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Olga SeguraAugust 25, 2017
Jonathan Velazquez via Unsplash. 

This week, we talk with Lino Rulli, host of “The Catholic Guy” on Sirius XM’s The Catholic Channel. We talk balancing his Catholicism and comedy, being vulnerable on air, relationships, late-night television and more. Is there anything he hasn’t (or wouldn’t) share with listeners after 10 years on the radio?

In Signs of the Times, the “Mother Teresa of Pakistan” gets a state funeral. Iceland claims that it is on its way to eliminating people with Down Syndrome. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan gets grilled by a Dominican nun from Wisconsin on how he reconciles his politics and Catholic beliefs. St. Junipero Serra’s statue gets defaced in California amid national dialogue surrounding Confederate statues. Do statues with offensive history belong in public spaces?

And finally, William Aitcheson, a Catholic priest in Virginia, has stepped down after revealing that he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan 40 years ago. Is he irredeemable? (Since the time of this recording, new information has been released regarding Fr. William Aitcheson. Read more here.)

This week we also got some recommendations from listeners for books on Catholic social activism. Check them out in this thread:

As always, we want to hear from you. Who are some of your favorite late-night show hosts or podcasters? How do you feel about offensive statues in public spaces? You can email us at jesuitical@americamedia.org, follow us on Twitter or leave us a comment here.

If you have not already subscribed to the podcast, please do on iTunes or wherever you get your favorite shows. While you’re at it, leave us a rating and tell your friends about us.

Links from the show:

State funeral for Catholic nun, Pakistan's Mother Teresa

Report: Iceland population of people with Down syndrome ‘disappearing’

Paul Ryan defends poverty reform efforts to Catholic nun

My actions were despicable’: Catholic priest steps down after revealing he was a Klu Klux Klan member decades ago

Saint’s statue defaced amid Confederate monuments debate

What’s on tap?

This week, since Lino’s on a vegan diet, we drink Ketel One Vodka and club soda.

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