Pope Francis is a wonderful example of the spirituality of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order.
Besides my husband and I, several of our children–and now our grandchildren–were/are educated by the Jesuits. I love the Jesuits and their philosophy. They are truly men for others. The Jesuits at Spring Hill College taught that God is present in the world today. And as a novelist and short story writer, that’s what I aspire to show. God is here. God is now.
Ignatian spirituality is rooted in the conviction that God is active, personal, and—above all—present to us. We don’t have to withdraw from the world into a quiet place in order to find God. God’s footprints can be found everywhere—in our work and our relationships, in our family and friends, in our sorrows and joys, in the sublime beauty of nature and in the mundane details of our daily lives.
It’s often said that Ignatian spirituality trains us to “find God in all things.” This perspective greatly influences how we live and how we pray. The daily grind of our everyday lives takes on transcendent importance. It’s the place where we connect with God.
This means that the choices we make in our daily lives either push us away from God or draw us more closely to him. Our lives matter.
The God of Ignatian spirituality is a giver of gifts. “God’s love is poured forth lavishly like a fountain spilling forth its waters into an unending stream,” St. Ignatius wrote. God’s blessings are a loving gift that invites us to love in return.
My Jesuit education invited me to love in return, too. Not always in a serious way. Love can also be laughter. The Jesuits are fun! My experience is that they love to laugh, and spoof, and generally have a good time. This video of this JHS choir is one example of how those wonderful attributes are passed on to students. Boys spoofing Taylor Swift? And having fun doing it!
See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/what-is-ignatian-spirituality/where-can-i-find-god/#sthash.ZI0aM4LS.dpuf
Translating a World on the Edge 