Gus is joined by Fr. Nate Wills, CSC, author of the book “Pray Like a Champion Today: Sacred Stories from the Sidelines of Notre Dame Football,” and chaplain of the University of Notre Dame football team. Fr. Nate shares a little of his vocation story and how he came to become the team’s chaplain. He also shares his ministry with players and former players. He discusses how several former Notre Dame players now playing in the NFL have sought his spiritual guidance because they’ve reached all their earthly dreams but realize that they’re not spiritually fulfilling.
Several movies have been made about Notre Dame football, and “Rudy” came up once or twice during Gus’ and Fr. Nate’s conversation, so Gus invites listeners to call in and share their favorite sports movie or book.
Also, immigration enforcement has been a hot-button issue for many years now. President Joe Biden allowed in tens of millions of unvetted and illegal immigrants during his administration, and now President Donald Trump is attempting to deport as many as he can who came in during that period. Both have elicited their fair share of criticism, and recently, both Pope Leo XIV and the USCCB have issued separate statements regarding the issue. Gus goes over both of them and then invites listeners to call in and share their thoughts.
Sir: In listening to your comments and conversation with those calling in about the Bishops’ statement calling for immigrants to be treated with respect due to their inherent dignity from being created in the image and likeness of God, I heard comment that implied, incorrectly, that the Bishops and Pope Leo XIV were calling for open-borders or unregulated immigration or otherwise giving immigration policy advice. Neither in the Bishops’ special message nor in the Pope’s comments when leaving Castel Gandolfo is there any such advice. Both the Special Message and the Pope’s response to a question showed wisdom in sticking strictly to re-iterating fundamental Christian moral principles and delivering pastoral teaching. I have carefully read the Special Message several times and reviewed the Pope’s comments three times, no where can be found in the words of either anything more than sound moral and pastoral teaching. As for your final comments regarding what is to be done about people who Entered Without Inspection but have otherwise committed no crimes and have strived to be, as Pope Francis said in Sept. 2015 at Independence Hall “ciudadanos responsables” one should be discriminate in responding to the widely varying patterns of behavior of immigrants, especially given the open-border policies of the Biden Administration. Now that the border is effectively closed, temperate actions treating EWI as a minor offense given responsible behavior thereafter is the only decent, common sensible, and practical response.
Regards, Ed Stafford, Brigantine NJ, U.S. Foreign Service Officer, retired.