Dear Friend,
One of the fruits of spiritual consolation, according to Ignatius, is interior joy: “laetitia interna.”
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"I call consolation every increase of faith, hope, and love, and all interior joy that invites and attracts to what is heavenly and to the salvation of one’s soul by filling it with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord."
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Even though Ignatius describes that joy, I have always found it challenging to define it in my own terms. When that happens to me, I look around and ask myself, "Who embodies such internal joy?"
I grew up in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship. Even before I met the Jesuits, I had heard of “ Pepe Aldunate,” a Jesuit priest committed to defending those persecuted by the military dictatorship. He co-led a group of women and men that denounced torture. He was arrested multiple times, saved many lives, and became symbol of what the Church is called to be. |
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I had the privilege to know him later in his life. He was almost blind, but continued his ministry of justice and faith. He lived simply, without anything that he did not need. He was a regular runner and tried to keep in shape. He wanted to be informed, so others would read the paper out loud to him. “Don Pepe” irradiated that interior joy that comes from a heart full of love for God and God’s people. He died at the age of 102
Laetitia interna.
You know it when you see it. I am convinced many of you have. Do you, by chance, know anybody like “Don Pepe”?
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Carlos Aedo
Executive Director
Office of Ignatian Spirituality
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Listening to God As Ignatius ~ Escuchando a Dios como Ignacio
Recently, 20 people from over six parish communities on the East Coast joined the OIS Hispanic Ministries team and participated in "Listening to God As Ignatius,” an Ignatian Retreat in Silence.
The retreat introduced participants to the foundations and various ways of praying in Ignatian Spirituality. Participants were invited to prayerful silence, following nine moments of prayer, focused on how to listen to God as Ignatius did.
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CONTEMPLATIVE LEADERS IN ACTION (CLA)
Enrollment is Still Open for CLA 2023-2025 Cohorts
Contemplative Leaders in Action (CLA) is a great way for those in their 20’s and 30’s to connect spirituality with leadership. Spots for CLA 2023-2025 cohorts will remain open until filled. We encourage those who are interested to learn more and apply!
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JESUITS EAST
Job Posting: Executive Director of Advancement for USA East Province of the Society of Jesus
The USA East Province of the Society of Jesus is seeking an Executive Director of Advancement. This position formally reports directly to the Provincial and has a dotted line reporting and close working relationship with the Provincial Assistant for Apostolic Planning and Province Operations for the East Province.
The Executive Director will provide the creative leadership and strategic vision to identify, define, and meet the East Province fundraising goals in support of the works of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
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IGNATIAN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION INITIATIVE
Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed
Uncovering Liberating Possibilities for Women
This program offers a unique opportunity for all spiritual directors who long to broaden their knowledge of and experience with the Spiritual Exercises.
The first workshop in this series will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, ET. The remaining sessions will be on Oct. 17, Nov. 14, and Dec. 12, 2023.
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POPE'S WORLDWIDE PRAYER NETWORK
Pope Francis' Prayer Intention for July 2023
This month, Pope Francis asks us to join him in praying a Eucharistic life. ”We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.”
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Our Retreat Calendar offers a compiled list of retreats presented by OIS and our partners across the Jesuit network.
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I Am with You Always
by Leo Gafney
A wholly original approach to Scripture, this book by popular author Leo Gafney, a former Jesuit priest, is a must-read for parish Bible study groups, adult formation ministry teams, and more.
Through imaginative stories, Gafney helps readers place themselves into the Scripture accounts. Then he offers a powerful reflection and questions that draw out the implications for our own lives of faith today.
Click here to learn more about this book and order.
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JESUIT ANTIRACISM SOLIDARITY EAST
Consolation & Desolation, July 2023
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Desolation: In this JARS presentation from 2021, Fr. Mario Powell, SJ, shares the deep pains experienced by students of color studying in predominantly white Jesuit schools. The entire presentation from Fr. Powell and Fr. Lester Love, SJ, MD, is excellent, but the litany of lamentation I reference here can be found from 5:13 through 10:56.
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Consolation: Perhaps this is counter-intuitive, but consolation is the best word I have to describe encountering Rachel L. Swarns’s just-released book about our Province’s infamous sale of 272 enslaved persons. At last, the emphasis is on the enslaved people’s own experiences, where I expect God’s focus was all along.
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Office of Ignatian Spirituality | USA East Province of the Society of Jesus
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