The radical change in Ignatius’s conversion story—his stark change from military man to extreme follower of Christ—intrigues young adults. I cannot count the number of times that a retreatant has approached me on a Charis retreat to find out more about this part of Ignatius’s story. As I share it with them, I often find [...]
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One of my greatest joys in life is journeying with those in their 20s and 30s in my work with Charis Ministries, and even more specifically, sharing with them the gifts and joys of Ignatian spirituality. At the beginning of every Charis retreat, we take the time to share St. Ignatius’s story. I am always [...]
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In 1534, Ignatius and his companions went to the church of Sainte Pierre in the village of Montmartre north of Paris, and took vows to work together as a company. It was an important moment because this band of brothers soon became the first Jesuits. When my wife and I went to Paris a couple [...]
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A group of lay people and Jesuits have set up a new pilgrimage route in Spain that should appeal to walkers and cyclists with an Ignatian bent. It’s called the Camino Ignaciano (the Ignatian “way” or “road”). It’s the route St. Ignatius walked in 1522 after his conversion. It begins at his family’s home in [...]
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Human life has meaning. We are not aimless beings, without a goal or purpose. We have been created by a God who loves us. We are called to build the Kingdom of God by knowing, loving and serving God and other people and thus entering life everlasting. While some people view “the world” as a [...]
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Ignatius Loyola, writing to a friend who said that lies that are being circulated about him: I am not at all surprised at this, not even if it were worse than it is. For just as soon as you determined to bend every effort to secure the praise, honor, and service of God our Lord, [...]
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St. Ignatius, advising a young Jesuit about how to speak to others: “In dealing with people of position or influence, if you are to win their affection for the greater glory of God our Lord, look first to their disposition and accommodate yourselves to them. If they are of a lively temper, quick and merry [...]
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St. Ignatius, writing about the formation of young Jesuits: They should practice the seeking of God’s presence in all things, in their conversations, their walks, in all that they see, taste, hear, understand, in all their actions, since His Divine Majesty is truly in all things by His presence, power, and essence. This kind of [...]
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Words are exchanged. Tension’s in the air. Do you bite your tongue or plunge ahead? Carefully discern what will help other people, says Ignatius. Sometimes we should act contrary to what we feel: speak when we want to be silent and silent when we want to speak. We act thus because in this matter we [...]
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Ignatius told his Jesuits to “Go, set the world on fire and in flame” when they departed for foreign missions. Did he mean anything special by this? John O’Keefe thinks he did: As followers of the Ignatian spiritual tradition we need to remember that this spirituality is, deep down, oriented toward mission. Spiritual practices like [...]
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