logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2020
35 m

AIDS, the Catholic Church and LGBT issue...

AMERICA MEDIA
About this episode

Please support "Plague" by getting a digital subscription to America: tap or click here!

In the series finale of ‘Plague,’ Mike looks at what’s happening in the church in HIV and AIDS care today and then reflects on comments and questions from listeners about the ongoing debates over LGBT issues in the Catholic Church.

In Rustenburg, South Africa, where today AIDS is disproportionately impacting girls and young women, a Catholic bishop and religious sister promote education and empowerment, and offer a pro-life argument for the use of condoms in HIV and AIDS prevention.

Then, returning to the United States, Mike speaks with medical doctor and Jesuit priest Jon Fuller about the stubbornly high rate of HIV within marginalized communities, and how remembering the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s can break down intergenerational barriers between people living with HIV and AIDS.

Finally, the series wraps with a reflection on the key takeaways from the podcast—and a consideration of what’s at the heart of the broader debates over LGBT issues in the Catholic Church today.

Learn more at www.americamag.org/plague.

You can follow Mike on Twitter @mikeoloughlin.

You can listen to “Plague” on Apple Podcasts  here, on Google Play  here, or on Spotify  here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 2020
Lessons from Plague for LGBT Catholics today
Please support "Plague" by getting a digital subscription to America: tap or click here!In this bonus episode, host Michael O'loughlin has a conversation with Michael Vazquez, religion and faith director for Human Rights Campaign, about issues affecting LBGT Catholics today . Le ... Show More
36m 6s
Nov 2021
How Dorothy Day inspired gay Catholic Workers to respond to AIDS
The production of Plague is made possible by our digital subscribers. To support Plague and access all of America's content, subscribe today!In this bonus episode of Plague, Michael O’Loughlin visits a Catholic Worker House in Syracuse, N.Y. to explore how Dorothy Day’s movement ... Show More
40m 30s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2019
Deliver Us - Coming Soon
Will the Catholic Church's sex abuse crisis ever end? That's a question everyone has been asking since the latest wave of news in 2018. In Deliver Us, host Maggi Van Dorn is a Catholic committed to healing the church from the inside. She wants to know: How did this happen? And wh ... Show More
1m 36s
May 16
CBS Evening News, 05/16/25
With Hurricane Season just weeks away, is the Federal Government poised and ready to help? Why FEMA's leadership says they're not so sure. Pope Leo the Fourteenth will be formally installed as the Shepherd of the world's Catholics--his first ask to his parishioners to help combat ... Show More
26m 16s
Jan 2025
Inside the Vatican’s secret saint-making process
Canonisation has long been a way for the Catholic church to shape its image. The Vatican is preparing to anoint its first millennial saint, but how does it decide who is worthy? By Linda Kinstler. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 
34m 49s
Apr 22
CBS Evening News, 04/22/25
Pope Francis' funeral is officially set for Saturday. Cardinals in crimson zucchettos walked the streets of Rome, signaling the start of high-stakes, closed-door meetings to determine the future direction of the Catholic Church. CBS News’ Norah O'Donnell describes a deeply spirit ... Show More
26m 44s
Jul 5
Is Feminism Rotting Away at the Church?
Why are men moving so hard to the right, yet also avoiding many Christian churches? What does it mean when people say the church is now "feminine," and what does it portend for Christianity? Charlie had a lot to say in a recent speech he gave, with a particular focus on how moder ... Show More
31m 11s
Dec 2024
The Catholic women bringing veiling back to Mass
On this week’s episode of “Jesuitical,” Ashley and Zac are joined by Madeleine Kearns, an associate editor at The Free Press, and the author of a recently reported article, “The Young Catholic Women Bringing Back Veils.” Maddy shares how the veil boom evokes a “lost type of Catho ... Show More
53m 39s
Apr 21
Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next for the Catholic Church?
On Monday morning, Pope Francis died at 88. The first South American to hold the office, he was known for his commitment to social and economic justice. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati discusses Francis’ legacy and explains what happens next for the Catholic Church. Jessica Mendoza hos ... Show More
18m 25s
Jul 2024
Can't I Go Straight to Jesus? Do I Need the Catholic Church? [Fr. Mike Weighs In]
Maybe you've heard the phrase before, "the middleman is a lie." Or maybe you've found yourself wondering why we have an institutional church as Catholics when the Scriptures state clearly that there is only one mediator between God and man, namely Jesus Christ. Today, Fr. Mike ta ... Show More
8m 41s
Jun 25
Why the New Pope Is Taking on AI
The new head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, is making artificial intelligence a signature issue. Last week, the Vatican hosted tech leaders at a two-day international AI conference in Rome. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati reports on why Silicon Valley is watching to see if Leo w ... Show More
21m 58s