AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

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Cardinal Michael Czerny Has Faith That Does Justice Aug 12, 2020

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Cardinal Michael Czerny leads the Vatican’s Migrants and Refugees section. A Canadian Jesuit, he was stunned to hear last fall that Pope Francis was naming him a cardinal because he wasn’t even a bishop at the time. The surprising decision by the Holy Father was yet another example of how migrants have been so close to Pope Francis’ heart throughout his papacy. Cardinal Czerny and host Mike Jordan Laskey discuss that pivotal day when then-Father Czerny learned his life was changing forever, plus the impact of the pandemic on migrants around the world and what message the cardinal wanted to share with the 20 Jesuits he ordained in Rome this summer. Subscribe to AMDG wherever you get podcasts.

Three Bible Readings Perfect for Difficult Times with Scripture Scholar Mahri Leonard-Fleckman Aug 05, 2020

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If you were going to pick a Bible passage to turn to in these difficult times, which would you choose? How about the one in the Gospel of Matthew about the inefficacy of worrying? It’s a neat little tidy message from Jesus and such an important lesson. Today's guest, Old Testament Scripture scholar Professor Mahri Leonard-Fleckman from the College of the Holy Cross, picked three sections of the Bible she suggests visiting. And it’s safe to say none of them have a single tidy moral lesson at all. A big theme in Professor Leonard-Fleckman’s writing and teaching is that the Hebrew Scriptures are full of tension. They can be uncomfortable to read, especially when we approach them looking for the sort of straight-ahead ethical guidance we find in parts of the New Testament. But that challenge doesn’t mean the Hebrew Scriptures can’t be incredibly illuminating and consoling during this era of pandemic and social unrest. In this conversation, Mike and Professor Leonard-Fleckman’s dug into her three choices: the Book of Ecclesiastes, Psalm 91, and the story of King David. She also provided a great primer for how to approach reading the Hebrew Bible and shared a bit of her own amazing faith journey. She’s a brilliant scholar who’s also a clear and accessible teacher. Follow Dr. Leonard-Fleckman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MahriFleckman

Jesuitical x AMDG Crossover Special with Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis Jul 29, 2020

Show notes

In honor of the Feast of St. Ignatius coming up on July 31, we’ve got a special Jesuit podcast crossover episode today. Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis are the hosts of Jesuitical, a podcast for young Catholics from America Media. They are real pioneers in the Catholic podcast world. They talked to host Mike Jordan Laskey about pandemic life in their shared adopted hometown of New York City, plus their favorite episodes of Jesuitical and what about the story of St. Ignatius inspires them the most. Then, they took turns drafting Jesuit alumni: Just like the NBA or NFL, they built teams of five people each who all went to a Jesuit high school, college or grad school. After you listen, check out @jesuitnews on Twitter to vote for who you think had the strongest overall team. Find Jesuitical wherever you listen to podcasts, on Twitter at @jesuiticalshow, or on Facebook at Jesuitical: A Podcast for Young Catholics. Draft format lovingly cribbed from Joe Posnanski's Poscast.

How NPR's Scott Detrow is Covering the 2020 Presidential Election Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Scott Detrow is a political correspondent for NPR and a co-host of the incredibly popular NPR Politics Podcast. He's covering the Joe Biden campaign this year. He shared with AMDG host Mike Jordan Laskey what it's like to attend campaign events with a few dozen people in the room instead of a few thousand, plus some observations on the role of faith in both Donald Trump's and Joe Biden's campaigns. Also, Scott talked about the impact of his Jesuit education on his life and career (he's an alum of Marquette University High School and Fordham University). And stick around until the end for some scattered but very passionate reflections on the upcoming baseball season. More about Scott: https://www.npr.org/people/444796749/scott-detrow The NPR Politics Podcast: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast

How Catholics Can Fight for Racial Justice Right Now with Olga Segura Jul 15, 2020

Show notes

Today's guest is Olga Segura, freelance writer from the Bronx who’s currently working on a book about race, the Black Lives Matter movement and the Catholic Church. Previously, Olga was an associate editor at America Magazine and the co-host of the podcast Jesuitical. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her about two pieces she wrote that came out this summer: first, a piece for America about how the Catholic Church can work for racial justice. Many Catholics want to do something to help address the sin of racism but we don’t always know where to start. Olga has some great tips for us. Second, Olga wrote a profile of the theologian and Fordham University professor Father Bryan Massingale, one of the leading voices on Black Catholicism. Olga talked about what struck her most about Fr. Massingale’s witness through the course of reporting her story. Subscribe to AMDG wherever you listen to podcasts.

What Migrant Essential Workers Want to Tell You Jul 08, 2020

Show notes

One of the new pandemic phrases that has become ubiquitous over the past four months is essential workers. From health care to agriculture, these workers are helping to move society forward amid a pandemic that has brought much of the world to a halt. On this special episode of AMDG, guest host Caitlin-Marie Ward speaks with migrant essential workers, who tell stories of incredible sacrifice, courage and endurance. Facing harsh migration policies and increasing public health concerns, these migrants surmount extraordinary challenges and look with hope toward the future. As Honduran asylum seeker, Fredys likes to say, “Us immigrants, we came here for a purpose. God gave us the opportunity to be in this country. God has the final word.” This episode of AMDG is part of the Solidarity Across Borders Campaign, sponsored by the Jesuit Migration Network of Central and North America. To learn more about the campaign and the people featured in this episode, go to www.jesuits.org/migration. To help Jesuit ministries working with migrants, visit www.jesuits.org/donate2020. Special thanks to Holy Trinity Parish, Kino Border Initiative and Father Alfredo Zepeda and his colleagues at Radio Huaycoctla for conducting and sharing their interviews of some of the people featured in this episode. Host: Caitlin-Marie Ward Producer: MegAnne Liebsch Don’t forget to subscribe to AMDG wherever you listen to podcasts.

M. Shawn Copeland on Confronting Racism in the Church (Plus "An Examen for Racism") Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

Today's guest is Dr. M. Shawn Copeland, professor emerita of theology at Boston College and one of the most distinguished religion scholars of our time. Dr. Copeland has written and spoken widely on a range of topics from theological anthropology to Black Catholicism to political theology. Her most recent book is "Knowing Christ Crucified: The Witness of African American Religious Experience." Dr. Copeland is a former President of the Catholic Theological Society of America, and she was the first Black theologian to hold that role. She is also recipient of the Society's highest honor, the John Courtney Murray Award. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her for her take on the rise in anti-racist protests around the country and beyond. They also discussed the ugly legacy of racism within the American Catholic Church, and how we can all work to make the church more just and equitable. Then, after their conversation, stay tuned for a fabulous new spirituality resource titled “An Examen for Racism" (46:30). The examen is one of the signature practices in Jesuit spirituality, and it typically involves reflecting on the events of your day, searching them for God’s presence and asking for the grace to grow in faith, hope and love. This particular examen invites us to search our hearts to reflect on how we participate in systemic racism. It also invites us to look forward to see how we might take a stand against racism in our own lives. Two Jesuits, Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ, and Christopher Alt, SJ, collaborated on this project. More about Dr. Copeland: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/schools/mcas/departments/theology/people/retired-faculty/m-shawn-copeland.html Text version of "An Examen for Racism": https://jesuits.org/news-detail?TN=NEWS-20200617120944 Don’t forget to subscribe to AMDG wherever you listen to podcasts.

Dr. Anthony Fauci's Jesuit Education Helped Prepare Him for This Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

As the COVID-19 pandemic has descended upon the United States over the past three months, today's guest, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has become a household name thanks to his expertise and his clear and calm communication style. Though many of us have just learned about his work recently, Dr. Fauci has been in public service for decades, directing the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. If there’s been a widespread infectious disease you’ve heard about, Dr. Fauci worked on it, from HIV to Ebola to Zika. His impact on public health both here and around the world is incalculable. Dr. Fauci is also a product of Jesuit education, and he credits his years at Regis High School in New York City and the College of the Holy Cross as helping to lay the groundwork for his career. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asks him what he found distinctive about his Jesuit education, what his typical day looks like mid-pandemic, and where we stand right now in our fight against this dreadful disease. Conversation recorded June 16, 2020. You can subscribe to AMDG wherever you listen to podcasts.

World Refugee Day with Danielle Vella of Jesuit Refugee Service Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

June 20 is World Refugee Day. While local headlines have taken over our consciousness even more than usual, our faith calls us to have a global vision. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic has a disproportionate impact on those who are already vulnerable, including refugees. Many displaced persons live in close quarters in refugee camps or urban areas with limited access to healthcare. Global resettlement of refugees has been halted and international borders have been closed. All of these challenges pile up on the other challenges refugees face in the best of times. It’s why the world needs organizations like the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which serves people displaced from their homes in over 50 countries around the world. Guest Danielle Vella is the director of reconciliation for JRS, and she has written a book of stories from her encounters with refugees called "Dying to Live: Stories from Refugees on the Road to Freedom." Danielle is from the tiny Mediterranean island nation of Malta, and she sat down with host Mike Jordan Laskey on the last day of her US book tour in early March, right before COVID-19 began its assault on North America. She shares incredible stories from her book and how her faith inspires her work. Danielle's book, Dying to Live: https://www.jrsusa.org/dying-to-live/ JRS USA's World Refugee Day campaign: https://www.jrsusa.org/campaign/welcome-protect-world-refugee-day-2020/

Lamenting and Confronting Racism with Fr. Mario Powell, SJ Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

Fr. Mario Powell, SJ, is a Jesuit priest and the president of Brooklyn Jesuit Prep, which is a middle school serving low-income families of diverse races, ethnicities and faiths in New York City. Last week, Fr. Mario wrote a piece for America, the Jesuit review, headlined “‘How long, O Lord?’ Psalm 13 is the cry of black Americans.” He and host Mike Jordan Laskey use that piece as a jumping-off point to discuss the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the enduring sin of racism in America. Fr. Mario is 38 years old and one of the youngest black Jesuit priests in the country, and he brings a vital perspective to this time of anguish and protest. Read Fr. Mario's piece in America: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/06/03/how-long-o-lord-psalm-13-cry-black-americans Learn more about Brooklyn Jesuit Prep: http://www.brooklynjesuit.org/

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