Before entering the Society of Jesus in 1986, Rob studied Chemistry at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, receiving a BA and DPhil ('Studies of Some Photochemical Pericyclic Reactions').
After the novitiate, Rob spent two years at the LSE as a research student in philosophy, then worked for two years in Loyola Hall Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Rainhill near Liverpool as a retreat giver and spiritual director.
Rob then went to the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley where he received his MDiv in theology and developed his spiritual direction skills. He stayed in Berkeley until 2001 working on a STL and STD ('All Things Seen and Unseen: Constructing a Cosmology Hospitable to Spirit'), returning to Loyola Hall to work on the spirituality team. While at Loyola, he became ill with ME (or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome); a condition that persists and severely limits his activity to this day.
With the closure of Loyola Hall at Easter 2014, Rob moved to Campion Hall where he does a little spiritual direction and write when he can on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola.
Rob has produced a number of articles for the British Jesuits spirituality periodical The Way. He remains interested in theological cosmology. For many years he has kept a personal web site 'All Things Seen and Unseen' (rmarsh.com).
