Ep. 4.31: Quid Putas: The Early Years of Archbishop John L. May

In this episode, Monsignor traces the arrival of Archbishop John L. May to St. Louis in 1980, exploring the deep Chicago–St. Louis connections that shaped his path and the quiet, steady leadership style that defined his tenure. From his energetic decade in Mobile—building parishes, expanding hospitals, strengthening lay benefits, and advancing pro‑life and diaconate initiatives—to his thoughtful, consultative approach symbolized by his famous “Quid Putas?” (“What do you think?”), May emerges as a pastor who listened deeply and led deliberately. Monsignor also sets the stage for the era May would inherit: a Church influenced by the dynamism of John Paul II and a nation reshaped by Ronald Reagan, both already transforming global and cultural landscapes as May began his service in St. Louis.