Whassup?

Retreat!

So what's been going on in LSPland? A well-needed diocesan clergy retreat, for a start, led by the new Bishop of San Joaquin, Eric Menees. Menees gave a series of meditations on the duties of clerical life; all good practical stuff, emphasizing the priesthood as a way of life, as opposed to a job that you turn up for and then clock-off from at the end of the day. Sound advice, perhaps especially to those U.S. Anglican clergy who commute from a suburb to their office, stay there till late afternoon and then commute back to their little slice of subdivision heaven. But plastic siding aside, helpful for all of us. Thanks, bishop Menees.

St. Ignatius Loyola

The retreat house, which is run by Jesuits, had a fair amount of Ignatian literature to hand and I read some. Not only was Ignatius a soldier who laid down his arms for the religious life but he also, apparently, believed that everyone has one primary, or foundational "grace", and one correlative sin. Knowing the one can lead to enlightenment and progress in the other. For Loyola, the sin was "vainglory" and triumph at arms, which translated into Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam, For the Greater Glory of God.

I like that. Respect to St. Ignatius Loyola.

God bless,

LSP