I’m just a regular guy serving full time as a children’s pastor in a mega church in Singapore. After 12 years of active ministry, in a near burned out state, I took a 3 month Sabbatical under the guidance of my senior pastor.
It was then that I visited Seven Fountain Retreat Center in Chiang Mai and checked in for a 6 day Ignatian Spiritual Retreat. Actually, I googled for another retreat centre with a Christian program. I ended where I believed God led me where I was introduced to an amazing Catholic tradition.
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I have to say that my 6 days silent retreat, made without TV, internet, people to talk to and not even a book or the bible opened my eyes to many things I have never experience before. I absolutely encountered our intimate and passionate God, the heavenly Father, I never knew deep enough. He opened my eyes to experience what I only heard others talked about but never experienced; the reckless raging fury they call the love of God. I knew what it meant to draw near to God and have Him draw near to me in a tangible manner.
I had the honor to spend an hour every morning with a spiritual director who guided me with utmost sensitivity and care. My sessions were with an experienced Jesuit priest, who listened to my issues but never counselled or gave me a solution. Instead, he directed me to a passage in the bible and asked me to spend the rest of the day with God in that passage.
He knew that God would have an answer. Then I would spend the rest of the day with God and his presence is so thick and overflowing.
It was only later that I found out that my director has given me the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola. I was introduced to the wonderful way of Ignatian Spirituality; poised to find God in all things.
That week, I encountered God, like I never encountered Him before. Not only was I rested in my spirit, I was healed of all the burdens and hurts that accumulated in my years of ministry (some I didn’t even know I had).
I came back to Singapore determined to share the kind of tangible intimacy of God with people I know. I did my best to give others the Spiritual Exercise as I have been given.
After several sessions of directing others with very positive effect, I modified the prayer that I knew and created the S.T.A.R.T prayer.
S.T.A.R.T is a process based on the Examen Prayer which is a spiritual exercise of St Ignatius. It is made to be easier to remember, follow and share with others. I hope more can follow Ignatian’s Examen Prayer, whatever Christian tradition they come from.
This website contains also Spiritual Exercises I have developed for myself to be used in my own quiet time. It has spiritual direction in written form to assist you. (Even though it would be absolutely more effective if we can be together in person)
I also want to introduce more to the work of St Ignatius of Loyola and his concept of finding God in all things. In my sincere hearts, I want as many people as possible able to enjoy this amazing tradition.
Thanks for visiting. Drop me a line if you have any comments, feedback or questions about me, this website and Ignatian spirituality as practised by a regular ‘pilgrim’ like me.
You can begin the S.T.A.R.T Prayer Process here
Sincerely,
Good afternoon – I work at Saint Peter’s University, and we are mailing an invitation for our Mass for the Feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola. I came across your cartoon icon of Saint Ignatius in a Google search and was wondering if there is any way for us to use it on our invitation this year. Please let us know if this is possible. Thank you!
Of course you can. Please make use of it if it will bless your event.