AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Fr. John P. Foley, SJ, spent 34 years as a missionary in Peru -- a full career in most lines of work. But then, in 1995, he was missioned back to the United States to start a high school for Latino students from low-income backgrounds in Chicago. Despite immense challenges -- like not knowing where the school would be even at the press conference announcing there would be a new school -- Cristo Rey Jesuit High School was founded in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood in 1996. Centered on an innovative corporate work study model, through which students spend a day a week working with partner companies, low-income students were able to access a high-quality Catholic prep school education. The idea spread like wildfire and the Cristo Rey Network was born, which today includes 39 schools around the country. Fr. Foley led the network after eight years as the first school's president. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Fr. Foley to share the stories of those early days and how they found such incredible success despite the odds. Learn more about the Cristo Rey Network: https://www.cristoreynetwork.org/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

While Fr. Daniel Hendrickson, SJ, president of Creighton University, is excited for both his women's and men's basketball teams' March Madness journeys, today’s episode isn’t about basketball at all. (Well, it makes an appearance for a couple minutes at the end.) It’s about the roles of Jesuit colleges and universities in our world today. Host Mike Jordan Laskey spoke with Fr. Hendrickson a couple months ago about his book “Jesuit Higher Education in a Secular Age,” which explores how Jesuit education can help students create meaningful connections in our highly self-centered, transactional era. Mike asked Fr. Hendrickson about the book’s primary intellectual influence, the peerless contemporary philosopher Charles Taylor. They also talked about the history of Jesuit education and how its vision of educating the whole person stands in contrast to the epidemic of siloed academic departments. Fr. Hendrickson is an incredibly thoughtful leader and it was a lot of fun to pick his brain about the past, present and future of Jesuit higher ed. More about Fr. Hendrickson: https://www.creighton.edu/leadership/president/presidents-biography His book: https://www.amazon.com/Jesuit-Higher-Education-Secular-Age/dp/1647122333 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

Ever since the Jesuits in the United Kingdom launched the daily prayer project “Pray As You Go” (PAYG) in 2006, the creative team behind the resource has shared fabulous audio prayer programs that are spiritually nourishing in their beauty and simplicity. Each day combines music, Scripture from the lectionary, and short spoken prayer prompts that always invite you to reflect on the Scripture in a new way. PAYG will slow you down and invite genuine contemplation, making it so different from almost any other smartphone app or podcast program out there. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world love PAYG, especially here in North America – maybe you’re one of them. For years, host Mike Jordan Laskey – a huge fan of PAYG – has been curious about the team behind the app. How does an episode come together? What inspired the format and why does it work so well? How do they want to grow? So Mike invited Emma Holland onto the show, who serves as PAYG’s director. She has worked for the Jesuits in the UK for almost a decade and has advanced from an audio producer to the leader of the project. Mike asked Emma to take us behind the scenes of PAYG and to share what she loves about her work. It was such a fun conversation and if you haven’t prayed with PAYG before, we really hope you’ll give it a try. You can find it in your smartphone’s app store or download daily episodes using your podcast player of choice. Pray As You Go: https://pray-as-you-go.org/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

The basic details of Father Walter Ciszek life sound like a movie: An American Jesuit priest ministering in Eastern Europe around the time of World War II, he was arrested by the Soviet Union and falsely accused of being a Vatican spy. He spent time in a KGB prison and more than a decade in Siberian labor camps. His family and his Jesuit brothers back in the U.S. assumed he was dead. During his captivity, Fr. Ciszek secretly heard confessions, celebrated Mass, baptized, comforted the sick, and ministered to the dying. His unwavering faith sustained him through solitary confinement, torture, and violent interrogations. The John F. Kennedy administration negotiated his release, and he returned to the United States in 1963. In the years following his release, Fr. Ciszek wrote two books, “With God in Russia” and “He Leadeth Me.” The latter book, a spiritual memoir, shot up to the very top of Amazon’s bestseller list recently, decades after its publication. Why? The extremely popular Catholic prayer app Hallow, which just ran a Super Bowl commercial a few weeks ago, picked “He Leadeth Me” to anchor their Lenten prayer program this year. It’s safe to assume thousands of folks are meeting Fr. Ciszek for the first time. So we thought we’d take the chance to introduce him to AMDG listeners, too. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Jim Keane to come on the show to talk about Fr. Ciszek and his legacy. Jim is a senior editor at America Media, where he oversees the book reviews, literary essays, the Catholic Book Club and the "Faith and Reason" section. Jim is a fantastic writer and storyteller and he has written several great pieces on Fr. Ciszek over the years. So Mike asked Jim to share some of his favorite Fr. Ciszek stories and reflect on why the biggest Catholic smartphone app around might have picked “He Leadeth Me” to read this Lent. America Media's coverage of Fr. Walter Ciszek: https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/100/return-russia https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/06/08/little-known-story-behind-father-walter-ciszeks-god-russia https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2024/02/16/walter-ciszek-soviet-prison-247340 https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/article/chained-free https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2022/05/10/cbc-column-walter-ciszek-242962 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

When you hear the word “Lent,” what is the first thing you think of? Maybe it’s purple or giving up social media or chocolate. Or maybe it’s trying to build better prayer habits or abstaining from meat on Fridays. Or famous Lenten Scripture passages like the Transfiguration. For Margaret Felice, today's guest, one thing that’s always near the top of her mind when it comes to Lent is music. Margaret is a professional singer and liturgical musician with an absolutely stunning voice. She’s also a terrific writer and a first-year doctoral student in theology at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry. She taught religion and directed a liturgical choir at Boston College High School for 18 years. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Margaret to pick two of her favorite Lenten hymns that we could discuss. She picked “Again We Keep This Solemn Fast” and “Were You There.” And as a totally surprising gift, Margaret went ahead and recorded herself singing both these hymns along with accompanist Chris Rakovec on piano. We’ll include excepts from both hymns in the episode. Margaret and Mike also talked about the role of the Lenten season without our spiritual lives, and what opportunities this yearly observance gives us to grow in faith, hope and love. Margaret Felice: https://margaretfelice.com/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

Today's guest has an incredible amount of experience of the truly "catholic," global nature of the church. Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, SJ, today serves as the dean of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University. This school is one of the two Jesuit “theologates” in the United States, which means it’s a place where Jesuits in formation from all over the world pursue theology studies alongside lay students. Before arriving at JST last August, Fr. Orobator spent seven years as the president of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar, leading the Jesuits on the continent where the order is growing fastest. A theologian originally from Nigeria with a doctorate from the United Kingdom who specializes in ecclesiology, the study of the Church, he is the author of a number of books, including “Theology Brewed in an African Pot” and “The Pope and the Pandemic: Lessons in Leadership in a Time of Crisis.” In the first few months of his tenure at the JST, Pope Francis invited Fr. Orobator to attend the Synod on Synodality in Rome, where he was a voting member. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked him about that experience, about synodality at work in the Church in Africa, and what his goals are for his leadership at JST. You’ll see from his thoughtfulness and deep faith on display in this conversation why Fr. Orobator has been tapped for big leadership roles within the Society of Jesus and beyond over and over again. Learn more about Fr. Orobator: https://www.scu.edu/jst/about/faculty/orobator.html AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

Even though the French paleontologist and theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin died in 1955, it feels like his work is still being discussed and debated in theological circles all the time. There are numerous associations and publications dedicated solely to exploring Teilhard’s huge body of work. He made it back into the news this past fall when Pope Francis described him as “often misunderstood” during a Mass in Mongolia. Host Mike Jordan Laskey reached out to one of the foremost Teilhard experts in the United States, Sister Kathy Duffy, SSJ, to learn more about this fascinating Jesuits. Sr. Kathy is a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia and the president of the of the American Teilhard Association. She’s also Professor Emerita of Physics at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where she directs the Institute for Religion and Science. She has written two books on Teilhard, including, most recently, “Teilhard’s Struggle: Embracing the Work of Evolution” (Orbis). Sr. Kathy also guides retreats on topics related to Teilhard’s life and work. Mike asked Sr. Kathy to introduce him to Teilhard’s life and thought. Why does he continue to be so interesting to so many people today? And why is he controversial? Sr. Kathy talked about the relationship between faith and science, some key biographical moments in Teilhard’s life that shaped his theology, and where readers new to his work might want to start. American Teilhard Association: https://teilharddechardin.org/ Sr. Kathy Duffy, SSJ, Ph.D.: https://www.chc.edu/faculty/kathleen-duffy www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus jesuitmedialab.org/

For more than 60 years, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) has been a pioneer in the service landscape. With over 100 volunteers each year and over 12,000 alumni, they are one of the largest lay, Catholic, full-time volunteer programs in the world. JVC gives young adults the opportunity to engage in service and solidarity with local communities, rooted in the values of spirituality, simple living, community and social justice. Host Mike Jordan Laskey recently spoke with JVC’s president, Tom Chabolla, who has served in the role since 2018. Tom has more than 30 years working in faith-based and community-development organizations and he brings a wealth of expertise to the role. Mike asked Tom about what inspires him in his work, plus how he and his team navigated the pandemic. They also talked about the challenges JVC and other similar organizations are facing today and how they’re responding. This conversation is the second part of a two-week series on full-time volunteer programs in the Ignatian family. Be sure to listen to last week’s conversation between my colleague Eric Clayton and Mary McGinnity, president and CEO of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, which typically works with volunteers quite a bit older than JVs, folks who have spent decades in career and family life. Jesuit Volunteer Corps: https://www.jesuitvolunteers.org/ About Tom Chabolla: https://www.jesuitvolunteers.org/jvc-news/meet-tom-chabolla-jvc-s-new-president-jvc-is-proud-to-welcome-tom-at-the-helm-of-the-organization-starting-november-1 www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus jesuitmedialab.org/

In the final meditation of the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola reminds us “that love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words.” We are called to love and serve in all things. And so, it’s hardly a surprise that in the 500 or so years since Ignatius wrote those words, countless service organizations have grown and flourished within the Ignatian tradition. Over the course of the next two weeks, we’re going to explore two of those organizations. Today, we’re talking about the Ignatian Volunteer Corps with President and CEO of IVC, Mary McGinnity. Mary has more than 30 years of experience in leadership positions in education, faith formation, pastoral counseling, parish ministry and faith-based non-profit social justice and service organizations. She’s a graduate of the College of Holy Cross and served as a Jesuit Volunteer. Most importantly, Mary is passionate about integrating service and justice. Today’s host Eric Clayton has had the privilege of traveling to a number of IVC communities and meeting countless Ignatian volunteers. These are remarkable women and men who bring to their service experience a whole career worth of knowledge, insights, skills and networks. And they offer all of these invaluable resources to local nonprofits, bolstering the capacity of communities to respond to some of the most pressing needs of our time. What’s more, IVC is a lay-led organization that is empowering lay leaders. In many ways, IVC is helping all of us envision what it means to be Church — especially as we all try to live the ongoing lessons of the Synod on Synodality. If you’re interested in learning more about IVC, visit IVCUSA.org.

It’s hard to know where to start an interview with Jesuit Fr. Leo O’Donovan. At 89 years old, Fr. O’Donovan’s could boast a hefty list of accomplishments and accolades—though he’s not much interested in bragging. A theologian by training, he studied under the prominent Jesuit Fr. Karl Rahner in Munich, where O’Donovan’s own body of work would eventually earn him The Knight Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit, with Star, of the Federal Republic of Germany. For over a decade, Fr. O’Donovan served as president of Georgetown University. He also served on the board of the Walt Disney Company and the National Council on the Arts. Through his many leadership positions, he has become friends with global leaders such as German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright, and President Joe Biden—to name a few. Contrary to what his impressive CV might imply, Fr. O’Donovan is easy to talk to. He’s an eager storyteller, drawn to engaging people, whether that be his first-grade teacher, a Dominican nun, or his mentor Karl Rahner. For the last eight years, Fr. O’Donovan has served as the director of mission for the Jesuit Refugee Service in the U.S, a position which he calls “an incredible privilege.” Our conversation covers all this and more. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Learn more about the Jesuit Refugee Service at jrsusa.org This episode was produced and edited by MegAnne Liebsch

Have you ever met someone so passionate about something that you just couldn’t help getting excited about it, too? That was host Mike Jordan Laskey's experience when he first met Fr. Tom Curran, SJ, today's guest. Fr. Curran, who served as the president of Rockhurst University in Kansas City for 16 years, is now the coordinator of the Jesuit Prison Education Network (JPEN). Through participation in JPEN, nine different Jesuit institutes of higher learning offer college courses and degree programs -- taught by their own college/university professors -- at correctional facilities around the country. The programs are open to both those who are incarcerated and prison staff members, and Fr. Curran has some incredible stories about how the programs have changed the students and teachers lives and even the cultures of the correctional facilities themselves. In the conversation, Fr. Curran describes some of the ways our criminal justice system is dehumanizing and how prison education is a prophetic statement against that reality. He also talks about how Ignatian spirituality inspires his work and shared some of the most powerful stories from the JPEN programs. Subscribe to the JPEN email newsletter: https://jesuitscentralsouthern.us21.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7e1f684649378603a3b6af1a0&id=6aee2e3285 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus https://jesuitmedialab.org/

This past weekend, we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany, when the three magi followed yonder star to God’s perfect light (to paraphrase the old song). By gazing at the stars, people from near and far we’re drawn to Christ—a reminder that, woven into the very fabric of the universe, God reveals Godself, guiding us deeper into God’s mystery and an encounter with Christ. What was true more than 2,000 years ago remains true today. Stars, meteorites, planets, the mysteries of space still speak to us of God and God’s dream for creation. And the Society of Jesus continues to be on the forefront of discerning God in the stars. More than 30 asteroids have been named for Jesuits. There are a similar number of craters on the moon bearing Jesuit names. And based on the work of today’s guest, it’s entirely possible that the Society of Jesus might find itself with a few more astral namesakes in the not-so-distant future. Br. Bob Macke, SJ, is one of the world’s foremost experts in the study of meteorites. And his work has been instrumental in OSIRIS-REx mission, a recent NASA mission that might reveal new insight into the earliest moments of the solar system. Today, he talks to us about his work, his vocation and what he hopes to learn as he continues to comb through space—that final frontier. Br. Bob studied physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Washington University in St. Louis, before entering the Society of Jesus in 2001. Between 2011 and 2013 he studied theology at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, during which time he also constructed a new ideal-gas pycnometer for measuring meteorite densities. Br. Macke joined the Vatican Observatory in July 2013, where he studies meteorite physical properties in the observatory’s meteorite laboratory. In August 2014, Br. Macke became the curator of the Vatican collection of 1200 meteorite specimens.

Happy New Year! And welcome to the first episode of AMDG of 2024. Each January, to kick off a new year, we like to delve into aspects of Ignatian spirituality that might be particularly useful as we think about forming better habits and growing deeper in our relationship with God over the next 12 months. After all, Ignatian spirituality is all about discovering who God dreams we might be by better understanding the person God already knows we are—and already loves. This year is no different. We’re excited to welcome Jesuit priest, Fr. Christopher Collins, to the show today. Fr. Collins is the Vice President for Mission at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. He’s the author of several books, most recently “Habits of Freedom: 5 Ignatian Tools for Clearing Your Mind and Resting Daily in the Lord” from Ave Maria Press. It’s this book we discuss today. An important story from Scripture that Fr. Collins returns to again and again in his book—and in our conversation—is that of the Baptism of Jesus, which we celebrate on January 8. It’s an important day not only in the life of Jesus but also in our own spiritual journeys. The challenge, as Fr. Collins articulates, is to hear those words of God the Father to Jesus spoken also to us. Do we see ourselves as the beloved of God? We should! Because remembering that essential piece of our identity can make all the difference as we begin a new year. Pick up your copy of Fr. Collins' book here: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/habits-of-freedom

If you’re a long-time listener of this podcast—and certainly if you’re a graduate of Jesuit education—then you likely know a thing or two about the story of St. Ignatius of Loyola. You know about his courtly life, the cannonball, the conversion, the books he read while bedridden, his pilgrimage and the cave and the founding of the Society of Jesus. You probably can rattle plot points off just like that. But have you ever taken time to really immerse yourself in the story? To imagine what Ignatius said to his fellow soldiers? To picture the scene of the early companions gathered before the pope? In short, have you painted in the sketch of Ignatius’ life so that the colors leap from the page? Today’s guest, Tyler Button, certainly has—in more ways than one. A former special education teacher, Tyler is now the founder of Tapestry Comics, a publisher that focuses on making historical narratives exciting and accessible to readers of all ages, but especially high school students. His past projects have featured William the Conqueror and Joan of Arc. But in turning to the life and legacy of Ignatius of Loyola—and imagining himself in the scenes he was portraying—Tyler discovered the practical power of Ignatian spirituality. In today’s conversation, we unpack what it means to tell the story of Ignatius across a new medium—and why it matters for the Ignatian family today. If you’re interested in learning more about Tyler’s work or getting a copy of his book, “The Greater Glory: The Story of Ignatius Loyola,” you can contact him https://www.tapestrycomics.com/contact.

It's an AMDG Christmas jamboree: our first-ever five-person episode. Friends of the pod (and awesome writers/retreat leaders) Shannon Evans and Cameron Bellm join AMDG's three co-hosts Mike Jordan Laskey, Eric Clayton and MegAnne Liebsch for a draft of Christmas characters. The conversation is raucous, overstuffed, reflective, spiritual, a little melancholic, mostly fun -- kind of like the whole Christmas season overall. The appearance of Shannon and Cameron is also a teaser for our new project, the Jesuit Media Lab, which gathers, forms and unleashes Ignatian creators. See how you can get involved at jesuitmedialab.org. Merry Christmas from AMDG and everyone at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

“There is no faith without an encounter, because faith is a personal encounter with Jesus,” Pope Francis writes. He goes on: “One of the things that helps us when we have the Gospels before our eyes is to imagine those encounters with Jesus—recreate them, look at him ourselves, meet him ourselves. In the Gospels, to look and to see are two very important verbs. So let us approach the episodes in the life of Jesus with eyes filled with contemplation.” This is a brief excerpt from the introduction to the new book “The Life of Jesus” by veteran Vatican reporter and current editorial director of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Andrea Tornielli. Andrea is today’s guest. And as you’ll quickly learn, in his work and his writing, he lives out Pope Francis’ words. His new book isn’t just a retelling of the Gospel. It’s an experience. It’s an invitation to immerse ourselves in the story, to use our imagination and bring to life the words of Scripture. We hear, too, throughout his book the teachings of Pope Francis. In short, this book is a compilation of biblical text, imaginative prayer and papal insights. It’s very Ignatian. And, as Pope Francis reminds us, we are challenged to approach these key episodes in the life of Jesus with contemplative spirit. And we’re approaching one of those key moments now: Christmas, the Incarnation. In the conversation today, Andrea pulls from his book and his own personal prayer life to help us as we journey through these remaining Advent days and prepare anew for Christ. If you’d like to learn more about “The Life of Christ” and pick up a copy, visit the Loyola Press online store: https://store.loyolapress.com/the-life-of-jesus

From the Jesuits of Canada and the United States, this is AMDG. I’m Mike Jordan Laskey. Sometimes, people wonder how we pick guests for the show. We tell them the Jesuit network is so huge that we’ll never run out of interesting conversation partners. Sometimes, though, we come across someone outside of a Jesuit context whose work we love and who we wish we could ask on the show. If only they had a Jesuit connection! But then in some rare occasions, when we look into this great person who’s not connected to the Jesuits, we discover they do indeed have a connection! That was the case with today’s guest, the author and University of Michigan professor Phil Christman. Phil is the author of two great books of essays, which are titled “How to Be Normal” and “Midwestern Futures.” He also writes a Substack newsletter called “The Tourist” and contributes frequently to “Commonweal.” And, we just found out that he got his master’s degree at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There’s the Jesuit connection we needed! Phil’s essays are funny, sharp, clear, complex and always original. He weaves together elements of memoir, theology, pop culture and literary criticism and more. Host Mike Jordan Laskey’s most common reaction when reading Phil Christman, beyond marveling at his curiosity and his mastery of the essay form, is to sit back and think, “Well, I’ve never thought about that topic in that way before.” One of Mike’s favorite essays of Phil’s is from his book “How to Be Normal,” and it’s titled “How to Be Religious.” An observant Christian in a largely secular milieu, Phil writes about faith in an incredibly compelling way. Phil and Mike talked about the essay and the nature of religious faith. They also discussed teaching English composition in the age of ChatGPT, and why Phil left Twitter after years of being an active user. Phil’s Substack: https://philipchristman.substack.com/ Phil’s books: https://beltpublishing.com/blogs/authors/phil-christman AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

This coming Sunday, December 3, is the first Sunday of Advent and the start of a whole new Church Year. These days leading up to Christmas and beyond can feel overwhelming: spiritually, emotionally, all of it. So, it’s tempting to say, Haven’t we already done this? What more do I have to learn from these stories? I’m going to sit this one out. Today’s guest, Joe Durepos, is a story expert. He’s worked in publishing for more the four decades: as a bookseller, a sales rep, a literary agent and an acquisitions editor. He helped launch Fr. Jim Martin’s bestselling book, My Life with the Saints, and Mother Teresa’s No Greater Love. He’s worked with countless other incredible authors, including Becky Eldredge, Fr. Richard Rohr, Chris Lowney, Joy Loverde and many more. He retired from Loyola Press in 2018 and was inducted into the Association of Catholic Publishers Hall of Fame in 2019. Now, he spends his time coaching writers through his own agency, Durepos Literary. But Joe doesn’t just read and edit authors; he’s an author himself. And his new work, 2024: A Book of Grace-Filled Days, is the antidote we need to the complacency we might find ourselves in during this season of Advent. Joe shares with us what it was like to prayerfully write a whole year’s worth of reflections, what he learned for his own spiritual life and what we might learn, too, as a result. Today, as you listen to Joe share about his own prayer journey, I invite you to consider your own. What might you add during these Advent days? How might the Spirit be inviting you to prepare anew for the coming of Christ? One suggestion: Sign up for our daily Advent reflections. Just head over to Jesuits.org/advent. And while you’re cruising around the internet, pick up a copy of Joe’s book—I’ve linked to it in the episode description, as well as info on Durepos Literary. Just a note on today’s episode: We recorded last week, November 21, so when Joe mentions the readings of the day, that’s the day in question. Sign up for our Advent reflections: https://jesuits.org/advent Learn more about Joe’s current work: https://www.dureposliterary.com/ Get a copy of 2024: A Book of Grace-Filled Days: https://store.loyolapress.com/2024-a-book-of-grace-filled-days?quantity=1

This week in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday in which we’re invited to cultivate a disposition of gratitude. What are we thankful for? Who are we thankful for? How can we be gifts to others? Gratitude is a foundational disposition in Ignatian spirituality. Ignatius wanted us to know that our God is a giver of good gifts, a God who delights in us for the gift that we already are—and for the giftedness we have yet to share with the world. From that place, that spiritual sense of self, we go out to do God’s good work. Today’s guest is Jesuit priest Mark Thibodeaux. He’s the pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in New Orleans and a prolific writer on all things Ignatian. He’s something of an expert on that foundational Ignatian prayer of gratitude: the examen. Fr. Thibodeaux has been praying the examen for a long time, and today we talk about how and why the examen is such a versatile prayer. There are examens to ferret out racism and examens to combat climate change and examens to help us better understand the mission of our Jesuit institutions. But at the end of the day, the examen is about gratitude. Without it, everything goes south. So, today, we talk about prayer, spirituality and gratitude. Check out our compilation of examen prayers: https://www.jesuits.org/spirituality/the-ignatian-examen/ Get a copy of Fr. Mark's book, "Reimagining the Ignatian Examen:" https://store.loyolapress.com/reimagining-the-ignatian-examen

At the end of October, about 1900 people arrived at a massive hotel in Washington, DC, for the 26th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which is sponsored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network. Most of the attendees were students from Jesuit high schools and colleges, gathered for three days of prayer, encounter, Catholic social teaching education and political action. Like always, the energy at this year’s teach-in was palpable. There were great keynote speakers and informative workshops on topics like the war in Israel and Gaza and the legacy of Jesuit slaveholding. One new element of the teach-in, though, was a temporary art gallery assembled right outside the main hall. Organized through a joint project of the organizations Catholic Artist Connection and Discerning Deacons, the exhibit showed off the work of dozens of artists who had participated in three-month process of prayer and dialogue in response to the ongoing Synod on Synodality. The artists created paintings and sculptures and wrote poems in response to their experience. As host Mike Jordan Laskey walked around the gallery, one enormous canvas caught his eye: It’s a brightly colorful painting of Jesus titled “But Who Do You Say That I Am?” Jesus looks out at the viewer, gesturing toward us, inviting us to answer the question ourselves. Surrounding him on the canvas are some of Christ’s ancient titles: Bread of Life, Good Shepherd. The painter of the work is a California-based artist named Jen Norton, and she’s one of today’s guests. Our other guest is Allison Beyer, who was the Art & Synodality program coordinator. Mike asked them both about the project and why they think art is such a powerful force for healing in our divided church and world. Check out the virtual Art & Synodality gallery: https://catholicartistconnection.com/artandsynodality-virtual See more of Jen Norton’s work: https://www.jennortonartstudio.com/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Today’s episode is the second part of host Mike Jordan Laskey's conversation with Fr. David Collins, SJ, about his fabulous new book “The Jesuits in the United States: A Concise History.” If you didn’t hear the first part of the interview, you might want to go back to last week’s episode and catch up. On today’s show, we focus mostly on American Jesuit history from the 20th and 21st centuries. Fr. Collins is an associate professor in the Department of History at Georgetown University, where he’s also the Haub Director of Catholic Studies. “The Jesuits in the United States: A Concise History”: www.amazon.com/Jesuits-United-St…ory/dp/1647123488 Fr. David Collins, SJ: gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/0…vid-collins AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

“The history of America cannot be told without the history of religion, the history of American religion cannot be told without the history of Catholicism, and history of Catholicism in America cannot be told without the history of the Jesuits in America.” That’s the beginning of the dust jacket text for the new book “The Jesuits in the United States: A Concise History” by Fr. David J. Collins, SJ, published by Georgetown University Press. Fr. Collins is an associate professor in the Department of History at Georgetown University, where he’s also the Haub Director of Catholic Studies. It’s incredible how you can learn about America and the Society of Jesus in just 175 pages of Fr. Collins’ clear and engaging prose. If you have any interest at all in the Jesuits in the U.S., then we can’t recommend this book highly enough. Starting in 1566, the book traces the activity and growth of the Jesuits throughout America, highlighting key figures, landmark events, and important stories like the history of Jesuit slaveholding. When host Mike Jordan Laskey started the interview, hey thought they’d make it through the book in one episode, but there’s so much richness to cover that we’re splitting up the conversation into two parts. Today, we’re covering the 16th century up through the U.S. Civil War. Next week, you’ll hear their discussion about more modern Jesuit history. “The Jesuits in the United States: A Concise History”: https://www.amazon.com/Jesuits-United-States-Concise-History/dp/1647123488 Fr. David Collins, SJ: https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/00336000014RZf9AAG/david-collins AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Decades before Virginia Senator Tim Kaine ran for vice president in 2016, he spent a year ministering alongside Jesuits in the country of Honduras. That experience changed his life forever. Even though Senator Kaine was in Honduras back in 1980 and 1981, he still talks about his time there as if he got back just yesterday. It was the experience in Honduras that exposed him to the horrors of poverty and led him to pursue a career in public interest law and then in politics. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Senator Kaine about his time in Honduras and how his faith informs his public service. After the conversation with Senator Kaine, stick around for more context on the Jesuits and Honduras. Harrison Hanvey, who works at the Jesuit Conference’s Office of Justice and Ecology, just got back from a trip to Honduras, where he was part of a delegation marking the 40th anniversary of the disappearance and death of the American Jesuit missionary Fr. Guadalupe Carney. Harrison’s stories provide some helpful context to Senator Kaine’s experience. Learn about Senator Kaine’s time in Honduras: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/03/us/politics/tim-kaine-honduras-jesuit.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5Ew.8Wj2.VBV-AGA2I3Eg&smid=url-share Learn about Fr. Guadalupe Carney, SJ: https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/09/20/james-carney-jesuit-revolutionary-honduras-martyr-246126 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

If you’ve ever been intimidated by Ignatian spirituality, today’s guest will put you at ease. In fact, Fr. Michael Hansen is determined to make the Ignatian exercises accessible to as many people as possible. Why? It’s simple: He knows that God is at work, whether you’re doing the full thirty day retreat or just a one-off reflection. Host Eric Clayton has been intrigued by Mick’s work for a while. In fact, longtime listeners will remember when he came on our podcast a few years ago. He talked about the First Spiritual Exercises. Mick wrote a book by the same name. But it’s also a shorthand for what Ignatius meant in the 18th Annotation of the full Spiritual Exercises. Both Mick and Ignatius want people to be able to access the riches of Ignatian spirituality, even if you don’t have thirty days to sit at a retreat center. Today, Mick brings us up to date on that work. But he also introduces us to a monthlong initiative he’s been steering that invites us to contemplate the many Marian devotions of Ignatus of Loyola. Mick and the Jesuits in Australia have produced a beautiful collection of short meditations that pair a Marian image—perhaps a statue that Ignatius would have seen in his childhood or a painting that hung in his room—with guided prayers to help us more intentionally journey through this month of Mary. If you’ve ever wanted to know what Ignatian contemplation of the Blessed Mothers looks like, this is the episode for you. Learn more about the First Spiritual Exercises: https://jesuit.org.au/ignatian-spirituality/first-spiritual-exercises/ Check out the Marian reflections and get on Mick’s mailing list: https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=75fd6f8cf8deaab17d0961da5&id=3f175b637a

If you have followed Jesuit-related headlines over the past few months, you might have heard about the situation in Nicaragua. In August, the government of dictator Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, closed the Jesuit-run University of Central America in the capital city of Managua. They confiscated the property, too, including the Jesuit residence there. While these developments have captured the attention of the Society of Jesus globally, they are just one part of a much larger trend of repression in Nicaragua. To learn more about the context, host Mike Jordan Laskey spoke recently with Juan Sebastián Chamorro. An economist by trade who ran for president of Nicaragua against Ortega in 2021, knowing full well the election would not be free and fair, Juan was arrested by the police in the middle of the night in June 2021. He would go on to spend 20 months behind bars as a political prisoner, separated from his wife and daughter. Last February, Juan was one of 222 political prisoners from the country who was freed and put on a plane to the United States. Nicaragua has revoked his citizenship, and Juan now lives here in exile with his family. This academic year, he is serving as a visiting fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. In the conversation, Juan described the context and background of the repression in Nicaragua. He also talked about the experience of his arrest, imprisonment and exile to the United States. Juan also has had a lifelong connection to the Jesuits and spoke of how his faith supported him during his incredible hardship. Juan is a member of one of the most prominent families devoted to public service in the modern history of Nicaragua – his aunt was the first female president of the country and his cousin Christiana was imprisoned at the same time Juan was. His commitment to carrying on his family’s legacy despite the risks, not to mention his impassioned defense of democracy in his beloved home country, made this conversation one of the most moving interviews in the history of AMDG. If you would like to learn more about how to support the Jesuits, students and faculty connected to the University of Central America, visit Jesuits.org/nicaragua. Learn more about Juan: https://kellogg.nd.edu/juan-sebasti%C3%A1n-chamorro AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

You may have heard that the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is meeting all month long in Rome. This is just the latest stage of the years-long Synod on Synodality, which included listening sessions in parishes and other Catholic ministry settings all over the world. Participants will be discussing issues connected to communion, participation and the mission of the church. One thing that makes this synod different from all the others that came before it is that this is the first time that laypeople – including women – are participating as voting members. And one of those laypeople is Julia Osęka, and she’s today’s guest. Julia is a physics and theology major at Saint Joseph’s University, the Jesuit college in Philadelphia. Originally from a small town in Poland, the story of how Julia came to represent North America and young adults at the synod is an incredible one. Julia got involved in a synod initiative that united the Catholic universities and Newman centers from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a collaborative effort that was unique in the country. From there, thanks to her deep faith, thoughtful disposition and ability to listen intently and generously, Julia was selected to participate in the continental stage of the synod, and then finally chosen to participate in Rome. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her what it was like to find out she was going to the synod, and how she’s navigating missing a month’s worth of classes. They also talked about her background and how she found herself at Saint Joe’s in the first place. When you listen to the conversation, you’ll be able to tell how impressive and faith-filled Julia is. It’s so great that she’s representing young adults, Jesuit higher ed and all of us from North America at the synod. Along with this episode, we are publishing an article by one of Julia’s campus ministers at St. Joe’s, Beth Ford McNamee. In the piece, Beth describes the synod process in Philadelphia that eventually led to Julia’s participation in Rome. You can read that piece at Jesuits.org. Learn more about Julia: https://www.sju.edu/news/pope-francis-appoints-julia-oseka-25-delegate-universal-assembly-rome-marking-first-time AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Here’s a list of famous comedians who all have at least one thing in common that’s relevant to this podcast: Bob Newhart, Bill Murray, Bob Hope, Chris Farley, George Carlin, Amy Poehler, Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Dan Aykroyd, John Leguizamo, John Candy, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Jim Gaffigan, Janeane Garofalo and John Mulaney. Did you guess? They all have a Catholic background in some way or other. Some were raised Catholic and left the church, some are still practicing Catholics today or practiced throughout their lives, and Bob Hope was a famous convert to Catholicism thanks to his devout wife Dolores. Why are so many Catholics, including a bunch of Jesuit high school and college alumni, comedians? What is it about the faith that leads performers down this road? Today’s guest is uniquely qualified to reflect on this question. Fr. Jake Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest. He’s also a standup comedian with a deep background in theater, improv comedy and the study of film. After completing his Ph.D. in film studies at Trinity College Dublin earlier this year, Fr. Jake is now teaching film at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He also writes about culture for America magazine. And it was a recent piece on the Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan that led host Mike Jordan Laskey to reach out for this interview. Jim Gaffigan, an alum of Georgetown University, has never been shy about including his Catholicism in his standup comedy performances, but his most recent special, titled “Dark Pale,” takes the religiosity to a whole new level. There’s a whole segment in the performance when Gaffigan just tells the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego. There’s no big punchline or payoff. He just tells the story, in his own clever way. But it felt like it could’ve been a homily, or at least a talk at a parish mission. Mike asked Fr. Jake about Gaffigan and for Fr. Jake’s own theories about why there are so many Jesuit-educated, Catholic comedians out there. They also talked about Fr. Jake’s own background as a performer and how he integrates his identities as priest in comedian into a single, unified person. Read Fr. Jake Martin, SJ: https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/jake-martin AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

If you’ve had any encounter with Jesuits or Ignatian spirituality, you know the whole thing rests on the simple yet radical idea that God is to be found in all things. And films — stories — are an obvious place to look for God. Stories reflect who we are as people; they point the way toward where we might yet go. We can all point to our favorite “religious” film, right? ("The Mission," "Of Gods and Men," "Calvary"...) But what about movies that are less obviously religious? That seems almost entirely bereft of any spirituality? Today’s topic—and guest—will provide some answers. John Dougherty has been working in Jesuit schools for more than a decade. He knows a thing or two about finding God in all things—and helping others do the same. As a writer, he’s penned many an essay at the intersection of faith, pop culture, parenting and spirituality. That’s why America Magazine asked him to helm the weekly “Catholic Movie Club” column. You can learn more about John at johndocwrites.com. And follow along at the Catholic Movie Club: https://www.americamagazine.org/section/catholic-movie-club

Fr. Chris Kellerman, SJ, is the author of "All Oppression Shall Cease: A History of Slavery, Abolitionism, and the Catholic Church" (Orbis, 2022), which provides a rigorously researched, era-by-era history of the Catholic Church’s teachings and actions related to slavery. The book gives a detailed account of the Church’s slaveholding past while issuing a call for the Church to take the necessary steps to reconcile with its history. Fr. Kellerman is also the brand-new Secretary of Justice and Ecology for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. He talked with his colleague and guest host MegAnne Liebsch about the book and the Office of Justice and Ecology's advocacy work on a wide range of pressing social issues. Fr. Kellerman's book: https://www.amazon.com/All-Oppression-Shall-Cease-Abolitionism/dp/1626984891 Sign up for the Office of Justice and Ecology's newsletter and action alerts: https://jesuits.org/advocate AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Many weeks ago, host Eric Clayton visited a coastal town in Kenya called Malindi — and the Jesuit community that lives there. It’s a new community, only about five or so years old, and it’s been tasked with carrying out the legacy of St. Francis Xavier who visited that very place many, many years ago. Xavier — the great missionary — spent only a few days on that shore. But while there, he engaged in interreligious dialogue, meeting with and learning from the local Muslim communities. The bishop of Malindi has asked the Jesuits of today to return and continue that work. Fr. Thomas Aquino Deshi Ramadhani, or just Deshi for short, is the Jesuit who has been tasked with leading these efforts. Originally from Indonesia, he’s accustomed to building community with Muslims and those of other faiths. He’s also a writer—an author of many books—and a retreat director. When Eric was with him, he was preparing to give a retreat on the enneagram and Ignatian spirituality. Today’s conversation is very rich. It touches of course on interreligious dialogue—and why Deshi prefers to call it inter-spiritual trialogue—and about how the enneagram influences the writing life. Deshi dives deep into his own spiritual background and shares with us countless nuggets of spiritual wisdom. But one thing that is worth highlighting is that the fruits of this conversation reflect the nature of our global Catholic faith: an Indonesian and an American meeting in Kenya and bound together by the Ignatian tradition and our desire to live out the Gospel. Deshi’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-Ramadhani/author/B093C9SQ4D?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Video on Malindi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir2KffiLgUY Video on Xavier’s Chapel in Malindi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocY0kWWxfcw&t=4s Vocation Story on an American Jesuit in Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm_g0ernKSI&t=6s

Conventional wisdom would have us keep our options open. Don’t commit until you have to—and even then, always have a backup plan. The world’s a big place with lots of choices, and you deserve your crack at all of them. That might be conventional wisdom. But our guest today, Pete Davis, firmly disagrees. In fact, he wrote a whole book about it. It’s called “Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing.” And in it, Pete lays out not only why committing ourselves to something greater can give our lives more meaning and purpose, but why commitment can lead us to becoming more engaged and effective citizens of our world. Pete is a civic advocate from Falls Church, Virginia, and a graduate of Harvard Law School where his graduation speech, “A Counterculture of Commitment” went viral. As he says in our interview, his passion isn’t just commitment; his passion is deepening American solidarity and democracy. To that end, he cofounded the Democracy Policy Network, and travels the country promoting projects and initiatives that build up local democratic institutions—thus giving more people more power over their political and civic lives. As you listen to Pete talk, you’ll note that the principles of Catholic social teaching and Ignatian spirituality are never far from his mind. Pete gives us a masterclass in how to translate the Ignatian tradition into political engagement—and how to do so with joy. You can learn more about Pete and his work at petedavis.org. And check out the film Pete mentions at the end of the conversation here: https://putnamdoc.com/

If you spend any time on social media, you might have seen Washington Post columnist Christine Emba’s big essay earlier this summer. It’s headlined “Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness.” Every so often there’s a piece about contemporary masculinity that pops up, but Christine’s piece was so widely read. The essay takes on the challenges men face in American society today with nuance, clarity and incredible depth. Christine really is a fabulously smart writer and reporter, which you’ll know if you read any of her columns or her book “Rethinking Sex: A Provocation,” which came out last year. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Christine about the crises men are facing, the ultra-conservative voices that have become quote-unquote “manfluencers,” and what she sees as key ingredients to cultivating healthier masculinity. As Christine is a convert to Catholicism, Mike also asked her what she thought about how celibate clergy in particular might model masculinity, and what advice she might offer from her research to people raising or forming young men. “Men are lost” essay (unlocked): https://wapo.st/47AwiZq Follow-up piece (unlocked): https://wapo.st/3YAzeBj Christine's book: https://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Sex-Provocation-Christine-Emba/dp/0593087569/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1692621051&sr=8-1 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Today's host, Eric A. Clayton, encountered today’s guest’s professional title before he met the man himself. Eric was told to chase down the person who held the “Chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination” at Regis University—and he was not disappointed. Dr. Chris Pramuk is said chair. He’s also an associate professor of religious studies. His interests focus on the intersection of faith, creativity and justice, and the conversation reflects this multitude. Chris and Eric jump from Thomas Merton to the musical tradition of the Black Catholic Church to Buddhism to Joni Mitchell. Woven throughout the conversation is a clear thread of Ignatian spirituality—and an invitation to each of us to discover the artist spirit alive within ourselves. Chris has written six books, including the two we discuss in this episode: Hope Sings, So Beautiful: Graced Encounters Across the Color Line and The Artist Alive: Explorations in Music, Art and Theology. He’s also written two award-winning studies on Thomas Merton. Learn more about Chris, his work and his books at the links below. The Artist Alive — https://www.amazon.com/Artist-Alive-Explorations-Music-Theology/dp/1599828383 Hope Sings, So Beautiful — https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Sings-So-Beautiful-Encounters/dp/0814682103 https://www.regis.edu/academics/faculty-finder/faculty/chris-pramuk

You can’t talk about the Catholic Church in the United States without talking about Latino Catholics. About half of the Catholic population in the United States is Latino, which includes U.S.-born Hispanics and about the one million Latino immigrants who arrive here each year. And very few people if any know more about U.S. Latino Catholicism than Professor Hosffman Ospino, an associate professor of Hispanic Ministry and Religious Education and the chair of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Professor Ospino has led numerous research studies on Latino Catholics, including a brand-new report called “Ministry with Young Hispanic Catholics: Towards a Recipe for Growth and Success.” He’s also an expert on evangelization and pastoral ministry. It’s rare to find someone who’s so strong in sociological research and theology. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Professor Ospino about current trends in U.S. Latino Catholicism and about what he learned in his recent study. They talked about the decreasing number of U.S. Latinos who identify as Catholic, which is a fact of deep concern to him and calls for fresh ministry approaches. His passion for ministry and his sharp intelligence come through every second of this interview. Learn more about Dr. Ospino and read his newest research: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/faculty/faculty-directory/hosffman-ospino.html Article referenced in the episode: https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.php?ID=194657 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

As we turn the corner into the second half of summer, you might be wondering to yourself: When do I get a chance to rest and recharge? It’s been nothing but go, go, go. If that sounds like your summer days, then today’s episode is a treat. Spiritual director and award-winning author Vinita Hampton Wright returns to the pod to talk about her newest book from Ave Maria Press, “Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church.” These four women are your guides into a new understanding of who you are – and who God is to you. Vinita’s book is a retreat, one you can make on your own or in community. And don’t let the mention of 4 weeks concern you – there’s no set timeline. You can pray with these four women as the Spirit inspires. Today’s conversation is a great introduction not only to Vinita’s book, but to the experience of God at work in our world – both in the past and present – that these four doctors of the Church challenge us to be alert to. Take time to savor Vinita’s insights, let the Spirit speak to you through them. And if you’re interested in learning more about her book or her other work, check out the link below. https://www.amazon.com/Set-World-Fire-Personal-Retreat/dp/1646801016

The Society of Jesus’ 71st Congregation of Procurators, which was held in Loyola, Spain. Over 100 Jesuits gathered for the congregation, one from each province in the world plus Jesuit Superior General Fr. Arturo Soca and his assistants. So what exactly is a Congregation of Procurators? It sounds like old-fashioned Church speak. A brief explanation: There are two types of big global congregations the Society of Jesus holds. The first and more famous type is called a General Congregation, in which a new superior general is typically elected. There have been only 36 of these meetings since the founding of the order in 1540. All the way back at the second General Congregation in 1565, the delegates decided that more frequent meetings were needed. This led to the Congregation of Procurators, whose main technical function is to decide if a General Congregation should be called via a simple “yes or no” vote. Only very rarely do the procurators vote “yes.” But it’s a unique opportunity for Jesuits to gather and reflect on the state of the Society within today’s world. While the gathering itself lasted two weeks in Spain, the work of the procurators takes over a year. Once elected by his respective province, each procurator travels throughout his province and speaks to as many Jesuits as possible. The point is to develop a sort of “state of the Society” perspective from your own corner of the world. The procurators submit their reports to the Superior General, who in turn crafts a document on the state of the global society called De Statu Societatis. This document will be published and publicly available soon. Today’s guest is Fr. Victor Cancino, who was the procurator from the USA West province. Fr. Cancino lives on the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana and is the pastor-delegate for St. Ignatius Mission. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked him about the gathering itself plus what he learned while traveling throughout the West province, which stretches from Alaska to Hawaii to the US -Mexico border in Arizona. It was fascinating to hear his insider’s take on the whole process – a reminder that we are part of a church whose name means “universal.” Learn more about the Congregation of Procurators: https://www.jesuits.org/stories/jesuits-gather-for-71st-congregation-of-procurators-in-loyola-spain/ Read Fr. Cancino's articles at America magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/voices/victor-cancino-sj AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Sr. Rose Pacatte was the keynote speaker at the 2023 Catholic Media Conference. She talked about how artificial intelligence and the spiritual life intersect, how social media can — and cannot — spread the Gospel, and how we’re all called to media literacy as part of our lives as Christians. Today, Sr. Rose joins us to reflect on all these things: AI, Threads, pop culture, media literacy and her own vocation at the intersection of media and religious life. Sr. Rose, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul, is an award-winning author and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles. And if you like what she has to say, if you find yourself intrigued and wanting to go deeper, Sr. Rose invites you to check out the advanced certificate in media literacy that the Pauline Center for Media Studies is offering, staring July 30 2023. Here's the link: https://media.pauline.org/certificate And here's more information on World Communications Day at the papal messages: https://www.comunicazione.va/en/giornata-mondiale-comunicazioni-sociali.html Photo Credit: OSV News photo/Bob Roller

John Herreid is the creative mind behind a new publication from Ignatius Press called “The Catholic Home Gallery.” This stunning volume is made up of 18 works of art by contemporary Catholic artists, each of which is removable from the book and suitable for framing. The images are accompanied by short essays on the artist and their work. John is a graphic designer for Ignatius Press and a talented artist in his own right. He’s also a passionate student of art history and deeply faith filled. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked him about how the Home Gallery came to be, and what trends he’s noticing in Catholic sacred art today. They also talked about the intersection of beauty and faith more broadly. Whether you’re a lover of sacred art or just curious about how art can help you grow closer to God, you’ll really enjoy John’s reflections. The Catholic Home Gallery: https://ignatius.com/catholic-home-gallery-chgx/ A sneak peak inside the volume: https://files.ignatius.com/Flipbooks/CHGX/index.html?_ga=2.158954554.1473659349.1689086078-1735304729.1683906951 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

What makes a prayer “feminist?” Shannon Evans — author, retreat facilitator, and the spirituality and culture editor at National Catholic Reporter — is back on the pod today to reflect on exactly that question. She has a great new book out, a compilation of prayers, called “Feminist Prayers for My Daughter: Powerful Petitions for Every Stage of Her Life.” And let me assure you, this book is for everyone. Not only does it provide spiritual accompaniment, but also demands that we ask questions like: What would the Psalms have sounded like if they’d been written by women? What life experiences do we need to better integrate and lift up in our prayer? What images and understandings of God do we need now, in this moment, to better deepen our relationship with our Creator? Shannon shares her reflections on these questions, as well as insight into her own writing journey — and some hot takes mystics and why they’ll be the topic of her next book. A brief warning: There is mention of sexual abuse around minute 15 of this episode. No details are given, and the context is Shannon’s own surprise about the power of her book’s prayers in very challenging situations. We invite you to check out the show notes to find links to Shannon’s website, books and Substack. Get Shannon's book: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/466175 Visit Shannon's site: https://www.shannonkevans.com/ Sign up for her Substack: https://shannonkevans.substack.com/?utm_source=homepage_recommendations&utm_campaign=1424232 Check out her IG: https://www.instagram.com/shannonkevans/

A vivid definition of the Catholic Church is attributed to the literary giant James Joyce: Catholic means “here comes everybody.” Never in recent history has that felt more accurate than during the current Synod on Synodality. Lots of AMDG listeners have been active in the synod, participating in this global process of spiritual conversation and consultation. The synod comprises several stages, from the listening sessions in local churches all the way to the upcoming gatherings of the Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2023 and 2024. For the first time ever, about 20% of the voting members of the synod will be made up of lay women and men. And last week, the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome published a 60-page document called the “Instrumentum Laboris,” which will be the basis of the work of the Synod fathers and mothers when they gather. Unlike previous Synods, this Instrumentum Laboris is not a document to be amended and approved, but a series of questions on key topics related to communion, mission and participation in the church. The document itself is an incarnation of synodality, which makes space for all participants to be heard. One of the Synod team members who collaborated on this working document is Professor Anna Rowlands, today’s guest. Anna holds the St. Hilda Chair in Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University in the United Kingdom. She is a political theologian who works at the intersection of political and social theory and Christian theology. Anna is the author of an acclaimed book on Catholic Social Teaching titled “Towards a Politics of Communion: Catholic Social Teaching in Dark Times,” which was published in 2021. Anna is one of the few people on Earth who have read pretty much every word submitted to Rome from the church all over the world, so she brings an incredible wealth of experience and a truly global perspective to the conversation. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her how the working document was shaped and for her take on the key themes that animate it. It is fascinating to hear what most surprised her as she took in such a enormous volume of testimony from every continent. We hope Anna’s reflections will be a useful introduction for you and that you’ll have the chance to read and pray with the working document, maybe even in spiritual conversation with people in your own local community. Read the working document: https://www.synod.va/en/news/instrumentum-laboris-a-document-of-the-whole-church.html Learn more about Professor Rowlands: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/anna-rowlands/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

This past April, French bishops voted to open the sainthood cause of 20th century Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac. If you had a time machine and went back to the 1950s and told Fr. de Lubac this news, he probably wouldn’t believe you. In those years, the church was so nervous about de Lubac’s scholarship that he was prevented from teaching theology and his books were removed from Jesuit libraries. He experienced a rehabilitation within his own lifetime and was even named a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Host Mike Jordan Laskey has heard de Lubac’s name many times over the years, both for this theological controversy and even more importantly for the immense impact his work had on the Second Vatican Council and today’s church. But he knew pretty much nothing about him, so he invited the Rev. Dr. Jordan Hillebert on the show today to get him up to speed. Jordan Hillebert is an Anglican priest, a theologian and tutor at St Padarn’s Institute in Cardiff, Wales. He was born and raised in the United States and moved to Scotland in 2011 to pursue a PhD in theology at the University of St Andrews. His research interests include systematic theology, modern Christian thought and the theology of Henri de Lubac, whose work he has edited and authored several books on. His most recent book is called “Henri de Lubac and the Drama of Human Existence.” Mike asked Jordan to get all of us nonexperts acquainted with de Lubac’s life and work, and he did an amazing job. Jordan is clearly so intimately familiar with this great Jesuit. Jordan also shared a bit about his own vocation story and what his experience has been like as an Anglican studying a modern Roman Catholic theologian. Jordan’s book: https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268108571/henri-de-lubac-and-the-drama-of-human-existence/ Follow Jordan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JordanHillebert www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

There are so many theories about why young adults are leaving the Catholic Church today. Maybe our parishes aren’t welcoming enough, or maybe they’re watering down the faith. Maybe young people are being asked to do too much to be part of the community. Or maybe they’re not being asked to do enough. Maybe they’re angry at the church’s positions on social issues. Or maybe they just drift away because they don’t find anything relevant at church. It can be challenging to offer grand, sweeping theories about young adults and the church because we’re talking about millions of people. Young adults aren’t monolithic. But there is some good quantitative and qualitative data we can work with, and today’s guest is uniquely equipped to offer some compelling arguments. Ellen Koneck is the executive director of Commonweal Magazine, the venerable Catholic journal of opinion that celebrates its 100th birthday next year. She’s an incredibly insightful writer with experience in pastoral ministry, making her an astute observer of the reasons her fellow young adults slip out the church door. She also took over her role at Commonweal after working as head writer at the Springtide Research Institute, which does some of the best statistical work on young people and the church you can find anywhere. Ellen combined her wealth of experiences and observations into a talk she gave this past April for the Catholic Common Ground Initiative in Chicago. Ellen and host Mike Jordan Laskey recently had a wide-ranging conversation on why church membership is a bad metric for measuring youth involvement in faith, why the problem of polarization might not be as crucial to address as alienation, and how Commonweal is trying to reach a new generation of readers. Watch Ellen’s talk here (starts at 30:50): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6E54YDSdEY&t=4s Commonweal: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/ Springtide Research Institute: https://www.springtideresearch.org/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

If you were going to make a list of the most inspiring things the Catholic Church is doing in the world, the work of Caritas Internationalis would be right there near the top. Caritas is a global confederation of Catholic charities working to alleviate poverty, promote social justice and advocate for the rights of the marginalized. With members organizations spread across about 200 countries and territories, Caritas is one of the biggest humanitarian networks in the world. Here in the US, the Caritas-affiliated organizations you’ve probably heard of are Catholic Charities, which serves people domestically, and Catholic Relief Services, which works overseas. In Canada, the Caritas organization is called Development and Peace. Today’s guest is the brand-new secretary general of Caritas, Alistair Dutton. He was just sworn in last week and elected a few weeks before that. Alistair had been serving as the director of Caritas’ agency in Scotland, which is called SCIAF. He will take over leadership of Caritas at a pivotal time. Last year, Pope Francis removed Caritas’ top leaders due at least in part to low staff morale. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Alistair what he hopes to do in his first weeks and months as secretary general to help promote healing within the organization. Alistair also discussed the work of SCIAF and some of the most inspiring humanitarian projects he has seen around the world, plus why Catholics ought to care about challenges those on the margins are facing both at home and abroad. Finally, as Alistair was a Jesuit himself for five years, he talked about how his formation in Ignatian spirituality influenced his life path and inspires him today. Learn more about Alistair and his election: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-05/alistair-dutton-elected-new-secretary-general-caritas.html Caritas Internationalis: https://www.caritas.org/ SCIAF: https://www.sciaf.org.uk/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

There’s always the temptation for religious orders to lionize their founder. To point to a single person and say, “There! That’s the way to live the Christian life! Just do what they did.” Despite the number of parishes and programs and centers named for Ignatius of Loyola, the man himself was pretty resolute on the need to have your own experience of God. His experience was exactly that: his experience. The unique way God was at work in his life. Ignatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises are gifts to us so that we can come to encounter God in our own way. So, we can look to Ignatius himself for inspiration. But as we should expect, the Ignatian tradition – and the Society of Jesus – has a vast array of diverse and fascinating figures. Saints and blessed, examples we can look to from the very first days of the Society to the present. Look to Ignatius, yes, but look also to the countless other sources of inspiration for living the Christian life. To help us do exactly this, the Institute for Advanced Jesuits Studies at Boston College has published a new, wonderful book: “Jesuit Saints and Blesseds: Spiritual Profiles.” The book traces the history of the Society through the lens of its holy people and is a companion for us as we explore our own paths to holiness. Back again on the podcast to talk about the book and Jesuit saints is Fr. Casey Beaumier, a Jesuit and the director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuits Studies. The conversation spans such important topics from which Jesuit saints are most inspirational in sustaining one’s vocation to which Jesuit saints most deserve an academic building named after them. (Hint: The answer is Joseph Pignatelli, and if you want to read up on him, there’s a link below where we’ve also included a link to the book and the Institute.) Learn about Joseph Pignatelli, SJ: https://www.jesuits.org/stories/what-joseph-pignatelli-sj-teaches-us-about-living-in-isolation/ Buy the book: https://jesuitsources.bc.edu/jesuit-saints-and-blesseds-spiritual-profiles/ About the Institute: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/centers/iajs.html

Often in the story of St. Ignatius of Loyola, we zero in on the “cannonball moment.” It’s the instant in Ignatius’ story when everything changes—even if the would-be saint hasn’t yet fully realized it. But even more important than that war wound is the eleven months that follow, that long, tedious period of recovery and reflection and reading. It’s then that Ignatius encounters a book on Jesus Christ, and through that book, the God of Jesus Christ, the God who had been loving him all along—and speaking to him through his desires and experiences. That’s the moment in the Ignatian tradition that best frames today’s conversation. Our guest is Jesuit Fr. Joe Tetlow, currently the director of Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Dallas, TX and the author of the new book, “Considering Jesus: The Human Experience of the Redeemer.” The title speaks for itself. Fr. Tetlow’s book is an opportunity to pray with Jesus’ own experiences, to see how those experiences speak to and inspire us. You’ll hear, too, how Fr. Tetlow’s own experiences shape his writing and retreat work—and can guide us in our own daily lives. You can get your own copy of Fr. Tetlow’s new book—or one of his many others—by checking out the links below. https://store.loyolapress.com/considering-jesus https://store.loyolapress.com/you-have-called-me-by-my-name https://store.loyolapress.com/always-discerning

“Lodge 49,” a comedy-drama TV series that ran on the channel AMC for two seasons, is about an ex-surfer named Dud (Wyatt Russell) who’s drifting through life after the loss of his father and the closing of his family’s pool supply store. He stumbles into a rundown old fraternal lodge belonging to a group called the Order of the Lynx. (Think of the freemasons or the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.) At the Lodge, he meets a luminous knight of the order named Ernie (Brent Jennings) who’s also a plumbing salesman. Ernie welcomes the much younger Dud with open arms. And so begins host Mike Jordan Laskey’s favorite onscreen friendship in television history, these two guys of wildly different backgrounds and personalities hanging out and having some truly wild adventures together. Because running alongside this story of friendship and community in the face of economic downturn and social erosion is the mysterious legend of the Order of the Lynx itself, which is centered on some sort of alchemical philosophy that may or may not be true. Mix all of its ingredients together and “Lodge 49” is one of the strangest, most beautiful works of art you can find on television or anywhere else. The wildly original creative mind behind “Lodge 49” is Jim Gavin, today’s guest. A writer, Gavin published an acclaimed collection of short stories called “Middle Men” in 2013 before making the transition to TV. Gavin grew up in an observant Catholic family and went to Catholic school all the way through his college years at the Jesuit Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Both the show and the book are shot through with Gavin’s Catholic imagination, calling to mind work by other Catholic and lapsed-Catholic authors like Walker Percy, Don DeLillo, and George Saunders as we meet wounded characters searching for meaning and mercy. Mike asked Jim about his Catholic background and its influence on his work. They also talked about the current writers’ strike in Hollywood, which Jim is participating in. Watch “Lodge 49” on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/series/lodge-49-5061e151-c887-4e29-9e13-c1b48e392123 Read “Middle Men”: https://www.amazon.com/Middle-Men-Stories-Jim-Gavin/dp/1451649347 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

As you probably know, the global Catholic Church is in the middle of a three-year synod process on the topic of synodality. The synod has featured thousands of listening sessions with the faithful all over the world, the biggest consultation process in the history of the church. Maybe you’ve been involved in one or more of these meetings yourself. One of the key themes that has emerged again and again in the reports on these meetings is women’s leadership in the church. Here’s how the document synthesizing the synod process in the United States puts it: “…there was recognition for the centrality of women’s unparalleled contributions to the life of the Church, particularly in local communities. There was a desire for stronger leadership, discernment, and decision-making roles for women – both lay and religious – in their parishes and communities. ‘People mentioned a variety of ways in which women could exercise leadership, including preaching and ordination as deacon or priest. Ordination for women emerged not primarily as a solution to the problem of the priest shortage, but as a matter of justice.’” And if you’re going to reflect on women’s leadership in the church, you just have to talk to Dr. Phyllis Zagano. Dr. Zagano is a scholar based at Hofstra University in New York and is one of the world’s leading authorities on the past and present of women’s leadership in the Catholic church. Host Mike Jordan Laskey invited her on the show to talk about her new book, titled “Just Church: Catholic Social Teaching, Synodality, and Women,” which was just published by Paulist Press. They discussed the history of women serving as deacons in the Catholic Church, plus some ways the church might better empower women today. Learn more about Dr. Zagano: https://sites.hofstra.edu/phyllis-zagano/ Her new book: https://www.amazon.com/Just-Church-Catholic-Teaching-Synodality/dp/0809156539 AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

Most of us probably don’t stop to reflect on our use of technology and how the devices and apps we use affect our lives and society as a whole. What is it doing to our brains and our souls that we reach for our smartphones mindlessly hundreds of times a day? What do we say on social media that I wouldn’t say in real life, and how does our behavior online make the world better – or, more likely, worse? Today’s guest, L.M. Sacasas, is an incredible thinker and writer who has devoted his career to asking big questions of our technology and what it’s doing to our communal life and individual lives. Sacasas has a great Substack newsletter called “The Convivial Society” that is host Mike Jordan Laskey’s favorite thing to read these days. Sacasas has this amazing ability to read and absorb scholars from the past like Marshall McLuhan, Neil Postman, Hannah Arendt and the Jesuit literary theorist Walter Ong and apply their arguments to our very different media environment today. In this conversation, Sacasas shares his thoughts on AI chat-bots like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s new Bing and Google Bard. He and Mike also talk about social media and smartphones and artificial light and time and what countercultural roles faith communities might play in offering venues for incarnational, authentic community. Subscribe to “The Convivial Society”: https://theconvivialsociety.substack.com/ Read L.M. Sacasas on Fr. Walter Ong, SJ: https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-inescapable-town-square Listen to L.M. Sacasas’ interview on the Ezra Klein Show: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/podcasts/transcript-ezra-klein-interviews-lm-sacasas.html AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

In 2021, two Jesuits who had just been ordained priests were missioned to serve migrant communities on the U.S.-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas. Soon after they arrived, Father Brian Strassburger and Father Louie Hotop agreed that there were so many incredible people and stories they were encountering that they just had to share them with the world through a podcast. They asked our communications team at the Jesuit Conference for help producing it, and the result has been one of the most inspiring podcast series you’ll ever hear. It's called the Jesuit Border Podcast and we are thrilled to be featuring one of their recent episodes here on our AMDG feed. In this episode, Fr. Louie and Fr. Brian shift from interviewers to interviewees. Asking the questions this time around is the great Jesuit author Fr. Jim Martin, who leads Louie and Brian through an Ignatian examen of their ministry in Brownsville over the past two years. It’s a fabulous interview with so much vulnerability and insight. Be sure to subscribe to the Jesuit Border Podcast wherever you listen. Jesuit Border Podcast, plus study guides: https://thejesuitpost.org/2021/11/the-jesuit-border-podcast/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus

For many of you listening, the idea of spiritual reading is probably a familiar concept. You might have a book or two on your bedside that you pray with each night: something on the lives of the saints or new insights into old spiritual practices. Next to that pile of spiritual books might be a bible, and each day you read a passage, slowly, prayerfully. It's not hard to look for the Holy Spirit at work in books you find in the spirituality section of your local bookstore. But what about in the other sections: fiction, sci-fi, romance and memoir? Is the Holy Spirit at work in those books, too? Our guest today, Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, says yes – to a degree. Her newest book, “Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice,” challenges us to look at all our reading through the lens of spirituality. How is God inviting us deeper into our vocation, deeper into the mysteries of creation through the texts we spend our time with? Jessica is the inaugural Visiting Scholar of Liberal Arts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. She previously taught at the University of Dallas. She’s the author of several other books that explore this topic of saints, sinners and texts — both those considered holy and those less so. She speaks around the world on topics as varied as Russian novelists, Catholic thinkers and our topic today: a Christian approach to reading. As you listen to this conversation and reflect on your own reading habits, consider Ignatius of Loyola. He, too, provides us with a helpful approach to reading. Recall that during his recovery from his cannonball wound, he wanted to read books on knights and courtly romance. Instead, he was given what we would consider spiritual reading: a book on saints and one on the life of Christ. God spoke to Ignatius in part through these texts; they were pivotal to his conversion. Even so, Ignatius goes on to insist that God is to be found in all things — not only the spiritual and religious texts but every aspect of life. How might you approach your own reading through this Ignatian lens? What might God reveal? Learn more about Jessica's work at her website: https://jessicahootenwilson.com/ And check out her new book: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/reading-for-the-love-of-god/407190