With 'The Sparrow,' Mary Doria Russell imagines an alien world in intimate and fascinating detail—and then sends along some humans with deep questions about faith, God and the universe.

On the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola, Arturo Sosa, S.J, the superior general of the order, had a candid conversation with six young pilgrims representing diverse continents and socio-economic backgrounds.

Pope Francis greeted the pilgrims gathered in Lisbon for the opening of MAGIS 2023, imploring them to “truly believe and become what they are: ‘A future full of hope.’”

The Jesuits will begin their pre-World Youth Day program this Saturday with the start of MAGIS 2023, which will bring about 2,000 young people from 82 countries connected with the Society of Jesus to Lisbon.

When we think of science fiction, lasers and aliens might come to mind first—but it is also a genre in which religious imagination plays a role.

“I’m honored to be invited by the Holy Father to participate in the Synod,” Father James Martin said. “As a Jesuit, I’m committed to this kind of group discernment.”