August 31, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #87, John Dear with Todd Walatka on St. Oscar Romero
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks with Professor Todd Walatka of Notre Dame, author of a new book, “Words of Life: The Preaching of St. Oscar Romero.”Archbishop Oscar Romero is one of our greatest prophets and saints. He was assassinated while saying Mass in San Salvador on March 24, 1980, because he had been speaking out boldly against the U.S. backed killings, injustice and war. He inspired John to work in a Salvadoran refugee camp in 1985, and to traveled regularly to El Salvador for decades, including for Romero’s beatification Mass in San Salvador. For many, Romero is the epitome of the modern-day prophet who denounces war, poverty, and killing, calls people to be converted to the nonviolent Jesus, and announces the coming of God’s reign of justice, disarmament and peace.
Todd Walatka teaches about Catholic theology after Vatican II, Latin American theology, Catholic social teaching, and Christian spirituality. He is also the editor of Óscar Romero and Catholic Social Teaching, which examines the life of Romero in light of contemporary work for justice and human development.“If you hear Romero’s words or know anything about his life, you immediately think, ‘This is the gospel!’” Todd says. “Romero asked us: ‘What is the Good News today? What does it demand of our very lives today? Romero truly believed that the Word of God can change our lives.” Listen in and be inspired by Oscar Romero! God bless you!
August 24, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #86, John Dear with Tim Shriver on the Special Olympics
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks with Tim Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. Tim expanded the organization from one million athletes to over six million athletes in more than 170 countries around the world.After passing on the CEO torch, he wondered how the spirit of the athletes of Special Olympics might provide a model for our divided world. He started a conversation with hundreds of young people, faith leaders, educators, philosophers, scientists, activists and political figures on how we might reclaim our common humanity. So, he formed the nonprofit UNITE which uses what he calls the “Dignity Index,” a new tool to help Americans disagree without demonizing each other.
Tim went to Yale, got his Master’s degree from Catholic University, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Connecticut. Before joining the Special Olympics in 1996, he co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the leading school reform organization in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL). On the side, he is a Hollywood producer of several films including “Amistad.” He is coauthor of “Fully Alive – Discovering What Matters Most,” and co-editor of “The Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening.” In May, Notre Dame awarded him the Laetare Medal.
“My parents were innovation machines,” Tim tells John. “They were problem solvers.” His mother started the Special Olympics by asking, “‘What if we just spoke each others’ language and ate each others’ food?’ That was peace-building. Last year the volunteer army of human goodness created 80,000 Special Olympics events. Go to an event! There’s a recognizable presence of human dignity and therefore divine energy. There’s a different vibrational field. The Special Olympics is a peacemaking movement.” www.specialolympics.org
When John asks about Unite and the Dignity Index, Tim said it’s based on the insight that “our problems are not based on our differences but how we treat each other when we differ. When we treat each other with dignity, we have a good chance of solving our problems. We try to learn how to treat each other with dignity and reduce contempt.” Listen in as Tim describes various ways to respond to others in keeping with human dignity. God bless you!
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AUG
22
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Todd Walatka on Saint Oscar Romero’s Prophetic Voice for Peace
SEP
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John Dear’s new book
Universal Love:
Surrendering to the God of Peace
By John Dear
For more information, click here
Available from www.orbisbooks.com or call 1-800-258-5838, or Amazon.com
August 31, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #87, John Dear with Todd Walatka on St. Oscar Romero
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks with Professor Todd Walatka of Notre Dame, author of a new book, “Words of Life: The Preaching of St. Oscar Romero.”Archbishop Oscar Romero is one of our greatest prophets and saints. He was assassinated while saying Mass in San Salvador on March 24, 1980, because he had been speaking out boldly against the U.S. backed killings, injustice and war. He inspired John to work in a Salvadoran refugee camp in 1985, and to traveled regularly to El Salvador for decades, including for Romero’s beatification Mass in San Salvador. For many, Romero is the epitome of the modern-day prophet who denounces war, poverty, and killing, calls people to be converted to the nonviolent Jesus, and announces the coming of God’s reign of justice, disarmament and peace.
war, poverty, and killing, calls people to be converted to the nonviolent Jesus, and announces the coming of God’s reign of justice, disarmament and peace.Todd Walatka teaches about Catholic theology after Vatican II, Latin American theology, Catholic social teaching, and Christian spirituality. He is also the editor of Óscar Romero and Catholic Social Teaching, which examines the life of Romero in light of contemporary work for justice and human development.
“If you hear Romero’s words or know anything about his life, you immediately think, ‘This is the gospel!’” Todd says. “Romero asked us: ‘What is the Good News today? What does it demand of our very lives today? Romero truly believed that the Word of God can change our lives.” Listen in and be inspired by Oscar Romero! God bless you!
Listen on Apple, Spotify, all major platforms,
and the National Catholic Reporter
August 24, 2026 – This Week’s Episode
Episode #86, John Dear with Tim Shriver on the Special Olympics
On today’s new episode of “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast,” John Dear speaks with Tim Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. Tim expanded the organization from one million athletes to over six million athletes in more than 170 countries around the world.After passing on the CEO torch, he wondered how the spirit of the athletes of Special Olympics might provide a model for our divided world. He started a conversation with hundreds of young people, faith leaders, educators, philosophers, scientists, activists and political figures on how we might reclaim our common humanity. So, he formed the nonprofit UNITE which uses what he calls the “Dignity Index,” a new tool to help Americans disagree without demonizing each other.
Tim went to Yale, got his Master’s degree from Catholic University, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Connecticut. Before joining the Special Olympics in 1996, he co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the leading school reform organization in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL). On the side, he is a Hollywood producer of several films including “Amistad.” He is coauthor of “Fully Alive – Discovering What Matters Most,” and co-editor of “The Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening.” In May, Notre Dame awarded him the Laetare Medal.
“My parents were innovation machines,” Tim tells John. “They were problem solvers.” His mother started the Special Olympics by asking, “‘What if we just spoke each others’ language and ate each others’ food?’ That was peace-building. Last year the volunteer army of human goodness created 80,000 Special Olympics events. Go to an event! There’s a recognizable presence of human dignity and therefore divine energy. There’s a different vibrational field. The Special Olympics is a peacemaking movement.” www.specialolympics.org
When John asks about Unite and the Dignity Index, Tim said it’s based on the insight that “our problems are not based on our differences but how we treat each other when we differ. When we treat each other with dignity, we have a good chance of solving our problems. We try to learn how to treat each other with dignity and reduce contempt.” Listen in as Tim describes various ways to respond to others in keeping with human dignity. God bless you!
Listen on Apple, Spotify, all major platforms,
and the National Catholic Reporter