AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Today’s guest is a fable hunter. Fr. Greg Carlson has traveled the world, rummaging through old book stores, flea markets and the like to track down ancient manuscripts, forgotten illustrations and everything in between all for the love of fables. He’s done this for decades, even waging battles at online auctions, to amass a preeminent collection of fables that has become the Carlson Fable Collection at Creighton University. What was once a personal hobby evolved into an academic career.

But Aesop isn’t the only wisdom figure with whom Fr. Carlson is well acquainted.

Fr. Carlson is a Jesuit priest, and so for him, finding God in fables comes as second nature. He sees Jesus as a master storyteller — and one whom we may better understand after having developed a deeper appreciation for the wonder of fables.

As you’ll soon hear, Fr. Carlson defines a fable as a “past-tense short narrative inviting a hearer or reader to perceive something about living life.” That’s not so far off from the sorts of parables Jesus told. In fact, developing our own ability to perceive life more intimately, more deeply, more intentionally — this is a great spiritual gift.

And so, we're excited to share today’s conversation. Fr. Greg Carlson is a wonderful storyteller and teacher, and if you’d like to hear more from him, you can visit JesuitMediaLab.org where he’s written a reflection to further illuminate some of the points he makes on this episode. You can also get in touch with him and learn more about the collection and a booklet that he has published on this very topic.

The collection is viewable online at both https://creightonarchives.omeka.net/s/carlson-fables-collection/page/home and https://www.creighton.edu/aesop

On July 1, 2026, Russia bombarded the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, killing at least 30 people and injuring more than 90 more. More weapons were used in the attack than in any other barrage of the city since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It was just another reminder that while this war has faded from the headlines, it continues to ravage families and communities. It is the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

The Jesuit network in Europe has been responding to the needs of displaced Ukrainians and the receiving countries taking in refugees since the full-scale invasion began. Our guest today is Fr. Alberto Ares, a Spanish Jesuit based in Brussels who has served as the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Europe since 2021. JRS Europe coordinates work in more than twenty countries with over 8,000 professionals and volunteers. Each year these teams accompany more than 200,000 refugees and migrants, in work that combines political advocacy with European institutions and direct accompaniment on the ground.

Fr. Ares is a scholar-practitioner who has worked with migrant communities around the world for decades, so host Mike Jordan Laskey asked him about what he has learned leading JRS Europe during the war and how the Jesuit community has been putting their faith into action alongside some of the most vulnerable people in the world. It was a difficult conversation but deeply moving and inspiring. And it was an important reminder to not forget about this humanitarian crisis even when so much of the world seems to have moved on.

Fr. Alberto Ares, SJ: https://jrseurope.org/en/news/alberto-ares-new-regional-director-at-jrs-europe/

JRS Europe: https://jrseurope.org/en/home/

AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

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Today’s guest, Dr. Chase Mitchell, is an associate professor of media and communications at East Tennessee State University, where he teaches courses in multimedia production and media theory. He’s also a recent convert to Catholicism, having entered the Church this past Divine Mercy Sunday.

Host Eric Clayton has been talking with Chase for a few months now about the role Ignatian spirituality and media ecology played in his own discernment to become a Catholic. It’s a fascinating story—and one he’s written about, both for Jesuits.org and the Jesuit Media Lab.

On media and its effects on our society, Chase writes: “In an age of total mediation, [that is, our lived experience is fully affected by media] the task is no longer simply to analyze environments but to discern within them — to recognize where Christ is present, where the spirits are at work and where one is being called to respond. Media ecology, in this light, becomes not only a theory of communication, but a pedagogy of attention ordered toward love.”

We knew a conversation with Chase on the pod would be a valuable one—and we weren’t wrong. If you’re interested in reading more of Chase’s work, check out the links below.

On Chase’s journey to Catholicism: https://www.jesuits.org/stories/39-years-364-days-and-gods-merciful-grace-a-spiritual-autobiography/

On Ignatian spirituality and media ecology: https://jesuitmedialab.org/from-environment-to-encounter-toward-an-ignatian-media-ecology/

Today, we’re continuing a mini two-episode series on the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. Last week, host Mike Jordan Laskey spoke with the theologian Anna Rowlands, who was involved in the launch of the Holy Father’s new encyclical Magnifica humanitas. Today, Mike’s guest is Christopher Lamb, a long-time and extremely talented Vatican correspondent who currently works for CNN. Chris recently traveled with the Pope and the Vatican press corps to Spain, where Pope Leo held some huge public events, visited the famous La Sagrada Familia church, and met with migrants on the Canary Islands. Mike asked Chris what stood out about the trip and what it revealed to him about Pope Leo’s approach to his pontificate. They also talked about the encyclical and what he’s thought about its reception.

Chris is also the author of a new book called “American Hope: What Pope Leo XIV means for the church and world.” Mike caught up with Chris while Chris was in London doing some events around the book, so if you hear some background noise here and there, that’s because the very full life of an international journalist and author doesn’t always include access to pristine, isolated recording conditions. But you’ll be able to hear everything he has to say just fine. And we think you’ll find it a fascinating look behind the scenes of the work of a journalist covering the Vatican.

Christopher Lamb: https://www.christopherlambmedia.com/

Chris' new book, "American Hope": https://bookshop.org/p/books/american-hope-what-pope-leo-xiv-means-for-the-church-and-world-christopher-lamb/add13c5382df6666?ean=9781035440573

As you probably heard, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical letter in May. Titled Magnifica humanitas, the document is a 42,000-word reflection on what it means to be human in our technology-obsessed age of generative artificial intelligence. The Pope officially released the document during a press conference at the Vatican, which the Holy Father himself attended — an unusual move for pontiffs.

Sitting at one end of the dais was Christopher Olah, one of the founders of Anthropic, one of the largest AI companies in the world. His presence made a lot of headlines, too. Right next to Olah was a theologian named Anna Rowlands, and she’s our guest today. Professor Rowlands is the St Hilda Professor of Catholic Social Thought & Practice at Durham University in the United Kingdom. At the press conference, she delivered a stirring 10-minute address on how the encyclical offers the church and the world valuable insights into protecting human dignity and the common good in these uncertain times.

Professor Rowlands is no stranger to the Vatican. In fact, she was involved in one of these press conference panels for the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli tutti, and she has been involved in leading the Synod on Synodality process since 2023. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her about the press conference itself and how she decided on what she wanted to say in her address. They also talked about how the encyclical has been received and the material in the letter she finds most compelling.

Mike also asked her to respond to one of his favorite critiques of the encyclical and of what generative AI is doing to our brains and souls. It was a wide-ranging conversation and we’re sure you’ll see why we think Professor Rowlands is one of the deepest and most brilliant thinkers you could ever hope to meet.

Professor Anna Rowlands: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/anna-rowlands/

Her full speech at the encyclical launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqapjl7m7V8

The encyclical critique discussed: https://hedgehogreview.com/web-features/thr/posts/should-the-lion-lie-down-with-the-electric-lamb

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/