Ignatian Spirituality
Informed by Ignatian Spirituality
Among those who are part of the Solidarity Family many spiritual traditions find expression and we are enriched by them. Nonetheless, at the heart of who we are in the Solidarity Family is the Christian Way and Ignatian spirituality articulates the core of that Way.
We are companions of Jesus,
passionate about mission,
live a life of conversion (metanoia),
seek the Greater Glory of God,
are contemplatives in action
and live a spirit of discernment.
St. Ignatius reminds us that Christians are invited to work with Christ to bring God's great project to fruition. We work as companions of Jesus, and since it is God’s project, we know it cannot fail. Many workers and a variety of methods are needed for its accomplishment, so the Solidarity Family invites others to join in our effort to contribute to God's project, and we seek to collaborate with those who invite us to join in their efforts.
We recognize that without conversion, we will not succeed. We require illumination, self-knowledge and ultimately an entrustment of ourselves to the living God who is revealed in Jesus the Christ. God takes the initiative by calling us to work with Christ, and to do that work effectively requires true discernment. In order to discern God's desires for us and for the world, we must let go of our own preferences. God’s own desires are planted in our hearts, deep longings that are much more profound than our shallow cravings and preferences. Prayerfully discerning our own most profound, God-given desires helps us understand what is truly needed by the world and how we can most fruitfully address those needs. We do not seek to satisfy our own ambitions or sense of achievement. Rather, we are confident that as we wholeheartedly work with Christ to contribute to God’s project, our deepest desires will be satisfied.
As companions of Jesus working on God’s project, we must constantly discern whether our methods, efforts, and endeavors are the most effective means within our reach to promote the Reign of God. We look for the best way to contribute, the way that most deeply touches people, that helps transform them and gives them more abundant life. We are constant in our search for excellence and wholehearted in our endeavors on behalf of our sisters and brothers in need. In this, we are motivated by what Ignatius calls the “Magis,” the Spirit-led impulse to work with diligence and creativity for the Greater Glory of God.
While we choose simplicity in our way of life, our passion for the mission we have been given means we do not skimp on providing the means to achieve excellence. We work as if all things depend on us, while realizing that ultimately all things depend on God, who works through us. We seek to be contemplatives in action, earnestly participating in the secular world while at the same time seeking spaces of silence, prayer, and discernment, and surrendering everything into the hands of God. We dedicate ourselves to this work knowing our endeavors touch the heart of history by building the Reign of God among us.