I have long been a fan of science fiction. (I’m old enough to remember enjoying the original Star Trek series on TV when I was a kid and the first Star Wars film in the theater as a teenager.) One of the things I enjoy about the genre is its exploration of spiritual themes. It’s as if the genre itself provides us with a venue for exploring spiritual issues freed from any “baggage” of institutional […]
Often in life, certain dreams we have remain just out of our reach. I always wanted to see the Beatles perform live; however, after John Lennon’s tragic death, I realized this would never happen. Seeing Paul McCartney perform live a few years ago was the next best thing! I’ve no doubt that many of us would dream about the chance to go on a personal retreat with Pope Francis. However, for most of us, that […]
When St. Joan of Arc was on trial for heresy, the Inquisitor mocked her for claiming that she heard God’s voice speaking to her. He said, “It’s only your imagination!” Joan responded, “Of course! How else would God speak to me but through my imagination?” This story teaches us that we need to pay attention to how God is speaking to us through our thoughts, feelings, desires, hopes, dreams, imagination, and memories. Our vocation, or […]
I remember, in high school, being told by one of the Jesuit priests to listen for God speaking to me. After several weeks of listening, I told the priest, “This isn’t working. I don’t hear any voices.” He smiled and said, “Ah, I see I need to teach you to listen with your heart instead of with your ears.” It took me a while to understand what it meant to listen with my heart, but […]
Typically, when we think of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, we think of the audience as consisting primarily of adults. So, imagine my surprise when I learned of a pastoral minister leading retreats for children based on the Spiritual Exercises! We may not all be rushing to lead children in the Spiritual Exercises; however, we can all learn a few things about praying with children from his work. Join me for this episode of […]
One of the hallmarks of Ignatian prayer and spirituality is the daily Examen—a prayerful way to review the day to recognize God’s presence and movement in our everyday lives. We tend to think of this prayer as an adult exercise; however, many catechists and school teachers have found that this prayer is easily adaptable to children and can serve as a great tool for introducing young people to the contemplative aspect of our spiritual lives. […]
Those of us at Loyola Press get a bit excited every July. Why’s that? Well, it just so happens that July 31 is the feast day of our patron, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Each year, we use the entire month of July to celebrate all things Ignatian, and this year is no different! For starters, I invite you to join me for a free webinar aimed at identifying how Ignatian spirituality is needed in the […]
I firmly believe that 12-step practices can teach us much about spirituality and, specifically, prayer. In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, I ask Jean Heaton, author of Helping Families Recover from Addiction: Coping, Growing, and Healing through 12-Step Practices and Ignatian Spirituality, to share some insights about how each of us can find strength in prayer when we find ourselves at “the end of our rope” and experiencing powerlessness. For more information about 12-step practices […]
Pain is an unavoidable part of life, and the Gospel does not promise avoidance of pain but rather, a way through it. As catechists, we are inviting those we teach to enter into the Paschal Mystery, which is a journey through the pain, suffering, and Death of Jesus Christ that leads to new life in his Resurrection. It is a journey through pain to new life! With that in mind, I invite you to join […]
One of the centerpieces of Ignatian spirituality is the practice of the Daily Examen, a brief prayer exercise to help busy people recognize the presence and movement of God in their daily lives. Many wonderful books have been written to help adults practice this powerful prayer, with A Simple Life-Changing Prayer and Reimagining the Ignatian Examen being among the best. Previously, I have blogged about teaching young children how to practice the Examen. Now, thankfully, there […]
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