Imagine: A Lenten Journey with the Leonard Ladies

You’re invited!

The Leonard Ladies invite all women of Saint Leonard and Saint Frances of Rome parishes to journey with us through a new series called Imagine.  Guided by the 2020 podcast Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer from America, we will learn how to pray with the Gospels using the technique of Ignatian contemplation.  Along the way, we will share faith and fellowship with one another as we prepare for and journey through Lent, and then celebrate Easter together.

Read on to learn about this exciting opportunity from the Leonard Ladies!

What is Ignatian contemplation?

Ignatian contemplation is a prayer technique developed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.  Saint Ignatius teaches us to pray with Scripture by using our imaginations to place ourselves within scenes from the Gospels.   The goal of Ignatian contemplation is to help us engage with Scripture in a personal way, and through Scripture to grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

How will the Leonard Ladies Imagine series work?

We will meet on Wednesdays at 7:15 pm via Zoom from January 27 through April 14, and each session will be based on one episode of the Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer podcast.  Check our parish newsletter the Thursday before for a link to the podcast episode as well as the Zoom invite for the upcoming Wednesday’s meeting.  We will also provide some reflection questions each week that you can ponder and pray with.  Set aside a half hour of quiet time during the week when you can listen to and pray with the podcast episode.

Each Wednesday’s Zoom meeting will be facilitated by a member of the Leonard Ladies.  We will begin with prayer and a reading of the Gospel passage corresponding to that week’s podcast episode.  Then we will use those reflection questions to discuss our experiences with Ignatian contemplation and how the Scripture passage connects to our lives and faith.  Our focus will be more on faith sharing than on biblical exegesis, but we will have resources on hand if you have questions about the Scripture passage.  We will conclude each session with prayer and share encouragement for the upcoming week.

A little note: We know that Zoom is not everyone’s favorite format for meeting, and we look forward to the day when it will be safe for us to meet again in-person.  Until then, we thank you all for your patience and flexibility!

Learn more about Imagine!

Who can participate in Imagine?

We invite all women of Saint Leonard and Saint Frances of Rome parishes to journey with us!  You are also welcome to invite female friends and family members to join in.

What if I can’t make it to each session?

That’s ok!  Although we hope that as many women as possible will be able to join us for the entire journey, each session can be meaningful as a stand-alone experience.  Just join in whenever you are able!  You’ll always be able to see what’s coming up next (and access past resources) in our parish newsletter.

Do I need to buy a book or pay a program fee?

No!  All of the episodes of Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer are available for free on the America website as well as on major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

I have never listened to a podcast before.  How do they work?

Don’t worry, we will be happy to help you become comfortable using this resource.  The easiest way to access Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer is through the America website, and you can click on a link in each week’s parish newsletter to take you directly to the upcoming episode.  For those interested in receiving automatic downloads of the podcast episodes on their phone or other devices, we will also provide instructions for how to subscribe to Imagine: A Guide to Jesuit Prayer through major platforms.  During our first meeting on January 27, we will spend time helping everyone become comfortable with the technology.

Series Schedule

All sessions will take place at 7:15 pm on Wednesdays via Zoom

January 27: Series Preview & Introduction to Ignatian Prayer

February 3: Episode 1 – The Baptism of Jesus

February 10: Episode 2 – The Call of the Disciples

February 17: Episode 3 – Feeding the Multitude

February 24: Episode 4 – Walking on Water

March 3: Episode 5 – Jesus Raises Lazarus

March 10: Episode 6 – Jesus Enters Jerusalem

March 17: Episode 7 – The Last Supper

March 24: Episode 8 – The Way of the Cross

March 31: Episode 9 – The Tomb of Jesus

April 7: Episode 10 – Jesus Appears to Mary of Magdala

April 14: Easter Celebration

Questions?

Check our weekly newsletter or call our parish office at 502-897-2595.  We hope you will join us on this journey!

Would you like to receive the Zoom invitation directly in your inbox?  Fill out the form below to receive the log-in credentials for our weekly virtual sessions.