Julio Ricardo Varela on being the only Latino (rebel) in a room. Ep. 72

“Being the only Latino means that while the white men get to
disagree with each other and develop idiosyncratic or
counterintuitive arguments, you can never just say how you feel or
what you think about a story,” wrote Julio Ricardo Varela in
America. “Instead, you always have to frame your comments in a way
that responds to the needs of the 56.5 million people who share
some part of your identity.”   Julio is a Puerto Rican
journalist. Along with writing for Latino Rebels, a website he
founded in 2011 that provides news, analysis and commentary about
U.S. Latino culture, he is the co-host of the Webby-nominated “In
The Thick” podcast with Maria Hinojosa and a contributor to Latino
USA on NPR. On this week’s episode, we talk to Julio about working
in media as a Latino, Hurricane Maria, the sexual abuse crisis and
more.   In Signs of the Times, a giant Pope Francis scarecrow
wins a competition in Ireland; and a 27-year-old pastor starts
GodSquad Church to bring God to the gamer community. In Argentina,
where abortion is illegal in most cases, the Senate voted down a
bill that would have legalized abortion through 14 weeks of
pregnancy. What made the difference between Argentina and the
referendum in Ireland earlier this year that legalized abortion? In
Peru, Jesuit priest Carlos Riudavets Montes was found murdered on
Aug. 10.   Finally, we bring you the latest developments on
the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, including the grand
jury report from Pennsylvania and reports on two Benedictine abbey
schools in England.   We know it has been a difficult week
trying to process what it means to be Catholic during this crisis.
Part of the reason we do this is to help all our listeners process
moments such as these. You can email us at
jesuitical@americamedia.org or tweet us on Twitter. Please feel
free to also join our Facebook group, where members this week
followed a live panel featuring Ashley and Zac on an
intergenerational discussion on how Catholics are responding to the
sexual abuse crisis and shared their own questions and comments
about the crisis.   Links from the show: Giant straw Pope
Francis wins annual scarecrow festival in Ireland An online church
for gamers: Va. pastor draws thousands to worship on Twitch Details
of second letter priest sent to Cardinal O’Malley describing
McCarrick abuse Pennsylvania report documents over 1,000 victims of
priest abuse New reports of sexual abuse rock Benedictine abbey
schools in England The abortion debate in Argentina vs. Ireland:
what made the difference? Jesuit priest murdered in Peru  
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