2008
A native of New York City, Fr Gawronski lived around the world
before settling down as a Jesuit of the Maryland Province. Building on earlier
graduate work in the religious traditions of Asia and of Eastern Christianity,
he completed his doctorate at the Gregorian University in Rome, specializing
in the thought of Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar. His research in
this area was published as Word and Silence: Hans Urs Von Balthasar and the
Spiritual Encounter of East and West (William B. Eerdmans Publishers).
For 13 years Fr Gawronski was on the faculty of Marquette University in Milwaukee,
where he taught courses in Christian discipleship, mystical theology, world
religions, eschatology, and, the thought of von Balthasar. Currently he is
on the faculty of the Saint John Vianney Seminary in Denver, where is also
a spiritual director.
In addition to his work as professor, he has done much work as a retreat director.
His series The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius (DVD: Ignatius
Press) has long been shown on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network), and
led to his book A Closer Walk with Christ: a Personal Ignatian Retreat (Our
Sunday Visitor Press). The following blurb is from OSV’s website:
“What made the early Jesuits such resolute missionaries? Why were they so
unswerving in the face of impossible odds? A good part of the reason was the
training they received from the founder, St. Ignatius Loyola. No one has ever
devised a more effective spiritual discipline for Christians. Now, Father
Gawronski shows us how those Spiritual Exercises can work just as well for
us. At once simplifying and amplifying the techniques of St. Ignatius, Father
Gawronski leads us to pray and meditate, just as we would if we went on a
retreat. Countless thousands of television viewers already know Father Gawronski
from EWTN. Here's your chance to spend a retreat with him as he opens up the
secrets of St. Ignatius for every Christian.”
Fr Gawronski has written many articles on a wide range of subjects, including
the Papacy of John Paul II and the Polish Church. More than a dozen of Fr
Gawronski’s his talks are available at http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/file_index.asp?SeriesId=6142&pgnu=
Fluent in seven languages, a pianist and an avid outdoorsman, Fr Gawronski
was very keen to come to New Zealand.
www.eucharistic-convention.com