British Jesuits' Octogenarian Poet

A Jesuit priest has just published his first book of poetry - at the age of 80!

Father Patrick Purnell SJ has been writing poetry most of his life, some of which has been published as occasional poems.  But to coincide with his 80th birthday, the Oxford-based Jesuit publishing house, Way Books, has launched a volume of his poetry entitled Imagine.

The book contains 32 poems, some of them written more than 20 years ago.  They are divided under five headings, dealing with God, Jesus, Jesus' ministry, the journey in search of God, and finally 'verses about this and that' which include refugees and St Ignatius.  In the introduction, Father Patrick says that the poems are the fruit of imagination, and that sometimes he doesn't know how the verses appear: they 'write themselves', he adds.  I only mistily understand [how it happens], yet it speaks to me of what I can only describe as the undertow of the Spirit's guiding presence.'  Reflecting on the title of the 54-page book, Father Patrick says: 'Imagination calls us into a new future and offers us an incentive to change.'

Father Patrick has been a member of the Society of Jesus for more than 60 years.  Born in Wales and educated at a Jesuit school near Sheffield, he has spent a good deal of his life as a teacher and special advisor on religious education.  He is an acknowledged expert on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola, the book on prayer that is the guiding spirit of the life of the Society of Jesus.

He served as Director of Novices from 1995, introducing young Jesuits to the life of the Society.  When many men of his age would be looking forward to a quiet retirement, Fr Patrick was asked to join the new Jesuit community in Southall in Middlesex, where he continues to minister and direct Spiritual Exercises in St Anselm's parish.

 order Patrick's book Imagine online