Autobiography of Ignatius of Loyola

Dates: This is a five-week course. The introductory session is online on September 21 at 7.00 - 7.30pm. The weekly online seminars are on September 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26 at 7.00 - 8.00pm (London time).

This is a five-week course. The introductory session is online on September 21 at 12.00 - 12.30pm. The weekly seminars in person are on September 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26 at 12.00-13.00pm (London time).

LJC Strand: Spirituality
Level: Open to all
Course tutor: Name
Invited contribution: £65 (more information)
Venue: Online using Zoom app
Register: Click here to register (more information)

Course overview

This course focuses on the story of Ignatius of Loyola as told by him. His life experience taught him a lot about God’s presence. People imagine Ignatius in many ways, as a kind man, courtier, soldier saint, wounded man from Pamplona, seeker, pilgrim, mystic, lover, companion, master of discernment and many more… In his Autobiography he reveals much about his inner self.

In this course, we will explore the personality of St. Ignatius that is revealed in his own narrative The Autobiography. We hope to do this at some depth so that we think of Ignatius’ story as more than a few personal memories. We investigate what lies behind the text. What profound message is there in the unique conversion story of St. Ignatius for the continued deepening of my own contact with God? We hope to unlock the theology that lies behind the simple narrative.  

The course aims to show how Ignatius’ story resonates with our experience of life. We care a lot about Ignatius’ account because his story may lay down foundations for our own personal development. The story is about Ignatius’ dealing with the emptiness of a superficial life and finding himself more alive as he centres his life on God’s greater glory. The course offers Ignatius as a guide for one’s own search for God.

This course had been designed to mark the Ignatian Year 2021 – 2022 where we are called to change our ways of living and centre our lives again on Christ.

How this course works

This course runs over five weeks.

Once you have registered and been accepted onto the course, you will be sent a link to a password protected webpage. On this webpage you will find the videos, reading, questions for reflection, and the Zoom link for the webinars.

The course begins with an introductory online session lasting about 30-minutes.

Then, each week there will be a recorded video presentation which you can watch at any time that suits you. A new presentation will be added each week. There is also assigned reading for each week and questions for reflection and research.

Each week concludes with a live Zoom seminar led by the course tutor, lasting about an hour. To benefit fully from the seminars you need to have watched the video presentation, done the assigned reading, and spent some time working at the questions for reflection (on which the seminar discussion will be based).

Course outline

Week 1
Dealing with change in our lives – PAMPLONA & LOYOLA
This week we look at Ignatius’ cannonball moment that set in a lifelong process of continuous change. We learn to anticipate change when and not if it takes place. We learn by accepting change as part of our life and by facing the task of dealing with that change.

Week 2
Doing what you can and doing it wisely - MANRESA
This week we consider Ignatius’ desire to act upon his change of heart. We learn to understand that all of us suffer from blind spots and make mistakes. By understanding this, we gain wisdom and apply it well. We shall come to value the power of personal conviction and discipline.

Week 3
Life is a journey – JERUSALEM and beyond  
This week we continue to follow Ignatius’ life journey as it took him to various places. We learn to recognize what are our motivations as we walk the path of life. We also learn to hold two things together; being open to life and having a life goal, one’s own Jerusalem.

Week 4
Hidden theology in my life journey
This week we uncover the text of the Autobiography text as paradigm of our own life story and conversion. Learning some vocabulary and some traditional practices and doing some analysis will help us to see better our own experience. Even more, learning to read life experience opens the door to a kind of theology I write with my own life.

Week 5
From my superficial living to God’s greater glory
This week we tap into various longings of our heart and sift through the emptiness of superficial living. Our goal is to get closer to a life centred on God’s greater glory. We learn to choose practices and habits that are helpful to our living.

Photo by Sergiu Vălenaș on Unsplash