AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Since the time of Ignatius, the Jesuits have been on mission. The legacies of Jesuit missionaries like Francis Xavier and Matteo Ricci inspire generation after generation of Jesuits to journey to the margins, to accompany the excluded and to work for a more just, peaceful world. Today’s Jesuits are no different. In part two of our three-part series, the Jesuit Mission in Jordan, Eric Clayton sits down with Fr. John Sheehan, SJ, at the end of his three years in Jordan. Fr. John shares how he went from acting in NYC to becoming a Jesuit and ultimately serving in Nigeria, Jordan and more. Learn more about the Jesuits in Jordan by visiting jesuits.org/jordan.

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" This is the second of the 7 Last Words of Jesus, and the second in our Lenten audio reflections. Fr. Tim O'Brien, SJ, a Jesuit of the Maryland Province, leads us in meditating on how we see the cross in our everyday lives.

Since the time of Ignatius, the Jesuits have been on mission. The legacies of Jesuit missionaries like Francis Xavier and Matteo Ricci inspire generation after generation of Jesuits to journey to the margins, to accompany the excluded and to work for a more just, peaceful world. Today’s Jesuits are no different. In part one of our three-part series, the Jesuit Mission in Jordan, Eric Clayton takes you to the Jesuit Center in Amman to hear the sounds and stories of the refugees served by the Jesuits and their collaborators. Learn more about the Jesuits in Jordan by visiting http://jesuits.org/jordan.

"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." This is the first of the 7 Last Words of Jesus, and the first in our Lenten audio reflections. Fr. Tim O'Brien, SJ, a Jesuit of the Maryland Province, leads us in meditating on how we see the cross in our everyday lives.

We’ve all heard the expression: God works in mysterious ways. It sounds a little cheesy, a little trite. But the conversation you’re about to hear is a result of exactly that mystery at work. It was not a small amount of serendipity that saw guest host Eric Clayton talking with dr. timone davis at such a crossroads moment: the end of Black History month and the beginning of Lent. And as they delved deeper into their conversation, dr. davis’s own research interest—storytelling and the Black Catholic experience—served as an organic, helpful link between these two significant moments in time. dr. davis is an assistant professor in the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago. She serves as treasurer of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium. And she runs PEACE centered WHOLENESS with her husband, where they blend clinical counseling with spiritual companioning. An excerpt from timone's bio provides helpful insight into how her story is accessible to all: “timone davis is a cradle Catholic who was a “pewster” until she discovered that the uselessness of the Church was because she wasn’t giving anything of herself. After committing to do something, her life changed.” Ultimately, this conversation led to an idea that might be termed "Ignatian storytelling": a reflective effort to put ourselves into stories to encounter God and one another, to heal, to reset power and privilege and ultimately to build bridges in the real world.

Ash Wednesday is THIS Wednesday. And that means we're nearly at the beginning of the season of Lent. Each week of Lent, AMDG will feature reflections from Fr. Tim O'Brien, SJ, on the Seven Last Words of Jesus, a traditional Lenten meditation. Every Monday, a new reflection — no more than three minutes in length — will pop up in your feed. Our prayer for you is that these brief reflections help anchor your week in Lenten spirituality, giving you something to chew on amidst the hustle and bustle of your daily life. As a special bonus, if you subscribe now — if you tell your friends to subscribe, too — you'll also get our regularly scheduled episodes each Wednesday.

Our very special guest is Fr. Arturo Sosa, who is the 31st Superior General of the Society of Jesus -- the leader of the Jesuits worldwide. Fr. Sosa is originally from Venezuela, where he was a political science professor and the provincial superior for a time. He’s the first person born in South America to lead the Jesuits, and he has been serving in the role since 2016, when his Jesuit brothers elected him at the Society’s 36th General Congregation. Serving as Fr. General, as the role is called within the Society of Jesus, is a massive job. With over 16,000 Jesuits from practically every culture scattered across the globe, Fr. General is responsible for guiding the Society in the same direction and building unity within diversity. A lot of Fr. General’s time is spent on the road, visiting Jesuit communities and works around the world to help him get a bird’s-eye view of the large Society he leads. Earlier this month, his travels led him to the West Coast of the United States, including the Jesuit retreat center in Los Altos, California, which is where host Mike Jordan Laskey sat down with him. They talked about Fr. General's visit to the States, the four Universal Apostolic Preferences that are guiding Jesuit life and mission for the next decade, and what it’s like to see his photograph on the wall of every Jesuit community on every continent he visits. In addition to the podcast, a transcript of highlights from this conversation is available at jesuits.org.

We Americans are obsessed with work. We want meaning in our work. We want work to align perfectly with our values. It’s a badge of honor to tell people how busy we are. And one of the nicest things you can say about someone is that they’re a hard worker. What if we have it all wrong? What if our relationship to work is dysfunctional? And maybe even demonic? Guest Jonathan Malesic has written extensively about work and burnout for publications like the New Republic and America Magazine. He’s currently writing a book on the topic. Earlier in the 2000s, Jon had his dream job as a college theology professor, but the reality of the work was sapping his energy and his spirit until he had to walk away. Since that big decision, he has devoted much of his professional life to studying Americans’ relationship to work, why it’s broken, and how we might be able to fix it. He talks with host Mike Jordan Laskey about his research, including the story of a Benedictine monastery in New Mexico that ran a successful web design business in the 90s until they just shut it down because it was interfering with their life of communal prayer. They also hit on the temptation for folks in Jesuit circles to misuse the popular Ignatian term “magis.” Keep up with Jon’s work and find a list of all the articles discussed on today’s show at jonmalesic.com.

One great thing about Ignatian spirituality is how practical it is: Faith isn’t a separate part of your life you observe only on Sundays. Instead, Jesuit tradition talks about finding and serving God in all things and places – including where you work. Mike Barkley is all about bringing Ignatian Spirituality into his everyday life. Mike is the CEO at KIND snacks, the company that makes those granola bars with the clear wrapper and rainbow logo you might pick up impulsively at Starbucks. Mike is an alum of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, and in recent years he has really worked at growing his faith in a bunch of ways, including the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. In his conversation with host Mike Jordan Laskey (who used to be the youth minister at the Barkley family parish), Mike talks about how he has used Ignatian tools to discern big family and career choices, plus how a character from Star Wars helped him completely re-frame his approach as a manager. Subscribe to AMDG on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Last week, hundreds of students from Jesuit high schools and colleges from around the country came to Washington, DC, to speak up for the unborn at the March for Life. Before the march, they gathered at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown for the Ignatian Mass for Life, with the Jesuit Conference president Fr. Tim Kesicki, SJ, presiding. Host Mike Jordan Laskey talked to six of the attendees about why they showed up and why our Jesuit values drive us to protect human life and work for justice for all.