“There are no words.” A friend reached out to our prayer group in sorrow yesterday to share that her dear family member’s life journey would be ending soon. She wrote, “There are no words.” and yet, we all responded with words: words of the promise of prayers,...
I’m glad you can’t see me right now. If you could imagine me writing this post, I hope you would imagine me sitting in a lovely, cozy writing space - but no, there is no cozy here. We have just moved back into our home after 5 months of unexpected delays,...
Responding to the Suffering we see with Jesus “Everything you need is in the room.” “Trust the process.” These are the two sentences I have lived and learned with for the past 12 months of Chaplaincy training. Much of our work with hospital patients is entering...
Does anyone else struggle with intimacy in prayer? This was not a concept or experience encouraged when I was growing up, and it has been a struggle even now after 5-ish years of immersion in Ignatian Spirituality. Ignatian Contemplation has been a great gift...
“Mary Ann, you speak of yourself as a tired sheepdog constantly watching the edges of the field. What would it look like if you were a sheep?” I could feel myself stiffen, my hands clenched. “What would you be losing if you changed roles? What would the gains...
November has had a lot to say to me this year. Light is changing and temperatures are dropping here in Northern Vermont. The iridescent colored leaves of October have surrendered their grip on their branch homes and have fallen to rest together on the forest...
These past weeks have all been about the search for the “what.” What is God asking of me? St. Ignatius gave us a simple process to know what to do next with our lives. His First Mode of Discernment was to ask questions, get facts to consider, and ask for the...
After retiring, I had luxurious time to look back on my life and the surprising twists and turns it held. How was it that an introvert was thrust into a career meeting families from around the world? How was it that 26 years before that, I went to volunteer at a...
Don’t let the white hair fool you, I’m not yet 4 years old…in Ignatian Spirituality terms, that is. The thought of writing my first Into the Deep piece has me pestered by internal voices calling me out as an imposter. What were you thinking saying yes? You don’t...
