Ignatian workshop planned for six weeks of Lent

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An upcoming Lenten Ignatian workshop will use "Surrender: a guide for prayer" as its text.

Catholics looking for a way to prepare for Easter may find a Lenten Ignatian workshop being offered by Catherine Morgan, certified Ignatian director and her husband Ralph Morgan, Ignatian coordinator, helpful. The six-week online workshop will be held on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 3:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 21. The orientation will be Feb. 14 at the same time.

 “A Lenten Ignatian Experience” will focus on the book Surrender: a guide for prayer written by Jacqueline Syrup Bergan and Sister Marie Schwan. Smith teaches Ignatian spirituality for the Arizona Ecumenical Institute. Sr. Marie ministers in the Diocese of Rapid City, S.D. The book contains daily meditations that begin with a scriptural passage and include a commentary and a suggested approach to the day’s reflection. Workshop participants will also write in a journal each day.

The workshop is a stand-alone segment specifically written for Lent of a program that divides the Ignatian exercises into six-week experiences, Catherine Morgan said.

“Anybody can do this,” she said. “It’s either a taste of the exercises for someone who has never done them or it can be a reconnection with those that have done the exercises and want a six-week Lenten experience that is designed the same way as the spiritual exercises.”

The Morgans have been teaching the Ignatian exercises in the Diocese of Salt Lake City for the last five years. Currently they are leading nine individuals through the 30-week exercises.

“So many people are just having a really hard time with this COVID isolation,” Ralph Morgan said. ”What we’ve experienced with the 30-week exercises on Zoom is that it’s a great way for us to come together and share as though we’re at the table. It has just brought people so close and I think it helps bring them out of isolation.”

The six-week workshop is “an opportunity for people not to have that huge time investment but to get a little bit of a taste of what Ignatian spirituality is like and what the payer experience is like,” Catherine Morgan said.

The Lenten workshop will be conducted by Zoom; anyone who has access to a computer should be able to participate; most cell phones also can use Zoom. The Morgans will be happy to help those who feel challenged by technology to participate, they said. They are offering the workshop at a minimal cost – $20 plus purchase of the book – so that more people can participate and experience the principles of Ignatian spirituality. There is a limit on the number of people who may join but the Morgans may consider offering evening workshops if there is sufficient interest.

In addition to the daily meditations, the workshop will include weekly online faith sharing group meetings where participants share their prayer experiences with each other. These meetings will be led by the Morgans.

“We will meet for processing and group spiritual direction,” Catherine Morgan said.

Surrender: a guide for prayer is available on Amazon.com.

For information, contact the Morgans at 385-342-0093, ralphmorganokc@att.net or cmorganphd@zingway.com. Registration closes on Feb. 7.