Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed
Uncovering Liberating Possibilities for Women
A Four-Part Series for Ignatian Spiritual Directors
A special Ignatian series led by Elizabeth Liebert, SNJM, PhD, co-author with Annemarie Paulin-Campbell of The Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed: Uncovering Liberating Possibilities for Women, 2nd Edition.
This groundbreaking book reclaims the heart of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises through the richness of women’s experiences. Acknowledging obstacles faced by women encountering the Exercises, this revised edition does justice to women’s experience across cultural contexts and generations, offering liberating possibilities for women worldwide.
This program provides fresh perspectives and offer new insights for spiritual directors accompanying women through the Spiritual Exercises. It offers deeper understanding and transformative wisdom for all spiritual directors who accompany women and men facing obstacles in their spiritual lives that flow from situations of oppression and injustice. Elizabeth, who also co-authored the first edition of this book over twenty years ago, draws from the deep well of her Ignatian wisdom and experience with the Spiritual Exercises.
Session 1
The Spiritual Exercises, Week 1
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
The focus of this session was on Week 1 of the Spiritual Exercises. The presentation, spiritual practice and time spent in small groups led to a rich and robust large group conversation. During that conversation the following resources were mentioned:
Praying with Ignatius of Loyola by Jacqueline Bergan and Marie Schwan, CSJ (includes link to all the books in their series .)
Several additional translations of the Principle and Foundation:
Materials
Sr. Elizabeth Liebert’s Session 1 Presentation (Please note that this copyrighted material is intended for your personal use only.)
Session 2
The Spiritual Exercises, Week 2
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
This presentation explored how the contents and dynamics of the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius affect women’s experience. The presenter invited participants to explore imagery and concepts contained in Second Week meditations (Call of Christ the King, Two Standards, Three Classes of Persons, etc.) that can be barriers for women and offered women-friendly adaptations from various cultural contexts and the rationale for them.
The session included conversation about women’s experience of humility and humiliation and how directors can encourage women to embrace their authentic selves.
Materials
Sr. Elizabeth Liebert’s Session 2 Presentation (Please note that this copyrighted material is intended for your personal use only.)
Session 3
The Spiritual Exercises: Rules for Discernment of Spirits
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Guided by Sr. Elizabeth Liebert, SNJM, Ph.D., the group explored the Rules for Discernment of Spirits set forth in the Spiritual Exercises with a specific focus on the cultural, social and theological dynamics of discernment with women.
Through a process that included personal reflection and group conversation, participants identified difficulties women frequently encounter in the midst of discernment. These difficulties included estrangement from God, socialized tendencies to ignore their feelings and discount their imaginations and the pressure of social norms that present the ideal woman as one who is selfless. The group shared ways of accompanying women in discernment that promote their full humanity and lead to greater spiritual freedom.
Materials
Sr. Elizabeth Liebert’s Session 3 Presentation (Please note that this copyrighted material is intended for your personal use only.)
Session 4
The Spiritual Exercises, Weeks 3 and 4
Tuesday, December 12, 2023
This session focused on Weeks 3 and 4 of the Spiritual Exercises, exploring women’s experience of pain, powerlessness and strength in the face of Christ’s suffering in the Third Week as well as the rich prayer invitations for women that the Fourth Week offers, including being made in the image and likeness of God.
Below are the PowerPoint slides that Sr. Elizabeth Liebert presented as well as an Examen based on the Contemplation to Attain Divine Love. Please note that this copyrighted material is intended for your personal use only.
Materials
About the Program Leader:
Elizabeth Liebert SNJM, Ph.D. is A Roman Catholic Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary who earned her doctorate in Religion and Personality at Vanderbilt University. She has spent over thirty years offering resources to future leaders of the church to help them understand and deepen their own spiritual grounding and to extend their ministries of spiritual nurture and care of their congregations and other ministries. Elizabeth is the first Catholic sister to have served as dean of a Presbyterian seminary.
In addition to establishing formal courses of study in Christian spirituality and Ignatian discernment, Elizabeth has authored and co-authored several highly affirmed books on spiritual disciplines including Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making and Soul of Discernment: A Spiritual Practice for Communities and Institutions.
Elizabeth serves as an Affiliate Faculty at SFTS/Redlands, the Jesuit School of Theology and Lancaster Theological Seminary, as a member of the Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union and as formation director for her religious congregation.
