I had wanted to do the Spiritual Exercises for many years and finally in 2018 the ISC Glasgow allowed my husband and I to do the 19th Annotation remotely. This was a pilot by the ISC Glasgow to use Zoom to offer the Spiritual Exercises in this manner.  Little did we all know that in 2020-2023 this would be the only method in which these rich Spiritual Exercises formulated by St Ignatius of Loyola, would be offered.

The experience of the Spiritual Exercises touched me deeply and I felt a profound yearning to share the deep love of God that I had encountered during this time - with my fellow pilgrims. With this desire of sharing Gods love and a discussion in the ISC Glasgow kitchen in 2019, my Ignatian Spiritual journey truly commenced. 

My current favorite inspirational quote from St Ignatius is : "He who carries God in his /(her) heart bears heaven with him/(her) wherever (s)he goes. I love the image that both God and heaven are abiding in our hearts wherever we are. 

I am Scottish and from a Roman Catholic background. My family had many Jesuit associations and I have always felt “at home” in the Ignatian tradition. In my twenties I found new and profound grace in Ignatian Spirituality, through studying at Heythrop, the Jesuit University in London and doing a 30 day retreat. I have worked in full time ministry for the last thirty years  in retreat centres, in a parish, diocese and university. Currently I work with the UK Jesuit Province in Spiritualty and am based at the Ignatian Spiritualty Centre in Glasgow. I am also the Roman Catholic Chaplain at Cornton Vale, the dedicated women`s prison in Scotland.

I studied theology at Heythrop College, Edinburgh University  and Durham University. My doctoral thesis is in ecclesiology. My academic interests are mission and ministry in post-modernity.

My favourite quote from Ignatius is: There are few people who realise what God would make of them if they freely placed themselves in God`s hands and let themselves be touched by grace.

This is for me the invitation of Ignatian Spirituality.

Frances offers spiritual accompaniment, is a companion to retreatants in the Spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola and is a member of the team offering facilitation and the Growth in Prayer and Reflective Living programme. She is also an associate of the ISC in Glasgow.  She comes to the team here in Geneva as a Registered Nurse, with extensive experience in leadership and professional development within the NHS ,as well as the private and Voluntary Sectors in the UK. She holds a Master of Philosophy in Law and Ethics in medicine from the University of Glasgow; her thesis on Quality of Life proved to be of seminal importance in awakening a desire to deepen her own relationship with God.  Recognising that knowing God more clearly, following God more nearly and loving God more dearly is a lifelong journey,  Frances hopes to serve her fellow travellers. Those, like her who are seeking  to discern God’s will, and  in turn, serve God and others.