Is diet culture obscuring Lent? Ep. 132

With Lent in full-swing and warmer weather around the corner, many
Catholics are probably thinking about food and their bodies more
than normally. But what if the way that we’re approaching fasting
and dieting is harmful—especially to our neighbors who inhabit
larger bodies? This week, we speak with fat activist and host of
the Fat & Faithful podcast, Amanda Martinez Beck. “It took me a
long time to believe that God was not disappointed with my body,”
Amanda wrote in a piece for America titled “Why Lent can be a
dangerous time when you’re recovering from an eating disorder.” We
talk with Amanda about how her relationship to her body and health
has changed over time, and how Catholics can be more welcoming to
people with larger bodies. In Signs of the Times, we take on what
is on everyone’s mind: coronavirus. We look at how Catholics around
the world are responding practically, and ask if there are some
spiritual lessons to be learned from the pandemic. We also discuss
the recently announced 2022 synod of bishops on—wait for
it—synodality, and check in on how our Lenten practices are going.
Let us know what you think about the episode on our Facebook page,
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the show by becoming a member of our Patreon community. Patrons get
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week. Links from the show:  Fat & Faithful podcast
Amanda’s Twitter Coronavirus: News, Reflections, Analysis. What you
need to know. Pope Francis chooses ‘synodality’ as theme for 2022
synod Can Catholics eat the Impossible Burger during Lent? Sure —
but it’s kind of missing the point, experts say. What’s on
tap?  It’s Lent: Nothing. Learn more about your ad choices.
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