Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius (founder of the Society of Jesus, commonly known as Jesuits) are perhaps the most widely known and used exercises in conducting private directed retreats. The spiritual exercises engage one’s whole person – body, mind, and soul in reaching inward and outward in response to the movement of God in one’s life. St. Ignatius is famous for bringing his background of discipline, intellectual clarity, and determination to the spiritual life. The exercises provide a basic step by step approach to responding to God’s outreach to us in the life and teachings of Jesus through reflection and meditation, engaging our faculties of intellect, emotion, and will. The adaptability of the exercises allow for a variety of approaches in structuring retreats suited to different individuals.
Introduction to Ignatian Retreats
This 2 – 4 day directed retreat is for those wishing an introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. An introductory overview is provided of the basic approach to the Spiritual Exercises. The retreatant will then engage one or two of the exercises daily through prayer, meditation, and scripture reading. Keeping a daily journal is an important aspect of this retreat. The retreat includes 30 minutes of spiritual direction each day for each participant. Typically involving 3 - 4 participants, this retreat is offered by Rev. Jim David.
Five or Eight Day Ignatian Retreats
These more typical Ignatian Retreats are for individuals who have experience with directed retreats and wish to engage the Ignatian Exercises. Included in this retreat is a thirty minute daily session with a spiritual director. The cost of this retreat inclusive of room and meeting with a director is $165 per day.