The Francis Effect

Pope Leo's comments on Senator Dick Durbin, Pete Hegseth's unprecedented meeting with the generals, and an interview with J.D. and Tamara Long-Garcia

Heidi, Daniel, and David look at the recent comments made by Pope Leo in the wake of Cardinal Blase Cupich offering to honor Senator Dick Durbin for a lifetime of service, and then we try to understand exactly what was going on with the recent meeting of generals and other military leaders called by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Finally, Heidi interviews J.D and Tamara Long-Garcia, the parents of a child with autism, to get their response to recent false claims made about the condition by President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Sandburg MediaOctober 9, 2025

Pope Leo's long interview, free speech fallout, and Tricia Bruce on synodality

Heidi, Daniel, and David explore what we might learn from the first official interviews with the Holy Father. We then turn to the recent bouts of alleged political violence and the chilling effects on free speech in the public sphere. Then Heidi interviews sociologist Tricia Bruce about the continuing work of synodality in the Church.

Sandburg MediaSeptember 25, 2025

LGBTQIA+ Jubilee pilgrimage, RFK and vaccines, and an interview with Joe Paprocki

Heidi, Daniel, and David look at the unsettling shifts in America's vaccine policies, and the recent pilgrimage to Rome by LGBTQIA+ Catholics. Heidi interviews author and catechist Joe Paprocki.