London Jesuit Centre
The introductory session is online on 2 November from 07.00pm to 07.30pm.
Ignatian Spirituality has experienced an unprecedented boom in the last few decades, as Ignatian religious orders responded to Vatican II and revisited their spiritual roots. This movement has opened up the spiritual life for many people across the Christian spectrum. The future direction of Ignatian Spirituality is evolving through conversations about its distinctive character and its potential to meet people where they find themselves in their lives. This course seeks to engage with themes and ideas from the wider culture that lend themselves to an Ignatian connection. Each week we will look at a different potential point of connection, giving us the opportunity to reflect together and think creatively about the richness of Ignatian spirituality and how best to present it to others.
This course runs over five weeks.
Week 1
Ignatian Spirituality in conversation with the film industry
This week we look at how we can use film to help people to develop self-awareness and seek a relationship with God. We shall use four different examples to show a movement within each week of the Spiritual Exercises.
Week 2
Ignatian Spirituality in conversation with the mindfulness movement
This week we look at one popular approach to spirituality today. We will seek to appreciate the various practices associated with ‘mindfulness’ and how, beyond any benefits for mental health, they may open the path to the life of faith.
Week 3
Ignatian Spirituality in conversation with yoga
This week we look at a particular project that makes use of the practice of yoga in dialogue with the Ignatian way. Is this conversation a way forward for bringing people closer to the Lord?
Week 4
Ignatian Spirituality in conversation with ecumenism
This week we look at how Ignatian spirituality resources many Christians of various Christian backgrounds and thus fosters new forms of Christian harmony.
Week 5
Approaches to the spiritual life flowing from Ignatian spirituality
This week we look at how we can open ourselves to a deeper relationship with God. From disorder through liberation to a greater awareness we learn.
Each week there will be a recorded video presentation/audio which you can watch/listen to at any time that suits you. A new presentation will be added each week. There is also assigned reading for each week and questions for reflection and research.
Each week concludes with a seminar led by the course tutors, lasting about an hour and a half. To benefit fully from the seminars you need to have watched the video or listen to the autdo presentation, done the assigned reading, and spent some time working at the questions for reflection (on which the seminar discussion will be based).
Ad libitum
Ruth Holgate, Growing into God. In The Way Vol 42, Issue 3 (July 2003), pg. 7-18.
John Pugente SJ and Monty Williams SJ, Finding God in the Dark, Novalis, Ottawa, Canada, 2004, pg.12-29
Choose one movie to watch and try to answer reflection questions
Rome and Juliet (1996)
Billy Elliot (2000)
Shrek (2001)
If you wish to learn more about mindfulness
Mark Williams and Denny Penman, Mindfulness A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World, Piatkus, London,2011.
Mark Williams and Denny Penman
Watch Timothy Muldoon and his take on Ignatian mindfulness
Choose one exercise with some repetition per day and then note down your experience
Mark Williams, Mindfulness Meditation
If you wish to learn about Ignatian Spirituality and Yoga
Hoover, Joseph SJ, What’s the deal with Ignatian yoga? A skeptical Jesuit finds out. In America February 18, 2019 issue.
Watch the Channel Breathe and Flow to see how young people practice yoga today
Choose an exercise to try out and note down your experience
If you wish to learn about Ignatian Spirituality and Ecumenism
Spiritual ecumenism at work? In Thinking Faith 16 October 2009.
Michael Hurley SJ, Our Ecumenical Hopes: Where Are They Now? In Thinking Faith. 18 January 2008.
Paul D. Murray, Dialogue and the Church –Part One, In Thinking Faith. 12 August 2008.
Paul D. Murray, Dialogue and the Church –Part Two, In Thinking Faith. 18 August 2008.
Paul D. Murray, Dialogue and the Church –Part Three, In Thinking Faith. 26 August 2008.
T. P. Rausch SJ, Where is Ecumenism Today? In Ecumenism and Ignatian Spirituality, Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies, Boston College, 2016, pg. 9-19.
Nicholas Denysenko, Ecumenical Theology
If you wish to learn about Ignatian Approaches to Spiritual Life
Nick Austin SJ, Roger Dawson SJ, The Consolation of Character Strength in Ignatian Spirituality and Positive Psychology. In The Way. 53/3 July 2014, pg. 7-21.
Roger Dawson SJ, Psychological Foundations of Interior Movements. In The Way. 59/3 July2020, pg. 7-14.
VIDEO INPUT to learn more
Eric Clayton, Cannonball Moments: An Ignatian Approach to Telling Your Story.
Fr. Ladislav Šulik SJ STL MA studied philosophy and theology in Slovakia and at the Gregorian University, Rome. He was ordained in 2010 and is Chaplain at the London Jesuit Centre. His particular academic interest is in the central Christian belief of the Trinity. His pastoral ministry has led him to work in spirituality, retreat giving, spiritual accompaniment at various Jesuit retreat houses and Spirituality centres.