The Pillar Podcast

Luke Coppen is joined by Spanish journalist Yago de la Cierva to talk about his experience planning a papal visit. Cierva was general coordinator of Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Spain in June 2026 and executive director of World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid. Megaevents of the Catholic Church: Logbook for organizers and communicatorsThis conversation was recorded in September 2026. This episode of The Pillar Podcast is brought to you by Sunday School, The Pillar’s bible study podcast. Each week, biblical scholar Scott Powell unpacks the readings you will hear at Sunday Mass. Find Sunday School wherever you get your podcasts, or by visiting pillarcatholic.com/sunday-schoolPope Leo greets crowds during his visit to France. Credit: Vatican Media. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.pillarcatholic.comJD’s most American take.Don't miss this gala, Philadelphia!Are you a paying subscriber?* Visit pillarcatholic.com/listen on your phone* Check the top right corner of the webpage to ensure you are logged into your Substack account.* Tap ‘set up podcast’ next to The Pillar PodcastHaving issues? Email our producer Kate at [email protected]

JD and Ed deliver the promised Detroit trivia game. Pope Leo XIV kicked off his 12-day trip to South America today. JD and Ed talk about what they expect from the pope’s planned stops.Then, the practice of publishing lists of “credibly accused” clerics is back in the news. JD and Ed talk about the practice and how it could be improved.Immerse yourself in Sacred Scriptures through the eyes of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church at Christendom College Graduate School of Theology, where you can earn a graduate certificate in Sacred Scripture or pursue your Master’s in Theology with the Sacred Scripture concentration. Learn more at graduate.christendom.edu This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.pillarcatholic.comJD seeks some advice. Are you a paying subscriber?* Visit pillarcatholic.com/listen on your phone* Check the top right corner of the webpage to ensure you are logged into your Substack account.* Tap ‘set up podcast’ next to The Pillar PodcastHaving issues? Email our producer Kate at [email protected]

JD and Ed debate recent comments by Algeria’s Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco’s recent comments about the Catholic Church’s relationship with Muslim and Jewish believers.This episode of The Pillar Podcast is brought to you by The Lamp, the only magazine for Catholics seeking intelligent, witty, and clear-eyed commentary on the world.Pillar readers can get 40% off a one-year, six-issue print subscription with the code PILLAR40 at TheLampMagazine.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

Ed is joined by Stephen White, executive director of the St. John Paul II National Shrine, fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and author of ‘Red, White, Blue, and Catholic.’The ‘Catholic vote’ has long been a reliable bellwether for U.S. elections. But the 2024 presidential election was an anomaly. Ed and Stephen talk about what might have triggered the change, and the future of the Catholic vote.This episode is brought to you by The Pillar’s paying subscribers. Become a paying subscriber today at pillarcatholic.com/subscribe.-Show notes:The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life by Ramesh Ponnuru This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.pillarcatholic.comJD and Ed debate a coaching decision. Are you a paying subscriber?* Visit pillarcatholic.com/listen on your phone* Check the top right corner of the webpage to ensure you are logged into your Substack account.* Tap ‘set up podcast’ next to The Pillar PodcastHaving issues? Email our producer Kate at [email protected]

JD and Ed talk about reports that AI is coming to the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Museum in Peoria, IL. Then, they talk about some news out of the Archdiocese of Detroit this week.This episode of the Pillar Podcast is brought to you by Five Stones. Offering critical services for Catholic apostolates – including marketing, order fulfilment, technology, and customer service. To learn more, visit weare5stones.com/pillar This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.pillarcatholic.comFt. Wrestling Chat.Are you a paying subscriber?* Visit pillarcatholic.com/listen on your phone* Check the top right corner of the webpage to ensure you are logged into your Substack account.* Tap ‘set up podcast’ next to The Pillar PodcastHaving issues? Email our producer Kate at [email protected]

JD and Ed briefly recap their time at last week’s conference for the Canon Law Society of America. They talk about Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer diagnosis and what it might mean for his pontificate. Then, they talk about Bishop Erik Varden’s essay addressing Amoris Laetitia.Laetitiae Amor, by Bishop Erik VardenThis episode of The Pillar Podcast is brought to you by The Lamp, the only magazine for Catholics seeking intelligent, witty, and clear-eyed commentary on the world.Pillar readers can get 40% off a one-year, six-issue print subscription with the code PILLAR40 at TheLampMagazine.com/subscribePope Leo XIV, pictured on Sept. 7, 2025. Credit: © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe