I have been reading Walking with Ignatius by Arturo Sosa, S.J., the Superior General of the Jesuits in conversation with Dario Menor. I have found it very helpful not only to see how the Jesuits are now adapting to fewer vocations, but how they are prioritising their Apostolic Preferences and how they are seeing how they can partner in mission with others. I think that it has given me new insights into what we are contemplating in our own Society as we move forward listening to the needs of the world.
I find that Ignatius gave us a great gift in giving us the rules for discernment. My own life is certainly influenced by the Spiritual Exercises, the daily examen, and the practice of discernment. I have had the grace of making the thirty-day retreat in Spain in the Jesuit retreathouse built over the little cave where Ignatius began writing what would become the guidelines for all Ignatian retreats. I even spent an all night vigil in that cave and had the grace of going back just three years later to give the thirty-day retreat to four Religious from different countries. Two were priests from Malaysia and India; a Brother from the Philippines, and a Sister from a monastery in the United States. Spending time in that cave made me feel close to Ignatius. I also have had three Jesuit cousins, have my doctorate from a Jesuit University, have made many directed retreats with Jesuits, and have given many directed retreats in Chile so Ignatius is a special friend.
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