A small community of Polish Jesuits from Melbourne, Australia, was noticed at the 29th Catholic Publishers' Fair at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The Jesuit community of St. Andrew Bobola in Melbourne dared to exhibit the board game "Ignacy Loyola: Knight and Pilgrim" (English: "Ignatius Loyola: Knight and Pilgrim"), Fr. Mariusz Han SJ and Dr. Tomasz R. Han - in the Multimedia category.
On Thursday, April 11, 2024, during the official opening of the Fair, the Association of Catholic Publishers announced the results of the annual Phoenix Award competition, awarded in 11 different thematic categories. Over 230 publications competed.
The Phoenix Chapter awarded the prestigious award to the board game by Father Mariusz Han SJ and his brother Dr. Tomasz Han, emphasizing that it is: "Inspirational entertainment for the whole family. A successful combination of fun and learning about life. It features a dynamic plot that engages the player completely, while also captivating their attention with high aesthetics and attention to photographic details and visual impressions."
The board game about St. Ignatius of Loyola is the result of several years of hard work by both brothers. It was created in collaboration with many Jesuits from Poland and Australia, as well as laypeople. Its creation was inspired by the desire to participate in the promotion of the "Ignatian Year" celebrated in the world in 2021/2022.
The game consists of two boards, on which you can play a double game, with St. Ignatius Loyola as the hero.
On the first board, players move towards the ultimate goal of life's adventure, heaven. However, the winner is not the one who gets there first, but the one who earns the most points called "AMDG". These are the first letters of the Latin phrase and desire that Ignatius lived by: "Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam", or "For the Greater Glory of God". As players visit subsequent cities, they learn about the life of St. Ignatius, the Knight and Pilgrim, and experience various adventures with him, earning necessary points. They will also face questions testing their level of religious knowledge and proposals for discussions about the contemporary world.
The second board, intended for "connoisseurs of board games", is significantly more challenging. Modeled after the popular Polish game "Miś Wojtek", it leads participants through places where St. Ignatius lived and acted. The winner is the one who collects more complete sets of cards.
The game aims to interest young people in "Ignatian spirituality", which helps to be truly free and happy by being prayerful and contemplative in daily courageous action.
The board game by the Han brothers, awarded the Phoenix Award in Poland, is an obvious pride of the Australian Province, and with undisguised recognition noticed by the Roman Curia of the Society, it arouses widespread interest among many other provinces in different parts of the world. The 29th Gala and closing ceremony of the Catholic Publishers' Fair took place on Saturday, April 14, 2024, at the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army in Warsaw. Dr. Tomasz Han, representing Father Mariusz Han SJ and the community of Polish Jesuits in Melbourne, participated in the ceremony of awarding the Phoenix Awards and honors. The 29th Catholic Publishers' Fair presented over 100 exhibitors and 15,000 publications this year. Over 20,000 people attended, participating in author meetings, film screenings, discussions, and panels
The game is available in Polish and English versions:in Poland: "Ignatius Loyola: Knight and Pilgrim"in Australia: "Ignatius Loyola: Knight and Pilgrim"
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