The rule of Praesupponendum
Saint Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises
Praesupponendum means "Presupposition of Charity", whereby a person assumes the best intentions behind another person's statements. It is the principle of kindness and understanding, also called the rule of agreement and dialogue.
The Instruction indicates the attitudes which should be adopted in Ignatian interpersonal communication. These are: listening directed towards the interlocutor, trust, respect for the diversity of others and telling the truth in the atmosphere of love. What is characteristic of Ignatian interpersonal communication is the mutual exchange, acceptance, understanding, careful consideration of what you want to say and above all trust and listening, which allow you to enter the space of the other person.
Saint Ignatius writes:
•"In order that we may help one another and act [in goodness], it should be presupposed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it. Further, if he cannot interpret it favorably, one should ask how the other means it. If that meaning is wrong, one should correct the person with love; and if this is not enough, one should search out every appropriate means through which, by understanding the statement in a good way, it may be saved (SE 22).
•“Beware of condemning any man's action. Consider your neighbor's intention, which is often honest and innocent, even though his act seems bad in outward appearance.”
•"Be slow to speak, and only after having first listened quietly, so that you may understand the meaning, leanings, and wishes of those who do speak. Thus you will better know when to speak and when to be silent.”
This is what Saint Ignatius says about the behaviour of man in relation to others. For man, this 'rule' must be one of the fundamental ones in our way of speaking, discussing, dialoguing.
St. Ignatius advised his brothers to ‘govern using “all the love and modesty and charity possible.”
We must never forget that there are always two (or more persons) in a relation, and they have the same dignity and the same right to say what they think and to be understood. It is precisely here where the Ignatian rule ought to be applied. The great danger lies in the fact that each person remembers only about their own dignity and rights. They perceive the other person only through their own prism of thinking. Where tension or discord arise, we ought to strive to discern what the other person is actually arguing.
We are obliged to try to understand the motives that lead our brethren to their conclusions. We are to be characterised by an attitude of defending, protecting, caring for, helping the other. The purpose of the encounters between people is to help each other to come closer to God, so we should approach everyone with compassion and mercy.
Moreover, Ignatius foresaw the possibility in which the utterance of the other cannot be saved. In such a case, he invites us to ask how the person understands the topic in question. "If he understands it wrongly", "let us correct him with charity"- This instruction does not require us to naively and blindly accept error or animosity, but tells us that our first step ought to be one of compassion and understanding.
•“It is a great help to progress to possess a friend who is privileged to point to you your failings.”
We should also take into account the possibility of a mistake, a misunderstanding on the part of the other person, and also on our part - we need patience to listen with our full attention. How many times do we happen to misunderstand the other person?
•“The evil man is ready to suspect others, like a man attacked by giddiness who thinks that all things are whirling round him.”
Why should we apply the rule of Praesupponendum in our lives? To help each other on the way to Heaven - to speak well, to understand well, to communicate one's thoughts skilfully without imposing one's own will on the other, to correct charitably.
#stignatius #charity #speech
Saint Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises
Praesupponendum means "Presupposition of Charity", whereby a person assumes the best intentions behind another person's statements. It is the principle of kindness and understanding, also called the rule of agreement and dialogue.
The Instruction indicates the attitudes which should be adopted in Ignatian interpersonal communication. These are: listening directed towards the interlocutor, trust, respect for the diversity of others and telling the truth in the atmosphere of love. What is characteristic of Ignatian interpersonal communication is the mutual exchange, acceptance, understanding, careful consideration of what you want to say and above all trust and listening, which allow you to enter the space of the other person.
Saint Ignatius writes:
•"In order that we may help one another and act [in goodness], it should be presupposed that every good Christian ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it. Further, if he cannot interpret it favorably, one should ask how the other means it. If that meaning is wrong, one should correct the person with love; and if this is not enough, one should search out every appropriate means through which, by understanding the statement in a good way, it may be saved (SE 22).
•“Beware of condemning any man's action. Consider your neighbor's intention, which is often honest and innocent, even though his act seems bad in outward appearance.”
•"Be slow to speak, and only after having first listened quietly, so that you may understand the meaning, leanings, and wishes of those who do speak. Thus you will better know when to speak and when to be silent.”
This is what Saint Ignatius says about the behaviour of man in relation to others. For man, this 'rule' must be one of the fundamental ones in our way of speaking, discussing, dialoguing.
St. Ignatius advised his brothers to ‘govern using “all the love and modesty and charity possible.”
We must never forget that there are always two (or more persons) in a relation, and they have the same dignity and the same right to say what they think and to be understood. It is precisely here where the Ignatian rule ought to be applied. The great danger lies in the fact that each person remembers only about their own dignity and rights. They perceive the other person only through their own prism of thinking. Where tension or discord arise, we ought to strive to discern what the other person is actually arguing.
We are obliged to try to understand the motives that lead our brethren to their conclusions. We are to be characterised by an attitude of defending, protecting, caring for, helping the other. The purpose of the encounters between people is to help each other to come closer to God, so we should approach everyone with compassion and mercy.
Moreover, Ignatius foresaw the possibility in which the utterance of the other cannot be saved. In such a case, he invites us to ask how the person understands the topic in question. "If he understands it wrongly", "let us correct him with charity"- This instruction does not require us to naively and blindly accept error or animosity, but tells us that our first step ought to be one of compassion and understanding.
•“It is a great help to progress to possess a friend who is privileged to point to you your failings.”
We should also take into account the possibility of a mistake, a misunderstanding on the part of the other person, and also on our part - we need patience to listen with our full attention. How many times do we happen to misunderstand the other person?
•“The evil man is ready to suspect others, like a man attacked by giddiness who thinks that all things are whirling round him.”
Why should we apply the rule of Praesupponendum in our lives? To help each other on the way to Heaven - to speak well, to understand well, to communicate one's thoughts skilfully without imposing one's own will on the other, to correct charitably.
#stignatius #charity #speech