Ignatian Retreat
SMALL GROUP ONLINE PROGRAM
“Ignatian Spirituality is rooted in the conviction that God is
active, personal, and present to us.
God is present in all things.”
THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE IGNATIAN RETREAT 2024-25 COHORT IS NOW CLOSED. WE WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025-26 COHORT IN THE SPRING OF 2025.
Non-refundable application fee of $75 is applied toward tuition cost if you apply by July 15, 2024.
God’s footprints are everywhere.
But can you find them? And do you know how to use them to pay attention to where God is acting in your life?
That’s the essence of Ignatian Retreat, a series of meditations on the Gospels created by St. Ignatius of Loyola. The Ignatian Retreat meditations help us clarify and deepen our commitment to Jesus.
What is the Ignatian Retreat?
Program Description
The Ignatian Retreat offered by Christos includes meditating on scripture, daily assignments and a weekly processing with a Spiritual Director and a small group. Spiritual direction is part of the process. One hallmark of Ignatian Retreat is a set of Spiritual Exercises, which have been used for discernment and as a tool for making vocational, spiritual or any decision. In the Christos Ignatian Retreat program, the Spiritual Exercises have been adapted to be used over a 34-week period that generally runs from early October through early May.
What do the Spiritual Exercises offer?
Discovering who I really am
Directing myself toward God
Noticing God’s action in my life
Responding to the movement of my heart
Discovering the nature of my deepest desire
Seeking God’s will
Becoming free of all that distracts me from my deepest desire
Making choices in line with my truest self
Connecting my lived experience with the life, death and resurrection of Christ
Responding to God’s love for me
Finding God in all things
Testimonials
“I engaged in the Ignatian Retreat out of a desire to be increasingly attentive to the invitations of the Spirit, and a hope to encounter God at deeper levels … I was uncertain about doing the Spiritual Exercises in a group setting, but have found the small group experience both stimulating and encouraging.” – P.R.
“God’s spirit moves through this old but powerful practice. I’ve been going through a big transition and the daily readings and weekly group spiritual direction have helped to steady my faith and deepen and strengthen my connection with God, myself and others.” – M.P.S.
The Retreat
The Christos Ignatian Retreat is an eight-month program that begins in late September 2024 via a virtual, online small group format. Students are part of a small group of four students, plus a facilitator who will provide leadership and feedback on each student’s practice of spiritual direction and reflections on the course material.
What you’ll learn: Ignatian Retreat is for people interested in a process that helps with discernment — decision-making for whatever you may be wrestling with and helping you reach out and deepen your relationship with God. The Christos ecumenical Ignatian Retreat uses multiple spiritual disciplines including prayer, reflection and meditating to build a contemplative practice that tunes you into God’s activity in your life. You will learn to develop in your ability to reflect on and verbalize your spiritual experience, bringing together contemplation and action.
For many people, it is an entry into a more intentional focus on their own spiritual formation or helps enrich the spiritual journey they’ve already begun.
Read: Finding God Through Ignatian Spirituality
Who would benefit from participating in Ignatian Retreat? You may be a candidate for Christos’s Ignatian Retreat if you are:
Serious about your spiritual life
Want to grow in your spiritual relationship with Christ
Looking at important decisions to make about your life
A young person who wants to embark on life grounded in a faith tradition
Someone in mid-life wondering about the next step in their lives
Newly retired and seeking what comes next
An older adult looking to understand the path their lives have taken
In transition in your life
In leadership positions
In Christian formation programs as part of a faith, community or volunteer organization
For Applicant Qualifications, Tuition, and Application Information:
Questions?
Contact Ignatian Retreat Coordinator Ellen Zaeske at ellen@christoscenter.org