AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

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