Fr. August Thompson-the Black Catholic priest that inspired Thomas Merton

The Gloria Purvis Podcast

Gloria speaks with Greg Hillis, Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. In the last few years Prof. Hillis has turned his attention to the life and writings of Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk from Kentucky whose literary estate is housed at the Merton Center at Bellarmine University. In addition to his book on Thomas Merton - "Man of Dialogue": Thomas Merton's Catholic Vision - Prof. Hillis is currently working on a book-length biography of Fr. August Thompson, an oppressed Black Catholic priest who was friends with Merton, who shared his life experiences of personal and systemic racism, and who helped inform Merton’s later work “The Black Revolution: Letters to a White Liberal” on racial injustice. Please consider supporting this podcast by becoming a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About Podcast

Too many voices are not being heard in the Catholic Church today. "The Gloria Purvis Podcast" is a new podcast from America Media hosted by radio personality and Catholic commentator, Gloria Purvis. The podcast centers the opinions, stories and experiences of individuals who have been marginalized in the Catholic Church and in society. A consistent ethic of life informs the conversations and honestly critiques narrow applications of Catholic teachings and ideological attitudes. It's not liberal, it's not conservative. It's all about fostering a culture of charitable dialogue around the most complex and contentious issues in the Catholic Church today. It's just Catholic. Episodes will release weekly.
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Photo courtesy of Joseph Gloor/Word on Fire