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With Holy Family Catholic School in Orange, CA
Celebrating Catholic Education & Formation | August 2026
Bringing Ignatian Wisdom to Local Schools
As Catholic schools prepare to welcome a new school year, Loyola Institute for Spirituality (LIS) is grateful for the opportunity to accompany the educators who form the next generation.
In early August, LIS Executive Director Lori Stanley led retreats for the faculty and staff of Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Westminster and Holy Family Catholic School in Orange. Drawing on 25 years in faith formation and over 10 years as a Catholic school teacher, Lori invited participants to reflect on their belovedness as children of God, discover how they might live out the magis in their school communities, and consider what it means to serve from a place of deeper awareness of God’s presence.
Participants shared that beginning the school year rooted in Ignatian spirituality will help them more intentionally form their students while also deepening their own disposition to serve their school communities. Accompanying educators so they can grow in their own faith and, in turn, inspire and form the young people entrusted to their care is at the heart of what LIS does.
If you’re interested in bringing an Ignatian retreat to your school, parish, or organization, reach out to Keira Ferrell at ferrell@loyolainstitute.org for more information.
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St. Ignatius Chapel at Ignatius House
A Trip to Atlanta | August 2026
Providing Spiritual Companionship for Spanish-Speakers
Elena Cardeña-Lopez, Program Manager, recently traveled to Ignatius House, a Jesuit Retreat Center in Sandy Springs, GA, to serve as a spiritual companion for Spanish-speaking retreatants. She accompanied five retreatants, meeting with each person for an hour each day to reflect on where God was leading them in prayer.
With a shortage of bilingual and bicultural spiritual companions, Elena is called upon to work with the Spanish-speaking community. Elena’s experience highlights one of LIS’s core goals: making Ignatian spirituality more accessible to Spanish-speakers and providing formation opportunities that enable them to become spiritual leaders and companions for others. The greatest grace she received from this retreat was the blessing of listening to others' sacred stories.
Learn more about the Ignatian Spiritual Formation Program (ISFP) and it's Spanish counterpart, Programa de Formación Espiritual Ignaciana (PFEI), which provide formation in Ignatian spirituality and prepare participants to become a spiritual companion and learn the tenets of Ignatian leadership. For questions, contact Elena Cardeña-Lopez at cardena@loyolainstitute.org.