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

America Media
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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. 5D AGO

    The spiritual journey behind Sr. Helen Prejean’s fight to end the death penalty

    Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes famed anti-death penalty advocate, Sister Helen Prejean, onto “The Spiritual Life” podcast. Their conversation spans: 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 Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    56 min
  2. How to do a spiritual reset for 2026

    JAN 1

    How to do a spiritual reset for 2026

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

    54 min
  3. Introducing: 'Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols'

    12/10/2025 · BONUS

    Introducing: 'Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols'

    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). 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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 6m
  4. Brené Brown on Jesus and vulnerable spirituality

    10/28/2025

    Brené Brown on Jesus and vulnerable spirituality

    On our Season One finale of “The Spiritual Life” podcast, Host James Martin, S.J., welcomes the incomparable researcher and storyteller, Brené Brown. 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 Become a subscriber today at Americamagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m
  5. Why you need a spiritual director

    10/21/2025

    Why you need a spiritual director

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

    1h 10m

  6. 10/14/2025

    Br. Guy Consolmagno on praying as a scientist

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

    57 min

  7. 10/07/2025

    Adriana Trigiani on the spirituality of ‘showing up’

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

    50 min

  8. 09/30/2025

    A Trappist monk on how to stop judging others

    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.  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/?p=238873&preview=true 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

    57 min
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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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