Reflections from Our Directors
In Between Times
These months of 2020 have brought about many unexpected and some unwelcomed changes in our lives such as; the way we work, the way we celebrate, the way we grieve, the way we begin and end relationships, the way we experience home life and school, the way we worship,...
Pandemic Fatigue: A Practice that Helps
We are in the eighth month of living with a declared Pandemic in the United States! By now we are well versed in the protocol; wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance and avoid indoor gatherings. Even as we wear masks and stay safely at home,...
The First Presidential Debate and the Ignatian Tradition
I know the title of this piece sounds like an oxymoron. Wow, what a “free for all” that first debate was! I have been struggling like most with my emotions. I have a hard time understanding why so many in our country don’t think or feel the way I do. I feel tempted to...
Being Neighbors
Loyola has thrived through the past four decades because of relationships. Relationship with God active and present in the world today. Relationships among the staff fostering community. Relationships with other organizations promoting the spiritual...
Loss of Control
The adoption caseworker made it clear the child coming to MN to live with me had endured a staggering number of losses. Preparing to become a mom meant lining up grief therapists, researching childhood trauma and carefully thinking through small acts that could help...
Trauma and Spiritual Practice
“O, send out your light and your truth; Let them guide me, Let them lead me to your holy altar.” Psalm 43: 3, Nan Merrill paraphrase Trauma When our 7 month old puppy, Hazel, jumped off of our back porch and went...
Burn Brighter: An Invitation to Group Spiritual Practice During this time of Upheaval
“let us turnto our Godandto the sacred lightof the Holy Spiritthat burnsineach of us.” – from Burn Brighter*, a Meditation by Ray Angle I sit, center myself, recognizing I am in God’s presence, take a deep breath, and there is Mr. George Floyd, trying to...
Grieving Accompanied
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. Psalm 46:5 One profound memory during this pandemic was in Holy Week. A week that reveals human nature at its worst...
Be Not Afraid
On March 13, 2020, a national emergency was declared concerning the Covid 19 outbreak. For the next week I devoured a constant stream of news – all related to the virus. On March 30, I woke up at 5:30 AM in order to go grocery shopping at 6:00 AM the...