Can Catholics come together in deeply polarized times? Fr. James Martin is joined by Tim Busch, a businessman, philanthropist, and one of the most prominent Catholic lay leaders in the United States. He is the co-founder and chairman of The Napa Institute, which brings together clergy, scholars, business leaders, and other lay Catholics to explore the Church’s mission in contemporary culture. He’s known for his “salon dinners,” where he brings together people with different perspectives from within the church to break down walls and build friendships.

Together, Tim Busch and Fr. Jim discuss:

-Reaching out and listening to people, even when we disagree ideologically
-Contemplative prayer for busy people
-How our spirituality can help us remain open to people who believe or practice the faith differently than we do

Chapters:
0:00 We all can be pastoral to one another
3:32 Tim’s leadership with a Eucharistic procession
4:45 'Salon dinners' – bringing Catholics together from diverse perspectives
11:57 The impact of Legatus on Tim Busch
17:15 Contemplative prayer for a busy person
22:32: Experiencing God in daily life
25:15 How to find God in suffering
29:45 What’s the Napa Institute?
34:40 Bridging divides in the Catholic church
41:59 Audience Question: How do I know if I’m giving enough of my time and material resources to those in need?

Read Maggi’s spiritual advice column for this episode here: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/10/26/tim-busch-spiritual-life-father-james-martin

Links from the show:

Lowering the temperature in Catholic culture wars—over a meal:
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/07/22/catholic-polarization-sharing-meals-248294/

Breaking bread and ending culture wars:
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/09/12/breaking-bread-and-ending-culture-wars-248765/

Tim Busch and Jim Martin bring left and right Catholics together over dinner and wine:

https://religionnews.com/2024/08/02/liberal-and-conservative-catholics-try-to-overcome-polarization-with-dinner-and-wine/

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