Sacred Space marks silver jubilee
To mark the silver jubilee of the online prayer website Sacred Space » Messenger Publications have just published Sacred Space the Companion, a book that reflects on the story of Sacred Space thus far. It is also a resource for a yearly cycle of reflection in the Ignatian tradition. It features an introduction to Ignatian spirituality, an Advent and Lent retreat, and various contemporary prayers by Irish Jesuits, their colleagues, and associates.
It has been twenty-five years since the Jesuits brought prayer to the internet with the launch of sacredspace.ie » on Ash Wednesday of 1999. It was one of the first online prayer websites and an experiment that mixed the instant connectivity of the internet age with the slower pace of daily prayer and reflection in the Christian tradition. Long past the experimental stage, the site has now been translated into 21 languages and sees over 5 million annual visits.
Alan McGuckian SJ (now Bishop of Down and Connor) was one of the founders of the website. In his foreward to the book, he says, “Prayer always draws us into community and the website served to strengthen the bonds of community for many. Even in the apparent seclusion of their own room.”
Sacred Space the Companion celebrates the pioneering work of Bishop Alan and his team, including British Jesuit Peter Scally. It is an invitation for the reader to develop a deeper relationship with prayer. It is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications, priced at €14.95. Click here to find out more or to purchase ».
