With the election of a pro-choice Catholic to the White House, the question of who may or may not be admitted to Holy Communion has surfaced in Catholic public discourse, particularly among the U.S. bishops. In this episode of Behind the Story, Sam Sawyer, S.J., joins America's national correspondent ,Mike O'Loughlin, to explore the theological roots of this debate and how the bishops are addressing it at their annual meeting.

How is the Holy Spirit alive in the world today? We asked six senior Jesuits to reflect on their experiences of the Holy Spirit and where they see the activity of the Spirit in the church and the world.

Come Holy Spirit!

There are 11 saints associated with the Catholic Church in the United States. None of them are of African descent. But, an initiative by the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans wants to raise the profile of six Black Catholics—women and men who the Church believes have saintly potential.

Read "Who will be the first Black Catholic saint from the United States?" at https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/01/21/black-catholic-saints-united-states-239730

With a growing shortage of priests, some Catholic parishes are thinking creatively about alternative models of pastoral ministry. Meet Elizabeth Simcoe, a lay woman appointed by her bishop to run St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany, NY. It's a demanding job that requires strong leadership and the ability to collaborate and listen. It's about being "pastoral" which isn't an attitude reserved only for ordained priests.

Prayer may seem complicated or frightening, but anyone can pray! James Martin, SJ, shares some useful definitions of what prayer is and what we can learn from each of them.