Reflection from our Pastor

Tuesday, July 31, 2025

Feast Day of St. Ignatius of Loyola

July 31 is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola who passed into the arms of God on this day in the year 1556. St Ignatius was the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

In 1521, while serving in the Spanish army, Ignatius’s life took a drastic turn during the siege of Pamplona. A cannonball severely injured his leg, shattering his dreams of a military career. He was 30 years old. During his long and painful recovery, Ignatius sought books to pass the time. While he desired tales of romance and chivalry (i.e. Harlequin Romance novels), the only available books were a “Life of Christ” and a collection of the “Lives of the Saints.” As he read these spiritual works, Ignatius experienced a profound inner transformation. The heroism and holiness of the saints inspired him deeply, leading him to ponder, “These men were of the same frame as I; why then should I not do what they have done?”

Determined to dedicate his life to God, he left behind his military ambitions and withdrew to a monastery in Manresa, Spain. There, he immersed himself in prayer and reflection, seeking to discern God’s will for his life. During this time, he composed the “Spiritual Exercises,” a guide for spiritual growth and discernment. Pius XI later described this work as the “wisest and most universal spiritual code for guiding the soul on the path to salvation.” These exercises are still used today in many spiritual retreat centers. They are designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. They were composed with the intention of helping participants in religious retreats to discern the will of God in their lives, leading to a personal commitment to follow Jesus.

Ignatius considered the examen, examination of conscience, or spiritual self-review, to be the most important way to continue to live out the experience of the Exercises after their completion. "As a searching investigator of the integrity of your own conduct, submit your life to a daily examination. Consider carefully what progress you have made or what ground you have lost. Strive to know yourself. Place all your faults before your eyes. Come face to face with yourself, as though you were another person, and then weep for your faults.”

In daily "examens" you might review the ways God has been present to you through others, and how you have responded, and then proceed through your day with gratitude, more aware of the presence of God in your life. A good question to ask yourself is “With the choices I have made this day, how have I brought the kin-dom of God closer to earth?”

In March of 2022 when Pope Francis attended the 400^th anniversary of the canonization of St Ignatius of Loyola, his homily focused on the gift of Ignatian discernment to not just the Society of Jesus, but to the entire world: “May our holy father Ignatius help us to preserve discernment, our precious legacy, as an ever timely treasure to be poured out on the Church and on the world. For discernment enables us to ‘see anew all things in Christ’.”

On this feast day of St Ignatius of Loyola, let us honor our brother by spending some time in discernment of God’s will for us, or perhaps, examining the choices we have made this day and how they have welcomed in the kin-dom of God closer to us here on earth.

(Life and Legacy of St. Ignatius, loyola.edu)

Amen

Mother Rosean

July News from

The Office of Presiding Bishop

Dear Beloved

In the middle of this Summer, we find ourselves perhaps taking some time to relax, enjoy the outdoors and reconnect in person with family and friends.

For some of our communities, this season has seen preparations leading to the joyous celebrations of deacon ordinations and the profession of religious vows.

Other communities have been experiencing deep distress and fear as members of their church have been profiled and targeted for separation and elimination from their life here ........Click here to read more