This month we begin a regular segment bringing you news of JISA’s First Spiritual Exercises Ministry (FSE) which is interwoven through many of our offerings.

As demand for the First Spiritual Exercises is growing, the FSE teams are currently training more FSE Givers both nationally and internationally:

Philippines FSE Givers Training

Our Sydney Metropolitan FSE Team recently facilitated training new givers via Zoom to a group in the Philippines, in an intensive format over two Saturdays in August 2021. The two intensive training days flowed seamlessly regardless of the two-hour time difference between our Australian based training team and our trainees in the Philippines. The new trainees were encouraged give the Exercises to groups they work with to practise their new skills.

Image left: The Sydney FSE training team, met via Zoom to prepare Giver’s training in the Phillipines.  From top to bottom, Debbie de la Paz (Sydney), Sharyn Price, Anne Taylor RSC (Sydney), Gracelyn Vega (Sydney) and Michael Hansen SJ.

Australian and New Zealand FSE Givers Training
A longer training program is currently running in Australia and New Zealand also via Zoom over eight Mondays. The FSE training teams coordinate weekly sessions from their various locations across Australia and New Zealand. Each week the growing enthusiasm of trainees is inspiring and most encouraging for our training team.

Image: Queensland, Victorian and New Zealand FSE training teams met via Zoom to plan the givers training offered in Australia and New Zealand. Right to left, top row: AnnMaree Sutton (Melbourne), Chris Kennedy (Gold Coast), Chris Webb (Brisbane), Second row: Sharyn Price (Brisbane), Murray Adams (New Zealand),  Brendan Kelly SJ (Sevenhill, South Australia), Bottom row: Anita Davine (Melbourne), Michael Hansen SJ (Sydney).

Canadian FSE Givers Training

Recently representatives from the FSE ministry met with Lynn Maguet of CASEA, the Calgary Association of the Spiritual Exercises Apostolate, an ecumenical group of givers of Spiritual Exercises based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Lynn and her team will soon begin training new givers of First Spiritual Exercises in Canada. During the meeting Lynn was offered support and advice gained from our team’s experience of incorporating FSE into their diverse ministries around Australia and New Zealand.

Malaysian Retreat

In partnership with Maranartha House of Prayer in Malaysia, members of our national FSE team offered an FSE Field Hospital Exercises retreat called Refreshing Hope, for COVID frontline workers in Kuala Lumpur via Zoom. This online retreat was an opportunity for rest, reflection and repose from the heavy load carried through the COVID-19 crisis in their region. Each night over four nights in the week of Sep 28 to Oct 1, over 70 people from various Christian organisations on COVID frontlines including doctors and nurses, took time out for the retreat. The FSE Field Hospital Exercises selected for the retreat were, Refreshing Hope, Delightful Strength, Empowering Wings and Loving Quiet.  This was a graced time for the group.