The Third
edition of the Ignatian Immersion Course at la Cova Sant Ignasi in Manresa has concluded.
Thirty-four participants from the five continents formed during these six weeks
a temporal, plural and mixed community of Jesuits (17), religious women (6) and
lay men and women (11). The course has a sapiential approach more than an
academic focus and it includes a guided 8-day Ignatian retreat and pilgrimages
to relevant Ignatian sites, such as Montserrat, Loyola and Javier. The course
is grounded in the Cave, the holy place where St. Ignatius experienced his
profound inner transformation by the Lord’s grace whom he wanted “in all things
to love and to serve”.
We thank
the participants- “companions on the journey”- for sharing with us their
resonances and impressions of the course and their experience. We thank them
also for their comments on how to keep improving the overall and concrete
aspects of their stay with us.
We let
themselves express through the written testimonies that we have received.
Our
gratitude to each and all of them,
* * * * *
“This whole Immersion has been a life changing
gift that I know will continue to be a grace as I return home and to my
ministry. Each week was an unfolding of treasure and I am so grateful for each
of our lecturers. I go back to my country with a deepened appreciation of
Ignatius, the Spiritual Exercises and all of you, and much gratitude”.
* * * * *
“Overall,
the course was excellent! Well organized, good in infrastructure, excellent
“being looked after”, instructors who truly command their subject and who
communicate their personal enthusiasm for it, very inclusive and multicultural
liturgy, a deep underlying current of spirituality,…This course was superb!”
* * * * *
“… and now
I go back to the world with new eyes”
* * * * *
“My deepest
gratitude to you all for your welcoming presence, generosity, love, care and
passion for this sacred place which you have passed on to me”.
* * * * *
“Discovered
new aspects of self, renew a sense of joy, deeper love for the Jesuits, the
Church and humanity. I have a better sense-knowledge of Ignatius and a more
intimate sense of God’s invitation. I love, treasure this time and I’m
profoundly grateful to you all”.
* * * * *
“I am very grateful o the community of
Manresa, Loyola, Javier for your hospitality and generosity. “Ignatian
Immersion Course”, the name has proved its worth and value. The whole
experience has been going deeper and deeper, into the depth of God. I am
inspired and challenged to live by what I have experienced here. Each of you,
especially the organizing team of the course, so generous, thoughtful, sense of
humor, simplicity, humility- very exemplary. Well done! Keep it up! Do even
better!”.
* * * * *
“This 6 week Immersion course has met my
desires, further immersing me in the Ignatian charism. This experience has put
flesh onto many aspects for me, especially spiritually and knowledge/grounding
of the foundations. My ministry within the “Companions in the Ministry of the
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises” has definitely been enriched, and this will
enable my involvement with retreatants to be enhanced”.
* * * * *
We
interacted with one another and I was enriched because of the diversity of our
cultures, thoughts, aspirations,… It helped to see myself differently.
* * * * *
I found
this place a Holy Place; a place of Encounter with God in a very unique way. It
is a rediscovery of my roots as a Jesuit, it has offered a re-igniting of the
light of my spirituality and I feel greatly enabled to face whatever mission
that will be entrusted to me. The lecturers were not only masters in their
areas but people who live out, who embody the charism they teach. The
“community” worked out well bringing many nations together.”
* * * * *
“It was a very good experience and what I
learned from the time of novitiate became alive to me. I have journeyed with St
Ignatius in his spiritual pilgrimage. The pilgrimages to Montserrat, Loyola,
Javier, etc, was an excellent and enriching experience,…- not getting words to
express it. With regard to the input given by the lecturers, they were very
good and I was able to get new insights and interpretations of Ignatian
spirituality. All of them tried their best to take us to the Core of the
Ignatian spirituality”.
* * * * *
“Some experiences happen in your life at the
right time and the right place. This was one”.
* * * * *
“A well thought of and well crafted Immersion
program. It has its own richness and uniqueness all of its own, treasures of
the presence of historical spots meaningful to the life of St Ignatius, like
the Cave and the Cardoner River, and the accessibility to Montserrat, Loyola,
Javier, Barcelona,... The Immersion staff and lectures brought life and light
to our life. We have experienced richness and greater freedom”.
* * * * *
“The whole experience was most helpful. The
lecturers were very knowledgeable and skilful in delivering the lectures. They
journey with us. They were passionate. I
could go to the Cave at any time to pray. The gardens are also beautiful and
conducive for reflection and prayer”.
* * * * *
“I never imagined the intensity, the depth and
the vast horizon of this Course”.
* * * * *
“The Autobiography, the Spiritual Journal, the
Spiritual Exercises, the Constitutions,…
the study of each one took me deeper. But it was the gift of the people
(the professors) who shared their experiential knowledge that made my stay in
Manresa an “Experience”.
* * * * *
“I am grateful and have had the privilege to
be here in the holy place of St. Ignatius. All the programs run very well and
helped me to go deeper and moving forward in the way of St. Ignatius in the
Society of Jesus. It is a moment full of grace in preparing my final vows. It
has enlightened and kindled my heart with the fire of Ignatian charism. (…)
Manresa has given me an openness and inner freedom in my heart”.
* * * * *
“To be at the Cardoner River and strive to
have Ignatius touch my life more deeply. (…) Our participants became “Friends
in the Lord”.
* * * * *
“Everything was helpful. Loved my experience
here and would recommend to other lay/ecumenical friends in Ignatian
spirituality”.
* * * * *
“It was a graced time; the physical space, the
holy space, was the major source of joyful response. I liked the group, its
geographic and ethnic diversity and natural friendliness”.
* * * * *
