Faith Life

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

C.S. Lewis

On Faith

One in a series of spiritual reflections on our lives together as a Parish.

These turbulent times have inspired many to return to their faith or to discover a new way to find prayer, community, and service through religion. We have the privilege at St. Ignatius to welcome many guests who may be thinking about becoming Catholic, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the ordinary way the Church reaches out to adults who inquire into the Catholic faith. Since the beginning of the Church itself, adults have been welcomed to it through Baptism after a period of instruction, prayer, and reflection. We at St. Ignatius are continuing this tradition.

If you feel drawn to the Catholic faith, we invite you to join us! Participants inquire into the Catholic faith, come to know Jesus through the Gospels, pray and prepare for the Easter Sacraments. This process is also open to Catholic adults who have not received the Sacraments of First Communion or Confirmation.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes formation, prayer and liturgical rites and is a vital part of the parish and the universal Church. There are several stages in the process and each phase recognizes that every Christian life is, in fact, a journey. Although the conversion journey begins formally when the RCIA inquirers and parish team first begin meeting, the real conversion journey begins earlier from the heart. God calls us by name. The appeal of Christ’s fundamental message is ongoing and is experienced by a diverse group. To explore this path further, please email [email protected] or call the Parish House at 212-288-3588.

Attending RCIA at St Ignatius Loyola allowed me to delve more deeply into the teachings of the Catholic Church, increased my exposure to the variety of ministries and programs that St Ignatius offers, and expanded my community. These experiences deepened my faith and opened doors for me to actively engage in meaningful relationships through committees such as Family Ministry and the Ignatian Social Justice network.

Sarah Tintle

Reflections with Jean Santopatre: Wisdom Way

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Before the pandemic earlier this spring, Pastoral Associate Jean Santopatre began to create Inspirational “Flock Notes” for her Ignatian Young Adult, Ignatian Social Justice, and Family Ministries. Twice a week, she would find an inspirational text and photo for the day to encourage the members of these ministries to go deeper into their prayer life or conversation with God. Then, in late March, when New York City became the American epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and began to lock down, Jean launched Reflections to step up communication with the Ministries, inspired by how Ignatian Spirituality calls one to reflect on each day and to “find God in all things.”

Here, Jean, an award-winning photojournalist, will be sharing her new Reflections feature each month, selecting an image or short video from her extensive personal photo archive and gathering reading excerpts from theologians, spiritual authors, monks, priests, poets, songwriters, and Pope Francis that speak to themes ranging from gratitude, grace, resilience, encouragement, hope, care of creation and social justice.

Welcome to Reflections, and watch this space for new selections.

Parish Lecture Series 2021

The United Nations has designated 2021 as The International Year of Peace and Trust, and we have made this the theme for our annual lecture series this coming year, focusing on the energies, talents, and contributions of Catholic women as agents of peace and trust in the Church and the world. Each of the four lectures in the series will explore critical areas of public service where Catholic women are taking leadership roles, changing lives, inspiring their colleagues, and living the call to discipleship. Our speakers will be informative, personal, inspiring, and catalyze conversations on health care (both local and global), homelessness, and the changing environment as threats to local and global peace now and in the years ahead.

For more information, please contact Communications Director Elizabeth O’Sullivan at [email protected].

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7 PM

Webinar: “At Work I’m In Charge, in Church I’m Invisible”

Moderator: Dr. Paula Olsiewski, Ph.D., Contributing Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Dr. Maria Jasin, Ph.D., Researcher, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Dr. Mary Brady, MD, FACS, Surgeon, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Dr. Sarah Lilly, MD, Internal Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital

To register, click here.

Monday, February 8, 2021 at 7 PM

Catholic Women in Global Health: Mothers and Children

Mary Beth Powers, President & CEO, CMMB—Catholic Medical Mission Board

Monday, April 19, 2021 at 7 PM

“Journeying with Youth: From Homelessness to Hope"

Sr. Nancy Downing, SSND, Executive Director, Covenant House
Professor Anne Williams-Isom, James R. Dumpson Chair in Child Welfare, Fordham University; former CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone

Monday, May 17, 2021 at 7 PM

Catholic Women in International Climate Change Policy

Dr. Bonizella Biagini, Executive Director of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

A separate program for the annual spring Laetare Lecture will coincide with International Women’s Day in March.

Watch this space for further details.

"A Short Word" Podcast

A regular podcast exploring our individual spirituality and faith lives in turbulent times, hosted by Pastoral Associate Brian Pinter

Finding Your Personal Shadow

Events unfolding in our nation have created an opportunity to face an aspect of personal shadow. With God's grace, we can respond with charity and compassion, truth and justice.

The Journey of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a journey, not a one-time event. We explore what forgiveness is—and what it is not—and how we go about this difficult but sacred work.

You Are Not the Messiah!

The ‘Messiah Complex’ says, ‘My loved one is lost and it is my job to save them.’ In this episode, we explore ways to move on from this unfruitful way of relating to others.

FORMED: The Catholic Faith, on demand

FORMED is often called “The Catholic Netflix” because it offers high-quality, Catholic-friendly content—on demand— from more than 60 organizations to help parishes, families and individuals explore their faith anywhere. Register for FORMED and gain free access to thousands of movies, children’s programs, e-books, audio, parish programs and studies direct to your browser, mobile or connected device.

Learn More

Got a list of recent FORMED favorites you’d like to recommend to your fellow Parishioners?

Email your suggestions to Communications Director Elizabeth O’Sullivan at [email protected] and we’ll share your favorites in upcoming Parish newsletters.

Weekly Wisdom

Select homilies from our 5:30 PM Daily Masses

Call to Renewal

In his Friday, June 12th homily, Fr. Hilbert invites us to answer the "call to renewal. Renewal physically, now as we come, hopefully, to some resolution of this pandemic.... We are renewed in our spiritual lives, in our hope. And, we are renewed in our feeling of being isolated, of having no friends around us. We are friends here. We are in spiritual communion. We are not alone."

Coronavirus Pandemic

In his Wednesday, July 1st homily, Fr. Bergen reflects on the coronavirus pandemic. "What is God teaching me and all of us as we face this cosmic change? I'm being taught that I cannot dwell on the past nor on the future. I can dwell only on the present. For I am made that I can only carry the weight of 24 hours, no more. God has promised to help me with the burdens of the day only. So, I will leave tomorrow's burden to God because God is the great burden-bearer. He only expects me to carry my one day's share."

Black Lives Matter

In his Wednesday, September 9th homily, Fr. Yesalonia asserts that there is no "other place to preach Black Lives Matter [than behind the pulpit]. It's the only way in which I understand, which I ask all of you to understand, what it means to love one another.... No other race in our country has been treated in such a despicable fashion from the moment they set foot in our country."