The online “spiritual deep-dive”, as former JECSE Director Ilse Dekker called the novel learning experience, that is the new online course led by facilitators “4 Key Practices in Ignatian Spirituality”, proved to be a good opportunity for an experienced group of JECSE’s formators who are responsible for Ignatian Spirituality ethos and formation in their respective schools. The European pilot of this new learning experience provided some excellent input and feedback.

One of the fruits of the pilot (Spring of 2021) was that a need was expressed, for an Spanish version by the EDUCSI (Spanish Network of Jesuit Schools), who generously translated the course into Spanish and are now, since January 27th, 2022, piloting it with a group of new principals in Spain. This new pilot will run for 8 weeks. The course is part of a new formation program that EDUCSI are developing for and with new principals in Spain, i.e., principals who became principals during the past year or the current year. The main facilitator is Joaquin Barrero SJ, who is very familiar with education, Ignatian Spirituality and the Society of Jesus. Joaquin is a former teacher and rector of several schools, he is also the Provincial of Castilla (a former Spanish Province), and he was the Regional Assistant for South Europe (EMR) at the Jesuit Curia in Rome.

The cohort of the course is made up of 13 participants, who are heads from different schools (from small to large, from rural to inner-city). The participants have diverse backgrounds in their knowledge and practice of Ignatian Spirituality. They all appreciate very much the design and content of the course and, since they knew each other before starting this formation, the synchronous sessions were adapted for this group.

After this pilot is finished, following the feedback and input from the Spanish group, the course will be reviewed and will be available on Educate Magis in Spanish.

On the other hand, as a continuation or part two of the English language course, the course was offered to participants who are new to Ignatian Spirituality or who would like to learn more about these fundamental Ignatian practices, such as: Ignatian reflection and the Examen, Ignatian Spiritual Conversation, Ignatian Discernment and Decision Making, and modelling the practices of a Contemplative in Action. The JECSE Manresa Learning Group, started on January 11th, 2022, and will last for 8 weeks.

There are participants from Spain, Portugal, Poland, Ireland, and the UK. Going through this course as an international group, accompanied by experienced facilitators, provides a safe and trust-filled space where learners are invited to share their experiences and questions about their learning. This sharing is done in the “main room” where all participants are together with the facilitators. The more personal experiences, related to each of the key spiritual practices, are shared in smaller (break-out) groups using the model of the Ignatian spiritual conversation.  This way of sharing provides learners the opportunity to practice their “deep listening” and “intentional speaking” skills with others. The feedback and input received from course participants will be used to inform and further develop the course.

Developing, testing and improving this learning experience which, according to past participants is also a “spiritual deep-dive” is a constant and beautiful collaborative challenge. Our hope is that it will yield its fruits by building a familiarity and hopefully a culture of Ignatian Spirituality that will help schools and educators respond to the invitations of the 1st UAP , which is to show the way to God and involves a call “to deepen our knowledge and experience of Ignatian spirituality”, and also to the Rio Actions 1,2 and 3, which aim to “help students listen to their inner voice and learn the path of interiority”.

Four Key Practices in Ignatian Spirituality is an instrumental course for both those who are just beginning their journey in Ignatian Spirituality and those who have travelled the road before. Beautifully designed, it is led by two amazing facilitators, with an intelligent and balanced mix of synchronous sessions and asynchronous course work, carried out on the Educate Magis platform. I would most definitely highlight the multicultural interaction as well as the excellent quality and relevance of the materials used throughout, with a strong focus on personal reflection.

Teresa Vasconcelos, English Teacher at Colégio das Caldinhas, Santo Tirso, Portugal

Two months ago, I had the opportunity to enrol in the course “Four key practices in Ignatian Spirituality” as a way to know more about it. At first, as a teacher from a Jesuit school, I knew the very basic aspects about Ignatian Spirituality but never really deepened on it. After two months of meeting online every other Tuesday with a group of 20 people from all over Europe, to share my experience and faith, to learn how God influenced the life of Saint Ignatius so much that he developed a spiritual way of being, ever closer to God. I can definitely say that this course really made an impact on my personal life as well as on my work life.

Natalia Puigcarbó. Primary teacher at Jesuïtes Sarrià – Sant Ignasi, Barcelona, Spain

The 4 Key Practices Course was brilliantly facilitated and managed by Elisabeth, Lourenço, and Gellért. We were blessed with a fantastic group of people and a real community spirit that greatly enhanced our learning experience. If you are going to do this course, and I encourage you to do it, you will be richly rewarded by coming to know yourself a lot more and by being given the means to grow closer in your relationship with the Lord.

JP Weir, Faith Formation Officer at Mount Anville School in Dublin, Ireland