Details of the Retreats will be posted when they are scheduled. To receive updates, please Register
Jesus often encouraged his disciples to get away from their busy lives to pray and connect with God and their inner selves. In the Bible, in the Gospel of St. Mark Ch.6 vs.31, Jesus says: ...“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”... Retreats are the perfect way to do just that. At Bom Jesus, we conduct the Ignation Retreats.
The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola are a series of meditations, prayers, and contemplations designed in order to help people deepen their relationships and commitments with God. For many years, the Exercises were very commonly given as the Long Retreat which included a person spending 30 days in solitude and silence. In recent years, efforts have been made to provide the richness of the Spiritual Exercises as a program for laypeople who are not able to give up 30 days at a stretch due to their busy schedule.
An Ignatian Retreat in Daily Life is basically a version of the Spiritual Exercises designed for people who cannot be away for 30 days to participate in the Spiritual Exercises as originally envisaged by St Ignatius. Most of the time, the “19th annotation retreat” is done by people who work full-time but who want to experience the richness of the Spiritual Exercises. So the Exercises are extended over several months, and the participants of the retreat get ample opportunities for weekly prayer practices, readings, and meditations.
Often, the 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises is done in small groups. The group will meet regularly to receive new material and spiritual insights from the retreat director. They then discuss how the Exercises are going for them, and participate in some prayer practices together. Each person in the group is encouraged to have a conversation with a spiritual director weekly for the duration of the retreat. However during the Pandemic, because of the uncertainties of the Lockdown, we have decided to bring the Retreats to the comfort of your homes so that you can participate in the retreats at the time when you are free and relaxed.
The 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises is quite popular in parishes because it applies all the material from Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises but is experienced over time, for busy people. It also provides small-group support as well as motivation and community support while going through this lengthy retreat.
Especially if one belongs to a large church community in which one can struggle to feel connected to others, the 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises can offer a wonderful opportunity to be involved more directly and intentionally with others. This can provide an opportunity to learn together, pray and grow spiritually.
If you wish to join a Retreat, please contact us when one is scheduled. If you Register, we will send you updates.