By
Rev. James Martin, SJ, whose appearances on NPR, “The O’Reilly Factor,” “The Colbert Report” and other media outlets have made him one of the most recognizable Jesuits in America, will visit Boston College Mar. 4 to discuss his best-selling book The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Robsham Theater starting at 7 p.m.
Fr. Martin will translate the insights of St. Ignatius of Loyola for a modern audience, revealing how people can find God and how God can find people in the real world of work, love, suffering, decisions, prayer, and friendship.
His talk is part of the Dowmel Lecture series, in honor of J. Leo and Catherine Dowd, and is sponsored by Provincial Myles N. Sheehan, SJ, and the New England Province of Jesuits, in partnership with the Church in the 21st Century Center and the School of Theology and Ministry.
“Fr. Martin is a gifted speaker who can restate the riches of the Catholic tradition in ways that appeal to contemporary believers, whatever their ages,” said the University’s Special Assistant to the President Robert Newton, who is serving as interim director of C21. “His presentation will be an engaging and illuminating evening that students and visitors should not miss.”
Added Fr. Sheehan: “We are grateful for this generous gift from the Dowds that provides us with the opportunity to bring Fr. Martin to the Boston area. His books have informed and inspired many readers to embrace Ignatian spirituality and become closer to God. This lecture also provides the Province with a wonderful opportunity to collaborate and partner with Boston College.”
Fr. Martin is a culture editor of America magazine and the author of several other books, including My Life with the Saints and the forthcoming Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life.
A graduate of the Wharton School of Business, he worked in corporate finance before entering the Jesuit novitiate in Boston in 1988. His Jesuit training included service in a homeless shelter and as a prison chaplain in Boston, as well as with Mother Teresa sisters in Jamaica, gang members in Chicago and refugees in Kenya. He was ordained a priest in 1999 and pronounced his final vows as a Jesuit in 2009.
Fr. Martin is a highly sought-after commentator who has appeared in print and broadcast media such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Huffington Post, O Magazine and Slate, all major American TV networks, the BBC, the History Channel and Vatican Radio.
Space is limited for Fr. Martin’s talk, and RSVPs are requested at kostiguy@sjnen.org.