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Website of the Week
29 March 2020
Fifth Sunday in Lent
The Daily Examen and The Spiritual Exercises
Pope Francis, in his recent Urbi et Orbi ceremony, reflected that the Coronavirus situation uncovers those false and superfluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities. It shows us how we have allowed to become dull and feeble the very things that nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and our communities.Our featured websites this week are chosen to help combat that spiritual listlessness.
The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. Adopted by St Ignatius of Loyola, it is central to the practice of Ignatian spirituality. This excellent website offers a wealth of resources which bring a modern twist to this age-old and valuable form of prayer.
The Spiritual Exercises are a compilation of meditations, prayers, and contemplative practices developed by St. Ignatius Loyola to help people deepen their relationship with God. For centuries the Exercises were most commonly given as a “long retreat” of about 30 days in solitude and silence. In recent years, there has been a renewed emphasis on the Spiritual Exercises as a program for lay people. The most common way of going through the Exercises now is a “retreat in daily life”. Although Ignatius was a co-founder of a religious order, he never lost touch with the life of the layperson and a key element of his ministry was to make these transformative Exercises available to lay people.
A 34 week online retreat, modelled on The Spiritual Exercises. was developed 22 years ago by Creighton Jesuit Online Ministries for busy people with no access to retreat houses or a spiritual director. Tens of thousands of lay people have completed the retreat since then. Click here to access.
A 34 week online retreat, modelled on The Spiritual Exercises. was developed 22 years ago by Creighton Jesuit Online Ministries for busy people with no access to retreat houses or a spiritual director. Tens of thousands of lay people have completed the retreat since then. Click here to access.