A Retreat based on one of four ‘First Spiritual Exercises’ by St Ignatius of Loyola

 For those who want to deepen their spirituality

 St Ignatius who said…as we need to exercise physically, so we need to exercise spiritually.

 Pope Francis is an example of someone whose spirituality and way of living is based on the spiritual exercises

 15 November – 17 Dec 2020

Guided Spiritual Listening and Conversation each week

 A retreat in daily life Lead by trained lay guides from: Christian Life Community (CLC) Australia

This retreat experience was created to help everyday people ask for and receive inner peace. In them, great gifts from God are sought.

The first great gift is the gift of unconditional love.

The inner peace that comes with this is utterly unmistakable for any other experience.

I feel the love of God so overwhelmingly unconditional, so gently intimate, that I am left with a deep-seated peace – a serenity that will survive all sorts of trials, selfishness and loss.

I become aware of the many extraordinary gifts that the Creator has given me through love and I have the inner peace that I need not turn anywhere else for what I need.

Profound gratitude comes with this peace.

What is this retreat experience about?

It will be a set of prayer exercises, structured in a four-week program (over 5 meetings) with a particular dynamic by St Ignatius. It is built around personal prayer at home and guided spiritual listening and conversation in a small group (either face to face or via online zoom meetings).

What is expected of me? 

This program is over four weeks during your daily life. The weekly commitment is to one hour of prayer at home on four days of the week with three days off but, includes the Sunday Eucharist. This will allow the seeds of the past week’s exercises to sleep in you and germinate. Participants pray the Spiritual Exercises individually at home during the week.  The Exercises are simple and easy to follow.

In addition, participants meet weekly in small groups through the period of the retreat with a trained spiritual conversation guide, who leads the process of prayer, listening, sharing and discernment.

Do I need any qualifications to make the Retreat Exercises?

There is nothing in the Exercises, either of content or process that you cannot do.  You do not need any special education or great holiness or perfect health.  In these exercises one always applies the exercise to one’s understanding or faith or well-being – to one’s reality. It’s about a living relationship between you and God.

The only thing needed for you to begin is:

• the desire to exercise,
• the generosity to take the practical steps, and
• the faith to open yourself to God.

Where you are now is where God is waiting for you.

We will use Fr Michael Hansen’s book available on bookdepository.com or Ave Maria Press.

 Online Zoom meetings:

To register your interest, please provide your name, email and phone number and preferred day by 1^st Nov, to Chris Gardner at mjgard@iinet.net.au  or at 0429 995 591 and all necessary login details etc. will be forwarded to you by email.

 Online meeting times and dates are:

Sunday groups: 7 pm to 8:30 pm (AEST) on Nov 15, Nov 22, Nov 29, Dec 6, Dec 13  [ Perth (WST) 4 pm to 5:30 pm]

Monday groups: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm (AEST) on Nov 16, Nov 23 Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 14.  [Perth (WST) 10 am to 11:30 am]

http://www.fsecloud.life provides a background to the First Spiritual Exercises.

Note:

Anyone of good will may receive this retreat based on the First Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatious.

No one is excluded because of culture, race, colour, gender identity and expression, martial status, past life, political belief, imprisonment, refugee status or spiritual tradition.

No one is unable because of age, education, mental or physical handicap, income, chronic illness, lack of religion or spirituality, disability, fragility or limitation.

Everyone is welcome and able.

More details in the brochure here: Retreat experience in daily life -online Brochure