What’s it like to say Mass on death row? Ep.131

Jesuitical

America Media

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

4.7 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 6 March 2020

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For the past 10 years, George Williams, S.J., has passed through metal doors plastered with the word “CONDEMNED” to minister to the men on death row at San Quentin State Prison, located on the north side of the San Francisco Bay. As the Jesuit chaplain for the California prison, he provides spiritual counseling, teaches theology and says Mass in what many would consider the most hopeless of circumstances. Yet amid the sin and injustice that he sees each day, Father Williams also encounters conversion, forgiveness and grace. We ask Father Williams how he spiritually prepares men for the death penalty or life without parole, how Jesuit spirituality resonates with inmates and what he would say to Catholics who disagree with Pope Francis’ pronouncement that capital punishment is “inadmissible.” Zac is on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, so no Signs of the Times this week. However, he sends a special message to the Jesuitical podcast community! You can tell us what you think about the interview on our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and help other listeners find Jesuitical by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts. Please consider supporting the show by becoming a member of our Patreon community. Patrons get access to an exclusive newsletter written by one of your hosts each week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Jesuitical, a podcast by the Young Hip and Lay editors of American
0:10.0	Media.
0:11.0	That lay part means we aren't Jesuits, but we work with them.
0:14.1	Join us each week for a smart Catholic take on faith, culture, in the news, often over drinks.
0:19.9	I'm Ashley McKinless, and I am flying solo this week.
0:24.4	Zach Davis, my co-host, is currently
0:27.1	helping to lead America Media's pilgrimage
0:29.5	in the Holy Land.
0:31.6	So we do not have any Catholic news of the week for you on this episode, but we do have
0:37.8	signs of My Times, the part of the show where I give you life updates. It is the first full week of Lentz, so it's been seven days since I've had
0:46.8	sweets or alcohol and I have to say I'm feeling pretty good. And I know Lentz is not
0:51.3	supposed to just be about my own personal diet plan.
0:55.6	So I have added some spiritual practices as well.
0:59.0	I've been waking up a little earlier and reading the daily readings every morning and then at lunchtime
1:05.0	walking over to St. Patrick's Cathedral for a little bit of quiet prayer time and
1:10.9	that's been really nice. So I would recommend you know just taking a little
1:15.3	bit more time out of your day during this season to pray and find some quiet. In other
1:21.6	news my sister is expecting her first child, as I have mentioned before on the show, and her due date is actually this Thursday, March 5th.
1:31.0	So by the time this drops, I could be an aunt, which would be very exciting.
1:35.6	If not, Jackie, if you're listening to this, then you're in labor.
1:40.3	Stop listening and focus on what you're doing.
1:43.0	But seriously, I'm very excited and I hope you can all join me
	...

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