Jesuitical

Jesuitical

Welcome to Jesuitical, a podcast for young Catholics hosted by two young, lay editors at America—Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless. Each episode features a guest who offers a unique perspective on faith, culture or current events. We also bring you some of the top (and maybe more obscure) Catholic news of the week. And we'll ask: Where do we find God in all this?

Episodes

March 6, 2026 75 mins
This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley sits down with America’s chief correspondent, Kevin Clarke, to discuss the widening conflict with Iran and whether the U.S. intervention in the conflict can be justified under just war theory. Then, we re-share one of our favorite interviews from last year: a conversation with Jamie Baxter, the founder & C.E.O. of Exodus 90. The program, which helps men to strengthen their faith through prayer, as...
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This week on a special, interview-only episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian talk with James Martin, S.J., editor at large for America, about his new memoir Work in Progress: Confessions of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, corporate tool, and priest.  Ashley, Sebastian and Father Jim discuss: The differences in writing an autobiography vs. a book on prayer Balancing amb...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Kristen Gilger, author of My Son, The Priest: A Mother’s Crisis of Faith and her son, Patrick Gilger, S.J., to discuss their interwoven journeys of faith. 0:00 Critiquing our ashes 3:00 Pope Leo's first Ash Wednesday 4:35 Vatican won't join "Board of Peace" 5:50 St. Peter's has a new snack bar! 8:10 Kristin's shock when Paddy joined the Jesuits 16:58 The...
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February 13, 2026 53 mins
This week on a pre-Mardi Gras episode “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian speak with Dr. Ansel Augustine. Ansel is the assistant director for African American affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the author of Praying with Our Feet: Encountering God in the Margins. They discuss the harrowing and sacred culture of the Black Masking Indians of Mardi Gras. 0:00 Mardi Gras! 4:00 New York City has a new bi...
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Bishop Kevin Kenney was born in Minneapolis and has ministered to Latino communities there for years. Now an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, he speaks to America about the realities facing Latino Catholics on the ground and what the Catholic Church is doing to support them. 0:00 ICE outside churches and schools 4:45 How the Catholic Church is responding 10:00 Targeting criminals only? 11:45 Prea...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Patrick Kelly, S.J. Father Pat holds the Heider Chair at Creighton University and is an expert in the theology of Sports. Then, in a special faith sharing segment, the hosts speak with Patrick Hyde, O.P., a Dominican priest and the pastor of St. Paul Catholic Center at Indiana University, about recent Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza. Fernando, the qua...
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This week on a special episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Sam Sawyer, S.J., president and editor in chief of America, have a conversation with David French, political commentator and opinion columnist at The New York Times, about the complex relationship between Christianity and politics during the Trump administration.  Ashley, Father Sawyer and David discuss: - David’s journey as a never-Trump evangelical Christian - The futu...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian speak to Charles Camosy. Charlie teaches moral theology and bioethics at the Catholic University of America and is the author of 10 books, including Living and Dying Well: A Catholic Plan for Resisting Physician-Assisted Killing. Ashley, Sebastian and Charlie discuss: - How opposition to euthanasia transcends typical partisan camps - The disability advocates on the front...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian speak with Vatican expert Thomas Reese, S.J., a Jesuit priest who is a senior analyst at Religion News Service and former editor in chief of America magazine.  Ashley, Sebastian and Father Reese discuss: - The big takeaways from Pope Leo’s first consistory - 101 on the recent history of the College of Cardinals  - Whether Leo is continuing on the synodal path set by Pop...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Eric Sundrup, S.J., a Jesuit priest who is the vice president for mission and ministry and university chaplain at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Father Eric has also worked on “Jesuitical” since its inception (in 2017!) in a variety of roles; today, he continues to provide faith formation for the team.  Ashley, Sebastian and Father Eric discuss: - Wh...
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Who’s the best TV priest? Should you name your kid after a saint? And what pilgrimage sites are on our bucket list? These are just a few of the questions Zac, Ashley and “Jesuitical” producer Sebastian Gomes tackle in our end-of-year mailbag episode! Thanks to all the listeners who sent in questions for the hosts—we love hearing what’s on your minds. So don’t hesitate to reach out to jesuitical@americamedia.org or on our Facebook ...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac speak to Noah Banasiewicz, S.J. Noah is a Jesuit scholastic and lecturer in the School of Communication at Loyola University Chicago. Ashley, Zac and Noah talk about: - The opportunities and pitfalls of evangelizing on social media - The fine line between evangelist and Catholic influencer - How media theory can help us understand the evolution of evangelization In Signs of the Times, ...
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This week, Ashley and Zac debrief Pope Leo XIV's first international trip to Turkey and Lebanon, where he preached a strong message of peace and Christian unity, and shared insights from the conclave that elected him. Then, they speak to their colleague and America's senior audio producer, Maggi Van Dorn, about the new season of her podcast, "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols." They reflect on Maggi's reportin...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac chat with Daniel Corrou, S.J. Father Corrou is a Jesuit priest from the USA East Province who is currently the regional director of Jesuit Refugee Service Middle East & North Africa. Father Corrou lives and works in Lebanon, where Pope Leo XIV will visit from November 30 to December 2, 2025. Ashley, Zac and Father Corrou talk about: - The significance of Pope Leo choosing Lebanon for one ...
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This week on an interview-only episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac speak with Sister Theresa Aletheia and Sister Danielle Victoria, founding members of the Sisters of the Little Way, a private association of the faithful intending to become a religious institute, who live a mission of listening and solidarity with people who have been hurt by the church. Ashley, Zac and the sisters talk about: - The ins and outs of starting a...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac chat with Chris Cimorelli. Chris is the director of the National Institute for Newman Studies and the editor of the Newman Studies Journal, and an expert on St. John Henry Cardinal Newman, the newest doctor of the church. Ashley, Zac and Chris talk about: - Newman’s journey from Anglicanism to the Church of Rome - Newman’s many (and lasting) contributions to Catholic thought - Why Catho...
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This week on a special Halloween episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac speak with Micah Kiel, a professor of New Testament at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, Minn., where he teaches a class called “Apocalypse-mania.” Micah is also the author of Apocalyptic Ecology: The Book of Revelation, the Earth, and the Future.  Ashley, Zac and Micah discuss: - How Catholics should read the Book of Revelation ...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac talk to Brendan Curran, O.P., a Dominican priest who leads interfaith partnerships at the Resurrection Project and serves on the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace. Links for further reading:  The International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace website The Resurrection Project website Chicago Catholics confront ICE, fear and protests to prote...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac sit down with Colleen Dulle, America’s Vatican correspondent and host of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, to speak about her new book, Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter.  Ashley, Zac and Colleen discuss: - The spirituality of a Vatican reporter covering church scandals - Colleen’s experience attending—and leaving—the Latin Mass - Being present at Mass ...
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This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac speak with Kate Williams, the vice president of sacred music at GIA Publications, publisher of the “Gather” and “Worship” hymnals.  Ashley, Zac and Kate discuss: - Why Catholics don’t sing at Mass - How the role of music in liturgy changed post-Vatican II - Why the slightest changes in language make all the difference when it comes to hymns In a brief “Signs of the Times,” Ashley point...
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