27 Apr

Pope Francis continues to keep us on our toes. We can never be certain what surprises he will spring upon us. There was the culmination of another illustration this past weekend with the canonizations of two of the most influential popes of the last half-century or so. The People of God can now officially call upon the intercession of Saints John XXIII and John Paul II. The canonization of two popes on the same day is an unprecedented moment in the life of the Church. But we've come to expect the unprecedented from the Jesuit Pope. He threw out the playbook on day #1 of his papacy....

24 Apr

Someone writing about mental composure for the beginning of prayer compared it to one of those novelties in a souvenir store. A container of water has a scene inside. When the container is shaken, particles like snow fly all around. When the particles settle, the original scene is restored. If we enter into prayer with a flurry of ideas about everything, we can hardly expect to be able to concentrate on the topic chosen for prayer. There has to be a settling down of one's imagination. How to do it requires a strategy....

23 Apr

Being on sabbatical at the Pontifical Biblical Institute this semester, I was invited to attend a special audience Pope Francis held on April 10th for all the Faculty, Students, Staff, Graduates and Families associated with the Gregorian Consortium in Rome. These educational institutions received their mission precisely from the Holy See in 1928 and they were entrusted to the Society of Jesus – the Jesuits. Some 5,000 were present in the Aula Paolo VI. This gathering was extra special because for the first time in their history the Pope addresses his special educational missions in Rome as a Jesuit himself. And so you could expect an interesting Jesuit twist on things said....

22 Apr

We circled the helicopter several times to let the grizzly and black bears know that we were dropping by. Bald eagles emerged from the old-growth cedars to drift away from our approach. Into the river valley we descended. The fall-yellowed alder leaves scattered wildly and the approaching river misted our windows. Ever so gently, the pilot positioned the chopper onto the rocky shores, feeling out a safe and level landing spot. The earth tested, the chopper eased onto the river bank....

21 Apr

From time to time, as part of the "Our Culture" section, , igNation will post poetry written by Jesuits. Poems from Gerard Manley Hopkins and St. Robert Southwell will appear as well as poems by contemporary Jesuits. The 2014 Earth Day poem is by Greg Kennedy, SJ, who is studying theology at Regis College in Toronto....

20 Apr

We have come through the desolation of Good Friday to the consolation of Easter. We have tried to enter into the mystery of how God was at work in this story, the mystery of how God is at work in our story.The Word of God helps us to grasp the unthinkable. The history of God's chosen people is the history of the unthinkable, from enslavement in Egypt, to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God, only to rise and return. From the holocaust during the Second World War to the present day, it is a history of God's People dying and rising, not just once but several times....

19 Apr

To mark the 2014 Holy Week , Greg Kennedy, SJ has written three poems. Here is his poem for Easter Sunday....

17 Apr

From time to time, as part of the "Our Culture" section, , igNation will post poetry written by Jesuits. Poems from Gerard Manley Hopkins and St. Robert Southwell will appear as well as poems by contemporary Jesuits. Today's poem is by Greg Kennedy, SJ, who is studying theology at Regis College in Toronto....

17 Apr

As we wait for the joyful sounds of the Exsultet to break forth this Holy Saturday night, announcing the start of the great season of Easter, igNation presents a poem for contemplation sent by one who wishes to remain anonymous....

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