The Conversion of Iñigo de Loyola reproduced with permission from Fr Mateusz Orlowski SJ

Dear ,

Welcome to this special edition of our newsletter for the upcoming Feast of St Ignatius Loyola on Thursday 31st July.

Ignatius of Loyola's milieu was very different to our own, and yet the dynamics of the human heart and hunger for God have not changed throughout the centuries. The legacy of Ignatius' personal conversion and sensitivity to God's action in each person and in the world continues to touch and shape the lives of young and old today through the gift of spiritual exercises and Ignatian discernment. In celebrating Ignatius' feast, we give thanks to God for inflaming the heart of this Basque saint whose passion for God transformed not only his world but continues to influence ours. 

In this issue we walk in the footsteps of Ignatius’ experience at La Stora, and explore the dynamic of transformation, brokenness, and grace in Ignatius' journey. We also reflect on the ongoing gift of the Exercises and the unexpected experience of God’s call through imaginative contemplation. 

Happy Feast Day from Rob Morris SJ and JISA’s community of Givers of the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatian retreats, formation, hospitality staff and support teams.

Transformed, broken, moulded — and reshaped by Grace

Like clay in the hands of the potter in the book of Jeremiah, Ignatius was being transformed, broken, moulded, and reshaped by Grace, preparing him for the most significant experience of God at La Storta… This became the central conversion experience for Ignatius, an experience of deep grace from which he founded the Society of Jesus and from which he lived out of in loving service, for the rest of his life.

Spiritual director Mary Robson traces the footsteps of Ignatius through the turmoils and graces of his life to a place of even deeper conversion in La Storta.

Allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me again

Ignatian Spiritual Director Terry Fanning writes about the ongoing gift of Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises in her life.

It was another beautiful morning. The sea glistening in the early morning sunshine, the temperature a bit on the cool side but it is early winter after all. My spirit was uneasy. The water was not dropping gently onto the sponge, but splashing loudly onto the stone, drawing my attention to look more closely at the cause of my uneasiness...

A calling to gentle work

Unexpectedly I found myself drawn into an imaginative contemplation on the Jesus side of the Ignatian two standards… I saw myself, dressed in a medieval style travelling cloak and boots which were dusty, torn and clearly worn from many miles of hard journey. I had the sense of showing up as myself, worn and weary, no longer young, tattered around the edges and yet, available.

Phil Daughtry, an Ignatian Spiritual Director with JISA Sevenhill in South Australia, shares an invitation he received from an Ignatian Imaginative Contemplation.

Erromeria Self-Guided Online Pilgrimage

Experience the gifts of Ignatius’ life and spirituality through a series of stories and prayers of key stages and turning points of his life, and the relevance to our lives, places, and times, including questions to reflect upon. We invite you to engage with this rich material over several days of silent retreat or spread out over several weeks in your daily life, as your time permits.

Season of Creation 2025 – Star Contemplations

This year, we look to the heavens.

You are warmly invited to journey with us through five weekly Star Contemplations — gentle reflections inspired by the mystery and majesty of the night sky. Each week, you will receive a guided video contemplation featuring a star-filled image. Created by Michael Hansen SJ, these contemplations are invitations to listen deeply — to what stirs in your heart, and to what God might be revealing through the beauty of creation.

Delivered to your inbox weekly, beginning Thursday 4 September through to Thursday 2 October 2025. There is no cost to register. You are welcome to make an optional financial gift to support this ministry when you register.

Let these moments under the stars open you to wonder, to connection, and to a renewed sense of belonging — to God, to the Earth, and to the wider universe.