Ignatian Contemplation: The Laying of the Church’s Cornerstone

This guided Ignatian imaginative prayer has been developed by the Ignatian Spirituality & Jesuit Identity Committee in celebration of the 175th anniversary of Holy Trinity’s Church building. We invite you to prayerfully reflect on the foundations of our parish through the laying of the cornerstone of the church.

How to pray this imaginative contemplation:

• Click on the play button below to start the audio, or if you prefer, slowly read the text below, pausing to engage your imagination in the prayer
• Listen, and follow the prompts
• After the prayer ends ("Close with a favorite prayer"), scroll to the bottom of this page for recommendations to review your prayer.

Introduction

St. Ignatius teaches us that we can use our imaginations to pray – that we may encounter God, especially when we ask. In his Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius often invites us to imagine a Gospel scene and place ourselves in it using all of our senses. He also proposes scenarios that don’t appear in scripture for the retreatant to imagine - moments of holy encounter. We propose something similar today – an experience of imagining ourselves in this church as the cornerstone is laid, and later at its dedication.

After quieting yourself and asking God for a grace (a gift), you'll hear an excerpt from Father Laurence Kelly’s history of the parish records which describes the laying of the cornerstone. As you listen, try to picture the scene in your mind. Then, you'll be guided through the scene prayerfully. There will be moments of silence for you to engage your imagination.

Try not to be concerned with what you are “supposed” to be doing in this prayer, and let your imagination lead you. If at any point during the guided prayer you feel like you want to stay where you are, turn the audio off and do that. You can always turn it back on when you are ready to move on, or simply continue praying where you feel drawn. If you find yourself distracted, which is very normal, simply gently bring yourself back to the scene.

Quiet your body and mind

As we begin, settle into a position where you can be relaxed but alert.

• I invite you to close or lower your eyes
• Breathe deeply several times and let your body relax
• Breathe out any worries or stressful thoughts and put them in God’s hands
• Become aware of God’s presence here with you now, looking at you with love.

Ask for a grace

Ask God for the grace of a sense of connection and continuity with those who laid the foundation of our church building.

Text - an excerpt from Father Laurence Kelly’s history of the parish

The hour appointed for the laying of the cornerstone was five in the afternoon, but a heavy rainfall set in at half past four. Prayers were offered at once in the college chapel where the Archbishop’s party was waiting, and the clouds cleared away before five o’clock. A procession then started from the College, headed by the students; next followed the German Society of St. Joseph, the Irish Society from Washington, the Jesuit scholastics in surplices and the priests in sacred vestments preceding the Provincial, Father Brocard. Finally came the Archbishop with his attendants. The full ritual was followed and Father James Ryder, President of the College, preached the sermon. In the cornerstone, which was set at the northwestern corner of the church was enclosed a commemorative document in Latin, translated as follows: ‘July 8, 1849, in the 73rd year of the independence of the United States, Pope Pius IX being Supreme Head of the Church and Zachary Taylor, President of the Republic. Since the church of Georgetown, which in the beginning of Catholicity Father Neale of the Society of Jesus had erected to the honor of the Blessed Trinity, on account of the increase in the number of the faithful, and the necessity for the greater dignity in religious services, demanded a more splendid and ampler construction, the means having been contributed by the people in testimony of their piety; Samuel Eccleston, Archbishop of Baltimore, dedicated the site for the Church to be erected and placed the cornerstone of the new structure.’ This ceremony, so novel to the audience, was explained in a pamphlet by Ezechiel Hughes of Georgetown.

Imaginative Contemplation

In 1849, the neighborhood of Georgetown and the University’s campus looked quite different than they do today. There were many fewer buildings, more open fields and trees, and one could see from Trinity down to the river. In your mind's eye, can you imagine what it may have looked like?

With this altered landscape in mind, imagine the summer day of the laying of the cornerstone. It has started to rain quite heavily on Georgetown’s campus. Can you imagine yourself there, perhaps dashing into the College Chapel to avoid the rain?

Feel the power of the storm, see the water as it flows on the ground, the crush of people trying to stay dry. What do you notice? Who do you see?

The Archbishop and his party are there in the College Chapel – and who else?
Someone begins a prayer for the weather to lighten up. How do you participate?

As the rain begins to abate, the procession begins to move toward Holy Trinity’s grounds. Where are you? Are you in the procession, or watching it?

Take a moment to imagine this long line of students, cultural societies, “Jesuit scholastics in surplices and the priests in sacred vestments,” the Provincial and the Archbishop moving toward our parish grounds. How does it feel to be among these leaders whose energies and hopes contributed to the reality of the church being built?

Do you have a sense of how God's Spirit might have been at work in the world in that time and place?

Arriving at the northwestern corner of what will be the church building, see the parishioners and neighbors gathered around. See parishioners of different races, genders, ages. How is God reflected in them for you?

There are salutations and speeches, and the text within the cornerstone is read aloud. Listen as you hear, “on account of the increase in the number of the faithful, and the necessity for the greater dignity in religious services, demanded a more splendid and ampler construction.”

What does this description stir in you?

Notice the people around you in the crowd. How do they respond to this unusual and novel ceremony?

How do you respond?

As you close your prayer, recall that the risen Jesus has promised to be with us always, has been with you in your time of prayer, and is with you now. Talk with him now about your prayer experience. Tell him what stirred inside you – and listen and watch how he responds to you.

Close with a favorite prayer.

Review of Prayer

St. Ignatius recommends that we review our prayer. A written review has many advantages. It enables us to look back on our prayer experience, and to notice what happened. It allows us to be fully present to our experience of prayer. We do not write while we are praying. The review of prayer enables us not to judge ourselves or look for how well we are doing. It helps us to become more sensitive to how God is speaking to us in the here and now. It is also a precious record of our journey with God, which nourishes wholeness and integration.

Some questions to assist with your review (you don't need to answer all of them!):

What happened in your prayer?

What feelings did you experience?

During the prayer period, when did you feel encouraged?

When did you feel discouraged?

Did you receive the grace you asked for?

What did you receive?

Music: "Ever Mindful" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License