Student Life 

Born in 1491, Ignatius from Loyola in Spain loved his care-free life in the court of the king. As a young soldier, he was wounded in a battle for his king. While convalescing, Ignatius had a "conversion experience" leading him to seek service of Christ the King.

His "desert experience" was nine months spent in a cave learning how to converse with God and how to determine what God's will was for him.

The happenings and fruits of that experience Ignatius wrote down and called the "Spiritual Exercises."

• a method of speaking to and listening to God daily;
• an honest self-evaluation weekly with a person experienced in leading persons through meditation and contemplation;

  

• a structured period of approximately 12 or 24 weeks to form habits that last a lifetime;

• find God in all things;
• have a deep personal love for Jesus Christ;
• make decisions within a gospel-value context;
• enrich relationships with others;
• be a person who lives to be for others.

"By the term 'Spiritual Exercises' is meant every method of examination of conscience, of meditation, of contemplation, of vocal and mental prayer, and of other spiritual activities...

For just as taking a walk, journeying on foot, and running are bodily exercises, so we call Spiritual Exercises every way of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all inordinate attachments, and, after their removal, of seeking and finding the will of God in the disposition of our life for the salvation of our soul."

------ St. Ignatius

PHASE 1: Period of Warming Up

This phase usually begins in the spring and goes over the summer.

INTERVIEW

With one of the directors to learn of the desires, needs, and availability of the retreatant

GETTING IN SHAPE

• begins with learning some methods of prayer from the director;
• the start of praying on a regular basis;
• meeting regularly with the director in order to
• receive material for prayer chosen to meet the desires and needs of the retreatant;
• keeping a journal

WEEK OF PRAYER

Sometime during this Phase #1, the retreatant experiments for one week with what the actual routine will be in making the Exercises. This entails:

• a half-hour of prayer each day for that week,
• a careful written review of that prayer,
• making daily the examen of consciousness,
• an evaluation of the week with the director.

PHASE 2: Making the Exercises

The retreatant begins a structured period, either of 12 weeks (usually Fall semester), or of 24 weeks (usually Fall and Spring semesters), which entails:

• a commitment of a half-hour daily to formal prayer;
• keeping a journal recording the encounters with God;
• making the examen of consciousness daily;
• meeting weekly for half an hour with other retreatants to receive new material;
• meeting weekly individually with the director for about half an hour.

At the end of the first 12 weeks, the exercitant decides whether it would be profitable to continue for another 12 weeks.

PHASE 3: Staying in Shape

• Occasions will be offered by Campus Ministry for those who have made the Exercises to support one another. Such may include days of recollection, faith-sharing meetings, talks, liturgies, socials, weekends away, and other opportunities proposed by the former retreatants.
• Networking with others will be made available.
• Recommendations for spiritual reading will be offered by Campus Ministry.
• Continuing spiritual direction will be available through Campus Ministry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Helen Stewart
E-mail: hstewart@sju.edu