Today, July 31st, is the Feast of St. Ignatius. Without a doubt, adopting the spirituality rooted in the life of this great saint has made a huge impact in my life. Nearly ten years ago, I happened to sit across a dinner table from Fr. George Lane, the publisher of Loyola Press. The initial conversation started with Fr. Lane asking me, “so what do you know about Ignatian Spirituality?” When I replied “not much at all,” he casually started highlighting some of the foundational components of this 500 year old rhythm of life, prayer, and action. The next day, Fr. Lane gave me a little stack of Ignatian Spirituality books, and recommended I make an 8 day retreat sometime in the near future. I read those books and took his advice, and I’ve never looked back. Now, with a doctorate from Catholic University of America which focused on how those dealing with chronic illness might benefit from integrating key Ignatian practices into their lives and potentially improve their overall health, I’ve realized that I’ll never stop learning new insights about this great saint.
The Feast of St. Ignatius
