A First Spiritual Exercise with Frances Tilly, JISA Formation Mission Formation Coordinator. Using the Second Method of Prayer which Ignatius encourages in the Spiritual Exercises [249-257], we slowly consider the Hail Mary as we deepen our relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus and reflect on Ignatius’ great love for Her. PRAYER TEXT   Please use the player below to listen to Delight And Meaning In Mary   https://jisa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Delight-And-Meaning-In-Mary.mp3 ..read more

Pope Francis reminds us that the Synod on Synodality is about synodality, and not about this or that issue. Several issues have surfaced through the Synod process and will be addressed in various ways within or beyond the Synod, but above all the Synod has become a school of synodality. My role at the First Assembly was to help facilitate the round tables at which people from many ‘places’, geographically, culturally, socially, and economically, theologically, and politically, and in terms of rites, ecclesial status, and roles, sat together. The Members of the Synod had varying degrees of ex ..read more

The Rules of Discernment for the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius #313 – 327 St Ignatius’ note at the beginning of the Rules for Discernment is important: ‘These rules are for understanding to some extent the different movements produced in the soul and for recognising those that are good, to admit them, and those that are bad, to reject them. These rules are more suited to the first week’.1 In the first week of the Spiritual Exercises the giver and receiver are both engaged in noticing the movements of the Spirit. The receiver begins to reflectively tell their story as it ..read more

For many modern-day pilgrims, the ‘Camino’ does not begin with the first step out of towns like Loyola in Spain, or St Jean Pied de Port in France, nor does it begin with the first step out of your home to travel to these common Camino departure points.  Rather, the Camino begins when your heart first stirs with its call, and you find yourself drawn to it, often to the point where you know that this is something you must do, at some point in your life. St Ignatius describes feeling such a call when recuperating at Loyola, when he too noticed a growing desire to set off on pilgrimage. In ..read more

Ann-Maree O’Beirne RSM draws on Karl Rahner’s theology of grace and the mysticism of Ignatius’ religious experience to demonstrate how relatedness between human beings and the natural environment resonates deeply with the text of the Spiritual Exercises. She states that a response to the ecological crisis depends upon the contemplative awareness which is accomplished through prayer. Ignatius’ wisdom of a search for and “finding God in all things” has been the golden thread in Ann-Maree O’Beirne’s theological research into the dialogue between theology and ecology. Her PhD, entitled “Gra ..read more

Award-winning theologian Elizabeth Johnson views planet Earth, its beauty and threatened state, through the lens of scripture. Each luminous meditation offers a snapshot of one aspect of the holy mystery who creates, indwells, redeems, vivifies, and sanctifies the whole world. Together, they offer a panoramic view of the living God who loves the earth, accompanies all its creatures in their living and their dying, and moves us to care for our uncommon common home. Elizabeth A. Johnson, a member of the Sisters of St Joseph, is Distinguished Professor of Theology Emerita, Fordham University NY ..read more

Here is the story. God has brought his people out of slavery in Egypt. He has given them a new land, all the good stuff. But you will not be surprised, they try to fit in with their neighbours and begin to create and worship other Gods, aka Idols. Naturally God is unhappy, and what really makes him cranky is who they are replacing him with. In his words, Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; they make ..read more

Early this morning, we saw the mists over the mountain, a welcome sight after the heat we have been experiencing. We recalled W.H. Davies’ poem, Leisure: “What is this life, if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare…” What is our life if we do not have time to recall God’s loving gaze? More than merely recalling, we ask for the grace to reflect on the power of that gaze: God’s desire to draw us ever closer. Without God’s love, we are so limited. As Monty Williams writes in The Gift of Spiritual Intimacy, we can be freed from being stuck in our fears and narrowness of mind (p. 72). In ..read more

Join Christine Webb and Peter Webb as they guide you through this Spiritual Exercise – Greater Love – approx. 15 minutes. Christine and Peter are Ignatian Spiritual Directors, Retreat Givers and Givers of the Spiritual Exercises with JISA Faber. They have a desire to support Conversation in the Spirit, especially in parishes – for people to know themselves and one another better, and to experience the compassionate love of the Trinity as they journey together. Preparation: Hold an object that symbolizes the feeling of increasing love for God. And remember a small story of rec ..read more

Pope Francis in his 2024 Lenten message began with ‘when our God reveals himself his message is always one of freedom’. On the first Sunday in Lent, we were reminded that Jesus, ’was led into the desert by the Spirit in order to be tempted in freedom’. The Easter journey is like the place of the desert where our freedom can mature. Jesus’ death and resurrection have freed us. Our journey is not an abstract one. It must be ‘concrete’ predicated on our capacity to open our eyes to reality. The reality of who we are and what is happening around us. In this way we are led to an openness and self-e ..read more