FFP 101 NOTES People in authority didn’t like this and he

was thrown into jail. When he was released

Life of St. Ignatius de Loyola
he was told not to teach anyone else about
 In our past experience and as we journey in Jesus.
our life, we encounter people whom we look  Ignatius moved to France to study at the
up and see as a model in life. Just like here University of Paris.
in Ateneo and the other Jesuit community,  At the age of 33 he was ordained a priest in
we look up to someone who is regarded as Rome and the Pope put him to work
our model. We are talking about Saint teaching scripture.
Ignatius. Today we will continue to learn  He and some of his friends who were also
about his life and some of our Jesuit priest decided to get together and set up a
Characteristics. kind of club known as ‘The Society of
 Ignatius was born in 1491 in Spain. Jesus’. Today they are known as ‘The
 He was the youngest of 14 children. Jesuits’.
 At the age of 16 he was sent to work for the  Ignatius wrote over 7000 letters to others
treasurer of the Kingdom of Castile. teaching about God’s love. He and the other
 He did not always lead a good life and Jesuits visited the sick in hospital, taught
would drink and gamble too much. He children and helped the poor.
would also challenge people to sword fights.  He died in Rome on 31st July 1556 of a
 Ignatius still required time to recover and fever.
the accident had left him with a limp.  He is remembered mostly today as the
 He was bored and asked for some books to founder of the Jesuit Order.
read to help pass the time. Ignatian Spirituality
 He was given a book about the life of Christ
and the lives of the Saints.  Spirituality involves the recognition of a
 This was the beginning of his conversion. feeling or sense or belief that there is
He left his bad ways behind and decided to something greater than myself, something
be more like Jesus and the Saints that he had more to being human than sensory
read about. experience, and that the greater whole of
 He decided to travel to Jerusalem. This was which we are part is cosmic or divine in
a long way away and there was no nature.
transportation. Before leaving he visited a  Spirituality is knowing who you really are
church where he prayed all night at the altar and connecting with something larger than
of Our Lady. There is left behind his sword. yourself. 
He swapped his fine clothes for rags and  A sense of connection to something bigger
shoes for sandals and made way to the first than ourselves, and it typically involves a
step on his journey, Barcelona. search for meaning in life.
 From Barcelona he went on to Rome where  Our lives become more meaningful and we
he met the Pope who gave him permission to feel more peace when we know that we are
visit the Holy Land including Jerusalem. supported and held in times of difficulty and
 When he arrived the situation there for ease. Part of why people get stressed is that
Catholics was very dangerous and he was they’re looking for [an explanation] about
forced to return to Barcelona. why these things are happening to them. 
 He decided to study Latin so that he could  Spirituality or Religion? They have a
become a priest. common subject-matter, but their
 While studying he talked to people and told approaches are very different.
them gospel stories about Jesus Christ.
 Both religion and spirituality teach that there are free, we have freedom to love, to do
is more to the universe than what meets the service and to have a good relationship
eye, and more to our life than the physical and dialogue with God.
body. 6. Faith that does justice – the realization
 Religion presents you a set of beliefs, that there can be no true expression of
dogmas and “holy men” as intermediaries faith where concerns for justice and
between you and Spirit (however you may human dignity are missing.
name it); while spirituality promotes your 7. “The World is charged with the grandeur
individual autonomy in defining and of God” – the positive, energetic and
connecting to Spirit as it fits your heart and engaged vision of God’s constant
mind. interaction with creation.
 Ignatian spirituality is a spirituality for 8. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the
everyday life. It insists that God is present in greater glory of God) – praising God and
our world and active in our lives. dedicating oneself to participate in
 It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good God’s healing work in the world.
decisions guided by keen discernment, and 9. Union of minds and hearts – as brothers
an active life of service to others. and sisters, we listen for the God who is
 Our lives become more meaningful and we present among us, admitting no division
feel more peace when we know that we are based on ethnicity, nationality,
supported and held in times of difficulty and background, age or gender.
ease. Part of why people get stressed is that 10. Flexibility and adaptability – (e.g.,16th
they’re looking for [an explanation] about Century Jesuits wearing Chinese robes
why these things are happening to them.  and generally adapting to various
 Spiritual Exercises are a set if Christian cultures; respecting people’s lived
meditations, contemplations, and prayers experience.)
written by St. Ignatius de Loyola, a 16 th-
century Spanish priest, theologian, and Consciousness Examen
founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
Divided into four thematic “weeks” of  Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1986) –
variable length, they are designed to be (1) The child/individual is good in
carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. order to avoid being punished. If a
person is punished, they must have
10 Characteristics of Ignatian Spirituality done wrong. (2) Good boy/The
1. Finding God in all things child/individual becomes aware of
2. Personal relationship with Christ and the wider rules of society, so
love for the Church judgments concern obeying the rules
3. Reflection (Self-awareness/ in order to uphold the law and to
Discernment) leading to Gratitude which avoid guilt. (3) People at this stage
leads to Service (linked to becoming a have developed their own set of
“man or woman for others” – big moral guidelines which may or may
Ignatian buzzwords.) not fit the law. The principles apply
4. Contemplation in action – not a monastic to everyone.
existence, but an active one that is, at the  The examen is a prayerful reflection
same time, infused with prayer. from the Spiritual Exercises which
5. Inner Freedom (the result of self- has become a key part of Jesuit life
awareness and discernment.) God wants and which can have a powerful
us to be our treselves-joyous. When we impact on the lives of those who use
it.
  It consists of setting time aside each mind, imagination, spirit and body after the
day (for Ignatius twice a day, at reading ends.
midday and the end of the day) to  In the Ignatian tradition, praying with the
reflect prayerfully on the events of imagination is called contemplation.
the day and where God has been in  In the Exercises, contemplation is a very
those events. active way of praying that engages the mind
 The “Prayer of Examen” is a and heart and stirs up thoughts and
traditional way to encounter God in emotions.
the everyday circumstances of life.  Note that in other spiritual
traditions, contemplation has quite a
5 Steps to Examen
different meaning: it refers to a way of
1. Give thanks praying that frees the mind of all thoughts
Spend a few moments in gratitude for the and images.
gifts and blessings of the day.  Contemplating a Gospel scene is not simply
2. Ask for light remembering it or going back in time.
Ask God to enlighten you, showing where  AN ANCIENT PRACTICE - self-directed
he has been at work and present in your day practice for relaxing the body and calming
through events, people and places. the mind. “A state to be aware of God’s
3. Examine the day presence, and it makes you better able to hear
Review the moments of the day, noticing God’s voice correcting, guiding, and directing
what has led to consolation and what has led you.”
to desolation and my reactions to these  SILENCE - St Ignatius of Antioch once
events, people and places (see below said, “It is better to be silent and real than to
on consolation and desolation). talk and be unreal.” Jesus seems to be in
4. Seek forgiveness agreement: “In praying, do not babble like
Ask God's forgiveness for the times when the pagans, who think that they will be heard
you have acted, spoken or thought contrary because of their many words” (Matthew 6:7)
to his grace and calling for you.
5. Resolve to change
Decide what in your behavior or attitude you
will try to improve tomorrow.

Ignatian Contemplation
 It is a prayer with Scripture. It is meeting
God through story. The prayer develops as
you “live into” a Scripture story with all
your senses and imagination.
 In Islamic tradition, it is said that the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would go into
the desert, climb a mountain known
as Mount Hira, and seclude himself from the
world. While on the mountain, he would
contemplate life and its meaning.
 You become a participant in the story, and
you continue in the story in your heart,