Episode 1: Opening up a new stage of life (24 min.)
After 35 years as a spiritual director working in Ignatian spirituality, Bergan says she has seen many people experience dramatic healing. "And that healing is usually accompanied by a heightened sense of compassion and service," she tells Tom Fox. "Service and compassion are the outward extensions of the exercises. St. Ignatius always said if you want to look at a person’s prayer life and their measure of wholeness, you can evaluate it by their compassion and outward reach to other people."
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Praying with Ignatius: Opening up a new stage of life
Jacqueline Syrup Bergan is a writer, retreat director and spiritual guide. She is co-author of the widely published Take and Receive series, a five volume guide to the Exercises of St. Ignatius. In her latest book, Growing As A Stepmom -- With God's Help (The Word Among Us Press), Jacqueline shares her own experience of the blessings and challenges of being a stepmother.
More about the author
A wife, mother, and grandmother, Jacqueline has always had a keen interest in spirituality. She and her husband Leonard live in Minnesota for part of the year and spend the reminder of their time in Arizona.
Books by Jacqeline and Marie Schwan, a Sister of St. Joseph of Medaille:
- Birth: A Guide for Prayer, Based on the second week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, the book incorporates key exercises such as Ignatius' Two Standards and Three Kinds of Persons.
- Forgiveness: A Guide for Prayer, Moving Scripture passages and commentary emphasize that like the father in the story of the prodigal son, God is always ready to embrace us with his mercy and forgiveness.
- Praying With Ignatius Of Loyola, Part of the Companions for the Journey Series of twenty-two favorite saints and spiritual guides, ready to accompany readers on their faith journey.
- Love: A Guide For Prayer, designed as a support for private prayer, these exercises can also be used in prayer groups, faith-sharing communities, and Bible studies.
- Surrender: A Guide For Prayer, the revised and updated fourth volume in the Take and Receive series, will help Christians grow in understanding of the mystery of suffering as they learn how to surrender their own trials in loving trust to God.
These books are available from The Word Among Us Press or through the book store at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, Ariz. The phone number is (480) 948-7460, ext. 142.
