Pathway to Priesthood: How to be a Jesuit Priest in Secular Society

AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast

Welcome to “Pathway to Priesthood”—a limited audio series from the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. In these conversations, host Eric Clayton talks with Jesuits who are in the final days of preparing for ordination to the priesthood. They reflect back on their vocation stories and experience of Jesuit formation, and wrestle with some of the biggest questions surrounding priestly ordination. On this, our final episode — at least for now — we’re reflecting on what it means to be a Jesuit in a secular society. And to help round out this series, we have three Jesuit guests: C-Y Kao, Brendan Coffey and Brendan Gottschall. For all of us, Jesuit or not, questions of living our faith in the modern age are important — and we get to the heart of them in today’s conversation. C-Y was born and raised in Catholic family in Taiwan. He has a background in diplomacy and foreign service. He first met the Jesuits through the Christian Life Community in Taiwan, and then again through his studies at Georgetown University. Brendan Coffey, a native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, met the Jesuits at St. Joseph’s Prep School in Philadelphia and again at Fordham University in the Bronx. Brendan Gottschall, from South Jersey, was formed by both the Augustinians and the Jesuits at St. Augustine Prep and Georgetown University, respectively. And yes, it was entirely by accident that we invited two Jesuits from Jersey named Brendan to be on the same episode. As you listen to their stories and reflections, we invite you to consider whether you or someone you know might be interested in discerning a call to Jesuit life. If so, head over to beajesuit.org. We also invite you to keep in prayer these and all of our Jesuits preparing for ordination. Ordinations will take place in the United States on June 8 and in Canada on June 15.