“Why Do You Trouble This Woman?: Women and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola” is available as of Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022.
By Dr. Anne Arabome, SSS, associate director of the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality
From Rev. James Martin, S.J., author of “The Jesuit Guide to(Almost) Everything:”
“‘Women have played an integral and pivotal role in the life and spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola.’ With this simple but bold sentence, Sister Anne Arabome, a scholar and experienced practitioner of Ignatian spirituality, opens the riches of the Spiritual Exercises to women—and to men who love and care about women. One of the most remarkable parts of this beautiful book is the imaginative recreation of the lives of women who were important to St. Ignatius: women who nurtured him, taught him, befriended him, supported him, shared their spiritual lives with him, and prayed for him. A worthy successor to an earlier work, “The Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed,” Sister Arabome’s book is now a must-read for anyone—man or woman—interested in Ignatian spirituality.”
Learn more or purchase this book on Paulist Press
Sister Arabome answered some questions about her new book, including where the idea for the book came from, what the writing process meant to her and what she hopes the book can accomplish.
What was your favorite part of the writing/editing process?
Writing was deeply spiritual and life-giving for me. It wasn’t just a detached exercise of composition but a fruitful process of reflection, meditation and contemplation of every phrase, sentence, paragraph and page. I enjoyed the fact that writing this book was a form of spiritual exercise for me and a reflection of my own spiritual journey.
How would you describe the book in one sentence?
This book invites women of diverse cultural backgrounds to enter into the exhilarating adventure of the Spiritual Exercises in ways that are spiritually transformative, personally fulfilling, deeply imaginative and creatively liberating.
Is this your first book? What is your publishing history?
This is my first published book, but I have published several articles and chapters in journals and books.
Where did the idea for this book come from?
My whole life and ministry has centered on the empowerment and accompaniment of women. When I came to the Faber Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Marquette, I found an amazing group of women faculty and staff seeking a deeper and richer experience of Ignatian spirituality. The privilege of accompanying these women was a vital impetus for writing this book.
What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
Well, to support and accompany women in their quest for the God of their lives, so that they can see their lives as a privileged space of encounter with God who desires nothing less than an intimate and life-giving friendship with them.
How does this book advance or complement your research and/or teaching?
This book reflects my mission and ministry as the associate director of the Faber Center. It will be a useful pedagogical text and a handy spiritual tool to enrich, complement and support the ministry of accompaniment of women who come to Faber Center.
If you have recently published a book, or if you have one coming out, we would like to feature your publication in an upcoming Marquette Bookshelf feature. More information on the submission process is available online.
Book Details
- Publisher: Paulist Press (Dec. 6, 2022)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 160 pages
- ISBN-10: 0809156164
- ISBN-13: 978-0809156160