Podcasts

When he was first summoned to meet with Pope John Paul II, Sir Gilbert Levine was surprised to find himself led to the pope’s private library, and felt sure it was it was a once-in-a-lifetime meeting. That first conversation in 1988 gave birth to a 17-year relationship between the two men–an unlikely pairing of a […]

Raymond A. Schroth, S.J., reviews the life of the controversial priest and politician Robert F. Drinan, S.J. When Fr. Drinan ran for Congress in 1970, he was among a dozen priests and religious seeking higher office. By the time Drinan was forced to leave in 1980 by order of Pope John Paul II, that number […]

America‘s Book Club discusses Human Chain, the new collection of poems by Seamus Heaney. Angela O’Donnell, a poet and professor of English at Fordham University, analyzes the recurrent themes in the collection, including mortality and the sacramental nature of creation. As in previous volumes, Heaney uses his writing to carry on a conversation with generations […]

Luke Hansen, S.J., a member of Witness Against Torture, discusses his article in the current issue of America on the Gospel call to love one’s enemies and how that mandate lead to his meeting with former detainees at Guantanamo Bay. For more on the Uighur men who Luke and other members of Witness Against Torture […]

Tom Price and Nora Collins of Catholic Relief Services provide a report on reconstruction efforts underway in Haiti following the devastating earthquake in January and the work CRS is doing to aid in the country’s recovery. Only 4 percent of earthquake rubble has been removed in 10 months, and large number of residents are still […]

George V. Coyne, S.J., president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, recounts the history of this institution, and explains how the Vatican became involved in the study of the planets and stars. Father Coyne also weighs in on the contemporary debate about the compatibility of science and religion, and makes the case that Stephen Hawking is […]

Kyle T. Kramer recounts his recent trip to Eastern Kentucky where he witnessed the horrors of mountaintop removal, an injustice that he describes as almost Biblical in scope. In addition to destroying the natural landscape, MTR creates nearly unlivable conditions for the families who live in the vicinity. Kramer explains why all people of faith […]

Eboo Patel, the co-founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, talks about his campaign to foster interfaith dialogue among young people, and why Catholic campuses are uniquely suited to host these conversations. Patel also discusses how he was inspired by Dorothy Day and other Catholic figures. This is Part 1 of a two-part interview.

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York recently spoke with James Martin, S.J., about his new book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything during the the archbishop’s weekly radio program on The Catholic Channel. During the show, the archbishop shared his admiration for the Society of Jesus and for the gift of Ignatian spirituality. Archbishop […]