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Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring.
The Holy Spirit illumines all believers with the light of hope, keeping that light burning, like an ever-burning lamp, to sustain and invigorate our lives…
In our journey towards the Jubilee, let us return to Scripture and realize that it speaks to us in these words: “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered” (Heb 6:18-20). Those words are a forceful encouragement for us never to lose the hope we have been given, to hold fast to that hope and to find in God our refuge and our strength.
The image of the anchor is eloquent; it helps us to recognize the stability and security that is ours amid the troubled waters of this life, provided we entrust ourselves to the Lord Jesus. The storms that buffet us will never prevail, for we are firmly anchored in the hope born of grace…. This hope… makes us rise above our trials and difficulties, and inspires us to keep pressing forward, never losing sight of the grandeur of the heavenly goal to which we have been called.
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~ Pope Francis, Spes Non Confundit, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 | |
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“What is your hope for spiritual direction?”
I was asked this question while meeting with the staff of an Ignatian spirituality center last autumn. It’s a question I’ve pondered before when thinking about my hope for my own spiritual direction. But this was a broader question, asking me about my hope for the field of spiritual direction itself.
All of us in the ministry of spiritual direction would do well to ponder it as we begin this new year. I’ve written a little about my hope here to begin the conversation, and I’d love for you to share your hopes as well. Maybe there are some key words or images that come to mind as you consider the question. Whether in a few words, sentences or paragraphs, please take some time to share your hopes about spiritual direction here.
In the months ahead, we’ll be inviting a variety of Ignatian spiritual directors to offer their hopes which we will share with you throughout the year. It will be our unique offering during this Jubilee Year, a way of inspiring one another as pilgrims of hope who walk the way of spiritual direction.
There is a lot in this newsletter to inspire hope as well, including some upcoming programs, initiatives and resources that you won’t want to miss! Scroll down to learn more.
May we enter this new year firmly anchored in the hope that bolsters our beliefs, buoys our spirits and brightens the dawn of each new day.
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Winter blessings,
Nancy
Nancy Small
Associate Director for Spiritual Direction Initiatives
W of Ignatian Spirituality
USA East Province of the Society of Jesus
929-232-3056
nsmall@jesuits.org
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This year marks thirty years since the publication of Looking Into the Well: Supervision of Spiritual Directors by Maureen Conroy, RSM, a landmark book that has shaped an entire generation of supervisors and spiritual directors. This book has helped set the standard about how to engage in the ministry of supervision while raising awareness among spiritual directors about the importance of supervision within their spiritual direction practice.
This year the Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative will be honoring the field of supervision with a series entitled The Good News of Supervision. These stories from spiritual directors and supervisors alike will offer personal experiences of supervision and how it helps to ground spiritual directors, guide them to greater interior freedom and inspire personal and professional growth.
Click here to read the full article about this series and explore opportunities to contribute your experience of supervision.
Click here to read the first Good News story by Martha Corkery.
Future articles will be posted to our Articles page.
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Back to the Basics and Beyond
Exploring Key Components of Ignatian Spiritual Direction
Program Leader: Anita Wood
Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM ET
Program Fee: $25
The ISDI offers generous financial assistance for those in need of it. Click here to apply.
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This program is the first in an annual series exploring the basic building blocks of Ignatian spiritual direction as well as topics that take us beyond the beginnings. This series will provide opportunities for spiritual directors to revisit the basics – which may look different when viewed through the lens of time in an increasingly complex world – and reach beyond.
This lead-off program will provide an exploration of several key components of Ignatian spiritual direction. It is open to all spiritual directors – new, seasoned and everywhere in-between – especially all who are eager to learn more about Ignatian spiritual direction. It will be recorded and all registered participants will receive a link to the recording.
Click here for more information and to register.
View program leader Anita Wood's bio here.
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The Call of Christ the King in Conflicted Times
Program Leader: Sr. Boreta Singleton
Saturday, March 29, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Program Fee: $25
The ISDI offers generous financial assistance for those in need of it. Click here to apply.
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The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius invite us to follow Christ the King in a mission “to overcome evil with good, to turn hatred aside with love, to conquer all the forces of death.”
- What are the values of the kingdom needed in our times?
- How can we animate and activate these kingdom values amidst a climate of conflict and challenge?
- How is God calling us to labor for Christ and recognize the presence of Christ laboring in today’s world?
This virtual program will be recorded and all registered participants will receive a link to the recording.
Click here for more information and to register.
View program leader Sr. Boreta Singleton's bio here.
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Check out the ISDI Online Events Calendar!
This calendar features programs and trainings for Ignatian spiritual directors offered by the Office of Ignatian Spirituality and other organizations. Upcoming programs from our partners include:
Click here to learn more!
The events calendar is a valuable resource for the ongoing formation of Ignatian spiritual directors. Click here if you’d like us to consider posting an upcoming event you are planning for Ignatian spiritual directors.(Make sure to tag the event “SpiritualDirection.”)
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Ignatius Was Green
Ecological Dimensions of the Spiritual Exercises
by Margaret Scott, aci
Ignatius was brought up in the lap of nature and developed a fondness for creation." This book offers a reading of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius based on his Basque roots and love of nature. A prayerful re-reading of the text discovers an ecological dimension running all through the Exercises that, in a rapidly heating world, can offer an Ignatian-based new relationship with creation and adds urgency to the commitment to care.
"Ignatius Was Green breaks new ground in Ignatian spirituality as a means for discernment regarding the crucial ecological issues of our time. Sister Margaret Scott's beautiful new book is a must-read for those who are committed to sustaining life on our planet." — James Martin, SJ.
Click here to order.
Dr. Margaret Scott, aci, a Handmaid of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is an experienced spiritual director and retreat giver. Her fluency in several languages, international travel, and mission work have provided her with a global view and understanding of the universal church. She taught theology at Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, where she was also codirector of the Ignatian Leadership Program.
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Discern
by Mark Thibodeaux, SJ
How are we supposed to notice and pay attention to God amid the chaotic busyness of everyday life? In Discern: Listening for God’s Whispers, bestselling author Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, offers a solution that anchors us in spiritual steadiness despite the hectic demands that clamor for our attention.
This book invites you to tune in to the gentle voice of God. Spending a few minutes each day can help you better understand God’s subtle voice through spiritual awareness and connection, regardless of the stress of daily responsibilities.
Click here to order.
Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, is an acknowledged expert on prayer and discernment. For ten years, he served as the director for Jesuits in formation, and he is currently the pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the author of several books, including Reimagining the Ignatian Examen and Ignatian Discernment of Spirits for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care.
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"As in any other significant relationship, the foundation of spiritual direction is God’s erotic love or power. When we do our ministry well, we are able to work with God’s Spirit in urging, drawing and inviting our directees into a deeper, truer and more intimate relationship with God."
~ Samuel Hamilton-Poore in Supervision of Spiritual Directors: Engaging in Holy Mystery
(edited by Mary Rose Bumpus and Rebecca Bradburn Langer)
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Holy Trinity Catholic Church, a Jesuit parish in Georgetown, Washington, DC, is seeking an experienced leader and spiritual director, who is deeply grounded in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and in Ignatian spirituality, to manage all aspects of its Ignatian training programs that form spiritual directors and ‘givers’ of the Spiritual Exercises and to direct the parish’s spiritual direction and Spiritual Exercises ministries.
Please visit trinity.org/jobs for a full description and application instructions.
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The Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York, NY, is looking for a professional Pastoral Associate who will organize and direct the programs and ministries of the parish that relate to Ignatian Spirituality and Faith Formation.
This position liaises the leadership of ministries of the parish that promote Ignatian Spirituality. Develops and implements faith formation programming, including retreats, for the different constituencies of the parish. Provides spiritual direction, as needed. Collaborates with the spiritual directors of the parish and provides or directs them to resources for their continuing education. Collaborates with the other pastoral associates of the parish and leaders of parish ministries to promote the mission and apostolic priorities of the parish.
Click here for a full description and application instructions.
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