I asked some of these retreatants to share a little about their experience of making The Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life. I invite you to read their reflections below.

___________ 

When I learned that our first year introduction to the LA Deacon Formation Program would include making The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, I was very intrigued.

Now that the Spiritual Exercises have concluded, I have been brought into an intimacy with our Lord that is continuing to captivate my being. It has left me with a yearning to continue experiencing His love and that has awakened my senses to a greater spiritual life.

Michael Morgan, 53, Restaurant Operator, West Hollywood

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The Spiritual Exerices of St. Ignatius of Loyola left me with a sense of emotional cleansing and a closer relationship with Jesus.

I gained a new appreciation for the Bible. I gained greater self-awareness through the experience of the heroism of St. Joseph, the hidden life of Jesus, and the ministry of Jesus reaching out to people like Zacchaeus, who like, me sometimes is lost in fears and has control issues.

It was not always easy to sit in meditation. I experienced both periods of restlessness and periods of inner peace. Yet, I was encouraged by our spiritual director to sit with the painful issues and restlessness and to bring these to Jesus.

I feel more connected to His Sacred Heart which I believe is an experience of inner peace and transcendence.

Jana Gottfried, 47, Social Worker, Hollywood

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The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola not only helped me to become aware of God’s presence in everything I perceive and do, but also to contemplate God’s presence in all of God’s creation.

They also challenged me to examine myself, and I found myself transforming into a better person in all aspects of my life.

The Spiritual Exercises were and will continue to be a blessing in my life as I continue to discern my vocation in the LA Deacon Formation Program.

Jorge Ramos, 32, Elementary School Teacher, Long Beach

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I became Catholic at 27 years of age. I prayed everyday, usually praying the Liturgy of the Hours. But as I reflect back on this, I realize that I did not feel a deep connection with Jesus Christ.

As part of the LA Deacon Formation Program, I was asked to make The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola along with my husband, the other deacon candidates and their wives. At first, I was not sure what this would involve but I honestly was not expecting much change in the way I pray.

But a lot has changed in the way I pray and what happens in my prayer. I am especially aware of the important role that feelings have in prayer.

I believe The Spiritual Exercises are very important for people who desire to follow Jesus. I experienced Jesus’ love for me and for humanity, and I realized how much love I want to give back to Him.

Hanh Nguyen, 47, Accountant, North Long Beach

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It had been a question for a long time: What IS prayer? Throughout the weeks of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola I learned how palpable God could be through the use of the Holy Scriptures. Not only did prayer materialize the figure of Christ as a more ”real” (and consequently closer) person, but I got to know Him in different ways by sharing His own experiences.

If I can describe this journey in simple words, I would state that this had been a spiritual roller coaster. Each week and each exercise has helped my relationship with God grow: the deeper I went, the higher the level of closeness to God (and so, the more intense and personal the experience would be).

While the infinite love of God will always remain a mystery, His personal love toward me revealed itself in unpredictable ways. Whether it did through pain, guilt, joy or tears, it all came effortlessly through prayer, almost as if God (through written language) became the guide that I followed. Each word echoed in my heart, finding its way within me and resting in “corners” I never knew I had.

I am grateful for this experience and the enrichment I gained from it.

Francesco Curá, 31, Actor and Photographer, Hollywood

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For me to have lived The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola was something extraordinary.

I have lived all my life searching for God. I have felt that I was unworthy of God’s love because of things that have happened in my life.

The retreat helped me to talk to God the Father, to Jesus, and to Mary. I asked them for a sign of their love for me and the answer seemed to come very powerfully on Palm Sunday while attending Mass. Both the Gospel of the Passion of the Lord and the reception of Communion brought me tears and a strong sense of the presence of God in my heart and being. That is when I realized how profoundly God loves me and how God has been with me throughout my life.

Now that I have finished the retreat, I know how uniquely I am loved by God. I have a strong desire to continue to pray with the scriptures, to dedicate time regularly to meditation, and to keep attending to my relationship with God.

This has been the best thing that ever happened to me.

Maria Eugenia Alvarado Barajas, 47, House Cleaner, Hollywood

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Living the Nineteenth Annotation of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola made me realize the love God has for me. God loves me as I am. Jesus is always at my side and has never abandoned me although I have abandoned him at times.

This retreat made me aware of the graces that the Spirit gives me. I learned to ask for the graces that I desire and to trust that the Holy Spirit will grant these desires if that is what God wants for me.

The retreat helped me and taught me how to communicate with God the Father, with Jesus and with our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary.

In making the Spiritual Exercises, I learned to recognize and to express my feelings in prayer and with others in my spiritual direction group. I was amazed how alive the scriptures became at Mass as I listened to them and how they touched my heart.

I feel that the retreat has made me a better Catholic and stronger in my faith and spirit.

Victor Barajas, 37, Sales Representative, Hollywood

March 7-9, 2008 at Loyola High School, Los Angeles, CA

by
Ana Grande

Project Director for Power PAC, Advocacy Chair for ¡Adelante!, and Graduate Student at Mount St. Mary College, Los Angeles, CA

At the Ignatian Family Teach-In on Immigration held March 7th-9th, I felt at the foot of the cross. Moved by the several talks, statistics, and discussions I pondered how much can we, the non-immigrants, feel. At the foot of the cross we are not crucified. As a non-immigrant, we are not denied a driver’s license nor are we persecuted with deportation. Our work is not denied due to legal status nor is it interrupted by an ICE raid. At the foot of the cross, we are there to console, be in solidarity, but also to stop the taunting, inhumane actions toward those crucified.

Immigrants come in all shapes, sizes and ethnicities. The southern border is not the only means of entering this great nation but the need to stay has been designed by the globalization of our very nation. With immigrants, are their children, children who have been brought up in our society – eating hot dogs as they would pansit. As students they have excelled in academics, admitted in Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley and all other fine institutions. Yet, as undocumented students they are not given financial assistance. Some students take five to six years to finish their undergraduate degree. What’s worst is that upon graduation, they cannot work due to their pending immigration status.

Hanging on a fine thread is the California economy that could well be served by the new teachers, engineers, science, and business graduates. Unfortunately, our nation nor our state has done much to reform the current immigration policy. As Catholics we are called to see the “signs of the time” and to act upon them as Jesus would. What have we done for our immigrant brothers and sisters at our parish? Have we neglected them? Offended them? Or been a good Samaritan? Are we standing at the foot of the cross or are we adding to the wounds of Christ?

Through the teach-in, my faith was re-ignited by the desire of all those around me to ACT. To hear the stories of border crossings, detaining, cultural embracing, or the desire to see their country of origin is heart-felt but not lived. As a Church we are called to be one around the Lord’s table, to be one around the suffering of the marginalized. Let’s act at the foot of the cross.

Recently, our webmaster upgraded our blog program to WORD PRESS. This program allows me to send out new postings to subscribers of my blog Ignatian Spirituality Connection.

As part of this transition, it seemed easiest to subscribe all those to whom I had been sending my e-mail announements about my new postings. However, at this time, I invite you to note that you have an option to remove yourself from this subscription.

If you would like to remove your subscription, note the “Subscribe/Unsubscribe” icon on the right side of my blog page. To unsubscribe, just type in your e-mail address where it states “write e-mail”, mark “unsubscribe”, and click “send”.

If you wish to remain as a subscriber, there is no action needed.

Below are some upcoming summer events which I have already posted in the past but which I believe are worthy of a reminder.

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY CONFERENCE IV, ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY

The fourth Ignatian Spirituality Conference, Ignatian Passion: The Challenge of the Cross in the 21st Century, will be held July 24-27, 2008, at St. Louis University. This even is sponsored by the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus, St. Louis University, and the St. Louis Center for Ignatian Spirituality. For more information visit Ignatian Spirituality Conference IV. 

ADULT SPIRITUAL RENEWAL & EMPOWERMENT, LOYOLA UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

The Institute of Adult Spiritual Renewal Summer Conference, Adult Spiritual Renewal and Empowerment, will be held June 27-July 18, 2008, at Loyola University of Chicago, Lakeshore Campus. For more information, visit Institute of Adult Spiritual Renewal.

SOLIDARITY IN CHRIST’S MISSION, REGIS UNIVERSITY

The Jesuit Conference Social Ministry Gathering Solidarity in Christ’s Mission: Reflecting, Renewing, Responding, will be held June 18-22, 2008, at Regis University. For more information, visit Jesuit Social Ministry Gathering.

ONLINE MINISTRY GENERAL CONGREGATION 35

The website Online Ministry of Creighton University has a webpage which is designed to help Jesuits, ministry partners, and family and friends of Jesuits better understand General Congregation 35 of the Society of Jesus.

The General Congregation will be in Rome and begin on January 7, 2008. It will continue for several months. A new Superior General will be elected during the Congregation and there will be discussions of important issues related to Jesuit Mission, Ministry, Governance, Identity, and Partnership.

To keep informed of the events of the General Congregation and to participate in web discussions, visit General Congregation 35 of the Society of Jesus by Online Ministry.

OTHER SITES:

Conferencia de Provinciales Jesuitas de América Latina Congregación General 35

General Congregation 35 by SJweb.

Jesuit Conference of Europe General Congregation 35

Jesuit Conference of USA General Congregation 35.

The Anita Caspary Lecture Series Speaking from the Heart presents Witness to Integrity with Fr. John Dear, SJ. John Dear is a Jesuit priest, peace activist, organizer, retreat leader, author and editor of 20 books. The event is sponsored by the Immaculate Heart Community.

Sunday, November 11, 2007
1:30-3:30 p.m.

American Film Institute
2021 N. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027.

$20/ $16 seniors & students
reservations advised

For more information contact IHM Offices at (323) 466-2157 or e-mail at ihmla@pacbell.net

SOLIDARITY IN CHRIST’S MISSION: REFLECTING, RENEWING AND RESPONDING

Solidarity in Christ’s Mission: Reflecting, Renewing and Responding, June 18-22, 2008, Regis University, Denver, CO. Sponsored by the Jesuit Commission for Social and International Ministries. A North American Gathering of Ignatian Social Ministers. For more information, visit Solidarity in Christ’s Mission.

The Ignatian Volunteer Corps Los Angeles will hold a Recognition Reception honoring Fr. Michael Kennedy, SJ, recipient of the 2007 IVC Della Strada Award on Sunday, October 14, 2007, 2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m., at Mijares Mexican Restaurant in Pasadena.

Fr. Michael Kennedy, SJ, is a Jesuit priest and has has served in parish ministry developing Christian Base Communities in Latin America and California. He most recently completed 10 years as pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights. He has authored four books of meditation on Ignatian spirituality. He is currently involved in a ministry combining the Spiritual Exercises and Restorative Justice.

The Della Strada Award is named after Sancta Maria della Strada, the first church used by Ignatius and the early Jesuits used to serve the urban poor in the center of Rome. The award honors an individual whose life reflects the Ignatian values of service to the poor, and of working and educating for a more just society.

For more information on this fundraising event, contact Jenn Mangali, IVC Los Angeles, at (310) 937-8280, or by email at jmangali@ivcusa.org .

Ignatian Volunteer Corps is a faith-based, non-profit organization that provides men and women 50 and over the opportunity to serve the needs of the materially poor and marginalized, to work for a more just society and to grow deeper in the Christian faith by reflecting and praying in the Ignatian tradition.

Through this program, you will join other vice presidents, small business executives, and directors to explore the place of spirituality in the business world. When people discover values that make sense of life and practice ways to keep these values in view, their perspective changes. You will leave the program with a fuller sense of self, a clearer life direction, and the knowledge that a deeper power guides you and makes sense of your work.

Wednesday, September 26 - November 14, 2007
7:15 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. (includes continental breakfast)
USD Maher Hall, Salomon Hall
$395; Group Rate: $300 for every additional person from the same firm.

For more information, visit USD Business Leadership and Spirituality Breakfast Seminar.

2007-2008 RETREATS AT JESUIT RETREAT CENTER, LOS ALTOS

For information on upcoming retreats at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos, visit Jesuit Retreat Center

TRAINING FOR RETREAT DIRECTORS

The Pierre Favre Program is a training program of the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos for those who would like to give the Spiritual Exercises. To facilitate the participation of lay people in the greater Bay Area, we schedule classes through the academic year, ordinarily every other Sunday afternoon for two hours. The full course is three years.

Our participants have all made the complete Exercises, either in the 30-day format or in an individually-directed 19th Annotation format, and have done significant study in theology/ministry (the equivalent of a Master’s degree or completion of a diocesan ministry-formation program). This second season will begin in October.

If you have any questions about or would like to recommend a promising candidate for the program, we would be happy to hear from you. Kindly contact Tom Carroll at 650-917-4049 or tcarroll@calprov.org.

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY CONFERENCE III

The Ignatian Spirituality Conference III at St. Louis University will occur July 24-27, 2008. For more information, visit Ignatian Spirituality Conference III.

Reflection:

I went on the Partners Silent Retreat seeking to bring balance to my life; balance between the demands of ministry in an all-boys high school and the demands of parenting my own teenage boys; between meeting the needs of others and taking care of myself; between the busy-ness of life and the desire for peace and depth in my relationships with others and with my God.

It’s called a silent retreat, but not everything or everyone is silent the whole time. I was the one who needed to be silent in order to receive the encouragement, nurturing, and guidance I sought.

It took awhile to turn down the volume of the voice in my head - the one that makes “to-do lists,” that evaluates everything, worries about many things, and sometimes obsesses over things that are not even under my control.

In time, that voice quieted and my spirit could hear the voice of God - in the music of the prayer service, in the gentle guidance of my Spiritual Director, in the presentations by my peers, in the Eucharist, and in the Scriptures I contemplated throughout the week. Each day brought new insight and depth. Each evening I slept more peacefully than the night before. The final evening I had two different dreams that confirmed what I had been hearing from the Lord. “Simplify.”

Though my responsibilities have not changed since the retreat, my approach to them has. I’m working on the whole “balance-thing.” On a number of occasions when things have been getting crazy-busy, I have chosen to carve out time for quiet, turn down the volume of the voice in my head, and spend a few minutes breathing in Christ’s peace and encouragement - a mini-retreat. It makes a noticeable difference in my attitude, which in turn, affects the task at hand and more importantly, the relationships involved along the way.

Kelly Barnes
Jesuit High School, Sacramento, CA

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? A SOCIAL JUSTICE TOUR THROUGH PARTS OF ORANGE COUNTY

Beginning with prayer and reflection on ‘neighborliness’ as revealed in the parable of the Good Samaritan, a big part of our day will be traveling the virtual road from Jerusalem to Jericho (roaming through parts of Orange County) coming face to face with the issues (and the people) surrounding hunger, homelessness and affordable housing. Following our tour, we will return to the Center to reflect together on what we saw and heard and how we are called to BE neighbor to those in need in Orange County. We will conclude our day with a sharing of resources for both action and further formation in compassionate living.

Presented by: Joyce Cottage, MA
Saturday, June 16, 2007
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
$50 (includes lunch)

Center for Spiritual Development
St. Joseph Center Mother Louis Rooms
Orange, CA

THE ROLE OF SPIRITUALITY IN HEALTH AND HEALING

The Role of Spirituality in Health and Healing will be presented by Christina Puchalski, M.D., FACP. Dr. Puchalski serves as director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health and associate professor of Medicine and Health Sciences at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has contributed to numerous scholarly journals and given presentations at medical schools and national conferences on spirituality and healthcare, end-of-life care, assessment of patients’ spirituality, and curricular development of spirituality and medicine courses. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, and NBC Nightly News. She has been published in major newspapers across the country.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
University of San Diego
Manchester Conference Center Auditorium
$10; USD students - free with

For more information contact:
Duvy Galvis-McGirr
Center for Christian Spirituality
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
duvy@sandiego.edu
(619)260-4784

EJERCICIOS ESPIRITUALES EN AGOSTO

Ejercicios Espirituales con el Padre Ricardo Lapuente, S.J. del 4-12 de agosto del 2007. Abierto a todo el publico. El costo para la semana es de $300 dólares. Todos los cuartos tienen baño propio, sábanas y toallas.

Para mas informacion:
P. David Ungerleider S.J.
Casa Manresa
Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana
(664) 630-1577 ext. 206 Fax (664) 630-1591
ungerlei@tij.uia.mx

Since I posted a few spiritual events that are taking place at the University of San Diego and have received positive feedback for doing so, I realize that you, my readers, might be willing to travel across our southern border to Tijuana for Ignatian retreats and events.

So, in this blog I give you some basic information about what the Jesuits in Baja California provide in Ignatian Spirituality. I hope to include such programs in future blog postings.

CASA MANRESA, UNIVERSIDAD IBEROAMERICANA, TIJUANA

The Universidad Iberoamericana Tijuana, is a university of the {{link http://www.sjmex.org Jesuit Province of Mexico}}. The UIA Tijuana has established a retreat house on its property, Casa Manresa. They offer accommodations for day and overnight retreats as well as for individual or group retreats. They also offer the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

For more information, please contact:

Fr. David Ungerleider, S. J.
P.O. Box 438210
San Ysidro, CA 92143-8210

Cellphone in U.S.: 619-980-5997
Tel in Tijuana: 011-526-64-628-5217
Fax: 011-526-64-630-1591
e-mail: ungerlei@tij.uia.mx