Center for Ignatian Spirituality

Calendar of Events for Faculty and Staff
2012 - 2013

Come and See - The Ignatian Spiritual Exercises for Busy Persons
      Learn about personally adapted Ignatian spiritual exercises for faculty and staff

    You are invited to meet with those who serve as guides for Ignatian exercises, as well as some of those who have already had the experience here at LMU. Three public sessions are available as follows, but individual contacts are welcome at any time convenient to those who are interested in spirituality for busy persons.

    Just as some of those who wish to become more adept in their practices of physical exercises make use of "personal trainers," many faculty and staff at LMU choose to gain facility in reflecting upon their everyday work and life experiences by meeting with a guide, a member of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality staff. Growth in appreciation and conscious exercise of their gifts of body, mind, and spirit are some of the benefits.

              
Wednesday, September 5, at 8:00am,
     in the Collins Center, where a Continental Breakfast will be served. (Please RSVP to 81806 or, ignacio@lmu.edu .)

Wednesday, September 5, at 12:00pm,
    in the Shared Conference Room of Academic Affairs, University Hall, Suite 4820, all the way back, last room to the left.

Thursday, September 6, at 2:00pm,
      in the Center for Ignatian Spirituality, Leavey Center, Suite "I"

    If you wish to consider making Ignatian exercises, and cannot come to one of the group meetings, please call the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at 8-1806, or contact either Anne Hennessy, CSJ  ahennes3@lmu, or Randy Roche, SJ  rroche@lmu.edu.

    For more information about Ignatian spiritual exercises, see: Spiritual Exercises.

     Allan Deck, S.J. - "Ignatian spirituality and cultural diversity particularly in the Latino context.
Tuesday, September 18, Convo Hour: Noon to 1:30pm, with luncheon.

 
     Fr. Allan Deck, S.J., is the Casassa Chair in the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts.

    What does the dramatic demographic shift taking place in U.S. society, higher education and the churches mean in terms of spirituality? Latino/Hispanics are the leading indicators of the future of higher education, religion and many other aspects of our lives in Southern California. With several decades of first-hand experience with Hispanics/ Latinos in a broad range of activities from parish priest to professor of theology and director of a spirituality center, Fr. Deck will share some insights regarding challenges and possibilities involved in these demographic and cultural changes.

    Fr. Deck received a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University in 1988. Most recently he served as theExecutive Director of the Office for Cultural Diversity in the Church in the newly reorganized United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was the founding Director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, California, where he served from 1997 to 2008, and was associate professor of Theological Studies at LMU while he was Coordinator of Hispanic Programs at the Center for Pastoral Life, 1992-1997.

    To make a reservation please call 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu. We will send an email reminder, and the location, on Monday, September 17.

Aluncheon will be served.

    LMU Professor of Theological Studies, Douglas Christie received his Ph.D. in Christian Spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union in 1988. He is  author of the award winning book, "The Word in the Desert," and the editor of the journal Spiritus.

    Ignatius of Loyola exhorts us to "find God in all things." At the heart of this idea is the hope that we might learn to see and imagine the world, and our own lives, more richly and deeply--in God. And to behold and tend to others through this vibrant vision of life. But what does it mean to do this? How can we learn to turn this ideal into part of our daily spiritual practice? This presentation will consider the role poetry can play in helping us see and imagine our lives more deeply, especially by becoming sensitive to the eloquence and profundity of ordinary, particular things. We will consider the question: how can we learn to make poetry out of the stuff of our own lives?

    Travelling with Students to the Holy Land
Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 2:00pm - 3:00pm  

    In May, Professors Gil Kleinand Amir Hussain, both from the Department of Theological Studies, accompanied 10 LMU students on an Alternative Breaks trip to Israel and the West Bank. Gil, who teaches Judaism, is an Israeli from Tel Aviv. Amir, who teaches Islam, is a Muslim from Toronto. Amir and Gil will talk about their experiences on the trip, on which they were introducing students to both the religious diversity in the Holy Land, and the efforts of Israelis and Palestinians to work for peace and justice. In telling the story of this journey, they will explore the Christian notion of “bearing witness” as a framework for engagement with the political reality in the area.

     To make a reservation, please call 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu.  We will send an email reminder, and the location, on Tuesday, October 2.

Brian Treanor - "The Body and Understanding"
Tuesday, October 16, "Convo Hour" 12:15 to 1:30pm, luncheon provided.

   Associate Professor of Philosophy, Brian Treanor, as part of his work as Taylor Chair in philosophy, will be exploring the ways in which our material circumstances--the material make up of our bodies, the material world we inhabit, and so on--shape the way that we view and understand the world. The aim  is not to reduce understanding to matter, but to think about the ways in which our particular bodies inhabit this particular world. He will touch on the Catholic imagination and materiality by way of a general reflection on the importance of carnal, material reality--the breaking of bread on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:30-35); the need for Thomas to touch the body of the resurrected Christ (John 20:24-29); and the ‘resurrection breakfast’ on the shore at Tiberias (John 21:1-15).
 
 To make a reservation, please call 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu. We will send an email reminder, and the location of the luncheon presentation, on Monday, October 15.

     Discernment in Decision Making Workshop
Tuesday, November 13, 9:00 - 11:00am, University Hall, 1900

   Learning & Development/Human Resources and the Center for Ignatian Spirituality invite faculty and staff to attend the professional development workshop:

   Fr. Randy Roche loves to engage interested persons in sharing some “best practices” for making decisions through the use of discernment: reflection upon experience. Fr. Roche has acted as guide or mentor for many LMU faculty and staff in developing their personal practices of using discernment in making both every-day choices and major decisions.

   You are welcome to register directly with Human Resources, through their page on mylmu. Or you may do so through the Center for Ignatian Spirituality: 88695 or ignacio@lmu.edu.

     
                                                                                                           (Randy Roche, SJ - 1975)
 

    Barbara Busse - “Listening to Your Life Speak: Vocation in a post-Vatican II World”
Tuesday, November 20, "Convo Hour" 12:15 to 1:30pm, luncheon provided (a "Pre-Thanksgiving meal and event.)

 CFA professor Barbara Busse was literally “born to Speak” since that is her family surname. On this occasion, the subject of her presentation relates a significant moment of the past with our present experiences. 

 Fifty years back, Gaudium et Spes, a pastoral constitution written as part of Vatican II, predicted a “social and cultural transformation”, “profoundly changing conditions”, and “spiritual agitation” as part of a “deeper revolution” in social structures that would “call accepted values into question” (Gaudium et Spes, Introductory statement, pgs. 4-7). This document was written at the midpoint of LMU’s first century. As we begin our second century, Professor Busse’s presentation will challenge listeners to think about how LMU has changed and will continue to change in the context of an unsettled, rapidly changing and needy world. She will pose a pivotal question: what central components of LMU’s mission remain the same in the context of this “deeper revolution” that has transformed so much of our lives?

    To make a reservation please call 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu. We will send an email reminder, and the location, on Monday, October 29.

    Two Musical Pre-Christmas Luncheons
Tuesday, December 4, and Tuesday, December 11 from 12:00 to 1:15 pm.

      Faculty and Staff are welcome to join a select group of LMU musicians under the direction of John Flaherty for a pre-Christmas luncheon which will include not only an ambience of music, but an experience of prayer, song, and Scripture. An excellent community preparation for the coming holidays.

     Each of these luncheons is a separate event; both will include music, prayer, and reflection.

     To make a reservation, please call 8-1806, or send an email toignacio@lmu.edu. We will send an email reminder, and the location, on the day before the luncheon.
 

Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School
February 8 -10, 2013

This annual retreat for LMU faculty and staff will be on Ignatian themes such as gratitude, desire, and service.  The retreat is almost entirely full at this time.  All those interested in attending will be put on a wait list, with priority given to members of the Companions in Mission program sponsored by the Office of Mission and Ministry and to those who have not previously had the opportunity to participate in the annual retreat.  

The retreat is funded by LMU, without cost to faculty, staff and spouses.

Fr. Randy Roche, SJ and Sr. Anne Hennessy, CSJ will guide the weekend program.

For further information, or to be added to the wait list, please call 81806 or send an email toignacio@lmu.edu.

"Spirituality of Animation"

A short film, followed by lunch.

Presentation by Jose Garcia-Moreno, Chair, Animation Dept.

Thursday, February 14, Convo Hour

For other information, or to RSVP for the film and luncheon presentation, please call 81806 or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu.  We will send an email reminder on February 13 with more information and the locations for the presentation of the film and for the luncheon.

"Maintaining a Spiritual Life in Today's World . . .
or Something Like That."

Presentation by Bishop Gordon Bennett, SJ

Thursday, February 21, Convo Hour

Lunch provided.

What virtues should be pursued as we try to maintain a mature and adult spirituality?  What challenges do we face in our modern culture?

For further information, or to RSVP for the luncheon presentation, please call 81806 or send an email toignacio@lmu.edu.  We will send an email reminder on February 20 with more information and the location of the event.

"Ignatius and Women:  From Princesses to Prostitutes"

A Conversation with Fr. Dorian Llywelyn, SJ, and Sr. Anne Hennessy, CSJ

Monday, March 18, 4 to 5 pm, ECC 1857

A Jesuit and a Sister of St. Joseph will talktogether of what they havelearned about  the rich and varied relationships of Ignatius of Loyola and some women of his time.

Many of the earliest colleges were established through the financial donations of women with whom he had a strong spiritual and practical friendship. Some of these same women also supported his ministry to prostitutes by providing food, supplies, and skills-training out of the resources of their households.

For further information, or to register, please call 81806 or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu.  We will send an email reminder on March 18 in the morning.

Urban Ecology and Care for Creation:  a Tour of the Ballona

Discovery Park by Presidential Professor Eric Strauss,

Director of Discovery Park, and Ms. Lisa Fimiani,

Executive Director of Friends of the Ballona Wetlands

12 to 2 pm on Friday, March 22

Boxed lunch provided (turkey or vegetarian with RSVP)

A link to Discovery Park:http://academics.lmu.edu/cures/discoverypark/

Meet at the flagpole by the main lobby of University Hall at 12 pm to walk to the park.

Directions to the park: Walk down Lincoln Blvd and turn right on Bluff Creek Drive into Playa Vista. Pass the Sports Park and Playa Vista Elementary School on the right, and enter the park.

We will have lunch in the park at 12:15 pm and the tour will start at 12:45.  We should be back at University Hall by 2 pm.

To make a reservation, please call (310) 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu

We will send an email reminder on Thursday, March 21 with more details.

“Religion & Politics”
Friday, April 5, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm,
with wine and cheese reception to follow.

Fr. Pat Conroy, SJ, the current Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives, will share his insights on how religion and politics interact on the national level.

In May of 2011 Fr. Conroy was nominated as the 60th Chaplain to United States House of Representatives by Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), in consultation with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and was elected by the House and sworn in by the Speaker on May 25, 2011.  He is celebrating 40 years as a member of the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus this year.  For a complete bio, click here.   

To make a reservation, please call (310) 338-1806, or send an email toignacio@lmu.edu

We will send an email reminder on Friday, April 5 in the morning with more details and the location.

“Who are our Students: A Counter-Cultural Mission at LMU?”

Thursday, April 11, Convo Hour

Lunch included

Fr. Hess currently works as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Education.  His areas of interest are:  social class issues in higher education, working class studies, college student peer culture, and mission and identity.   

He has worked as the Associate Vice-President for Student Life and Development, St. Peter’s College; Interim Vice-President for Mission, Gonzaga University; Dean of Student Development, Gonzaga University; Director of Residence Life and Housing, Seattle University; Director of Mikono Center, Jesuit Refugee Service East Africa;  Associate Pastor, St. Ignatius Parish, Portland, OR; and as Director of Campus Activities, Gonzaga University.

Click here for a more complete bio and Curriculum Vitae. 

To make a reservation, please call (310) 338-1806, or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu

We will send an email reminder on Wednesday, April 10 with more details and the location.

"Jesuit Theatricality as Ignatian Spirituality in Japan and Beyond"

Presentation by Kevin Wetmore, Chair, Theatre Arts

Tuesday, April 16, 1:30 to 3:00 pm, Hilton 300 AB

Francis Xavier and three other Jesuits reached Japan on 27 July 1549, beginning Japan’s so-called “Christian Century.”  By 1600, 95 Jesuits had served or were serving in Japan.  Confronted by linguistic challenges, the Jesuits in Japan turned to theatre and drama as a means of teaching about Christ and the Church.  By 1614, Christianity was banned and the Jesuits were ordered to leave or face execution, but the legacy of their teachings remained with the kakure Kirishitan, the “hidden Christians” of Japan.

By using plays to teach about spirituality, the Jesuits of Japan were both obeying an early order of Ignatius of Loyola but also engaging in a greater Jesuit practice of using theatre to express Ignatian spirituality.  This talk will explore the Jesuit use of theatre to find God in all things, bring greater glory to God and to encourage audiences to embrace elements of Ignatius’ teachings.

For further information, or to register, please call 81806 or send an email to ignacio@lmu.edu.  We will send an email reminder on April 15.

Last updated: 3/21/2013