May 9, 2019 — In the section entitled “Portraits of our Future Jesuit Priests” of the latest edition of Canadian Jesuits, Ted Penton recounts his journey.
In his article entitled “My Journey of Faith and Justice,” Ted describes his spiritual awakening which took place not in Canada but in Thailand. During an initiation session to meditation, a “desire awoke in me to follow a spiritual path, to work for justice in my surroundings; I realized that my spiritual home was the Catholic Church, where I had been raised, but that I had left a few years ago.”
And thus began his journey. Between graduate studies in philosophy, volunteering, a law degree and practising as a lawyer, the idea of a religious vocation took root. But it was only in 2009 that Ted entered the Jesuit novitiate, “attracted by Ignatian spirituality and the Jesuit commitment to live a faith that builds justice.” These are the same values that he has been able to put into practice since then.
To know more about Ted Penton’s journey and the way in which he combines Catholic spirituality and justice work, please see Canadian Jesuits, p. 12.