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Sebastian Gomes

Executive Editor of Audio and Video at America Magazine, The Jesuit Review

Keynote:

A Place for Everyone: How Pope Francis Ignited the Church’s Mission to Serve People Over Ideas

Pope Francis’ historic and fast-moving papacy dramatically changed the narrative of the Catholic Church igniting a profound sense of hope. He realigned the Church’s priorities by insisting that the lives of people, in all of their complexities, woundedness, and even contradictions, matter more than abstract ideas. He embodied what compassionate pastoral accompaniment and humble dialogue should look like in the 21st century. His was a papacy that challenged Catholics as much as it inspired them. This keynote explores the legacy of Francis’ tireless pursuit of a church that listens first and puts mercy before ideology, and to what degree his pilgrimage of hope is continuing to shape Catholic mission and identity in Leo XIV’s Papacy.  

Sebastian Gomes is a multimedia journalist who leads the podcast and video departments at America Magazine, the Jesuit review. He earned a BA and MA in Theology and History from Saint John’s University in Minnesota. His media career began in 2012 at Salt and Light Media in Toronto, where he produced award-winning feature documentaries, including The Francis Effect (2014) and The Francis Impact (2019). His film projects also include The Church Alive, The Birth of the Messiah, and Magisterium of the People, highlighting global Catholic issues through storytelling.

Sebastian covered major Church events such as the 2013 papal transition and the Synods of Bishops on the Family. In 2019, he joined America Magazine where he has led acclaimed podcasts including Plague: Untold Stories of AIDS and the Catholic Church, Voting Catholic, and The Gloria Purvis Podcast. In 2022, he wrote and directed People of God, America’s first feature documentary about the state of parish life across the United States.

He led America’s coverage of the 2023–24 Rome gatherings of the Synod on Synodality and the 2025 papal election of Pope Leo XIV. He oversees America’s weekly podcast portfolio, including Jesuitical, Inside the Vatican and The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J. He contributes regularly to AmericaMagazine.org.