Health Center: Spiritual Exercises

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES IN DAILY LIFE
September 2011 to April 2012

 
What is the purpose of my life?

How do I respond to the longing for God in my heart?

Is God calling me to a deeper response?

 
For centuries people have responded to these questions by engaging in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. They are commonly known as the “thirty-day retreat.” Not everyone, however, has the time or resources to remove themselves from their affairs for thirty days of solitude and prayer. Knowing this fact of life, Ignatius adapted his exercises to be made over thirty weeks, while persons continued with their jobs and personal lives. This retreat has become known as the “Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life.” It fits nicely into an academic year. 

The Spiritual Exercises are not a retreat of initiation; rather, they are a time of deepening. They are intended for persons who desire to:

·   Deepen their life of faith and intimacy with God
·   Make a major life decision, reorient the direction of their life, or discern a vocation
·   Live out their life of faith in greater imitation of Jesus in the world through service to God’s 
    Kingdom
·   Broaden their prayer life
·   Become a more discerning person
·   Work for a greater integration of their life and faith

 What is the required commitment to the retreat? 

The Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life is a nine month (30 week) retreat that begins in September and Ends in late April. Each participant is asked to commit to an hour of daily personal prayer, fifteen to twenty minutes of reflection on the prayer, a weekly fifty minute meeting with the Spiritual Director who will guide one through the retreat, four one and a half hour group meetings, and enough desire to commit to the nine months.  

Who is the retreat for? 

Any junior or senior who has participated in at least one Campus Ministry retreat, and all faculty and staff are welcome to apply.

Although the retreat is open to any junior, senior, faculty or staff who desires to deepen her or his relationship with God, and who wants to live more intentionally in response to God’s particular call in her or his life, it would be helpful to have some of the following skills: 

·    The ability to reflect on one’s life
·    An established habit of prayer
·    Openness to share one’s inner life of faith and prayer with a spiritual guide
·    The ability to make a nine month commitment

 If you are interested but not sure if you have the necessary experience or the readiness to make the commitment, inquire below. The application process is designed to help you determine if you are ready to make this retreat or whether a different retreat or time in on-going spiritual direction would be more beneficial. 

The Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life will begin September 17^th 2011 and end the last week of April 2012.

 Further Information:   contact Fr. Frank Murphy, CSC at x7134; email:murphyf@up.edu

 APPLICATION