Everything Belongs: Living the Teachings of Richard Rohr Forward

How do we navigate spiritual transformation when everything seems to be falling apart? In this episode, we're exploring Chapter 4 of Richard Rohr’s final book, The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, titled "Welcoming Holy Disorder: How the Prophets Carry Us Through." After our conversation with Richard, we're joined by Jungian psychologist and author Connie Zweig, who deepens our exploration into the role of the shadow, the hidden parts of ourselves and our communities that disorder brings to light. Connie, along with hosts and CAC staff Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Carmen Acevedo Butcher, unpack the cyclical pattern of order, disorder, and reorder that Richard calls the Wisdom Pattern. Together, they explore how disorder is not only inevitable but sacred, a season of necessary unraveling that allows space for grace, healing, and transformation. This episode shows how the prophets help us see what we cannot, why true spiritual growth demands discomfort, and how embracing the dark night of the soul can lead to profound renewal—both personally and collectively. Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired Jungian therapist and author of Meeting the Shadow and Romancing the Shadow. Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends Shadow-work into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. Her book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, extends shadow-work into religion and spirituality. Her new podcast, Dr. Neil’s Spiritual Awakening to Non-Duality, posts on all podcast platforms. See her new SUBSTACK for livestreams and new writing: https://www.shadowworkawareness.com/about. Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here.

How do we confront systemic injustice without falling into despair or self-righteousness? That's what we're exploring in this episode as we dive into Chapter 2 of Richard Rohr's new book, The Tears of Things, titled "Amos: Messenger to the Collective." Mike and Paul begin by talking with Richard about Amos's unique approach: critiquing the collective culture rather than scapegoating individuals, and turning anger over injustice into fuel for change. Following the conversation with Richard, co-hosts Mike and Carmen are joined by Rabbi Or Rose, founding director of the Miller Center of Hebrew College and author. Together in conversation, they explore Abraham Joshua Heschel's understanding of the prophet, the challenge of holding righteous indignation without self-righteousness, the power of teshuvah (return), and practical ways to remain spiritually grounded and committed to justice and peace work in overwhelming times. Rabbi Or Rose is the founding Director of The Miller Center of Hebrew College, and serves as a senior consultant to Interfaith America. Among his recent publications is the award-winning, co-edited volume With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps & Mistakes (Orbis Books). His forthcoming book, My Legs Were Praying: A Biography of Abraham Joshua Heschel for teen readers will be published in May 2025 (Monkfish Book Publishing). Resources: Grab a copy of The Tears of Things here, where you can get a free reader's guide, discover a new course, and other offerings related to the book. Read more from Rabbi Or Rose here The transcript for this episode can be found here.

Welcome to a brand-new, year-long, season that we are devoting to Fr. Richard Rohr's new book, The Tears of Things. Each month, we'll be moving through a new chapter of the book with Fr. Richard himself, as well as CAC Faculty and Staff, and a range of guests who are living the teachings forward from the context of their lives. In this episode, we're setting up the season by diving right into the Introduction, "Good Trouble." We're excited to introduce Carmen Acevedo Butcher as an additional co-host to this season of the podcast. This epiosde features all four co-hosts: Carmen Acevedo Butcher, Drew Jackson, Mike Petrow, and Paul Swanson. Resources: Grab a copy of The Tears of Things here. To learn more about The Tears of Things and additional offerings, including the trailer, a FREE Reader's Guide, and more, visit thetearsofthings.com A transcript for this episode can be found here.

What is the note you are being called to add to the great universal orchestra? Today Richard helps us unpack Chapter 12 of Eager to Love, "John Duns Scotus: Anything but a Dunce". Mike and Paul are then joined by Sr Mary Beth Ingham, who shares her journey of understanding Scotus. Ingham addresses the title of her book Scotus for Dunces: An Introduction to the Subtle Doctor, explaining its playful yet meaningful approach to making Scotus's complex ideas accessible. The three discuss the importance of individuality within the context of community, the Univocity of being as a bridge between human experience and divine understanding, and the significance of recognizing the dignity of each person's experience. The conversation culminates in a reflection on the mysticism of Scotus and why his teachings matter for us today. Sr. Mary Beth Ingham, CSJ currently serves as Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, California. Mary Beth is Professor Emerita, LMU Philosophy Dept and formerly Professor of Philosophical Theology at the Franciscan School of Theology. She holds a doctorate in Medieval Philosophy from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland and has published widely on the thought of Franciscan Master Blessed John Duns Scotus. Her monographs include Scotus for Dunces: An Introduction to the Subtle Doctor (2003), Rejoicing in the Works of the Lord: Beauty in the Franciscan Tradition (2009), The Harmony of Goodness: Mutuality and Moral Living in John Duns Scotus (2012), and Understanding John Duns Scotus: Of Realty the Rarest-Veined Unraveller (2017). In her research, she argues that the spirituality of beauty, the via pulchritudinis, is at the heart of the Franciscan intellectual tradition. Hosted by CAC Staff: Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson Resources: Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. The transcript for this episode can be found here. Learn more about Sr Mary Beth Ingham's books, here.

How can we build solidarity and connection with people of different faiths and cultures? Today on Everything Belongs, Father Richard Rohr guides us through Chapter 10 of his book, Eager to Love, "Entering the World of Another: Francis and the Sultan of Egypt." Hosts Mike Petrow and Drew Jackson then engage in a profound conversation with Brother Omid Safi about the essence of love in Islam, and the role of poetry and language in navigating spiritual and interfaith dialogues. Brother Omid and our hosts delve into the intersections of spirituality, and how learning from different traditions can enrich our own spiritual journey. The three explore the significance of the encounter between Saint Francis and the Sultan as a model for compassion and dialogue, as well as the the need for a unified approach to spirituality that transcends divisions. Brother Omid Safi is a teacher in the Sufi tradition of Radical Love and Founder of Illuminated Courses & Tours. He is currently a professor at Duke University specializing in Islamic spirituality and contemporary thought. A leading Muslim public intellectual, Omid is committed to the intersection of spirituality and social justice. His most recent book is Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson Resources: A transcript for this episode can be found here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. Learn more about the work of Brother Omid Safi here. Listen to Brother Omid's podcast, Sufi Heart, here.

Have you adopted scripts around the terms feminine and masculine? Today we unpack Chapter 8 of Richard's book, Eager to Love, entitled "Lightness of Heart and Firmness of Foot: The integration of Feminine and Masculine", and we ask for our listener's grace as we imperfectly grapple with a subject inherently challenging to define. The conversation delves into the integration of masculine and feminine energies within the context of spirituality, particularly through the lens of the Franciscan tradition. Richard and our hosts explore how cultural influences shape our definitions, how terms like masculine and feminine can easily be confused for gender, and the revolutionary approach of Francis of Assisi in breaking free from traditional norms. We're then joined by two incredible voices in the world of liberation psychology and contemplative spirituality, Jennifer Abe and Douglas Christie, who share their personal journeys and insights, emphasizing the interconnectedness of life and the need for openness to mystery and transformation. Jennifer Shimako Abe earned her PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA and has been on the faculty of the Department of Psychological Science at Loyola Marymount University since 1994. Her experience in Central and South America drew her to the work of Jesuit priest and social psychologist, Fr. Ignacio Martin-Baró, SJ and the field he founded, liberation psychology. The principles of liberation psychology have guided her research in different areas, including how the practice of cultural humility relates to institutional and social transformation, and how culturally rooted, community-defined evidence practices are critical for addressing mental health disparities across diverse communities. In 2024, she helped lead a commission on Student Spiritual Growth and Mental Health: Toward a Hope-Filled Future for Jesuit institutions in North America. Jennifer is currently the interim director for the Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture, and the Arts at LMU, leading efforts to strengthen the legacy of the women religious and the Marymount educational tradition at her institution. Across different leadership roles, Jennifer has been committed to working at the intersections of culture, spirituality, and justice in the context of Ignatian values and the Jesuit educational mission. Douglas E. Christie is Professor Emeritus in the Theological Studies Department at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He is the author of The Word in The Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism (Oxford, 1993), The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Note for a Contemplative Ecology (Oxford, 2012), and The Insurmountable Darkness of Love: Mysticism, Loss and the Common Life (Oxford, 2022). He has been awarded fellowships from the Luce Foundation, the Lilly Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. From 2013-2015 he served as Co-director of the Casa de la Mateada study abroad program in Córdoba, Argentina, a program rooted in the Jesuit vision of education for solidarity. He lives with his family in Los Angeles and is currently working on a book about the desert as spiritual landscape. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow, and Paul Swanson Resources: A PDF of the transcript for this episode can be found here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. To learn more about the work of Jennifer Abe, visit here. For more by Douglas Christie, visit the following: Wasting Time Conscientiously, What is Contemplation

How can we be open to what the darkness of Advent offers? In this conversation, Richard Rohr, Mike Petrow, Drew Jackson, and Paul Swanson explore the themes of Advent and Christmas, sharing personal traditions and reflections on the spiritual significance of the season. They discuss the importance of longing, waiting, and the transformative power of darkness, as well as the role of poetry in expressing these themes. The conversation culminates in poignant reading of a poem that encapsulates the essence of Advent, emphasizing the beauty found in the darkness and the anticipation of new beginnings. Hosted by CAC Staff: Mike Petrow, Paul Swanson, and Drew Jackson Resources: The transcript for this episode can be found here. Grab a copy of Eager to Love here. Learn more about Drew Jackson's God Speaks Through Wombs, here.