March 2010
God, Job, Jesus and Natural Disasters
In a whirlwind God finally answers Job’s persistent question: Why do the innocent suffer? The Book of Job, that great work of the Old Testament, rejects all the ‘easy’ answers often trotted out to explain suffering. No, we do not suffer because we are sinners deserving divine punishment, because we have broken divine laws (perhaps laws of which we may even be unaware). We suffer because…we suffer.
Would you like to do a 30-day individually-directed Retreat at the end of 2010?
Submitted by Chris Chatteris SJ on 13 March 2010 - 8:45amThe Jesuit Institute is offering
a retreat in the form of the full
Spiritual Exercises of
Saint Ignatius Loyola from
13-Nov to 18-Dec 2010 at the
brand new Mohale Rest and
Retreat Centre in Pretoria North.
The total cost is R14,000.
Read more...
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30-day individually-directed Retreat at the end of 2010
The Jesuit Institute will be offering the chance to do a 30-day individually-directed retreat at the end of 2010.
Including preparation days, the dates of the retreat are from 13th November 2010 to 18th December 2010 and it will take place at the brand new Mohale Rest and Retreat Centre in Pretoria North. The total cost is R14,000.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for clergy, ministers, religious and lay people to experience the full Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. This retreat is appropriate for someone at a crossroads in their life, or in need of re-nourishing, or just intrigued by the chance to listen to God in such an intense way. The highly-experienced guides will be Dr Annemarie Paulin-Campbell and Fr Ron Darwen SJ from England. Having myself been on a 30 day retreat I can certainly say that it is a life-changing experience.
If you are interested, or you know of someone else who might be, contact us and we can explain the application process.
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Winter Living Theology 2010
This year’s lecturer will be Fr Gerry O’Collins SJ, for over 30 years Professor of Fundamental Theology in Rome and one of the world’s most widely read theologians. His subject will be the ‘Many Faces of Jesus’. More details will follow later but in the meantime you might want to note the locations and dates of the course nearest you:
- Johannesburg/ Pretoria: Mazenod Centre, Germiston, Tues 20th – Thurs 22nd July
- Bloemfontein: Donovan Hall (Cathedral) (TBC), Tues 27th – Thurs 29th July
- Cape Town: Schoenstatt, Constantia, Tues 3rd – Thurs 5th August
- Durban: Glenmore Pastoral Centre, Tues 10th – Thurs 12th August
As before there will be a 3 day course, which this year will be open to clergy, religious and lay people, and also 3 more informal evening lectures. (The evening lectures will be in the same location as the day course except in Gauteng where they will be 3 different locations that will be announced later).
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attending our Winter Living Theology course?
Submitted by Chris Chatteris SJ on 13 March 2010 - 9:35amThis year’s lecturer will be Fr
Gerry O’Collins SJ, for over 30
years Professor of Fundamental
Theology in Rome and one of the
world’s most widely read
theologians. His subject will be
the ‘Many Faces of Jesus’.
Winter Living Theology will be
hosted in Jhb/Pta, Bloemfontein,
Cape Town and Durban.
Read more...
»
Our Mission Statement
The Jesuit Institute is dedicated to providing training and encouraging debate on current social and religious issues from a faith perspective and to stimulating critical reflection, research and dialogue. We work with people from the business, political and educational sectors as well as those from various faith backgrounds.
We are keen to engage with all who have an interest in improving our society. The Jesuit Institute provides reflection and training on, and critical analysis of, contemporary social and religious issues from a Catholic perspective. We are motivated by the service of faith and the promotion of justice.
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Finding God in Climate Destruction
A recent estimate calculates that some 300.000 people die every year as a result of climate change. This figure underlines the fact that climate change is not something which might possibly happen in a vague and distant future. Drought and the spread of disease in Africa, floods in Asia, mudslides in South America, extremely hot summers and bitterly cold winters in Europe, all remind us that destructive climate change is happening now.
But on a global scale climate change is not a sudden and apocalyptic event like in the movies; rather a slow piecemeal process.
Where is God in Depression?
Depression has become increasingly prevalent. Recent statistics show that 80% of people will have at least one depressive episode in their lives. Some of the symptoms of depression are low mood, sadness and irritability; reduced pleasure or interest in daily activities; marked weight loss or gain with a change in appetite; significant changes in sleeping patterns; marked increase or decrease in movement; fatigue and loss of energy; feelings of worthlessness and guilt; difficulty concentrating and ideas of suicide or death
The experience of being depressed can spill over into our spiritual lives and cause us to feel that God is absent.
