Embark on the Spiritual Journey of a Lifetime
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Cultivate a Deeper Intimacy with Christ
In his book, The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius in Daily Life, Kevin O'Brien says, "The purpose of the Exercises is very practical: to grow in union with God, who frees us to make good decisions about our lives and to 'help souls.' Ignatius invites us into an intimate encounter with God, revealed in Jesus Christ, so that we can learn to think and act more like Christ." The Ignatian Adventure will be one of the primary resources used and is included in the price of this online course.
Grow in Interior Freedom
"The Spiritual Exercises are first and foremost an experience. In their full form, they are an experience of thirty days of solitude, praying four or five hours a day, and a way to encounter God. The Spiritual Exercises are a process intended to lead someone to the freedom of hearing God's call and following that call in faith. The Spiritual Exercises are a journey of transformation and conversion. They help a person get in touch with the desires of their heart that give voice to God's desires within themselves." (Gerald M. Fagin, SJ in Putting on the Heart of Christ: How the Spiritual Exercises Invite us to a Virtuous Life)
Encounter the Way of the Cross
“If we truly want to know the life God gives us at its gospel best, its deepest, its most flourishing, we need to learn how to die. The seed needs to fall into the ground and die before it can bear fruit. Sharing in the compassion of God means denying ourselves and taking up our cross each day. This is how we follow Jesus into another kind of life, with all its remarkable blessings of joy and peace and freedom.” (Trevor Hudson in Seeking God: Another Kind of Life with St. Ignatius and Dallas Willard)
When you enroll in this course you will receive these three books as well as the following:
A New Liturgy No. 6 The Examen MP3 Download
Ways of Making the Exercises
With A Spiritual Director
For a 32-week journey like this, the more traditional practice is for the retreatant to pray daily on his or her own and then meet one-on-one with a spiritual director every week or so. The spiritual director, who serves as a guide for the journey, is central to the Exercises offered in this format. The director listens to the experience of retreatants and helps them discern the movement of God in their prayer and in daily events. There are Jesuit Retreat Centers located around the country that offer spiritual direction to Ignatian Exercises retreatants. Click here to find a Jesuit retreat center near you. Or click on the link below to find a spiritual director who can help guide you through the Exercises. Some spiritual directors offer spiritual direction via Zoom. It would be helpful if your spiritual director has experience with the Ignatian Exercises or if they are open to exploring with you. Consider using the keyword “Ignatian” as you search the directory. We can help provide resources and support for spiritual directors who are new to the Exercises.
With a Small Group
One adaptation that has proven to be successful is to offer the Exercises to groups of pray-ers. Instead of meeting one-on-one with a director, retreatants meet in a small group facilitated by a director. Even if a person makes the Exercises individually with a director, he or she may enjoy getting together with others who are making the Exercises.
Curriculum
The Ignatian Journey: A Contemporary Approach to the Spiritual Exercises is a 32-week journey through the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. We will be following the themes as they are presented in The Ignatian Adventure: Experiencing the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius in Daily Life by Kevin O’Brien, SJ. Taking into account different learning styles and spiritual pathways, The Ignatian Journey offers additional weekly content. These elements are not required but have been curated specifically to enhance the experience of the Exercises.
