Ignatian prayer will become more accessible to people with disability thanks to a collaboration between Fr Justin Glyn SJ and Sr Mary O’Shannessy FCJ.

There are a variety of introductions to Ignatian contemplation on the market, writes Fr Justin. This is a method of prayer in which the reader is encouraged to use their imagination to engage with the Gospel texts (“Picture the scene …. and your place in it.”)

*The collaboration aims to make the Ignatian method of prayer accessible to everyone. PHOTO: Eren Li/Pexels*

Most, however, like Ignatius himself, overwhelmingly use the sense of sight to encourage readers to immerse themselves in the texts. Sr Mary O’Shannessy FCJ and I, both legally blind Ignatian religious who have found that we have had to adapt this method of prayer in order to make it our own, propose a more inclusive approach.

We hope to make this ancient method of prayer more open to everyone because imaginations, like people, tend to be different. Still, we are particularly keen, because of our own experiences, in particular, to make it accessible to people with a variety of disabilities (especially sensory and cognitive).

The title of the webpage is We Walk By Faith: Accessible Spiritual Contemplation for All. The total length of all the contemplations is around 80,000 words. The work consists of two parts:

Rest Awhile with [Matthew/Mark/Luke]

A relatively short set of contemplations running through the Synoptics, designed especially for those with intellectual and potentially other impairments and/or those with less time at their disposal (approx. 24,000 words); and

Stay Awhile with [Matthew/Mark/Luke]

A longer set of contemplations on the Synoptics, written in a more discursive way (approx. 54,000 words).

How the contemplations work

Both sections progress sequentially through the narrative passages of the three Synoptic Gospels. Each contemplation includes:

An accessible and gentle introduction to the Gospel scene,

Followed by a set of guiding questions that support the person praying — either individually or with the help of a spiritual director.

The aim of this work is to offer an Ignatian prayer experience that welcomes everyone, regardless of ability, sensory experience, or learning style.

Who the authors are

Sr Mary O’Shannessy FCJ is a member of an Ignatian Congregation of sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus. She is a qualified teacher, pastoral care coordinator and spiritual director, with a Bachelor of Philosophy of Education (vision impairment) from the Birmingham University, England. After many years of teaching children with multiple disabilities, she moved to visiting adults with special needs, especially sight problems. Now retired, she volunteers with Vision Australia to support older people suffering sight loss.

Fr Justin Glyn SJ is General Counsel of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Australia (both a civil and canon lawyer), a tutor of law and Russian at Newman College and has written on disability in the Church as well as assisting in the promotion of disability theology within the Catholic Church (especially as Consultor to the Congregation for Laity Family and Life). He lectures Canon Law at University of Divinity and is a fellow of the Loyola Institute within Australian Catholic University (of which he is an Honorary Fellow).

This is an edited version of an article published on the website of the Australian Jesuits.