Hope, writes Emily Dickinson, “is the thing with feathers – / That perches in the soul,” by which, I take her to mean, hope is ever-ready to take wing, quite apart from the machinations of our calculating minds. It is good to hold this image, particularly in times when news reports crash upon us rather […]
I’ve always admired large birds such as eagles and Mississippi Kites. They seem to fly so effortlessly, soaring high or swooping low, in search of prey or protection. We’ve been fortunate to have a nest of kites in a neighbor’s tree. They usually appear every summer and put on quite a show for me as […]
A major premise of St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises is that we human beings were created by God, who creates good things out of love; thus we humans are most fulfilled when we live out the desires and purposes God built into our design. We are created to love, to enjoy life, to exist in loving […]
As a mother, I set the tone for my home. I try to keep the mood upbeat and positive. I am always cheering on my husband’s work at the office, my eldest’s latest foray into jazz, or my youngest’s first days at his new school. “I know you can do it! I’m so proud of […]
In honor of the 15th anniversary of IgnatianSpirituality.com, we’re celebrating with 15 Gifts to Celebrate 15 Years! Read the details here. Gift 12 is a set of bookmarks featuring quotes from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025. The annual book by the Irish Jesuits leads readers into a life of prayer with daily Scripture readings […]
This story is in the tradition of Ignatian contemplation. “Mima! Are you home?” Jesus called as he knocked rapidly. I recognized the voice of my young neighbor immediately. Of course, no one else calls me by that pet name, which he gave me before he could pronounce Myriam. He lives just a few doors away. […]
A friend of mine had a tradition during college that started when we met my sophomore year. On the last night on campus, he would stop by my dorm at 2 a.m. and make me drop everything to take a walk with him. He knew I would be up all night packing. I always waited […]
Despite our best efforts, our lives can become chaotic and messy, leading us to feel as though God is distant and unavailable. Ignatian spirituality, however, teaches us that God holds us close, loves us, and desires the best for us at all times—even in the midst of chaos. Join authors Fr. Brendan McManus, SJ, and […]
It was a moment of angst and mourning for the parish, as it was slated for closing along with dozens of others in the archdiocese. The parishioners gathered in town-hall fashion to process the loss or see what could be done to save the 60-year-old parish. As a lay parish leader, Rita struggled to make […]
In honor of the 15th anniversary of IgnatianSpirituality.com, we’re celebrating with 15 Gifts to Celebrate 15 Years! Read the details here. Gift 11 is a poster and booklet that introduce Ignatian spirituality to those discovering the treasures of discernment, the Examen, and more. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded a school of spirituality that is continued […]
Occasionally, I have periods of great clarity regarding my spiritual life. This often happens when I am talking with friends who, like me, spend time cultivating their spiritual lives. I imagine that Ignatius may have had similar moments of clarity when he was talking with his roommates, Francis Xavier and Peter Faber, in their room […]
All These Things Dear Lord, help me to remember that you gave me life. Thank you for the gift of life. Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me. To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me: the marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility […]
How do we manifest this disposition of hope to the world? Because it is hope we’re talking about. It isn’t a hopeless person who decides to get up in the morning and keep going, keep working, keep striving for even tiny, seemingly insignificant improvements to life and the common good. Hope sustains us, pushes us […]
For 30 years, the Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) has invited older adults, mostly retirees, in 19 regions to serve others by bringing their lifetime of skills to work in “community organizations [that] work directly with people who are materially poor or in organizations that address the structures that affect people who are poor” (IVC website). […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer, Jim Manney introduces the Examen as the prayer that dramatically altered his perception of prayer and the way he prayed.
As a spiritual director I often hear, “How do I know it’s God?” Like amateur sleuths, we search for clues, and soon it’s clear that God communicates to people in myriad ways. Tears are a clear sign for one directee that God is behind a certain awareness. Another person notices a deep desire to be […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer, Jim Manney introduces the Examen as the prayer that dramatically altered his perception of prayer and the way he prayed.
My first encounter with learning more substantially about Ignatian spirituality was in a workshop at Boston College offered years ago by the late Fr. Howard Gray, SJ. He was speaking about the Principle and Foundation, that is, the idea that God created us to love and serve God and that we are to treat all […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer, Jim Manney introduces the Examen as the prayer that dramatically altered his perception of prayer and the way he prayed.
Experiences of pain and suffering can become opportunities for encountering grace. Join Loyola Press for a webinar exploring how to accompany people in pain. Panelists Maureen Lyons Andrews, Jean Heaton, Barbara Lee, and Anne Kertz Kernion will look at pain caused by a variety of factors and explain how entering into people’s pain is the […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer, Jim Manney introduces the Examen as the prayer that dramatically altered his perception of prayer and the way he prayed.
I love to travel. If I had a job that paid for me to fly all the time, I’d love it. I love the frenzy of the TSA line. I love how each airport looks both exactly the same and extremely different. I love the little bags of almonds. I love it all. One of […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In God’s Voice Within, Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, shows us how to use Ignatian discernment to understand that the most trustworthy wisdom of all comes not from outside sources, but from God working through us.
When was the last time you got distracted in prayer? It happens to me all the time. A moment of contemplative silence is shattered by the arrival of two rambunctious kids. Prayerful review of an important conversation from the prior day spirals into worries over whether or not that conversation was handled well. A line […]
IgnatianSpirituality.com ® is a service of Loyola Press, a Jesuit ministry.
In God’s Voice Within, Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, shows us how to use Ignatian discernment to understand that the most trustworthy wisdom of all comes not from outside sources, but from God working through us.
Eric Clayton
Checked
14 hours 23 minutes ago
Prayer, Spiritual Direction, Retreats, and Good Decisions
