Assuring Our Ignatian Mission and Identity

SEMESTER 1

Goal: To provide a firm foundation in Jesuit history, Ignatian spirituality and the pedagogy that springs from those principles.

Primary Reading Material:

Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits. Donnelly, John Patrick. (2004). Pearson Education: New York.
An Ignatian Spirituality Reader. Traub, George W. (2008). Loyola Press: Chicago.
Do You Speak Ignatian?. Traub, George W. (2012). Xavier University: Cincinnati, OH.

Session	Topic
1	Opening Luncheon and Kick-off Introductions and ice breakers Program overview and syllabus for semester 1 Goals and expectations of the program
2	The Life of St. Ignatius Pre-reading: Chapters 1-4 in Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits Video "Who was St. Ignatius?" Discussion questions: 1. What incidents or characteristics of Ignatius' early life did you find interesting or surprising? 2. What incidents or characteristics of Ignatius' life after he was wounded at Pamplona through Manresa did you find interesting or surprising? 3. What were some of Ignatius' dreams and plans? How did they work out? 4. Ignatius, like other saints, experienced significant spiritual visions - for example, on the banks on the River Cardoner (p. 19). What do you make of such visions? 5. In what ways can you relate the progression of your own life to the progression of Ignatius' life? Are you challenged by Ignatius? Why or why not? 6. As you think about your hopes/dreams for this seminar, consider what you might want to say at the end of the program. Be honest with yourself, but try to think big picture. Your hopes can be very practical, or they could be deeply personal. You might have a great sense of the direction you'd like this program to go, or you might be open to whatever might be. No matter your orientation, please take a moment to consider what you would like to take away.
3	St. Ignatius and the First Companions Pre-reading: Chapters 5-7 in Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits Video: "Shared Vision I" Discussion Questions: 1. What images, events, persons, or terms struck you? 2. What emerged as characteristics of the Ignatian vision? 3. If you could put the vision in one sentence, what would it be? 4. Major event(s) to this point in my life . . . 5. Significant companions in my life to date . . . 6. Personal/professional gifts I have been given as a result of my life experiences and the companionship of significant others?
4	Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises Pre-reading "Understanding Igantian and Jesuit Spirituality" by Br. Darrell Burns, S.J. *Pre-reading from An Ignatian Spirituality Reader:* "What are the Spiritual Exercises?" by William A. Barry, S.J. (121-128) "An Experience of the Contemporary Personally Guided Spiritual Exercises" by James W. Fowler (136-138) Presenter discussing Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises Small Group Discussion
5	The Early Years of the Society of Jesus Pre-reading: Chapters 9-11 in Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits Discussion questions: 1. On page 91 Donnelly lists the instructions Ignatius gave to Paschase Broët and Alfonso Salmerón as they left Rome for Ireland: "They should listen carefully and speak little. With the vivacious they should be cheerful; with the slow to speak they too should be reticent. With people who were sad they should be cheerful, to counter their depression. In everything they should strive to win people to God's greater service." What are your thoughts on these instructions? 2. Simon Rodrigues and Francis Xavier were sent to India. What happened to them? 3. What kind of impact did Xavier's work in India have in Europe? 4. How was the work of Matteo Ricci important? 5. Identify characteristics or specific gifts of Ignatius' early companions: Francis Xavier Simon Rodrigues Diego Lainez Peter Faber Alfonso Salmerón Claude Jay Nicolás Bobadilla Paschase Broët Diego de Hoces Jean Codure. 6. Four more equally important men joined the Jesuits in the 1540s. Identify their characteristics or gifts: Peter Canisius, Francis Borgia, Juan Polanco, and Jerome Nadal.
6	New Cultures and New Knowledge Pre-Reading: Chapters 12-13 in Ignatius of Loyola: Founder of the Jesuits article on "Inculturation." in "Do You Speak Ignatian?" by George Traub, S.J., p. 6. Video: "Shared Vision II" Discussion Questions: 1. What resonated with you from the video? What is one thing you'd like to "take with you" as a new understanding or perspective? 2. What themes and images presented in the video especially struck you? 3. What questions do you have after viewing the video? 4. How does the information presented in the video relate to inculturation (see the definition in Do You Speak Ignatian)? How does the concept of inculturation relate to contemporary appeals for inter-religious dialogue and understanding? 5. What aspects of the Ignatian way presented in the video do you find relevant to your work here? 6. Is there an aspect of the Ignatian vision that we as a higher education community need to make more visible here? Is there an aspect that you would like to make more present in your life and work? 7. Assuming that college students comprise a "culture", how can Ignatian spirituality "be presented in terms intelligible to that culture and allowed to grow up in the 'soil' of that culture?" 8. How did Chapters 11-13 in Donnelly's book help you to better understand the Ignatian vision? What did you find most surprising?
8	Pedro Arrupe - His Life and Legacy: The Contemporary Society Pre-Reading: "Excerpts from: "Recollections and Reflections of Pedro Arrupe, S.J." by Pedro Arrupe, S.J. America Magazine. February 16, 1991, p. 147-150. "Pedro Arrupe's Mysticism of Open Eyes." by Kevin F. Burke, S.J. "Pedro Arrupe: The Other Basque." by Joe Nangle, OFM. Sojourners Magazine. December 1991, p. 17-21. "Our Mission Today: The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice." from the 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus "The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice." in "Do You Speak Ignatian?" by George Traub, S.J., p. 14. Discussion Questions: 1. What are your impressions of Pedro Arrupe? 2. How was Pedro Arrupe similar to Ignatius Loyola? How was he different? 3. What events, large and small, were significant in his life? (For your own thinking/reflection: How are they similar or dissimilar to your own significant life events) 4. What "leadership qualities" did he demonstrate? e.g. How did he lead? How did he view his role as a leader? What made him "effective" as a leader? (For your own thinking/reflection: How can you, in your role, serve as an effective leader in ways that are similar to Arrupe?) 5. After reading the excerpts from the Jesuit 32^nd General Congregation, is there anything in these documents that moves you, that bothers you, that spurs you on? 6. Regarding the "Service of Faith and Promotion of Social Justice" entry in DYSI ? What is the particular challenge presented here to you in your own particular work at Xavier?
9	Inculturating the Ignatian Vision in the US Pre-reading: "The Past as Prologue; The Future as Promise" by Charles Currie, SJ Education, Jesuit as found in Do You Speak Ignatian? Vatican Council II as found in Do You Speak Ignatian? Discussion Questions: 1. What impact did Vatican Council II have on Pedro Arrupe and the Jesuits? 2. In the United States, how have Jesuit institutions responded to ?"he signs of the times?" 3. In these changing times, what characteristics make Xavier University distinctively Jesuit? 4. What challenges might your department/office/center/division face when affirming the Jesuit identity? 5. What is "the next step" for those of us involved in Jesuit higher education? 6. What captures your imagination in Fr. Currie's article? 7. What are your thoughts on Fr. Currie's question: "will we be Jesuit and Catholic?"
10	Jesuit Education and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition Pre-reading: "The Service of Faith in a Religiously Pluralistic World." by Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. "Higher Standards." by Dean Brackley, S.J. "Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Social Justice and the University." by David Hollenbach, S.J. Optional Reading: "The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Jesuit Higher Education." by Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J. Pope Francis? QandA with Students (Origins, June 27, 2013, Vol. 43, No. 8) Discussion Questions: Re: Kolvenbach 1. What is your understanding of, your place in, and your responsibility to all facets of creation? 2. Kolvenbach answers his question, "What can be done to serve the faith," with the statement, "you do this by doing the work you have come here to do, by being the best you can be at what you were hired to do, by accomplishing the vocation you have received through the unique combination of talents, training, and experience that qualify you to work at a Jesuit university." Have you identified your own vocation? What talents, training, and experience to you bring to your job? 3. Which of the "four dialogues" based on the categories developed by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Congregation for the Evangelization of People do you find most challenging? Which do you find easiest? Why? Re: Brackley 1. One of the standards put forth by Dean Brackley is a call for our universities to "understand the real world" and avoid teaching in an "academic bubble." In your work or teaching, in preparing students for their lives? vocations, what are some of the ways to bring a consciousness of the world, particularly events which directly affect the poorest in our world. 2. Catholic education should help students discover their vocation in life - above all, their vocation to love and serve. Is this type of education being provided at XU? How does this typify our distinct identity? 3. Of the seven standards outlined by Dean Brackley, identify the one which struck you. Explain your choice. Is it based on a positive experience at your university? Perhaps it represents a deficiency or an area of improvement at your institution? Re: Pope Francis 2. What is your hope for the new pope? 3. How do you think having a Jesuit pope impacts you and your work at a Jesuit/Catholic University?
11	The Core of Jesuit Education Pre-Reading: "Ignatian Values in the Core Curriculum: Justice, Citizenship, and Reflection for a Globalizing World." by Diane Junta-Pace, and Phyllis Brown "Five Mission-Inspired Questions to Guide Core Renewal: Can a Core Curriculum Work Like the Spiritual Exercises?" by Jennifer Grant Haworth and Christopher Scrabble. "Living in Silos: Jesuit Education as Transformative." by Bridget Turner Kelly and Robert Kelly Discussion Questions: 1. As referred in "Ignatian Values in the Core Curriculum: Justice, Citizenship, and Reflection for a Globalizing World", GC 35 states, "globalization, technology, and environmental concerns have 'challenged our traditional boundaries and enhanced our awareness that we bear a common responsibility for the welfare of the world and its development in a sustainable and life giving way.'" 2. What current events do you see occurring that demonstrate such challenges? What should be our collective responses to these current challenges? 3. In "Living in Silos: Jesuit Education as Transformative," the authors state that integrating the educational experiences of our students "should be an area of excellence for Jesuit higher education." 4. At our institution, what steps have we taken to accomplish the integration of the various dimensions of our student lives? Where can this integration be improved? 5. In "Five Mission-Inspired Questions to Guide Core Renewal", which of the five questions that the authors reflect upon do you think is most important and why?
12	Jesuit Education at Xavier (select speakers and reading materials appropriate to your specific institution) Featured presenters on Xavier's approach to Jesuit education: Dr. Sandy Richtermeyer, Associate Dean, Williams College of Business Dave Johnson, Associate Provost, Student Affairs Pre-Reading: Xavier University's Vision and Mission Statement Xavier University Vision Statement Lighting the Way: Incorporating Jesuit Values as a Student Leader - to purchase this publication · Values Wheel
13	Xavier University: Our History and Heritage (select speakers and reading materials appropriate to your specific institution) Pre-Reading: "Early Times." by France Sloat "Building Boom." Caroline Purcell "War and Remembrance." Greg Schafer "The End of Innocence." France G. Sloat "A Woman's World." France G. Sloat "Scholars, Saints, and Citizen-Servants." Michael J. Graham, S.J.