It is Mary Magdalene's day on July 22nd. She is a very significant figure from the days of Jesus' life on earth, and has been the subject of many rumours over two millennia. Take a look at our All Saints Blog entry, researched and written by Marilyn.

The link in the post didn't work for me. (the one on the main page worked fine).
Thank you Marilyn.

Thanks IMR - it should be OK now.

I'll read the link with interest.

It's the turn of Ignatius Loyola this week. He was the founder of the Jesuits, and is probably best known for his prayer:

Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest;
To give, and not to count the cost,
to fight, and not to heed the wounds,
to toil, and not to seek for rest,
to labor, and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will.

Amen.

Marilyn has written a very interesting piece about the man, and Ignatian spirituality.

Thanks for the prayer Caroline. It expresses so much of his romantic chivalric military ethic.

Following is one of my favourite prayers, which is attributed to him. There are various versions. This one is by David Fleming SJ, who did a contemporary language version of the spiritual exercises.

Here's a link in case the following contravenes copyright Soul of Christ

Soul of Christ/Anima Christi

Jesus, may all that is you flow into me.
May your body and blood be my food and drink.
May your passion and death be my strength and life.
Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given.
May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross.
Let me not run from the love which you offer.
But hold me safe from the forces of evil.
On each of my dyings shed your light and your love.
Keep calling to me until that day comes.
When, with your saints, I may praise you forever. Amen.

David L Fleming SJ (from Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits)

It's interesting to see the same passionate urge to serve God in the two prayers.

There is a link in the middle of the blog entry to a Walking Meditation that Marilyn has shared with us. It really is worth following, and you could do it whether you were in the countryside, the town, your garden or even if you were confined to a chair!

You may well have noticed from the front page of this forum that we have a new Saint blog up - St Clare of Assisi.

Thanks again to Marilyn for making them come alive to us.

St Aidan is the latest of our saints (thanks Marilyn ).

I can really identify with the idea of 'thin' places, and his spirituality seems to me to be very approachable.