AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Two Jesuits. Real life. Real faith. Today's episode: Nighttime! There’s something about nighttime that loosens the soul. In the quiet, defenses drop, memories surface and prayer shifts. Fr. Eric and Fr. Damian talk honestly about being night owls, about what darkness reveals, and about how surrender often happens when everything else goes still. The night isn’t empty, it’s inhabited. About the show: Two Jesuits Talking is a Catholic podcast hosted by Fr. Eric Immel, SJ, and Fr. Damian Torres-Botello, SJ. Through candid, unscripted conversations, they explore Ignatian spirituality, Catholic life, ministry, culture, prayer and the everyday questions that shape modern faith. This isn’t a lecture. It’s not a debate show. It’s two Jesuit priests talking honestly about what it means to follow Jesus today, with humor, depth and real friendship. Whether you're a practicing Catholic, spiritually curious, returning to the Church, or just interested in authentic conversations about faith, you're welcome here. During Lent, Two Jesuits Talking episodes will appear here on the AMDG feed every Saturday. After Easter, we'll move the show onto its own dedicated feed. You can also watch episodes of the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/societyofjesus

In the life of a Catholic, there are set times when we pray for and with the Pope. At Mass, during the prayers of the faithful, for example. There’s that one bead on the rosary where we say an Our Father for the pope’s intentions. There are feast days when we are called to hold the pope in prayer in a special way. But often, these calls to prayer can feel rote, distant, hasty. What if there’s another way to pray with the pope? What if you could know exactly what the pope’s prayer intention was for any given month? What if this invitation to prayer was one of depth, intimacy and an ongoing encounter with Christ? You may be familiar with the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. You may even know it by an older name: the Apostleship of Prayer. Under Pope Francis, this Jesuit apostolate took on a renewed mission, becoming a Pontifical Work — still entrusted to the Society of Jesus — and shared ever more widely through digital media and the pope videos. Now, under Pope Leo, the work continues. As you’ll hear from today’s guest, Fr. Cristóbal Fones, a Chilean Jesuit who now serves as the international director, Pope Leo is excited and eager to get the word out about this unique network of prayer. This isn’t just about reciting Our Fathers and Hail Marys — though that’s important. This is about uniting our hearts to the suffering Christ so present in our world. This is about practicing a spirituality that is concerned for those who are suffering by lifting up and naming specific instances of need around the world. Fr. Cristóbal was a great guest; we had a really engaging conversation not only about the Pope’s Worldwide Network, but about the nature of prayer and the hopes of this American pope. Learn more about the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network by visiting the global site: popesprayer.va. And the North American site: popesprayerusa.net.

Here’s an exciting announcement: We here at the Jesuit Media Lab have a brand-new podcast we’re producing. It’s called Two Jesuits Talking. (As you can tell, we are not trying to be subtle with the show title.) The two Jesuits in question are Father Damian Torres-Botello and Father Eric Immel, both priests from the USA Midwest province who are also close friends. We’re working with Damian and Eric to make a conversation-based show about spirituality and faith that doesn’t take itself too seriously. We’re aiming for deep and funny, human and surprising, warm and accessible. And we’re also hoping that two Jesuit friends sharing stories and reflections with each other in this sort of laid-back forum will be a way to pull back the curtain on Jesuit life a little bit, helping all of us who aren’t Jesuits learn more about their life of faith and service. Each Saturday in Lent, we’ll bring you a new episode of Two Jesuits Talking right here on the AMDG feed. Today, we have the first-ever episode for you. Our regular AMDG episodes will continue to drop on Wednesdays. Also, if you want to watch Fathers Damian and Eric instead of just listening to them, Two Jesuits Talking is a video podcast, and you can find it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXxQTtosZfI&t=1s After Easter, our plan is to move Two Jesuits Talking over onto its own audio feed, but you don’t have to worry about that for now. We’ll let you know when that happens and where to find it. In the meantime, during Lent, enjoy getting to know Fr. Eric and Fr. Damian a little bit, and I think you’ll find out quickly why they’re two of our favorite Jesuits around. 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/

Cameron Bellm, a writer who works at the intersections of creativity, spirituality, mysticism and activism, is the editor of our Jesuit Media Lab Lenten email series: "In Praise Of: Daily Lenten Letters of Recommendation for the Spiritual Life." In the series, more than 30 writers fix their attention on where they have found God at work in their lives, often in small, everyday places and moments: the library, the act of making pesto, a gifted knife, a fireplace and dozens more. Each essay is accompanied by an original piece of art painted by either Allison Beyer or Erin Buckley, two of our multi-talented community members. In this episode kicking off the Lenten season, Cameron joined hosts Mike Jordan Laskey and Eric Clayton to discuss the project and why focusing on the quality of our attention this Lent, seeking God laboring in our lives and in the world, might be a suitable way to approach the liturgical season. Then all three podcasters discussed how their views of Lent have evolved over the years and the important human truths the season reveals. You can get "In Praise Of" in your inbox every weekday in Lent by subscribing for free here: https://mailchi.mp/jesuits/in-praise-of Cameron Bellm: https://www.cameronbellm.com/ 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/

From the earliest years of the Society of Jesus almost 500 years ago, Jesuits have been involved in the performing arts. Fr. Michael Zampelli, SJ, today’s guest, is a leading scholar on the history of Jesuit performance. Fr. Zampelli teaches theatre history at Fordham University, where he also directs a master’s program in philosophy and society that Jesuit scholastics take in a period of their formation called first studies. Before arriving at Fordham in 2020, Fr. Zampelli taught and directed theatre at Santa Clara University for 22 years. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Fr. Zampelli to give us a historical overview of Jesuit performance and why the very first Jesuits were so committed to bringing drama and performance into the schools they established. They raced through history and talked about the evolutions of Jesuit performance after the global suppression of Society of Jesus ended in 1814. It was a fascinating conversation and Fr. Zampelli is truly an ideal guide through this part of the Jesuit charism and tradition. Fr. Michael Zampelli, SJ: https://www.fordham.edu/academics/departments/theatre/faculty/full-time-faculty/michael-a-zampelli-sj/ A nice collection of resources on the history of Jesuit performance: https://libguides.scu.edu/c.php?g=1428569&p=10599707 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 no stranger to the AMDG podcast. Fr. James Martin is a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large at America Media. His newest book, “Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool and Priest” is now available. In it, Fr. Martin details his own experience of summer jobs — how they shaped him, what they taught him, who crossed his path as a result of them and how he found God dwelling within them. It’s a memoir that is both funny and poignant, and it’s a wonderful invitation for each of us to reflect more deeply upon our own lives. You can get Fr. Martin’s new book wherever books are sold, and you can read an excerpt over at America Magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2026/01/15/james-martin-lessons-from-mowing-lawns-riding-bikes-and-a-fateful-walk-to-school/ https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/jamesmartin

As Catholics formed in the Ignatian tradition, we are called to welcome the stranger, to care for our neighbor and to respect one another as we answer our inherent call to live in community. Nowhere is this more needed today than the streets of Minnesota. So, to better help us understand both what is happening in Minnesota and how the Gospel calls us to respond, we called Fr. R.J. Fichtinger, SJ, who is the pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Community, the Jesuit parish in the Twin Cities. Fr. Fichtinger offers a number of resources for our discernment. Check out these links: • Learn about and support the work of St. Thomas More Catholic Community: https://www.morecommunity.org/ • Read Archbishop Hebda’s op-ed in the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/we-need-comprehensive-immigration-reform-now-88791d35 • Read more about Fr. Fichtinger in this America Magazine article: https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/dispatches/2026/01/26/minneapolis-pastors-alex-pretti-ice-killing/ • Subscribe to the Jesuit Border Podcast to learn more about how Jesuits are accompanying migrants: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jesuit-border-podcast/id1593208023

You might have read or thought about how the rise of artificial intelligence is affecting the economy or higher education or medicine or pretty much any other area of life. Our guest today has been focusing on an intersection you might not have thought about yet. Father Phil Ganir has been spending time recently writing and teaching about AI’s impact on liturgy and sacred music. An assistant professor of religious education at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, Fr. Phil focuses on liturgical theology and music among other subject areas. He’s also one of the very best singers you could ever hear. Host Mike Jordan Laskey was excited to welcome Fr. Phil onto the show to reflect on how artificial intelligence is already affecting the prayer and worship of the church, and how its impact could continue to grow. They also talked about what liturgy and sacred music claim and reveal about the nature of the human person, and how there are some human activities that computers will never be able to replace or take away. It was a fascinating conversation with a fabulous scholar and practitioner who is responding to Pope Leo’s call to wrestle with big questions about technology and humanity facing all of us today. Fr. Phil Ganir, SJ: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/faculty/faculty-directory/phillip-ganir.html An article on a recent talk by Fr. Phil: https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.php?ID=201316 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/

Last year, Pope Leo XIV published an apostolic letter called “Drawing New Maps of Hope.” (This is not to be confused with his apostolic exhortation on poverty called “Dilexi te.” There are lots of types of papal writings and it’s tough to keep them all straight.) Anyway, “Drawing New Maps of Hope” was all about Catholic education, and the letter itself was released to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II declaration on education called “Gravissimum educationis.” It seemed like a good time to talk to an expert on primary and secondary Catholic education and find out how things are going in today’s environment. How do Catholic schools stand out in a crowded marketplace? How do we keep energy going even when some Catholic schools especially in the northeast and the Midwest have been forced to merge or close? So host Mike Jordan Laskey got his old college friend Dr. Michael O’Connor on the line, who serves as Program Director of Outreach and Professional Development at Boston College’s Roche Center for Catholic Education. That essentially means Michael spends most of his time working with faculty and administration at partner Catholic schools and dioceses around the country, helping them live their mission even more deeply. Anyone interested in the present and future of Catholic education in the U.S. will enjoy hearing Michael’s reaction to the new letter from Pope Leo and how Catholic schools are responding to our challenging times with creativity and boldness. Pope Leo XIV’s “Drawing New Maps of Hope” apostolic letter: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_letters/documents/20251027-disegnare-nuove-mappe.html Learn more about Michael O’Connor, Ph.D., on the Roche Center staff page: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/sites/roche/About/Bios.html Roche Center for Catholic Education: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/sites/roche.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/

Last May, America Magazine ran an article entitled “Dungeons & Dragons—and Jesuits” by Robert Buckland, a Jesuit in formation. Buckland admits to being a longtime fan of D&D, but even he is surprised by how popular the game has become — and in the most surprising of places. Buckland describes how this role-playing game that was once shunned by religious communities is now aiding in the imaginative and moral formation of young men in religious life. “Playing D&D,” Buckland writes, “can reveal dimensions of character that might otherwise remain hidden in the structured environment of houses for religious formation.” Today’s host, Eric Clayton, was enchanted by this argument; Buckland’s essay has stayed with him for these many months since. And it’s perhaps thanks to Buckland’s writing that he then encountered today’s guest: Dr. Susan Haarman. Dr. Haarman is the associate director at Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Engaged Learning, Teaching and Scholarship. In that role, she facilitates the university’s service-learning program and publishes on community-based learning. But her real love is the research she conducts into the capacity of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons as formative tools for civic identity and imagination. Most important for today’s conversation, Susan wrote a chapter entitled “Roll for Discernment: Dungeon Master as St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Director” in the 2025 book “Theology, Religion and Dungeons and Dragons: Explorations of the Sacred through Fantasy Worlds.” Susan will be a panelist at an upcoming conference co-sponsored by the Jesuit Media Lab and Loyola University Chicago’s Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage, and it was in preparing for that conference that Eric read Susan’s work and wanted to talk with her more for our podcast. You might be tempted to think that D&D is something just for fantasy nerds, but as Susan so passionately details, games like Dungeons & Dragons are really experiences in shared storytelling, in co-creating and inhabiting a common space in which our imaginations — and our ability to cultivate empathy and understanding — run wild. Whether you’re a long-time fan of role-playing games or just hearing about them for the first time today, we think you’re going to enjoy this conversation. And, if you do, we encourage you to check out the links in our show notes—there you’ll find a link to the America Magazine article, the anthology in which Susan’s chapter appears and the homepage for our upcoming in-person conference on March 14th—“A Faith that Builds Worlds: The Catholic Imagination and Speculative Storytelling.” We hope to see you there. * “Dungeons & Dragons—and Jesuits” | https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2025/05/29/dungeons- dragons-religious-life-250622/ “Theology, Religions and Dungeons & Dragons” | https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/theology-religion-and-dungeons--dragons-9781978716025/ “A Faith that Builds Worlds: The Catholic Imagination and Speculative Storytelling” | https://sites.google.com/view/a-faith-that-builds-worlds/home?authuser=0