AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

A few weeks ago, we welcomed Dr. Michele Murray here on AMDG. Dr. Murray is the new president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. To keep up this back-to-school theme, our two guests today are leaders of the Jesuit Schools Network of North America (JSN), which is the network of 90 Jesuit secondary and pre-secondary schools in our region of the world. JSN serves as a hub, bringing together faculty and staff from our schools to help them learn from each other and grow into even stronger institutions. Our first guest is Jen LaMaster, who began serving as JSN’s executive director this past July. Before taking on this role, she was a leader for secondary education for the Jesuits’ Midwest Province. She also spent 13 years in leadership roles at Brebeuf Jesuit Prep in Indianapolis. Our second guest is Lauren Hackman-Brooks, who is JSN’s director of mission formation. She spends her time helping schools to live out their Catholic, Jesuit identities in bold and creative ways. Lauren has spent her entire career in Jesuit education, from post-college volunteer service at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago to four years leading mission engagement at Gonzaga University in Spokane. Host Mike Jordan Laskey loved hearing Jen’s and Lauren’s 30,000-foot perspective on Jesuit education. He asked them about the biggest challenges school leaders are facing today and how Jesuit schools can stand out in a very crowded high school marketplace. What makes our schools unique? Jen and Lauren both bring a huge amount of passion, energy and insight to the work, and we think you’ll learn a lot about the state of Jesuit secondary education today. More about the JSN: https://jesuitschoolsnetwork.org/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Ignatius humbly begins again as a student, learning that even apparently spiritual consolations can distract him from the work God is asking him to do. In Alcalá, his teaching and spiritual conversations bear fruit but also attract scrutiny, investigation and imprisonment. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special-edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

1773 was the year in which the Society of Jesus ceased to exist. Pressured by European leaders, Pope Clement XIV issued a Papal brief formally suppressing the Jesuits worldwide. 41 years would pass before, in 1814, Pope Pius VII formally restored the Society. In those intervening years, a number of important questions emerged that would shape the Jesuits, the Church and the world. Arguably one of those pressing questions, one that pointed to the foundation of the Ignatian charism, was this: What would become of the Spiritual Exercises? Countless lives had been changed thanks to Ignatius’ spiritual wisdom, and the Church knew that to lose that wisdom—to lose the Exercises—along with the Jesuits would be disastrous. The world needed the Exercises. So, in the wake of the Suppression of the Society of Jesus, different religious order emerged to carry on the mantle of the Ignatian tradition. One such order—the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, founded by Venerable Bruno Lanteri who himself was formed by Jesuits—took it upon themselves to continue offering the Spiritual Exercises. Their work and mission continued, even after the restoration of the Society of Jesus. And in fact, one of the most preeminent writers on Ignatian discernment—Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV—is our guest today. And as you’ll hear, he stresses the essential work that is the ministry of the Exercises, and how the Oblates and the Jesuits continue to work together in this mission. The Exercises, after all, are a gift to all of God’s people. Fr. Gallagher has a wonderful new book out from Ignatius Press that underlines this point. It’s called “Thinking Like a Saint: Discernment of Spirits in the Catholic Tradition.” In it, he walks readers through Ignatius’ 14 Rules for Discernment. But he does so by grounding each rule in the wisdom of saints who came long before or well after Ignatius. In so doing, Fr. Gallagher reminds us that Ignatius’ great contribution was giving language to our shared human experience—and God’s Spirit at work therein. Fr. Gallagher was ordained to the priesthood in 1979 as a member of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary. In 1983, he obtained his doctorate from The Pontifical Gregorian University, and became a spiritual director and retreat leader. He has taught at St. John's Seminary, Brighton, and Our Lady of Grace Seminary Residence, Boston, both in Massachusetts. In 2015, Father Gallagher accepted the St. Ignatius Chair for Spiritual Formation at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. He has written over twenty books on spiritual themes, published articles in Catholic periodicals, appears frequently on Catholic television, and records many podcasts, radio interviews, series on YouTube, and virtual events used throughout the English-speaking Catholic world. If you’d like to learn more about Fr. Gallagher and his work, visit discernment.institute. You can also find his newest book “Thinking Like a Saint” and more wherever books or sold. Or visit https://ignatius.com/thinking-like-a-saint-tlsp/

Ignatius survives storms, winter travel, suspicion and arrest as he makes his way back across Europe. Convinced that he must study before he can better help others, he turns toward Barcelona and the next stage of his pilgrimage. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special-edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Catholicism is full of weird things. I’m talking about venerating the bones of saints or the bodies of saints that refuse to decay. Or the stigmata, the wounds of Christ showing up on our bodies. I’m talking about bilocation and trippy dreams and Eucharistic hosts that start to bleed. You know: weird things. Too often, we dismiss these phenomena. We put our heads down and go about our neat and tidy religious practices. We don’t like things that don’t have logical, rational answers. Except, we confess a Christ who rose from the dead and a God who is present in all things and the literal body and blood of Jesus present at each and every Mass. So, if we’re being honest, the strange stuff is kind of the heart of the whole religion. And that means, we need to lean into it. We need wrestle with it. We need to step forward to meet the God who is present therein, beckoning us to find within the strange and the unusual the Spirit speaking. Because that which is weird and unexplainable? Well, that means the only answer is God. And we would do well to listen. That’s in large part the mission of today’s guest. W. Tyler Allen is the host of the podcast “St. Anthony’s Tongue,” where he explores mysticism, saints and the strange beauty of God and the Catholic tradition. He lives at the intersection of theology and wonder. And he’s written a great new book from Loyola Press, “The Catechism of the Strange: Stigmata, Relics and the Miracles That Shape the Soul.” If you’ve ever found yourself drawn to the stranger corners of our faith or just want an introduction to help you make sense of it all, this is the book for you. Visit his website: https://www.stanthonystongue.com/ Subscribe to his Substack: https://stanthonystongue.substack.com/ Buy his book: https://store.loyolapress.com/a-catechism-of-the-strange

Trusting that God will provide, Ignatius begs and travels through Rome and Venice before finally reaching Jerusalem. He longs to remain in the Holy Land and help souls, but the Franciscan authorities order him to leave — forcing him to surrender even this deeply cherished desire. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special-edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Earlier this month, a law permitting physician-assisted suicide took effect in the state of New York. It was the 13th state in the county to pass such a law. Opponents of physician-assisted suicide, which often include Catholic institutions, pro-life groups, and disability rights advocates, have not been all that successful in stopping these laws from spreading in recent years. Why is that? What’s behind the continued expansion of the practice? And how might opponents articulate a different vision for how we take care of those who are vulnerable? Our guest today is an ideal person to help us think through these questions. Professor Cathleen Kaveny is Darald and Juliet Libby Professor of Law and Theology at Boston College. Her position includes appointments in both BC’s theology department and its law school, and she is the first person ever to hold such a joint appointment there. In her scholarship, Professor Kaveny focuses on the relationship of law, religion and morality. Back in the summer of 2008, when she was teaching at Notre Dame, host Mike Jordan Laskey took one of Professor Kaveny’s theology classes during grad school and she instantly became one of his favorite teachers of all time. (We think you’ll see why in this episode.) In addition to her scholarly work, Professor Kaveny regularly publishes essays in the Catholic press, including a recent one on physician-assisted suicide that appeared in Commonweal. Headlined “The Importance of Being a Burden,” Professor Kaveny’s relatively short piece examines the issue from theological, legal and social analysis perspectives. The article is a great example of the way Professor Kaveny works at intellectual intersections and makes thorny topics accessible and engaging. We think you’ll learn a lot from the essay and from this wide-ranging conversation. “The Importance of Being a Burden” by Professor Cathleen Kaveny: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/importance-being-burden-kaveny-physician-assisted-suicide More about Professor Kaveny: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/law/academics-faculty/faculty-directory/cathleen-kaveny.html AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Ignatius describes God teaching him “as a schoolmaster teaches a child” through prayer, visions and profound spiritual insight. His great illumination beside the Cardoner River transforms his understanding, while further experiences teach him to distinguish genuine grace from deceptive consolation. UPDATE 8/24/26: The previous version of this episode, originally posted on August 21, included an incorrect excerpt from the text. We have now fixed the error! About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special -edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Ignatius describes God teaching him “as a schoolmaster teaches a child” through prayer, visions and profound spiritual insight. His great illumination beside the Cardoner River transforms his understanding, while further experiences teach him to distinguish genuine grace from deceptive consolation. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special-edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/vb

It’s back to school season: new teachers, new classrooms, new bus routes, new friends. For today’s guest, back to school season has always been an important time — but this year, it brings not only a new academic calendar, but a brand new professional role. Dr. Michele Murray has just begun her tenure as the president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities — or, AJCU for short. She’s the first lay person to lead the organization, which consists of the twenty-seven Jesuit institutions in the United States and one in Belize, along with three associate members in Canada. Dr. Murray brings a wealth of experience and insight to this role, having spent the previous three decades serving in Jesuit, Catholic higher education. She holds a Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in education and student affairs administration from the University of Vermont. Her career has brought her from Loyola University Maryland to Seattle University to the College of the Holy Cross where she has most recently served as senior vice president for student development and mission. She began her work at the AJCU on June 1, 2026. Her new role has already brought her to Rome where she met the Superior General of the Society of Jesus — Fr. Arturo Sosa — and Pope Leo XIV. She talks with today’s host Eric Clayton about her time in Rome, her discernment around starting a new role and the unique mission of Jesuit higher education and more in our conversation today. Today’s episode is a great way to start off the new school year. Learn more about the AJCU: https://ajcunet.edu/

At Manresa, Ignatius embraces severe penances but is soon shaken by dramatic swings between consolation and desolation. His scruples and spiritual extremes drive him toward despair until he begins to recognize their destructive source and finds freedom from them. UPDATE 8/24/26: The previous version of this episode, originally posted on August 14, included an incorrect excerpt from the text. We have now fixed the error! About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special -edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

You’re about to hear a conversation about leadership. Today’s guest, Dr. Annmarie Caño, is an expert in leadership. Dr. Caño draws on her 25-year career in higher education — and her love of Ignatian spirituality — in her work today as a writer, speaker and executive coach who helps higher education and social impact leaders enact personal and systemic change. She draws heavily on liberation theology, liberation psychology and the legacy of the Salvadoran martyrs in her work and her personal reflections. And she has a wonderful new book from Johns Hopkins University Press called “Leading Toward Liberation: How to Build Cultures of Thriving in Higher Education.” But what today’s host, Eric Clayton, continues to find so compelling about his conversation with Annmarie is the fact of where they met: She attended a conference that the Jesuit Media Lab co-hosted on the Catholic imagination and speculative storying. Why? It wasn’t because she’s a burgeoning fantasy author — though they do talk a bit about Tolkien in today’s conversation. No — she attended that conference because she sees as foundational to her mission the work of bringing to life un otro mundo posible — or an “other” possible world. Quite literally, Dr. Caño is thinking about leadership as the creation of other realities, other ways of living, and she is concerned about ensuring that everyone — particularly those often forgotten by society — have a seat at the table. As much as Eric loves talking about Middle-earth and Narnia, he was even more excited to get to talk about what it might look like to build new worlds in our actual, real lives — and to consider the real people that can helped in so doing. Pick up a copy of “Leading Toward Liberation:” https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53804/leading-toward-liberation Visit Annmarie’s website: www.annmariecano.com Find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annmarie-cano/ Annmarie references a book by Liz O'Donnell Gandolfo and Laurel Marshall Potter, “Re-Membering the Reign of God: The Decolonial Witness of El Salvador's Church of the Poor;” get a copy here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/remembering-the-reign-of-god-9781793618979/

Ignatius leaves home as an inexperienced pilgrim, still mixing genuine devotion with the ideals of a chivalric knight. After a troubling encounter on the road, he makes a general confession at Montserrat, lays down his weapons and keeps an all-night vigil before beginning his new life. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special -edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/vb

Think about your favorite movie. What is it? Get it in your head. Now think about what happens when you’re at a party or out at a bar and you encounter someone else who loves that movie. You start talking about it, right? You’re so excited to meet another fan, to find something you have in common: this shared story. To those listening in on your conversation, it probably sounds like you’re speaking in code, lost in jargon that is hyper specific to characters and places and plots that seem worlds away from daily life. There’s a certain joy in finding your people like this; it builds instant community. But what it also does it create insiders and outsiders; those who know the story, and those who don’t. And listen—at a micro level, it doesn’t really matter. You might chat about that favorite movie for a while but then the conversation moves on, other people cycle in and out. All is well. Except, what if this happens at a macro level? What if there are folks who never get a chance to cycle into the conversation, who are forever on the outside—and who are made to feel dumb and insignificant as a result? That’s what we’re talking about it—and it’s why this conversation is able to begin in speculative fiction and end in our Gospel call to visit those who are in prison. It’s what gets today’s guest, Dr. Sonya Cronin, out of bed in the morning. Dr. Cronin is a wonderful conversationalist. She teaches classes in the Department of Religion at Florida State University, ranging from Hebrew Scripture to science fiction. She’s also the program leader for FSU’s international programs. But where this connection between storytelling and justice really comes alive is in her work as executive director of the Carrier Pigeon Post, a nonprofit created to restore hope to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals through stories and education. They do this primarily by publishing and distributing a free newspaper that’s full of stories, meant to encourage cultural competency and cultural literacy through narrative-inspired imagination. If you want to learn more about Carrier Pigeon Post—and I promise you, you will—visit carrierpigeonpost.org.

A cannonball wound ends Ignatius’ pursuit of worldly glory and confines him to a long recovery at Loyola. Reading the lives of Christ and the saints, he begins to notice how different desires affect his spirit — and sets his heart on a radically new life. About the Series We are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. The series premiered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, with episode 2 dropping Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special -edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Here at AMDG, we are bringing you the entire text of “The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola” in podcast form. Over 12 episodes, join our pilgrimage guides Fr. Jack Bentz, SJ, and Cameron Bellm as we make our way through this spiritual classic. Today, the series premiere, features two introductions to the text written by St. Ignatius' Jesuit contemporaries: Jerome Nadal explains how Ignatius’ companions persuaded him to recount the ways God had guided him from the beginning of his conversion. Luís Gonçalves da Câmara then describes the long, interrupted process by which Ignatius dictated the story and he committed it to writing. Episode 2 will drop Friday, July 31 — the Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola. These first two episodes and the remaining 10 episodes (dropping on subsequent Fridays) will all appear here on the AMDG podcast feed. The series is edited by Frank Tuson, who also composed all the music you hear on the podcast. The podcast uses a translation of the “Autobiography” by Fr. Parmananda Divarkar, SJ. The text is read by Fr. George Drance, SJ. Produced by Mike Jordan Laskey. "The Autobiography of Saint Ignatius Loyola Podcast," a special-edition series of AMDG, is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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 is a fable hunter. Fr. Greg Carlson has traveled the world, rummaging through old book stores, flea markets and the like to track down ancient manuscripts, forgotten illustrations and everything in between all for the love of fables. He’s done this for decades, even waging battles at online auctions, to amass a preeminent collection of fables that has become the Carlson Fable Collection at Creighton University. What was once a personal hobby evolved into an academic career. But Aesop isn’t the only wisdom figure with whom Fr. Carlson is well acquainted. Fr. Carlson is a Jesuit priest, and so for him, finding God in fables comes as second nature. He sees Jesus as a master storyteller — and one whom we may better understand after having developed a deeper appreciation for the wonder of fables. As you’ll soon hear, Fr. Carlson defines a fable as a “past-tense short narrative inviting a hearer or reader to perceive something about living life.” That’s not so far off from the sorts of parables Jesus told. In fact, developing our own ability to perceive life more intimately, more deeply, more intentionally — this is a great spiritual gift. And so, we're excited to share today’s conversation. Fr. Greg Carlson is a wonderful storyteller and teacher, and if you’d like to hear more from him, you can visit JesuitMediaLab.org where he’s written a reflection to further illuminate some of the points he makes on this episode. You can also get in touch with him and learn more about the collection and a booklet that he has published on this very topic. The collection is viewable online at both https://creightonarchives.omeka.net/s/carlson-fables-collection/page/home and https://www.creighton.edu/aesop

On July 1, 2026, Russia bombarded the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, killing at least 30 people and injuring more than 90 more. More weapons were used in the attack than in any other barrage of the city since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It was just another reminder that while this war has faded from the headlines, it continues to ravage families and communities. It is the deadliest war in Europe since World War II. The Jesuit network in Europe has been responding to the needs of displaced Ukrainians and the receiving countries taking in refugees since the full-scale invasion began. Our guest today is Fr. Alberto Ares, a Spanish Jesuit based in Brussels who has served as the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Europe since 2021. JRS Europe coordinates work in more than twenty countries with over 8,000 professionals and volunteers. Each year these teams accompany more than 200,000 refugees and migrants, in work that combines political advocacy with European institutions and direct accompaniment on the ground. Fr. Ares is a scholar-practitioner who has worked with migrant communities around the world for decades, so host Mike Jordan Laskey asked him about what he has learned leading JRS Europe during the war and how the Jesuit community has been putting their faith into action alongside some of the most vulnerable people in the world. It was a difficult conversation but deeply moving and inspiring. And it was an important reminder to not forget about this humanitarian crisis even when so much of the world seems to have moved on. Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ: https://jrseurope.org/en/news/alberto-ares-new-regional-director-at-jrs-europe/ JRS Europe: https://jrseurope.org/en/home/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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, Dr. Chase Mitchell, is an associate professor of media and communications at East Tennessee State University, where he teaches courses in multimedia production and media theory. He’s also a recent convert to Catholicism, having entered the Church this past Divine Mercy Sunday. Host Eric Clayton has been talking with Chase for a few months now about the role Ignatian spirituality and media ecology played in his own discernment to become a Catholic. It’s a fascinating story—and one he’s written about, both for Jesuits.org and the Jesuit Media Lab. On media and its effects on our society, Chase writes: “In an age of total mediation, [that is, our lived experience is fully affected by media] the task is no longer simply to analyze environments but to discern within them — to recognize where Christ is present, where the spirits are at work and where one is being called to respond. Media ecology, in this light, becomes not only a theory of communication, but a pedagogy of attention ordered toward love.” We knew a conversation with Chase on the pod would be a valuable one—and we weren’t wrong. If you’re interested in reading more of Chase’s work, check out the links below. On Chase’s journey to Catholicism: https://www.jesuits.org/stories/39-years-364-days-and-gods-merciful-grace-a-spiritual-autobiography/ On Ignatian spirituality and media ecology: https://jesuitmedialab.org/from-environment-to-encounter-toward-an-ignatian-media-ecology/

Today, we’re continuing a mini two-episode series on the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. Last week, host Mike Jordan Laskey spoke with the theologian Anna Rowlands, who was involved in the launch of the Holy Father’s new encyclical Magnifica humanitas. Today, Mike’s guest is Christopher Lamb, a long-time and extremely talented Vatican correspondent who currently works for CNN. Chris recently traveled with the Pope and the Vatican press corps to Spain, where Pope Leo held some huge public events, visited the famous La Sagrada Familia church, and met with migrants on the Canary Islands. Mike asked Chris what stood out about the trip and what it revealed to him about Pope Leo’s approach to his pontificate. They also talked about the encyclical and what he’s thought about its reception. Chris is also the author of a new book called “American Hope: What Pope Leo XIV means for the church and world.” Mike caught up with Chris while Chris was in London doing some events around the book, so if you hear some background noise here and there, that’s because the very full life of an international journalist and author doesn’t always include access to pristine, isolated recording conditions. But you’ll be able to hear everything he has to say just fine. And we think you’ll find it a fascinating look behind the scenes of the work of a journalist covering the Vatican. Christopher Lamb: https://www.christopherlambmedia.com/ Chris' new book, "American Hope": https://bookshop.org/p/books/american-hope-what-pope-leo-xiv-means-for-the-church-and-world-christopher-lamb/add13c5382df6666?ean=9781035440573

As you probably heard, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical letter in May. Titled Magnifica humanitas, the document is a 42,000-word reflection on what it means to be human in our technology-obsessed age of generative artificial intelligence. The Pope officially released the document during a press conference at the Vatican, which the Holy Father himself attended — an unusual move for pontiffs. Sitting at one end of the dais was Christopher Olah, one of the founders of Anthropic, one of the largest AI companies in the world. His presence made a lot of headlines, too. Right next to Olah was a theologian named Anna Rowlands, and she’s our guest today. Professor Rowlands is the St Hilda Professor of Catholic Social Thought & Practice at Durham University in the United Kingdom. At the press conference, she delivered a stirring 10-minute address on how the encyclical offers the church and the world valuable insights into protecting human dignity and the common good in these uncertain times. Professor Rowlands is no stranger to the Vatican. In fact, she was involved in one of these press conference panels for the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli tutti, and she has been involved in leading the Synod on Synodality process since 2023. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her about the press conference itself and how she decided on what she wanted to say in her address. They also talked about how the encyclical has been received and the material in the letter she finds most compelling. Mike also asked her to respond to one of his favorite critiques of the encyclical and of what generative AI is doing to our brains and souls. It was a wide-ranging conversation and we’re sure you’ll see why we think Professor Rowlands is one of the deepest and most brilliant thinkers you could ever hope to meet. Professor Anna Rowlands: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/anna-rowlands/ Her full speech at the encyclical launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqapjl7m7V8 The encyclical critique discussed: https://hedgehogreview.com/web-features/thr/posts/should-the-lion-lie-down-with-the-electric-lamb AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

If you know anything about Jesuit formation, you probably know that it takes a long time: two years for novitiate, three years for first studies, three more of regency, and then two or more years of theology studies and then—if a Jesuit has discern the priesthood—ordination. On average, a Jesuit is looking at ten to twelve years before becoming a priest! So, formation takes a long time. But then, once you’re a priest, you’re all set, right? Wrong! There’s another stage of Jesuit formation called tertianship. This is a stage of renewal and recommitment, a period of time that happens years after ordination when a Jesuit returns to some of the foundational documents and experiences of Jesuit life. The Jesuit makes the Spiritual Exercises again, prays with the Constitutions and more. Tertianship takes a Jesuit out of their usual routines, often for an extended period of time, and prepares them for final vows. Tertianship has always been a little mysterious, for host Eric Clayton, at least. That’s why he was so excited to talk to his friend, Fr. Andrew Laguna, who just returned from his tertianship in Salamanca, Spain. And that’s the conversation you’re about to hear today. Andrew breaks down what tertianship is, why it’s important, what graces he experienced while there and, ultimately, why it matters for all of us, whether we’re Jesuits or not. Whether you’re interested in Jesuit life or formation or just want to hear from a wise Jesuit priest eager to share about how God is at work in his own vocation, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

The cultivation of mission and identity is pivotal to any mission-driven organization. It gets to not only the why of the work, but also the larger context, the history and the people. A shared mission can sustain work across time zones and languages and varied socio-political contexts. Understanding the mission of an organization — how it’s been interpreted and applied and lived out of — is crucial to that organization’s continued success. It’s more than a common language; it’s a shared lifeblood. Jesuit institutions take mission and identity work seriously. You see offices for mission and Jesuit colleges and universities; you meet mission officers in Jesuit apostolates the world over. These are the folks who help you not only remember Latin words like cura personalis; these are the folks who help you understand how to live it out in your particular context based on your particular skills. Mark Dushel stands in the long, storied legacy of Ignatian collaborators entrusted with passing on our Jesuit mission and charism. But Mark has been given a unique role through which to do so. He is the newly minted director of Ignatian Mission and Faith Formation for three different yet interrelated schools in Baltimore, MD: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, St. Ignatius Loyola Academy and The Loyola School. These schools — all founded by Jesuit priest, Fr. Bill Watters, over the course of several decades — allow children from as early as two years old all the way through high school to pursue a tuition-free Jesuit education. The mission is critical and has been bearing fruit for generations. Mark, for his part, comes to this work well-prepared. He has a Master’s in theology and ministry from Boston College — where he first encountered the Jesuits — and served in campus ministry at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia and later at Loyola University Maryland. He began his work as director for mission in 2025. There’s a lot we can learn from Mark’s work, from his collaboration across schools to his efforts to introduce the Ignatian charism to children as young as two to the accompaniment his mission-centered role means for the families of his students. That’s why today's host Eric was excited to talk with Mark — and why we know you will enjoy this conversation. Read more about Mark's work here: https://loyolaschoolbaltimore.org/mark-dushel-is-serving-three-jesuit-schools-in-baltimore/

Welcome to the third season — and the final episode — of our annual series “Pathway to Priesthood” — a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and we wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, Eric talks with Shane Liesegang. Shane is a Jesuit of the US West province. Shane’s Jesuit formation has brought him around the world including to Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Syria with the Jesuit Refugee Service, as well as to the Philippines where he was ordained a deacon. As you listen to Shane’s stories and reflections, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.

It’s commencement season. Graduates are preparing to step into a new chapter of their lives, to leave familiar faces and places behind and chart a new path. And perhaps one of the most iconic moments of graduation is the commencement speech: a few moments of reflection, inspiration and encouragement before crossing one of life’s many thresholds. Many of us have heard a commencement speech or two in our lives; many of us may have even heard such an address given at a Jesuit institution. But how many of us remember those addresses? More importantly, how many of us continue to live our lives informed by the best hopes and values and encouragement that such an address intends to convey? For many of us, as the daily grind of life churns ever onward, those words fade and are forgotten. That was the worry, at least, of our guests today. Two longtime veterans of Jesuit higher education, Patrick Furlong and Marissa Papula want us to remember what it means to go out and into the world intent in setting it aflame with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Patrick is the director of the Pam Rector Center for Service and Action at—and a two time alum of—Loyola Marymount University. Marissa Papula is now the director of development for Discerning Deacons but spent more than a decade in Jesuit higher education. And they’re here today to offer all of us a commencement address of sorts. Before we get to it, before they share prepared remarks, we wanted to sit down and get to them a little bit, to hear about their journeys and why this time of year is important. So, you’ll hear that first. Then, stay tuned for their full commencement address, words to inspire each of us no matter how far out from a graduation we may be.

Welcome to the third season of our annual series “Pathway to Priesthood”—a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, Eric talks with Daniel Mascarenhas. Daniel is a Jesuit of the US West province. Originally from Goa, India, Daniel’s Jesuit formation has brought him to the L’Arche community in Tacoma, WA, to Jesuit High School Sacramento and to St. Columbkille Parish in Brighton, MA, where he is finishing his time as a deacon. As you listen to Daniel’s stories and reflections, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.

You might remember the Jesuits of Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministry. They have a podcast that we’ve aired episodes of on this very channel. Every week for ten seasons now, Fr. Brian Strassburger the director of the ministry, and Joe Nolla, a Jesuit regent, have been dropping us into their work, sharing with us stories from the US-Mexico border, helping us understand the nuances and lived reality of immigration policies and hosting an array of impressive guests who research, write about or work with immigrant communities. Well, today’s a special episode: Joe Nolla is wrapping up regency and heading to Paris, France to begin theology studies—the next and final stage in Jesuit formation before ordination to the priesthood. So, Brian asked AMDG host Eric Clayton if he’d do a sort of exit interview for Joe as a bonus episode of the podcast. And now we’re airing that episode here for you. It’s a great conversation. Joe’s reflections and experiences give insight into Jesuit formation, Jesuit ministry and the ongoing needs that Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministry is trying to meet in and around Brownsville, Texas. We hope you enjoy the conversation. If you want to learn more, visit delcamino.org.

Welcome to the third season of our annual series “Pathway to Priesthood”—a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, Eric talks with Jake Braithwaite. Jake is a Jesuit of the US East province. Originally from Villanova, PA, Jake’s Jesuit formation has brought him to Brooklyn Jesuit Prep where he staged liturgical readings as short plays and slam poetry and to San Quentin Rehabilitation Center where he taught a class on the Old Testament prophets. As you listen to Jake’s stories and reflections, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.

Last summer, the Vatican hosted a big meeting of what it called “digital missionaries and Catholic influencers.” Host Mike Jordan Laskey admits he felt a little queasy when he saw this advertised. It’s not that he’s a Luddite and totally against the internet; we come to you via the internet every week. But there was something about the institutional church gathering and promoting influencers that just didn’t sit well with Mike. To unpack this overall dis-ease with faith-based influencer culture, Mike called up a scholar who studies this exact topic. Dr. Kristin Peterson is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Boston College, where she teaches courses related to the intersections of media and religion. She’s also the author of a 2022 book titled “Unruly Souls: The Digital Activism of Muslim and Christian Feminists.” Mike asked her about the phenomenon of social media influencers in general and how religious folks have tapped into that trend. They also talked about some of the reasons behind the rise of influencers and what advice she might give to Pope Leo about the dangers and opportunities of encouraging Catholics to take their faith online. Kristin Peterson, Ph.D.: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/communication/people/faculty-directory/kristin-peterson.html AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Welcome to the third season of our annual series “Pathway to Priesthood”—a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood this coming June. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, Eric talks Bryan Galligan and Dan Finucane. Dan is a Jesuit of the US Central Southern Province. His Jesuit formation has taken him on a weeklong pilgrimage to Rome for the Synod on Synodality, to Belize, where he accompanied prisoners and to St. Patrick’s Church in West Oakland, California, as both a choir member and a deacon. Bryan is a Jesuit of the US East Province. His Jesuit formation has brought him to the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, small-scale farming and fishing communities in eastern and southern Africa and to the United Nations. As you listen to these stories and reflections from Bryan and Dan, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.

What words would you use to describe the American healthcare system? Here are a few: Broken. In need of healing. Confusing. Centered on making money. Enormous. Stressful. But also: full of compassionate professionals. Full of potential. Our guest today would probably agree with these words. He might also add that our healthcare system is a privileged place to find God. The Jesuit priest Fr. Michael Rozier, SJ, is a scholar and professor of public health at Loyola University Chicago. He has a brand-new book out, which is titled “Growing Our Moral Imagination: Approaching Health Care with a New Faith-Based Vision.” It’s published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. The book combines elements of memoir, theological reflection, storytelling and commentary on health care challenges. And perhaps the most interesting part of the volume is how in each chapter, Fr. Rozier reimagines one of Jesus’ parables from the Gospels and applies it to healthcare issues today. This approach leads to chapters in the book with titles like “The Good Death of Lazarus,” “The Demons of Anxiety and Fear,” and the “Public Health Samaritan.” It’s a fascinating read that host Mike Jordan Laskey can’t wait to recommend to the Catholic healthcare professionals he knows. It’s also a compelling read for anyone of faith who’s ever interacted with the healthcare system at all, which means pretty much all of us. You’ll love to hear Fr. Rozier’s passion for public health and the healing ministry of Jesus throughout our wide-ranging conversation. Fr. Michael Rozier, SJ: https://www.luc.edu/parkinson/ourpeople/facultystaffprofiles/michaelroziersj.shtml “Growing Our Moral Imagination”: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/54073/growing-our-moral-imagination AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

Welcome to the third season of our annual series “Pathway to Priesthood”—a special podcast series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation and wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this episode, Eric talks with Nathan Krawetzke. Nathan is a Jesuit of the Midwest province. Originally from Erie, Michigan, Nathan’s Jesuit formation has brought him to the Red Cloud Indian School, to Hekima University in Nairobi, Kenya and on a variety of backpacking trips across the United States. As you listen to Nathan’s stories and reflections, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.

One of host Mike Jordan Laskey’s favorite things to do is to discover that a writer or other creative person whose work he loves has a Jesuit connection that makes them eligible to be a guest here on the show. Today’s guest is the music journalist Josh Terry, and he’s the latest addition to our “surprise Jesuit connection” list. Josh writes the music and culture email newsletter “No Expectations,” which Mike looks forward to receiving in his inbox every Thursday. Based in Chicago, Josh listens to an extraordinary amount of new music and writes about it in a way that’s perceptive, generous and a joy to read. It turns out Josh is a proud alum of Loyola University Chicago, and even more unexpectedly, it turns out his great uncle was Fr. Thomas Terry, SJ, a Jesuit priest who served as president of Santa Clara University from 1968 until 1976. Mike asked Josh about his career in music criticism and journalism and what he thinks the role of the music critic is. They also talked about reasons a lot of people just don’t listen to much new music, and what Josh thinks of the common cultural narrative that music and other art forms just aren’t being made as well now as they used to be. Finally, Josh recommended three of his favorite relatively new artists to you might want to check out yourself. Josh Terry's "No Expectations" newsletter: https://www.noexpectations.fyi/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/

There’s an old Latin saying about some of the famous male founders of religious orders. In translation, it goes like this: “Bernard loved the valleys; Benedict loved the mountains; Francis the towns; Ignatius loved great cities.” So it’s probably no surprise that in the U.S., no city has more Jesuit schools than New York, which has nine total across all the educational levels. Our guest today, James Kennedy, is an alum of one of these schools – Regis High School, where he also taught and led fundraising efforts – and the current president of another. James is in his third year leading Brooklyn Jesuit Prep, which is a middle school serving low-income families of diverse races, ethnicities and faiths in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. BJP currently serves 100 students, both boys and girls, in grades 5 through 8. The entire student population is composed of students of color and 74% of them are either immigrants or first-generation Americans. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked James to talk about the school’s history and what makes it a special place. James also discussed how anti-immigrant polices and attitudes across our country today are affecting the BJP community and how they’re responding. It was a fascinating conversation about both Brooklyn Jesuit Prep and urban pre-secondary education more broadly. You’ll be struck by James’ passion and depth of insight. Brooklyn Jesuit Prep: https://www.brooklynjesuit.org/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project 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/