International Symposium 2026 : From June 14th to June 20th 2026
International Symposium 2026 on Spiritual Exercises and affective - sexual integration
1. Purposes and objectives of the International Symposium
In light of the instances of abuse and disorder that are coming to light in the Church and society in the last years, we wish to address the affective-sexual dimension of the human condition from an integral and integrative perspective, relating it to the healing and spiritually transformative capacity proposed by the Spiritual Exercises.
The symposium is conceived based on the process of the Four Weeks. The mornings are reserved for the lectures. Three each day: the first presents a general approach to the issue; the second explicitly addresses the text of the Exercises from this specific perspective; and the third is testimonial-experiential. The afternoons are focused, first for individual work, then for sharing in small groups, and finally, concluding with a discussion and reflection in a general assembly.
The Symposium is aimed primarily at those who accompany the Exercises, have responsibilities for Ignatian spirituality formation or manage Retreat Centers and Houses of Spirituality. The Symposium is in person by invitation and can also be followed ON LINE.
2. Program
SUNDAY, JUNE 14th. Arrival to the Centre of Spirituality Cave of Saint Ignatius at Manresa.
MONDAY 15TH: PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION
1. The bodily-affective-sexual integration of the human being and its theological and spiritual dimension.
Speaker: Loïc Mben SJ (ITCJ-Abidjan)
2. The Spiritual Exercises, a school of the heart?
Speaker: Sylvie Robert, SA (Paris)
3. 3. Human psychosexuality in the relationship of accompaniment during the Spiritual Exercises.
Speaker: Rufino Meana SJ (Comillas - Madrid)
TUESDAY 16TH: FIRST WEEK
1. Wounds of affectivity and their consequences on the experience of one's own corporeality and sexuality.
Speaker: Regina Cárdenas (Comillas - Madrid)
2. Sexuality, Guilt, and Sin in the First Week.
Speaker: Carlos Dominguez Morano, SJ (Granada)
3. How to accompany the victim?
Speaker: Maite Valls, RJM (Barcelona)
WEDNESDAY 17TH: SECOND WEEK
1. Maturation of affectivity in the Second Week of the Exercises.
Speaker: Francisco Javier de la Torre (Comillas - Madrid)
2. How Jesus reached out to those on the margins in his public ministry.
Speaker: James Martin, SJ (USA). ON - LINE
3. Accompanying the complex processes of sexual orientation and gender identity in the Church.
Speakers: María Luisa Berzosa (Daughter of Jesus) and Alberto Elices (Crismhom - Madrid)
THURSDAY 18TH: THIRD WEEK
1. Anthropological-psychological framework on the characteristics of the victim and the perpetrator. Prevention and recovery.
Speaker: Judith Schonsteiner (CLC-Chile)
2. Elements of the Third Week ES that can help those who have suffered abuse.
Speaker: Patrick Goujon SJ (Facultés Loyola Paris - Campion Hall-Oxford)
3. Support for victims and perpetrators in cases of sexual abuse.
Speaker: Gemma Simmonds, CJ (Former President of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain)
FRIDAY 19TH: FOURTH WEEK
1. Mysticism and sexuality: keys from the feminine historical experience.
Speaker: Marimar Graña CID (Comillas - Madrid)
2. Contemplation to Attain Love: Human fulfilment synonymous with maturity in love: marriage and celibacy.
Speaker: Stefan Kiechle, SJ (Germany)
3. Two testimonies of the path toward emotional and sexual maturity in one's own life choices.
Speakers: María Dolores López Guzman (Spain) and Andrés Hernández Caro, SJ (Colombia).
SATURDAY, JUNE 20 th. Check out the Spirituality Center Cova de Sant Ignasi at Manresa.
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Mornings
- Framework Lecture
- Panel Discusion
Afternoons
- Personal reflection
- Groups / Assembly
- Eucharist
3. Organization and structure
Convened and organized by:
International Center of Ignatian Spirituality -CIEI (Manresa), EIDES (Catalonia) and an Intercontinental Committee.
Executive and organizer commitee
Director of the Symposium: Javier Melloni, SJ
Manager & Community manager of the Symposium: Lluís Pagès (Co-Director CIEI)
On-line Area: Laura Rius (EIDES Coordinator)
Director of the CIEI: José de Pablo, SJ
Academic assessor commitee
Secondo Bongiovanni, SJ (Faculty of theology-Naples)
Javier de la Torre (Univ. Comillas-Madrid)
José García de Castro, SJ (Univ. Comillas-Madrid)
María del Carmen Massé (Univ. Comillas-Madrid)
Diego Molina, SJ (Faculty of theology-Granada)
Laura Rius (EIDES Coordinator-Barcelona)
Intercontinenal coordinator commitee
Gerry Blaszczak SJ (USA); Secondo Bongiovanni SJ (GEI-Napoli); Ramón & Sandra Corona (Casa Kino, USA-México); Carlos Coupeau SJ (GEI-Deusto-Bilbao); Wilfried Dettling SJ (Lassalle-Haus, Switzwerland); Jossie D´Mello SJ (Karnataka, India); Jean Luc Enyegue SJ (Kenya); Eckhard Frick SJ (Germany); José García de Castro SJ (GEI-Comillas); David Guindulain SJ (Manresa, Spain); James Hanvey SJ (Rome); Andrés Hernandez Caro SJ (Colombia); Ruth Holgate (Saint Beuno’s Centre-Wales); Xavier Ilanko SJ (Chennai, India); Sally Law (Hong Kong); Paco Magaña SJ (México); Malulu Lock SJ (Congo); Puleng Matsaneng (South Africa); Joseph Mboia SJ (Kenya); Rachel McLoughlin ibvm (Australia); Diego Molina SJ (GEI-Granada); Carlos Morfín SJ (Puente Grande - México); Ann-Maree O'Beirne RSM (Australia); Xavier L. Olin SJ (Philipines); José de Pablo SJ (Manresa-Spain); Selia Paludo (CEI-Chile); Hung Pham, SJ (USA); Paul Rolphy Pinto SJ (Gregoriana-Roma); Edward J. Quinnan SJ (Asia Pacific); Laura Rius (EIDES, Barcelona); Agustín Rivarola SJ (Argentina); Zaki Sader SJ (Lebanon); Nikolaas Sintobin SJ (Netherlands); Christopher Staab SJ (Berkeley-California); Grant Tungay SJ (South Africa); Pau Vidal SJ (Catalunya).
4. Languages, Communication and Diffusion
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• The Symposium will be conducted in Spanish and English with simultaneous translation of both languages.
• The morning conferences and communications will be transmitted online through the Zoom platform, but without the possibility of intervening. All those who wish to participate ON LINE will be able to register shortly in the banner will appear on the right of this page.
• Group meetings and assemblies will only be in person, but our intention is that, based on the members of the Intercontinental Committee, local symposiums can be organized taking advantage of online recordings, either simultaneously or at a later time.
At the end of the Symposium, all the presentations will be posted openly on the YouTube channel of the Cova de Sant Ignasi.
5. Post-Symposium: Proposal of 8 Days Retreat under the perspective of the affective- sexual integration
After the Symposium, from June 21st to 30th, participants will be offered the Exercises from this perspective (in English, given by Gemma Simmonds, CJ, and in Spanish, by Maite Valls, RJM). Both groups will be accompanied by a team that will provide personalized support every two days. Applicants will be required to submit a motivation letter.
