A Complexified podcast episode with Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson, the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at Iliff School of Theology in Denver & host of Complexified: a weekly interview podcast from the Iliff Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture and Religion News Service.
Chainsaws, Catechism, and Courage: How One Parish Grew Through Crisis
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In a dusty parking lot, worship meets organizing as a community faces ICE—and refuses to disappear.
In Vista, California, a Catholic parish that worships outdoors has become a refuge and a rallying point: 13,000 people on a weekend, 900 volunteers, a crucifix chainsaw-carved by parishioners, and a pastor urging his flock to show up when it counts.
Religion News Service reporter Aleja Hertzler-McCain takes us there: to St. Francis festivities packed into a too-small sanctuary, catechism teachers calling families one by one, and a congregation navigating grief after COVID while confronting deportations, raids, and fear. We hear how parish leaders organize listening sessions, set up safety patrols, and fill City Hall to push policies limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement—even as needs outstrip Sunday collections.
It’s faith as survival and solidarity, born in a parking lot and carried into public life. If you’ve wondered what “church” looks like in this political moment, this episode offers a grounded, hopeful answer.
Complexified is a weekly interview podcast hosted by Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson from the Iliff Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture, and Religion News Service.
Each episode dives into the most pressing news stories at the crossroads of religion and politics, exploring the nuances that are often go overlooked.
Whether religiously curious, politically frustrated, or somewhere in between, Complexified brings you conversations that challenge assumptions and spark fresh insights.
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