Podcasts about catholic bishops

Late on Sunday, President Trump reversed course and is now backing a vote compelling the DOJ to release more documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein. The issue has led to a split between Trump and one of his biggest supporters, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Bulwark’s Will Sommer explains. Pope Leo recently criticized Trump’s immigration policies. Reuters reporter Joshua McElwee joins to discuss how the pontiff’s words led the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to take action. Startups funded by powerful billionaires in Silicon Valley are pushing the boundaries of reproductive genetics. The Wall Street Journal’s Emily Glazer breaks down some of the controversial practices. Plus, the Trump administration began an immigration crackdown in Charlotte, Tehran might be evacuated because of Iran’s water crisis, and why Academy officials are telling members to actually watch Oscar-contending movies this year if they want to vote. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he dives into today's top stories shaping America and the world. In this Monday Headline Brief of The Wright Report, Bryan covers the White House's growing anxiety over the economy, the nationwide crackdown on illegal migrant truck drivers, new DHS surges into sanctuary cities, the rise of openly socialist leadership on the West Coast, and escalating tensions with China in the Pacific. White House Softens Tariffs as Prices Rise: President Trump acknowledged that tariffs may be affecting consumers and announced lower rates on coffee, beef, bananas, and other staples. Prices have soared due to weather, crop disease, and global demand rather than tariffs alone. Bryan explains that the cuts signal the administration's concern that working families are still struggling and that midterm voters may blame the GOP if the economy does not improve soon. Families Fear the Cost of Children: A new American Family Survey found that seventy percent of Americans believe raising kids has become too expensive. Bryan warns that this trend threatens the nation's future and highlights the connection between economic strain and family planning decisions. Crackdown on Unsafe Migrant Truck Drivers: The White House pressured California to revoke seventeen thousand driver's licenses issued to migrants who often cannot read English or safely operate heavy trucks. Some judges in Washington blocked the rule on procedural grounds, creating legal limbo. Bryan notes that until courts rule, untrained foreign drivers will remain on American highways. DHS Surge Operations Expand: Federal officers have flooded Charlotte, North Carolina, where one in five residents is foreign born. The move mirrors earlier crackdowns in Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, and Washington, where crime dropped after DHS deployments. Bryan says New Orleans is next. Catholic Bishops Clash with the White House: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops accused the administration of racism and fearmongering. Border czar Tom Homan responded that securing the border saves lives and that the Church should focus on its own scandals. Socialists Rise in Seattle and Los Angeles: Seattle elected an openly socialist mayor who supports abolishing the police under a communist economic system. In Los Angeles, another socialist candidate is challenging Mayor Karen Bass. Bryan connects these victories to a wider ideological battle inside the Democratic Party, where figures like Obama and Clinton now embrace democratic socialism while voices like Bill Maher warn against it. Democrats Plan Supreme Court Expansion: Longtime strategist James Carville confirmed that the party intends to expand the Supreme Court to thirteen justices once Democrats regain the presidency and Congress. He expects the party to remove the filibuster for that purpose, declaring the fight against Trump a national emergency. GOP Infighting Grows: Trump attacked Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie over comments about Epstein files and personal issues. Bryan urges conservatives to stop the internal battles as socialist movements gain ground nationwide. China Leverages Rare Earths and Military Power: Beijing is delaying rare earth shipments and failed to buy U.S. soybeans despite promises. A shortage of yttrium is emerging, although a U.S. company in Indiana will begin refining it next month. Meanwhile, China sent Coast Guard ships into Japanese waters and unveiled a new aircraft carrier, signaling rising tensions in the Pacific. Trump's Narco-Terror Operation Continues: Another drug boat was destroyed in the Pacific under Operation Southern Spear. Critics in the U.K. claim the strikes violate international law, though the White House says cartels qualify as narco-terrorists and legitimate targets. Britain's Leader Shifts Right on Immigration: Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced sweeping new restrictions, ending cash allowances for asylum seekers, requiring work, and imposing twenty-year waits for permanent residency. Bryan notes the political pressure building across Europe as voters demand tougher borders. Saudi Crown Prince to Visit Washington: The White House may sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, though U.S. intelligence fears technology theft and regional imbalance with Israel. Economic deals may also emerge as Riyadh seeks to follow through on earlier promises. Good News from Southeast Asia: Trump brokered a fresh ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia after border clashes. Cambodia is moving closer to the United States, granting new access to a key naval base and pushing out Chinese crime networks.   "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32     Keywords: Trump tariff cuts grocery prices, American Family Survey cost of children, migrant truck drivers CDL revocation, DHS Charlotte surge, Tom Homan Catholic bishops border, Seattle socialist mayor police abolition, Los Angeles socialist candidate Rae Huang, James Carville Supreme Court expansion, GOP infighting Epstein files, China rare earth yttrium shortage, Senkaku Islands China Coast Guard, Operation Southern Spear drug boats, UK asylum overhaul Starmer, Saudi Arabia F-35 visit, Cambodia Thailand ceasefire

In this episode of The Right Side, Doug Billings, who is a devoted Catholic, respectfully critiques the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's November 12, 2025, pastoral video on immigration. Doug praises the Church's 2,000-year legacy and defense of the unborn, and he argues Trump's deportation policies uphold Catholic teachings on rule of law, dignity for all, and common good. Using Scripture and Catechism, he urges balancing mercy with justice amid massive illegal entries. Pro-Catholic, pro-Trump call for prayer and dialogue.---------------Subscribe to Doug's YouTube Channel: @TheRightSideDougBillingsAnd prayerfully consider setting up a monthly recurring donation to his show at www.DougBillings.usSupport the show

After the recent plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, the Vatican's nuncio in Britain confirmed that Pope Leo XIV does not intend to overturn Pope Francis' limits on the traditional Latin Mass. That means “Traditionis Custodes” remains in effect, but with one small caveat: bishops who request it can receive […]

0:30 - Catholic Bishops on Immigration 01:00:33 - 15th Ward Alderman Ray Lopez explains his immigration amnesty proposal which he presented in a letter to President Trump. For more on Ray’s proposal and his work for the 15th ward @RaymondALopez 01:18:56 - Scott McKay, publisher of TheHayride.com & Senior Editor at The American Spectator: Obamacare is a time bomb intended to explode the private medical care system. Check out Scott’s new book Blockbusters, which is available at Amazon 01:40:30 - Catholic Bishops on Immigration 01:58:33 - Former NYC Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli: We don’t call Mamdani a communist as a knock — it’s who he is and what he stands for. 02:11:25 - Open Mic Friday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Sinise on the 100th mortgage free "smart home" for one of America's seriously wounded veterans. Gordon Chang discusses the current state of China-US relations. Patrick Neve on the highlights of the Fall Assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

This week America met the “Benedict 8” – who pursued a craven, cynical, and ultimately unstrategic betrayal of the American public. We dive into how the “Benedict 8” and the leadership that enabled them exposes what's wrong with Democratic leadership and how it fails to deliver on its goals. Does this low point provide a moment to break with failed policies of the past and craft a new vision for the Democratic Party rooted in fighting powerful wealthy interests and winning on issues that dramatically improve the lives of the American people. We discuss the successful Citizen Action of Wisconsin Climate and Utility Justice Lobby Day this week at the Capitol where 150 citizen lobbyists from around the state met with legislators and attended a media event to announce the 2% of Income Utility Rate Cap Bill. We unpack why the new legislation is critical. The U.S. Catholic Bishops overcome the ideological cleavage in the church to condemn Trump immigration policies. What are the implications for the gestapo-like tactics of ICE? We discuss the new campaign against AT&T, who is helping ICE identify and pursue people across the country. AT&T contracts with ICE, CBP, and DHS—the agencies running Trump's deportation machine—and the terror that comes with it. We urge listeners to attend an event exposing AT&T in Illinois this Saturday.

Terry Mattingly of Rational Sheep Rational Sheep Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture GetReligion.org The post Media Coverage of the Fall Assembly of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops – Terry Mattingly, 11/13/25 (3171) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

The election of the new President and Vice President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is a mixed bag, but progressive Synodalists are upset at the outcome, so on balance that probably means its a good things for American Catholics.Sources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStineSubscribeStarhttps://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-traditionBuy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStinePhysical Mail:Anthony StinePO Box 3048Shawnee, OK74802Follow me on the following social media:https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/https://twitter.com/pontificatormax+JMJ+#popeleoXIV #catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicprophecy#infiltration

The election of the new President and Vice President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is a mixed bag, but progressive Synodalists are upset at the outcome, so on balance that probably means its a good things for American Catholics.Sources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStineSubscribeStarhttps://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-traditionBuy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStinePhysical Mail:Anthony StinePO Box 3048Shawnee, OK74802Follow me on the following social media:https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/https://twitter.com/pontificatormax+JMJ+#popeleoXIV #catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicprophecy#infiltration

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Luke 17:20-25 - Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you." Then He said to His disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there He is,' or 'Look, here He is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day.But first He must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation." Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin Saint Frances, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry reads and discusses Bishop Strickland's "In Response to the Remarks of His Eminence Cardinal Christophe Pierre At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

In this special episode, Bishop Wack is joined by Teena Easter, a long-time diocesan employee, to discuss the history of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. Teena shares her faith background and her roles in youth ministry and the Bishop's office. They also talk about some of the memorable events that have happened over the last fifty years, significant changes and the evolution of youth and outreach ministries.

Patrick confronts the surge in antisemitism, pulling no punches as he dissects both hate and misinformation circulating in society and online. Challenging Catholic perspectives on current events, he critiques the narrative on Islamophobia while amplifying stories of overlooked Christian persecution and callers wrestling with faith and conscience. Questions crash in from every angle, and Patrick moves from personal dilemmas about family gatherings to fierce warnings about mob mentality, urging listeners to choose truth over propaganda. Audio: Charlie Kirk on the goals of Islam – https://x.com/wallstreetapes/status/1986673817750765667?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (18:00) Audio: Charlie Kirk on Jew hatred – https://x.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1985743202608115866 (01:59) Audio: Speaker at conference calling for Jews everywhere to be killed https://x.com/eyakoby/status/1980977760052170812?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (04:49) Audio: Hey Jew, they hate you - https://x.com/dahliakurtz/status/1980081355921711107?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (06:26) Audio: If you really want to understand how New York City Jews are feeling right now, listen to this – Andrew Schultz -https://x.com/chalavyishmael/status/1986137224212062646?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ 10:03) Audio: Bill Maher on antisemitism talking with Rep. Jared Moskowitz. “Jew-hatred has CONSUMED our Party.” – https://x.com/JewsFightBack/status/1987559228886925634?s=20 (14:55) Maura - The US Council of Catholic Bishops just released a statement on Islamophobia. Have you heard of this? (19:00) Todd - Look how much money we give to the Jewish state. Maybe that is why people are negative on the Jewish state. (27:20) Luke - My sister-in-law is openly gay and 'got married' to her girlfriend. They are having their marriage celebration after the wedding, should I go? (38:11) Sina - I am a nice Jewish girl. Patrick, you are awesome and I want to give a shout out of thanks for your response to that caller. (42:40)

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Donald Kloster's letter of 18 Feb 2024, to the Catholic Bishops on Catholic Tradition and comparing the New Mass (Novus Ordo Missae) and the Traditional Latin Mass

If you want to see the 'super beaver moon' the best time will be late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, Harrisburg's Catholic Bishop apologizes for 'notorious symbol of hate' on grade school's Halloween float, Man prowling cars in Washington State is also suspected of stealing shoes from home's porch

Christina Bagaglio Slentz is Associate Director for Creation Care for the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Learn about how her diocese prioritizes climate action here.In this episode, we often refer to Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si' and the ways that faith communities are living out its stated goals. We also discuss the theme “seeds of peace and hope,” the official theme for the 2025 ecumenical Season of Creation.Many thanks to Christina for sharing her wisdom in this conversation!Christina SlentzTRANSCRIPTChristina Slentz I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure—but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly and another may not really have that capacity.Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship.Today, I'm talking with Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Associate Director for Creation Care at the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. Christina has a background in sociology, with a PhD in international studies and global affairs. She's also a Navy veteran. Today, she serves a diocese of 97 parishes, helping to guide and empower people in their creation care work. The Diocese of San Diego is a microcosm of diverse biomes and diverse people, and it's a fascinating example of refugia, because as a diocese, they are doing all the things. Christina and I talk about Laudato si', solar energy, economics, eco spirituality, environmental justice advocacy, the centrality of the Eucharist, and the mutuality between caring for neighbor and caring for the Earth. Let's get to it.Debra Rienstra Christina, thank you so much for being with me today. I really appreciate talking to you.Christina Slentz Thank you, Debra, for having me. I'm really excited to be here.Debra Rienstra So I am eager to hear more about the Diocese of San Diego, because it seems that you have been very intentional and thoughtful and ambitious about your creation care agenda, and we're going to get into the details of that in just a minute, but I want to start with you. So tell us your hero origin story. How did you get into faith-based environmental work and into your current position?Christina Slentz Well, to be honest, I never saw it coming in many ways. I was working in the global affairs area, looking at sources of conflict and cooperation and how political economy intersects with those dynamics, and that was my academic area of focus. And at the same time, I've always been a catechist in the Catholic church since the 90s, and my church life was pretty comfortable, I would say, and active. But I didn't really see those two things coming together until Laudato si', the encyclical written by Pope Francis on the care of our common home, was released in 2015, and this really started to bring more overlap between these two areas in my life. And I would say, increasingly, then there was a lot of interplay between those focus areas for me. And eventually this position became available in the Diocese of San Diego, and a friend mentioned it to me, and I thought that is actually the perfect vocation for me. And I really feel like I understood it to be a vocation, not just a job.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I think I can relate to everything you just said. I think we came to this work from different areas of specialty, but yeah, like you, I feel like we've had these mid-career shifts where suddenly our area of specialty—in my case, literature and creative writing—has become energized by—in your case, Laudato si', in my case, other documents as well as Laudato si',—and we've sort of taken this fascinating and yeah, I would agree, vocational, turn. So let's talk a little bit more about Laudato si'. I imagine our listeners know at least a little bit about it. It's been so enormously influential. It's such an amazing landmark document. Could you talk a little bit about how you've seen Laudato si' diffuse through the Catholic Church, especially the American Catholic Church?Christina Slentz Yes, I think, to be honest, it has had a complicated journey with the Catholic community here in the United States. Very much like the issue of climate change in the global community, the United States has struggled with these dynamics—I think the way that they involve our economics and some of our very strong ideology about economic freedom and what that means to people. And so I think it's fair to say that while Laudato si' was very warmly received around the world, it has struggled in the United States as a whole, and that includes the American Catholic community. That said, there have been—like your description of refugia suggests——there have been these pockets, though, where I think that particular dynamics existed, and there was fertile ground for seeds to be planted. And the Diocese of San Diego is one of them. The Diocese of—the Archdiocese of Atlanta was another. There are a couple around the country, and I do think some footholds were created. In addition, one of the things that is particularly interesting about the encyclical Laudato si'—and an encyclical is just a document that a pope writes and then circulates, right, this is where the word encyclical comes from—circulates around until everyone's had a chance to read it. We can imagine in medieval times, you know, how this must have been a challenge. And I think that, you know, this challenge exists, but Father Emmett Farrell is the founder of this ministry in my diocese, and Father Emmett just celebrated his 60th anniversary of his ordination, and Father Emmett will say he has never seen an encyclical translate to action the way that Laudato si' has. And in particular, there is a Vatican online platform called the Laudato si' Action Platform, where Catholics—either parishes, schools, orders of sisters or religious—can get on this platform and learn about the dynamics that we face. They can see how our values are distilled into seven goals, and then they can reflect on their behavior, using this tool to sort of measure where they are, and then write a plan of action and upload it and share it with each other. And Father Emmett really celebrates how amazing it is that, you know, that we're going to lean into technology and use it for the good.Debra Rienstra Oh, awesome. There's so many things I want to follow up on in that answer. And I want to begin by just thanking you for being honest about pushback to Laudato si' in the US. And I want to go back to that in just a second, if it's okay. And then I want to thank you for the way you've thought about, you know, some of these dioceses like the mighty San Diego and the mighty Atlanta as sort of refugia spaces. And we'll come back to that again too, I really hope, and I want to hear some more details about your particular diocese. Why do you think there has been pushback in the American Catholic Church? You mentioned economic reasons, and you know, Pope Francis and Pope Leo now have both been very pointed in their critique of climate denial, of greed, of exploitation, injustice, war, economic systems that many Americans have sort of held as almost sacrosanct. So what are you noticing in Catholic conversations about that critique? Why are people resisting the critique and why are people saying, “No, that's right”—what are the motivations behind each of those responses?Christina Slentz So, you know, we could probably talk about this all day.Debra Rienstra Probably, yeah.Christina Slentz Because economic peace, I think, is really difficult to think about. You know, if we take the United Kingdom, for example, it's a country very much like the United States. So many of our you know, American culture and tradition and customs come out of that early launching that we experienced from, you know, Great Britain. And yet, as the topic of climate change came forward, Margaret Thatcher, who was, you know, a real compatriot of President Ronald Reagan at the time, she really took the scientific approach in thinking about climate change, and this set them on a path that's really different from the path that we experienced. And certainly, oil is a big factor in our economy. And I think it can be a real challenge for people to weigh the goods, you know, because we have to be honest, there are goods in both sides of these dynamics. When we understand the gravity, though, of climate change, if we're allowed to really get into those dynamics without the noise that has been kind of confronting that potential, then I think we can see that the good outweighs, you know, those alternative goods associated with continuing in the fossil fuel realm. But this is why we talk about a just transition, right? I think that many people who are hearing this noise, right, they don't understand that Pope Francis and others, you know, is really arguing for a just transition, and that would seek to care for the people that are going to be affected by whatever change in economic policy might make.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and more and more, those economic changes are actually positive in favor of transition in ways that they weren't even 5-10 years ago.Christina Slentz Yeah, I think it's amazing. We actually had some good momentum going until recently.Debra Rienstra Yeah, you know, I would love to get us all talking about a just and joyful transition, because it's more and more possible. And maybe we'll come back to that a little bit later too, when we talk about ecological spirituality. But let's go back to these places within the American Catholic Church, even, that are saying, “Oh yes, Laudato si', yes, let's go.” And San Diego diocese is one of those places. You had an action plan already in 2019. I think it's impressive that a diocese could get a plan together in four years. So good job. Knowing how long everything takes in church settings. So just give us a list of your accomplishments. What have you been up to since 2019? What are the kinds of things you've dipped your toes into?Christina Slentz Sure, and to be fair, I want to give some good credit to some others. You know, the Archdiocese of Atlanta had created their creation care action plan. This gave us some really good kind of framework to think about when we created ours. And there was a team that preceded me. They were all volunteers, very multidisciplinary in their backgrounds, everything from theologians to medical doctors who had worked with indigenous communities, you know, theologians, missionaries, energy engineers, and they really pulled this together early on. And this plan I now recognize as what climate action planners might refer to as an aspirational plan. It's all the things you could do in our area, and it serves as a really good resource for our parishes and schools as they think about what they might do in their Laudato si' action platform plans, and those are yearly plans that are really targeted on what we're going to do. So, you know, one of the things that they did early on was really push to solarize. And you know, we do have the great fortune of, one: climate here in San Diego, right? You know, we're sort of famous for that. And then you know, two: the other thing is that, you know, it was very normative to be shifting to solar, and continues to be an economic choice that is not really as politicized here as much as it might be elsewhere. And then the third thing was this is, you know, the magic number three is to have a bishop that is supportive. And so Cardinal McElroy—now Cardinal McElroy, then Bishop McElroy—really promoted this solarization. And at this point we have about 54% of our parishes solarized. And when I think now, you know, the Paris Climate Agreement says we want to have about half of our carbon emissions reduced by 2030 then you know, we're sitting at about half. Our building where I'm located is called our pastoral center. Some Catholic communities call it their chancery. And our solar array here provides over 80% of our electricity to the building. Our local utility is about half renewable energy, a little bit more. So with that in mind, you know, our electricity here to our building is a little over 90% coming from renewable energy, and this lets us have seven electric vehicle charging stations in the parking lot so I can go to work and charge my car at the same time.Debra Rienstra Lovely.Christina Slentz So that was one big thing. I would say our other really big kind of landmark action that also was largely driven by Cardinal McElroy, was to divest of fossil fuels. And, you know, this is a real challenging thing to accomplish. We set a goal of no more than 5% of, you know, the earnings of both direct and indirect investment to be coming from fossil fuel. And after a year, we evaluated how we were doing, and we were actually hitting—not we, you know, the financial folks doing this—were hitting less than 3%. So, you know, we said, “Okay, I think we can say that this was successful, and we're still here.” So that was really exciting, and we didn't do it to be virtue signaling. Just, you know, for some of your listeners may not know, but the USCCB, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has a document that directs socially responsible investment for all areas. And so this is just one more area of socially responsible investment that the Diocese of San Diego has embraced.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So we've got money, we've got energy. How many parishes would you say are on board with this, doing yearly goals, selecting from the menu of fun ideas—what percentage of your parishes would you say are involved?Christina Slentz So I gotta, Debra, that's a little bit of a good question. I think, you know, we did just describe two very top-down approaches. And one of the things that our group, you know, when I came on board in 2022, we decided is, you know, we really wanted to push that grassroots. And so we see parishes demonstrating a range of behaviors, and I was initially surprised, but they actually behave a lot like countries around the world. And so, you know, you think, oh, that's going to be different. But, you know, you can also have three children, and they all behave differently, and you know, sometimes that's surprising as well, when they have the same parents. And so one of the things that I have really tried to do was offer more events that are here at the diocesan level. We have 97 parishes, and then we have—so sometimes we'll see individuals that are really on board, and they come from a parish where, at the parish level, not a lot is happening. Sometimes we have individuals that are participating, and they are doing a ton at their parish and succeeding. And then we have parishes where the pastor is leading the charge. And then on top of that, I would say there are parishes where they have solar and they have drought-resistant landscaping, and they have LEED silver certified buildings that, you know, are very environmentally friendly. And yet, you know, at the parishioner level, you know, not as much activity happening. So it is an array of activities. I would say probably half have had some kind of interaction with us, or have had parishioners or students participate in our programs. But you know, we reflect the American Catholic community, which reflects the broader American society as well. So there are places where we struggle, and then there are places where we see a lot of action and shining.Debra Rienstra Yeah, sure. And I really appreciate that. And I think listeners can relate to that range of involvement too. Maybe they are in any one of those categories or some other category themselves. And you know, as you say, it's the modeling of— even if it's a minority, it's the modeling and the enthusiasm and the even implicit sort of educating of others that can make this work spread too. So I want to list the seven goals of the Laudato si' action platform, because I think they're really, really great and helpful to people who are not in the Catholic Church, but in other aspects of the church, you might find these goals useful too. So here are the goals: response to the cry of the Earth, response to the cry of the poor, ecological economics, adoption of sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, community resilience and empowerment. So I want to start with the first three. We've talked a little bit about economics and how dicey that can be, but I wonder if you could describe how you see the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor as basically the same cry, as Pope Francis said in Laudato si'. How do you see that, especially in your region?Christina Slentz Yeah, so thank you. I think these two are kind of the crown jewels, right? And they sum up what we see happening very well. I think that the other goals are valuable because they sort of pull out the dynamics that we really understand as informing those two big—response to the cry of the Earth and cry of the poor. So as someone who was looking at this through the lens of being a social scientist, I found these two goals to really sum it up well, because it is not just the exposure to the environment that causes our concern for these dynamics. It's the exposure as well as the sensitivity of that population. And then this helps us understand also, maybe some vulnerability that that population might have. So for example, we had significant flooding about a year and a half ago in January, the month of January, and the same rain fell on a parish in the southern part of the Diocese, close to our Mexican border, in an area that is, you know, less wealthy, probably demonstrates some socio economic features that we would associate with marginalized communities. And then it also fell on a parish in Coronado, California. And some people might recognize the Hotel Del Coronado as an iconic location. It's a beautiful community. There's a lot of wealth. There's a lot of human capital as well. You know, very highly educated group, and so the buildings at two of two parishes in each of these locations were completely flooded. But, you know, the parish in Coronado was up on its feet within a week. And of course, they had repairs that had to be done, but they were able to get a hold of those folks, get them in, pay the bills, get it all done. And the parish on the south side had catastrophic flooding to its school, and the school was a total loss.Debra Rienstra Oh, wow.Christina Slentz So I think this really can help us understand the way that the cry of the Earth, these environmental climate extremes, or the variability that we're experiencing, leads to greater exposure, but how one community can face that exposure and adapt or bounce back fairly quickly, and another may not really have that capacity. And so you can't really pull them apart, because just measuring precipitation doesn't always give you the whole story.Debra Rienstra That's a very, very helpful answer to that. And I sometimes hear in religious circles, you know, “Well, we have to worry about other people, why should we worry about owls or whatever?” And the answer is: well, because what happens in nature affects people. So this is about loving your neighbor. Even if you're not convinced by the idea that we love the Earth for its own sake because it's beloved of God, we still have to love our neighbor. And this is a neighbor issue as well. So thank you. That was very helpful as an explanation.Christina Slentz One of my favorite kind of messages is, you know, having been a student of globalization, you know, I think that we live in a globalized world. You can't put that toothpaste back in the tube, right? Maybe there are some things we can do and that can be helpful, but the bottom line is, our actions have ripple effects, and so no matter what we do, we are going to have these impacts on people far beyond those we know and love on a day to day basis. And when we care for the Earth, we mitigate those effects on people all around the world, and so our caring for creation really is just love of neighbor at global scale.Debra Rienstra Ah, lovely. Yeah, so it works both ways. If you love neighbor, you love the Earth. If you love the Earth, you love your neighbor.Christina Slentz That's right.Debra RienstraHi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra Rienstra Let's think about some of those more personal goals. I don't know, maybe they're not just personal, because everything is systemic too. But I want to talk about that sustainable lifestyle goal, adoption of sustainable lifestyle. So what does that mean, and how are people doing that in San Diego?Christina Slentz So I have a really amazing parish, St. Thomas More, and they have created a community garden that not only functions as a place for their parish to gather and work together, it also is open to the public, so it has an evangelical capacity as well. And they also collect recyclable cans and bottles and then take those to a facility where they can be paid for that recycling work, and then they take the money, and then they put it into this garden that allows them to gather and have a mission and have evangelical outreach. So I think of this as such a wonderful circular kind of example that is, you know, feeding them in many ways. You know, they have this sense of community. They have this sense of common, shared mission. They have a good relationship with the neighborhood around them, people that may be of different faiths or of no faith at all. And then they're also in good relationship with Mother Earth, and doing what they can to, you know, practice this sort of sustainability, or also a little bit like circular economics, I guess I would say as well. And I think one of the things that the Catholic Church is emphasizing is synodality, and our synodality really calls us to be community, to have a shared mission and really inviting participatory action. So in my building here, where we sort of have the headquarters, you know, we also have gone to compostables for all of our events, and we try to minimize any kind of single use plastics. But, you know, there's that dreaded moment at the end where everybody has to go to the three, you know, receptacles. Everyone panics, especially if I'm near them, and I feel terribly, you know, like, should I step away? Should I give them a moment to give them help? Is that overreach? And so, you know, but we all fumble through together, and that's where I've kind of said, like, “Look, it's not easy for me either. Like, God forbid I put the wrong thing in the wrong can, right?” So I think that there's this way where we all are coming together to sort of take on this work. And, you know, we're not going to be perfect, but, you know, I think that it does foster community when we take this on, and then also recognizing how, you know, now we are living with greater simplicity, and we are impacting the Earth, you know, to a lesser extent.Debra Rienstra Yeah, nothing bonds people like pulling weeds together, or standing over the recycle bins going, “Hmm.” It's okay. We don't have to indulge in recycling guilt, you know, just do your best. So I want to move on to ecological spirituality. I love that phrase. It's not one you hear everywhere. And I wanted to remind listeners that San Diego Diocese is the most biodiverse diocese in the US. Maybe we wouldn't have expected that, but you've kind of got everything there. So I want to talk about ecological spirituality in the context of that actual place. I love the sentiment you quoted from Laudato si' in an article you wrote recently. It was an idea from Pope Francis that in the beauties and wonders of the Earth, we experience God's friendship with us. And so I wanted to ask you how you're helping people in your parishes reconnect to the Earth where you are, and thus, and this is how you put it, “revive something of our true selves.”Christina Slentz Yeah, one of my favorite pieces in Laudato si': Pope Francis alludes to having a place in childhood where we felt a sense of awe and wonder. And I think that that awe and wonder allows us to get back to childhood in some ways, before there was a lot of noise before there was all the different distractions. And I think that that true self is also a little freer to connect to God. I think sometimes about little children and baby Jesus, you know, and that sort of immediate connection that's not really complicated, you know, it's just comfortable. Or feeling the love of God like being a child sitting on the lap of your mom or your dad. And so encouraging people, or providing opportunities for this return to that place of awe and wonder, I think is really important. I think that at the heart of our inability to care for creation is this estrangement from our Creator. So we won't care for something if we don't love it. And in this way, ecological spirituality may be step one in all of this, right? So I think we are really lucky, being here. As I mentioned, our climate is beautiful. It is a beautiful place. We have everything from the ocean to mountains to desert, and many people who live here do really connect with the geography and the beauty of where we are, and so inviting them to take a moment to just pause and think about those places. Think about their senses as they move through the memory of that space, I think is really important before we start any of the other conversations. And so I try to do that, and then we share about it. And I have yet to find somebody that says, “Oh, I just didn't have a place.” Everybody has a place. And many people will say, “I really struggled, because I love this place, and I love that place,” you know. And so it is really great to hear. And I think people really come out of an exercise like that with this new sense of common ground as well. And I think that is so important, right? Because if you ask people like, “Raise your hand, who hates trees?” No one's gonna do it, right? Don't even think anyone does. Or “Raise your hand if you like to litter.” No one's going to say, like, “Oh yeah, I really love throwing things out my window.” And so there is a lot more common ground. And I think that eco spirituality invites us to find out how much we have in common, and actually how much we all yearn for that place of connectedness.Debra Rienstra Oh, yeah. I've noticed, you know, people have so many different feelings that motivate what they might do in a faith and climate space, and there's anger, there's fear, a lot of anxiety. But the trick, I think, is to get to the center, which is love. And the quickest way to do that, maybe, is to find that early love, or a love that's developed over many, even generations, in a particular place, if you're lucky, and you're rooted in some way. I feel like we also, as people of faith, haven't made enough of a case that being closer to the creation is, in fact, a pathway to God. And I see that in a lot of the writings that you have too. It's a way of understanding God better. It's a way of allowing God to speak to us that we sometimes underestimate, I think. There's other ways, of course, but it's one that we tend to underestimate. It is a way to deeper spirituality. So getting people to be in touch with that, it sounds like you've you've worked on that a little bit.Christina Slentz We're very lucky. The Franciscan tradition is pretty rich and present here. The Franciscan School of Theology is located here at the University of San Diego.Debra Rienstra There we go.Christina Slentz I have several secular Franciscans on my team, and a few Franciscan friars. And you know, that's very much at the heart of St. Francis and St. Claire's tradition. St. Bonaventure, who is a Franciscan, actually calls nature, or the environment, the created world, like another book. It's another gospel that tells us something about God's plan.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So I wanted to quote from Pope Leo's message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which was September one. And I found his message so encouraging, and especially this particular paragraph, it's along the line of seeds here. He writes, “In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed seeds of peace and hope. The prophet Isaiah tells us that the Spirit of God can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity. In his words, a spirit from on high will be poured out on us, and the wilderness will become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the work of righteousness quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings and in quiet resting places.” So we have this beautiful vision and the sense of vocation of who we are and who our communities are as seeds of peace and hope. So it seems like you experience that in the San Diego Diocese. Are there some particular examples that have been really meaningful and important to you, where you see that “seeds of hope” metaphor being played out?Christina Slentz Yeah, I would point to two areas that I would offer up as good examples. One is a parish that is located in what's called Barrio Logan. It is an ecologically marginalized community. The highways literally forced the school to be moved when they put the highway in right down the middle of the community. And that's the I-5. So it runs all the way from Canada to Mexico. Big highway. In addition, the Coronado Bridge connects to the highway right there. The Navy base is there, and the Port of San Diego all intersects there. So their air quality is really degraded, and it's a socio-economically poor area. It is also a predominantly Hispanic community there. But the Jesuit pastor there, Father Scott Santa Rosa, is a very good community organizer. He led the parish when they were confronted by another warehouse that was going to be added at the port. And the proposal by the company violated the Port Authority's standards, but they were seeking a waiver, and Father Scott brought in the Environmental Health Coalition. He brought in a theologian from University of San Diego. He invited the youth to present on Laudato si' to the adults and really empowered the community, which is that seventh goal of Laudato si', it's very connected to environmental justice. And then they learned, they grew, they came to an understanding that this was not acceptable, and that they wanted to be a voice for their community. They—we traveled. I was very fortunate to kind of engage with them in this process.And we traveled to the Port Authority building the night before the Port Authority was going to make their decision on this, whether or not to grant this waiver. And we said a rosary, which consists of five sets of 10 Hail Marys, roughly. And between each set, somebody spoke and gave their witness. And one of the women stood up and said, “I never thought I would speak publicly in my whole life. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm speaking, but I found my voice because of this issue.” And I thought, even if we lose, that's such an amazing win that people felt connected to their environment. They understood that they have a voice. They understood their own dignity and the dignity of their community, and felt that it was worth standing up for. And the next day we went, there was demonstration and public witnessing and praying, and then they went in and spoke at the actual hearing. And the first thing that the chairman of the board said, in response to everyone's comments was, “Well, I'm a Catholic, and we have three priests that were here today.” And you know, how many times does a public official make a statement of faith? You know, I thought, “Okay, win number two!” And you know, I'll just go ahead and cut to the chase. And they turned down the company that wanted to put the warehouse in and said, “You know, we just don't think that you've convinced the local community that the benefits of this would be worth it.” And it was amazing.And so that place, they continue to also tend to the care of migrants. They have begun the work of accompanying migrants that are going for their court appointed hearings for their asylum process. And you know, those are not outcomes that are generally favorable, but they are just going and being present with them and, you know, we are on the border. We understand how some of these environmental impacts do entangle with human mobility. And so, you know, there's a lot that this community, that is really one of our poorest communities in San Diego, has brought to the wider San Diego Diocese as more parishes and local Catholics are now mimicking what they have done and joining in this mission, and so they've been an incredible source—this tiny little parish in a poor part of the Diocese with terrible environmental impacts, has actually been a place where things have blossomed and grown, and they actually do have an amazing garden as well.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's an incredible story, and exactly a story of empowerment and resilience, as you suggested, and a story of how low-resource people are not necessarily low-resource people. They have other kinds of resources that may not be visible to the outside, but that can be very powerful, and especially when one of those is faith. It was such a great example of people motivated not only by their, you know, sort of survival, but their faith to do this work. Yeah, wonderful.Christina Slentz I think they understand the impact, right? So if you can shut your windows and turn on your air conditioning, maybe you don't get it.Debra Rienstra Yeah, right. So what would you say are your biggest obstacles and your biggest joys in your work right now?Christina Slentz I think the biggest obstacle is coming up against Catholics and/or Christians, or really any person of faith. But I think this may be especially true to Catholics and Christians who think that our social actions have to be an “either/or” choice, and they resist a “yes/and” mentality, and so they put different issues in competition with each other, right? And, you know, sometimes they think about Cain and Abel, right? This sort of jealousy or comparison can be a real problem. Instead of saying, “Okay, maybe we don't fit in a neat box, but as Catholics, you know, we have to do all the things.” And that kind of privileging one issue or another issue makes us vulnerable to those who would seek division and competition. And I think that when we look at God, you know, God loves all of it, right? God is love, and so there isn't that discrimination in the example of our Creator, and I would, of course, we aren't perfect, you know, but we should aspire to that same kind of comprehensive love.Debra Rienstra Yeah, and we do it together. We don't all have to do every last one of the things. We do it together. What about joys? What are your greatest joys right now in your work?Christina Slentz I think that coming together is really a joy. When I first started this work, I felt like a unicorn. I could either be the only person of faith in an environmental group, or I could be the only environmentalist in a faith group. And so it just was a feeling of being awkward all the time. And I do think that just in the three years that I've been in this position, I am seeing momentum build. I think ecumenicalism is super helpful in this regard. And I think that increasingly people are finding each other, and they are starting to get a little bit of a wake up call. I think it is unfortunate that people in the United States have had to experience some significant catastrophes and human loss and impact before they start to awaken to the issue of climate change or environmental degradation. I think plastics are really a pretty significant issue as well, but I think that more and more, people seem to be coming around to it, and whenever we celebrate together, that gives me joy.Debra Rienstra Yeah, I agree. I'm seeing it happening too, and it keeps me going. It keeps me going to connect with people like you, and every door I open, there's more people of faith doing amazing work, and we are building that mycelial network. And it's pretty great. So what is your favorite gift of the Catholic Church, a gift of wisdom on creation care that you wish everyone would receive?Christina Slentz I am not sure I would say that this is my favorite. But maybe I think that it is very important, is that, you know, in the Catholic community, communion, Eucharist, is really, you know, the summit for Catholics, that each week, at a minimum, we are going to celebrate this liturgy. We break open the Word, and then we celebrate the Eucharist. And one of the things I, you know, find very compelling is the fact that Jesus celebrates at the Last Supper with bread and wine. Jesus didn't get grapes and, you know, a piece of meat, to celebrate that these were both chosen items that were not just created by God, but they involved, as we say, in our celebration, the work of human hands. And so this really represents this call to co-creation, I think. And if that is something that you know, is really at the heart of Catholicism, this, you know, summit of our faith to celebrate the Eucharist—in that, we are called to co-create. And so this tells us something about how we are meant to exist in relationship with the Creator. You know, God reveals God's self to us in the beauty of this creation or in the gift of the Eucharist, and then, in turn, we are called to respond to that love. Otherwise the revelation isn't complete, so our response is to care for creation or to receive the Eucharist, and then go and serve as God has called us to serve. So maybe, maybe this is something that we can offer up.Debra Rienstra So beautifully said, and the intimacy of eating, you know, taking the material, the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands, into ourselves, responding by the Spirit, that intimacy, that physicality, there's a reason that that is the central ritual.Christina Slentz And you know, if I could give you one last image connected to that—because then we become the tabernacle, right? And we think about Noah and the ark, right? And how, you know, creation is destroyed, but the ark holds this refugia right and until it's time for this moment of reconciliation and forgiveness and then renewed flourishing. And you may or may not have heard this story, but when the LA fires raged in Pacific Palisades in January of 2025 the fires swept across the parish and school called Corpus Christi Parish, and it is the home parish of brother James Lockman, one of my dear, dear volunteers. And there was a firefighter who went back to look at the ruins that evening, and he was Catholic, and he came across the tabernacle from the church, and it was the only thing that survived. And when they opened it up, it was pristine on the inside and undamaged. And that Sunday, they took it to St. Monica's Parish, which is one of the very animated creation care parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, and they celebrated Mass there because Corpus Christi did not have a parish right to celebrate in that weekend. And I think about that tabernacle as being, you know—it's to reflect that Ark of the Covenant, right, Ark of Noah, the Ark of the Covenant. And then we have the tabernacle now, and that space of refuge that was preserved, you know. And then, of course, when we take the Eucharist into ourselves, we become that tabernacle. We're walking tabernacles, right? So we are also, then, places of refuge and where we know that God is with us and we can go and serve.Debra Rienstra Christina, it has been such a joy to talk to you. Thank you for your wisdom, for your inspiration, for the way that you deploy your expertise in such compassionate and far reaching ways. It's just been a pleasure. Thank you.Christina Slentz Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed talking today with you, Debra.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us. For show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

In his latest teaching episode, Bishop Wack concludes his discussion on the Congregation of Holy Cross, the religious order that formed him as a priest. He details his four ministry placements and current role as Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and emphasizes the importance of obedience and flexibility in his assignments, which included Colorado Springs, Notre Dame, Phoenix, and Austin.

Rebekah interviews Fr. Willie Purcell, Kilkenny priest, National Vocations Coordinator and Immigrant Field Officer for the Irish Conference of Catholic Bishops. Father Willie has spent years preserving and cataloguing over 2,000 sacred relics. He shares the story of how his lifelong devotion began with a small relic given to him in childhood and grew into […] L'articolo Interview with Father Willie Purcell, Gatherer of Over 2,000 Relics proviene da Radio Maria.

The protests, even in red Florida, got President Donald Trump's attention, a Catholic bishop speaks out against immigration crackdown and U.S. transportation chief Sean Duffy takes on role of NASA administrator. Antonio Fins, Ana Goni-Lessan, John Kennedy and Rob Landers of the USA Today Florida Network explain it all.

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by John DeJak, Director of Education for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. John talks about working alongside Dale Ahlquist during the founding of the first Chesterton Academy, as well as his transition to Saint Agnes, where he worked in collaboration with Michael Adkins. Together, John and Jeremy explore what Catholic schools can learn from their Protestant classical counterparts. They also discuss the hopeful future of Catholic education and the merits of a deviceless school.

WarRoom battleground EP 875: Catholic Bishop Marries, Non-Catholics Receive Eucharist, INVADERS Fake Baptism, Anglicans In Schism

Stupid News 10-15-2025 8am …Arrested for Assault with a Cheeseburger …He paid $1.6 Million for the Rights to a License Plate …Are Catholic Bishops Allowed to Have 17 Girlfriends?

A Peruvian Bishop submitted his resignation to Pope Leo after it was discovered he was dating 17 women simultaneously, The Hair Museum in Missouri has closed and its contents being distributed to other museums, Grocery chain Giant recalls Taco kits after hot chocolate mix was included rather than the ground beef seasoning packet

fWotD Episode 3068: Feather (song) Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Sunday, 28 September 2025, is Feather (song)."Feather" is a song by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from Emails I Can't Send Fwd, the 2023 deluxe edition of her fifth studio album, Emails I Can't Send (2022). Carpenter wrote it with songwriter Amy Allen and its producer, John Ryan. Island Records released its sped-up version on August 4, 2023, and Republic Records promoted its original version to radio stations on September 12, 2023. A combination of pop, dance, disco, and bubblegum genres, "Feather" is a post-breakup track which celebrates the freedom and relief one feels upon ending a relationship and shedding its weight.Music critics praised the production of "Feather", describing it as light and airy. In the United States, the song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Carpenter's first song to reach the top 40; it was also her first number 1 on the Pop Airplay chart. The song reached the top 20 in Honduras, Latvia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. It received a diamond certification in Brazil and platinum or higher in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States.Mia Barnes directed the horror-inspired music video for "Feather", which was released on Halloween in 2023. It depicts the deaths of several men who mistreat Carpenter, who then dances at their joint funeral in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel/Annunciation Parish church. The video received a positive critical response but caused controversy when the Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn issued a statement criticizing the church scenes and suspended the priest who allowed them to be filmed. Carpenter performed the song at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show and at the 2023 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. She included it in her set list for the Emails I Can't Send, Eras, and Short n' Sweet tours.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:18 UTC on Sunday, 28 September 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Feather (song) on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Amy.

9/26/25 - We'll unpack the growing backlash against Cardinal Blase Cupich's decision to honor Senator Dick Durbin, a politician with a long record of supporting abortion. With seven U.S. bishops now speaking out against the award, this controversy raises urgent questions about scandal, unity, and the Church's public witness. Jim and Father Imbarrato bring a strong pro-life perspective to the discussion, examining why honoring a pro-abortion leader undermines Catholic teaching, how the bishops are responding, and what faithful Catholics can do to defend life and truth in a culture of confusion.

We're live with Tom Costanza, Executive Director of the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, Donald Sampey, member of the The Monday Night Disciples, talks about All God's Babies ministry and casket making for babies. Dr. Luke Arredondo, Executive Director of the St. Brendan Center for Evangelization and Spirituality in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, with our Catholic 101 segment.

Welcome to the first podcast of the re-launched At the Foot of the Cross series, bringing you the latest from the Secretariat of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. The first point of order is to offer an apology to our regular listeners. At the Foot of the Cross experienced a hiatus after […]

As Catholics, we're familiar with the seasons of the Church year. We know to mark the days of Advent and Lent. We know that Easter lasts fifty days and that Christmas, too, is more than just a 24-hour period of time. We know that we spend most of our time in days called ordinary — and of course, we're reminded of all of these seasons by the colors the priests wears at Mass. But here's a season you may have missed — it's a green season, yes. But I wouldn't call it ordinary. And right now, we're celebrating — we're in it! I'm talking about the Season of Creation. I know — it's not a liturgical season. But as of 2019, Pope Francis has invited us to mark this important moment of the year as a time to recall our Gospel mission to care for creation. The season begins on September 1 with the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and runs through October 4, which is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. What's more, the Season of Creation isn't just a Catholic thing. In fact, the Orthodox Church as been commemorating this season in some way since 1989. And so, the Season of Creation is a time not just to seek God out in the created world, but to do so in the company of others — people of other denominations, other faiths. We care for our common home, and we necessarily do so together. Today's guests are here to talk to us about this important season — and to invite us to participate in a Pilgrimages of Hope to mark both this particular moment on the calendar and this Jubilee Year. Dan Misleh is the founder of the Catholic Climate Covenant and has been working at this intersection of ecology and the Catholic church for decades. Prior to beginning the Covenant, he worked at the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Annie Fox is the provincial assistant for social ministry organizing in the Jesuits US West Province. She has more than thirteen years of grassroots organizing experience, and is passionate about interfaith relationship building. You'll hear Annie speak quite powerfully about the importance of these pilgrimages, and so as you listen, if you find yourself moved to organize one of your own, I hope you'll check out the links below. We have a lot of good stuff to resource you and your communities during this Season of Creation. Pilgrims of Hope for Creation: https://catholicpilgrimsofhope.org/ Catholic Climate Covenant: https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/ Video on Youth Pilgrims: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucyABWXcYEQ Register for high school workshops: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kVzdNfLoPggBfuttCulaP8q6SA0uQbo_DcwoB2g9Cog/edit?tab=t.0 Register for college and university workshops: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7aGaPyAgQSOP0O0y52xRSg#/registration More about the Season of Creation: https://seasonofcreation.org/about/

A Catholic bishop recently celebrated Mass alongside an Anglican priest who is both openly gay and married to a woman. What does this mean for Catholic teaching, ecumenical relations, and the integrity of the liturgy? In this episode, we break down the details, the controversy, and why this moment has Catholics asking serious questions about […]

Weekly news summary from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Weekly news summary from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA, and president of the USCCB issued a statement in observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/usccb-presidents-statement-observance-rev-martin-luther-king-jr-day-2023 Catholics across the country are observing a nationwide prayer vigil on Thursday, January 19 to Friday, January 20, 2023 and praying a novena to protect human life with “9 Days for Life.” https://www.respectlife.org/9-days-for-life January 18-25 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has a history of over 100 years , in which Christians around the world have taken part in an octave of prayer for visible Christian unity. Watch the video introduction from Fr. Walter Kedjierski, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. https://www.usccb.org/resources/introduction-2023-week-prayer-christian-unity Representatives of bishops' conferences from several countries, including the United States, met for the annual Holy Land Coordination, January 14-19, 2023. Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace represented the U.S. bishops. Read the communique from the delegation. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/2023-holy-land-coordination-communique The annual blessing of livestock took place at the Vatican on January 17, 2023.

This week the Senate passed H.R. 8404, the “Respect for Marriage Act.” Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, issued a joint letter and analysis urging Congress to oppose the measure. Read the press release. The USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs issued a statement emphasizing its recommitment to relationship with the Jewish committee. Read the press release. Pope Francis reminded the faithful that the Lord is always present and to look for signs of God's nearness this Advent. Watch the video.

Weekly news summary from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Today’s episode is a “supplement” to this coming Friday’s episode on the eschatological implications of briefs filed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Ethics and Public Policy Center with SCOTUS on transgenderism. Would you encourage or discourage the legislator argument I offer in today’s episode about women serving in the military? Remember: Legislators don’t have to make legal arguments to explain their vote on legislation.

Today’s short episode is a “supplement” to this coming Friday’s episode on the eschatological implications of briefs filed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Ethics and Public Policy Center with SCOTUS on transgenderism. Would you encourage or discourage the legislator argument I offer in today’s episode about women in the military? Remember: Legislators don’t have to make legal arguments to explain their vote on legislation.Support the show: https://www.factennessee.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In preparing for the observation of Labor Day in the United States on September 4, Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, issued a statement calling for radical solidarity with working families. Read the 2023 Labor Day statement (also available in Spanish). Learn more USCCB's work on Economic Justice and Domestic Poverty. Each year on September 1, the Catholic Church commemorates the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. This day of prayer also marks the beginning of a month-long ecumenical awareness initiative known as the “Season of Creation,” which concludes on October 4 with the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. The theme chosen for this year's Season of Creation is “Let Justice and Peace Flow,” and it calls on the faithful to reflect on the relationship between justice and creation. Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace issued a reflection: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/laudato-si-20-pope-announces-new-document-ahead-season-creation. Pope Francis announced this week he would publish a follow-up document to his 2015 encyclical on the environment “Laudato Si'” on the October 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Read the story from Catholic News Service in Rome.

May 22nd is the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Mariners and Seafarers. Bishop Brendan Cahill discusses the ministry of the church to seafarers through the work of Stella Maris. The day is intended to remember the men and women seafarers. Many seafarers are Catholic Christians and largely a migrant population in the world. Because of the nature of their work, they are not always a visible community presence. In over 50 ports, there are more than 100 Stella Maris chaplains, maritime deacons, and lay ecclesial ministers who minister to seafarers. They welcome, network, and reach out to seafarers, fishermen and women, their families, and all who work or travel on the seas. Through the celebration of the Eucharist and the Word of God, the chaplaincy team helps seafarers discover the loving presence of God in an often-challenging world. Their continued presence is a clear indication of their dedication to this vital pastoral ministry and love for the people of the sea. https://www.usccb.org/committees/pastoral-care-migrants-refugees-travelers/stella-maris-who-we-are On Wednesday, May 10, a panel of advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously to make the birth-control drug, Opill, available to consumers over-the-counter in the United States. The FDA is reportedly poised to make a final decision this summer. In response to the FDA panel's recommendation, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, urged the government agency to reject this advice as “not good medicine” and continue their efforts to protect women's health. Read the full statement. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/fda-acknowledges-harm-oral-contraceptives-while-its-own-panel-advisors-push-make-drug After literally hundreds of public prayers for peace in Ukraine and 443 days after Russia launched an all-out war on the Eastern European country, Pope Francis welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Vatican. This was their first face-to-face meeting since the war began. Read the Catholic News Service Rome story. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/pope-ukrainian-leader-talk-about-humanitarian-situation-provoked-war

On July 14, 2023, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection released the 2022 Annual Report – Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. This is the twentieth such report since 2002 when the U.S. bishops established and adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, a comprehensive framework of procedures to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy and establish protocols to protect children and young people. The international World Youth Day celebration takes place every 2-3 years, typically in the summer months and on a major scale. The next one of these will take place soon, from Tuesday to Sunday, August 1 to 6, 2023, in Lisbon, Portugal with millions of people and the Holy Father. The U.S. Bishops invite all young people across the United States to be a part of this global event - in person, digitally, or stateside. Learn more at https://www.usccb.org/topics/world-youth-day/international-celebration. On July 7, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the implementation of new family reunification parole (FRP) processes for nationals of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Read the statement from Bishop Seitz, chair of the Committee on Migration, and the press release: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-migration-chairman-responds-new-family-reunification-programs.

Upon the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, issued a statement in remembrance and support of nuclear arms control. Visit www.usccb.org/nuclear for more information and resources on the bishops' teachings related to nuclear disarmament. Pope Francis spoke about the observance of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30th. The USCCB's Anti-Trafficking Program aims to educate on the scourge of human trafficking as an offense against the fundamental dignity of the human person, to advocate for its end, and to provide training and technical assistance to support survivors. Learn more and get involved at https://www.usccb.org/topics/anti-trafficking-program. More than 28,600 young people and 60 bishops travelled from the United States to Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day. Follow the latest stories from the global celebration at https://www.usccb.org/newsroom.

In 2022, an estimated 258 million people in 58 countries experienced crisis-level acute hunger, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), the global humanitarian organization addressing food security. Russia's recent decision no longer to allow Ukraine to export tons of grain means more people are likely to go hungry. In response to the rising concern, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, called on global leaders to do more to ensure food security for all. Read Bishop Malloy's full statement. Pope Francis asked the 1.5 million young people who attended World Youth Day to take "what God has sown into your hearts" back to their home countries and build a joyful church that is open to all. Look back at the significant moments and messages of Pope Francis' Aug. 2-6 trip to Portugal. • Watch: Huge crowds gather for WYD vigil, papal Mass • Watch: U.S. pilgrims celebrate WYD The next WYD has been announced. Taking place in Seoul, South Korea, WYD 2027 will be the first to take place in on mainland Asia. Korea has a growing Catholic population of about 11 percent, or 6 million believers. Pope Francis has also announced the Jubilee of Youth in Rome 2025 for the interim. See you in Seoul in 2027!

Since 1973, the Catholic Church in the United States has observed October as “Respect Life Month.” This year, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities invites Catholics to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Respect Life Month by embracing “radical solidarity” with women facing difficult or challenging pregnancies. Read Bishop Burbidge's full statement, “Living Radical Solidarity.” Resources for Respect Life Month are available at https://www.respectlife.org/respect-life-month. More than one hundred bishops from around the world recently attended the Vatican's school for new bishops. Bishop Jeffrey Fleming of Great Falls, Montana, and Bishop Michael Izen, Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, shared their experiences with Catholic Current.

A gunman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two children, ages 8 and 10, and wounding 17 others. The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died after turning his weapon on himself. President Donald Trump ordered flags to half-staff, and Gov. Tim Walz said, “Minnesota is heartbroken.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called for healing as the nation again confronts its gun crisis. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is a “supplement” to this coming Friday’s episode on the eschatological implications of briefs filed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Ethics and Public Policy Center with SCOTUS on transgenderism. Would you encourage or discourage the legislator argument I offer in today’s episode about women serving in the military? Remember: Legislators don’t have to make legal arguments to explain their vote on legislation.

Released 2023.10.26 Pope Francis invited all people of faith to join him on October 27th for a day dedicated to prayer, fasting, and penance for peace and reconciliation in Israel and Gaza. Watch the CNS video: Pope: War is always a defeat. Read the letter from Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to his entire diocese: https://www.lpj.org/posts/letter-to-the-entire-diocese.html October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Read the U.S. Bishops' pastoral letter, When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women. Catholics For Family Peace Education and Research on Domestic Abuse provides education, resources, and research that help Catholics promote peace within families and to recognize and respond with compassion to domestic abuse. Visit https://www.catholicsforfamilypeace.org/ to learn more and download resources. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been participating in the assembly of the Synod of Bishops and shared with CNS some of his thoughts about the monthlong experience. Read “USCCB president talks about his synod experience.” Participants in the Synod on Synodality have approved a Letter to the People of God giving thanks for their experience, detailing the work of the past few weeks, and expressing the hope that in the coming months, everyone will be able to "concretely participate in the dynamism of missionary communion indicated by the word 'synod.'"

Released 2023.11.02 In response to the escalating Israel-Hamas war, Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, renewed his call for peace. Read his full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/statement-us-bishops-international-justice-and-peace-chairman-continued-violence-holy As war continues in Ukraine, the Holy See has expressed its ongoing commitment to pursuing peace. We spoke with Bishop Vitaly Kryvytsky about his experience as bishop of Kyiv-Zhytomyr. Learn about the Collection for The Church in Central and Eastern Europe: https://www.usccb.org/committees/church-central-eastern-europe November is Native American Heritage Month. Learn about the work of the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, whose mission is to enhance the relationship of the Catholic Native American/Alaska Native communities with Jesus Christ and His Church in the United States. https://www.usccb.org/committees/native-american-affairs Since the Hamas attacks earlier this month, and in the wake of boldly proclaimed rhetoric and the increase of actions of religious hatred in the United States, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Religious Liberty issued a sharp rebuke and called for peace. Read the full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/us-bishops-religious-liberty-chairman-speaks-out-against-religious-hatred

Released 2023.11.15 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered for the 2023 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, November 13-16. Watch the livestream and read related materials at https://www.usccb.org/plenary-assembly-november-13-16-2023. The Catholic bishops of the United States approved an updated introductory note to the teaching document on political responsibility, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship (en Español), as well as new bulletin inserts and video template script. This statement represents the bishops' guidance for Catholics in the exercise of their rights and duties as participants in our democracy. The updated version and related materials will be posted soon at www.faithfulcitizenship.org. In October Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, launched a National Catholic Mental Health Campaign. The campaign aims to inspire a national conversation around the topic of mental health and to mobilize the Catholic Church to respond compassionately and effectively to the mental health crisis. Learn more at https://www.usccb.org/mental-health-novena.

Released 2023.12.07 The Church continues to celebrate the season Advent, leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Learn about the season of Advent, download the USCCB's daily Advent calendar, bless your Christmas manger or nativity scene, and pray with the “O Antiphons” of Advent. (https://www.usccb.org/prayers/o-antiphons-advent) Participating remotely in the inauguration of a Faith Pavilion at the COP28 conference in Dubai, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of present choices for the future of humanity. Watch the full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDr2lrtnSV8 Read the statement from Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, chairman of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace: COP 28: U.S. Bishops Call for International Climate Policies that Promote Justice. https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/cop-28-us-bishops-call-international-climate-policies-promote-justice

An incident at the Basilica of Loreto, where the Holy House of Mary is enshrined, is drawing widespread attention. Footage shows Catholic bishops concelebrating Mass alongside a woman dressed in a cassock and clerical collar, possibly a Protestant “priestess.”