We need to talk about ‘hot priests’

Jesuitical

America Media

Spirituality, Christianity, News, News Commentary, Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 949 Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian unpack the trend of “hot priests” on social media with Maggie Phillips, a contributing writer for Tablet Magazine. Maggie recently published an article exploring the phenomenon of the “hot priest”: Thou Shalt Not Scroll Past a Hot Priest. Ashley, Sebastian and Maggie discuss: - What the “hot priest” trend says about the cultural status of the Catholic Church - Is there a benefit to being recognizably religious? - The dangers of conflating social media engagement and evangelization In Signs of the Times, Colleen Dulle, America’s Vatican correspondent and host of “Inside the Vatican,” sits down with Ashley and Sebastian to discuss Pope Leo’s response to the tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis as well as his recent meeting with Father James Martin. They also take a look back at his summer activities and discuss what Leo’s talkative brother, John Prevost, has revealed about our new pope. In a new expanded version of our “As One Friend Speaks to Another” segment, Emma Camp, an assistant editor at Reason magazine, discusses her Faith in Focus article “The case for showing up to church—even if you don’t believe in God.” Links for further reading: “Thou Shalt Not Scroll Past a Hot Priest” Maggie’s article in America: "Lay volunteers are often the backbone of Catholic parishes. But they need support, too" Emma’s article: “The case for showing up to church—even if you don’t believe in God” “Pope Leo calls for stop to ‘the pandemic of arms’ after Minnesota Catholic school shooting” “Pope Leo’s response to the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: 3 takeaways” “Father James Martin: Pope Leo wants to continue Francis’ approach to LGBTQ Catholics” “Pope Leo just extended his vacation. What do popes do to relax?” “14 Things We Learned About Pope Leo From His Brother’s Latest Interview” What’s on tap? Aperol Spritz You can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical. Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at https://www.americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is presented by eBay.
0:03.7	Rob, everyone loves a deal and a bargain from time to time, don't they?
0:07.8	Absolutely, mate. And do you know where you can grab a great deal? Talk to me. Where?
0:11.9	The eBay app. Yes, you are correct. You didn't need to talk to me. I already knew it. I love eBay.
0:17.2	When you're buying, you can discover loads of hidden gems. There's so many items where you think I would have never found that anywhere else. Then when you're selling, it's so simple and most
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0:31.2	deals on things you love. You can't help but say when it's eBay. It excludes vehicles and business
0:35.9	sellers.
0:44.0	Hello and welcome to Jesuitical, a podcast from America Media for Saints and Sinners.
0:48.6	You can join us each week for honest conversations about the Catholic Church in our world today,
0:53.8	sometimes over drinks. I'm Ashley McKinless and I'm joined by Sebastian Gomes. I got big shoes to fill Ashley.
0:56.0	Yeah, I am happy to report that Zach Amanda and their baby Madeline Marie are all healthy and happy,
1:03.5	but that means that Zach is not sitting here beside me in the Jesuitical studio.
1:08.0	But Sebastian, you're going to be great.
1:09.9	It's going to be a lot of fun.
1:10.8	We have a really fun first episode coming up.
1:13.2	Yeah, absolutely. And let me just say, I totally know what this feels like when you turn on your favorite podcast and the two hosts who you think are going to be there are not there, or one of them is not there. And you're like, I can do without listening to this episode. So don't do that.
1:25.9	No, you are a known quantity.
1:28.2	You're known during the conclave coverage.
1:31.1	Now, Zach, without listening to this episode. So don't do that. No, you are a known quantity. You've known
1:28.8	during the conclave coverage. Now, Zach can't ignore the questions that I'm throwing him during
1:33.6	the interviews anymore. I can just ask away. Yes, exactly. And this week, we are having a great
	...

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