FIRST BELONG TO GOD

A Catholic author rediscovers traditional Jesuit Spiritual Exercises through the writings of Pope Francis.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola have been the cornerstone of Jesuit meditation and prayer for half a millennium; they were designed especially for Catholics in religious retreats who seek to discern the will of God. At the peak of the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns, Ivereigh—the lead organizer of a retreat for the British Province of the Jesuits—moved his group to a virtual setting where participants were “linked by screens and fellowship and the vulnerability we were feeling at that time.” This book’s eight chapters parallel the topics of that eight-day event, which particularly focused on the 21st century’s “crisis of nonbelonging”: “Restless, anxious, and insecure, people find it hard to build community.” The author emphasizes that isolation extends well beyond the context of pandemic-related social distancing, and he highlights the social ills of self-interest and the marginalization of migrants and refugees. The book draws heavily on the writings of Pope Francis, who, as the first Jesuit pope, has a special connection to the Spiritual Exercises, having served as “a formidable Ignatian spiritual director” in his pre-Vatican life. As the author of two biographies of Pope Francis, as well as co-authoring a bestselling book with him (2020’s Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future), there’s perhaps no better expert on the philosophy of Francis than Ivereigh. This well-researched book, which includes more than 20 pages of sources and bibliographic entries, offers readers excerpts from Pope Francis’ writings, many of which are presented here in English translation for the first time; the book even features a foreword by the pope himself that effectively contextualizes the Spiritual Exercises and retreats as one of the Catholic Church’s “channels of grace.” Designed for personal or group use, the book offers easily replicated retreat activities, replete with prayers, discussion questions, and readings for contemplation. The book’s backmatter provides a handy “User Guide” and other helpful materials to facilitate an event.

A well-designed guidebook with pragmatic instruction for spiritual retreats.