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The Jesuit Post Podcasts

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Brian Strassburger, SJ, and Joe Nolla, SJ, are two Jesuits based in the diocese of Brownsville, TX, and working in the Rio Grande Valley along the U.S.-Mexico Border. This podcast will share on-the-ground stories and interviews that highlight the tremendous response to the migrant situation from a Catholic perspective.
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Religion and Justice

Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice

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Welcome to "Religion and Justice," a podcast brought to you by the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Hosted by Gabby Lisi (she/they/he) and George Schmidt (he/him/ours), we explore the intersections of class, religion, labor, and ecology, uncovering their implications for justice. This podcast is a space for investigation, education, and organizing around these intersections. Join us as we engage in thought-provoking discussions with experts, foster ...
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Benny Overton and Rosemary Henkel-Rieger share their journey building the Southeast Center for Cooperative Development and explain how cooperative businesses create a democratic alternative to traditional capitalism. • Origins in labor organizing and union work with UAW and AFL-CIO • Different types of cooperatives including worker-owned, consumer,…
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This episode was recorded in May 2025. We'll have Fr. Bruce back on the pod to discuss our new pope in the coming months! What makes a pope "Marxist"? Is challenging capitalism equivalent to embracing communism? Father Bruce Morrill, Jesuit priest and theological scholar, joins us for a fascinating exploration of Pope Francis's complex legacy and t…
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What happens when theology meets revolution? In this episode of Religion and Justice, we sit down with Joshua Bartholomew, author of Black Theology and the Black Panthers, to explore the rich, radical relationship between Black Christian theology and one of the most influential political movements of the 20th century. Bartholomew walks us through t…
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What if justice — as we commonly understand it — isn’t enough? In this episode, theologians David True and Tom James, co-authors of The Transcendence of Desire: A Theology of Political Agency, join us to explore the limitations of liberal justice frameworks and the radical potential of love-as-desire. We talk about the co-optation of justice under …
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For our final episode of Season 8, we are thrilled to welcome Jason De Leon, anthropologist, researcher and professor at UCLA, and award-winning author. Jason’s recent book, “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling” won the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. Jason talks about how conversations with migrants at ar…
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We are delighted to welcome Sr. Patricia Mulderick, RSM, from the immigration cohort of ARISE Adelante. ARISE Adelante empowers immigrants living in low income communities in south Texas to attain a better life for themselves, their families, and their community. Sr. Patricia has been part of the immigration cohort at ARISE for a few years, after s…
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We are pleased to welcome Katie Boller Gosewisch, the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. The Alliance is a collaborative, faith-based network that raises awareness of human trafficking, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy efforts. It was founded in 2013 by religious sisters and continues to includ…
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We are delighted to welcome Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ, who is the regional director of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Europe. JRS is an international Catholic organization with a mission to accompany, serve, and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. With the US perspective on immigration so tied to the southern border, A…
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Recorded in January 24, 2025. Built upon four blog posts from Joerg, Aaron, Gabby, and George, this event will explore how faith and justice intersect to create pathways for collective liberation. At the heart of this conversation is the belief that mourning, grief, and collective suffering can be powerful tools for social change. Rooted in the und…
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We are excited to welcome Dr. Kim Lamberty, who is the Executive Director of the Quixote Center. The Quixote Center works to empower vulnerable people, especially in Haiti, Nicaragua, and Panama, through sustainable development, U.S. policy reform, economic justice, and educational initiatives. Kim talks about their three layers of response to immi…
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We are delighted to welcome Marianne Staniunas, who is the Pro Bono Immigration Counsel at Ropes & Gray LLP. Marianne talks about the complexities of U.S. immigration law and how migrants have a right to legal representation, but not a right to free counsel. Given the shortage of immigration lawyers in the country, many asylum seekers face a comple…
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For our first full episode of Season 8, we are humbled to welcome Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, TX. Bishop Cahill was recently elected chairman of the Committee on Migration for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which he will assume in November 2025. He shares from his life experience that has drawn him to encounters with…
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In this episode of Religion and Justice, Gabby and George welcome Terra and Joerg, co-editors of Liberating People, Planet, and Religion: Intersections of Ecology, Economics, and Christianity. Their groundbreaking work explores how faith communities can confront ecological devastation and economic inequality, offering a powerful call to action for …
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We are getting ready to launch Season 8 of The Jesuit Border Podcast. A lot has changed on the border since our last season. A new presidential administration took over on January 20th and made immediate changes that have impacted the lived experience on the border and people’s ability to seek protection in the US. In this teaser, we give updates o…
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Editor's Note: We originally uploaded this episode with audio for a Terra and Joerg episode. The corrected episode was uploaded shortly thereafter (~48 hours). The official Terra and Joerg episode will be released in mid-February. Stay tuned! In this episode, Gabby and George talk with Dr. Terra Schwerin Rowe, an Associate Professor in the Departme…
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In this special Christmas episode of Religion and Justice, we are joined by Dr. Joerg Rieger to unpack the profound and often overlooked realities of the nativity story. Far from the idyllic scenes of "Silent Night, Holy Night," Dr. Rieger presents the birth of Jesus as a story of drama, precarity, and resilience amidst imperial power and systemic …
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For our final episode of Season 7, we are thrilled to welcome Bishop Joseph Tyson from the Diocese of Yakima, WA. He likes to describe his diocese as the largest border diocese without a border because the population is 75% Latino, with many migrants coming there to work in the fields picking fruit. He talks about what inspired him to require his s…
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We are pleased to welcome Harrison Hanvey, the Manager of Outreach and Partnerships for the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. Before working for the Jesuits, Harrison spent five years living in Central America, including time working side by side with Nicaraguans in plantain farms and coffee fie…
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We are delighted to welcome Jeanne Rossomme, a parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Washington, D.C. She is one of the leaders of the migrant support team at the parish, or “Migrant Familia” as they call it, which is a team of volunteers that accompany, support and advocate for asylum seekers and refugees. Jeanne shares the origin story of the pro…
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In this special episode, George and Gabby take a backseat as we present a powerful conversation featuring Dr. Joerg Rieger, Dr. Elaine Nogueira-Godsey, and moderated by Dr. Jeremy Posadas. Together, they explore the intertwined exploitation of people and the planet, examining how Christianity has historically contributed to systemic injustices. But…
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We are delighted to welcome Guerline Mardi, an asylum seeker from Haiti. She is multilingual, including fluency in English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. Guerline lived in Argentina for eleven years before migrating north and making the journey to the U.S. alone. She stayed in the Pumarejo shelter in Matamoros, Mexico for one and a half mont…
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We are thrilled to welcome Theresa Cardinal Brown to this special episode of the podcast. Tomorrow (November 5th) is the Presidential election, so we are bringing on a special guest with a wealth of experience in immigration politics. Theresa is a Senior Advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center, which brings together strategists from the left and th…
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In this special episode, we honor the life and legacy of Gustavo Gutiérrez, a towering figure in the realm of liberation theology. Gabby and George sit down with esteemed scholars Jung Mo Sung and Joerg Rieger, both of whom have been influenced by Gustavo's teachings and friendship. Through reflections and shared memories, our guests illuminate the…
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We are excited to welcome Pedro De Velasco, who is the Director of Education and Advocacy at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI). KBI is a binational program that includes a shelter and soup kitchen for migrants in Nogales, Senora, and education and encounter programs, along with advocacy outreach in both the U.S. and Mexico. Pedro outlines the curren…
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In this episode of Religion and Justice, we sit down with Dr. Tad DeLay to discuss his latest work, Future of Denial: Ideologies of Climate Change. As global temperatures rise and wildfires, droughts, and floods become more common, denialism continues to morph—from greenwashing corporate strategies to political distractions. Tad DeLay offers a deep…
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For our first episode of Season 7, we are humbled to welcome Fr. Tom Greene, SJ, the Provincial of the U.S. Central and Southern Province of the Jesuits. Fr. Greene was the one who first conceived of this mission to the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas over three years ago. In this episode, he shares the origin story of this mission and what inspi…
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We are getting ready for Season 7 of The Jesuit Border Podcast! As the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border continues to evolve with new policies and political discourse, we will continue to share on-the-ground stories and experiences with you, along with interviews with inspiring people dedicated to accompanying migrants along the border an…
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In this episode, Gabby and George dive into the connections between ecological exploitation, economic inequality, and religion with renowned theologian Joerg Rieger. As the founder of the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt, Rieger shares insights on "deep solidarity," a concept that unites various forms of exploitation acro…
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In this episode, we sit down with theologian Priscila Alves Gonçalves da Silva to explore how faith, solidarity, and human resilience intersect in times of socio-economic despair. Drawing on her personal experiences growing up in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and witnessing her mother’s struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, Priscila delves deep i…
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In this special episode, George and I take a break from hanging out with our guests and let Aaron Stauffer lead! Join Aaron, Director of Online Learning at Vanderbilt Divinity School, as he leads a compelling conversation with three distinguished scholars exploring the deep connections between the social gospel movement, labor, and economic justice…
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In this episode, we explore the intersection of religion, ecology, and economics through the lens of the Wendland-Cook Program's "Liberating People and the Planet" series. We delve into how capitalism entangles communities in destructive ways and how religion might offer liberative practices to imagine a more enlivening future. The companion book t…
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In this episode, hosts Gabby Lisi and George Schmidt are joined by Robert Kell, the New Economy Program Manager with Appalachian Voices and a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School (Wendland-Cook Program Fellow). Together, they discuss Robert's article, "Flooding in Appalachia Calls Us to Redemptive Work," which delves into the environmental and so…
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In this episode, hosts Gabby Lisi and George Schmidt sit down with Genevieve Rand, a prominent leader in the trans worker rights movement. Together, they delve into the struggles and triumphs of trans workers in the labor movement, discussing the unique challenges they face and how unions can better support them. Genevieve shares powerful stories o…
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In this bonus episode, Brian and Joe share stories of Easter joy. After a season dedicated to Lenten themes, this bonus episode shares moments of joy that break through even the most challenging moments of life, like a migrant journey. Brian recounts a recent trip to St. Louis, where he became travel partners with Oscar, a Honduran migrant who had …
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In this episode of Religion and Justice, hosts George and Gabby sit down with members of the Vanderbilt Divest Coalition, Palestine Hurra Collective, Vanderbilt Divinity School Students Against Genocide, and Vanderbilt Graduate Workers United to discuss the urgent issues of divestment, Palestine, and the Vanderbilt administration's response to the …
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In this episode of "Religion and Justice," George Schmidt sits down with Chaia Heller, a writer, activist, and prominent voice in the field of social ecology. The discussion revolves around Chaia's article, "Tales from Eco-la-la Land," which explores the intersection of spirituality and ecological philosophy, and addresses the problems of moralizin…
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In this special episode of "Religion and Justice," hosted by Aaron Stauffer, Assistant Director of Wendland-Cook and Director of Online Learning at Vanderbilt Divinity School, we embark on a captivating exploration of the Social Gospel in the South. Despite the absence of our regular hosts, Gabby Lisi and George, this episode promises a rich and en…
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George and Gabby sat down with Aaron Stauffer, author of "Listening to the Spirit: The Radical Social Gospel, Sacred Value, and Broad-Based Community Organizing." In this interview, Aaron offered deep insights into the intersection of religion, social justice, and community organizing. Drawing from his extensive experience in interfaith broad-based…
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For our final episode of Season 6, we are pleased to welcome Fr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, a Jesuit priest and Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Boston College. Alejandro’s expertise is in migration, refugees, and humanitarian interventions, especially along migration routes in Mexico. He has led small groups of Jesuits to follo…
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We are pleased to welcome Michael DeBruhl, the shelter director at Casa del Sagrado Corazón in El Paso, TX. Michael also worked as a Border Patrol agent for 25 years, so he brings a wealth of experience to the interview. He reflects on the dual desires of most Americans to both secure the border and provide welcome to migrants, and how those two de…
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George and Gabby had the privilege of sitting down with Tess GC of LeftCatholic/SpiritofSolidarity and Dr. Joerg Rieger. They engaged in a discussion about religion, justice, and leftist philosophy and activism. They cover the concept of deep solidarity, the role of confession and repentance within the secular left, the nature of organizing and the…
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We are excited to welcome Amaya Valcárcel, International Advocacy Officer with Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in Rome, who also works in the area of research and reflection in the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican. Amaya helps to broaden our perspective beyond the US-Mexico border to recognize the harsh reality of for…
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We are delighted to welcome Sr. Rose Patrice, IHM, who is a member of the community of Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) sisters based out of McAllen, TX, and working at migrant shelters on the border. Sr. Rose shares the story of how the IHM sisters recently started a community in the area, and she describes the work they do accompanying migrants. Re…
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In this special episode of "Religion and Justice," join the roundtable discussion featuring Rev. Sekou, Joerg Rieger, and Aaron Stauffer as they unravel the roles of scholars and seminaries in the contemporary fight for justice and equity. Delving into the intricate dynamics of communities of belonging, education, and activism, the episode explores…
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We are thrilled to welcome Rafael Cortes to this episode of the podcast. While he works professionally as a pilot, he spends his days off joining us for our migrant ministry. He tells the story of how he connected with the Jesuits and started by making sandwiches at their sides. He became involved with the Catholic community at the plaza in Reynosa…
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We are excited to welcome Eleanor Acer, who is the Senior Director of Refugee Protection at Human Rights First. Established in 1978, Human Rights First works in the U.S. and abroad to promote respect for human rights and the rule of law. Eleanor shares how her pro bono work with asylum seekers inspired her to shift her legal career from securities …
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PART TWO | In the midst of an ongoing struggle for justice in Palestine, this episode unfolds from a poignant webinar titled "The Bible and Settler Colonialism in Palestine and Beyond." This vital conversation took place on January 27, 2024. Featuring Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb, Atalia Omer, and Revelation Velunta, the episode delves into the intersect…
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For our first episode of Season 6, we are thrilled to welcome back to the podcast our former co-host, Louie Hotop, SJ, who is the Assistant Principal for Mission at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver, CO. Louie is helping us launch the Lenten theme for this season by sharing the moving experience of celebrating Ash Wednesday in the camp in Matamor…
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In the midst of an ongoing struggle for justice in Palestine, this episode unfolds from a poignant webinar titled "The Bible and Settler Colonialism in Palestine and Beyond." This vital conversation took place on January 27, 2024. Featuring Rev. Prof. Mitri Raheb, Atalia Omer, and Revelation Velunta, the episode delves into the intersection of reli…
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We are getting ready for Season 6 of The Jesuit Border Podcast! As we continue to learn about the migrant situation at the U.S.-Mexico border and the humanitarian response of the Catholic Church, we will continue to share stories and experiences with you, along with great interviews with people dedicated to the accompaniment and protection of migra…
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