Ignatian Spirituality Course

Directors

Sr Kathleen Lyons rc [klyons @ artsd.org.uk]

Kathleen Lyons is a Cenacle Sister, who has been giving retreats and spiritual direction for many years. She was one of the early teachers of the Ignatian Spirituality Course, present at its inception, and is now one of its directors. Kathleen is also a Psychosynthesis Psychotherapist and is on the staff of the Psychosynthesis and Education Trust.

Revd Andrew Walker

Andrew Walker was ordained in 1985 and has worked in parish ministry for some 13 years. He is also a psychosynthesis counsellor and supervisor and his book Journey into Joy is published by SPCK.

First Year

Antonia Lynn: Year Leader [alynn @ artsd.org.uk]

Antonia joined the staff of ISC in 2001 after completing the course and has worked on both 1st and 2nd Years. Her own journey has taken her from Anglican ordained ministry (in parishes and school and hospital Chaplaincy) to life as a Roman Catholic lay person most of whose time is spent giving spiritual direction, 19th Annotation retreats, workshops, etc. and offering supervision as well as teaching on ISC and occasionally elsewhere. Antonia lives in Surrey with her husband and dog; enjoys food and drink (preparing and consuming!), walking, reading and listening to music, and being inspired and energised by looking at beautiful things - in nature, especially where there are sea, sky and birds, as well as in museums, art galleries and more unexpected places. She is interested in exploring the creative, imaginative and non-verbal in her ministry, and is excited by connections between Ignatian, Orthodox and Celtic spirituality.

Revd Bruce Batsone

I live in Camden Town; so using the local lingo – working on the first year ‘rocks’! I finished the third year of the Course three years ago. I think the Course, and especially making the Exercises, has been perhaps the single most formative part of my faith history. I am so very enthusiastic about all Ignatius has taught me and thus feel thrilled to have the opportunity to share some of the delights I have been privileged to receive. I’m pleased to be immersed again in the First Year because I can spend some time with the friends in the faith I have gathered along the way: St Francis and St Benedict, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. For me the joy of the First Year is its breadth. The wisdom of these great names of the Tradition, and of course that of Ignatius, is as relevant today as ever it was. In addition to the Course I offer ongoing Spiritual Direction and the Exercises, Quiet Days and Individually Guided Retreats. Also I am a West End Theatre chaplain, hospital chaplain, and one of the Anglican parish priests in Camden Town. I am a Companion of Julian of Norwich, a fresh expression of religious life inspired by Julian’s life and writing. When I’m not doing all this I enjoy reading, swimming, cycling, drinking wine and eating with my friends, and walking my dog Tilly.

Jo Eaton

Jo is a spiritual director having trained initially at Worth Abbey and then on the Ignatian Course at the London Centre for Spirituality where she has appreciated the opportunities she has had to assist and contribute to teaching. She recently retired from her work in hospice leading the Psychosocial and Spiritual team, counselling families and individuals, and supervising and contributing to the training of students. This has allowed her to focus now on offering spiritual direction both in Sussex where she lives, and in London. She is also involved in contributing to various retreats and quiet days and appreciates journeying with others as facilitator of the Personal and Spiritual Growth Course, part of Worth’s Open Cloister programme.

Anne Whitlam: Assistant

I live in West London with my husband, Mike, and the eldest of my five grandchildren, Aston, who is 13. I joined the Ignatian Spirituality Course after I retired from a long career in Education. It was a genuinely life-changing experience for me and since I completed the course in July 2010, I have really enjoyed leading quiet days; accompanying folks through the Exercises; and leading individual and group retreats. I am also the leader for “Prayer in Everyday Life” in my local, Anglican church where I am a Lay Minister. The two roles fit well together. I am really excited about being the assistant on the first year of the course and look forward to finding out and sharing more about St Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises!

Second Year

Judy O'Brien: Year Leader [jobrien @ artsd.org.uk]

Judy met the exercises in a Week of Accompanied Prayer in 1989. From then her spiritual journey led to participating in the course in 1991. In practicing spiritual direction she encountered psychological blocks in herself and others. Hence the journey into Psychosynthesis leading to an MA in psychosynthesis psychotherapy. She now works as a counsellor in a GP surgery, has a private therapy and spiritual direction practice and has been working on the course since 1999. With family life including 3 grown up children and continuing contact with a teenage foster child this journey is all part of finding God in all things.

Annette Giesler

For biog see below.

Rev. Roger Hagon

Roger completed the ISC in 1993 and has worked for many years as part of the Extended Team at ‘The Centre’ in Edenbridge helping on Weeks of Accompanied Prayer, Quiet Days, Individually Directed Retreats, and is now offering ongoing Spiritual Direction. He is Anglican Vicar of St. Mildred's Church in Addiscombe, a father of four, and enjoys a variety of music. Roger has recently travelled to the Ignatian ‘hot spots’ of Loyola, Pamplona, Manresa, Montserrat and Barcelona and is looking forward to working as a tutor on the Year Two team.

Georgie Heskins: Assistant

I completed ISC this year (2010) and look forward to being assistant on 2nd year. I am a hospital chaplain in Woolwich (South London), teach bible to trainee Readers and offer spiritual direction. I am mother to two adult sons (both at home) – and enjoy any excuse to travel.

Third Year

Julian Maddock: Year Leader [jmaddock @ artsd.org.uk]

Julian has worked on the course since 1995. These days he leads the Third Year team. He works as a spiritual director, facilitator and trainer, as a hospital chaplain in west London, and as a web designer. He is married and has two daughters, Hannah, born in March 2005, and Esther, born in July 2006. You can find out more about him at www.julianmaddock.info.

Kathleen Hopkins

Annette Giesler

My own experience of this course was a joyous opening up of what I understood relationship with God to be and the Exercises themselves an on-going, life-giving guide to a deepening of that relationship – sometimes painful, always loving. It's wonderful to be part of enabling that same experience for others. Having always taught on First Year, this year I have the opportunity to contribute to Second and Third Years, and I am looking forward immensely to re-connecting with them and bringing my own experience to the teaching. Outside the course I accompany people through the Exercises and in ongoing spiritual direction and am on the team of the House of Prayer retreat centre. I recently trained in Psychosynthesis which has much resonance with this course, so now also practice as a therapist, and in addition am a passionate though amateur potter. I am mother to two teenage daughters and our home resounds to the dramas and joys of adolescence – they are my greatest teachers.

Administrator

Elizabeth LeMoine

I am a sculptor and costume maker by training and I provide administrative services to various arts and other small organisations. In 2004 I took up bell ringing, which now occupies a lot of my spare time. I ring regularly at a number of churches in the City and East London, including Stepney where I founded a band of ringers in 2007.

Webmaster

Julian Maddock (www.julianmaddock.info) (see also above)

(Yes, me again.) Once-upon-a-time a computer programmer and systems analyst, Julian now offers web design, training and computer support to individuals and organisations, especiality to those involved in aspects of spirituality and religion.

Design by Julian Maddock