The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

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What is prayer and how can we pray? How do I know if God is responding to my prayers? What does it mean to live a spiritual life? “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.,” focuses on how people experience God in their prayer and their daily lives. The show combines practical wisdom with deep reflections from spiritual masters and well-known seekers, all tracing the mystery of God’s activity in their own lives. You can visit the show's webpage at www.americamagazine.org/thespirituallife.

  1. 3d ago

    Cardinal Czerny on migrants, martyrs, and working for justice

    How can Catholics stand alongside people on the margins? On this week’s episode of “The Spiritual Life”, James Martin, S.J., speaks with Cardinal Michael Czerny about working for justice and facing life’s realities without losing hope. Cardinal Czerny, whose ministry as a Jesuit and now as a Cardinal has always focused on listening and ministering to the marginalized, was made an archbishop and cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019. In 2022, he was appointed prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and in May 2026, Cardinal Czerny helped establish a special Vatican Commission on Artificial Intelligence. As a cardinal, he participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV. In this conversation, Cardinal Michael recalls ministering in El Salvador during the civil war,  responding to the AIDS crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa, and advocating for migrants and refugees around the globe.  Chapters: 00:00 Who is Cardinal Michael Czerny? 5:25 Jesuits martyred in El Salvador 10:10 The African AIDS epidemic and facing reality 14:38 Being a refugee; welcome refugees 19:03 God is always close 22:30 Cardinal Michael's daily spiritual practice 23:42 Migration and the crisis of management 28:54 How to help migrants and refugees 32:45 Hope is a precious commodity 34:14 Suffering, injustice and sin 38:36 The Vatican and A.I. 44:53 Audience question: How to advocate for justice Read Maggi's spiritual advice article for this episode Links from the show:  Remembering Cardinal Czerny’s courageous past in El Salvador Cardinal Czerny awarded inaugural Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal Cardinal Czerny on Pope Francis, Catholic social teaching and the legacy of Vatican II Cardinal Czerny on sustainability, AIDS and AI     Support The Spiritual Life by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Cardinal Czerny on migrants, martyrs, and working for justice

  2. Oct 27

    Can prayer and friendship overcome polarization?

    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.  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   Support The Spiritual Life by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Can prayer and friendship overcome polarization?

  3. Oct 20

    From refugee to Bishop: Michael Pham’s remarkable story of migration, vocation and advocacy

    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. 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 deportations. Now it’s time to act.     Support The Spiritual Life by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    From refugee to Bishop: Michael Pham’s remarkable story of migration, vocation and advocacy

  4. Oct 13

    Bishop Mariann Budde on preaching the gospel in a political world

    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”. 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 Support The Spiritual Life by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bishop Mariann Budde on preaching the gospel in a political world

  5. Oct 6

    What role does conscience play in our spiritual lives?

    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.  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  Support The Spiritual LifeJesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at americamagazine.org/subscribe 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    What role does conscience play in our spiritual lives?

  6. Sep 29

    What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?

    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. 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 Meditation Maggi 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 Become a subscriber today at ⁠Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?

  7. Sep 22

    How do you face suffering with faith?

    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. 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 Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    How do you face suffering with faith?

  8. Sep 15

    How Jesuit spirituality changed Andrew Garfield’s life

    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:  -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 Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    How Jesuit spirituality changed Andrew Garfield’s life
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What is prayer and how can we pray? How do I know if God is responding to my prayers? What does it mean to live a spiritual life? “The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin, S.J.,” focuses on how people experience God in their prayer and their daily lives. The show combines practical wisdom with deep reflections from spiritual masters and well-known seekers, all tracing the mystery of God’s activity in their own lives. You can visit the show's webpage at www.americamagazine.org/thespirituallife.

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