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Spiritual Exercices

The Spiritual Exercises are for Saint Ignatius "the best means I could think of in this life for one's own spiritual progress and for the help of others" (Letter to Manuel Miona, from Venice, 16 November, 1536). They have transformed many hearts and many lives, and have been the source of important social and cultural changes. They are not a rigid closed system; on the contrary, they are flexible and can be adapted to people at different stages in their spiritual journey, and to different schedules people follow in life today. Experience shows that non-Catholic Christians can make them with profit, and that they can be adapted so as to help non-Christians. I am personally convinced that we could not have anything better to offer. I invite you to make more use of them, and hope that more of you will learn to use them to help others, as some have already done. I also urge you to require of my brother Jesuits, that as thy work side-by-side with you, they share with you the spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola, and especially the Spiritual Exercises. .

I have set out a number of important ideas in the message that Ignatius has for us today. They are meant to be an invitation that could help us all. There are so many challenges that we must face with that same wise pedagogy, of going forward step by step, which Ignatius learned in his own life and recorded for us in his Exercises. As in all great undertakings, this is a hard road, but it is one that leads to life for us and for others. Perhaps some of you will feel moved to look more deeply into these themes, bringing them to prayer and discussing together the steps you are taking, their results and their difficulties.

I hope that the end of the Ignatian Year in which so much has been said of Ignatian spirituality can mark a new beginning in our quest to grow together with greater understanding and sensitivity to God's action on our lives under the guidance of St. Ignatius. Together we can continue to learn from him how best in all things we can love and serve Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

Peter Hans Kolvenbach, S.J.
Superior General

 
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