Good and Decent S2|E5: Going to the Margins

In this episode, Good and Decent is going to the margins — to two very different places and moments in history — to find the power in embracing the most neglected in our society. 

Grotto host Javi Zubizarreta speaks with reporter and author Michael O’Loughlin about the history of the AIDS crisis and the Catholic Church. Michael is the host of the podcast Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church and the author of Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear. A gay Catholic himself, O’Loughlin’s powerful work brings together unimaginable stories of empathy, heartbreak, and grace from the LGBT+ community and the Church. He and Javi discuss the power of these stories, their impact on Michael’s own life, and how Pope Francis himself reached out to recognize this work. 

From Michael’s apartment on the north side of Chicago, Grotto then goes to downtown Cincinnati to meet Gary Short of Foot Care for the Souls, an organization reaching out to people experiencing homelessness. Every day, Gary takes the feet of countless unhoused people into his lap and makes sure they are clean, healthy, and cared for. It’s a powerful witness of serving and loving the most marginalized.

Listen to Michael’s podcast here.

Watch more of Gary’s work here: