Messy Jesus Business » Podcast

Episode 100 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this, our final episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with several previous guests and show producer Colin Wambsgans. You'll hear clips from some of our guests, such as Father Greg Boyle, Sister Helen Prejean, and Padraig O’Tuama, and new check-in interviews with Dr C Vanessa White, Father Justin Claravall, and Sister Sarah Hennessy. To conclude, Colin and Sister Julia reflect on the ways the podcast affected them through the years. We're truly honored to have you as a listener. Peace, and all good. To hear full previous episodes of prior guests, click on their name below: Father Greg Boyle Sister Helen Prejean Padraig O'Tuama Dr C Vanessa White Father Justin Claravall Sister Sarah Hennessy Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "Love is the messiest human thing there is." ~ Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA ABOUT THE TEAM Julia Walsh is a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration based in Wisconsin. A storyteller, poet, and community-builder, her ministry experience includes teaching, retreat facilitation, preaching, spiritual accompaniment, justice advocacy, and caring for people who are unhoused and incarcerated. Sister Julia is the author of two books including For Love of the Broken Body: A Spiritual Memoir and is the founder of Messy Jesus Business, a website and podcast that explores the messiness of modern Christianity. The author of numerous articles, her work has been featured on the BBC, Relevant Radio, U.S. Catholic, America, and National Catholic Reporter. In 2017 she received a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. Today she serves her Franciscan community as a vocation director and speaks to a variety of groups about topics such as creativity, contemplation, and Gospel living.  Colin Wambsgans is a composer and sound designer living in Los Angeles. His original music often uses field recordings as a basis, and has been presented at Cafe Oto (London), exMus (Dallas), and several venues around Los Angeles, including The Hammer Museum, Music @ Boston Court, the wulf., and Dog Star Orchestra. For the theater, Colin was the sound designer for productions with LaMama (NYC), Chalk Rep (LA), Rogue Machine (LA), and Center Rep (Walnut Creek, CA). His film work includes original music for All Exchanges Final (2016) and Spoons (2024)and sound design for River Mama (2024) and While the Trees Sleep (2017), which was selected for the Edinburgh Film Festival and Cannes's Short Film Corner. He has worked on numerous podcasts, including original music for NPR’s “Embedded” and production and editing for “Messy Jesus Business”. He lives in Burbank, CA with his wife and kids. You can find him on Instagram and his website. Mary Chuey Bishop writes spiritual nonfiction and speculative fiction and works as an editor, including for Messy Jesus Business. She lives, loves, writes, works, and worries from her home in Annapolis, MD. You can find her at marycbishop.com. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 99 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Kaitlin Curtice. They explore Indigenous spirituality, the power of stories, the cyclical nature of being, expansiveness and liminality, the difference between certainty and faith, joy in art, Mother Earth, community, taking time to heal, presence and contemplation, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "Liminality is just the gray areas of life, the spaces where we don't quite know yet. We don't quite have things figured out or it's complex. And I think that if we're honest, that's where so many of us live spiritually, is in those deep questions." -Kaitlin Curtice Kaitlin Curtice ABOUT THE GUEST Kaitlin Curtice is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity and how that shifts throughout our lives. She also speaks on these topics to diverse audiences who are interested in truth-telling and healing. As an inter-spiritual advocate, Kaitlin participates in conversations on topics such as colonialism in faith communities, and she has spoken at many conferences on the importance of inter-faith relationships. Kaitlin leads workshops and retreats, as well as lectures and keynote presentations, ranging from panels at the Aspen Climate Conference to speaking at the Chautauqua Institution and at universities, private retreat centers, and churches across the country. In 2020 Kaitlin’s award-winning book Native: Identity, Belonging and Rediscovering God won Georgia Author of the Year in the religion category. Native explores the relationship between American Christianity and Indigenous peoples, drawing on Kaitlin’s experiences as a Potawatomi woman. In 2023, Kaitlin released two books, first, Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day, which examines the journey of resisting the status quo of hate by caring for ourselves, one another, and Mother Earth, and second, her first children’s book called Winter’s Gifts: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature, which is the premier book in a series of four books on the four seasons coming out with Convergent, RandomHouse Books. Her second book in the series called Summer’s Magic was released in 2024. Besides her books, Kaitlin has written online for Sojourners, Religion News Service, On Being, SELF Magazine, Oprah Daily, and more. Her work has been featured on CBS and in USA Today. She also writes essays and poetry for The Liminality Journal and spends her time supporting other authors as they navigate the world of publishing. Kaitlin lives near Philadelphia with her partner, two dogs, and two kids. Find out more about Kaitlin at Instagram.com/kaitlincurtice, and The Liminality Journal on Substack. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 98 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with timone davis. They explore naming what you see in people, the military, Christ's peace, inner paradoxes, asking the deeper questions, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "When we are encountering another person, they're also encountering us. And I think that's something that we forget." -timone davis timone davis ABOUT THE GUEST timone davis is a cradle Catholic who was a “pewster” until she discovered that the uselessness of the Church was because she wasn’t giving anything of herself. After committing to getting involved, her life changed. Her first ministry was with the RCIA, where she not only welcomed others into the Church, but also revitalized her own spirituality. After working for the Archdiocese of Chicago as the coordinator of ReCiL – Reclaiming Christ in Life Young Adult Ministry, timone co-founded PEACE centered WHOLENESS with her husband Orlando, where they are blending clinical counseling and spiritual companioning. timone is an associate professor in the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago and an instructor in New Frontiers in Preaching Academy at Aquinas Institute of Theology. In her spare time, she serves as the Associate Convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium. timone's dynamic energy and deep spirituality enhance her brand of teaching that engages one’s spirit through the use of storytelling. No matter the occasion, timone's mission is to help others open their hearts and minds to the soul-saving power of God's Grace, Love and Mercy. *dr. timone davis uses lower case letters in the spelling of her name to indicate her willingness to embody the creedal assertion in John 3:30 in her everyday living. You can find dr. timone davis' preaching at her podcast, Skinny Thoughts on Christ's Peace. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 97 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Vincent Noth, executive director of the Kinship Community Food Center in Milwaukee. They explore faith, segregation, inequality, systemic racialized poverty, mystical experience, food as entry point to community, mutuality, accompaniment, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "The gospel germinates in the brokenness of our lives. And when our lives, when our woundedness, is being cultivated and nourished with the other people around us, and when we can be authentic and messy....the Eucharistic life is flowing through us into one another." -Vincent Noth Vincent Noth ABOUT THE GUEST Vincent Noth, a Milwaukee native, grew up attending public school on the northside. He has been the Executive Director of the Kinship Community Food Center (formerly Riverwest Food Pantry) since 2013. He has worked in Milwaukee’s urban service and nonprofit sector since 1999, as the Director of Programs for Summit Educational Association and as Pastor of the Youth and Family Ministries for Eastbrook Church. He served as a community and organization development consultant with the Peace Corps in Eastern Europe. He holds a B.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University and a M.A. in Religion from Trinity International University. Vincent and his wife Jessica have lived in the Riverwest-Harambee community since 2001. Learn more about Kinship Community Food Center at kinshipmke.org. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 96 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Michele Duane, OFS, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network (FAN). They explore secular Franciscanism, activism, the interests of government vs. the interests of gospel, Franciscan discernment, kinship, interior conversion, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "If I had to use one word to say, you know, what is it at the root of the Franciscan tradition that that we can bring that's needed in the world today? The word I would use is kinship." -Michele Dunne Michele Dunne You can find out more about Franciscan Action Network at www.franciscanaction.org and on Instagram @franciscannet. ABOUT THE GUEST Michele Dunne is a Secular Franciscan and executive director of the Franciscan Action Network (FAN). Before joining FAN, she worked for the U.S. Department of State and at think tanks including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She and her husband have two young adult children and live in Washington DC. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 95 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with author and podcast host Matthew Sitman. They explore conversion to Catholicism, the breadth and universality of the Catholic Church, humility and openness, cancel culture, Pope Francis, mercy, ideology, relationships, being a gay Catholic, ritual and wordless gestures, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "We give ourselves excuses to dismiss people, to not see them, not see the reality of their lives. And that's just something I don't think we're permitted as Christians." -Matthew Sitman Matthew Sitman You can find more of Matthew Sitman @matthewsitman on X/Twitter. ABOUT THE GUEST Matthew Sitman is a writer in New York City and the co-host of the podcast Know Your Enemy, a guide to the right by two leftists. Prior to writing and podcasting full-time, he was associate editor of Commonweal magazine for six years. He was received into the Catholic Church as an adult—this fall he'll have been Catholic for a decade. Listen to Matt and his Know Your Enemy co-host Sam Adler Bell talk about Pope Francis here. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 94 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with author and poet Cole Arthur Riley. They explore embodiment, resisting meritocracy, story, collective memory, letter writing, resistance, the tension between practice and belief, interiority, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "I think we can ask ourselves, who benefits from us being disembodied in this country? Government leaders, the ultra wealthy who need us to work more and more and more for less and less wages. And I think you can ask a similar question about memory. Who in this country benefits from our forgetting? There are systems that have everything to gain from our disembodiment, just as there are systems that have everything to gain from this willful amnesia." -Cole Arthur Riley Cole Arthur Riley You can find more of Cole Arthur Riley on Instagram @blackliturgies, on Facebook @blackliturgist, and at her website, colearthurriley.com. ABOUT THE GUEST Cole Arthur Riley is a writer and poet. She is the author of the NYT bestsellers, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us and Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, Guernica, and The Washington Post. Cole is also the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a project that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 93 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Thanks for listening to Messy Jesus Business! We're taking our summer break after this episode. Look for new interviews in your podcast feed starting in late September 2025. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Mary Kay McDermott about following the lead of the Spirit, Catholic Worker, intentional community, works of mercy, co-creation, singing into the liminal, the healing power of community song and dance, and more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "My great joy is to lead dances where five-year-olds and seventy-five-year-olds are all dancing together with big smiles on their faces, and looking each other in the eye and breathing together and feeling some synchronicity in their movements." -Mary Kay McDermott Mary Kay McDermott Find Mary Kay McDermott's Substack here. ABOUT THE GUEST Mary Kay has been a part of the Catholic Worker movement for the last 25 years. She has co-founded several CW intentional communities including the one where she and her family currently live, St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm in SW WI. Over the past 10 years she has become passionate about and cultivated the skills for building community through dance, song, and movement that is accessible and inclusive for all. As an American folk dance leader/caller she enjoys leading contra, circle, and square dances that unite people of all ages and abilities. She leads a community singing group that sings joyful, diverse, easy-to-memorize songs in a no practice, no performance experience that boosts energy and enlivens spirits. In addition, Mary Kay teaches mindful movement yoga classes that blend breath and movement, and encourage relaxation and inner peace. In all of her modalities, Mary Kay’s overarching goal is to cultivate experiences where people feel a deeper connection to body, mind, spirit, and community. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 92 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Sr. Dr. Chero Chuma about privilege, racism, surrender, discomfort, mental health and homelessness, human dignity, radical hospitality, burnout, therapy, and messiness. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "We are called to go beyond what we know or what we think our capacity is, knowing that within us...God who then created us will provide what we need." -Sr. Dr. Chero Chuma Sr. Dr. Chero Chuma Find Sr. Dr. Chero Chuma's congregation at csjp.org. ABOUT THE GUEST Sister Chero Chuma, CSJP, DNP, is a Sister of Saint Joseph of Peace and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Sr. Chero is the Director for Vocations in the USA and has been involved in the healthcare field for over 22 years. She continues to serve as a per diem psychiatric provider at Seattle’s Crisis Solutions Center where she diagnoses and treats people with mental illness. Sr. Chero is a University of Washington graduate with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a WWAMI AHEC Scholar. She is also a Seattle University graduate with a dual bachelor’s degree in nursing and theology and religious studies. She uses her education and experiences to educate many on matters of faith and mental health. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 91 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Michael Poffenberger about activism, contemplation, interiority, right relationships and the true self, vulnerability and control, transformation, wholeness, and much more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "Transformation happens not because of our force of will to change ourselves. It happens because of our capacity to witness ourselves with honesty in prayer and then be healed by God." -Michael Poffenberger Michael Poffenberger ABOUT THE GUEST Michael Poffenberger holds the tension of the and. As the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC)’s executive director since 2014, Michael sees CAC as uniquely positioned to support inner work for those seeking to build a more just and humane world. A graduate of Notre Dame, Michael served previously as the executive director of Resolve, where he worked alongside religious and civil society leaders to build peace and aid war-affected communities in Central and East Africa, and co-founded the Crisis Tracker. He believes that transforming consciousness can solve many of today’s challenges, and seeking that truth in his own life led him to the work of CAC. Michael lives this mission beyond CAC as the board chair for Invisible Children, in supporting movements for peace and collective liberation, and as a dad to his daughter Madeleine. In his contemplative practice, he asks himself, “What can the world look like when love is awakened?” That’s the vision he holds for all touched by CAC— that love is both who we are and where we are going. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 90 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. (We had some issues with Elena's microphone during recording, our apologies! -Colin) In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Elena Segura about Evangelicalism, conversion, social justice, the radicalness of Mass, immigration reform, silence, and more. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. "Evangelization is just being who you are." -Elena Segura Learn more about Elena Segura's work here, and join her in saying a rosary every Wednesday during Lent for immigration reform. Elena Segura ABOUT THE GUEST Elena Segura leads a national initiative of the Archdiocese of Chicago to develop and implement Pastoral Migratoria, which she founded in 2008 as an immigrant-led ministry for service, justice, and accompaniment in parish communities. Pastoral Migratoria is based in the methodology of Aparecida, whose main architect was (now) Pope Francis. Chicago area participants include 200 Hispanic lay leaders across 40 Hispanic parishes. The Dioceses of Stockton (CA) and Kansas City–Saint Joseph (MO) launched their pilot programs last year. Ten dioceses interested in starting this ministry took part in the inaugural Instituto Pastoral Migratoria in Chicago in July 2018. The goal is to create a national network. Since the 2005 inception of the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform, Elena directed the archdiocese’s local Immigration Ministry, facilitating formation of pioneering networks of 200 priests, 54 religious orders, and immigration liaisons in 124 native-born congregations. Elena began her career organizing grassroots responses to problems facing her community in rural Peru. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

A Special Episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More After chatting with Lisa Hendey at RE Congress, Sister Julia had impromptu short interviews with some Congress attendees who passed by the FSPA booth. We heard a few of these voices last week, and this mini special episode has six more. Sister Julia and Doctor Peter Jones You'll hear from Robert Ellsberg, Andrea (from Ontario, California), Dr. Peter Jones, Janice England, Father Tony Ricard, and Sister Rose Elsbernd, FSPA. Check out our archive of podcasts here! MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 89 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. This special episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast was recorded live at RE Congress 2025. In this episode, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Lisa M. Hendey about CatholicMom.com, blogging and podcasting, unconditional love, the importance of questions, the Chime Travelers, belonging and hospitality, and more. We also hear mini interviews with Mariana Lacouture, Anthony Deosdade, and Emilia Sury. Look for an episode featuring more mini interviews from RE Congress in the coming weeks! Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available. When we really, authentically say, 'Yes, God, I'm giving you my life,' fasten your seatbelts because you will not believe the places that you will be taken and what will happen." -Lisa M. Hendey Lisa M. Hendey ABOUT THE GUEST Lisa M. Hendey is the founder of CatholicMom.com and the bestselling author of I'm A Saint in the Making, among other books. She has journeyed around the globe to hear and share messages of hope and encouragement. Her Chime Travelers series for kids is read and studied worldwide in homes, schools, and churches. A frequent TV and radio guest, Lisa also hosts podcasts and speaks internationally on faith, family, evangelization and technology topics. She has traveled worldwide with non-profits to support their humanitarian missions. Lisa and Greg Hendey worship and live their story in Los Angeles, CA. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 88 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP, about faith and culture, vocation, liturgical music, what worship is, AI, what it means to be human, and polarization and unity. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show is available.  I define [worship] as any kind of response that we might have to something or someone holy....worship could take place anywhere. It could take place when I'm going for a walk in Manhattan or I'm in the subway and I notice someone who's in need of help." -Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP ABOUT THE GUEST Rev. Ricky Manalo, CSP, Ph.D. is a Paulist priest, a composer, theologian, and author. He is the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Catholic Music Composer of the Year Award by the Association of Catholic Publishers, and the 2018 Pastoral Musician of the Year Award by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. He studied composition and piano at the Manhattan School of Music, theology at the Washington Theological Union (WTU), and liturgy, culture, and sociology at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), Berkeley, CA. Currently, he is serving as Chairperson of the Paulist Initiative on Polarization. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 87 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Dr. Ann Garrido about having difficult conversations, discerning truth, and trust. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show can be found here. I think what is essential for bridging difference is that both persons have a deep, deep commitment to truth, to trying to pursue what's true. So if both people in the conversation, regardless of how different they are, are entering into the conversation trying to figure out what's true and willing to renegotiate what they hold at any particular point in time if they figure out what's more true, I think the conversation always has the potential of going places.  -Dr. Ann Garrido Dr. Ann Garrido ABOUT THE GUEST Ann Garrido is associate professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri, where she previously directed the school’s Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching program. She is the author of multiple books, including the award-winning Redeeming Administration, Redeeming Conflict, and Let’s Talk About Truth. Her newest book is Redeeming Power. She travels nationally and internationally helping communities talk about the topics they find toughest to talk about—conversations that always involve questions of truth. She lives with her husband outside Atlanta, Georgia. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 86 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. In the return of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh, FSPA talks with Fr. James Martin, SJ about his vocation, the raising of Lazarus, pilgrimages and Jesus' parables, and Fr. Martin's experience at the Synod. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More A transcript of the show can be found here. Oftentimes people think [a call to vocation] really needs to be this kind of dramatic, you know, falling on your knees and having this light from heaven, you know, like Saul on the way to Damascus... But I think that the more common way that it happens is that it's an understanding a desire that is within you that that is a holy desire, to be coming from God. -Fr. James Martin, SJ Fr. James Martin, SJ ABOUT THE GUEST Father James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America, consulter to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication and author of many books, including the New York Times bestseller Jesus: A Pilgrimage and The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything. He is the founder of Outreach, a Catholic news and opinion site for LGBTQ Catholics. Father Martin's latest book, Come Forth will be released in paperback February 2025. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 85 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More "Sometimes [conversion] just felt so hard to do. I had so many questions and I had so many doubts and it was conveyed to me by more than one person that It shouldn't be this hard, but I look back and I'm actually really grateful for it, for how much I had to wrestle with my adoption and my parents language and what liturgy means now and with our embrace of death. All these things that I carried with me culturally as the daughter of Chinese immigrants had to be reexamined in my conversion. They didn't fit into what my life as a Catholic was turning into. I would do these things that felt antithetical to the way my parents raised me...And I had to maybe not revise those things of my past and those things of how I grew up, but I had to, I guess just reconcile them in a different way and say, yes, where I come from makes me who I am today. It all comes with me, but I can look at it differently." -Melody Gee Topics Discussed: Immigration experience Conversion to Catholicism Ritual, routine, and liturgy Discomfort The messiness of prayer and community Embodiment of faith Balancing different cultures Embracing conflict Resisting perfectionism Name Drops: Jesus Thomas Merton Ronald Rolheiser Oliver Burkeman Greg Boyle Saul/Paul Books Mentioned: the Bible We Carry Smoke and Paper New Seeds of Contemplation Melody Gee ABOUT THE GUEST Melody S. Gee is the author of We Carry Smoke and Paper: Essays on the Grief and Hope of Conversion (University of Iowa Press, October 2024), which explores the cultural costs of religious conversion. She is also the author of three books of poetry: The Convert’s Heart is Good to Eat, The Dead in Daylight, and Each Crumbling House. She is the recipient of Kundiman fellowships in poetry and fiction, a Sustainable Arts Foundation Award, and an Artist Support Grant from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Born in Taiwan and raised in Cerritos, California, Melody is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of New Mexico. She has taught writing at Purdue University, Southwestern Illinois College, and St. Louis Community College, and currently works in renewable energy communications. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband and daughters. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 84 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More " Once they enter our [Humanitarian Respite Center for immigrants along the border], the very first thing that I asked is, "Como estas?" How are you? And it's for the very first time that someone that has been through so many difficult times, you know, and fear for their lives and their children, not having anything to eat sometimes, probably sleeping in the grass in the ground and really finding themselves with their feet all blistered for all the walking they did and their shoes torn and they walk without shoes and they end up with us in very poor conditions... it's for the very first time that they see someone say, how are you? And it's like they matter. You can start seeing in them the transformation in their faces. I hear them say like, Thank you God for taking care of me and bringing me to this safe space, you know. This is what for me is the Rio Grande Valley and the border in South Texas with Mexico." -Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ IN THIS EPISODE To donate to or volunteer with Sister Norma, click here or scan the QR code below. Topics Discussed: Sister Norma's vocation art immigration border control courage a punishing vs a loving God the breadth of Spirituality being present making connections exploitation of immigrants dignity protesting the sale of arms being a disciple of Jesus trusting/surrendering to God Name Drops: Jesus Pope Francis Mother Teresa of Avila Moses Books Mentioned: the Bible Time Magazine Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ ABOUT THE GUEST Sister Norma Pimentel has become one of the most recognized leaders in our nation today. As Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, she oversees the charitable branch of the Diocese of Brownsville, the second largest Catholic Diocese in the United States. Sister Pimentel has over twenty years of experience in providing oversight to a diverse set of ministries and social services in the Rio Grande Valley such as homeless prevention, disaster relief, clinical counseling, pregnancy care, food assistance, and humanitarian relief to immigrants. In 2014, during the influx of immigrants entering the United States through the Southern Border, Sister Pimentel with the support of the local community established the Humanitarian Respite Center, providing a safe space for immigrants to rest before continuing their journey to other parts of the United States. Ten years later, the Humanitarian Respite Center has become the largest respite center in our country, welcoming over half a million immigrants in the course of ten years. More than just providing immediate humanitarian care, Sister Pimentel has become a voice for immigrant families reminding us that they are not numbers but rather human beings who should be respected and treated with dignity. Sister Pimentel holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Pan American University, a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, and a master’s degree in pastoral counseling from Loyola University in Chicago. She also holds over five honorary doctoral degrees from some of the most prestigious universities in our nation such as the University of Norte Dame. Furthermore, known as the Pope’s favorite nun, Sister Pimentel is also an artist whose paintings have captivated numerous audiences. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 82 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More "I think when we're playing we're participating in the playfulness of God." -Mark Longhurst IN THIS EPISODE In the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Mark Longhurst, author of the newly released book, The Holy Ordinary: A Way to God , a member of a new monastic community, and "ordinary mystic." They discuss Mark's journey from a young Evangelical to UCC pastor to social justice ministry, and eventually to mysticism. "I would say that my journey is just one of constant failure and suffering," Mark says, "and then finding greater depth and God's presence in the midst of it." Mark and Sister Julia discuss the old beliefs they have had to "unlearn," including atonement theology, and the peace and playfulness found in growth. They also delve into integrating contemplation and mysticism into an "ordinary" life, and different styles of parenting. Name Drops: JesusRichard RohrDostoevskyHildegard of BingenJames BaldwinMirabai StarrDC TalkMichael W. SmithJars of ClayPearl JamCelticsCommunity of the Incarnation Topics Discussed: Evangelicalismmysticismmainline Christianitycontemplationdeconstruction and reconstructionatonement theologyparentingplayfulnessdiscipleshipmessiness of Gospel living Books Mentioned: the BibleThe Brothers KaramazovThe Holy OrdinaryOrdinary Mysticism Mark Longhurst ABOUT THE GUEST Mark Longhurst is a writer and “ordinary mystic.” He is a member of the new monastic “Community of the Incarnation” and works as the Publications Manager at the Center for Action and Contemplation. A former pastor, he served United Church of Christ churches for ten years and worked as a faith-based social justice activist in the Boston area for ten more. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, and a longtime yoga-practitioner, he runs two Substack newsletters at marklonghurst.substack.com. Mark lives in western Massachusetts with his family. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 81 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More "A culture of encounter is something we have to be very intent on practicing, and so I'm excited about an economics that creates many of those opportunities for encounter." -Elizabeth Garlow IN THIS EPISODE In the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Elizabeth Garlow, economist and cofounder of the Francesco Collaborative, which invites individuals to critique economic structures and invest using their whole spiritual selves. Elizabeth discusses her early Capuchin influences and her interest in Focolare. "I had a sort of hunger to have a different kind of conversation about who we are as human beings," she says, "how we meet our needs, what kind of systems can we create?" Sister Julia and Elizabeth talk about the damage that can be done by our current economic structures. "Our economic structures are intertwined with problems of disconnection and loneliness," Elizabeth says. Elizabeth also discusses the challenging ways we can move forward to help create a more just world. "Money in many ways is energy, " she says. "It's flow. It is not something that we are slaves to as the Gospel...teaches us." Name Drops: Natalie FosterPope FrancisMia BirdsongFr. Richard WardMarjorie KellyFr. LebrayMorgan SimonNich RomeoZacchaeus Topics Discussed: Franciscan spiritualityCapuchin communityFocolare MovementEconomy of CommunionEconomy of Francescohow we spend and investethic of enoughnessfinancial discipleshipINE Institute Books Mentioned: Laudato SiLaudate DeumThe BibleLiving City MagazineHow We Show UpReal ImpactWealth SupremacyThe Alternative Elizabeth Garlow ABOUT THE GUEST Elizabeth Garlow is drawn to the spiritual dimensions of our shared work to build a new economy. She co-founded the Francesco Collaborative, which was in part inspired by the kinds of spaces she longed to be a part of as an investor: one that invites us to show up as our spiritually rooted selves, with deep vulnerability, care for one another and a commitment to critique the structural problems of our economy and dream about our role in its transformation. Through her work, she supports protagonists of transformation drawing on lineages of faith, spirituality, and wisdom to ask questions like: “what is enough?” and “what does a practice of finance and investing fit for the needs of our time look like”? These questions are in part drawn from her formation in the Focolare Movement's Economy of Communion initiative, where enterprises seek to embody a relational economy paradigm. Elizabeth previously co-led impact investing for the Lumina Foundation, served as a policy advisor with the Obama Administration, and co-founded a Detroit- based organization, Michigan Corps, to invest in local entrepreneurs through crowdfunding and innovative forms of patient capital. She studied political economy at Kalamazoo College, completed her graduate work in public policy and economics at Princeton University, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in 2019. Elizabeth lives in Michigan, where she is enjoying getting reacquainted with Michigan’s Great Lakes and apprenticing with urban farmers in Detroit. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 80 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More "I think it goes back to humility, you know, just being willing to genuinely listen to the other side." -Kelly Moltzen IN THIS EPISODE In the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Kelly Moltzen. They discuss Kelly's early Franciscan influences and how they affected her decision to study health disparity and food justice as a lay Franciscan. "Everything is connected," Kelly says, "and the way that we treat our environment is going to have direct impacts on your health." They also discuss efforts to depolarize our communities, and the work of Braver Angels. The work of reaching out to those who think differently is difficult, but necessary. "I think it's important that we don't get caught up in group think," Kelly says, "that we all are able to seek things out for ourselves." Name Drops: Shane ClaibornePope FrancisThich Nhat HanhFr. Richard RohrImmanuel SwedenborgSimran Kit SinghJohn Duns Scotus Topics Discussed: Franciscan spiritualityintentional communityfood justiceenvironment/ecologycommunion and interconnection with creationdepolarizationinterfaith workappreciating differenceshumilityspiritual entrepreneurship Books Mentioned: The Irresistible RevolutionLaudato SiThe BibleThe Mystic HeartThe Light We Give Kelly Moltzen ABOUT THE GUEST Kelly Moltzen is a co-founder and convener of the Interfaith Public Health Network, which inspires people of faith to be agents of change in transforming communities into ones that promote health and well-being for all. She is a Registered Dietitian, has her Master’s of Public Health, and is a member of the Secular Franciscan Order. She is serving as a co-chair of the Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation commission of the Franciscan Federation, and is part of the core group of the Intergenerational Eco-Justice & Spirituality Network which is supported by the Franciscan Federation. Kelly was a 2021-2022 Abrahamic House fellow, and a 2022 Rockefeller-Acumen Food Systems Fellow. Her Rockefeller Food System Vision Prize proposal, Faith Communities Leading the Way Towards Healthy, Sustainable Food Systems, reached the semi-finalist stage. Kelly has worked to address health disparities in the Bronx with Bronx Health REACH for 14 years, and is also supporting the Chief Impact and Sustainability Office of Church World Service as a consultant, helping to promote faith community engagement in the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 79 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More "Discipleship...ought to begin with the idea of being in that relationship of sort of Christ-like care and ministry for other people regardless of what they deserve." -Rev. Benjamin J. Dueholm IN THIS EPISODE In the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Rev. Benjamin Dueholm. Rev. Benjamin tells Sr. Julia of his encounter with St. Augustine's Confessions at an experimental college in California, and how it, among other things, led him to becoming a Lutheran pastor. They discuss the paradox of the universal and the personal, and how technology has changed the way we live in community. Rev. Benjamin compares church ministry to a Sunday dinner, and speaks about mission drift of the Gospel in some churches. "My task as a preacher," he says, "and to some extent as a writer, is to make Christ contemporary...but the truth is, it's a scary thought to think that OK, God is talking to me right now." Rev. Benjamiin Dueholm ABOUT THE GUEST The Rev. Benjamin J. Dueholm has served as the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Dallas, Texas since 2019, after previously serving churches in and around Chicago. His writing on religion, politics, and culture has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Christian Century, and the Dallas Morning News and has presented at the Cambridge University "Religious Diversity and Secular University" workshop and the Valparaiso University Institute of Liturgical Studies. Passionate about supporting the formation of leaders for the church, he has taught worship and preaching at the University of Chicago Divinity School and serves on the committee guiding candidates for ordained ministry in north Texas. He is the author of Sacred Signposts: Words, Water, and Other Acts of Resistance (Eerdmans, 2018). He lives in Texas with his wife Kerry and their three children. You can find more of him at benjamindueholm.substack.com. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 78 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More Forgiveness is a process, not a product." -Kaya Oakes IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Kaya Oakes. Their conversation goes into the issues and ideas about forgiveness that Kaya explores in her new book, Not So Sorry. To her, forgiveness is often an expected act that doesn't include avenues for processing. Kaya discusses "restorative justice as a model for a collaborative kind of forgiveness that I think is closer to what Jesus was talking about." Later in the podcast she adds, "it's like him saying give yourself time and space to decide what God's calling you to do." Sister Julia and Kaya also talk about Kaya's breast cancer. She talks about the frustrations of the process of diagnosis and treatment, as well as how dealing with a serious medical need requires more than just individual action. As Kaya says, "you don't survive cancer without a community." Kaya Oakes ABOUT THE GUEST Kaya Oakes is a journalist and author of many books, most recently, "Not So Sorry: Abusers, False Apologies, and the Limits of Forgiveness," as well as "The Defiant Middle: How Women Claim Life’s In-Betweens to Remake the World,""The Nones Are Alright," and "Radical Reinvention." You can also find her on her Substack and on her last guest appearance on the Messy Jesus Business Podcast. She teaches writing at UC Berkeley. Her work has received multiple awards, with her essays and journalism appearing in The Guardian, Slate, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, and On Being. She was born and raised in Oakland, California, where she still lives. Find her on Instagram @kayaoakeswrites, or on X @kayaoakes. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 76 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More Even with your presence, you preach" -Sr. Xiomara Méndez Hernández, OP, BCC IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA chats with Sister Xiomara Méndez Hernández, OP, BCC. Sister Xiomara tells Julia about growing up in the Dominican Republic and becoming a fashion designer before being called to join the Adrian Dominican sisters. "They showed me poverty in my own country," says Sister Xiomara. "When I saw these intelligent, beautiful, well educated women giving their life for people they didn't know, it blew my mind." Her experience with the centrality of Dominican preaching helped Sister Xiomara in her years as a chaplain. "A chaplain is a call to be a compassionate and sacred and loving presence of God...when we are visiting a person who is suffering, we are meeting the person when the person is the most vulnerable. So how can we go and preach to them with our words? By listening." Sr. Xiomara Méndez Hernández, OP, BCC ABOUT THE GUEST Sister Xiomara (See-o-mara) Méndez Hernández, OP, BCC, an Adrian Dominican Sister, is originally from the Dominican Republic. She is the Executive Director of Dominican Sisters Conference – DSC. Previously, she ministered for 10 years as a Hospital Chaplain at Loyola University Health System in the Chicago area; St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada; and more recently at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, FL where she was the Spiritual Care Manager. She has had diverse ministerial experiences in the areas of preaching, catechesis, directing retreats, Spanish-English Medical interpreting, liturgical dancing, performance, and high fashion teaching. Sister Xiomara holds a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union – CTU in Chicago, Licentiate on Industrial Arts with a Major on Fashion Design, and is a Board Certified Chaplain with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains – NACC. Before she became a religious sister, she was a fashion designer in her native country. She currently lives in Miami, Florida. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 74 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More Things are gooey and God is in the goo. And thank God that God is in the goo." -Sister Susan Francois IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh FSPA, enjoys a conversation with Sister Susan Francois CSJP. Sister Susan shares about her vocation story and how she journeyed from being an ex-Catholic working as an elections officer to a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. "I always knew I wanted to make the world a different, a better place," Sister Susan says. "And I always thought that government would be my path to do that. And I tried that, and it wasn't enough." Sister Susan shares insights on the meaning of common good and the power of Catholic social teaching, changes occurring in religious life, and the role of chaos in collective transformation. As a leader, Sister Susan has become a bit of an expert of praying in the chaos. "The universe came out of chaos. God created us out of chaos.  It's a creative moment. That's where God is. So I'm really encouraging myself and others to embrace the chaos and to find our way to take care of ourselves and care for each other, but also to not be afraid of [chaos] and to try things," Sister Susan exerts. Sister Susan Francois ABOUT THE GUEST Sister Susan Francois CSJP is the Assistant Congregation Leader and Congregation Treasurer for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. She has served in Congregation Leadership since 2015. Sister Susan is an author, writing for Global Sisters Report and other publications on religious life and social justice. She previously ministered as a social justice educator and advocate at the lntercommunity Peace and Justice Center in Seattle, Washington. Sister Susan presently serves on the Boards of All Africa Sister to Sister Conference, Investor Advocates for Social Justice, Holy Name Medical Center, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the United Kingdom. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 73 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with guest host, Rev. Adam Bucko Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More For Love of the Broken Body book cover IN THIS EPISODE In the latest episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, guest host Rev. Adam Bucko interviews Sister Julia Walsh FSPA about her new spiritual memoir, For Love of the Broken Body. Their conversation explores the story of the accident that shaped Sister Julia's experience as a novice with the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. She speaks about how she felt called to share her powerful story. "In alignment with my vow of poverty, I felt like I couldn't keep this story to myself," Sister Julia admits. Rev. Adam and Sister Julia also explore how brokenness is a normal and sacred part of being human and how all people can give who they are for the sake of the common good. They explore vocational discernment, vulnerability, Sister Julia's experience in finding a publisher for the book, the messiness of maturing in faith, trusting in God, and sharing life in community. Download a free reflection guide to accompany Sister Julia's memoir, For Love of the Broken Body, here. ABOUT THE GUEST HOST Father Adam Bucko has been a committed voice in the movement for the renewal of Christian Contemplative Spirituality and the growing New Monastic movement. He has taught engaged contemplative spirituality in Europe and the United States, and authored Let Your Heartbreak be Your Guide: Lessons in Engaged Contemplation, and co-authored Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation and The New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Living. Committed to an integration of contemplation and just practice, he cofounded an award-winning non-profit, the Reciprocity Foundation, where he spent 15 years working with homeless youth living on the streets of New York City, providing spiritual care, developing programs to end youth homelessness, and articulating a vision for spiritual mentoring in a post-religious world. He currently serves as a director of The Center for Spiritual Imagination at the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York, and is a member of “The Community of the Incarnation,” a ‘new monastic’ community dedicated to democratizing the gifts of monastic spirituality and teaching contemplative spirituality, in the context of hearing and responding to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. Adam leads The Buddhist-Christian Community for Meditation and Action along with his wife, Kaira Jewel Lingo, a Buddhist teacher and former nun in the community of Thich Nhat Hanh. ABOUT Sr. JULIA WALSH FSPA Sister Julia Walsh FSPA Sister Julia Walsh is a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration and part of hercongregation’s formation team, serving women who are discerning their vocation. Along with another Franciscan Sister, she co-founded The Fireplace, an intentional community and house of hospitality on Chicago’s southside that offers spiritual support to seekers, artists, and activists. She has an MA in Pastoral Studies from Catholic Theological Union and is a spiritual director and secondary teacher. As a creative writer, educator, and retreat presenter she is passionate about exploring the intersection of creativity, spirituality, activism, and community life. A regularly published spiritual writer, Sister Julia’s work can be found in publications such as America, Living Faith Catholic Devotional, and Living City. She hosts the Messy Jesus Business blog and podcast and is the author of FOR LOVE OF THE BROKEN BODY (Monkfish, March 2024). Rev. Adam Bucko with Sr. Julia Walsh FSPA MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Revisiting Episode 17 from December 3, 2020. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Email | RSS | More Author Shane Claiborne IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, originally released as episode 17 from Dec. 3, 2020, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Shane Claiborne, a best-selling author, speaker and activist. They discuss what it means to be a peacemaker while living in one of the world’s most heavily armed countries and a monumental gun death toll. “Violence is one of those demons that goes back to our very foundations in our country,” Claiborne says. Claiborne says the U.S. has 5% of the world’s population, but almost half of the world’s guns, and poses the question, “What would Jesus, the Prince of Peace, be saying right now?” Sister Julia and Shane Claiborne also discuss the importance of remaining joyful and hopeful, even when surrounded by the pain of the world. “I like how Karl Barth said we need to read the bible in one hand, but we need to hold the newspaper in the other… so that our faith doesn’t just become a ticket into heaven and a license to ignore the world we live in, but our faith should actually fuel us to want to change the world,” Claiborne says. In addition, they discuss the importance of community and the messiness that comes from the Christian veneer of perfection. “A lot of the times we sort of act like the church is a country club for saints, rather than a hospital for sinners.” Claiborne says honesty can help manage the resulting mess. He remembers walking into a church where greeters wore shirts that said, “No perfect people allowed.” “If that was greeting every person coming into every church, it would give you a sense of reality, like this is a home for you even if you don’t have it all together… our wounds are not our liabilities, they are our credentials.” He adds, “Honesty can show this Gospel is not for the Righteous, but for the sinner.” FOR MORE INFORMATION: Learn more about the Red Letter Christians movement, headed by Shane Claiborne, by exploring their website. To read more about how Shane Claiborne’s work influenced Sister Julia, see the 2015 Messy Jesus Business blog post: A Visit to The Simple Way. ABOUT THE GUEST Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist and best-selling author. He worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He leads Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living “as if Jesus meant the things he said.” Claiborne is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. Now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty and help stop gun violence. Claiborne’s books include, “Jesus for President,” “Red Letter Revolution,” “Common Prayer,” “Follow Me to Freedom,” “Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream,” “Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers,” “Executing Grace,” his classic: “The Irresistible Revolution,” and his newest book: “Beating Guns”. He has been featured in a number of films including, “Another World Is Possible” and “Ordinary Radicals.” His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Shane speaks more than a hundred times a year, both nationally and internationally. His work has appeared in Esquire, SPIN, Christianity Today, TIME, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has been on everything from Fox News and Al Jazeera to CNN and NPR. He’s given academic lectures at Harvard, Princeton, Liberty, Duke, and Notre Dame. Shane speaks regularly at denominational gatherings, festivals and conferences around the globe. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Interview with Shane Claiborne edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Episode 57 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "Readers complete a text. And so storytelling is a collaborative activity.” - Liam Callanan IN THIS EPISODE “The act of listening is a very powerful one,” begins Liam Callanan in conversation with Sister Julia Walsh as her guest in Episode 57 of the Messy Jesus Business Podcast. Liam is an author, journalist and teacher who declares passion for writing, collaborating, Rome “and … the mess!”   Their conversation encompasses the community and connections that can come to fruition in the collaboration of listening, something he experiences in the celebration of mass in the Catholic Church. “... you’re seeing other people lift up their voices and their hearts to God, and that’s a powerful expression in community. It’s all about sitting in the pew and turning to the person next to you and saying ‘welcome’ … a very powerful, active witness for me.” Liam also shares his perception from the contextual container people put him in as a Catholic writer, an identity through which he finds opportunity for welcoming and mutual listening. “There’s no box that doesn’t have an opening. You just have to unseal it,” says Callanan. ABOUT THE GUEST Liam Callanan is a novelist, journalist and teacher. He is the author of The Cloud Atlas, and his nationally best-selling novel, Paris by the Book, was translated into multiple languages and won the Wisconsin Council of Writers 2019 Edna Ferber Fiction Book Award. He is also the 2017 winner of the George W. Hunt, SJ, Prize, awarded by America Magazine and the St. Thomas More Chapel and Center at Yale University. Liam’s work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, Slate, The New York Times, The Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle, and he’s recorded numerous essays for public radio. He has taught for the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and currently is a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Liam lives in Milwaukee with his wife and daughters. His most recent novel, When In Rome, will be published by Penguin Random House in March 2023. Check out Liam's website here: https://www.liamcallanan.com Liam's essays in America Magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/liam-callanan MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  Produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Episode 54 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, with Sister Julia Walsh. Podcast: Play in new window | Download Subscribe:  Stitcher | Email | RSS | More "Imagine if we ripped the roof off to make accommodation for the vulnerable... to make them able to get close." –David Dault IN THIS EPISODE In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh gets into the mess of spirituality with scholar, professor, and radio host David Dault. Their conversation explores David’s path into Christianity and later Catholicism. David shares about his evolving and complex relationship with the Church, both in its beautiful messiness and resistance to change. David also talks about his desires for the Church to become more radically open to those outside the mainstream including the neurodivergent. Other topics discussed include radical discipleship as radical honesty, learning from different faiths and traditions, and how living the Gospel isn’t like gym class. ABOUT THE GUEST David Dault hosts the weekly radio show Things Not Seen: Conversations about Culture and Faith and co-hosts The Francis Effect podcast with Fr. Daniel P. Horan and National Catholic Reporter editor Heidi Schlumpf. He edits The Commonweal Magazine Podcast, The Deacons Pod for the Paulist Fathers, and produces podcasts for clients across the country through his company, Sandburg Media. He is Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago. David is the author of the forthcoming books The Covert Magisterium (Lexington) and The Accessorized Bible (Yale). He lives with his family in Hyde Park, on Chicago's south side. His website is https://www.daviddault.com/. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is hosted by Sister Julia Walsh.  This episode produced and edited by Colin Wambsgans. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness LISTEN HERE:

Season 5, episode 8 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. "There's an emptiness...there's a hole we are perpetually trying to fill....and the hole is God." -Brother Matt Wooters LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business podcast, Sister Julia Walsh talks with Brother Matt Wooters about how he became a Jesuit, and his work in vocations. "I think sometimes people think...in vocation work, we're in sales. And I'm really not interested in selling anything," Br. Matt explains. "I believe that everyone has a vocation, I don't believe everyone has a Jesuit vocation. And so my job is to accompany young men to see where their vocation might be, even if it's not with us." They also discuss how discerning a religious vocation works today. "I think a vocation is a combination of your skills...your best self, where is the need in the world, and what's something you can't not do. So it's something you keep thinking about," he says. They also discuss swimming, how it is a form of prayer for Br. Matt, and how he has integrated his passion for swimming into his vocation. Finally, we talk about the mess of showing up, and how commitment means we have to show up even when the going gets tough. ABOUT THE GUEST: Brother Matt Wooters is a native of Washington, DC. He joined the Jesuits in 2012 after graduating from John Carroll University. After college, he served for two years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Belize. He holds graduate degrees in Social Work and Theology from Saint Louis University and Santa Clara University, respectively. Br. Matt has spent most of his life working with people experiencing homelessness, migrants, and those struggling with addiction. He is an open water swimmer, a podcaster, and a lover of stand-up comedy. CONTEMPLATIVE MOMENT is taken from Suscipe, a prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

"This idea of finding grace within the mess, I think that is the call of the Christian life."-Laura Kelly Fanucci Season 4, Episode 2 of Messy Jesus Business podcast, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh. LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, Sister Julia Walsh talks with author and speaker Laura Kelly Fanucci about how she discovered her vocation to write about the intersection of parenting and faith, as a new mother. "It became a spiritual practice for me in those new years of motherhood, to just reflect on where I was finding God or struggling to find God, in the challenges and the joys of parenting. and things kind of grew out of that and I think I came to find that this was my life's calling," she explains. Laura also shares her story of grief and loss as a parent and how it strengthened her and her husband's connection to Holy Mystery. And Laura and Sister Julia discuss how the mess can help us support one another. "There's a call from this loss and grief for me to be in a different way with other people and with God," she says. ABOUT THE GUEST: Laura Kelly Fanucci is a writer and speaker who has spent over a decade working on the theology of vocation. She earned her Master of Divinity from Saint John's School of Theology and her BA from the University of Notre Dame. Laura is an award-winning columnist for Catholic News Service, and her nationally-syndicated “Faith at Home” column runs monthly in Catholic newspapers across the U.S. Her writing has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, On Being, and The Christian Century, as well as popular outlets including People Magazine and the Kelly Clarkson Show.Laura has authored seven books, most recently, "Grieving Together: A Couple's Journey through Miscarriage." She and her husband live in Minnesota with their children. You can find Laura on several social media channels as well as her website. Facebook: @mothering.spirit Instagram: @thismessygrace/ Twitter: @lkfanucci Contemplative Moment features a reading from Galatians. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced and hosted by Sister Julia Walsh, and edited by Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Sister Julia Walsh and author Christiana N. Peterson contemplate death, our cultural fear and avoidance of it, and what it looks like to be in a healthy relationship with death. They also discuss grief, mysticism and the saints, the importance of death rituals, and whether rituals are for the dead or those in mourning

Sister Julia Walsh and author Kaya Oakes discuss the importance of being humble and the value of vulnerability in discipleship, in this episode of Messy Jesus Business.

Sister Chioma Ahanihu shares how the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd's death helped her find her voice in the midst of the mess, when she was part of a protest for the first time.

"Defining reconciliation for me is pretty simple, it's restoring right relationships," Sister Mumbi explains. But true restorative justice requires four pillars: peace, mercy, justice and truth.

Sister Julia Walsh talks with author Jon Sweeney about his journey from Evangelical Christianity and Moody Bible Institute to writing about saints, becoming Catholic and marrying a rabbi. They also explore his thoughts on what Christians need to know and respect about Judaism. And they discuss Jon Sweeney's new book about Nicholas Black Elk.

What does it mean to be a peacemaker in a heavily-armed country? And is church a country club for saints, or is there room for the rest of us? Best selling author Shane Claiborne discusses these issues and more in this episode of Messy Jesus Business. Check it out!

In this episode of Messy Jesus Business, host and Sister Julia Walsh has a conversation with Michael Okinczyc-Cruz about the integration of mystical life into public life, and why that's essential to addressing social issues we face today. In addition, this episode also touches on the Archdiocese of Chicago's 50th Anniversary Catholic Campaign for Human Development: what it is, and how you can be a part of the important work of this initiative to create vital systemic change.

In this episode, we talk about the challenges of prayer and polarities in the Church, as well as vocation discernment. As an author, Priest and editor at large for America Media, Father James Martin discusses facing these challenges while remaining true the Gospel.

Wherever you are in the messiness of faith, there is a community to be found. Author Stina Kielsmeier-Cook shares her journey to finding her own community of disciples in mixed-faith marriages. She details the experience in her book: Blessed are the Nones: Mixed Faith Marriage and My Search for Spiritual Community.

Season 2, Episode 1 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In Season 2, Episode 1, we explore the following question: what does building a Church of Oneness really mean? The answer is messy. "I think a lot of people think heaven is the suburbs. And I'm very clear that's not true," explains our guest, Father David A. Jones, who explores the intersection of church and oneness versus rugged individualism. Father Jones also shares his unique vocation story, we'll hear his understanding of what it means to be a priest of the neighborhood, and we'll talk about how our vision of heaven can be limiting, but the reign of God has space for everyone. ABOUT THE GUEST: Father Jones holds a Bachelor of Science degree in the field of Economics at Grambling State University and a Master of Divinity degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary. On December 15, 1989 the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin ordained David to the priesthood of Jesus Christ. In 1993, after only three years of ordination, he became the youngest person appointed pastor in the Archdiocese. He is currently assigned as pastor of St. Benedict the African Parish in the Englewood neighborhood in Chicago and as an Archdiocesan Dean. Father David A. Jones The Scripture passage referred to in this episode is a reading from the Gospel of John 17:13-26. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced, hosted and edited by Sister Julia Walsh with assistance from Charish Badzinski. Email us at [email protected] LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS:We're taking a survey of listeners to find out how we can improve Messy Jesus Business, and what topics you would like us to focus on for future podcast episodes. Take our brief survey here. BE SOCIAL: https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness Twitter: @messyjesusbiz SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Marlena Graves: The dangers of money, power and influence Season 1. Episode 9 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In episode nine, Sister Julia speaks with Marlena Graves the author of The Way Up Is Down. They discussed her new book and its message about downward mobility and discipleship, how justice and righteousness go together, and how the hungers for money, power, and influence tend to complicate faithful Christian living.  ABOUT THE GUEST: Marlena Graves is a writer and adjunct professor. She has also worked at Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). Marlena holds an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute. She has been a bylined writer for Christianity Today, (in)courage, womenleaders.com, and Our Daily Bread, and she is also the author of A Beautiful Disaster. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Toledo, Ohio. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced, hosted and edited by Sister Julia Walsh. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:  https://www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness https://www.twitter.com/messyjesusbiz https://www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: https://www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Jason Odhner and Laura Ankeny: Nursing as a Work of Mercy and Justice  Season 1. Episode 8 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In episode eight, Sister Julia speaks with two nurses who are serving during the coronavirus pandemic. Jason Odhner is nursing on a COVID ICU and thinks about the medical system through the lens of the marginalized and oppressed. Laura Ankeny was diagnosed as a presumed case of COVID at the start of the pandemic. She works in a hospital in Minnesota.  In the interviews you’ll hear their personal stories and how they connect Scripture to the ministry of nursing. Jason outlines why he believes the four major problems with the health care system are commodification, decontextualization, compartmentalization and a lack of imagination. Both nurses describe the reality of COVID19 and how the ordinary (non-medical) person can offer care and support during this pandemic.   ABOUT THE GUESTS: Jason A Odhner is a Registered Nurse, a Radical Quaker, and health-justice activist from Phoenix, Arizona. He is co-founder and president of Phoenix Allies for Community Health: a volunteer-driven nonprofit community whose flagship project is a free clinic serving about a thousand undocumented families in the Phoenix area. He's also a co-founder of the Phoenix Urban Health Collective, a street-medic collective that has helped train protest-medics in more than 15 cities. Jason is currently working in a COVID ICU. He is joyfully married to the amazing and beautiful Elizabeth Clara, and is the proud father of five month old Baby Levi. Laura Ankeny grew up on a farm in Northwest Iowa and was formed in the Catholic faith through her childhood. She attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and then graduated from the University of Iowa’s college of nursing. Now she works as a nurse in a hospital in Minneapolis, and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her cats. She is an affiliate of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, a loving Christian, a proud godmother to her niece, and an aunt to her nephews.  At the date of release of this interview (July 31, 2020) the World Health Organization reports 17,106,007 coronavirus cases and 668,910 deaths in 216 countries or territories worldwide. According to the CDC, there have been 4,405,932 cases in the United States and 150,283 deaths.  Jason and Julia also discussed No More Deaths. You can learn more about No More Deaths who offers humanitarian relief on the USA / Mexico border at NoMoreDeaths.org The Scripture passages referred to in episode are Mark 2:1-12 (the healing of the paralytic) and Matthew 25: 35-40 (the works of mercy and the parable of the final judgement). MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced, hosted and edited by Sister Julia Walsh. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:  Facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness Twitter.com/messyjesusbiz Instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

Kateri Boucher / Geez magazine: Contemplative Cultural Resistance Season 1. Episode 7 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh LISTEN HERE: IN THIS EPISODE: In episode six, Sister Julia speaks with guest Kateri Boucher from Geez magazine. Together they discuss contemplative cultural resistance, prophetic voices, composting, urban gardening and how the United States is an empire. ABOUT THE GUEST: Kateri Boucher grew up in a suburb of Rochester, NY, and moved to Detroit, MI in the fall of 2018 following a call of community. Now she practices messy hospitality in Detroit’s Catholic Worker house and works for Geez magazine. Learn more about Geez magazine at www.geezmagazine.org and the Catholic Worker movement at www.catholicworker.org.   MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced, hosted and edited by Sister Julia Walsh. Email us at [email protected] BE SOCIAL:  www.facebook.com/MessyJesusBusiness www.twitter.com/messyjesusbiz www.instagram.com/messyjesusbusiness SUPPORT US: www.patreon.com/messyjesusbusiness

"If we're really doing the Gospel work, our work is not to be loved by everyone. If we're really challenging the status quo in the way that Jesus did we're not going to make everyone happy. It is uncomfortable. It also means taking risks, it also means putting your body on the line." -Sister Alison McCrary SFCC

In episode five, Sister Julia speaks with guest D.L. Mayfield. Together they discuss prayer, White American Evangelicalism, Catholic Social Teaching, lament, Dorothy Day and the Common Good.

"Fundamentally prisons are not broken; they are designed to do something that is wrong." --Hannah Bowman, Founder of Christians for the Abolition of Prisons In episode four, Sister Julia speaks with guest Hannah Bowman about how Chrisitans are called to work for Prison Abolition.

In episode three, Sister Julia speaks with guest Jessican Mesman about the arts and the struggle discipleship. The conversation explored how art and literature can feed one's faith, writing as a form of spiritual practice, and how complicated and messy it can be to be in a relationship with the Church.

In episode two, Sister Julia speaks with guest Sister Mary Perez OP about the network of women religious under age 50 that they both belong to called Giving Voice, what it means that God is a border crosser, how Christians are called to engage in inter-religious relationships and why listening is an essential part of discipleship.

Season 1. Episode 1 of Messy Jesus Business, hosted by Sister Julia Walsh In this Episode: In the pilot episode, Sister Julia introduces the podcast and offers a contemplative moment related to Adoration. She also speaks with guest Sister Sarah Hennessy about vocation, the mystery of the Eucharist and the charism of their community--Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. About the Guest: Sister Sarah Hennessy a member of the Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Sister Sarah moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin in 2002 to become a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration after a long journey of discernment. She was raised as a Quaker, and her diverse experiences before making her religious vows include teaching at a Navajo high school, translating Spanish at a free medical clinic, serving as a health educator in farm labor camps, tending a daylily farm and leading junior high inner-city immersion experiences. She has served as the perpetual adoration coordinator at St. Rose Convent and as a parish minister. Now she serves as a spiritual director at Franciscan Spirituality Center where she companions people to find the holy in the ordinary. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious studies and a Master of Arts degree in theology from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota. MESSY JESUS BUSINESS is produced, hosted and edited by Sister Julia Walsh. Email us at [email protected] Learn More Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration MessyJesusBusiness- website Messy Jesus Business- Facebook Messy Jesus Business.- Twitter Messy Jesus Business- Instagram