This won’t be anything like a comprehensive response to how terribly Catholics can speak about suffering, but I’ll offer a couple of reflections.

Where I live in Michigan, my circle of friends will joke about the “up north Masses” we’ve witnessed over the years during our vacations. Pastors who run these rural parishes seem to be able to do whatever they want in the liturgy with, I assume, little to no accountability.

A few years ago I was at an “up north Mass” and...it was beautiful.

It was in a little old wooden church tucked away in rolling hills. The inside was as lovely as the outside: stained glass windows, ornate high altar, beautiful music, and just the right amount of excessive incense.

The church also had a communion rail. And that’s when my inner Trad comes out. I love receiving at a communion rail. It gives me a moment to collect myself and be present before receiving the Eucharist rather than feeling herded through a line.

It was beautiful, until father began speaking. He preached his homily about this line from the first reading that day: “The LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity” (Isaiah 53:10).

He said that when Jesus took our sins on the cross, Jesus became something that God was pleased to crush and this is how Jesus paid the debt for sin.

I was shocked. I leaned over to Kristina and said, “That’s penal substitutionary atonement. He’s saying that God the Father was happy to crush God the Son. That’s nuts.”

The priest went on and said, from the pulpit: “God’s currency is suffering. And you need to use this life to invest in eternity.”

God’s currency is suffering.

On the drive back after Mass, Kristina and I talked about how our younger selves wouldn’t have thought twice about this priest’s homily. Now it made us feel sick.

Here’s a church full of people, lots of young couples with lots of kids, who need to hear about God’s love and all they got was the priest’s personal paganism presented as authentic Catholicism.

I distinctly remember a family that sat in front of us with six young kids. The oldest was maybe third grade and the youngest was still a baby. The baby dropped something in the aisle during Mass so I grabbed it and gave it to the mom, and she looked so tired. Tired like she hadn’t slept all night. Tired like only a parent with young kids can feel.

I don’t know this woman. I don’t know her family. But I know that feeling. And instead of encouragement, mercy, or the relentless love of God, this homily told her that God wants her to suffer.

This Mass reflected back to Kristina and me what we used to believe about God and Catholicism:

• That we must earn God’s grace.

• That grace is transactional; I pay in with acts of piety and morality and God gives me a return on my investment sometime in eternity.

• That the hard things, the decisions that cause the most suffering, are what God is asking of us.

We really used to believe that God’s currency is suffering.

We believed this because we were told this. Maybe not as starkly as Fr. Edgelord, but that’s how we were formed in the Catholic cultures of our young adulthood. Suffering was subtly presented as a good thing, as something God desires. And this completely undermines the Gospel.

The Church’s teaching on redemptive suffering (re: the Catechism and Salvifici Doloris) is that Christ’s suffering was/is redemptive. God chose to become human, and further yet, he chose to suffer in his humanity in order to liberate from us from suffering and death. Christ shows us that we have a God who walks in solidarity with us, even in the horror of our suffering. And he teaches us that in caring for others who are suffering we are caring for him. Here’s one of many passages about suffering from the Catechism:

“Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his own: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” But he did not heal all the sick. His healings were signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They announced a more radical healing: the victory over sin and death through his Passover. On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the “sin of the world.” of which illness is only a consequence. By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion” (CCC 1505).

The Church is explicitly clear: suffering is evil. It’s a result of sin. It is not desired by God. In fact, saving us from the consequences of sin (suffering included) is the reason that God became man. The Church is clear that part of her mission, the mission of all the baptized, is to help alleviate suffering. The Church warns against turning our back on suffering. From Pope Leo’s exhortation, Dilexi Te:

“The many forms of indifference we see all around us are in fact ‘signs of an approach to life that is spreading in various and subtle ways. What is more, caught up as we are with our own needs, the sight of a person who is suffering disturbs us. It makes us uneasy, since we have no time to waste on other people’s problems. These are symptoms of an unhealthy society. A society that seeks prosperity but turns its back on suffering. May we not sink to such depths! Let us look to the example of the Good Samaritan.’ The final words of the Gospel parable — “Go and do likewise” ( Lk 10:37) — represent a mandate that every Christian must daily take to heart” (DT 107).

However, in this state of “already saved but not yet fully” we still experience some of the consequences of sin, one of which is suffering. In this earthly life, suffering is inevitable. But because of Christ, I can choose to spiritually “offer up” this inevitable suffering, uniting it to the cross, uniting it to Christ’s mission to liberate all of creation from sin and suffering.

In this way, God even allows something as evil as suffering to be a way for me to love others. And sometimes, out of love, I may freely choose to suffer to protect another. “There’s no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend.”

None of this means that God desires suffering. Nor does it mean that Christians should desire suffering, just muscle through it, or not seek to alleviate it! It’s good to care for myself in my own suffering.

And if somebody else is telling me to just “offer it up” instead of helping me to alleviate my suffering—or worse, if they tell me I should welcome it because God’s currency is suffering—it may be because they are uncomfortable with my suffering. It may be because they don’t want, or feel unable, to accompany me through suffering. But instead of acknowledging their own limitations here (limitations God is pleased to accompany them through), they twist their discomfort into an imposition on others.

I will end here with the longer reflection from that address from Pope Leo in Spain:

“There are moments of darkness and suffering that our society silences because certain cultural norms demand that we always be victorious and perfect, and so our limitations, fragility and pain must be eliminated or confined to the deafening silence of loneliness or even shame. And in these moments, we may instinctively think that God has abandoned us as well. However, the cross of Jesus tells us that God does not abandon us, that he is at our side, crucified with us in moments of pain and extreme loneliness, that he gathers not only our tears but also the cry of our suffering that others do not hear — a cry that Jesus made his own on the cross, saying, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

In a catechesis on the final hours of Jesus, Benedict XVI says that his suffering becomes a cry of prayer, and this is true for us as well: in the face of the most difficult and painful situations, when God seems absent, we must entrust to him once again the burdens we carry in our hearts, even crying out to him, even protesting like Job, confident that in some way he is present and near even when he appears to be silent.

But I believe we cannot do this alone. In times of pain, at least as much as possible, we must open ourselves to someone who can help us utter a simple prayer, who can accompany us with discretion without rushing to explain that pain, who can take us by the hand and lead us out of this cry.

These experiences also offer a message to us believers, to the whole Church: we must not spiritualize pain, superficially attributing it to ‘God’s will’ or to some mysterious plan of his, because this risks minimizing that suffering, silencing it and hurting people. God does not want suffering. He carries it with us and invites us to trust in him with perseverance. Let us remember what Pope Francis said: with God, life is always reborn.”

*AI was used to edit this post

We discussed why we think the encyclical is getting as much attention as it’s getting, if technology is neutral, what is means for the Church to dialogue with the world, and more!

Sarah and I hope to keep hosting these live discussions. Pope Leo is still working his way through his weekly catechesis on Sacrosanctum Concilium. Which we hope to devote the next Leo Live to once it’s all released. So keep an eye out!

Go ahead and follow Ricardo at where he discusses “science, cosmology and its relationship to ecology, technology, policy, economics, politics, history, religion and culture.”

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here:
https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

We’ve both personally grown as we’ve engaged with Pope Leo’s teaching and the vision that he’s setting for the Church, and we want to share that with others. Sarah has a theological education and a background working/teaching in higher education. Paul has a catechetical background and experience leading online workshops and discussion groups. What if we brought all of that together into an online seminar that examines the life and teaching of Pope Leo XIV?

Our Idea

We want to lead a small group online seminar starting in September. The group will meet every week for an hour and half and will read and discuss Pope Leo’s biography, Evangelii Gaudium (Pope Francis’s programmatic document that Pope Leo has pointed to several times as the starting place to understand his priorities), Magnifica Humanitas, Dilexi Te, In Unitate Fidei, and other selected addresses/homilies. We also hope to bring in a guest expert or two to join our discussions. This seminar would be for 12-15 people and would cost $1,200 a person.

This seminar would be for: catechists, teachers, priests, parents, Catholics, non-Catholics, anyone who wants to take a deep dive to better understand the mind and teaching of our new pope. It will be an opportunity to learn and grow in relationship with others in a small group, in a non-judgmental space that proclaims and invites, but never imposes.

However, we need to know if there’s enough interest in something like this before we can move forward. If this is something you would be genuinely interested in, please fill out this short survey. You’ll be asked for your name, why you would be interested in this seminar, and then select from a couple of days/times for the meetings (a daytime option or an evening option).

Survey

Details

• Start date: Week of September 8

• Duration: 12 weeks

• Frequency: Weekly, 90-minute meetings

• Format: Seminar-style discussion

• Cost: $1,200

• Total estimated time commitment per week: 3 hours

• Main texts (to be supplemented with other readings): Pope Leo XIV by Elise Ann Allen, Evangelii Gaudium (Pope Francis), Dilexi Te, In Unitate Fidei, and Magnifica Humanitas

Let us know if you’re interested! And hopefully we can make this seminar a reality.

- Sarah and Paul

Survey

It’s time for another Leo Live! And this one is going to be Magnifica-cent.

Next Wednesday at 8:30pm (EST) we will discussing Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo’s new encyclical on safeguarding humanity during the age of AI.

This month, will be joining us! Ricardo writes over at where he discusses “science, cosmology and its relationship to ecology, technology, policy, economics, politics, history, religion and culture.” We were thrilled that he accepted our invitation to join us.

(As a side note, Pope Leo is still working his way through his weekly catechesis on Sacrosanctum Concilium. Which we hope to discuss during a Leo Live later in the summer once it’s all released.)

You can access the livestream for next week here:
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/228732

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here:
https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together. Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted and fraternity is made possible. Yet every era also runs the risk of creating an inhumane and more unjust world. Whenever humanity is in danger of marring its true identity, we Christians lift our eyes to the Incarnate God, knowing that it is “only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear.” In Jesus Christ, this humanity in its grandeur becomes the Way, the Truth and the Life, opening the path for each of us to grow toward fullness.” Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas

“In the development of her doctrine, the Church has gradually come to a deeper awareness of the gravity of these issues. It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery.

In antiquity and the Middle Ages many individuals and even ecclesiastical institutions had slaves. Already in the early modern period, the Apostolic See of Rome, responding to requests from Sovereigns, intervened several times in order to regulate and legitimize forms of subjugation, and, in certain cases, the enslavement of ‘infidels.’ [174] It was only in the nineteenth century that a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated, notably under Pope Leo XIII. [175]

This development offers a clear example of the Church’s growth in understanding the perennial truths of Revelation that she safeguards. Although there was not always consistency in practice — given that slavery was long tolerated before being unequivocally condemned — there has been a continuous affirmation throughout history of the dignity of every human being, created in the image of God, even if it took eighteen centuries for its full incompatibility with slavery to be explicitly recognized.

This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached. [176] It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord. For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”

It’s hard to overstate how significant this paragraph is.

It feels meaningful that it’s the first American pope, himself a descendant of enslaved persons and of people who owned slaves, who is unequivocally apologizing for the Church’s horrific historical complicity in slavery. This stands in contrast to his namesake, Leo XII, who penned a revisionist history when he condemned slavery in 1888. Also, this paragraph is, to my knowledge, the most authoritative magisterial teaching to date that states that doctrine can, and has, developed to the point of apparent reversal. Further, Pope Leo also indicates that the Church delaying development can be profoundly unjust.

A year and a half ago, I wrote a long catechesis about the Church’s teaching on development of doctrine. In that essay I included a section summarizing the Church’s teaching on slavery as a historical case study for development. Here’s that section of my article. And you can read the whole essay here: https://wherepeteris.com/navigating-growth-and-development-in-a-living-tradition/

A historical case study

In 1840, Bishop John England—the first bishop of Charleston, South Carolina—wrote a series of letters to John Forsyth, the US Secretary of State at the time. Forsyth had been publicly claiming that Pope Gregory XVI had condemned slavery in his 1839 Papal Bull In Supremo Apostolatus. Bishop England felt the need to correct the Secretary of State because Pope Gregory had not in fact condemned slavery itself, only the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

In the course of his letters, Bishop England drew from Scripture, Tradition, the natural law, and multiple historical examples of the Church tolerating and engaging in slavery to argue that slavery itself was not immoral and that the pope has no authority to teach otherwise.

As surprising as this may be for Catholics to hear now, Bishop England’s analysis of the Church’s teaching on slavery was not off base. Slavery was widely practiced by the patriarchs in the Old Testament, was never condemned by Jesus, and St. Paul famously tells slaves to “be obedient to your human masters with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ” (Eph 6:5).

The Didache repeats this exhortation of obedience and many Church Fathers—including St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. Gregory of Nazianzus (the latter two personally owned slaves)—did not view slavery as incompatible with Christianity. Pope Gregory the Great defended slavery and also owned slaves, including children. At least four ecumenical councils explicitly permitted slavery and St.Thomas Aquinas taught that slavery was not against the natural law. Christians advocating for the total abolition of slavery were in the extreme minority throughout the patristic and medieval eras.

Slavery was still present in the Church as it moved into the Renaissance. For example, in 1452, as European countries were beginning to explore and colonize Africa, Pope Nicholas V promulgated the Papal Bull, Dum Diversas granting the King of Portugal explicit permission to “invade, conquer, fight, subjugate the Saracens and pagans, and other infidels” and to “lead their persons in perpetual servitude.” This effectively gave the Portuguese full license to enslave Africans.

Then in the next century, Pope Paul III, even though he explicitly allowed Christians in Rome to purchase slaves, condemned the enslavement of the Indigenous peoples in the Americas by the Spanish. At this time, theologians, canonists, and popes were not arguing about whether or not slavery was evil, but in what circumstances it was or was not allowed. It was not until Pope Gregory XVI’s papal bull in 1839—after tens of millions of Africans were enslaved—that the Church publicly condemned the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

So, in 1840, Bishop John England was on solid doctrinal ground when he said that slavery itself was not immoral. In fact, in 1866, twenty-six years after the bishop’s letters, the Holy Office (now called the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith) taught, with the approval of Pope Pius IX, that slavery “considered in itself and all alone, is by no means repugnant to the natural and divine law.”

Then, in 1888, despite the weight of Scriptural justification and 1800 years of Church teaching and engagement in slavery, Pope Leo XIII taught, “the condition of slavery, in which a considerable part of the great human family has been sunk in squalor and affliction now for many centuries, is deeply to be deplored; for the system is one which is wholly opposed to that which was originally ordained by God and by nature” (In Plurimis 3). Pope Leo repeated his condemnation of slavery in his 1890 encyclical Catholicae Ecclesiae. The Church has repeatedly condemned slavery since then. Most notably, the fathers of the Second Vatican Council said slavery “insults human dignity” (GS 27) and then in his 1993 encyclical Veritatis Splendor, Pope John Paul II taught that slavery is intrinsically evil.

There are a few things worth noting about the history of the Church’s teaching on slavery. First, an action that was repeatedly encouraged and allowed by the Magisterium and explicitly taught as not “repugnant to the natural and divine law” is now understood as intrinsically evil. The more developed “butterfly” of Pope John Paul II’s teaching about the dignity of the human person looks nothing like the “caterpillar” of Pope Pius IX’s understanding of human dignity. This development ultimately led to nothing less than a reversal of the Church’s teaching about the morality of slavery. History demonstrates the possibility of dramatic change in magisterial teaching.

Second, while Pope Francis explained that his development of the Church’s teaching regarding the death penalty centers primarily on the Church’s greater understanding and awareness of the dignity of every human life, Pope Leo XIII did not provide an explanation for his development concerning slavery. While his teaching emphasized Christ as the great liberator and the fraternity of all people, Pope Leo also engaged in a revisionist history to justify his development, claiming the Church has always desired to end slavery, even erroneously stating that “the Roman Pontiffs, who have always acted, as history truly relates, as the protectors of the weak and helpers of the oppressed, have done their best for slaves” (In Plurimis 13).

Looking back on those historical teachings through the Church’s present teaching, we could say that Pope Leo XIII’s development regarding slavery was also the result of the Church growing in her understanding of human dignity. We can conclude now that the “perennial substance” (to borrow Pope Francis’s terminology) of the Bible’s passages about slavery does not include slavery itself and the many examples and justifications of slavery in the Scripture and Tradition are products of cultural conditioning. By condemning slavery, Pope Leo XIII recovered a deeper “patrimony of the Church” and was “in full harmony with the teaching of Jesus himself” (to borrow Pope Benedict XVI’s terminology).

Third, it is easy to hear echoes of Archbishop Lefebvre and Cardinal Burke in Bishop England’s letters. Specifically, regarding the pope’s ability to condemn slavery, Bishop England wrote:

“The Pope is the divinely constituted and authorized witness of the doctrine and morality of the unchanging church, and not a despot who can alter that teaching at his mere will; whilst the church herself claims no power either to add to the deposit of faith, or to change the principles of that morality for whose promulgation she is divinely commissioned.”

This exact argument, almost verbatim, has been repeated by critics of Pope Francis’s magisterial teaching. In fact, in a 2014 interview, Cardinal Burke said, “The pope is not free to change the church’s teachings with regard to the immorality of homosexual acts or the insolubility of marriage or any other doctrine of the faith” (emphasis mine). It is clear by now that the assertion that the living Magisterium has no authority to change the Church’s teaching reflects neither history nor the Magisterium’s understanding of its own authority.

Finally, the dramatic change in the Church’s teaching on slavery raises some challenging questions about the role of the faithful when we believe that a teaching needs to change. Can 15th century Catholic abolitionists be seen as unfaithful to the Church’s teaching when they were being faithful to what the Church would eventually teach in the 19th century? If the Church’s teaching can dramatically change, then it follows that unfaithfulness in one era could be faithfulness in the next. What does that mean for Catholics who are opposed to some of the Church’s moral teachings now?

There are not easy answers to these questions. Navigating what this means for us personally will require a well formed conscience and an active and personal relationship with a God who we know is good. Is it a coincidence that St. John Henry Newman, the theologian who the Fathers of Vatican II drew on to understand development of doctrine, is also who they referenced for their teaching on conscience? While the relationship between personal conscience and Church authority is beyond the scope of this article, perhaps, as each of us navigates this tension, we ought to recall Newman’s saying, “I shall drink to the Pope, if you please, still, to conscience first, and to the Pope afterwards.”

[This section of my article drew largely from All Oppression Shall Cease: A History of Slavery, Abolitionism, and the Catholic Church by Fr. Christopher Kellerman, SJ. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2022).]

*AI was used to edit this post

Esther Harber is a devoted Catholic living with her husband and daughters in Ohio. She is a convert from a fundamentalist Protestant denomination, and was blessed to enter the Catholic Church in 2006. The Lord placed a passion in her heart for sharing the faith, and she spent the better part of her twenties as a lay missionary in New York City. She was also in religious life for a year. During her time as a missionary she experienced spiritual abuse, grooming, and sexual assault by a Catholic priest. After a long period of healing, she felt the Lord calling her to walk with other victim-survivors and to bring light to this crisis in the Church.

In this discussion Esther shares her own story and how her experiences of harm have impacted her faith. Esther has maybe the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. And her capacity to be present with others and hold their stories is profound. This is one of my favorite interviews.

Since this conversation was first published, Esther stepped away from her role as the Survivor Care Coordinator at Awake. Also, a few months ago, Esther was a speaker for one of Awake’s “Courageous Conversations.” She spoke about the harm caused by institutional betrayal from the Church. I’m linking to that in the show notes and would encourage you to listen to it as well.

And just a content note that this episode includes conversations about sexual assault.

Also, a huge thank you to everyone who became a financial supporter of Third Space over the past month. It means so much! Thank you.

LINKS:

Awake Courageous Conversation - Not Just a Few Bad Apples: The Trauma of Institutional Betrayal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICYqxT3zhWg&t=4s

Esther’s Survivor Story:

https://www.awakecommunity.org/blog/esther-harber/

Contact Awake:

https://www.awakecommunity.org/contact

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Thank You!

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has become a paid patron since I asked for your support two weeks ago. Really, your support is immediately and concretely helping my family and allowing me to devote time to Third Space. Thank you.

Reminder

Second, I wanted to make that ask one last time.

Third Space is a crucial part of my “real job.” Like many millennials, my family’s income is in the gig economy. I work part-time as a professional counselor, then the rest of my income comes from consulting and coaching work about spiritual abuse in the Church and Third Space. I never anticipated that this Substack would become a real job, a key source of my income. But it has. And I’m grateful for it.

Obviously, I’m not the first creator to make an income off of Substack. However, many of the professional Substackers put some or all of their content behind a paywall. And that’s great! Writers and podcasters deserve to be paid for their work. But I’ve decided not to do that. I always want Third Space to remain a resource that’s completely free and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of their financial situation. That’s important to me.

But I’m realizing that you don’t know what I need unless I tell you, unless I ask.

The reality is that writing the essays and preparing for/recording podcasts take a significant amount of time, research, and emotional energy every week. Time and effort that, if I’m going to keep growing Third Space, also need to have financial growth. In the past year and a half, the overall subscribers have doubled, but the paid subscribers have essentially stayed the same.

If you have the resources and value Third Space—if you open these emails and listen to the podcast—if you believe these conversations are important for the People of God, please consider becoming a paid patron today.

You won’t get exclusive bonus content for upgrading. You’ll get the knowledge that you’re directly keeping these resources free for thousands of others, supporting my family, and ensuring Third Space can continue to grow.

There are two ways to help. The first is becoming a paid subscriber. There are three paid subscription options:

• $10 a month

• $100 a year

• *New* $500 a year

The second is to make a one-time contribution via PayPal (paul@faheycounseling.com) or Venmo (@catholicthirdspace).

As a special bonus, if you sign up for the $500 tier (or make a one-time contribution of $500 or more) before Memorial Day (May 25), you’ll receive a Third Space sticker and a print of this brand-new pastel sketch by Kristina (at Painted Sanctuary) of the Lost Sheep as a small token of gratitude. (I snuck this picture of the unfinished draft:)

This Week’s Roundup

Finally, I want to share about the fun stuff I’ve been doing this week!

1. I released a new self-paced online course about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church! This is a project I’ve been working on for over a year, and it finally all came together this week. You can see the course here. And check out the great promo!

2. Leo Live was this week! and I had a really fun conversation with Colleen Dulle. Sarah was streaming from her van while Colleen and I were both streaming from makeshift spaces because we’re both in the process of moving (though Colleen is moving to a way cooler place than I am). We were truly a pilgrim people :)
   
   We discussed Pope Leo’s ongoing catechesis on Vatican II. We talked about how the Church is in constant need of renewal and reform, about Mary as the “Icon of the Mystery,” and gave our prognostications about the pope’s imminent encyclical.
   

3. published his interview of me from several months ago! I laughed when I saw the dramatic title: “My Pastor Lied, the Diocese Covered It Up… and I Stayed Catholic.” But the subtitle summed up our conversation well: “If you’ve been harmed by the Church, are wrestling with staying or leaving, or just want better language for spiritual abuse, this conversation is for you.”
   
   I’m really grateful for this interview. Chris asked thoughtful and personal questions. Usually when I’m on someone else’s podcast I’m there to talk about a thing, usually spiritual abuse. Chris invited me to talk about myself, my own story and my relationship with God. I thought it was a really meaningful conversation. But don’t take my word for it; graciously said: “that immediately became one of my favorite interviews of this year.”

   

4. On Monday, I published my conversation with Dr. David Lantigua about Dilexi Te and the Latin American theology that shaped Pope Leo and Pope Francis. Talking with David was like drinking from a firehose; we could have talked for hours. As we approach Leo’s coming encyclical, this conversation helped prepare me to understand the theology that helped to form our new pope.

Finally, on top of all of that this week, I bought a house! After months of looking, Kristina and I finally purchased a new house. We’re really excited about it, especially how close we are to family. So we will be spending the weekend painting, and over the next few weeks we are replacing a septic tank, air conditioner, flooring, and making other small repairs before we move in. Life keeps moving!

Thank you all so much for your support, allowing me to invest in all of these projects.

Peace,

-Paul

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here:

https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

For the past two years, I’ve led online workshops about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church. These are live workshops with small groups of people (12 or fewer). And to date, over 150 people have participated.

One thing that I’ve been asked about several times is if these workshops are recorded for people who aren’t able to commit to a live course. For a long time, I was hesitant about that. First of all, because I have a personal bias against “passive” online content that’s “consumed.” It has its place, but as a catechist, I believe there’s something deeply important about learning within the context of a relationship.

There has been other, more practical, concerns as well. Things like how recording a workshop impacts the privacy of the participants who often share personal stories. And the fact that a recorded course almost immediately becomes outdated because the content can no longer be regularly updated.

But a few things converged last year that changed my mind on this. The first was hearing from several people about how, even though a recorded course wouldn’t have the group sharing and interaction, the content in my workshops is still valuable in itself. Those conversations intersected with a friend, a professional video producer, emailing me out of the blue to ask if she could record my material about spiritual abuse.

Check out the Course

So last spring, Mary Ashley and Nate Bannister flew to Michigan, and we spent a week recording a spiritual abuse course. (It happened to be a very memorable week because it was also the week Pope Leo was elected.)

This is an eight-module course for $250 that includes recorded presentations, slides, piles of additional resources, and access to a private online community to connect and share resources with others who have attended the course or workshop. Check out this awesome promo that Mary Ashley and Nate put together!

Check out the Course

P.S. Don’t worry, the live workshops will continue! As great as this course is, the group discussion, personal sharing, and relational learning from the live workshops can’t be replaced. Look for the next round of live workshops to start up this fall.

Dr. David Lantigua is associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also codirector of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism. He is the author of “Infidels and Empires in a New World Order: Early Modern Spanish Contributions to International Legal Thought” from Cambridge University Press, 2020. He is currently completing a manuscript entitled Social Revolution after Pope Francis.

I also have a couple of podcast updates!

First, this is the final episode of Season Two! Like last year, I’ll be taking a break from podcasting through the summer to spend more time with family. Through the summer I’ll be rerunning “throwback” episodes from Third Space and Pope Francis Generation, and hopefully there’ll be a couple of new bonus episodes.

Also, I wanted to make an ask.

The Third Space podcast and substack is a crucial part of my “real job.” Like many millennials, my family’s income is in the gig economy. I work part-time as a professional counselor, then the rest of my income comes from consulting and coaching work about spiritual abuse in the Church and Third Space. I never anticipated that this Substack would become a real job, a key source of my income. But it has. And I’m grateful for it.

Obviously, I’m not the first creator to make an income off of Substack. However, many of the professional Substackers put some or all of their content behind a paywall. And that’s great! Writers and podcasters deserve to be paid for their work. But I’ve decided not to do that. I always want Third Space to remain a resource that’s completely free and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of their financial situation. That’s important to me.

But I’m realizing that you don’t know what I need unless I tell you, unless I ask.

The reality is that writing the essays and preparing for/recording podcasts take a significant amount of time, research, and emotional energy every week. Time and effort that, if I’m going to keep growing Third Space, also need to have financial growth. In the past year and a half, the overall subscribers have doubled, but the paid subscribers have essentially stayed the same.

If you have the resources and value Third Space—if you open these emails and listen to the podcast—if you believe these conversations are important for the People of God, please consider becoming a paid patron today.

You won’t get exclusive bonus content for upgrading. You’ll get the knowledge that you’re directly keeping these resources free for thousands of others, supporting my family, and ensuring Third Space can continue to grow.

There’s a few ways to support Third Space, and there are some new “thank you” gifts for your support. Thank you! See this link for more details:

https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/this-is-more-than-i-ever-expected

LINKS:

Leo’s Ode to Latin American Theology
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/leo-francis-poor-exhortation-pope-poor-dilexi-te

Dr. David Lantigua
https://theology.nd.edu/people/david-lantigua/

Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism
https://cushwa.nd.edu/

The Ecclesial Vision of Dilexi Te
https://wherepeteris.com/the-ecclesial-vision-of-dilexi-te/

Dilexi Te
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20251004-dilexi-te.html

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Five months later, while still a grad student, I quit the full-time parish job I had held for the past eight years. The circumstances that led to this decision were unfortunate and unexpected. Kristina and I decided that it would be best for me to keep going to grad school full-time instead of finding another job.

This hobby had to unexpectedly turn into a small source of income. I partnered with and started the Pope Francis Generation Podcast. And you, dear readers, supported me through that transition in more ways than I can count.

The Growth of Third Space

So much life has happened in the four years since then, including working as a counselor and changing the name of the Substack and podcast to Third Space. I’ve felt called to step into spaces to talk about abuse in the Church, and the more I’ve stepped forward, the more doors God has opened for me to walk through. And again, you, dear followers, have supported me through these changes.

Today, Third Space has over 2,600 subscribers! Look at what we have built together:

• Dozens of podcast interviews and articles

• Over 150 people have attended my Spiritual Abuse Workshop (many at zero or low cost)

• I recorded a catechetical video series on the infinite dignity of every human person

• and I host monthly live recordings on Pope Leo

• I’ve led small online groups studies of several papal documents, including Fratelli Tutti and Dilexi Te

• Coming soon: A pre-recorded version of the Spiritual Abuse Workshop, new resources on Pope Leo’s imminent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, and an essay for an upcoming book by Riot + Reverence Press

All of that is subsidized by the immense generosity of 67 paid patrons. In one sense, that’s a small number, less than 3% of subscribers. But in another sense, it’s a huge number because you, dear paid subscribers, have received nothing extra from me for your financial support. I cannot thank you enough for your generosity. Without your financial investment, Third Space would not exist in its current form.

The Reality of the Gig Economy

This Substack is a crucial part of my “real job.” Like many millennials, my family’s income is in the gig economy. I work part-time as a professional counselor, then the rest of my income comes from consulting and coaching work about spiritual abuse in the Church and Third Space. I never anticipated that this Substack would become a real job, a key source of my income. But it has. And I’m grateful for it.

Obviously, I’m not the first creator to make an income off of Substack. However, many of the professional Substackers put some or all of their content behind a paywall. And that's great! Writers and podcasters deserve to be paid for their work. But I’ve decided not to do that. I always want Third Space to remain a resource that’s completely free and accessible to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of their financial situation. That’s important to me.

But I’m realizing that you don’t know what I need unless I tell you, unless I ask.

The reality is that writing the essays and preparing for/recording podcasts take a significant amount of time, research, and emotional energy every week. Time and effort that, if I’m going to keep growing Third Space, also need to have financial growth. In the past year and a half, the overall subscribers have doubled, but the paid subscribers have essentially stayed the same.

My family also has more immediate financial needs. After ten years of living in the small town where I used to work at the Catholic parish, we moved. We moved to be closer to family—for our kids to live closer to grandparents, aunts & uncles, and cousins. So we sold our home back in December and have been living with in-laws since then, waiting to buy a house. But the housing market here has not been friendly, and costs have gone up in those months of waiting.

Invitation

If you have the resources and value Third Space—if you open these emails and listen to the podcast—if you believe these conversations are important for the People of God, please consider becoming a paid patron today.

You won’t get exclusive bonus content for upgrading. You’ll get the knowledge that you’re directly keeping these resources free for thousands of others, supporting my family, and ensuring Third Space can continue to grow.

There are two ways to help. The first is becoming a paid subscriber. There are three paid subscription options:

• $10 a month

• $100 a year

• *New* $500 a year

The second is to make a one-time contribution via PayPal (paul@faheycounseling.com) or Venmo (@catholicthirdspace).

As a special bonus, if you sign up for the $500 tier (or make a one-time contribution of $500 or more) before Memorial Day (May 25), you’ll receive a Third Space sticker and a print of this brand-new pastel sketch by Kristina (at Painted Sanctuary) of the Lost Sheep as a small token of gratitude. (I snuck this picture of the unfinished draft:)

Thank you for reading, listening, and being willing to navigate this Third Space in the Church. This is more than I ever expected.

Peace,

-Paul

Sr. Carino Hodder is a Dominican Sister of Saint Joseph based in the New Forest in England. She assists her community with their apostolate of training catechists, primarily as a tutor on their Certificate in Catechesis. Since becoming a sister, she has worked as a First Holy Communion catechist, a Confirmation catechist, and a parish sister in a parish in London, as well as being involved in ongoing formation for all age groups. She also writes regularly for The Lamp magazine and has contributed to other publications including The Pillar, Plough, and Where Peter Is. She is also the author of ‘The Dignity of Woman in the Modern World’ published by the Catholic Truth Society and ‘Freedom Under Grace: Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience for Everyone’ which is forthcoming from Our Sunday Visitor.

LINKS

The Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph
https://www.dominicansisters.net/

Light of Truth: Live Catholic Formation for Everyone
https://www.lightoftruth.uk/

Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, on the occasion of the Second National Meeting of local representatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2026/04/16/260416c.html

Address the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors (March 16, 2026)
https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/march/documents/20260316-tutela-minori.html

Words Matter: A guest post about vulnerability and abuse
https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/words-matter

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Shaun Blanchard is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia on the Sydney campus. A North Carolina native and graduate of UNC, Oxford (Blackfriars Hall), and Marquette, Shaun writes on a variety of topics in early modern and modern Catholicism, especially Jansenism, Catholic Enlightenment, the history of the papacy, and the Vatican councils.

LINKS

Shaun Blanchard:
https://nd-au.academia.edu/ShaunBlanchard

Shaun Blanchard - Doctor John Henry Newman
https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/p/29-shaun-blanchard-doctor-john-henry

Traditionis Custodes Was Never Merely About the Liturgy:
https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/traditionis-custodes-was-never-merely-about-the-liturgy/

The Reform Was Real: Continuity and change at Vatican II:
https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/reform-was-real

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

Highlights included discussion about the senses fidei (what does it mean and is universal consensus even possible?), the baptismal priesthood, how we have misunderstood the meaning of “hierarchy,” a question about the Church’s perspective on ordaining gay men to the priesthood, and more!

Sarah and I hope is to host live discussions every month following Leo’s catechesis. So keep an eye out for the next one.

Go ahead and follow Sarah at Recovering Catholic and Pope Leo Weekly.

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here:
https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

Register Here!

I’m a professional counselor who previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. I provide counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and create resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against abuse.

Join me for an online workshop focused on recognizing, preventing, and responding to spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

This workshop is for:

• Individuals trying to better understand their experiences of spiritual abuse in the Church

• Clergy and lay leaders interested in safeguarding their communities from spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience

• Therapists or spiritual directors working with clients who have been spiritually abused

This workshop will help you:

• Recognize and prevent spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Church

• Know the symptoms of spiritual abuse, religious trauma, and moral injury

• Better understand and respond to abusive systems in the Church

Details:

This is five-part live workshop that will be held virtually. I’m running two workshops with day or evening sessions to accommodate different time zones and work schedules.

Groups will have between 5 and 12 participants and space will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. Your space in the workshop will not be held until payment is received

• Group 1 - Mondays, 7:00-9:00pm(EST) | 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11

• Group 2 [SOLD OUT] - Wednesdays, 9:00-11:00am (EST) | 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13

Register Here!

Price:

This five-week workshop is $400.

Making this workshop available to anyone who can benefit from it is important to me, but it’s also an essential part of my family’s income. I don’t want inability to pay to be obstacle for you to participate. So if you can’t pay the full $400, please pay what you can (even if it’s only $10).

And if you can’t attend this workshop, but you are grateful that resources like this exist, please consider financially supporting it.

How to Pay:

1. Pay $400 with a credit card here: https://buy.stripe.com/fZu8wOaEy48ogpU8XZdIA01

2. Send a custom amount via PayPal (paul@faheycounseling.com) or Venmo (@catholicthirdspace)

Register Here!

Dr. Julia Sadusky graciously joined me again on the podcast, this time to discuss the bad psychology and bad theology that underpins conversion therapy. Last year, Julia, along with a group of other Christian mental health professionals, submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court (in Chiles v. Salazar) defending a Colorado law that bans licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors. I spoke with Julia about the origins of conversion therapy, the harm it causes, and how this court case could impact Christian mental health providers.

Dr. Julia Sadusky is an author, speaker, and licensed psychologist. She owns Lux Counseling and Consulting in Littleton, CO., where she offers individual, family, and couples therapy in addition to consultations for individuals and families around sexuality and gender. She also serves as a ministry educator, offering trainings and consultations to counseling centers and faith-based institutions on sexuality, gender identity, mental health, trauma-informed care, and the intersection of sexuality, gender, and theology. Other areas of focus include work with those experiencing complex trauma and eating disorders.

Dr. Sadusky’s most recent books are Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics and Talking with Your Teen About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics (Ave Maria Press). Dr. Sadusky has coauthored two other books, including Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth (Brazos Press) and Gender Identity & Faith: Clinical Postures, Tools and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care (Intervarsity Press) with Mark Yarhouse, PsyD., and contributed to a four views book titled, Understanding Transgender Identities: 4 Views (Baker Academic).

LINKS

Julia Sadusky’s Website:

https://www.juliasadusky.com/

Conversion Truth For Families website:

https://www.conversiontruthforfamilies.org/free-guide

Julia Sadusky’s Amicus Brief:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-539/370705/20250826104808419_24-539%20Chiles%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf

Online Course: Talking with Your Teen about Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics:

https://talkingtoyourteencourse.com/

**Coupon code: Themiddlespace10 for 10% off the course for parents of teens

Book: Emerging Gender Identities: Understanding the Diverse Experiences of Today’s Youth:

https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Gender-Identities-Understanding-Experiences/dp/1587434342/

Book: Gender Identity and Faith: Clinical Postures, Tools, and Case Studies for Client-Centered Care:

https://www.amazon.com/Gender-Identity-Faith-Clinical-Client-Centered/dp/0830841814/

Book: Emerging Sexual Identities: Navigating the Landscape with Today’s Youth (A Christian Guide to Understanding and Ministering to LGBTQ+ Youth):

https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Sexual-Identities-Understanding-Ministering/dp/1587436442

Julia Sadusky’s Substack:

https://drsadusky.substack.com/

ABOUT THIRD SPACE: Third Space is the podcast for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have experienced real harm AND real grace in the Church. Every episode I will have conversations with guests about the good and the bad in the Church—avoiding easy answers or black & white fundamentalism—in order to hold on to all that is true.

SUPPORT THIS SHOW: Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. All of your support directly helps my family and allows me to continue working on projects like this podcast, the newsletter, as well as resources about spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church.

www.catholicthirdspace.com

LIVING SOLIDARITY: Living Solidarity upholds the infinite dignity of every person by addressing the reality of spiritual abuse and abuse of conscience in the Catholic Church. Living Solidarity helps to build a Church of integrity and solidarity by accompanying survivors of spiritual abuse with trauma-informed life coaching; equipping Church leaders and institutions to confront systemic harm; and creating resources grounded in psychological research and the Church’s Social Teaching. Visit livingsolidarity.com to learn more, to connect with Paul, to schedule individual life coaching, or to invite Paul to speak or consult with your community, parish, seminary, or diocese.

ABOUT THE HOST: Paul Fahey is currently a professional counselor, retreat leader, and the host of the Third Space podcast. He provides counseling for those who have been spiritually abused and creates resources for Church leaders to better safeguard their communities against all forms of abuse. He previously worked for eight years as the Director of Religious Education at a Catholic parish. Paul Fahey lives in Michigan with his wife, Kristina, and their five kids.

introduced me to this quote a few months ago. And in the way the Good Spirit haunts me, it’s haunted me since.

Mercy, like water, always flows to the lowest point. Does this not illuminate the feast we are celebrating today?

I used to experience Holy Saturday as a day of sorrowful waiting. And in many ways, it is. The apostles were in mourning. Hopeless. Too exhausted and ashamed to do anything but nothing.

The Son of God died. Actually died. Not pretend death. Actual death. “He shared our radical poverty, which is death.” Mercy ran down to the lowest point.

But Mary must have known death hadn’t won.2 She knew that today was a day of liberation. “It is the day of the Paschal Mystery in which everything seems immobile and silent, while in reality an invisible action of salvation is being fulfilled.”3

The ancient icons of Holy Saturday depict that revelation we profess in the Creed: Jesus descended into hell…in order to liberate it.

“This event, which the liturgy and tradition have handed down to us, represents the most profound and radical gesture of God’s love for humanity…He enters, so to speak, in the very house of death, to empty it, to free its inhabitants, taking them by the hand one by one.”4

Mercy flowed to the lowest point. “He wanted to sink so low that in the future all falling would be a falling into him.”5

In the process he broke down the gates of death, trampled the accuser, and, seeing his son far off, ran down the road to embrace Adam. There were no words of condemnation. No annoyance. No shame. Only liberation.

Like the shepherd who after searching—relentlessly, until he found it—for the lost sheep, bent down to the sheep and lifted it up onto his shoulders, rejoicing, Mercy looked into the eyes of the human who started all of this mess and said:

“Arise, let us go hence. The enemy brought you out of the land of paradise; I will reinstate you, no longer in paradise, but on the throne of heaven. I denied you the tree of life, which was a figure, but now I myself am united to you, I who am life. I posted the cherubim to guard you as they would slaves; now I make the cherubim worship you as they would God.”6

This event isn’t merely historical: it’s personal.

“Dear friends, this descent of Christ does not relate only to the past, but touches the life of every one of us. The underworld is not only the condition of the dead, but also of those who live death as a result of evil and sin. It is also the daily hell of loneliness, shame, abandonment, and the struggle of life. Christ enters into all these dark realities to bear witness to the love of the Father. Not to judge, but to set free. Not to blame, but to save. He does so quietly, on tiptoe, like one who enters a hospital room to offer comfort and help… He does so with full authority, but also with infinite gentleness, like a father with the son who fears that he is no longer loved.”7

God’s mercy flows—runs—down to the lowest part of my life. Christ rushes down to my greatest failures, where I’m most ashamed, where I experience the greatest weakness. And, like water, when Mercy reaches the bottom, it pools. It is in my poverty and powerlessness that I encounter Christ. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Holy Saturday, then, is the day in which heaven visits earth most deeply. It is the time in which every corner of human history is touched by the light of Easter. And if Christ was able to descend all the way down there, nothing can be excluded from his redemption. Not even our nights, not even our oldest faults, not even our broken bonds. There is no past so ruined, no history so compromised that it cannot be touched by mercy.

“Dear brothers and sisters, to descend, for God, is not a defeat, but the fulfilment of his love. It is not a failure, but the way by which he shows that no place is too far away, no heart is too closed, no tomb too tightly sealed for his love. This consoles us, this sustains us. And if at times we seem to have hit rock bottom, let us remember: that is the place from which God is able to begin a new creation.”8

I know you’ve been anxiously waiting for me and Sarah Carter to schedule the next Leo Live, but the wait is over!

Next Thursday at 8:00pm (EST) we will discussing Pope Leo’s ongoing catechetical series about Vatican II (and if the pope has some banger homilies through the Triduum, maybe we’ll talk about those too).

This month, my friend Shaun Blanchard will be joining us all the way from Australia. Shaun is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Notre Dame Australia on the Sydney campus. In addition to constantly talking about Jansenism, Shaun brings an extensive knowledge of the papacy, the Vatican councils, development of doctrine, and Cardinal (Saint! (Doctor!!)) John Henry Newman.

Also new this month: the live conversation will be open to all subscribers of Third Space or Pope Leo Weekly (not only paid). As usual, the recording will be published in the days following.

Over at Pope Leo Weekly, Sarah will have a Leo Live Reading Companion available next week with the addresses from Pope Leo (as well as some of the Vatican II documents he references) that we’ll be discussing.

You can access the livestream here:
https://open.substack.com/live-stream/153088

Become a paid subscriber to Third Space here: https://www.catholicthirdspace.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Pope Leo Weekly here:
https://popeleoweekly.substack.com/subscribe

“As we approach the documents of Vatican Council II and rediscover their prophetic and contemporary relevance, we welcome the rich tradition of the life of the Church and, at the same time, we question ourselves about the present and renew our joy in running towards the world to bring it the Gospel of the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, justice and peace.” Pope Leo

Listen to the podcast episode here!

“What happens when the Church you love has also hurt you? For many Catholics, there’s no safe space to hold both truths at once, until now. In this powerful bonus episode, hosts Dave Plisky and Fr. John Gribowich talk with Paul Fahey, licensed counselor, catechist, and host of the Third Space Podcast, to unpack what spiritual abuse really looks like, why so many Catholics unknowingly surrender their freedom, and how genuine listening may be the most prophetic act the Church can offer right now.”

Check out Carron’s podcast

“Friends,

In this episode of the ongoing series on spiritual abuse, I sit down with Catholic Counselor Paul Fahey to explore a subtle but deeply impactful layer of harm: the abuse of conscience.

Many of us were taught to “follow our conscience,” but few of us were ever taught how a conscience is properly formed — or how it can be manipulated. When spiritual authority bypasses freedom, pressures compliance, or equates disagreement with sin, faith formation can quietly become control.

Paul defines conscience through a Catholic lens and offers concrete examples of how it can be distorted in families, churches, and religious communities. We also discuss how parents can faithfully teach their children without crossing the line into coercion, and why healthy formation always respects human dignity and freedom.

If you have ever struggled with religious guilt, fear-based teaching, or confusion about trusting your own moral judgment, this conversation will bring clarity and hope.”