Things I Wish I Knew, the podcast from Thinking Faith (the online journal of the Jesuits in Britain) has reached its 50th episode with a special conversation looking back at the people, stories and recurring themes that have shaped its journey. Listen to the 50th episode here.
Hosted by Julia Corcoran and produced by Ethel Mudavanhu, the podcast invites guests to reflect on major turning points in their lives and consider what they wish they had known at the time – and where they can now see God at work. By connecting with others’ stories, listeners can draw on their reflections on life-changing experiences – and perhaps be prompted to see their own differently.
Inspired by Ignatian spirituality and the invitation of St Ignatius of Loyola to find God in all things, the podcast has explored a wide range of experiences over its 50 episodes, including addiction and recovery, loneliness and vocation, adoption, pilgrimage, creativity and caring for creation.
Guests have included former MP and ordained minister Jonathan Aitken, who reflected on his time in prison; author Lauren Windle, who spoke about addiction and sobriety; Emma Hudson, Director of Pray As You Go, who explored the transformative power of pilgrimage; Dallya Alhorri from Jesuit Refugee Service, who shared her experience of arriving in the UK from Sudan and the importance of community and friendship; and Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD, who reflected on being a woman in lay leadership and the experience of finding her vocation in the Church.
The 50th episode sees Julia and Ethel reflect on the journey of the podcast and some of the themes that have emerged through their conversations. These include the importance of community, the experience of suffering, vocation and discernment, and the ways in which creativity can open up encounters with God.
Reflecting on the purpose of the podcast, Ethel said:
“At the heart of each conversation are some very simple Ignatian questions: Where is God in this? What have I learned? What am I grateful for?
“Over 50 episodes, our guests have shared stories of joy, struggle, failure and transformation. Together, they have helped us explore what it means to look back on our own experiences with curiosity and faith, and to notice where God might have been present all along.”
The podcast has developed considerably since its experimental beginnings. The first episode recorded was a conversation with Julia’s housemate Jack, who acted as what Julia describes as a “guinea pig” while the team worked out what the podcast might become. The first series went on to attract more than 1,000 listeners per episode.
Reflecting on reaching the milestone, Julia said:
“I’m so proud of Things I Wish I Knew getting to episode 50. It’s taken a lot of time and discernment about what it should be and how it best responds to the audience. As I said in episode 50, we started off with the first episode being unsure of what we wanted it to be, and I had a conversation with my friend about his mum dying. Now I go to different events and people stop me to tell me about a moment that one of our episodes has impacted them or has related to their experience of God, faith and the church.
“It’s such a privilege to be a part of it. I get to have conversations with people about what God has done in their lives and most of the time, it feels like God is prompting me as well.”
As Things I Wish I Knew reaches its 50th episode, its central invitation remains much the same: to look back at the experiences that have shaped us, ask what we have learned, and notice where God may have been present along the way.
Things I Wish I Knew is produced by Thinking Faith, the online journal of the Jesuits in Britain. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. You can find current and future episodes here.
For more on the themes explored in the podcast, and for articles to help you think about your faith, visit thinkingfaith.org.
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