THE IGNATIAN

YEAR: ST. IGNATIUS ’ S CANNONBALL MOMENT

You may have noticed the banners placed around campus since the beginning of the school year that say Ignatius 500: To see all things new in Christ. These posters commemorate the moment 500 years ago when Ignatius of Loyola, a brash and brazen courtier and soldier, was struck down by a cannonball during the battle of Pamplona. Beating all expectations, Ignatius survived this near fatal wound, and in the subsequent weeks and months of his painful convalesce he began to envision for himself a new way of living. Little could he know the metaphorical impact that near-fatal cannonball had on his own life, the life of the Church, and the life of the world.

Who was St. Ignatius and what can we learn from his wounding 500 years ago?

To begin, in 1491 Ignatius of Loyola was born to a wealthy influential family in the Basque region of Spain. In his youth he often attended the court of Ferdinand and Isabella and was known to engage in worldly indulgences and the darker intrigues common to young courtiers of his day. In 1517 Ignatius joined the army of the Duke of Najera. He was wounded by cannon fire during a French siege of Pamplona in 1521, suffering severe leg wounds.

While forced to a bedridden lifestyle, Ignatius read texts describing the life of Christ and the lives of the saints. He became fascinated with the pious deeds of the saints and realized it was a greater thing to compete with their acts of faith than to complete with soldiers in the manly arts of war. God took hold of him and led him away from a life rooted in earthly pleasures and prepared him to lead others in many good works. Later, at the altar of the Virgin Mary in a Benedictine monastery in Montserrat, Spain, Ignatius hung up his sword and rededicated his life to the service of God. A statue depicting that important moment stands outside of the Long Center.

During the following two years, Ignatius took on a monastic lifestyle, living in a cave, and enduring bodily discomfort. During this time he experienced several visions and recorded what he learned in The Spiritual Exercises. From 1529 to 1535 Ignatius moved to Paris to study theology and the humanities, much in the same manner students come to The University of Scranton today. In 1534, Ignatius and six other men vowed to live and work for the betterment of the Church and our human family. In 1540 Pope Paul III approved the formation of the Society of Jesus and the rest, they say, is history. On July 31, 1556 Ignatius died, having oversaw the formation of a religious order that has had a great impact on the Church, our nation, and our world.

10 Dimensions of Fitness for Profession for Counselors-in-Training

The Fitness for the Profession Document helps in the evaluation of an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and behavior in many areas of one’s life, such as academic, clinical, professional, and personal. The CHS Department hopes that this document will help in the self-assessment, self-correction, and self direction of each student on the path to becoming a professional counselor. The list below are the 10 dimensions of the document that are important in the training of a counselor and in the practice of a professional counselor.

1. Commitment to Wellness

-The lifelong commitment to becoming the best one can be spiritually, men tally, physically, socially, and vocationally.

2. Commitment to Learning

-The ability to self-assess, correct, and direct; continually seek knowledge and understanding; demonstrate academic and life management skills.

3. Core Academic and Clinical Competences

-Holds knowledge in the core areas of certification.

4. Professional Identity

-The commitment to ongoing development as a professional with the ability to put theory-into-practice.

5. Personal Maturity

- Ability to live and function at appropriate level of emotional, psychological, and relational wellbeing; freedom from limitations to one’s professional performance.

6. Responsibility

- Ability to fulfill professional commitments, be accountable for actions and outcomes; demonstrate effective work habits and attitudes.

7. Interpersonal Skills

-Ability to interact with clients, families, other professionals, and the community effectively.

8. Communication Skills

- Ability to communicate effectively (speaking, body language, reading, writing, listening) for varied situations; sensitive to diversity.

9. Problem-Solving

-The ability to seek out resources for help, support, and insight.

10. Stress Management

-The ability to recognize sources of stress and how they affect an individual,; ability to develop effective coping techniques; seeks appropriate support Fitness