The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.
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56 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Can prayer and friendship overcome polarization?
27 oktober 2026 · 52 min
Can Catholics come together in deeply polarized times? Fr. James Martin is joined by Tim Busch, a businessman, philanthropist, and one of the most prominent Catholic lay leaders in the United States. He is the co-founder and chairman of The Napa Institute, which brings together clergy, scholars, business leaders, and other lay Catholics to explore the Church’s mission in contemporary culture. He’s known for his “salon dinners,” where he brings together people with different perspectives from within the church to break down walls and build friendships. Lees meer
Together, Tim Busch and Fr. Jim discuss:
Reaching out and listening to people, even when we disagree ideologically
Contemplative prayer for busy people
How our spirituality can help us remain open to people who believe or practice the faith differently than we do
Chapters:
0:00 We all can be pastoral to one another
3:32 Tim’s leadership with the Eucharistic procession
4:45 Salon dinners – bringing Catholics together from diverse perspectives
11:57 The impact of Legatus on Tim Busch
17:15 Contemplative prayer for a busy person
22:32: Experiencing God in daily life
25:15 How to find God while suffering
29:45 What’s the Napa Institute?
34:40 Bridging divides in the Catholic church
41:59 Audience Question: How do I know if I’m giving enough of my time and material resources to those in need?
Read Maggi’s spiritual advice column for this episode here: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/10/26/tim-busch-spiritual-life-father-james-martin
Links from the show:
Lowering the temperature in Catholic culture wars—over a meal
Breaking bread and ending culture wars
Tim Busch and Jim Martin bring left and right Catholics together over dinner and wine
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From refugee to Bishop: Michael Pham’s remarkable story of migration, vocation and advocacy
20 oktober 2026 · 57 min
How can leaders in the church accompany migrants and refugees? Fr. James Martin, S.J., speaks with Bishop Michael Pham about how his background as a refugee has led him to accompany migrants today. Lees meer
Bishop Pham fled Vietnam in 1980 with his older sister and a younger brother, arriving first at a refugee camp in Malaysia, before being sponsored a year later by an American family and relocating to Minnesota. He graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s and started a master’s degree in aerospace engineering before shifting his course and pursuing the priesthood. Pope Francis appointed him as auxiliary bishop of San Diego in 2023. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV named him the seventh bishop of San Diego, making him the nation’s first Vietnamese-American diocesan bishop. Since then he has been a leader among U.S. bishops in advocating for migrants and refugees.
Together, Bishop Pham and Fr. Martin discuss:
His childhood in Vietnam and escaping conflict as a refugee
How Bishop Pham supports migrants today
How prayers and sacraments can sustain us while helping vulnerable communities
Chapters:
0:00 A church that walks with migrants
4:24 Bishop Pham’s story of fleeing Vietnam as a child
17:19 Separated from his family at a refugee camp
18:19 Prayer strengthened his family’s faith in hardship
22:55 Discerning the priesthood
31:18 Bishop Pham’s work with migrants today
39:39 The church’s response to migration centers on human dignity
42:00 Remember to celebrate the small blessings
45:30 Audience Question: How can prayer and sacraments sustain me through the work of helping vulnerable communities?
Read Maggi’s spiritual reflection here
Links from the show:
Why San Diego’s Catholic leaders are standing with migrants in court—against impossible odds
Pope Leo XIV, in first U.S. appointment, names San Diego’s new bishop
U.S. Catholics are facing an authoritarian threat. The church has been here before.
The U.S. bishops have made a (needed) statement on…
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Bishop Mariann Budde on preaching the gospel in a political world
13 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
How do we navigate politics in our congregations, our prayers, and our lives of faith? Fr. James Martin, S.J., discusses these questions with Bishop Mariann Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC. Bishop Budde became the first-ever woman to hold her position after being consecrated as the ninth bishop of Washington in November 2011. In addition to being a bishop, she is a mother, grandmother, and author of books including, “Gathering Up the Fragments: Preaching as Spiritual Practice” and “How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith”. Lees meer
Together, Bishop Budde and Fr. Martin discuss:
Preaching in a politically fraught time
Recognizing the humanity in everyone in a polarized country
Experiencing God in your daily life
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome Bishop Mariann Budde
3:51 What defines Episcopalian spirituality?
7:25 Matthew Shepard’s internment at the National Cathedral
11:44 How do you preach about politics?
22:33 Challenging a culture of contempt
28:50 Bishop Budde’s call to ordained ministry
33:35 What is liberation theology?
41:00 Spiritual practices that keep Bishop Budde grounded
47:49: Experiencing God in your day-to-day life
52:29 Audience question: How do we ensure our transgender child knows they are loved by God and by us?
Links from the show:
Bishop Budde showed faithful moral courage. Catholics should follow her lead.
How We Learn to Be Brave
Gathering Up the Fragments: Preaching as Spiritual Practice
Read Maggi and Fr. Jim’s article reflecting on the themes of this episode
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What role does conscience play in our spiritual lives?
6 oktober 2026 · 56 min
What is moral theology, and where does it fit in our spiritual lives? Fr. James Martin, S.J., asks these questions to James Keenan, a Jesuit priest and one of the world's leading Catholic moral theologians on “The Spiritual Life” podcast. He is the Canisius professor of theology at Boston College, where he also serves as director of the Jesuit Institute and Vice Provost for Global Engagement. He has written and edited over a dozen books, covering everything from church leadership to moral life to bioethics, and more. Lees meer
Together, they discuss:
- Moral theology in practice
- The role of conscience in our daily lives
- What happens when conscience and church teaching disagree?
Chapters:
00:00 Who is Fr. James Keenan, S.J.?
4:15 Mercy and vulnerability
6:10 Sin is "not bothering"
9:10 What sins are Jesus concerned with?
10:35 Becoming a moral theologian
15:15 Morality and birth control
18:40 What is moral theology?
22:30 What is conscience?
26:23 Conscience and church teaching
30:05 Understanding the Good Samaritan
41:00 Fr. Keenan's spiritual practices
45:10 Audience question: Conscience in difficult decisions
Spiritual advice column for this episode by Maggi and Fr. Jim: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/10/06/father-james-martin-keenan-conscience-spiritual-life
Other links:
The liberating work of mercy: Banning ‘servile work’
Pope Leo’s powerful lesson in vulnerable leadership
James F. Keenan, S.J., on guidance for the LGBTQ Catholic conscience
Focusing on the individual is not enough to face today’s crises. We need collective moral agency.
The Moral Life
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What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?
29 september 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
Fr. James Martin, S.J., welcomes Susan Stabile, a spiritual director and retreat leader in the Ignatian tradition onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Susan was raised Catholic, but spent twenty years practicing Buddhism (and was ordained a Tibetan Buddhist nun) before returning to Catholicism. She now serves as Distinguished Senior Fellow at the University of St. Thomas, as well as adjunct instructor in Theology at St. Catherine’s University, where she is also Co-Director of a Contemplative Practices initiative. Susan offers retreats, spiritual direction, and adult faith formation programs nationally, and is the author of Growing in Love and Wisdom: Tibetan Buddhist Sources for Christian Meditation. Lees meer
Together, Susan and Fr James discuss:
Her journey through Buddhism and back home to Catholicism
Having a personal relationship with Jesus
Spiritual direction as part of her return to the Church
Timecodes:
0:00 The difference between ‘talking about’ and ‘talking to’ Jesus
08:09 The pivotal experience in Susan’s spiritual life
17:28 What does a personal relationship with Jesus mean?
19:17 Engaging the senses in Ignatian contemplation
22:56 What Bible commentaries can do for our faith
30:50 How do I know this isn’t just in my head?
36:45 What happens in spiritual direction?
42:39 Key qualities in a good spiritual director
45:16 Overcoming spiritual hurdles
54:17 Audience Question: How do I discern whether an experience is coming from God or my ego?Check out Susan's book:
Growing in Love and Wisdom: Tibetan Buddhist Sources for Christian MeditationMaggi and Fr. Jim’s spiritual reflection article.
Spiritual Directors International website.
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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How do you face suffering with faith?
22 september 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
How do you maintain a friendship with God when life gets hard? What do you do when, in your mid-fifties and at the height of your career, you are diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable brain cancer? That’s the question that confronted Ann Garrido, our guest on, “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.” podcast. Ann is an associate professor of homiletics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis Missouri, where she also founded the school’s master’s program in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She has written several award-winning books including Redeeming Administration, Redeeming Conflict, and Redeeming Power. Lees meer
Together, Fr. Jim and Ann discuss:
How to reflect on human suffering and “offer it up” as a prayer
Allowing oneself to be wooed by God daily, even when the future seems uncertain
What we can know about heaven
Timecodes:
0:00 “I am with you, and I am within you”
5:58 Where Ann’s life of teaching, preaching and ministry began
9:30 The hard theological questions born in Africa
15:42 How Ann was diagnosed with a glioblastoma
19:57 Noticing God’s presence and offering up her suffering
28:38 God woos Ann each day through the examen prayer
39:46 What we can know about heaven
51:00 Audience Question: How do we maintain a friendship with Jesus that allows us to remain joyful when life is so hard?
Check out Ann's recent book, Redeeming Power
Maggi and Fr. Jim’s article reflection on “offering up” our suffering
Preach episode featuring Ann Garrido
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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How Jesuit spirituality changed Andrew Garfield’s life
15 september 2026 · 59 min
It’s been over ten years since the award-winning actor Andrew Garfield trained as a Jesuit priest with Fr. James Martin, S.J. Well, more accurately, since he trained to play a Jesuit priest in Martin Scorsese's film Silence. And the fruits of those Ignatian practices of prayer and contemplation have continued to bear out in his life. Garfield joins his long-time spiritual director, Fr. Martin on this episode of “The Spiritual Life” to reflect on: Lees meer
-The importance of empathy in Garfield’s own spirituality of acting
-The ways God calls us to defend human dignity and fight for justice as portrayed in Garfield’s new movie, ‘The Uprising’
-What lessons from The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius have remained close to Garfield’s heart
-God speaking through our dreams
Timecodes:
0:00 Andrew Garfield
5:20 The spiritual themes of ‘The Uprising’
10:10 Is there a spirituality of acting?
14:30 His mother’s ability to attune to small miracles
18:30 The mystery of faith in ‘Silence’
21:30 Encountering Jesus in the Spiritual Exercises
28:10 How Andrew Garfield reflects on his day with the Jesuit examen
38:05 Does God and our loved ones speak through dreams?
42:20 Audience Question: How do I transform my pain to stop transmitting it to others?
Maggi Van Dorn’s producer’s notes on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Music as a doorway to the divine with Matt Maher
8 september 2026 · 59 min
“The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.” returns for its third season with what is sure to be a crowd favorite: a conversation with the legendary Catholic musician Matt Maher. A nine-time Grammy Award nominee, Maher has written some of the most widely sung worship songs across many Christian denominations, including “Lord I Need You,” “Your Grace Is Enough,” and his latest, “Gonna Be Alright.” Together with host James Martin, S.J, Matt reflects upon: Lees meer
The profound conversion experience Matt had in his early 20s that led to his vocation as a praise and worship singer-songwriter.
The evolution of praise and worship music in the last century
The ways that “writing to task” and divine inspiration have shaped Maher’s songwriting
The ministry of being on the road with people and home with family
Timcodes:
0:00 In a didactic age of faith, we need to return to the experience of God
5:10 The conversion experience that led to Matt’s vocation as a Christian musician
12:39 Church music progression: from the St. Louis Jesuits to modern praise and worship
24:35 Writing out of the experience of the Eucharist
26:10 Any great song tells the truth
30:10 The practices that keep Matt spiritually alive
34:13 Discernment and detachment for creatives
38:28 Encountering God in relationships
46:54 Audience Question: I am often moved to tears at mass but don’t understand why?
Maggi Van Dorn’s producer’s notes on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Greg Boyle, S.J. on compassion and kinship
30 juni 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
Founder of Homeboy Industries and best-selling spiritual writer, Greg Boyle, S.J., joins James Martin S.J. on the season finale of “The Spiritual Life” podcast. They talk about who inspired Greg to join the Jesuits, where he goes for spiritual direction each morning, bringing a mystical lens to reading the Bible, and how the community at Homeboy, the world’s leading gang intervention rehabilitation program, has made God’s love real to him. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Greg Boyle doesn’t know a bad person
5:20 How Homeboy ministries began
14:17 How joy, humor and fearlessness attracted Fr. Greg to the Jesuits
20:20 Why you need a mystical filter to know the God of Love
24:45 You want to see Jesus so you can be Jesus to others
35:55 Hate is a symptom of bad health, not a bad person
47:00 Dealing with criticism and praise
50:31 Greg’s morning spiritual practice
54:45 Audience Question: How do we know for sure if God forgives us?
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Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual reflection on moral heroes
Fr. Greg Boyle’s books:
Tattoos on the Heart
Barking to the Choir
Cherished Belonging
Forgive Everyone Everything
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Hasan Minhaj on Islam, comedy, and the spiritual life
23 juni 2026 · 56 min
Hasan Minhaj is “down to catch a blessing,” wherever that may be. The Emmy Award-winning comedian joins James Martin, S.J. on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share his Muslim faith, how laughter helped to save his life, and his hopes for interreligious dialogue and prayer. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 How a traveling comedian looks to an ancient faith
4:11 Why laughter is important to the spiritual life
8:13 Hasan’s early childhood influences
9:35 The story of Islam
13:26 Malcolm X & Dr. Sherman Jackson on being Muslim in America
26:02 An inter-faith dialogue on Jesus and the Trinity
30:22 Dealing with negative stereotypes about Islam
33:40 The call to prayer
37:58 Encountering God through acts of virtue
41:30 Islam does not depict God through images
44:15 Audience Question: Advice for someone who hasn’t lived a religious life and has doubts, but still feels called to faith?
Hasan’s podcast episode with Fr. Jim: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know
Read Fr. Jim's spiritual reflection on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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David Brooks on finding faith later in life
16 juni 2026 · 58 min
David Brooks is known as one of America’s leading public intellectuals, a longtime columnist for The New York Times and now a staff writer at The Atlantic. He joins James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share how he went from a mostly cultural Jew, to a “Jew-y” Christian in the land of faith. Lees meer
Timeline:
0:00 Traveling to the land of faith
6:20 Our social and political problems are spiritual ones
10:04 Understanding the America’s religious revival
11:46 Religious but not yet spiritual
14:05 David’s movement to faith
19:05 Dorothy Day and St. Augustine influences
28:15 Unpacking David’s mystical experiences
34:35 A new frontier in the Christian faith
37:33 Three Jewish women that paid attention: Simone Weil, Edith Stein, Etty Hillesum
47:50 Audience Question: How do we maintain hope in bleak times?
Brooks is the bestselling author of several books including:
How to Know a Person: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652822/how-to-know-a-person-by-david-brooks/
The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/217649/the-second-mountain-by-david-brooks/
The Road to Character:
https://www.acappellabooks.com/pages/books/343956/david-brooks/the-road-to-character
Bobos in Paradise
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Bobos-in-Paradise/David-Brooks/9780684853789
Read Fr. Jim's spiritual reflection on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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A spirituality of family life with Katie Prejean McGrady
9 juni 2026 · 54 min
Radio host and author, Katie Prejean McGrady joins host James Martin, S.J., to talk about the religious revival sweeping across America, how youth ministers can share eternal truths without falling prey to black-and-white thinking, and a spirituality of family life. Lees meer
Katie is an award-winning Catholic author, speaker and host of The Katie McGrady Show on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel. She also hosts a weekly podcast, Family Mass Prep on Hallow with her husband Tommy.
Timecodes:
0:00 “Jesus is constantly surprising me”
5:20 Is there a religious revival happening for young people?
10:00 Avoiding the dangers of black and white thinking in youth ministry
14:22 Katie’s “big Catholic” upbringing
17:40 Making spiritual sense of suffering
22:00 Ignatian contemplation with Jesus
30:40 The spirituality of being a parent
39:12 How parents can get their kids to mass
46:06 Audience Question: How can I fully participate in the Catholic liturgy when I find myself at odds with Catholic teaching?
Some of Katie’s books:
Room 24: Adventures of a New Evangelist
Follow: Your Lifelong Adventure with Jesus
Read Fr. Jim's spiritual reflection on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Robert George on how to disagree and remain spiritually grounded
2 juni 2026 · 57 min
The American legal scholar and public intellectual, Professor Robert George, joins host James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk about the practice of dialogue in the church and society, as well as his own rich faith journey. Lees meer
Raised in the heart of Appalachia, West Virginia, by his Syrian Antiochian Orthodox father and Italian Catholic mother, Robert’s childhood was solidly rooted in faith and inspired by the moral heroism of his father.
In addition to his extensive professional accomplishments, including as the sixth McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, Professor George has long modeled civil dialogue with his friend and fellow interlocutor, Professor Cornel West.
Timecodes:
0:00 Building trust for challenging conversations
5:27 Robert George’s Orthodox and Catholic “mixed” religious upbringing
9:14 The impact of a father’s relationship with God
13:45 Robert’s father’s act of heroism
22:28 What Jane Austen’s characters can teach us about God’s ways
24:30 Praying slowly with attention
35:15 How Robert’s dialogues with Dr. Cornel West began
45:20 You’ll only allow someone you trust to challenge your deeply held beliefs
48:12 Audience Question: How can we better respond to God’s calls for improving the world?
Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice column for this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/06/01/robert-george-james-martin-spiritual-life
Some of Robert George’s books:
Truth Matters: A Dialogue on Fruitful Disagreement in an Age of Division
In Defense of Natural Law
Making Men Moral: Civil Liberties and Public Morality
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Yunuen Trujillo’s ministry to migrants and L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics
26 mei 2026 · 54 min
As a lay minister to L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, a faith-based community organizer, and an immigration attorney, Yunuen Trujillo wears many hats. And as a member of these marginalized communities herself, she knows their struggles intimately. ”I feel that when we minister to immigrants or L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, I'm ministering from a place of an open wound,” says Yuenen, “But it's a good thing because when you connect with your wound, then you're able to be hospitable to the wound of other people.” Yunuen joins host Fr. James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share her journey of finding a loving and merciful God who walks with her in her fight for justice in many arenas. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Jesus teaches us about love through the parable of “the Good Samaritan”
3:17 Can I be gay and Catholic?
6:40 Yunuen’s intersectional vocation as an immigration attorney and lay Catholic minister
13:20 Yunuen’s spiritual resources for the daily battles
17:46 Navigating righteous anger without succumbing to rage
28:00 How Yunuen found a loving and merciful God
43:30 Being LGBTQ isn’t an ideology
46:34 Audience Question: How can you use prayer to help you look forward in life as opposed to revisiting old transgressions or wounds?
Read Fr. Martin's article reflecting on this episode here
Yunuen Trujillo’s books:
LGBTQ Catholics: A Guide for Inclusive Ministry
Católicos LGBTQ: Una Guía para Pastoral Inclusiva.
Yunuen is the founder of @lgbtcatholics on Instagram
Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: "Bringing your full (wounded) self to ministry"
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Actor Martin Sheen on the heroes that shaped his spirituality and activism
19 mei 2026 · 50 min
From country club caddy to the Catholic Worker to “The West Wing”, Martin Sheen has been on a long and fascinating spiritual journey. The Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor and activist shares the major turning points in his faith with Fr. James Martin, S.J. on “The Spiritual Life” podcast. They talk about some of the most important influences in Sheen’s life, including the Jesuit activist Dan Berrigan and film-maker Terrence Malick, and how the Mass continues to nourish his faith. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 How Martin Sheen’s faith was shaped by the Catholic Worker
2:00 Understanding the ploughshare movement
3:43 Discerning what activism our faith calls us to
6:50 Martin Sheen’s Catholic childhood
9:00 An epiphany in Paris and how Terrence Malick became a spiritual guide to Sheen
12:20 “Peacework must be as devotional as war”
22:30 Encountering community and solidarity at the Catholic Worker
32:25 Sheen is nourished by the mass
42:13 How Catholicism informed Sheen’s role of Pres. Josiah Bartlet on ‘The West Wing’
45: Audience Question: How can working people today take a personal vow of poverty or overcome a consumer culture?
Links:
Martin Sheen's podcast
Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/05/18/martin-sheen-spiritual-life-james-martin
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Liza Colón-Zayas of "The Bear" speaks honestly about her struggles with faith
12 mei 2026 · 45 min
If you’ve watched “The Bear” you’ve seen the incredible talent of the Emmy award-winning supporting actress, Liza Colón-Zayas, who plays Tina. But you might not know that Liza has overcome great spiritual hardship on her journey to noterirty. She joins her friend and host of “The Spiritual Life” podcast Fr. James Martin, S.J. to talk about her Catholic upbringing, how she escaped a cult, persevered through the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, and where she finds hope in her ancestral roots today. Lees meer
0:00 Faith at its best reflects social justice
2:15 Liza plays a Puerto Rican Mother Teresa
5:10 How Liza persevered in Hollywood
9:20 Liza’s early struggles with faith communities
14:09 Doing away with the “parole officer” image of God
22:45 A spiritual practice of breathing meditations and gratitude
25:37 The power of discovering ancestral roots
33:00 The Catholic church and sexual abuse
34:55 Dealing with success and imposter’s syndrome
36:34 Audience Question: Taking less money for a spiritually fulfilling job?Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: ‘The Bear’ actress Liza Colón-Zayas’s spiritual journey—to agnosticism
https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/05/11/liza-colon-zayas-spiritual-life/
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Filipino Cardinal “Ambo” David on hearing God's voice in the Bible
5 mei 2026 · 41 min
In this episode of The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J., Fr. Martin speaks with Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, Bishop of Kalookan, Philippines. Elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2024 by Pope Francis, the ministry of Cardinal “Ambo” has been marked by a deep solidarity with those on the margins, with whom he’s established 21 urban mission stations in poor communities affected by violence. With a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Catholic University of Louvain, Cardinal Ambo shares his Ignatian approach of “reading between the lines of scripture,” without forgetting the very important “dots” we connect through biblical scholarship. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Prayer is necessary to survive
2:50 What’s an Ignatian approach towards scripture?
5:19 How Cardinal Ambo received his nickname and why he prefers it to “Your Eminence”
7:28 Cardinal Ambo’s early calling to the priesthood
14:05 Biblical scholarship establishes the dots, Ignatian Contemplation helps connect them
21:30 How studying Aramaic allows Cardinal Ambo to better understand Jesus
24:50 The urban mission stations that bring hope to the poor
30:40 What characterizes Filipino-Catholic spirituality?
32:30 Audience Question: How does Jesus’ resurrection change reality?
Read Fr. Jim's article on Ignatian contemplation
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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How Andrew Sullivan experienced God amidst fear and agony
28 april 2026 · 55 min
James Martin, S.J., speaks with Andrew Sullivan, the renowned political commentator and Catholic writer, about faith, identity and spiritual transformation in this deeply personal episode of “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Having struggled through the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s, Andrew opens up about the initial fear of gay people in the Catholic Church and the remarkable shift that he believes has taken place over the past few decades. Lees meer
Chapters
00:00 Who is Andrew Sullivan?
4:20 Homosexuality and the Catholic Church
11:14 State of the LGBTQ movement
15:35 How Pope Francis dispelled fear
21:38 God in the midst of agony
31:31 Andrew's turbulent Catholic life
41:04 Staying rooted spiritually
44:55 Reconciling personal experience in the church
Links:
Fr. Martin's spiritual advice column on this conversation: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/04/27/james-martin-andrew-sullivan-spiritual-life
“The Weekly Dish”: https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/
Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality: https://www.amazon.ca/Virtually-Normal-Argument-about-Homosexuality/dp/0679746145
Interview: Andrew Sullivan on being openly gay and Catholic by Thomas H. Stahel: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2022/11/10/vantage-point-america-andrew-sullivan-244119
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Cardinal Blase Cupich on how the Mass can change your life
21 april 2026 · 45 min
Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, joins James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk about his vocation story, the spiritual power of the Mass, and the necessity of preaching the Gospel during tumultuous political times. Lees meer
Cardinal Cupich is the Archbishop of Chicago, one of three U.S. cardinals who currently runs a diocese, and is also a member of the Dicastery for Bishops.
00:00 Who is Cardinal Cupich?
2:32 Explaining Lectio Divina
5:33 Explaining the Liturgy of the Hours
8:17 Cardinal Cupich's vocation story
12:32 Prayer isn't just personal
19:40 How the Mass changes your life
25:48 The spiritual life of a bishop
29:12 Working with Pope Leo XIV
32:32 Being political vs. preaching the Gospel
37:00 Audience question: Why is Confession important?
Links:
Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice column on the Sacrament of Confession
Cardinal Cupich's archdiocesan column
Cardinal Cupich on retrieving the Consistent Ethic of Life
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Pádraig Ó Tuama on poetry, conflict resolution, and the Stations of the Cross
14 april 2026 · 57 min
The poet and theologian, Pádraig Ó Tuama, joins James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk about how poetry and the Taizé community became a lifeline for Pádraig after he was subjected to multiple exorcisms, attempting to cast out his homosexuality as a form of conversion therapy. Lees meer
Pádraig is the host of On Being’s podcast, “Poetry Unbound,” and has published volumes of poetry, essays, a memoir and has written on theological topics. His books include:
Being Here: Prayers for Curiosity, Justice, and Love
Kitchen Hymns
Timecodes:
0:00 What do you really want?
1:25 The conversion therapies inflicted upon Pádraig Ó Tuama
7:00 Pádraig’s younger years among the Catholic charismatic movement
11:24 How Pádraig accepted his homosexuality and renewed his faith
17:40 Coming out as a poet and being haunted by Emily Dickenson
25:44 Pádraig’s understanding of prayer
32:25 Practicing the Stations of the Cross
37:45 Required spiritual practices for reconciliation
43:20 How to deal with criticism
51:40 Audience Question: What practices can I bring from retreats into my daily life?
Read Fr. Jim's article reflecting on poetry and prayer.
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Our human desire for God, with the Augustine scholar James K.A. Smith
7 april 2026 · 51 min
James Martin, S.J., is joined by James K.A. Smith on the “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Jamie is a leading scholar of St. Augustine, and a professor of philosophy at Calvin University. He’s written several books—including Desiring the Kingdom, You Are What You Love, On the Road with Saint Augustine, and his latest, Make Your Home in This Luminous Dark: Mysticism, Art, and the Path of Unknowing. Together, they chart the contours of St. Augustine’s life, spirituality, and theological patrimony in the Church, along with Jamie’s own spiritual life. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Adopting a refugee spirituality
1:40 Introducing James K.A. Smith and Augustinian spirituality
6:39 Jamie meets God through his wife’s family
11:00 How St. Augustine became a spiritual lifeline for Jamie
13:30 A thumbnail sketch of St. Augustine’s life
19:10 “Everybody’s got a hungry heart”
30:40 Praying with the German mystic Meister Eckhart
33:46 Tracking your desires in the spiritual life
36:10 The relationship between Pope Leo XIV, the Augustianians, and Augustine45:15 Audience Question: How can we reconcile the "two churches" of today: a church that follows Jesus and a more "worldy church"?
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Catholic and Anarchist: The Spiritual Wisdom of Dorothy Day
31 maart 2026 · 45 min
Editor-in-chief of Orbis Books, Robert Ellsberg cut his teeth as an editor of The Catholic Worker newspaper when he was just 20 years old. There he also traded literary notes with the great Catholic writer, activist and now “Servant of God,” Dorothy Day. On this episode of “The Spiritual Life,” Robert joins host James Martin, S.J., to share what he learned from Dorothy and his time at the Catholic Worker about ordinary holiness. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Spiritual improv at the Catholic Worker
1:15 Introducing Robert Ellsberg, Orbis editor-in-chief
3:15 A primer on Servant of God, Dorothy Day
7:00 How Robert Ellsberg fell into the Catholic Worker at only 20 y.o.
13:50 Robert’s spiritual crisis and eventual conversion to Catholicism
15:50 Life at the Catholic Worker and getting to know Dorothy Day
22:40 “Don’t call me a saint” and Dorothy’s own expression of holiness
32:46 Letting go of the need to have the last word
35:33 Encountering God in nature
37:12 Audience Question: What saints can assist my prayer when I feel desolation around the church?
Read Fr. Jim's article on Dorothy Day
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Kate Bowler on how to accompany those who are suffering
24 maart 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
American culture often tries to emphasize “learning lessons” in the middle of suffering. For example, “Everything happens for a reason.” But Kate Bowler doesn’t think those “lessons” are coming from God; rather, God draws close to the brokenhearted and accompanies them. On this episode of “The Spiritual Life” podcast host James Martin, S.J. is joined by scholar of American religion history, Kate Bowler, who is also the creator of the popular podcast “Everything Happens” and the author of bestselling books including Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved) and No Cure for Being Human. Her latest book is Joyful, Anyway! Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 God’s grace is not like math
1:05 Who is Kate Bowler?
5:22 How getting diagnosed with stage 4 cancer changed Kate’s faith
11:55 What not to say to someone who is suffering
19:38 How to accompany those who suffer
26:37 The problem with happiness and “good vibes only”
31:32 The paradox and practice of joy
44:10 Kate’s spiritual practices of honesty and service
47:35 Why its so hard to suffer in America
50:00 Audience Question: How do we believe in a just and loving God in the midst of an unjust and unloving world?
56:30 Kate’s blessing
Read Fr. Jim's article on suffering
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Jesuit musician Cristóbal Fones on praying with the Pope
17 maart 2026 · 57 min
Cristóbal Fones, SJ, is many things- a talented musician, a Jesuit and the international director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. He joins host James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share how he learned to pray from a place of deep emotional connection and authenticity, and how, from his new post at the Vatican, he coordinates the prayer petitions for the Catholic church. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Why we pray with Cristóbal Fones
1:00 Understanding the morning offering and the Sacred Heart
7:10 The pope has a prayer network
16:08 Praying with the Sacred Heart includes our emotions
23:50 Cristóbal is called to be a Jesuit and inculturate Christ’s message in music
37:00 Music can affect how you relate to God
46:32 What Jesuits do on retreat
51:00 Audience Question: Why do Catholics pray to saints and how does that work?
Read Fr. Jim's article on The Sacred Heart
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Gregory Maguire’s spiritual journey–From a Catholic orphanage to ‘Wicked’-fame
10 maart 2026 · 50 min
Long before he wrote “Wicked” Gregory Maguire has been weaving careful attention into his artistic pursuits and his prayer. He joins host James Martin, S.J. on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk about his spiritual journey, from a Catholic orphanage and formative education with religious sisters who helped him draw his first picture of God, to his current practice of seeing Jesus’ face on the margins. Lees meer
Timecodes
0:00 Introducing Gregory Maguire, author of “Wicked”
5:04 The tragic circumstances surrounding Gregory’s birth
11:42 Gregory’s first image of God
17: 45 Discerning the shape of his own ministry
25:42 The art of paying attention + studying people’s faces
35:55 Are there Christ-figures in “Wicked”?
40:40 The experience of being gay and marginalized
42:50 Audience Question: What advice would you give to a young, gay, Catholic striving to live authentically?
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Kathleen Norris on treating spiritual dryness, jealousy, and bad thoughts
3 maart 2026 · 51 min
New York Times bestselling writer, Kathleen Norris, joins host James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to share her experience with Benedictine monks, which formed the basis of her beloved book "The Cloister Walk," and to introduce her new book, "Rebecca Sue," a memoir about her younger sister who had a developmental disability. Kathleen retrieves spiritual wisdom from the ancient desert fathers and mothers on dealing with perennial psychological challenges, including jealousy, boredom, and bad thoughts. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Bad thoughts, not sin, was the focus in Early Christianity
1:10 The “Kathleen Norris-effect”
4:37 Getting to know the desert fathers and mothers
9:10 Kathleen Norris gets acquainted with monastic life
17:58 Hospitality is at the core of Benedictine spirituality
26:30 Rebecca Sue- Kathleen’s sister with a mental disability
30:57 Dealing with jealousy
33:15 Finding God in the desert
37:15 How the desert fathers and mothers dealt with sin
39:35 Acedia-restlessness, sadness, boredom
45:20 Audience Question: How important should it be that the parish we attend feel like a spiritual home?Read Fr. Jim’s review of Kathleen's book, "Rebecca Sue": https://www.americamagazine.org/books/2026/02/12/review-kathleen-norris-on-a-sisters-love/
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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A Black, gay Catholic priest on living authentically
24 februari 2026 · 52 min
Fr. Bryan Massingale is a Black, openly gay priest, but not, in his own words, “a hybrid car,” that can be segmented into identity categories. Instead, he’s compound reality, a mystery made by God’s grace. Bryan joins host James Martin, S.J., on “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk about the values of authenticity and integrity in his life and ministry. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Bringing God’s love forth
2:38 Why Bryan’s race and sexuality are significant
5:36 Challenges of being a Black and gay Catholic priest
11:35 How Bryan came out as gay
17:40 Authenticity frees us and others
25:55 Bryan’s advice to someone struggling with the church
29:38 The church’s tragic track record on racism
34:53 Why Bryan remains in the church despite racism
39:34 The spiritual practice of journaling & music
44:45 Audience Question: What can parents of L.G.B.T.Q. children do when their kids refuse to come to Mass?
Read Fr. James Martin's article reflecting on this conversation
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Praying with the Bible during Lent
17 februari 2026 · 51 min
How can Scripture help deepen our prayer lives this Lent? The New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III joins host James Martin, S.J., to share his own paths of prayer- through scripture, music and poetry. Lees meer
Timecodes:
0:00 Who is Ben Witherington III?
3:40 What do scholars mean by the ‘historical Jesus’?
6:33 The last 7 words of Christ
7:57 Biblical roots of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
11:10 Ben reclaims his faith and is called by God
17:30 Praying with the Bible and grief
33:20 Where to start reading the Bible
34:55 Christianity is a historical religion
40:55 Why Catholics should read the Bible
44:58 Audience Question: How do I hear the readings at Mass with freshness?
Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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"Help, Thanks, Wow": Three prayers that changed Anne Lamott
10 februari 2026 · 51 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes New York Times best-selling author and Christian convert, Anne Lamott, onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Lees meer
0:00 Who is Anne Lamott?
5:00 Welcome Anne Lamott
6:50 Synonyms for God
12:08 Anne’s leap of faith
22:38 How to find God when you’re struggling
29:22 What would Jesus do?
32:33 Anne’s daily spiritual practices
39:40 Praying “Help, Thanks, Wow”
42:00 Anne’s secret to good writing
45:15 Audience Question: How do you handle distractions during prayer?Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode:
https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/02/09/anne-lamott-james-martin-podcast-spiritual-life/
Check out Anne's book "Help Thanks Wow"
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Richard Rohr on God, brokenness and healing
3 februari 2026 · 50 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes the Franciscan spiritual master and author, Richard Rohr O.F.M., onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. They dig deep into: Lees meer
- The meaning of “The Universal Christ,” or the Christ of faith, who transcends time, place, and culture, and allows us to find God in all things.
- Moving from a moral framework of sin and judgment to brokenness and healing
- Richard’s contemplative practice of “holy gazing”Read Fr. Jim's spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/02/02/interview-richard-rohr-and-the-universal-christ
Listen to Fr. Richard’s podcast, "Everything Belongs," here: https://cac.org/everythingbelongs2025
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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The Catholic sister ministering to migrants at our border
27 januari 2026 · 45 min
Sister Norma Pimentel, M.J., the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, joins “The Spiritual Life” podcast to talk with host Fr. James Martin, S.J., about her four decades of ministry with migrants and refugees on the U.S.-Mexico border, in South Texas. Lees meer
Together, they discuss:
- Sister Norma’s call to religious life, what prayer practices have sustained her over the years and the big boost she received from Pope Francis.
- Misconceptions about migrants and refugees and how best to address them.
- The power of personal encounter in changing minds and hearts, along with Sister Norma’s commitment to being present to those she ministers to.
Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode:
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Cardinal Nemet’s practical advice for recovering from burnout
20 januari 2026 · 52 min
Sometime in his midlife, after becoming a priest and then a bishop, Cardinal Ladislav Nemet experienced a difficult period of burn-out. It took a community of family, friends and comrades in ministry to restore his spirits and sense of purpose, and now he has practical advice to share with anyone dealing with this kind of professional exhaustion. Lees meer
Cardinal Ladislav Nemet is the Archbishop of Belgrade, Serbia, and a member of the Society of the Divine Word. He was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, served as a delegate for the Synod of Bishops from 2021 to 2024, and was part of the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.
Together with “The Spiritual Life” podcast host, James Martin, S.J., they discuss:
How growing up in a communist country made Cardinal Nemet’s family “Catholics at home” but quiet in the public sphere
The importance of humor and joy in the spiritual life
Recovering from burnout and turning to the psalms during a dark period
Cardinal Nemet’s participation in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV
Read Fr. Jim’s spiritual reflection about this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/01/20/james-martin-cardinal-nemet-burnout
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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The spiritual journey behind Sr. Helen Prejean’s fight to end the death penalty
13 januari 2026 · 56 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes famed anti-death penalty advocate, Sister Helen Prejean, onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Their conversation spans: Lees meer
How Sister Helen first became a chaplain to a death-row inmate, Pat Sonnier, and then a leading advocate to abolish the death penalty
Catholic teaching on the inviolable dignity of the human person and the true meaning of forgiveness
Discerning what to say “yes” and “no” to in the spiritual life, with the help of Ignatian spirituality
Sr. Helen’s spiritual practice of quiet listening, reading, meditation and prayer.
Read Fr. James' spiritual advice column about this episode
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
Check out Fr. James' new book "Work In Progress" here: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/jamesmartin
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How to do a spiritual reset for 2026
1 januari 2026 · 54 min
On our debut episode of 2026 and the second season of “The Spiritual Life,” host James Martin, S.J., welcomes Trappist monk, poet and photographer, Br. Paul Quenon, onto the podcast. Br. Paul entered the Trappists in 1958 at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky, where Thomas Merton was his novice master. Together they discuss: Lees meer
- What it was like to have Thomas Merton as a novice master
- How a monastery can be like a montessori school, where playing with different elements and forms of prayer, leads to one’s own spiritual practice
- Responses to listener questions: how to do a spiritual reset at the beginning of a new year, how to build a personal relationship with God, and how to try to make sense out of tragedy.
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2026/01/01/new-year-prayer-james-martin
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Introducing: 'Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols'
10 december 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
Fr. Jim introduces this special episode on "The Coventry Carol" which is part of a new season of the podcast, "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols," from America Magazine, the Jesuit Review (AmericaMagazine.org). Lees meer
Listen to more episodes including, "O Holy Night," "The Little Drummer Boy," and "Silent Night" on:
Apple Podcasts, Spotify and at America Magazine: https://www.americamagazine.org/hark
Episode description: Most Christmas carols celebrate the birth of Jesus. But not “The Coventry Carol." This song centers on a biblical horror: the “massacre of the innocents,” King Herod’s order to kill all male babies two years old and under in Bethlehem. It’s a lullaby sung by mothers to children who may not survive the night. In this podcast episode, host Maggi Van Dorn travels to Coventry, England, to trace how this centuries-old lament survived the Reformation, a devastating library fire and the 1940 bombing of Coventry Cathedral during the Second World War— and how it has served the city’s witness to grief and reconciliation.
Happy Advent and merry Christmas from Fr. Jim!
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Brené Brown on Jesus and vulnerable spirituality
28 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 3 min
On our Season One finale of “The Spiritual Life” podcast, Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes the incomparable researcher and storyteller, Brené Brown. Lees meer
Brené is a research professor at the University of Houston, the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and the host of two award-winning podcasts. In 2024, she was named as the executive director of The Center for Daring Leadership at BetterUp. In this open and courageous conversation, they discuss:
How Brené became Catholic as a child and where she finds her spiritual home today
Brené’s own take on The Examen prayer and the twist she adds to the Our Father and Hail Mary.
How Brené thinks about the connection between her research on fear, shame and vulnerability, and the person of Jesus we encounter in the gospels.
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/10/28/brene-brown-james-martin-spiritual-life
We’re taking a couple months break, but will be back with Season 2 of “The Spiritual Life” in the New Year. In the meantime, be sure to check out America Media’s Advent podcast, Hark!: the stories behind our favorite Christmas carols, hosted and produced by Maggi Van Dorn.
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Why you need a spiritual director
21 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
We’ve heard your questions about spiritual direction and have an episode that should answer (almost) all of them! To help us demystify the art of spiritual direction, host James Martin, S.J. speaks with Jesuit sociologist and trained spiritual director, Patrick Gilger, S.J., about: Lees meer
What spiritual direction is and what it is not
What you can expect from a wise spiritual director
How spiritual direction helped both Jim and Paddy deepen their relationship with God and dislodge barriers to prayer
Where to find a good spiritual director
Read: "How do you find a good spiritual director?" by Fr. Martin here: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/10/21/how-do-find-spiritual-director-catholic
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Br. Guy Consolmagno on praying as a scientist
14 oktober 2025 · 57 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes Br. Guy Consolmagno, a Jesuit brother, astronomer and the former director of the Vatican Observatory, to “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Lees meer
With a Ph.D. in planetary science, Br. Guy has spent his career studying meteorites and asteroids, exploring the origins of the solar system, authoring more than 250 scientific publications and making science accessible to the public. Br. Guy has written several books exploring faith and science issues, and his most recent book is, “A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science.”
This fascinating conversation covers:
The challenge of loneliness no matter your vocation
The notion of the “evil spirit” in Ignatian spirituality and analogies in science
The Big Bang and why we shouldn’t base our theology off current scientific understandings
How being a scientist influences Br. Guy’s prayer life and where he sees God most clearly
Five lessons learned as director of the Vatican Observatory: https://www.americamagazine.org/faithinfocus/2025/09/11/vatican-observatory-guy-consolmagno
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Adriana Trigiani on the spirituality of ‘showing up’
7 oktober 2025 · 50 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes bestselling author and award-winning playwright, TV writer/producer, and filmmaker, Adriana Trigiani onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Adriana is a New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books of fiction and nonfiction. Her latest novel is The View From Lake Como. This big-hearted conversation spans: Lees meer
Adriana’s Italian-Catholic family roots
Her personal connection to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother
How she encounters the Holy Spirit in her creative writing and prayer
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: "There’s more than one way to appreciate the Eucharist"
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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A Trappist monk on how to stop judging others
30 september 2025 · 57 min
Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes Fr. Isaac Slater, OCSO, a Trappist monk, poet, and author of “Do Not Judge Anyone: Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World” to “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Lees meer
This contemplative conversation includes:
The positive effects silence can have on our prayer lives
Why we judge other people and how to stop
How to create an environment that is more conducive to prayer, without becoming a monk
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/09/30/james-martin-isaac-slater-spiritual-life-judgement
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Mirabai Starr on mysticism for everyone
23 september 2025 · 1 uur 4 min
Host James Martin, S.J., explores the mystical dimensions of the spiritual life with Mirabai Starr, an award-winning author, contemporary translator of sacred literature, and world-renowned teacher of contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialogue. Lees meer
They dive deep into:
- Daily practices that foster mystical experiences, including insights drawn from Mirabai’s latest book “Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life As Sacred Ground.”
- The role that death, loss and grief have played in shaping Mirabai’s spirituality and bereavement ministry
- The biographies of Catholic mystics, such as St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/09/23/what-is-mystical-experience
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan sometimes feels like a fraud
16 september 2025 · 53 min
On “The Spiritual Life” podcast, James Martin, S.J., talks with comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan about telling jokes about the church and sometimes feeling like a fraud in the spiritual life. Lees meer
Together, they talk about:
- Jim’s journey through agnosticism and back to the Catholic Church
- Feeling like a fraud and nurturing a healthy spiritual life
- What spiritual practices Jim turned to when his wife, Jeannie, was diagnosed with a pear-sized brain tumor.
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/09/16/jim-gaffigan-james-martin-catholic/
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Cardinal Stephen Chow on being Christian in a Chinese culture
9 september 2025 · 39 min
On “The Spiritual Life” podcast, Fr. James Martin, S.J., talks to fellow a Jesuit and synod delegate, Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., who is the bishop of Hong Kong and was one of the 133 voting cardinals who elected Pope Leo XIV. He is renowned for his diplomacy and work fostering dialogue between the Catholic Church and China through educational outreach and cultural bridge-building. Lees meer
Together, they talk about:
- Christian spirituality and Chinese culture
- The principle of inner freedom in Jesuit spirituality and its resonances in modern psychology
- How Cardinal Chow encountered God’s grace through his teenage battle with scruples and epilepsy
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/09/09/cardinal-chow-james-martin-spiritual-life/
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Fr. Ronald Rolheiser on priestly celibacy and the spirituality of sticking with it
26 augustus 2025 · 56 min
“The Spiritual Life” host James Martin, S.J., talks with famed spiritual author and guide, Ron Rolheiser O.M.I., about: Lees meer
Different habits of prayer, including discursive and centering prayer
Staying the course when your vocation feels boring or dry
What we have misunderstood about chastity and celibacy
Why praying relentlessly about your problems might not be spiritually wise and what to do differently in prayer
Ron’s books mentioned in the episode:
The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality
Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity
Domestic Monastery: Creating a Spiritual Life at Home
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/08/26/father-james-martin-ronald-rolheiser-spiritual-life
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Spiritual wisdom from the youngest woman at the Vatican Synod, Julia Osęka
19 augustus 2025 · 52 min
Host James Martin, S.J., talks with Julia Osęka, one of the youngest delegates at the Vatican Synod on Synodality which sought to increase participation in the Catholic Church. They reflect upon: Lees meer
How Julia’s childhood faith that ‘checked all the boxes’ matured into a relational faith between herself, God and other people
Both the inspiration and challenges Julia felt as a young delegate at the Synod on Synodality in October of 2023 and 2024.
Julia’s way of incorporating Ignatian principles of consolation and desolation, along with The Examen (St. Ignatius’ review of the day), into her prayer life.
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: Coming Soon
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe
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Ross Douthat on miracles, suffering and how to talk to atheists about religion
12 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
Host James Martin, S.J. welcomes New York Times Opinion columnist and host of the “Interesting Times” podcast Ross Douthat onto “The Spiritual Life” to talk about: Lees meer
- The eclectic variety of religious experience Ross encountered as a child through his parents’ exploration of charismatic and Pentecostal communities and his family’s eventual conversion to Roman Catholicism.
- Ross’ five-year struggle with Lyme disease, detailed in his memoir The Deep Places, and where he found God amidst his mysterious illness.
- The importance of finding gratitude for the ordinary pleasures in life.
Read Fr. Martin’s spiritual advice column about this episode here: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/08/12/ross-douthat-james-martin-spiritual-life-suffering
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Martin Scorsese on the priest who changed his life—and his films
5 augustus 2025 · 49 min
Academy-Award winning filmmaker, Martin Scorsese, joins James Martin, S.J. to talk about: Lees meer
Scorsese’s Catholic childhood against the backdrop of the mean, mafia-run streets of the Lower East Side, NYC, and the priest who guided him through it.
How spiritual themes naturally emerged in his acclaimed films.
Scorsese’s experience doing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and how they affected his personal relationship to Jesus.
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/podcasts/2025/08/05/martin-scorsese-catholic-filmmaker-prayer-imagination/
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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How spiritual writer Sr. Joyce Rupp finds joy and freedom in getting older
29 juli 2025 · 56 min
The long-beloved spiritual writer Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M. joins Fr. James Martin, S.J. to "The Spiritual Life” podcast. They talk about: Lees meer
- How to face the challenges of aging without harboring anger and bitterness
- The opportunities for interior freedom and delight that come with age
- How grief and loss changed the way Joyce prays
Some of our favorite books from Sr. Joyce Rupp’s:
Vessels of Love: Poems and Prayers for the Later Years of Life
Praying Our Goodbyes: A Spiritual Companion Through Life’s Losses and Sorrows
Fragments of Your Ancient Name: 365 Glimpses of the Divine for Daily Meditation
Link to Fr. Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2025/02/13/review-james-martin-aging-rupp-schultz-junger-249872
Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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A Caribbean archbishop on spiritual darkness, gang mediation and nurturing an "adult faith"
22 juli 2025 · 53 min
Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, discusses his journey of faith, from his Catholic upbringing in the Caribbean to his experiences with the charismatic renewal and his challenging call to the priesthood. Lees meer
Together with Father James Martin he discusses:
- How to answer a call from God
- Paying attention and staying committed during periods of intense spiritual darkness
- How working in gang mediation and serving the poor shaped his spiritual life
Read Father Jim’s spiritual advice for this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/22/father-james-martin-desolation-spiritual-life-251166
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
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Anthea Butler on intellectual Catholicism, evangelicalism and why the ‘prosperity gospel’ persists
15 juli 2025 · 50 min
“Spiritualizing” something usually makes it less concrete, less “real.” Not for Anthea Butler, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode of “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.,” Anthea shares her journey from Catholicism to Pentecostalism and back to Catholicism, crediting the Catholic Church’s rich intellectual tradition and dedication to working with the poor and marginalized. Lees meer
They discuss:
- Anthea’s Black Catholic heritage in Louisiana and Texas
- The great, yet relatively unknown, Catholic intellectual tradition
- How evangelical theology seeps into the Catholic Church in the United States
- Spirituality lived through action on behalf of the poor
Link to Father Jim’s spiritual advice article on this episode: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/07/15/anthea-butler-james-martin-spiritual-life-251125
Do you have a spiritual question for Father Jim? You can write to us at: thespirituallife@americamedia.org
Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe
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