A Catholic Spring?

On this episode of the First Things Podcast:

1:25 Literary editor Matthew Schmitz responds to criticisms of his New York Times op-ed, “Has Pope Francis Failed?” Given the backlash, it appears that liberal Catholics never meant to say that their reforms would bring alienated believers back to the Church. We must have misunderstood! Plus: Francis created new cardinals this week, including three from the United States. What do his choices tell us about the course he is planning for the Church?

21:08 WikiLeaks hacked the Gmail account of Clinton aide John Podesta, and the results are interesting—especially if you belong to the sinister faction known as “Conservative Catholicism.” First Things staffers stage a dramatic reading, and they manage not to stumble over the confusing words “Thomistic” and “subsidiarity.” Matthew and associate editor Julia Yost discuss the proper response to these revelations.

31:48 Bob Dylan has won this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature. Matthew reflects on the legacy and achievements of The Bard, and why Bill Gothard was right about secular music.

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