4Real Forums: How to do an Ignatian Retreat?

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Topic: How to do an Ignatian Retreat?

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tovlo4801
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Posted: Aug 21 2005 at 2:43pm \| IP Logged

I'm feeling a pull to do some sort of an Ignatian Retreat. I'm just not sure what the most effective way to do it is.

I was digging around the internet and found An Online Retreat. It looks like it would be really good and I do like to be on the internet

. I could start it mid-September and go along with the liturgical calander. Has anyone done this?

Does anyone have experience with an Ignatian Retreat? How did you go about it? Any suggestions for me?

TIA

Willa
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Posted: Aug 22 2005 at 8:05pm \| IP Logged

Richelle,

I've been trying to do one for years. Last year I got up to Week 10 on the online retreat you linked to and it was good as far as I could tell. I got distracted when the school year started and let it drop

This year I'm going to have my younger sons read My Path to Heaven which is an Ignatian retreat geared to intermediate kids and is quite good.

I also have Do It at Home Retreat but have found that one a bit hard going, almost harder going than Ignatius'
Spiritual Exercises themselves.

I just found this Spiritual Exercises in Pictures while looking up the other links and it looks very interesting -- woodcuts from the 17th century ---though beware of linking to other resources on Jesuit sites because sometimes they are not altogether trustworthy as far as orthodoxy goes.

I try to have some kind of personal home retreat at the start of every school year though it's not always Ignatian. The book Elizabeth recommended "I Believe in Love" is a great Theresian retreat, and there are others. I need to go check on the toddler though so I'm out of time!

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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
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tovlo4801
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Posted: Aug 23 2005 at 11:23am \| IP Logged

Willa,

Thanks for all the info! I'm glad that the online retreat seemed OK. I think I probably will try that. It's good to know ahead of time that it might get overwhelming so I don't beat myself up about it if I struggle a bit.

I've read a couple of places that it's wise to seek out a spiritual director as you go through something like this. Do you think that's an important piece? I've talked with a local parish priest in the past who offered his assistance in the future if I ever needed it. Honestly I'd probably prefer to just go through it on my own, but I know he'd be open to working with me if it was an important part of the process. What do you think?

Thanks too for the suggestion of My Path to Heaven. I've seen that book several times and considered it, but never acted on it. I guess I didn't realize it was based on the Spiritual Exercises. It might be a nice complement to have my older son go through that at the same time. Would that be something that a priest's input would be wise to have also?

I was kind of confused by the Spiritual Exercises in Pictures. How does that work? Or will it make more sense once I've started working through the online retreat?

I've been thinking about a once a year retreat to re-focus spiritually. I think just before starting the new school year is a great idea! I'll have to pursue that next year.

Thanks again for all the help.

Willa
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Posted: Aug 23 2005 at 11:49am \| IP Logged

Richelle,

The Spiritual Exercises in Pictures is just to help with the "composition of place" -- it's in the Spiritual Exercises and also, I think the illustrations in My Path to Heaven are meant to serve the same purpose. Just to get your visual powers to cooperate with your mind spirit etc when meditating. Anyway, that was just a little extra I thought was cool when I was looking for the other things

Not necessary at all ! The online retreat has its own set of more contemporary "compositions of place" anyway.

I'd LOVE to have a spiritual director and it is said to be extremely helpful when going through a retreat. My opinion is go for it (if you trust the priest and all of course!)

God bless your efforst and I'd love you to update on how it works out..

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Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
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tovlo4801
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Posted: Aug 23 2005 at 12:23pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for the clarifications. I've bookmarked the pictures, so as we get into it we'll probably visit there. I think I will talk to this priest and see if he'd be available to work with us on this.

I will definitely try and remember to update on how it's going. Thanks again!

JennGM
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Posted: Aug 23 2005 at 12:34pm \| IP Logged

There are two books by Father John Hardon, SJ that are helpful for the Spiritual Exercises: All My Liberty: Theology of the Spiritual Exercises and Retreat With the Lord: A Popular Guide to the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola.

Another title is The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: Based on Studies in the Language of the Autograph by Puhl.

You can find all these books at Eternal Life which has the works of Father Hardon.

Years ago when I was discerning my vocation, I made a 30 Day Ignatian Retreat under the direction of Father Hardon. But I got his spiritual direction over the phone (I was in VA, he was in MI) and I was still working and living my daily life. I just followed the prayer pattern and quiet times and put them in my daily schedule. There was one more book that I used to follow for my retreat, but I've got my books packed up and can't remember the title.

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