Catholic preaching in a traumatized Minnesota

Catholic preaching in a traumatized Minnesota

From Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast by America Media

February 9, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

Laura Kelly Fanucci discusses the challenges of preaching in a time of trauma and violence in Minnesota.

“Things are happening [in Minnesota] that my friends and family elsewhere are really having trouble understanding,” Laura Kelly Fanucci says, “because the media is saying one thing, and all these partisan politicians are saying another thing.” “But sometimes I think what Jesus [is saying in the gospel], is that when you are close to the center, sometimes you will know things about the mystery of God that are going to be difficult for other people to understand.” Award-winning author, Laura Kelly Fanucci, joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to share what she has been preaching on her Instagram account @thismessygrace since U.S. federal immigration agents fatal shooting of Renee Good, and later, Alex Pretti. After attending Mass the Sunday following the killing of Renée Good and hearing no mention of it from the pulpit at her parish, Laura began offering three-minute homilies on Instagram. In this conversation with Ricardo da Silva, S.J., Laura offers practical advice for preaching in this historical moment marked by violence, terror and community upheaval. In her daily Scripture reflections on Instagram Laura models how to thread the needle of preaching the gospel and responding to…

People in this episode

Host: Ricardo da Silva, S.J.

Guest: Laura Kelly Fanucci

Topics covered

  • Catholic preaching
  • trauma
  • community upheaval
  • immigration
  • violence
  • gospel
  • social issues

Keywords

  • Catholic preaching
  • Minnesota
  • Laura Kelly Fanucci
  • Ricardo da Silva
  • immigration
  • violence
  • community
  • gospel
  • social justice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: America Media

Places: Minnesota

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