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Ep. 16 - Exploring Catholic & American Identity w/ Simone Rizkallah

Good Distinctions

🌐 Join us in this thought-provoking conversation as Will Wright and Simone Rizkallah share their perspectives on the often overlooked aspects of their identities as Catholics, Americans, and immigrants. Delving into the rich history of the Armenian Catholic Church and the various rites within the Catholic Church, they explore the impact of persecution and poverty on the Eastern Church. 🔍 Throughout the discussion, Will and Simone tackle important topics such as the busyness of the American Church, the necessity of leisure and contemplation, and the dangers of tribalism and activism. They stress the importance of Scripture and prayer while cautioning against conforming the Church to American values, advocating instead for Catholics to align themselves with the teachings of the Church. 🔑 Key Takeaways: * Respect and honor the feminine and masculine genius in society. * Align societal structures with Gospel principles for human flourishing. * Evaluate personal beliefs in light of Church teachings. * Prioritize Catholic identity over national identity. * Challenge American exceptionalism with a critical examination. * Foster authentic relationships and community for a more humane existence. LINKS: * Simone spoke recently with Cy Kellet of Catholic Answers on The Virtue of Leisure * The Leisure Corner from Endow: * Simone's Article on Leisure in the Life of a Christian 📚 Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 03:00 - The Armenian Catholic Church 06:00 - Different Rites within the Catholic Church 09:00 - Influence of Persecution and Poverty 13:00 - Busyness of the American Church 19:00 - Need for Leisure and Contemplation 25:00 - Dangers of Tribalism and Activism 32:00 - Importance of Scripture and Prayer 38:00 - Clarifying Church Teachings on Women and Work 41:21 - The Feminine and Masculine Genius 42:27 - Structures and Society 43:40 - Liberalism and the Church 44:39 - American Exceptionalism 46:36 - American Catholicism 47:34 - Conforming the Church to Americanism 49:20 - Orthodoxy and Right Belief 51:18 - Personal Beliefs and Catholicism 52:37 - Living Out Solidarity 54:46 - Fostering the Presence of God 👍 If you appreciate insightful discussions on faith, identity, and societal issues, give this video a thumbs up, share it with friends, and subscribe for more engaging content. Good Distinctions is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 🔔 Don't forget to head to YouTube and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest uploads. Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let's continue this meaningful conversation. Thank you for joining us on this exploration of Catholic identity! 🙏✨ Who is Simone Rizkallah? Simone has spent the last two decades in service of the New Evangelization. Before discovering her passion for the Faith and the call to evangelize, she worked in marketing, communications, media, radio and her first love, theatre. She has worked at the parish level, for both youth and adult formation at St. Ambrose parish in Annandale, Virginia and taught high school seniors moral theology and Church History and chaired the Theology Department at St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix, Arizona. As the daughter of immigrants from the Armenian Diaspora in Cairo, Egypt, she has a particular interest in matters of religious freedom and culture. You can find her talks and publications on her blog at culturalgypsy.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.gooddistinctions.com