February 2024
Vol. 5, Issue 2
EXPRESSIONS OF IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY ROOTED IN THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES HOW TO FIND US Retreats and Programming for Spring 2024 fairfield.edu/MCIS The Murphy Center offers opportunities to deepen one’s prayer life and find God amidst the chaos of life. The graces encourage participants to discern how and where God might be inviting greater openness to growth, leading to an increase in faith, hope, and love. All are welcome!
203-254-4000, ext. 3468
AMDG Retreat – A three day silent retreat at Mercy by the Sea in Madison, CT is available to faculty, staff and students Friday, Feb. 2 to Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. Monthly Spiritual Direction – An ongoing invitation for people of all faith backgrounds to continue your prayer journey and discover where and how God is inviting you. All seekers welcome – no religious background necessary. Ten-Week Ignatian Encounter – Once a week for ten weeks, this one-on-one prayer journey with a trained spiritual director is available to anyone interested in deepening their relationship with God. No prior experience with Ignatian spirituality necessary.
MCIS HOURS
Aging With Grace – Open to retirees of all faiths, Aging with Grace meets virtually each week on Zoom and uses prayer, assigned readings and personal reflection to guide participants through an exploration of the spiritual dynamics of growing older.
The Murphy Center is open Mon. through Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Men’s Spirituality Group – The Men’s Spirituality Group monthly at MCIS. Those gathered spend time reflecting upon a piece of scripture and then sharing how it is reflected in their lives. This group allows for authentic conversation about current issues and how we can strive to live Gospel values in our world today.
Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality @murphycenterfairfieldu
Lenten Retreat for Women – Mark your calendar! The Women’s Lenten Retreat is scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Registration information will be sent out in in mid-February. 2024 Lenten Reflections: A Podcast Series – A daily audio reflection on the readings of the day beginning Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14 through Easter Sunday, March 31. Walking Examen – Representing the five movements Ignatius taught as a prayer method for finding God in all things, the Examen walk leads participants on a pilgrimage around campus. Maps and instructions can be found in Dolan House, the Library, and Egan Chapel. For more information and to register for programs, email mcis@fairfield.edu.
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APOPHATIC
CATAPHATIC
DOLAN HOUSE
A theological standpoint which actively avoids the use of words, images, and metaphors, in order to understand the nature of God.
A theological standpoint which uses images and metaphors in order to understand the nature of God.
The Murphy Center is located in a building that formerly housed the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, a religious order.
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February 2024
MURPHY CENTER FOR IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY OF FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK The winter is a time for slowing down and embracing the stillness. On these dark and cold days, it is important to remember that God labors to bring us more deeply into relationship by enfolding us into God’s very Being. Our response to the stillness must be to embrace the silence. After all, silence is God’s language. Here, at the Murphy Center, we strive to companion others in this walk into the silence and stillness of the winter months. Our hope is that by journeying with other seekers that we can help by caring for their souls and aiding them in deepening their experience of God. Peace,
Rev. Denis G. Donoghue, S.J., Director of the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality
MEET THE JESUITS THREE QUESTIONS FOR... Rev. Gerry Blaszczak, S.J., Alumni Chaplain and Special Assistant to the President What has Christ done for me? Christ gave me a family rooted in faith, love for the nation that gave our immigrant family unparalleled opportunities, and committed to the values of solidarity, integrity, personal responsibility, and hard work. Christ gave me parish communities in Northeastern and Central Pa., in which to grow in faith — nourished by liturgy, prayer, and the witness of dedicated priests, religious, and laity.
Christ gave me the Society of Jesus, which I met in Dallas, Texas and Jersey City. There I discovered that faith is strengthened by doubt and struggle, and that faith leads to engagement with urgent social issues, and commitment to building a just and equitable society. Christ gave me access to education at the highest levels, and the inestimable blessing of living and working with communities in Kenya and various parts of Latin America. Christ gave me the gift of failure and learning to live with the consequences of my limits and mistakes. And those of others. Christ placed me on a spiritual path which is based in the Ignatian tradition, but which draws also on the rich heritages of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Greek and Syriac Fathers, and on the mystical tradition of Islam.
What is Christ doing for me now? Christ draws me deeper to himself; Christ carves out more space for His Spirit in my heart. Christ moves me to want to surrender more and more; he invites me to commit myself fully to him, in utter trust and love, in “praise, reverence, and service” of the Father.
What do I count on Christ to do for me in the future? “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. We do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.” (I John: 3.2)