For our final episode of Season 9, we are humbled to welcome Joseph Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, NJ. Cardinal Tobin talks about growing up in a thriving Catholic parish in Detroit, MI, and later serving there as a Redemptorist priest when the parish had become increasingly ethnically diverse. He offers his sharp critiques of the campaign of mass deportation that runs counter to the Biblical call to welcome the stranger. He talks about Pope Francis, whose concern for migrants grew from listening to the needs of the Church. Cardinal Tobin participated in the conclave to elect Pope Leo, so he shares from that remarkable experience, and the efforts of all the Cardinals to listen to the Holy Spirit.
Brian and Joe share stories about the importance of listening. Joe talks about a recent experience listening to Kevin and Aidéy, a migrant couple in northern Mexico going through some relationship struggles. As they live in separate shelters, they have been sending handwritten notes back and forth and reflecting on the importance of listening to one another to maintain a healthy relationship. Brian shares that story of Brianna, a young girl from Honduras, who taught him a beautiful lesson in the value of listening without presumption or judgment, but with an open heart. Her small gesture during Mass reminds us why Jesus called children among the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Thank you for joining us for this season, and blessings as we approach the end of the year. We will be back with a new season in early 2026.