Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
Ashley McKinlessSeptember 06, 2019

This summer, the hosts of this podcast learned they have something in common with Malcolm Gladwell: We all think being called “jesuitical” should be considered a compliment. Malcolm, a staff writer at the New Yorker and the author of several best-selling books, recently became obsessed with “thinking like a Jesuit” as a way to tackle new and complicated problems. In a three-part series on his podcast, “Revisionist History,” he takes a deep dive into St. Ignatius’ philosophical tradition and the unexpected ways it can be applied today.

We ask him how he first encountered the Jesuits, if there are any dangers to this way of thinking and why he calls himself a “wannabe Catholic.”

In Signs of the Times, Pope Francis creates new cardinals (no Americans, but three Jesuits!) and calls for swift action on climate change. Nuns in New Orleans donate land to help protect the city from flooding and a Catholic school in Tennessee donates all their Harry Potter books to the garbage bin. Finally, we discuss two tough stories: a sex abuse settlement that raises questions about the role of race and poverty in the church’s treatment of survivors and the controversy surrounding a man who sought out a priest’s blessing before choosing to die by assisted suicide.

We are so happy to be back in your podcast feeds after our summer break. You can tell us what you think about the new episode on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and help other listeners find Jesuitical by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts.

And last but not least, some exciting news for our Patreon supporters: We are starting a new newsletter exclusively for patrons! Please consider becoming a member to learn important things like: What book is Zac reading these days? What music can Olga not stop listening to? What animal video is Ashley watching on repeat? And much more. You can check out the benefits of becoming a patron here. And a big thank you to everyone who supports Jesuitical. We couldn’t do it without you!

Links from the show

Pope to create 13 new cardinals in October, including three Jesuits
Pope Francis chooses 13 new cardinals in the ‘Francis mold’

Pope Francis issues new call for world leaders to act on the climate emergency
New Orleans’ women religious donate 25 acres for flood control project
Priest removes Harry Potter books from Tennessee Catholic school, citing ‘actual curses and spells’
Mississippi Catholic sex abuse survivors underpaid in settlement cases
Seattle bishops affirm sanctity of life in wake of assisted suicide

What’s on tap?

Wild Basin Boozy Sparkling Water

More: Jesuits
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

July 16 marks 80 years since the first atomic bomb was detonated. The specter of nuclear annihilation has been with us ever since.
James T. KeaneJuly 15, 2025
David Corenswet in a scene from "Superman" (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
The first time we see the titular hero of James Gunn’s new film “Superman,” he doesn’t descend from the heavens. He plummets.
John DoughertyJuly 15, 2025
If we imagine ourselves as satisfying a God who will “give us” things only if we do the “right things,” then our relationship with God becomes less a friendship and more a chore.
James Martin, S.J.July 15, 2025
For 13 years, Josep Lluís Iriberri, S.J. has guided pilgrims along the same trail St. Ignatius walked over 500 years ago.