When we think of the word ‘intimacy’, what comes to mind? We decided to google ‘intimacy’ and found: “Intimacy in a relationship is a feeling of being close and emotionally connected and supported. It means being able to share a whole range of thoughts, feelings and experiences that we have as human beings.” The ancient Psalmist says: “For me it is good to be near God”. (Psalm 73:28.) So, intimacy is about closeness, it’s about a relationship. From years of counselling, we have come to realise that closeness in a relationship pivotally relies on trust. Trust can grow or weaken over time. Do ..read more

In these catecheses we are reviewing the elements of discernment. After prayer and self-knowledge, that is, praying and knowing oneself, today I would like to talk about another indispensable, so to speak, “ingredient”: today I would like to talk about desire. In fact, discernment is a form of searching, and searching always stems from something which we lack but which we somehow know — we have intuition. What kind of knowledge is this? Spiritual teachers refer to it using the term “desire”, which, fundamentally, is a nostalgia for fullness that never finds complete fulfilment, and is t ..read more

Join Anita Davine and Anne Slingo as they guide you through this Spiritual Exercise – Serenity – approx. 15 minutes. Anita and Anne are Givers of the First Spiritual Exercises Retreats and God’s Field Hospital Exercises with Jesuit and Ignatian Spirituality Australia in Victoria. Anne works in education with Xavier College while Anita is a Stillness Meditation Therapy Teacher. Preparation: find an object that symbolizes tranquillity for me, a restful peace. And remember a small story of receiving serenity with the help of a friend when I needed it. Please use the player below to listen. ht ..read more

‘Be still and know that I am God’ Ps 46.10 Welcome to a new year of many new beginnings, new encounters and perhaps new contexts and relationships. Our expectations, goals and dreams will hopefully come to fruition in the busy-ness of our every day lives. In the midst of all this activity let us make space in our lives to experience serenity and peace of mind – important for the health of our body, mind and spirit. To be tranquil, unperturbed and at peace are qualities that I am sure each one of us desires in times of challenge at home, at work, in our communities and our world. As a giver a ..read more

Ignatian Insights from Julian Butler SJ, Australian Jesuit Scholastic Jesus lived at the beginning of a period later described as the Pax Romana. Though not described as such until 55CE, the notion of a peace held by force was likely to have been part of the Roman occupier’s self-justification in the towns and cities through which Jesus travelled. Peace by force. Peace for the gain of some and not others. Peace without justice. We can find peace in our own prayer life founded on such shaky ground. St Ignatius of Loyola developed a way of discerning what to do based on the discernment of spirit ..read more

Hope in Light - Week 4.8 These Advent Blessings of Hope use two simple traditional prayer forms, the sign of the cross and prayer by breath, and two Ignatian prayer methods, prayer with the senses and body prayer. Please use the player below to listen to this recording. https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AB29-xmas-Hope-in-Starlight.mp3 Download Blessing View all blessing so far ..read more

Hope in Readiness - Week 4.6 These Advent Blessings of Hope use two simple traditional prayer forms, the sign of the cross and prayer by breath, and two Ignatian prayer methods, prayer with the senses and body prayer. Please use the player below to listen to this recording. https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AB27-Hope-in-Service.mp3 Download Blessing View all blessing so far ..read more

Hope in Lowliness - Week 4.5 These Advent Blessings of Hope use two simple traditional prayer forms, the sign of the cross and prayer by breath, and two Ignatian prayer methods, prayer with the senses and body prayer. Please use the player below to listen to this recording. https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AB26-Hope-in-Humility.mp3 Download Blessing View all blessing so far ..read more

Hope in Shining Love - Week 4.4 These Advent Blessings of Hope use two simple traditional prayer forms, the sign of the cross and prayer by breath, and two Ignatian prayer methods, prayer with the senses and body prayer. Please use the player below to listen to this recording. https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AB25-Hope-in-Shining-Love.mp3 Download Blessing View all blessing so far ..read more

Join Theresa Denny, Spiritual Director with JISA Campion, who guides us in this Ecological Examen for 2022. Please use the player below to listen to the audio https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-Annual-Examen.mp3 Welcome to this time of reviewing the year of 2022. This has been a challenging year in many ways for many people – externally and internally, personally, and professionally. Throughout the year our country has experienced fires, floods, and drought. Our environment has suffered and continues to suffer. Many families and businesses have been impacted by these e ..read more