AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How Open Should We Be to "Catholic Influencers"? with Kristin Peterson May 20, 2026

Show notes

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/

Pathway to Priesthood: Dan Finucane, SJ & Bryan Galligan, SJ May 16, 2026

Show notes

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.

A Jesuit Approach to Public Health with Fr. Michael Rozier, SJ May 13, 2026

Show notes

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/

Pathway to Priesthood: Nathan Krawetzke, SJ May 09, 2026

Show notes

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.

The Joy of Discovering New Music with Josh Terry May 06, 2026

Show notes

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/

Brooklyn's Innovative Jesuit Middle School with James Kennedy Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

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/

What We Can Learn From Tolkien's Catholic Imagination with Kaitlyn Facista Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

J.R.R. Tolkien is considered by many to be the father of modern fantasy. The vast world he created in Middle-earth is full of elves and orcs, magic and mystery, lore and legend, and more than a few pieces of troublesome jewelry. In addition to “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Hobbit” and “The Silmarillion,” Tolkien left a trove of hand-drawn maps and scribbled notes and half-started plotlines that have enchanted both casual reader and literary scholar alike. It is well-known, too, that Tolkien was a serious Catholic; his faith inevitably affected his work. But unlike his contemporary, C.S. Lewis — the master and maker of other fantastical lands, most notably Narnia — Tolkien was loathe to thrust upon the reader his own allegorical message. He wanted readers to find their own way and their own meaning in his words. All to say, Tolkien was still a man of profound faith. His Catholic imagination was still very much alive and well as he peopled Middle-earth, as he wove in themes of hope and redemption and mercy. The reader is not forced to adhere to a Catholic worldview while engaging Tolkiens’ writing; but for a Catholic — or Christian — with a desire to see it, there are spiritual insights to mine that can inform the workings of a Catholic life. That is what Kaitlyn Facista set out to do in her new book from Ave Maria Press, “Into the Heart of Middle-Earth: Exploring Faith and Fellowship in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.” And she’s well equipped to do it — she’s the founder of the online community Tea with Tolkien. She’s our guest today. In our conversation — and in her book — Kaitlyn ferrets out key spiritual themes of Tolkien’s life and work and offers them to us for our own reflection. If you’re a fan of Tolkien, fantasy or just interested in applying a Catholic imagination to pop culture and literature, you’re going to enjoy today’s conversation. If you’re interested in learning more about the book or Tea with Tolkien, check out the links below: Tea with Tolkien: https://www.teawithtolkien.com/ Get the book: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/into-the-heart-of-middle-earth?srsltid=AfmBOoqAaxWrmwgG-H2PdFx4yAQPaK7eevhX5A_lyuvESJ8EKhXyHUkJ

Matters of Life and Death with Liz Bruenig Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

In December 2020, after the journalist Liz Bruenig witnessed an execution for the first time, she threw up on the pavement outside the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. “The idea of execution promises catharsis,” she wrote in The New York Times after the experience. “The reality of it delivers the opposite, a nauseating sense of shame and regret.” That initial experience of witnessing the death of a man named Alfred Bourgeois led Liz to what has now become a yearslong journalistic project of covering capital punishment in America. Most of her writing on the subject has appeared in The Atlantic Magazine, where Liz is a staff writer. She was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in feature writing for this work. Host Mike Jordan Laskey has been a fan of Liz’s work since the beginning of her career, and I was excited to ask her about her reporting and other topics she has covered for the magazine, which include vaccinations and the relationship between Pope Leo XIV and the US government. In addition to being a renowned journalist, Liz is an adult convert to Catholicism, which she recently wrote about in another Atlantic article. If you haven’t come across her work before, this conversation will give you a good sense of the depth of her intellect and compassion. Liz Bruenig at the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/elizabeth-bruenig/ Liz’s essay about the first execution she witnessed: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/17/opinion/federal-executions-trump-alfred-bourgeois.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/

How This Lawyer Fights for the Common Good with Kevin Walsh Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Here’s a fun lawyer joke: Why does New Jersey have so many toxic waste dumps and Washington, DC have so many lawyers? Because New Jersey got the first pick. The stereotype about dishonest, soulless, ambulance-chasing lawyers who put their own wallets ahead of the needs of their clients might have some basis in reality. But the legal profession can be a great way to promote justice and work for the common good. This episode’s guest is one of these sorts of lawyers who has dedicated his whole career to making the world a more just place. Kevin Walsh is the former acting state comptroller for the state of New Jersey. In that role, to which he was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy, Kevin’s job was to lead a team that investigated fraud and abuse within government systems and government-funded programs. Before that job, Kevin led a public interest nonprofit that fought for the construction of more affordable housing in the state. And while doing that job, he was one of the lawyers who spearheaded the successful movement to get rid of the death penalty in New Jersey. Kevin’s Jesuit connection is that he is a proud alumnus of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. After his first year of law school, he took a year off to serve with JVC in Richmond, Virginia, where he worked as a volunteer with legal aid. His experience that year set him on his path of using a legal career for public service, work he’s now been at for more than a quarter century. Host Mike Jordan Laskey first met Kevin when Mike worked for the Diocese of Camden in southern New Jersey, where Kevin served on the board of the local Catholic Charities agency and on a bunch of other committees. And as Kevin just finished his term working as a state government watchdog, Mike wanted to ask him about the experience and if fraud and corruption in government are as bad as they sometimes seem. Mike also asked him to reflect on the other good fights he’s been part of as an attorney. Kevin’s doggedness and total commitment to using the law for the public interest are hugely inspiring, and we think you’ll notice his passion and energy come through clearly throughout the interview. More about Kevin Walsh: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/12/kevin-walsh-new-jersey-political-class-00181187 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/ Programming note: Two Jesuits Talking will now appear on its own dedicated feed: https://open.spotify.com/show/4pynrnM6MPZBWANbpkOyfa

Two Jesuits Talking | Episode 7: Home! Apr 04, 2026

Show notes

A conversation that begins with Girl Scout Cookies and sweet cereal slowly finds its way to something deeper: what home really means. Father Damian and Father Eric reflect on hometowns, family houses, Jesuit communities and the places that shaped them,, while wondering how those places still live in them. Somewhere between nostalgia, laughter and prayer, this episode asks a tender question: Where is the place, or who is the presence, that lets you breathe differently and be fully at rest? 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: www.youtube.com/societyofjesus Two Jesuits Talking is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. Learn more: jesuitmedialab.org/

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