Tag: Spirituality

The Right Way to Pray?

Sitting in my brother’s kitchen a while back, he asked me “is there a right way to pray?” Before I could answer, he said, “no there isn’t.”  “It’s all good,” as a friend of my wife’s would say. CCD theology at its best. I am glad my brother gave me...

Can I Be an Ignadictine?

People sometimes ask me, “What nationality are you?” I usually reply “Midwest.” There was not much ethnicity to my upbringing. I imagine this question correlates to spirituality as well. The spirituality I grew up with was “Diocesan.” I went...

Time for a Spiritual TuneUp

On the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus Christ gathers us for a “spiritual tune-up.” The Body of Christ, the only reality on which we should focus, is a very complex, sensitive, delicate organism. To borrow one of Jesus’ favorite terms: in the...

At War with Myself- Part 3

I had a college ring that my parents gave me upon graduation with my PhD. I imagine these days this ring is not worth much but, to me, it is priceless. Getting my doctorate in chemistry was a victory for someone who dropped out of college as an...

At War with Myself- Part 2

Our focus on using Ignatian spirituality is to have personal experiences of Jesus. A spiritual director recently shared this experience with me: Recently, a directee shared with me her experience of awakening with tears in her eyes because her dream...

Roaring at Richard

Spiritual direction has been a godsend for me. In studying Ignatian spirituality and spiritual direction I’ve come to understand “me” better that at any time before in my life. The spiritual tools available enable us to stand against the...

Memories of Sin

In the Litany of Humility taught to me by the Miles Christi order, I have always seen a paradox in asking to be granted a “continuous memory of my sins.” I’ve read commentaries on Ignatian spirituality that take various sides on this theme...

Walls in Spiritual Direction

I got a great “gift” the other day. My friend Bob, an IT guy, got lost using a GPS to where a group of us were meeting. Bob loves to razz people. So naturally, we spent the rest of the afternoon commenting on Bob’s sense of direction. It is what...