About This Talk
Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491 -1556) developed diagnostic tools for the spiritual life. The principles of these tools were born from the interior struggles he experienced that resulted in his conversion and dedicating his life to the service of God. He refined them after his conversion during his conflict with the powers of evil in the battle for the mastery of his soul. The resultant “Rules For Discernment” enable anyone to distinguish between the spirits that act on one’s soul. Have you experienced spiritual desolation? Saint Ignatius gives us the reason why we undergo spiritual desolation. He also tells us what to do during spiritual desolation. Have you experienced spiritual consolation? Saint Ignatius tells us what to do during spiritual consolation, and how to make best use of spiritual consolation to prepare for when spiritual desolation returns.
"It is the characteristic of the evil spirit to disturb the soul to prevent it from advancing. It is the characteristic of the good spirit, however, to remove obstacles so that the soul goes forward doing good."
— Saint Ignatius of Loyola
The Speaker
Father Tucker Redding, S.J.
Chaplain & Director: Rice University Catholic Student Center
Fr. Tucker Redding, SJ, is a Jesuit priest and the Chaplain and Director of the Catholic Student Center at Rice University. He was born in Texas, grew up in the Hill Country, and attended Texas A&M University. After college, he worked as a young minister in Houston until he entered the Society of Jesus in 2011. As part of his formation, Fr. Tucker went to the Jesuit Novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, studied philosophy and communication at Saint Louis University, worked at the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas and America Media in New York. Fr. Tucker received his Master of Divinity from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and was ordained to the priesthood in New Orleans in June of 2023. He served as the Assistant Pastor at St. Francis Xavier (College) Church in St. Louis for one year and then began as chaplain at Rice University in 2024. Over his 12 years of formation, Fr. Tucker has been immersed in Ignatian Spirituality, which is based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, who founded the Society of Jesus. At the heart of Ignatian Spirituality is the Discernment of Spirits, which was a major part of Ignatius’ own conversion experience. The Discernment of Spirits helps us to pay attention to the movements in our souls so that we can readily recognize the work of the Holy Spirit and where he is leading us.