Why people leave the church–and why they join

Jesuitical

America Media

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

4.8 • 949 Ratings

🗓️ 12 September 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on “Jesuitical,” Ashley and guest host Sebastian sit down with Jack Bentz, S.J., a Jesuit priest and the host of the “Catholics in Ordinary Time” podcast and Substack. Father Jack also works in campus ministry at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Ashley, Sebastian and Father Jack discuss: - What kids are looking for in campus ministry and parish settings - Surprise lessons from a Jordan Peterson talk - The ways parishes can get people coming back to Mass In Signs of the Times, Ashley and Sebastian discuss the recent canonizations of Saints Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, the “Grace for the World” concert being hosted at the Vatican with notable A-listers and Pope Leo’s upcoming 70th birthday. In a new expanded version of our faith sharing segment, “As One Friend Speaks to Another,” Jack Consolie, Outreach’s communications and development associate, discusses his recent article: “Carlo Acutis and I: The (complicated) spiritual connection of a shared cancer journey.” Our faith sharing segment is a project funded by a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. Links for further reading: - Fr. Jack’s podcast: Catholics in Ordinary Time - Fr. Jack’s Substack - Jack Consolie’s article: “Carlo Acutis and I: The (complicated) spiritual connection of a shared cancer journey” - Pope Leo XIV declares Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati saints in a celebration of youthful devotion - On the ground for the canonization of Saints Acutis and Frassati: Crowds, communion and Cheez-Its 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 americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 from American Media for saints and sinners.
0:09.3	You can join us each week for honest conversations about the Catholic Church and our world today, sometimes over drinks.
0:15.2	I'm Ashley McKinless, and I'm joined by Sebastian Goams.
0:18.2	Sebastian, you came back for more.
0:20.5	Didn't scary. That's right. back for more. Didn't scare you.
0:21.1	That's right.
0:21.4	How soon after this publishes do you think that Zach is listening to it to critique my
0:25.8	performance?
0:26.7	I can confirm that he listened to the last week's episode.
0:29.8	And he said that he thought you should be the host for all the episodes when he's gone.
0:35.0	No way.
0:35.8	Yeah.
0:36.2	Is he extending his parental leave another year?
0:39.1	If he could.
0:40.9	No, we should say we are expecting him back, I think, in a few weeks, right?
0:44.1	So obviously understandable that he wants to spend, you know, a little bit of time with his
0:49.0	newborn daughter, Madeline.
0:50.0	So we still wish her and Amanda and Zach all the very best from the Jesuitical community.
0:55.7	Sure do.
0:56.6	This week we have a great conversation with Father Jack Bence.
1:00.4	He's a Jesuit priest and the host of the Catholics in Ordinary Time podcast and Substack.
1:05.7	And we're talking to Father Benz about why people leave the Catholic Church.
	...

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