Religion To Reality

QUICK SUMMARY What does it actually mean for a 2,000-year-old institution to learn how to listen? In this season premiere of Religion to Reality, multimedia journalist and America Magazine podcast director Sebastian Gomes joins hosts Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich to unpack the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis's sweeping effort to transform the Catholic Church into a culture of genuine listening. If you've ever wondered whether the Church is really changing, or felt frustrated that it isn't changing fast enough, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE "The message is not getting through, so maybe we should listen instead." Sebastian traces Pope Francis's pivotal shift from speaking to listening, and why it took 12 years of declining church membership to get there. (16:00) Synodality is not a program, it's a culture. Sebastian explains why treating the synodal process like a church initiative is the most common misunderstanding people have, and what it actually means to change how an institution listens. (22:45) What people finally said when they felt safe. From women's voices to LGBT experiences to stories of poverty and marginalization, Sebastian describes the dramatic moments inside the synod hall when people said what they'd never felt free to say before. (30:30) The clergy problem. The most common frustration Sebastian hears from parishioners isn't about Rome, it's about their own pastor. He reflects honestly on why priests and bishops are often the biggest obstacle, and what to do about it. (25:00) Synodality is coming whether you like it or not. Using the analogy of the early internet, Sebastian makes the case that synodal culture will eventually shape every debate in the Church, from liturgy to parish closings to outreach to young people. (38:30) The Gen Z Catholic revival and why it's complicated. Hundreds of new converts entered the Church this Easter, making national news. Sebastian offers a nuanced take: it's real, it's notable, and it doesn't mean what you might think it means. (51:45) You can't become synodal by just reading about it. Sebastian reflects on the personal and spiritual dimensions of synodality, and why you actually have to do it in community before it can transform your prayer life. (46:30) ABOUT SEBASTIAN GOMES Sebastian Gomes is a multimedia journalist and the director of podcast and video production at America Magazine, the Jesuit Review. He holds a BA and MA in theology and history from St. John's University in Minnesota. His media career began in 2012 at Salt + Light Catholic Media in Toronto, where he produced award-winning documentaries, including The Francis Effect and The Francis Impact. In 2022, he wrote and directed People of God, America's first feature documentary on the state of parish life across the United States. Sebastian led America's coverage of the 2023–24 Rome gatherings of the Synod on Synodality and the 2025 papal election of Pope Leo XIV. He oversees America's weekly podcast portfolio, including Jesuitical, Inside the Vatican, and The Spiritual Life with Father James Martin. He is based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and contributes regularly to americamagazine.org. MEMORABLE QUOTE "Synodality is not a program. It's a culture. And resistance to synodality is also, in some ways, a resistance to the Holy Spirit — a lack of faith that God is actually present in our midst when we're together as a community." — Sebastian G...

QUICK SUMMARY What does the data actually say about how Catholics live their faith today, and who counts as "active"? In this episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Fr. Thomas Gaunt, SJ, Executive Director of CARA (the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) at Georgetown University, to dig into 60 years of Catholic research. They explore why inactive Catholics still fiercely identify as Catholic, what a year of volunteer service does to marriage stability and vocations, and why radical listening—not big campaigns—may be the most powerful tool the Church has. If you work in parish ministry, Catholic education, or simply want to understand the real state of the faith in America, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.  IN THIS BONUS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE Why 30% of self-identified Catholics never attend Mass, yet refuse to stop calling themselves Catholic CARA's consistent finding that "care for the poor" ranks #2 in what Catholics say defines their faith The surprising discovery that 60% of young adult Catholics (18–35) are involved in faith-based activities outside Mass Why the divorce rate among Jesuit Volunteer Corps alumni was 2% vs. ~12% for comparable peers How 10–11% of male Catholic volunteers later entered seminary or religious life The massive demographic churn in the Catholic population, including that 1 in 4 U.S. Catholics is a foreign-born immigrant Why parish revitalization campaigns need to first ask the parish itself to change How radical welcome (e.g., parking lot ministers, easy websites, a real person answering the phone) does more than any grand strategy What Pope Francis's "arm around the shoulder" posture means for pastoral leadership Why listening without an agenda may be the most prophetic Christian witness in an age of polarization ABOUT FR. THOMAS GAUNT, SJ Fr. Thomas Gaunt is a Jesuit priest with 53 years in the Society of Jesus and 43 years of ordained ministry. He holds a doctoral degree in city planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill — making him a proud Tar Heel. He spent his early priesthood as a pastor and Director of Planning for the Diocese of Charlotte, NC, before serving as Formation Director for the Jesuits of the East and Executive Secretary of the Jesuit national office. For the past 14 years, he has served as Executive Director of CARA — the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate — located at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. His research specialties include priesthood and religious life, the impact of volunteer service on young adults, and international Catholic research. RESOURCES MENTIONED CARA — Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate The CARA Report (Substack) CARA Book: Faith and Spiritual Life of Young Adult Catholics Catholic Volunteer Network Jesuit Volunteer Corps Nativity Parish / Rebuilt (Timonium, MD) Vinea Research (Hans Plate) Religion to Reality — DeSales Media Discipleship Study  MEMORABLE QUOTE "The most radical way to live the Christian life right now is to become a listener without an agenda." — Fr. John Gribowich EPISODE TIMESTAMPS Use these timestamps to jump to the moments that matter most to you: [00:00:00] Introducti...

QUICK SUMMARY What does hard data reveal about the state of Catholic life in America—and what does it mean for the future of the Church? In this bonus episode, Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich sit down with Stephen White, Executive Director of The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation. Stephen draws on the landmark 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests—the largest priest survey in half a century—to explore trust, identity, community, and what it really takes to renew the Church from within. From the tension between clericalism and lay vocation, to the striking generational shifts among young priests, to the question of how genuine renewal actually happens in Church history, this episode offers both serious analysis and hopeful insight. Whether you’re a priest, a committed lay Catholic, or simply trying to understand where the Church is headed, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.  ABOUT STEPHEN WHITE Stephen White is the Executive Director of The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. Founded in 2019 in response to the clerical abuse crisis, The Catholic Project works to foster collaboration and co-responsibility between clergy and laity. Stephen led the production of the acclaimed documentary podcast Crisis: Clergy Abuse in the Catholic Church and oversaw the 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests. His background is in Catholic social teaching and philosophy, and he writes frequently on matters of faith, culture, and Church life. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE 1. The Catholic Project and the Crisis Podcast Founded in 2019 at Catholic University of America in response to the McCarrick revelations and Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report The Crisis podcast was produced during COVID, featuring deeply reported audio documentary-style episodes Goal: face the Church’s failures honestly while remaining constructive and rooted in love for the Church Fr. John shares that the podcast was part of his own healing journey as a survivor of clerical sexual abuse 2. The 2022 National Study of Catholic Priests The largest survey of priests in the United States in over 50 years Key findings include: Younger priests (ordained post-2000) describe themselves as significantly more theologically orthodox than older cohorts Younger priests are more likely to identify as politically moderate — cutting against simple “conservative priest” narratives The youngest cohort is the most racially and ethnically diverse There has been a dramatic collapse in priests identifying as liberal or progressive Younger priests experience more isolation: many are sole pastor of a parish from day one of ordination A follow-up longitudinal study is currently in development for spring 2025 3. Clericalism, Authority, and Church Renewal Clericalism is not only a top-down problem — bottom-up clericalism (laity expecting clergy to do everything) is widespread in the US Pope Francis has simultaneously called out clericalism and warned against “clericalizing the laity” All authority carries the potential for abuse; the response is vigilance, formation, and accountability — not the elimination of hierarchy The Church’s vertical (hierarchical) and horizontal (communal) dimensions must work together 4. How Genuine Church Renewal Happens Historically, renewal almost never comes from the top down institutionally It begins with one person or small group responding radically to the Gospel (e.g....