The Long Retreat

Begins August 25, 2012

IS THIS YOUR TIME TO MAKE THE LONG RETREAT?

The Long Retreat Registration Form  (opens as a pdf in a new window)

AN INVITATION to register for the Long Retreat…The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius What can you count on? How clear is your identity as a follower of Jesus? Are you ready to examine your basic beliefs, your core values? Spend this year in the Long Retreat! For those who wish to deepen their relationship with God and to integrate this relationship into their daily living, the Exercises are considered a school of prayer and discernment. Many people go to a Retreat House or Monastery for 30 consecutive days to accomplish this retreat. St. Ignatius arranged that most people, who could not set aside family and business matters and leave their responsibilities for a month, could also do the exercises. This adaptation is known as “The Long Retreat.” For a period of nine months one makes a commitment of directed prayer integrated into one’s daily life, family, work and responsibilities.

MORE ABOUT THE LONG RETREAT
  1. Who can make the retreat? Those who: • realize the need for God every day • desire greater awareness of God’s presence • desire to learn more about God’s unconditional love • are willing to spend time daily in reflective prayer • want to enter more deeply into scriptural prayer in order to know God better.
  2. What is expected of those who enter The Long Retreat? • attendance at a Saturday Orientation Workshop in August, 9:00am-1:00pm • faithful attendance at weekly meetings from mid-August to mid-July (the weekly meeting is for group reflection, direction in prayer and faith sharing) • directed scripture reading for daily reflective prayer • group support of one another in witnessing to the Christ-centered life
  3. Why Make The Long Retreat — Known as the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius? • to fall in love with this God who created me out of love • to give God the opening to become the central focus of my life • to come more and more to the truth of my life • to discern my gifts, my weaknesses and my call at this time in my journey • to learn from Jesus what it means to be a true disciple • to find God in all things
  4. What is the commitment involved? • daily prayer with scripture as directed • journaling the prayer experience • weekly meetings with group and director • sharing faith and prayer experience with other retreatants • an openness to prayerful discernment in decision making
  5. Qualifications • a desire for a reflective life-style • to know Jesus more clearly • to love Him more dearly • to follow Him more nearly — Day by Day
Summarized:
  • What? The Long Retreat: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
  • Where? Annunciation Cultural Center
  • When? Mid-August to Mid-May from 7:00- 9:00pm each Monday and 5 Saturday Workshops
Materials: The Take Lord Receive Series of five books which will be available at the program for a modest cost to cover materials
Interviews begin in July and are set up for further clarification of commitment.