At Conversatio Divina we are interested, to state the obvious, in conversations between the Divine (the Trinity) and divine image bearers. We have a particular focus on the “golden threads,” that is the “key themes,” that run throughout Church history and focus on how it is that we can learn to recognize and respond to God.
We also believe that there are three very important seasons of the Church that invite our attention: The time of the early church, the ancient faith, if you will, and then two prominent reformers of the faith who focus on the ideals and practices of the early church—Ignatius of Loyola, and Dallas Willard.
With this said, we are excited to call your attention to our most ambitious project, today, concerning one of these voices, that of Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius, is an internal reformer and contemporary of the external reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin. He is a person who makes a remarkable journey from being absorbed by vanity and selfishness to being uncompromisingly in love with Jesus Christ. His encounter with Christ changes him and the world.
In the filming that follows, you will hear twelve remarkable talks, four each from three dear friends of Ignatius of Loyola. Russell Pollitt, S.J., a Jesuit priest, former director of the Jesuit Institute South Africa and now pastoring an inner city community; Dr. Annemarie Paulin-Campbell, a psychologist and spiritual director who formerly headed up the spirituality training work at the Jesuit Institute South Africa for twenty-five years, and now works freelance internationally in Ignatian Spirituality; and Trevor Hudson, an accomplished author, spiritual director, and Methodist Minister who has served the Methodist Church of Southern Africa for over forty years.
You will also notice there are two different ways to experience these talks. There are two different “tables of contents,” if you will, for how to enjoy the following film experience.
The first way is to simply watch the twelve talks in sequential order and learn more about how the life of St. Ignatius, the four weeks of his classic Spiritual Exercises, and the days of the “disposition week” are woven together.
However, some may also find it helpful to be able to concentrate on one or all for the component parts (Life of St. Ignatius, the “weeks” of the Spiritual Exercises, the key themes of the disposition week). And then to step into a variety of praxis suggestions from the authors.
Whatever your preference, we are delighted to invite you into this Ignatian Journey.