An Ignatian Pathway

Many books written about the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola are about doing, and, as a result, they can easily be perceived as checklists of things to accomplish in order to get the greatest benefit from the Exercises. By contrast, An Ignatian Pathway was written specifically to help readers enter into an experience with the Divine, an approach that amplifies the easily overlooked mystical dimension of Ignatian spirituality. In An Ignatian Pathway, Paul Coutinho, SJ, has collected more than 100 excerpts culled from all four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises, the Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola, and especially his Spiritual Journal. Each entry is followed by a short meditation written by Fr. Coutinho. As a companion to the Spiritual Exercises, An Ignatian Pathway is an ideal resource for anyone who wants to experience and deepen the mystical and transforming graces in the Exercises, as well as for any “student” of Ignatian spirituality who desires a fuller and richer experience with God.

Since Fr Jorge Bergoglio S.J. became Pope, many people have wondered what Jesuits are. Are they Catholics? How are they different to other religious orders? Ignatius of Loyola, the co-founder of the Jesuits, developed a spirituality which has helped countless numbers of people since the sixteenth century. This book presents some of Ignatius’ key insights which inspire Jesuits and others all over the world. For those associated with the Jesuits or those who want to find out more about their spirituality, this basic introduction will be helpful. Ignatius emphasizes how God is always close to us. God speaks individually to us through our feelings, desires, thoughts and actions in unexpected place and at unexpected times. Ignatius gives us the tools to identify God’s presence and to make good decisions that help welcome God into our lives through the ordinary daily routine.

Preparation for apostolic life appears in the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus as an engaging and demanding experience. It is driven by the desire to attach oneself to Christ who is active in our world today. St Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century provided a refreshingly original vision of religious formation. He conceived vocation as ""a pathway to God,"" a dynamic of spiritual and human growth that unfolds in an ever deepening relationship with God. How can the originality of the powerful Ignatian vision become effective today? How do successive formation environments provide support and challenge at each stage? How can social, intellectual and other human capacities develop in a way that they enhance a dynamic of growth and integration into an apostolic body? The distance between reading a medieval text and facing contemporary challenges in religious formation can be daunting. Yet the tension between traditional concepts and contemporary insights, between letter and Spirit, between the universal and the individual becomes a source of unexpected fecundity in the life of those who actually begin to make progress on the Ignatian pathway to God. This book is for those who are passionate about the viability of religious life in a contemporary world.

Twelve lessons focus on important teachings of the Catholic faith, including our relationship with God, the consequences of sin, and events in the life of Jesus.

Do you have a real relationship with God, or do you just have a religion? Do you know God, or do you just know about God? In How Big Is Your God? Paul Coutinho, SJ, challenges us to grow stronger and deeper in our faith and in our relationship with God—a God whose love knows no bounds. To help us on our way, Coutinho introduces us to people in various world religions—from Hindu friends to Buddhist teachers to St. Ignatius of Loyola—who have shaped his spiritual life and made possible his deep, personal relationship with God.

This book shows how the pedagogical philosophy of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) founder, Ignatius of Loyola, can be used and applied in public school settings in the USA and around the world without dismantling the separation of church and state. Ignatian Pedagogy should be considered a historical precursor to modern practical and pedagogical theories such as culturally relevant pedagogy and equity frameworks in education, with Jesuit foundational texts such as the Ratio Studiorum including material about working within and valuing the context of the culture surrounding schools, emphasizing student voice and empowering the student as a co-teacher. Based on new research carried out in New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) schools the author argues for universal character formation programs based on already existing and highly effective programs at Jesuit-sponsored schools. The research shows that universal character formation programs are highly effective in developing students flourishing, strengthening their relationships with themselves and others, and enabling critical, reflective thought. Based on the theory of Ignatius of Loyola and the work of thinkers including Paulo Freire, Mahatma Gandhi, Elisabeth Johnson and Martin Luther King, Brenkert presents a theological-philosophical framework for creating a 'beloved community' free from oppression, poverty and hate.

Stop spinning your spiritual hamster wheel. Start living in the limitless love of God. Many of us go through life thinking and acting as though we can somehow, in some way, earn God’s love and favor. If only we do this, or that, or both, or more, God just might offer us at least a small bit of Divine approval or acceptance. Eventually realizing the impossibility of “getting right” with God through our own efforts, and tired of futilely going ’round and ’round in spiritual circles, we may even be inclined to permanently turn away from the Divine. In Just as You Are, Paul Coutinho, SJ, helps us move forward in the confidence that God already loves us and simply asks that we embrace this amazing love and live in it on a daily basis. A native of India, Fr. Coutinho combines Eastern sensibilities with Ignatian principles and practices to show us how to open our lives—now and always—to the infinite, unfathomable love of God. Filled with thought-provoking stories, inspiring anecdotes, and memorable metaphors, Just as You Are makes clear that experiencing the joy and freedom of the Divine journey is the only “work” we need to do. Being in love with the Divine is God’s gift that is always available to anyone who is looking for it. We have all had a taste of Divine love and our spirits hunger for more. But then other voices muffle the unconditional gift of Divine love—voices that speak of fear, guilt, anxiety, and unworthiness. Falling in love with God begins with an infatuation that penetrates those negative voices, and we respond to this either by being more and more attracted to the Divine or we are repulsed by the experience. We come closer or we fight to get away. In either case our focus is the Divine energy that is drawing us to itself. The Divine seducer never gives up but continues to draw us in many different ways to a deeper union and communion with the Ultimate. But when all is said and done, the falling in love will be up to you. So if you really have the will to experience life as one who is in love with the Divine, it will happen. If you want it, you’ll find it. In fact, love will find you.Are you willing? Are you ready?

In 1521 Ignatius of Loyola decided to change his life, and he became a pilgrim, setting out for Jerusalem. Ignatius the pilgrim lived radically: traveling on foot, seeking reconciliation, and striving for interior transformation through a deep encounter with God. Through this book modern pilgrims can follow his example and the route he took to Manresa, Spain, near Barcelona. The route began in the castle of the Loyola family, where young Ignatius, the wounded soldier, was recovering from injuries received in battle. His body was broken, but his heart was ardent as he longed to recuperate and to rebuild his life. What should he do with himself? What is the true path to happiness? Should he pursue a career in the king's court or follow some other course? These were the questions Ignatius was asking himself. He was experiencing a sixteenth-century identity crisis, which was in many ways like the twenty-first-century version. This book is a guide to Ignatius' experiences of conversion, healing, and freedom. It includes accounts by various people who have taken the Ignatian Way and offers guidance for planning and embarking on a similar pilgrimage, with some help from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. Anyone can use this book to create his own way, even without leaving home, for as Ignatius says, the fundamental goal of the pilgrim is to come into contact with his inner source of light and happiness—God the Creator.