Pathway to Priesthood: The Power of Relationships with Chris Williams, SJ
Welcome to “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 Chris Williams about what it means to integrate the various facets of Jesuit life into a single vocation.
Chris was raised in Spearfish, South Dakota. He studied theology and secondary education at Creighton University; it was there that he began to feel the call to the priesthood and Jesuit life. For Chris, spiritual direction—both the opportunity to receive direction from wise directors and give direction himself—has been a key part of his Jesuit formation. For that reason, as you’ll hear, he has particular love for the great Jesuit spiritual master, Peter Faber.
As you listen to Chris’ stories and reflections, consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.
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29:44
A Strategic, Ignatian Path to Easter Joy with Lisa Kelly
The Easter season is about new life. Jesus rises from the dead and in so doing resets the horizon on what is possible for each and every one of us. We see in the risen Lord God’s own invitation, an invitation that calls us beyond ourselves, beyond what even dreamed was possible.
Ignatian spirituality offers us time-tested tools to embark on this journey. Ignatius himself was not only a soldier-turned-saint; he was a strategic thinker, an administrator of a global company. He knew that what he offered for the spiritual life had to be both scaled up to meet needs across the world while being relevant to the unique needs and experiences of each and every person.
So, how do we respond to the call of this Easter season? How do we embark on our own journey of renewal and deepening faith? Let’s look to the Ignatian tradition.
Today’s guest is author Lisa Kelly. She is a wife and mother of four, the co-director of the nonprofit La Storta: Center for Spirituality and Leadership and the author of the new book, “The Spiritual Path: Embarking on the Journey of a Lifetime.” Lisa has written at the intersection of strategic planning, organizational development, leadership training and Ignatian spirituality for years, so she comes to us with deep wisdom on how to set faith-based goals that result in meaningful, mission-oriented action. And she challenges us to reassess what success looks like in our lives.
This is a really fun conversation—and super informative. Lisa helps us think in new ways about our own lives, and helps us ferret out some unhealthy spiritualities of desolation in which we may unknowingly be trapped.
Lisa is also an Ignatian Associate—an organization of lay Catholics who are grounded in Ignatian spirituality and make promises in that tradition. We begin our conversation there, talking about why the Ignatian Associates have been so important to Lisa’s own spiritual path.
Get her book: https://store.loyolapress.com/the-spiritual-path
Learn about the Ignatian Associates: https://ignatianassociates.org/
Learn about her nonprofit, La Storta: https://www.lastorta.org/
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36:26
Pathway to Priesthood: Bringing Our Full Selves to God with Fernando Saldivar, SJ
Welcome to “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 Fernando Saldivar. Fernando reflects on what it has been like to enter the Society of Jesus after a long career as a lawyer — he’s a so-called “late” vocation — and also what he believes the world needs from a priest today.
Fernando is from California. He first met the Jesuits as an undergraduate student at Georgetown University. After earning his law degree from Southwestern University in 2005, he practiced law up until 2016 when he entered the Society of Jesus. One of the highlights of his Jesuit formation, as you’ll soon hear, was when he was missioned to Nairobi to serve as the global policy and advocacy officer for the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa.
As you listen to Fernando’s stories and reflections, consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.
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32:07
Witnessing Church History (And Analyzing It on TV) with Fr. James Martin, SJ
After the white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on May 8, we turned on the TV here at the Jesuit Conference HQ in Washington and landed randomly on ABC News. We immediately heard a familiar voice: It was Fr. James Martin, the Jesuit author who certainly needs no introduction to AMDG listeners. In addition to writing bestselling books like Come Forth about the biblical character of Lazarus and working at America Magazine and Outreach, an LGBTQ Catholic organization, Fr. Jim is a frequent commentator on the Catholic Church in the secular media.
ABC news sent him to Rome to be part of the team covering the funeral of Pope Francis, the conclave, and the first moments of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked Fr. Jim on the show to share about his experiences in Rome this past month and to bring us behind the scenes. Fr. Jim also knows Pope Leo XIV a little bit, as they sat at the same table at the Synod on Synodality general assembly last year. He shared his impressions of the Pope and how he thinks he might be an agent of healing especially in the American church. Finally, Fr. Jim shared some of his memories of Pope Francis, who was a big supporter of Fr. Jim’s ministry. We know you’ll enjoy Fr. Jim’s perspective on witnessing Church history in Rome this month.
"Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus's Greatest Miracle": https://bookshop.org/p/books/come-forth-the-promise-of-jesus-s-greatest-miracle-james-martin/18814978
Outreach: https://outreach.faith/
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/
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28:32
Pathway to Priesthood: Reflecting on Jesuit Community with Marc-André Veselovsky, SJ
Welcome to “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.
This episode features Marc-André Veselovsky. He and Eric talk about community life and the various ways in which a Jesuit is accompanied throughout formation and beyond.
Marc-André was born and raised in Ottawa. As you’ll hear, he first felt the call to priesthood through his involvement with Catholic Christian Outreach, a Canadian university movement that encourages evangelization and living a personal relationship with God. It was the Jesuits' radical availability for mission, though, that inspired Marc-André to enter the Society of Jesus. And his formation experience has seen him sent on mission around the world!
As you listen to Marc-André’s stories and reflections, consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org.
Jesuits and friends come together to look at the world through Ignatian eyes, always striving to live Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam -- For the Greater Glory of God. Hosted by Mike Jordan Laskey and Eric Clayton. Learn more at jesuits.org. A production of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.
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