Sacred Story: An Ignatian Examen for the Third Millennium

by William M. Watson

How and why did St. Ignatius Loyola develop the Examen prayer? What is it supposed to accomplish for those who practice it? Why do people choose to forgo this discipline that has proved to be invaluable and essential to spiritual growth and the discernment of spirits over the centuries? What are the contemporary cultural crises confronting today's would-be Examen practitioners provoking distrust, fear, or dismissive attitudes towards it? How can an Examen faithful to Ignatius original method be modernized to address the mindset of today's Christians? This book in its three parts takes a new approach to answer these questions. It provides a new analysis on how Ignatius' spiritual Examen disciplines were developed, the challenges inherent in practicing them, and a dynamic new reading of the Examen called Sacred Story. This book will give you the spiritual tools you need for a practical, daily prayer discipline that incorporates principles of spiritual discernment.

Genres: Spirituality

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 28, 2012

About the author

Fr. Bill Watson, S.J. specializes in building enduring Ignatian-based programs that stand the test of time. The Encounter program at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon will turn 40 in 2019 and has transformed the school. The 5-Day Ignatian Retreat at Georgetown University will have its 30th anniversary in 2017 and the Georgetown Freshman ESCAPE retreat celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016.

Many evangelization programs have a shelf-life or become the victims of unplanned obsolesce. The evangelization programs of Sacred Story Institute, based on Fr. Watson’s past track record, will become part of your faith community and endure in their relevance and effectiveness for decades to come. Invest in programs that will carry your faith community forward, built on the time-tested spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola.