Mission & Identity provides opportunities for adult members in the Walsh Jesuit Family to learn and experience the spirituality of St. Ignatius, and grow in their own faith and personal relationship with Jesus.
Ignatian Spirituality
Ignatian spirituality is at the core of Walsh Jesuit's mission and identity. What is this spirituality and how does one experience it?
For 500 years the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola have inspired countless men and women to a deeper spiritual growth, discernment, self-revelation, and a more personal, intimate relationship with Jesus. The Spiritual Exercises form the cornerstone of Ignatian spirituality.
For the past twelve years The Spirituality Program for Adults (SPA) at Walsh Jesuit has offered an eight-week format of the Spiritual Exercises, over nine (9) consecutive Wednesdays, to the Walsh Jesuit community —current parents, faculty, staff, board of directors, alumni, and friends of Walsh Jesuit.
Retreat sessions are held once a week beginning with Mass, followed by a presentation and small group discussions. Each retreatant is expected to spend 30 minutes a day doing the following at home:
Pray over assigned scripture passages (20 minutes)
Journal reflections on Scripture passages (5 minutes)
‘I feel even closer to Jesus and have loved getting to know him better. My faith has grown so much, and I plan to continue to develop my relationship with Jesus/God.’
‘Seeing Jesus in his humanity, my prayer life has grown through the process of daily prayer and journaling.’
‘I have learned many methods of prayer that open me up to deeper prayer than I had ever experienced. I want to learn more about the Ignatian Exercises.’
‘The SPA program helped me to achieve a peace that I have not had in a very long time. Life-changing!’
New full-time faculty and staff of Walsh Jesuit participate in a 4-year Formation Program. During the first two years, the cohort is oriented towards Catholic Identity, Ignatian Spirituality, and Jesuit Education. They learn about the mission and identity of Walsh Jesuit as well as it’s charisms and traditions.
At the end of their first year, employees join colleagues from other schools in the Midwest Jesuit Province for the Ignatian Retreat for New Employees.
In subsequent years, employees dive deeper into the spiritual practices and the service and justice initiatives of the school. During this time, they are asked to engage with current school programing and continue to meet with their cohort to discuss how it relates to their own life and work.
An eight-week format of the Spiritual Exercises, over nine (9) consecutive Wednesdays - current parents, faculty, staff, board of directors, alumni, and friends of Walsh Jesuit.
Every year employees gather for a Day of Recollection to reflect upon the year, and to look forward to the coming year. The retreat is full of small group activities and conversations, a keynote speaker, Mass, prayer, reflection, and as always fellowship.
Every semester faculty and staff gather to read and discuss a book that allows them to explore our Catholic and Ignatian identity and how it relates to our every day lives.
Small group opportunities are available throughout the year for faculty and staff to meet in small groups based on a shared interest, one of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, or a bible study.
Meet the SPA Team
List of 3 members.
Fr. William P O’Brien SJ
Chaplain, Theology Teacher
Mr. Tim Dunn
Vice-President of Mission & Identity
John Carroll University - Master of Arts
Fr. Ken Styles S.J.
Chaplain
Our Mission
As a Christ-centered community, we strive to be Men and Women for and with Others.
Walsh Jesuit High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.