New Lessons from the Culture of Life Studies Program Teach Care for the Whole Person

Susan Ciancio introduces two at-home lessons to help middle- and high-school students understand the Ignatian concept of cura personalis.

Who was Saint Ignatius of Loyola?

On July 31, we celebrated the feast of a man whose life drastically changed after he was struck by a cannonball. 

Saint Ignatius of Loyola was born in Spain in 1491. He dreamed of being a knight, serving the king, and fighting in battles. And for a while, he did just that as an officer in the military. But during the Battle of Pamplona, a cannonball ricocheted off the wall of the citadel that he and his fellow military men had taken refuge in, and it shattered his right leg and badly injured his left. 

As he lay in bed recuperating, Ignatius asked for books about knights and stories of gallantry, but there were none available. Instead, he was given books about the life of Christ and about the saints. He began to read voraciously, and he realized that the dreams he had had about the life he thought he wanted left him unfulfilled. Yet the dreams he had about following Christ left him filled with joy. 

Ignatius became a changed man, no longer wanting to serve an earthly king but a heavenly one. He decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to walk where Jesus walked. On his way, he gave his expensive clothes to a poor man, and he stopped at a town called Manresa, where he planned to stay just a few days. He ended up staying 10 months in prayer and discernment. 

He did eventually get to the Holy Land, but he remained only a short time. He returned to Spain and learned enough Latin to then enroll at the University of Paris. There he met Francis Xavier and Peter Faber, who shared a similar passion for spreading the Gospel. Together, these three would form the order known as the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. 

What can our tweens and teens learn about this saint?

Now, your middle-schoolers and high-schoolers can learn not just about Saint Ignatius, but about the Ignatian concept of cura personalis — care for the whole person (heart, soul, mind, and body) with two new lessons from the Culture of Life Studies Program. 

The Culture of Life Studies Program creates standalone downloadable lessons for kids in pre-k through 12th grade. In just 45-50 minutes each, these lessons can be taught in schools, in homes, in youth groups, or in CCE programs.  

We take to heart Saint Ignatius’ charge to “go forth and set the world aflame,” and we strive to teach kids to do this as well. Yet we know that they cannot set the world aflame without a knowledge of our faith and a deep love of God. That’s why we work so hard to give families and teachers quality Catholic pro-life education. 

As we approach the beginning of the school year, we are excited to share these two new lessons that highlight care for the whole person. 

Saint Ignatius: Cura Personalis is a two-day lesson for high schoolers. The first class challenges students to care for themselves by caring for their whole person (heart, soul, mind, and body). The second class teaches students the importance of cura personalis toward others and debunks the lie of the “you do you” mentality.  

Saint Ignatius: Loving and Caring for the Whole Person is our new middle-school lesson that teaches about the life of Saint Ignatius and explores how to apply the concept of cura personalis to our own lives.  

Both lessons are vital for students in today’s culture. As parents and educators, it is our responsibility to teach the young people in our lives how to not only care for themselves but to care for others. This is cura personalis in action, and it’s a crucial part of building a culture of life. 

Teaching our children to lead others to Christ

Ignatius once said, “I shall not only be called a Christian, but also prove to be one.” What he meant was living as a Christian so that others could see and emulate his behaviors. In doing so, he leads others to Christ. 

This is also our charge. All of our actions should glorify God, and all we do should lead others to Him. So let us heed his words and not only “go forth and set the world aflame” but teach young people to do so as well.  

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Copyright 2024 Susan Ciancio
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