While this little book of reflections and prayers follows an Ignatian pathway, it begins with the wonderful words of a famous Dominican theologian, Edward Schillebeeckx: ‘People are the words with which God tells his story. The second part of Springboards is an extension of Part One and has a slightly different focus by offering some reflection pieces that might lead to prayer. The tried and tested user-friendliness of Ignatian spirituality in these pages will assist readers to understand that we have been created because God loves stories. Whether we are tellers or listeners, we are all caretakers of God’s story.
Christopher Gleeson S.J. was born in Melbourne and educated by the Presentation Sisters in Sandringham and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) at Xavier College, whose ranks he joined in 1962. Ordained priest in 1975, he has spent much of his working life as a teacher and administrator in Jesuit schools, nearly twenty-one of which as Head of both Xavier College in Melbourne and St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, in Sydney. During the years 2011-2015 he returned to Melbourne as the Provincial’s Delegate for Education, after which he was assigned to Sydney 2016-2018 as the Ignatian Formation Delegate. From 2019 to 2026 he was Superior of the Jesuit Community at Xavier College and remains a member of the school’s chaplaincy team as Chaplain to the staff. A keen writer, he has written several books for parents and teachers over the years and has been Editor of the Madonna magazine since 2003.
* Those working in schools have found Springboards to be “a true gift for teachers, students, and families alike, nurturing faith, reflection, and a deeper awareness of God’s presence in our daily lives”. (Michelle Almond, English Teacher, St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, Drury, New Zealand, June 2026)
* The Editor of Australian Catholics magazine writes in its ‘Education Hub’ that Springboards “is a very helpful resource for daily prayer and for short prayer services. It is consistently simple, engaging and wise”.
* While the book mainly addresses school teachers and students in the Ignatian tradition, it is also designed as a resource for common prayer in other areas of school life including Board meetings, teachers’ devotionals and so on.
* Springboards illustrates clearly that Ignatian spirituality is very practical and accessible for our daily lives. It is our glue of connection.
* There are 8 series of “Skips” in this Part Two book:
1. Living Life
2. Love
3. The Rhythm of the Ordinary
4. The Ignatian Examen
5. GOD – the mystery amongst us.
6. Forgiveness
Publicity:
* Potential publicity opportunities include targeted outreach to Jesuit, Ignatian and Catholic schools across Australia, as well as Catholic education offices, retreat centres and faith-based leadership networks. Promotion may focus on educators, religious education leaders, school formation staff and governance communities, supported by engagement through Jesuit and Ignatian Spirituality Australia (JISA) and organisations connected to the Ignatian tradition nationwide.
