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

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.

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: [email protected]

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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. 

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: Coming Soon

Do you have a spiritual question for Fr. Jim? You can write to us at: [email protected]

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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.

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, 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. 

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: [email protected]

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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.

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: [email protected]

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