Guidelines for a Good Discussion 

This Forum is a place for Ignatian spiritual directors to explore ideas and engage in contemplative conversation about topics of interest. We welcome thoughtful, respectful and well-reasoned reflections and comments. The comments section is moderated regularly to ensure a  robust and respectful conversation. Please follow these guidelines when considering your contribution to the discussion: 

• Use your real name in the spirit of transparency and community-building. 

• Respond to the topic and questions for reflection that have been posed. This is not a forum for preaching or teaching about topics that may interest you but are beyond the scope of the stated topic. 

• Please try to make your comments substantive while keeping them to a reasonable length. 

• Be respectful of all people and perspectives, especially those that differ from yours. Be mindful of the Presupposition of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, which states, “Every good Christian adopts a more positive acceptance of someone’s statement rather than a rejection of it out of hand.” (Draw Me Into Your Friendship, A Literal and Contemporary Reading of the Spiritual Exercises by David Fleming, SJ).  

• Speak in your own voice (rather than including long citations from secondary sources). As a discussion forum, we want to generate conversation on topics of interest. Your voice is an important part of the conversation. 

In some instances, comments may be held for moderation before being posted publicly, and those that do not adhere to the stated guidelines may be permanently removed. Comments posted outside of office hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Eastern Time) may not be moderated until the next working day. If you have questions about moderation, please contact nsmall@jesuits.org rather than posting your question in the comment box.