Prologue

"...The Summa Theologiae will save us

as well as the Spiritual Exercises".

Archbishop Adolfo S. Tortolo of Parana.

It is a pleasure and a great joy to be able to prologue this book "Follow me", thinking it will help the retreatants during the Spiritual Exercises and after them. For which it is also considered a "devotionary".

The order of the book, as can be seen in the general index, indicates the twofold aspect, on one hand, the Exercises with its four parts (or weeks) and, on the other, the Daily Prayers, the Counsels for a Christian Life (after the Exercises), and two Appendices which are of great utility. We congratulate its author!

Strictly speaking, the two great protagonists of the Exercises are Jesus Christ, true God and true man, and each singular 'exercitant'. The end to be achieved is "the conquest of self and the regulation of one's life" (SE 21).   The book of the "Spiritual Exercises" of St. Ignatius of Loyola (properly a notebook), the preacher of the Exercises, as this book or others similar to it, are merely means or instruments which can helps us reach the end. That is its great utility.

In these times of exulted slavery in consumption, permissiveness and hedonism, the Spiritual Exercises, well made, are an invaluable instrument so as to prevent men and nations from falling in the different 'addictions' which they are snared with.

The men and women, who want to be authentically free, must make the effort to live with the will of the third class of men and the third kind of humility. Which implies a great demand, but taken from the demand of the Gospels which makes it extremely wise!

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, wise Teacher of the Spiritual Exercises, obtain for us the needed graces.

 

Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela, VE.

Segni, 1st of July, 2004

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- Index

 

- Introduction

 

- 1st Week

 

- 2nd Week

 

- 3rd Week

 

- 4th Week

 

- Counsels for Christian Life

 

- Rules, notes, etc.

 

- Bibliography

 

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