ministry, public policy, theology, and ethics.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Keller's writing, in these links.  “Baptism, not piety, is what makes us Catholic” By Don Clemmer https://uscatholic.org/articles/202307/baptism-not-piety-is-what-makes-us-catholic/  “3 things Catholics should remember about baptism” By John Kyler https://uscatholic.org/articles/202211/3-things-catholics-should-remember-about-baptism/  “Why does baptism have to be so wet?” By Victoria M. Tufano https://uscatholic.org/articles/201603/why-does-baptism-have-to-be-so-wet/  “Should confirmation be for adults only?” By Father Paul Keller, C.M.F. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202206/should-confirmation-be-for-adults-only/  “Can a priest withhold communion from a Catholic?” By Father Paul Keller, C.M.F. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202109/can-a-priest-withhold-communion-from-a-catholic/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

In times of difficulty and strife, it's easy to feel hopeless. Sometimes it's personal loss or tragedy, sometimes it's climate catastrophe. Sometimes it's the injustice meted out by authoritarian, extremist regimes. Sometimes it's the weight of depression, anxiety, and trauma. Christian mandates to rejoice and be glad can feel ridiculous, even insulting, to those who see no cause for joy. When the weight of the world's woes gets heavy, simply getting out of bed in the morning can be a chore. Hopelessness may seem like the most logical, realistic response to the state of humanity. But aren't Christians supposed to be hopeful? Technically, hope is a theological virtue. Hope is connected with faith and charity. So some Christians assume that hopelessness must be a sin, or at least a religious failure. It doesn't help that some Catholics try to turn mental health issues into spiritual ones, even going so far as to claim that depression is caused by evil spirits. So, what's the difference between the virtue of hope, having hope for the future, and feeling “in a hopeful mood”? Are Christians required to be hopeful even in dire times? Is it a sin to be hopeless? On this episode of Glad You Asked, Christine Valters Paintner discusses what it means to be hopeful in a world fraught with suffering. Paintner is a Benedictine oblate and the online abbess at abbeyofthearts.com, a virtual monastery integrating contemplative practice and creative expression. She is a poet and the author of more than 20 books on the spiritual life. Her newest book is A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness (Ave Maria Press).  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Paintner's writing, in these links: “Biblical figures struggled with mental health, too” By Alice Camille https://uscatholic.org/articles/202402/biblical-figures-struggled-with-mental-health-too/  “How your parish can help those suffering from depression”  By Jessie Bazan https://uscatholic.org/articles/201804/how-your-parish-can-help-those-suffering-from-depression/  “No one can avoid suffering, but Jesus points a way to healing” By Kevin Considine https://uscatholic.org/articles/202309/no-one-can-avoid-suffering-but-jesus-points-a-way-to-healing/  “It's OK to despair and swear at God” By Michael Leech https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/soul-seeing/its-ok-despair-and-swear-god  “Learn to take your troubles to the Black Madonna” By Christine Valters Paintner https://uscatholic.org/articles/202204/learn-to-take-your-troubles-to-the-black-madonna/  “Exile is at the heart of the human experience” By Christine Valters Paintner https://uscatholic.org/articles/202308/exile-is-at-the-heart-of-the-human-experience/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Historically, nationalism has often turned out to be a bad idea. The most obvious examples of nationalism leading to atrocities include the Nazi regime in Germany and Benito Mussolini's fascist dictatorship in Italy, but today's geopolitical scene involves a variety of problematic nationalistic movements, including in India, Turkey, Brazil, and Hungary.  Even though nationalism frequently leads to violence or even genocide, people keep trying it. Perhaps the logic is something like “As great as MY nation is, maybe this time it will work!”  Here in the United States, nationalism has usually come with a particularly Christian flavor. Aside from the usual concerns associated with nationalism, this pairing of politics and religion poses unique challenges. Does it even make sense to combine a political ideology like nationalism with a religion like Christianity (especially Catholic Christianity, which is all about universality and solidarity across borders)?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, theologian and activist Jim Wallis discusses the nature of Christian nationalism, whether nationalism can ever be truly Christian, and how people of faith should respond to the resurgence of Christian nationalism in the United States today. Wallis is the founder of Sojourners and the author of 12 books, including America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America (Brazos). He is the inaugural chair and founding director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. You can learn more about this topic in these links. “Any religion allied with nationalism is dangerous,” by Stephen Schneck https://uscatholic.org/articles/202304/any-religion-allied-with-nationalism-is-dangerous/ “Christian nationalism distorts the faith, says Lexington Bishop John Stowe,” by Heidi Schlumpf https://www.ncronline.org/news/christian-nationalism-distorts-faith-says-lexington-bishop-john-stowe “How one evangelical leader uses the Bible to expose the ‘False White Gospel,'” by John Blake https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/28/us/evangelical-christianity-false-white-gospel-wallis-cec/index.html Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Every year at Halloween in the United States, amidst the usual vampires, witches, wizards, and superheroes, you may see a few costumes inspired by the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  If you aren't familiar with this tradition, you might wonder about the significance of the floral crowns and beautifully painted skulls. Although the movie Coco recently brought Día de los Muertos into the public eye, Americans who are not of Mexican descent may still be confused about the celebration. Is this just how they do Halloween in Mexico? Or is Día de los Muertos the same as All Souls' Day?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, scholar and educator Mathew Sandoval talks about the origin of this colorful and evocative tradition. Sandoval is a cultural historian and performance studies scholar whose research focuses on Día de los Muertos in history and popular culture. He is an associate teaching professor at Barrett the Honors College in Downtown Phoenix, where he teaches interdisciplinary seminars on art, culture, race, history, and activism. He also has a professional career as a performing artist, storyteller, poet, and filmmaker.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Sandoval's writing, in these links: “What is Día de los Muertos? An expert explains the holiday celebrating loved ones who have died” By Matthew Sandoval https://artscanvas.org/arts-culture/what-is-dia-de-los-muertos-an-expert-explains-the-holiday-celebrating-loved-ones-who-have-died  “Is Día de los Muertos the same as All Souls Day?” By Joel Schorn https://uscatholic.org/articles/201111/is-dia-de-los-muertos-the-same-as-all-souls-day/  “How ‘La Catrina' became the iconic symbol of Day of the Dead” By Matthew Sandoval https://artscanvas.org/arts-culture/how-la-catrina-became-the-iconic-symbol-for-the-day-of-the-dead  “8 prayer practices to honor the dead on All Saints and All Souls Days” By the U.S. Catholic editors https://uscatholic.org/articles/202010/8-prayer-practices-to-honor-the-dead-on-all-saints-and-all-souls-days/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.  

Every presidential election year, Catholics have the same debates: Which candidate is more in line with Catholic teachings? Is it a sin to vote for a certain candidate or support a certain party? What if none of the candidates reflect Catholic teaching? Various voter guides circulate, few of them the same. And inevitably, election season also becomes the season of misinformation, as media personalities and influencers broadcast their own personal opinions under the label of “church teaching.” Stories abound of priests or religious leaders telling their congregations that they are obliged to vote a certain way or be in mortal sin. Catholics who take seriously both their faith practice and their obligation to civic engagement may feel overwhelmed, confused, and dispirited in the face of this. Some may wonder whether there's even any point in voting at all. Others may decide not to vote because they dislike the idea of democracy. And still others may stay home simply because of ennui.  On this episode of the podcast, theologian and ethicist Meghan Clark discusses the question of whether Catholics have to vote, and how we ought to vote when we do. Clark is a professor of theology at St. John's University in New York and author of The Vision of Catholic Social Thought: The Virtue of Solidarity and the Praxis of Human Rights (Fortress Press). In 2022, she was the assistant coordinator of the North American Working Group of the “Doing Theology from the Existential Peripheries” Project for the Migrant & Refugees Section of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. She is a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic.  Learn more about this topic, and read some of Clark's writing, in these links: “How should Catholics vote? A guide for faithful citizens” By Bernard Evans https://uscatholic.org/articles/202010/how-should-catholics-vote-read-this-guide-before-you-hit-the-polls/  “If you care about family values, vote for the common good” By Kathleen Bonnette https://uscatholic.org/articles/202410/if-you-care-about-family-values-vote-for-the-common-good/  “Government for the people needs to be for everyone” By Meghan Clark https://uscatholic.org/articles/202210/government-for-the-people-needs-to-be-for-everyone/  “Notre Dame peace scholar advises Catholic voters to use social teaching as guide” By Catherine M. Odell https://www.ncronline.org/news/notre-dame-peace-scholar-advises-catholic-voters-use-social-teaching-guide  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit https://claretians.org.

The social media trend of women who define themselves as “tradwives” has been growing for some time. You might be searching for a bread recipe or looking for crafts to do with your children, and suddenly you find yourself watching an Instagram reel featuring a young white woman in vintage 1950s clothing, standing in a beautiful kitchen, and talking about the joy of embracing traditional gender roles, not working outside the home, and submitting to her husband.  The tradwife aesthetic can be appealing, especially in our era of automation and late stage capitalism. And those who are ecologically minded might feel drawn to a lifestyle that looks more natural and simple, where women make their own clothing and prepare food from scratch instead of participating in globalized industrialization. But the tradwife trend isn't just about the aesthetic. Nor are ecological concerns a top priority for most women who call themselves tradwives. So what's the deal with the tradwives? Where did the trend come from, why is it so popular, and how should justice-minded Catholics evaluate it? On this episode of the podcast, the hosts talk to Emma Cieslik about the tradwife phenomenon, its origins, and its ideological framework. Cieslik is a religious scholar and museum worker based in Washington, D.C. who studies the intersections of gender, sexuality, and Catholic material cultures. She serves as director for Queer and Catholic: A CLGS Oral History Project. You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Cieslik's writing, in these links. “Catholic trad wives pose a formidable political and religious force” By Emma Cieslik https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/catholic-trad-wives-pose-formidable-political-and-religious-force  “The Truth About the Past That ‘Tradwives' Want to Revive” By Jacqueline Beatty https://time.com/6962381/tradwives-history/  “Trad Wives Are Thriving in the Post-Dobbs Era” By Morgan Jerkins https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/06/trad-wife-wives-nara-smith-estee-williams-dobbs-roe-escapism/  “I thought I hated feminism. What I actually hated was conservative women's culture” By Rebecca Bratten Weiss https://uscatholic.org/articles/202305/i-thought-i-hated-feminism-what-i-actually-hated-was-conservative-womans-culture/ “Gender diversity has always been part of the church” By Emma Cieslik https://uscatholic.org/articles/202406/gender-diversity-has-always-been-part-of-the-church/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

To many practicing Catholics, terms like queer theology might seem overly academic or unhelpful. Does queer theology refer to theology done by and for people who are LGBTQ+? Is it focused primarily on arguing for inclusion of queer people and perspectives in the church? Or is it something arcane and academic, along the lines of queer theory? And why should people who don't identify as queer care what it means at all? Some might also be uncomfortable with the idea of breaking theology up into specific groups. If we're all human relating to God, shouldn't plain old theology be good enough for everyone? Why worry about feminist theology, ecotheology, and liberation theology, when one could just talk about God?  On the opening episode of the fifth season of Glad You Asked, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss discuss the topic of queer theology with guest Shannon Kearns. Kearns is an ordained priest in the Old Catholic Church and the author of In the Margins: A Transgender Man's Journey With Scripture (Eerdmans). He also has three more books forthcoming, including No One Taught Me How To Be A Man: What A Trans Man's Experience Reveals About Masculinity (Broadleaf Books).  Kearns has also written multiple plays, and been awarded for his playwriting and screenwriting, including first place in the ScreenCraft Pitch competition and in the New Hope Film Festival. You can read more of Shannon's writing and check out his podcasts on his website (https://www.shannontlkearns.com/) and learn more about queer theology in the links below: “Is queer theology compatible with Catholicism?” By Caleb Murray https://uscatholic.org/articles/202312/is-queer-theology-compatible-with-catholicism/  “Toward a theology of a queer God,” By Ellyn Sanna https://uscatholic.org/articles/202312/is-queer-theology-compatible-with-catholicism/  “We were never meant to survive,” By Shannon Kearns https://www.queertheology.com/we-were-never-meant-to-survive/  “Way of the cross is way of embodiment, something queer Catholics know well,” By Maxwell Kuzma https://www.ncronline.org/spirituality/way-cross-way-embodiment-something-queer-catholics-know-well  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit https://claretians.org and https://myclaret.org. 

Over the past two years, the Glad You Asked podcast has answered more than 50 of your top questions about Catholic history, scripture, and theology. Things like: Do dogs go to heaven? Do angels really have wings? And did Jesus have to die on the cross? Hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss have spoken with dozens of teachers, theologians, activists, and other experts on these and others of the most-searched for queries about Catholicism. Glad You Asked returns for its fifth season on October 4 with even more answers to your burning questions: What is Catholic nationalism? Should Catholics use AI? What is queer theology? And who can baptize a baby? Tune in this season to hear experts answer these questions and more. Sign up for updates here, or subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.  

These days, when Catholics talk about someone being a saint, this usually has nothing to do with signs or wonders, but with a life of heroic virtue. Further back in church history, however, stories of the saints are often filled with anecdotes about the miraculous. Some stories tell of miraculous healings or rescues; others tell of saints levitating or flying through the air.   “Yes, but those were just legends,” people may say—but the Catholic Church does teach that miracles are real, and it still requires evidence of the miraculous as part of the process of canonization. So what are we to make of these older stories of saints levitating or performing miraculous or supernatural feats? Are the faithful required to believe these things happened? On this episode of the podcast, guest Carlos Eire talks about the motif of levitation in Catholic hagiography. Eire is the T. Lawrason Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University, and a historian of late medieval and early modern Europe. His most recent book, They Flew: A History of the Impossible from Yale University Press, explores miraculous events such as levitation in the era of transition to modernity. He has also written a highly acclaimed memoir about his experience as a child escapee from the Castro regime in Cuba.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Eire's writing, in these links: “Making sense of levitating saints,” by Carlos Eire https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/saints-levitation-bilocation-eire-miracles-history “Historian sets his eyes on levitating saints in book ‘They Flew',” by Patrick J. Hayes https://www.ncronline.org/culture/book-reviews/historian-sets-his-eyes-levitating-saints-book-they-flew “Your field guide to flying saints,” by Kathleen M. Carroll https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/your-field-guide-to-flying-saints/ “Why does the church require miracles for sainthood?” by Heidi Schlumpf https://uscatholic.org/articles/201112/why-does-the-church-require-miracles-for-sainthood/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

As co-founder of both the Catholic Worker newspaper and the movement of the same name, Dorothy Day is probably the most widely-known social justice Catholic in the modern American church. Even if you haven't read Day's writing, you've probably seen some of her more popular quotes reminding Catholics that living the gospel has a socio-political component. You may have read something from the newspaper she helped found, or even visited a Catholic Worker farm.  But what does it mean to be a Catholic Worker? What's the nature and structure of the movement, and what does a person have to do, if they want to join up? And does the institutional Catholic Church have any jurisdiction over the movement, the newspaper, or the Catholic Worker communities? On this episode of the podcast, Renée Roden talks about the history of the movement, and what it means to be a Catholic Worker today. Roden is a journalist and Catholic Worker based in Pennsylvania, and a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Roden's writing, in these links. “How the Catholic Worker movement stays grassroots online,” by Renée Roden https://uscatholic.org/articles/202402/how-the-catholic-worker-movement-stays-grassroots-online/ “House work: Catholic Worker houses of today,” by Karen Kirkwood https://uscatholic.org/articles/201109/house-work-catholic-worker-houses-of-today/ “A Catholic worker devotes energy to environmental activism,” by Jeannine M. Pitas https://uscatholic.org/articles/201909/a-catholic-worker-devotes-her-energy-to-environmental-activism/ “Dorothy Day inspires a new meaning of ‘saint,'” by Brian Terrell https://uscatholic.org/articles/202311/dorothy-day-inspires-a-new-meaning-of-saint/ “All in a Day's work: The legacy of Dorothy Day,” by Robert Ellsberg https://uscatholic.org/articles/201003/all-in-a-days-work/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/  

When Catholics argue about the more controversial teachings of the church, it's not unusual for someone to try to shut the conversation down by reminding everyone that debate is pointless since the church never changes. If you don't like a specific doctrine, well, too bad, since it's not going anywhere. The Catholic Church is the living repository of revealed truth so it's always been right and isn't going to change—or so the argument goes. So, for instance, when it comes to something gravely evil like slavery, the church must have always opposed this practice—right?  But what to do about those passages in scripture, from doctors of the church like Thomas Aquinas, or even from earlier official documents, that seem to support slavery? Did the church actually condone slavery at some earlier point, then change its teaching later? Our guest on today's episode is going to talk about the history of the Catholic Church's stance on slavery. Alessandra Harris is a novelist, essayist, and racial justice advocate. Her fiction books include Blaming the Wind, Everything She Lost, and Last Place Seen (all from Red Adept Publishing). In 2023, she published her first nonfiction book, In the Shadow of Freedom: The Enduring Call for Racial Justice (Orbis Books). Harris has contributed extensively to U.S. Catholic, as well as to Black Catholic Messenger, America Magazine, The Revealer, Grotto Network, Critical Theology Journal, Catholic Worker, and National Catholic Reporter. Learn more about this topic and read some of Harris' writing in these links: “When did the church condemn slavery?” by Jacob Kohlhaas https://uscatholic.org/articles/202311/when-did-the-church-condemn-slavery/ “How the U.S. Catholic Church profited from slavery,” a U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/202308/how-the-u-s-catholic-church-profited-from-slavery/ “The Role of Forgiveness When Confronting Racism,” by Alessandra Harris https://www.grottonetwork.com/stories/reflective-narrative-about-racial-reconciliation “The death penalty in the US is modern-day lynching,” by Alessandra Harris https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/death-penalty-us-modern-day-lynching Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/  

The apostle Paul was a busy man. As well as traveling, preaching, arguing, getting imprisoned, and surviving shipwreck, he also wrote a lot of letters. Over half the books in the Christian scriptures are commonly attributed to him, and anyone involved in an argument over matters of Catholic teaching is likely, at some point, to quote Paul.  This can make things complicated, since some statements attributed to Paul appear to contradict each other. For instance, one passage from 1 Timothy says that women should not exercise authority over men. But elsewhere Paul commends women deacons and leaders, such as Phoebe and Prisca. This raises all kinds of questions, including questions about the origins of these books. Did Paul really write all the letters in the Bible that have been attributed to him—the letters to the Romans, to the Hebrews, to the people of Corinth, and so on? On this episode of the podcast, guest Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F. talks about the authorship of the Pauline epistles. Okorie is editor-in-chief of U.S. Catholic, a member of the Claretian Missionaries, and vice president and academic dean at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he is also an assistant professor of New Testament studies. He is the author of Favor and Gratitude. Reading Galatians in Its Greco-Roman Context (Fortress Press, 2020), as well as numerous scholarly articles.  You can learn more about Paul, and read some of Okorie's writing, in these links. “What church leaders can learn from St. Paul about race and diversity,” by Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202006/what-church-leaders-can-learn-from-st-paul-about-race-and-diversity/ “Paul through the eyes of a classicist,” a U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/201204/putting-paul-in-his-place-examining-the-apostle-through-the-eyes-of-a-classicist/ “What future did Paul see for his letters?” by Joel Schorn https://uscatholic.org/articles/200908/what-future-did-paul-see-for-his-letters/ “Getting to know Paul,” a U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/200807/getting-to-know-paul/ “Who decided what books are in the Bible?” by Alice Camille https://uscatholic.org/articles/201809/who-decided-what-books-are-in-the-bible/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

A thousand or so years ago, there lived an Irish archbishop named Malachy. And this archbishop supposedly had a series of visions about popes—past, present and future. According to the revelations in these visions, recorded in a document that was supposedly discovered around 1590, there would be only 112 popes between Malachy's time and the day of the final judgment. Today, some people think that the prophecy refers to our times, and that Pope Francis is that 112th pope, cryptically designated in the prophecy as “Peter the Roman.” But who was St. Malachy? Did he really have these visions and really record these prophecies? And why are some so fixated on the idea that Malachy's prophecy, also known as the “Prophecy of the Popes,” refers to Pope Francis?  On this episode of the podcast, guest Joëlle Rollo-Koster talks about the origins and historical context of this prophecy, and whether it's something that Catholics should take seriously. Rollo-Koster is professor of Medieval history at the University of Rhode Island, College of Arts and Sciences. She received her undergraduate degree and master's degree in history from the University of Nice, in France, and later earned her PhD at SUNY Binghamton. She has done extensive scholarly research on the papal city of Avignon. You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Rollo-Koster's writing, in these links. “What is the prophecy of St. Malachy?” by Joseph McHugh https://uscatholic.org/articles/201309/what-is-the-prophecy-of-st-malachy/ “What lies beneath all the criticism of Pope Francis?” by Kevin Clarke https://uscatholic.org/articles/201912/what-lies-beneath-all-the-criticism-of-pope-francis/ “10 years after Pope Francis' election, a look back at his papacy,” by J. Peter Nixon https://uscatholic.org/articles/202303/10-years-after-pope-francis-election-a-look-back-at-his-papacy/ “Medieval Europe was far from democratic, but that didn't mean tyrants got a free pass,” by Joëlle Rollo-Koster https://theconversation.com/medieval-europe-was-far-from-democratic-but-that-didnt-mean-tyrants-got-a-free-pass-227214 Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

The rosary is probably the most well-known of all Catholic prayer practices. Many Catholics grew up praying it as part of their family or community devotions. And the physical rosary itself, a string of beads or knots with a crucifix attached and sometimes a medal, is immediately recognizable as a Catholic object. Catholics might carry rosaries, wear them, drape them over statues, or dangle them on their rearview mirrors. In films and television, a rosary immediately signals “Catholic,” and popular artists such as Madonna and Lady Gaga have used rosaries in their music videos, to the consternation of some of the pious.  But where did the tradition of the rosary, and those prayers associated with it, come from? On this episode of the podcast, guest Damian Costello talks about the origins of the rosary, both the physical item and the prayers Catholics use. Costello is the director of postgraduate studies at NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community and the author of Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism. He has written extensively about Catholic devotional practices and the intersection of Catholic theology with indigenous spiritual traditions.  You can learn more about this topic and read some of Costello's work in these links. “Lakota Catholic tradition gives new meaning to the rosary,” by Damian Costello https://uscatholic.org/articles/202104/lakota-catholic-tradition-gives-new-meaning-to-the-rosary/ “Can praying a weekly rosary salvage fraying family ties?” by Molly Jo Rose https://uscatholic.org/articles/202109/can-praying-a-weekly-rosary-salvage-fraying-family-ties/ “The blue rosary,” by Brian Doyle https://uscatholic.org/articles/201805/the-blue-rosary-by-brian-doyle/ “Bring back the rosary,” by Father Daniel Berrigan https://uscatholic.org/articles/197810/35-years-ago-in-u-s-catholic-bring-back-the-rosary/ “Rosary origins,” by Father Johann Roten, S.M. https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/r/rosary-origins.php Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

There are certain core beliefs that every Christian denomination shares: the Trinity. The divinity of Jesus. Jesus' death and resurrection. Some Protestants have little in common with Catholics beyond these and a few other core beliefs, but other denominations seem closely related to Catholicism. The Episcopal Church, for instance, has a lot in common with the Catholic Church, in terms of belief and liturgical practice. Both denominations have priests and bishops, and both recognize the sacraments. So what distinguishes the Catholic faith from Episcopal faith? What are the significant differences between these two Christian faith traditions?  On this episode of the podcast, guest Bryan Cones discusses the origins of the Episcopal Church, how Episcopal practices differ from Catholic ones, what the two denominations have in common, and how to understand the different traditions within the Episcopal Church.   Cones is an Episcopal priest and the pastor at Trinity Episcopal Church in Highland Park, Illinois. He has a doctorate in liturgy and practical theology from Pilgrim Theological College-University of Divinity in Melbourne, Australia and has published seven books and more than a hundred articles on Christian spirituality. He is also a former managing editor at U.S. Catholic.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Cones' writings, in these links. “How similar are Catholics and Anglicans?” by Bryan Cones https://uscatholic.org/articles/200912/how-similar-are-catholics-and-anglicans/ “A Catholic picks up the Anglican Book of Common Prayer,” by Jeffrey Essmann https://uscatholic.org/articles/201602/a-catholic-picks-up-the-anglican-book-of-common-prayer/ “How I met your Father: Married Episcopalians becoming Catholic priests,” by Katharine Saunders https://uscatholic.org/articles/201207/how-i-met-your-father-married-episcopalians-becoming-catholic-priests/ “A more perfect communion,” by Bryan Cones https://uscatholic.org/articles/200901/a-more-perfect-communion/

Some of the most popular and well-known Catholic pilgrimage sites are places where Mary the Mother of Jesus is believed to have appeared to people. Every year, millions travel to Fatima in Portugal and Lourdes in France. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe near Mexico City sees around 20 million pilgrims a year. And the site of the claimed apparitions at Medjugorje, though controversial, still attracts huge numbers of visitors.  These, however, are only a few out of hundreds of cases of claimed apparitions. Of these hundreds, some are approved by the church and others aren't. But what does that mean? Are Catholics obliged to believe an approved apparition actually happened, if the church approved it? If there is a message associated with an approved apparition, do Catholics have to assent to it? And, if an apparition is not approved, does that mean Catholics aren't allowed to believe in it? These questions invoke another, larger question: What's the point of Marian apparitions anyway? Why do people flock to these pilgrimage sites? And on the level of popular devotion, what do Marian apparitions have to offer to those seeking meaning or comfort in an uncertain world? On this episode of the podcast, guest Jeanette Rodriguez talks about whether Catholics are obliged to believe in Marian apparitions, the role of these devotions in Catholics' faith lives, and why they continue to be so popular over the ages. Rodriguez is a professor at Seattle University and teaches in both the department of theology and religious studies, and the couples and family therapy program. She serves as director of the Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture and has written on U.S. Hispanic theology, women's spirituality, liberation theology, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. You can read more about this topic in these links. “Why do Catholics venerate Mary?” by Kevin Considine https://uscatholic.org/articles/201405/why-do-catholics-venerate-mary/ “The gift of Guadalupe,” a U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/201112/the-gift-of-guadalupe/ “Our Lady of Guadalupe is a missionary of mercy,” by Timothy Matovina https://uscatholic.org/articles/201612/our-lady-of-guadalupe-is-a-missionary-of-mercy/ “A 7-year-old's pilgrimage to Fatima,” by Molly Jo Rose https://uscatholic.org/articles/201705/a-7-year-olds-pilgrimage-to-fatima/ “Keeping up appearances,” by Mary Catt https://uscatholic.org/articles/200807/keeping-up-appearances/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

Most people who are even a little familiar with church history will recognize the image of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to a church door in Wittenberg. While there's no conclusive evidence that he actually did this, we do know that the Augustinian friar succeeded in kicking off the Protestant Reformation by promulgating his then-controversial treatise and that his primary objection was to the practice of selling indulgences. Basically, Luther thought the institutional church was in the business of “selling salvation.” But what is an indulgence, really? Is it a “get out of hell free pass,” as some seem to think? Did the church really take money in exchange for the promise of forgiveness of sins? How did this practice originate, and how did it deteriorate into something associated with widespread abuse? , Does the Vatican currently have a stance on indulgences, or is this one of those practices that the church changed or discarded over time?  On this episode of the Glad You Asked podcast, hosts talk to guest Kathleen Manning about the concept of indulgences, how the practice developed, the controversies around it, and what Catholics believe today.  Manning teaches history at Loyola University Chicago and is a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic's Glad You Asked column.   You can read more about this topic in these links. “The Catholic view on indulgences and how they work today,” by Myriam Renaud  https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-view-on-indulgences-and-how-they-work-today-193066 “For Catholics, a Door to Absolution Is Reopened,” by Paul Vitello https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html#:~:text=You%20cannot%20buy%20one%20%E2%80%94%20the,indulgence%20per%20sinner%20per%20day. “Can Catholics celebrate the Reformation?” by Jacob Kohlhaas https://uscatholic.org/articles/201702/can-catholics-celebrate-the-reformation/ “The surprisingly Catholic Martin Luther,” a U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/200409/the-surprisingly-catholic-martin-luther/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

What do we know about the life of the early Christians in the first few generations after the death of Jesus? While there's a lot of debate about such topics as leadership roles and gender equality, Acts is pretty explicit about a few details: The very first Christians held all things in common. When people joined the community of believers, they would sell their possessions and distribute the proceeds. They made sure everyone's needs were met.  Some people reading these passages have concluded that the first Christians practiced an early form of communism. While this notion aligns with other ideas in the Bible, especially Jesus' teachings about giving up one's possessions, it's still a controversial claim—especially since many conservative Christians view communism and socialism as completely antithetical to Christian values. So which is it? Is communism an evil, atheistic ideology? Or is it the best possible way to live out the gospel?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to guest Angela Zautcke about the communal life and values of the early church, how to interpret those Bible passages, and whether we can call the practices of the early church a variety of communism. Zautcke is an advanced doctoral student at the University of Notre Dame. Her fields of scholarship include the gospels, narratology, Second Temple Judaism, and apocalyptic literature. Read more about this topic in these links: “Is social justice the same as socialism?” by Kathy McGourty https://uscatholic.org/articles/201008/is-social-justice-the-same-as-socialism/ “Catholics should learn from Marx, not fear him,” by Sam Rocha https://uscatholic.org/articles/202305/catholics-should-learn-from-marx-not-fear-him/ “Do we need more liberation theology?” by Abby Rampone https://uscatholic.org/articles/202401/do-we-need-more-liberation-theology/ “Can Catholics and socialists build a better future together?” by Fran Quigley https://uscatholic.org/articles/202010/can-catholics-and-socialists-build-a-better-future-together/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/

From Hebrew scriptures to contemporary television, from Medieval manuscripts to Victorian greeting cards, angels loom large in the collective imagination of Western culture, and not only for Christians. But the word angel seems to cover a multitude of possible beings. To judge from their many and varied representations, a vision of an angel might involve a giant three-headed winged monster, a chubby winged baby, or maybe an elegant androgynous figure. Given the diverse ways angels have been represented across different eras and traditions, it is difficult to get a sense of what Christians actually believe about angels. Where did the idea of angels originate? Are there really different ranks of angels? What about guardian angels? Or fallen angels? And why are they so frequently depicted with wings? On this episode of the Glad You Asked podcast, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss speak with guest Matthew Arnold about angels in the Bible and why our ideas about them are so varied.  Arnold has written extensively on the paranormal in the Bible and spent over 10 years investigating the paranormal from a Christian perspective, drawing on his background in both theology and science. He is author of The Invisible Dimension: Spirit-Beings, Ghosts, and the Afterlife (Anamchara Books), and the editor of The Christian Parapsychologist, a publication of The Churches' Fellowship for Psychical and Spiritual Studies. Learn more about angels and read some of Arnold's writings in the links below. “Messengers of comfort and courage: The truth about angels,” By Lisa Raatikainen. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202006/messengers-of-comfort-and-courage-the-truth-about-angels/  “Fallen Angels and Satan,” By Matt Arnold. https://ghostsghoulsandgod.co.uk/2020/06/fallen-angels/  “Did Angels Marry Human Women?” By Matt Arnold. https://ghostsghoulsandgod.co.uk/2020/09/did-angels-marry-human-women/  “Guardian angels are life's traveling companions, pope says,” By Junno Arocho Esteves. https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/francis-comic-strip/francis-chronicles/guardian-angels-are-lifes-traveling-companions-pope  “The Angels,” From The Catechism of the Catholic Church. https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/86/  The Invisible Dimension: Spirit-Beings, the Afterlife, and Ghosts, By Matt Arnold. https://a.co/d/70V0iOi  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://claretiansusa.org https://myclaret.org   

Mary Magdalene is probably one of the most recognized saints in the Catholic Church. She's also one of those saints whose true history is obscured behind various stories and legends, from the early church to the modern era. Who was Mary Magdalene? Was she the woman who washed Jesus' feet? Was she the same person as Mary of Bethany?  According to multiple popular accounts, Mary Magdalene was a sex worker who converted and followed Jesus. According to a few arcane theories, she even married Jesus. The sex worker theory has been a popular one for centuries. People seem to enjoy stories about women who go from lives of transgression to lives of austere holiness. But is the story true? Where did it come from? And what are its roots—if any—in scripture and tradition?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, the hosts talk to guest Heidi Schlumpf about the origins, development, and accuracy of this tradition. Schlumpf is a senior correspondent and former executive editor of the National Catholic Reporter. She previously served as the managing editor of U.S. Catholic. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including CNN Opinion, Sojourners, and Huffington Post. She is the author of Elizabeth A. Johnson: Questing for God (Liturgical Press), and While We Wait: Spiritual & Practical Advice for Those Trying to Adopt (ACTA). You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Schlumpf's writing, in these links. “Who framed Mary Magdalene?” by Heidi Schlumpf. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201603/who-framed-mary-magdalene/ “Nevertheless, Mary Magdalene persisted,” by Megan J. Clark. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201806/nevertheless-mary-magdalene-persisted/ “Mary Magdalene knew she was an apostle. Why don't we?” by Alice Camille. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202304/mary-magdalene-knew-she-was-an-apostle-why-dont-we/ “Pope's recent appointment of women is too little, too late,” by Heidi Schlumpf. https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/ncr-connections/popes-recent-appointment-women-too-little-too-late “Women's ordination, synodality and hope for the future,” by Heidi Schlumpf. https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/ncr-connections/womens-ordination-synodality-and-hope-future Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretians.org/  

Some Catholic apologists talk about the church as though it were a kind of data repository, filled with answers to any possible question a person might have. But in reality, Catholic thought is filled with gray areas and open-ended questions. Even when it comes to questions pertaining to faith and morals, the jury—or the magisterium—is still out, on many of them.  So what does it mean to understand a topic from a Catholic perspective, if there's no official teaching on it, or if the teaching has developed and even changed extensively over time? The Glad You Asked podcast digs into the questions about Catholicism that don't have easy, obvious answers—or don't have “official” answers at all. In the past three seasons of Glad You Asked, the hosts and their guests tackled such topics as why God chose Mary, whether Catholics should celebrate Passover, and what the Bible says about LGBTQ people. Now the podcast is back for a fourth season, with a new lineup of exciting guests ready to discuss the questions about Catholicism that are easy to ask but not so easy to answer. Season four will launch on April 5. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

When Mary gave birth to Jesus, what was it like? Did she experience the same anxiety, fear, mess, and pain that any woman can expect when preparing for childbirth? Many people might find this question strange. Of course Mary, being fully human, and not God, would share in all the usual feelings and emotions—both pleasant and unpleasant—associated with bringing a baby into the world. Wouldn't she? For centuries of church history, many Catholics would have answered this question with a resounding “no,” or at least with a “probably not.” This is because of a complex intertwining of beliefs and theories, some associated with theologies of sin, others associated with ideas about women's bodies. Even today, there are many Catholics who are appalled at the idea that Mary experienced pain when she gave birth to baby Jesus. On this final episode of this season of the Glad You Asked podcast, the hosts talk to theologian Julia Feder about the background of this tradition, why it has been so popular among some Catholics, what the church actually teaches, and what's at stake for people trying to assess what they should believe. Feder is the assistant director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality, as well as an associate professor of religious studies and theology at Saint Mary's College, and is the author of Incarnating Grace: A Theology of Healing from Sexual Trauma (Fordham University Press). Learn more about this topic and read some of Feder's writing in the links below.  “The Pregnancy of Mary,” by Nathan Schneider https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/pregnancy-mary  “There would have been a midwife at the stable,” by Christine Schenk https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/simply-spirit/there-would-have-been-midwife-stable  “What are we missing in our depictions of the nativity?” by Kelley Nikondeha https://uscatholic.org/articles/202212/what-are-we-missing-in-our-depictions-of-the-nativity/  “Mary, Mary, quite contrary,” by Elizabeth Johnson https://uscatholic.org/articles/201101/mary-mary-quite-contrary/  “Reclaiming the virgin martyrs from purity culture,” by Julia Feder https://uscatholic.org/articles/202302/reclaiming-the-virgin-martyrs-from-purity-culture/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://claretiansusa.org https://myclaret.org   

Different Christian denominations hold varying views on multiple topics. Over the past two thousand years, these doctrinal differences have often generated conflict, even to the point of religious wars. Despite huge variations in belief on some topics, however, one thing all Christian denominations agree on is that Jesus is the Son of God and the third person of the Trinity. They also believe that Jesus is the Christ—from the Greek chrīstós, a translation from the Hebrew Mašíaḥ, (messiah), meaning “anointed one.” But what do the Jewish people think about this? How does Judaism regard the Christian claim that Jesus is also the Hebrew Messiah? And how do practitioners of the Jewish religion, today, regard the historical figure of Jesus in general?  On this episode of the podcast, the hosts welcome back guest Joshua Stein, to discuss how Jews regard Jesus. Stein currently holds a postdoctoral fellowship at the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics. His work focuses on intersections between moral, economic, and political theories and their practical application to social interactions between people and social institutions.  You can read more about this topic, and read some of Stein's writing, in these links: “What Do Jews Believe About Jesus?” by My Jewish Learning https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/what-do-jews-believe-about-jesus/ “Six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe in Jesus,” by Julius Ciss https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/videos/six-reasons-why-jews-don-t-believe-in-jesus “Behold! The Jewish Jesus,” by Howard Jacobson https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/09/christianity-judaism “Why do we call Jesus the Messiah?” A U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/201712/why-do-we-call-jesus-the-messiah/ “Should Catholics celebrate Passover?” by Joshua Stein https://uscatholic.org/articles/202304/should-catholics-celebrate-passover/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://claretiansusa.org/

Christian history is full of stories about relics, from the quest of the holy grail to tales about unscrupulous medieval merchants hawking fake relics. Today, the practice of collecting and venerating relics of dead saints or artifacts from the life of Jesus might seem backwards and superstitious to some, disturbing or macabre to others. But the tradition of venerating relics is not simply an oddity on the margins of Catholic faith practice. For centuries, many have derived spiritual enrichment from this practice. And others enjoy it precisely because of its strangeness. But what's the theological and spiritual significance of this tradition? Why do Catholics venerate relics anyway? On this episode of the podcast, guest Jessica Mesman joins the hosts to discuss this ancient practice, some of the controversial history around it, and why Catholics today still collect and revere bits of bone and body parts of deceased holy people.  Mesman is an associate editor at the Christian Century and formerly a culture columnist for U.S. Catholic. Her articles have appeared in LitHub, Elle, Vox, America, and Christianity Today, among others. Her first book, Love and Salt: A Spiritual Friendship in Letters (Loyola Press), coauthored with Amy Andrews Alznauer, won the Christopher Award in 2014. Learn more about this topic and read some of Mesman's writing in these links: “Are relics a thing of the past?” by James P. Cahill https://uscatholic.org/articles/201512/are-relics-a-thing-of-the-past/ “To pray with the dead, find God's grace in a family heirloom,” by James Breig https://uscatholic.org/articles/199607/to-pray-with-the-dead-find-gods-grace-in-a-family-heirloom/ “8 prayer practices to honor the dead on All Saints and All Souls Days,” by the U.S. Catholic editors https://uscatholic.org/articles/202010/8-prayer-practices-to-honor-the-dead-on-all-saints-and-all-souls-days/ “Remembering our mortality is a practice worth reviving,” by Jessica Mesman https://uscatholic.org/articles/201904/remembering-our-mortality-is-a-practice-worth-reviving/ “How to time travel at Mass,” by Jessica Mesman https://uscatholic.org/articles/201806/how-to-time-travel-at-mass/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Do Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25 because that was the day when the Romans celebrated the feast of Sol Invictus, the “unconquered sun,” as the winter days began to get longer again? Or perhaps because that date aligns with the festival of Yule in Scandinavian cultures? Are Christmas trees a part of seasonal festivities because some pre-Christian cultures worshiped trees as deities? Every December, it seems, people commemorate the holiday season with heated debates on these and other topics pertaining to the origins of Christmas. Some like to argue that Christmas is almost exclusively rooted in non-Christian or pre-Christian customs. Others are appalled at the notion that any of our beloved holiday rituals were once also beloved by people of other religions. So what's the truth of the matter? Our guest on this episode discusses about the origins of the Christmas celebration, some of our most popular holiday rituals, and whether it really matters where these customs originated. Pastor and educator Kenneth McIntosh has degrees in English and theology, and has written extensively on Celtic spiritualities. He is the coauthor, along with Lilly Weichberger, of Brigid's Mantle: A Celtic Dialogue Between Christian & Pagan (Anamchara Books) and the author of Water from an Ancient Well: Celtic Spirituality for Modern Life and Oak and Lotus: Celtic Christian Spirituality in the Light of Eastern Wisdom (both from Anamchara Books). Read more about this topic in these links: “Do Christmas trees have pagan roots?” by Don Beaulieu https://uscatholic.org/articles/202011/do-christmas-trees-have-pagan-roots/ “Who invented Advent?” by Victoria M. Tufano https://uscatholic.org/articles/201212/who-invented-advent/ “Happy New Year, it's Advent,” by Thomas Reese https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/happy-new-year-its-advent “Christmas: December 25 or January 6?” by Michael Peppard https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/christmas-december-25-or-january-6 “What Is Yule? What Is a Yule Log?” by Catherine Boeckmann https://www.almanac.com/content/what-yule-log-christmas-traditions “Sol Invictus and Christmas” https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/invictus.html#anchor5371 Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Catholics have a veritable treasury of beliefs and traditions about Jesus' family life, but some of these are only tenuously connected with the information we have from the Bible. While the gospels are full of stories about Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection, we are left to piece together details about his early life and his familial connections on the basis of a few tantalizing passages. One tenet of Catholic belief is that Jesus was Mary's only child. Since this is connected with the dogmatic teaching about Mary's perpetual virginity, it's a pretty serious tradition for Catholics. What, then, should be made of the scripture passages that reference Jesus' siblings? Do these references undercut Catholic tradition and dogma? The guest on this episode of the podcast is going to help clarify this issue. Alice Camille is a nationally known and award-winning writer, religious educator, and retreat leader. She has worked in parishes and campus ministry, and published extensively on scripture, including for U.S. Catholic, in our monthly Testaments column. She has been a guest on Glad You Asked before, discussing other topics pertaining to the Bible.  Read more about this topic, and read some of Camille's work, in these links: “Did Jesus have brothers and sisters?” by Megan Murphy-Gill. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201312/did-jesus-have-brothers-and-sisters/  “Why was Mary a virgin?” by Alice Camille. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201612/why-was-mary-a-virgin/  “Would Jesus recognize the ‘nuclear family'?” by Jeannine Pitas. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202212/would-jesus-recognize-the-nuclear-family/  “Scripture interpretations are never set in stone,” by Alice Camille. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202306/scripture-interpretations-are-never-set-in-stone/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.https://claretiansusa.org

Any Christian who has ever loved a family pet or worked closely with animals has probably, at some point, asked whether non-human animals go to heaven. For parents of small children who have lost an animal friend to age, accident, or illness, this question becomes especially fraught with worries about how to help a child through their grieving processes without inculcating inaccurate beliefs about the soul or the afterlife. Some religious leaders seem to think that answering the question “Do dogs go to heaven?” in the affirmative will somehow dilute the specialness of God's love for humanity or compromise the uniqueness of the human soul. But is this accurate? Does the Catholic Church teach that heaven is reserved exclusively for human beings? On this episode of the podcast, guest Laura Hobgood discusses the topic of non-human animals, the nature of their souls, and whether Christians can look forward to being reunited with their non-human friends in the afterlife.  Hobgood is professor of religion and environmental studies at Southwestern University, where she teaches courses on animals, nature, and religion. She is the author of Holy Dogs and Asses: Animals in the Christian Tradition (University of Illinois Press), The Friends We Keep: Unleashing Christianity's Compassion for Animals (Baylor University Press), and A Dog's History of the World: Canines and the Domestication of Humans (Baylor University Press). She also works as a rescue coordinator and volunteers at an animal shelter. Read more in these links: “Do dogs go to heaven?” by Megan Murphy-Gill and Shanna Johnson https://uscatholic.org/articles/201605/do-dogs-go-to-heaven/ “St. Rocco, a dog's best friend,” by Angelo Stagnaro https://uscatholic.org/articles/201210/st-rocco-a-dogs-best-friend/ “Meet St. Gertrude, cat lady of the Catholic Church,” by René Ostberg  https://uscatholic.org/articles/202003/how-st-gertrude-of-nivelles-became-the-cat-lady-of-the-catholic-church/ “In the Bible, it's the animals that steal the show,” by Alice Camille https://uscatholic.org/articles/202001/in-the-bible-its-the-animals-that-steal-the-show/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/  

Suppose a person were able to time-travel back 800 years and visit Catholic Europe. Despite the common notion that Catholicism remained fixed and unchanging prior to the Second Vatican Council, a theoretical time traveler would find many Catholic beliefs and practices that would seem strange. Some traditions Catholics imagine were deeply rooted in history are relatively recent and weren't around during the golden age of Christendom. Whereas other traditions that once were common have been repudiated by the institutional church or faded into disuse. One tradition that a time-traveler would likely encounter among educated medieval Catholics is belief in limbo—that is, a kind of in-between afterlife zone for unbaptized babies and virtuous non-Christians. Belief in limbo was so common that Dante depicted it in his theological afterlife epic The Divine Comedy. But do Catholics still believe in limbo? Where did the idea come from? Was it an official magisterial teaching and, if so, why do we rarely hear about it today?  On this episode of the podcast, Claretian Father Paul Keller talks to the hosts about the concept of limbo, how it is different from purgatory, where the idea originated, and what the church actually teaches about the unbaptized and the afterlife today. Keller is the provincial superior of the Claretian Missionaries of the United States-Canada Province, and a frequent contributor to U.S. Catholic on issues relating to pastoral ministry, public policy, theology, and ethics.  You can learn more about this topic in the links below. The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html “Pope Benedict 'closed' Limbo and no one complained” by Thomas Reese. https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/pope-benedict-closed-limbo-and-no-one-complained “Catholic Church buries limbo after centuries” by Philip Pullella. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-pope-limbo/catholic-church-buries-limbo-after-centuries-idUKL2038306520070420 “Ask an Apostle: My priest says limbo is real” by Teresa Coda. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202106/ask-an-apostle-my-priest-says-limbo-is-real/ “Can the church change?” by Don Clemmer. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202308/can-the-church-change/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/    

Over the two thousand years of its existence, the Catholic Church has developed complicated and elaborate leadership structures, with strict rules about who can take which roles and why. These structures can be confusing even for cradle Catholics, who may not be sure about the exact differences between a bishop and an archbishop, or what the different colored robes for different ranks in the church are meant to symbolize.  Some of the highest-ranking church leaders are easily recognizable for their bright red robes. These are the “cardinals” of the Catholic Church, and their tradition of wearing scarlet has been around for centuries. In fact, when European colonizers encountered bright red birds in the Americas, they named them after these similarly adorned princes of the Catholic Church.  But what is the role of cardinals in the church? What do they do? And how does one become a cardinal? Is it possible, as some Catholic reformers suggest, that the rank of cardinal might theoretically be open to women? On this episode of the podcast, guest Don Clemmer talks about the role cardinals play in the leadership and teaching of the church. Clemmer is the editor of Connection magazine for the NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and coproducer of the Just Politics podcast. He has written extensively for U.S. Catholic, as well as for many other publications, and previously worked in the media relations office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Clemmer's writing, in these links.  “How does the church choose its cardinals?” by John Switzer. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201505/how-does-the-church-choose-its-cardinals/ “Cardinal Bishop, Cardinal Deacon, Cardinal Priest: What's the Difference?” by Julie Bosman. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2002/04/cardinal-bishop-cardinal-deacon-cardinal-priest-what-s-the-difference.html “Can the church change?” by Don Clemmer. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202308/can-the-church-change/ “Can you hear us? A look at the ongoing synod,” by Don Clemmer. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202209/can-you-hear-us-a-look-at-the-ongoing-synod/  

Belief in the spirit world is central to the Christian faith, but Catholicism takes communion with supernatural realities to a whole new level. Catholics pray not only to God but also to Mary and the saints. Catholics even talk to their dead, say prayers for them, and ask them, in turn, for intercession. The lives of the saints are filled with stories about miraculous healings, levitation, bilocation, visions of the afterlife, and mystical conversations with Jesus, the angels, and the saints.  But does this mean that Catholics believe in ghosts? Does the Catholic Church have a teaching on whether or not the dead can walk this earth, appear to people, and haunt places that were important to them? When Catholics pray to saints or talk to their beloved dead, how is this different from trying to make contact with the spirits of those who have departed this life?  The guest on this episode of Glad You Asked will help answer these questions. Matthew J. Cressler is a scholar of religion, race, and culture. He is the author of Authentically Black and Truly Catholic: The Rise of Black Catholicism in the Great Migrations (NYU Press) as well as numerous scholarly articles. Cressler has written for U.S. Catholic and many other publications, including America, The Atlantic, National Catholic Reporter, Religion News Service, The Revealer, and Slate. Together with Adelle M. Banks, he co-reported the Religion News Service series “Beyond the Most Segregated Hour,” which won a Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council. You can read some of Cressler's writings, and learn more about this topic, in the links below. “Paranormal activity: Do Catholics believe in ghosts?” by Tim Townsend. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201310/paranormal-activity-do-catholics-believe-in-ghosts/ “Ghosts of Christians past: The church's long history of hauntings” by Tim Townsend. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201310/ghosts-of-christians-past-the-churchs-long-history-of-spooks-and-hauntings/ “You can't have a Catholic imagination without horror,” by Matthew J. Cressler. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202210/you-cant-have-a-catholic-imagination-without-horror/ “Exorcists, Abusers, and When Catholic History is Horror,” by Matthew J. Cressler. https://therevealer.org/exorcists-abusers-and-when-catholic-history-is-horror/ “How the god you worship influences the ghosts you see,” by Joel Abrams. https://theconversation.com/how-the-god-you-worship-influences-the-ghosts-you-see-84163 Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Because the Bible is a conglomeration of diverse texts written in varied historical contexts to meet the needs of diverse audiences, its symbols and motifs might seem strange to contemporary readers. Often, readers may be tempted to impose their own interpretations on some of the more arcane details from Hebrew or Christian scripture.  One such esoteric biblical motif is the number 666. While the original significance of 666 in biblical passages may be difficult to ascertain at a glance, that hasn't prevented generations of readers from imposing their own meanings on this particular set of numerals. Frequently, 666 is associated with the devil, with evil forces and antichrist figures, even with various conspiracy theories. But what does 666 actually signify when it is used in scripture? Is it definitively associated with evil? How would the audiences for whom these ancient texts were written understand the number?  On this episode of the podcast, writer and educator Alice Camille talks about the significance of numbers in the Bible, in general, and the meaning—or meanings—of 666 in particular. Camille is a nationally known and award-winning writer, religious educator, and retreat leader. She has worked in parishes and campus ministry, and published extensively on scripture, including for U.S. Catholic, in the monthly Testaments column. Learn more about this topic, and read some of Camille's writing, in the links below.  “What is 666 in the Bible?” by Joel Schorn. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201310/what-is-666-in-the-bible/  “Fun With Numbers: 666 Has Good Meanings, Too,” by Barnaby Rogerson. https://time.com/3551634/666-good-bad-meanings/  “Scripture interpretations are never set in stone,” by Alice Camille. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202306/scripture-interpretations-are-never-set-in-stone/  “The Bible is far more than history. It is legendary.” by Alice Camille. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202103/the-bible-is-far-more-than-history-it-is-legendary/  “Navigate life changes with stories from scripture,” by Alice Camille.  https://uscatholic.org/articles/202009/navigate-life-changes-with-stories-from-scripture/  Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://claretiansusa.org https://myclaret.org   

Thanks to horror movies, many people are aware that the Catholic church has rituals, called exorcisms, which are practiced by Catholic priests. In the horror genre, exorcisms are intended to cast evil spirits out of possessed people. They are dramatic events, potentially traumatizing to witness, often attended by screaming, violence, bodily contortions, and supernatural occurrences. But are these portrayals of exorcisms accurate? What is an exorcism, really? Do Catholics believe in demonic possession anymore? And is this an exclusively Catholic ritual?  On this episode of the podcast, guest Andrew Chesnut discusses the Catholic practice of exorcism and what the institutional church teaches about demonic possession. He also talks about the practice of exorcism as a feature of Pentecostal churches in Latin America, and how this ritual overlaps with other religious traditions in post-colonial cultures.   Chesnut is the Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies and a professor of religious studies in the School of World Studies in the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has researched and published extensively on Latin American folk religions, especially the cult of Santa Muerte, as well as on the practice of exorcism in both the Catholic and the Pentecostal traditions.  You can learn more about this topic in these links: “The centuries-old practice of exorcism is on the rise. Why now?”  An interview with Andrew Chesnut. https://news.vcu.edu/article/The_centuriesold_practice_of_exorcism_is_on_the_rise_Why_now “The Extraordinary Exorcism of Mexico,” by Andrew Chesnut. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-extraordinary-exorcis_b_7585508 “What is an exorcism?” by Richard Fragomeni. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202310/what-is-an-exorcism/ “Exorcism – how does it work and why is it on the rise?” by Helen Hall. https://theconversation.com/exorcism-how-does-it-work-and-why-is-it-on-the-rise-93459 “Exorcism: Increasingly frequent, including after US protests,” by David Crary. https://apnews.com/article/portland-san-francisco-oregon-cff13a56cd41997553ea3e9a8fc21384 Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Anyone who has been following Catholic news within the U.S. or globally has probably gotten used to hearing updates about synods. Thanks to the leadership of Pope Francis, terms like “synod” and “synodality” have entered the ordinary vernacular of Catholics. At the time of this recording, the three-year-long Synod on Synodality, running from 2021 to 2024, is still ongoing, but many Catholics may still be uncertain about the purpose of this event, or what a synod even is. Today's guest on the first episode of season three of the Glad You Asked podcast, can help clarify what the Synod on Synodality is all about, and how to understand Pope Francis' vision for a synodal church within the context of existing tradition, going back to the earliest days of Christianity.  Amanda Osheim is Endowed Professor of the Breitbach Catholic Thinkers and Leaders Program and Professor of Practical Theology at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Her publications include A Ministry of Discernment: The Bishop and the Sense of the Faithful and Stepping Towards a Synodal Church. Her research interests include the Holy Spirit, the church, and ministry.  You can read more about this topic in these links: “Can you hear us? A look at the ongoing synod” by Don Clemmer. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202209/can-you-hear-us-a-look-at-the-ongoing-synod/ “For the synod to succeed, the church must listen to all of us” by Milton Javier Bravo. https://uscatholic.org/articles/202203/for-the-synod-to-succeed-the-church-must-listen-to-all-of-us/ “What Is a Synod in the Catholic Church? And Why Does This One Matter?” by Jason Horowitz and Elisabetta Povoledo https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/world/europe/what-is-a-synod-pope-church.html “Are you ready for a synod of possibility?” by Patrick Saint-Jean. https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/are-you-ready-synod-possibility “On our pilgrim way,” by Amanda Osheim.  https://www.americamagazine.org/content/all-things/our-pilgrim-way Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

People who are curious about basic Catholic teachings and traditions have a wealth of resources to turn to, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to various official documents, going back centuries. But when it comes to some questions about morality or belief, the church does not have an official position.  Understanding some topics from a Catholic perspective sometimes means getting familiar with the ongoing discussions that scholars, theologians, and church leaders have had, over the ages—and with the way perspectives and even teachings have changed. And sometimes it means looking at the way the practices of the faithful have developed, from one culture to the next. These are the kinds of topics that the Glad You Asked podcast explores. In the past two seasons, the hosts and their guests have delved into such topics as whether God has a gender, why God chose Mary, and whether it was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die on the cross. Glad You Asked is back now for its third season, with a new set of questions that are easy to ask but not so easy to answer. Season three will launch on October 6. Sign up below for updates, or subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries.https://myclaret.org 

Most Christians are aware of the basic theology about the first two persons of the Trinity: the Father and the Son. Both the Father and the Son are widely represented in scripture and alluded to in tradition and liturgy. Although we know, according to strict theology, that the Father is not an embodied person, let alone an enfleshed male, we have grown comfortable with thinking of the first person of the Trinity in human terms, often as an older man––maybe a kindly father figure, maybe a stern and just judge. And we have created thousands of artistic representations of Jesus, the Son of God, seeking to understand the second person of the Trinity via a broad variety of artistic and cultural traditions. But the Holy Spirit remains elusive and difficult to pin down. Catholics and other Christians are not always entirely certain who the Spirit is, or the Spirit's role in the life of faith. And unlike the Father and the Son, the third person of the Trinity is frequently represented, both in scripture and in other sacred texts and art, not as a human figure, but as a bird.  On this episode of the podcast, guest Grace Ji-Sun Kim talks to hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss about why the Holy Spirit appears as a dove, and what this means for the church and for our life of faith. Kim is professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion and the author and editor of 21 books, most recently Invisible (Fortress Press) and Reimagining Spirit (Wipf and Stock). She is the host of the Madang podcast which is sponsored by the Christian Century. She has written for U.S. Catholic as well as the Huffington Post, The Nation, Sojourners, and TIME. You can learn more about this topic and read some of Kim's writing in these links. “Let the Holy Spirit guide how we talk about race,” by Grace Ji-Sun Kim  https://uscatholic.org/articles/201709/let-the-holy-spirit-guide-how-we-talk-about-race/ “They'll Know We Are Christians by Our ‘Jeong,'” by Grace Ji-Sun Kim https://sojo.net/magazine/february-2019/they-ll-know-we-are-christians-our-jeong “For a more inclusive vision of the church, look to Pentecost,” by Grace Ji-Sun Kim https://uscatholic.org/articles/202305/for-a-more-inclusive-vision-of-the-church-look-to-pentecost/ “Grace Ji-Sun Kim: It's time to recover the Spirit.” A Faith and Leadership interview https://faithandleadership.com/grace-ji-sun-kim-its-time-recover-the-spirit “What are the symbols of the Holy Spirit?” by Father Michael A. Van Sloun https://www.archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/catholic-faith/what-are-the-symbols-of-the-holy-spirit/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Can women preach in churches? People may answer this question in different ways, depending on their denomination or faith tradition. Some Christian churches allow for women to be ordained. In others, women are barred from any kind of teaching or leadership position at all. Many women working in faith-based ministries have likely heard such statements as “it's unBiblical for women to preach,” “women should be silent in the churches,” or “women are to be subservient to men, as the church is to Christ.” But what should Catholics make of the different, sometimes seemingly contradictory scripture passages about women preaching? What is the actual history of women preaching, from the early church on? And is there an official Catholic teaching on whether women can preach in churches or not? On this episode of the podcast, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to Rhonda Miska about the scriptures, history, and teachings associated with women preaching.  Miska is a preacher, lay ecclesial minister, writer, and spiritual director based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a master's degree from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and spent several years discerning vowed life with the Dominicans, the Order of Preachers. She is the founder and co-convener of the Catholic Women's Preaching Circle. You can learn more about this topic, read some of Rhonda's writing, and hear her preach in these links.  “Should women preach at Mass?” by Jessie Bazan https://uscatholic.org/articles/202002/should-women-preach-at-mass/ “How can preachers break through the noise of today's world?” by Rhonda Miska https://uscatholic.org/articles/202204/what-makes-a-good-homily/ “Two historians track down Jesus' women disciples,” A U.S. Catholic interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/202209/two-historians-track-down-jesus-women-disciples/ “We need more women in the lectionary,” by Jean P. Kelly https://uscatholic.org/articles/201903/we-need-more-women-in-the-lectionary/ “A reflection for the second Sunday of Easter,” by Rhonda Miska https://uscatholic.org/articles/202204/a-reflection-for-the-second-sunday-of-easter-2/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Whenever Christians discuss questions about human sexuality and sexual orientation, it is only a matter of time before someone references the Bible to defend an anti-LGBTQ ideology. Whole faith communities may even be divided over the question of whether the Bible contains prescriptions against LGBTQ people. For many Catholics and Christians of other denominations, this question is not merely theoretical or academic. It has to do with their own acceptance and belonging, with their core identity and most deeply personal relationships.  What some participants in these debates seem to forget, or be unaware of, is that the Bible isn't one monolithic text. It's a collection of texts from different eras, in different languages and genres, written for different purposes for diverse audiences. So asking “what does the Bible say?” about any topic requires more than a surface reading. It may also mean leaving one's prejudices at the door and taking time to learn more about different cultures and social customs.  On this episode of the podcast, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to Yunuen Trujillo about what the Bible says—or doesn't say—about LGBTQ people. Trujillo is the author of LGBTQ Catholics: A Guide for Inclusive Ministry (Paulist Press). She is also an immigration attorney, a faith-based community organizer, and a lay minister.  You can learn more about this topic and read some of Trujillo's writing in these links.  “Catholic social teaching calls for collaboration with Biden administration on LGBTQ policies,” by Yunuen Trujillo https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/catholic-social-teaching-calls-collaboration-biden-administration-lgbtq “We Are Called to Joyfully—And Inclusively—Perfect the Law,” by Yunuen Trujillo https://www.newwaysministry.org/2023/02/12/with-pope-francis-we-are-called-to-joyfully-and-inclusively-perfect-the-law/ “How Are LGBTQ+ Catholics to Understand Jesus' Call to ‘Carry Your Cross'?” by Yunuen Trujillo https://www.newwaysministry.org/2022/09/04/how-are-lgbtq-catholics-to-understand-jesus-call-to-carry-your-cross/ “When your faith is all about exclusion, it's not of God,” by Yunuen Trujillo https://uscatholic.org/articles/202303/when-your-faith-is-all-about-exclusion-its-not-of-god/ “LGBTQ rights and Catholic social teaching go hand in hand,” by Father Bryan Massingale https://uscatholic.org/authors/father-bryan-massingale/ “Language about LGBTQ people has moral consequences,” by Alex Gruber https://uscatholic.org/articles/202212/language-about-lgbtq-people-has-moral-consequences/ Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/

Radical equality, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or social class, was at the heart of the faith and practice of the early church. And throughout history the institutional church, as well as individual Catholics, sometimes defended and advanced women's rights. However, from the very beginning, the church has also been dominated by male voices. And institutional Catholicism has a rigidly patriarchal structure today, with women barred from positions of influence and leadership. Some contemporary Catholic thinkers, including recent popes, claim to promote the dignity of women, but have frequently spoken about women in a reductionist and dehumanizing way.  While some Catholics are quick to assert that the Catholic church has been one of the most staunch defenders of women over the ages, others would argue that Catholicism has repeatedly stood in the way of progress toward gender equality. Those who view the church as misogynistic don't have to look very far to find sexist quotations and even whole sermons from influential saints and theologians throughout church history. But what does the Catholic church really teach about whether men and women are equal? On this episode of the podcast, hosts Emily Sanna and Rebecca Bratten Weiss talk to scholar Phyllis Zagano about the church's teaching on women's equality. Zagano has published extensively on women in church history, especially women deacons. Her most recent book is Just Church: Catholic Social Teaching, Women, and Synodality, from Paulist Press. She is one of the most influential and respected scholars on the role of women in the church.  You can learn more about this topic, and read some of Zagano's writing, in these links. “Does the Catholic Church really believe women are people?” an excerpt from Phyllis Zagano's new book Just Church: Catholic Social Teaching, Synodality, and Women https://uscatholic.org/articles/202303/does-the-catholic-church-really-believe-women-are-people/ https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/8-814-7/just-church.aspx “What's the problem with women deacons?” by Phyllis Zagano https://uscatholic.org/articles/201802/whats-the-problem-with-women-deacons/ “Women and authority in the church,” by Phyllis Zagano https://uscatholic.org/articles/201210/women-and-authority-in-the-church/ “New Vatican constitution will create more space at the table.” A U.S. Catholic Interview https://uscatholic.org/articles/202205/new-vatican-constitution-will-create-more-space-at-the-table/ “In synod discussion of women's ordination, the diaconate is neglected,” by Phyllis Zagano https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/synod-discussion-womens-ordination-diaconate-neglected “Is the Catholic Church ready for women cardinals?” by Phyllis Zagano https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/04/21/lay-female-cardinals-242874 Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries. https://www.claretiansusa.org/