The Spiritual Exercises

The Spiritual Exercises (in Daily Life) Retreat

Registration is now Closed.

Pray the famous "Spiritual Exercises" Retreat of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
This is main Retreat that we offer in the Vancouver Archdiocese.

-- geared for Young Adults - seeking God's Will for their Life

-- the Retreat is Personalized for Each individual

-- tailored to their specific situation & issues

-- each person gets their own personal Retreat Director

-- an Intensive Retreat - extending to about 9 months

It focuses on your Actual EXPERIENCING God, whereby

-- you will learn Discernment, esp. God's Call in you & for your Future

-- Praying your own Life & Christ's Life - together, at the depths of your Soul

The Spiritual Exercises Retreat was composed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (the “Jesuits’). It is Church-approved, originally by Pope Paul III in 1548 (as part of the Catholic Reformation). It is a compilation of classical Catholic spirituality including the “devotio moderna”.

The Retreat is held in 2 Parts: (approx. May to June & October to April)

Requirements include:

-- daily: a 1 hour prayer period (+ a 10 - 15 short prayer period)

-- weekly: a meeting with your personal Retreat Director (online, these days)
-- Instructional Lecture (& Small Groups) Sessions (online, via MS Teams & Skype): Part 1, Weekly; Part 2, Mensually

-- a Silent Retreat Day (9:00 am - 5:00 pm [on a specified Saturday in May])

Application deadline: January 31, 2023

The retreat is free (but there is a $100 non-refundable application fee).

Registration is now Closed.

To request an application form for this Retreat, please email: coordinator@jsav.ca

More Details

How Are the Spiritual Exercises Offered?

In the Vancouver area, JSAV offers the Spiritual ‎Exercises according to the “Daily Life” format. (Normally, the Spiritual Exercises is made in a 40-day intensive ‎format at a Retreat House in silence & isolation.) The “Daily Life” format is an adaptation made by St. Ignatius to allow people to pray the Retreat ‎whilst still continuing their ordinary lives (family, work, etc.). Instead of the normative 40 Day intensive format, the "in Daily Life" adapted format Retreat is prayed over the course of 9 months. In the "Daily Life" Retreat format, a person prays for 1 hour a day (at home). Then they meet weekly with their Retreat Director to discuss & discern the ‎presence & action of God in the past week’s prayer. The Retreat also involves attending instructional ‎lectures about Prayer methodology & content.‎

The Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life Retreat has two essential parts:

Part 1 (May to June)

A Retreat Practicum to learn the Prayer techniques necessary for this Retreat (the ‎successful completion of which is a necessary requisite for Part 2). Part 1 also includes an ‎evening lecture every week.

Important Dates for the 2023-2024 Program:

Tuesday evening online lectures from 7pm to 9pm, for six weeks: May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; and June 6
Plus one full online Silent Retreat Day (9am to 5pm) on Saturday, May 6

Part 2 (September – May)

The Spiritual Exercises proper. Part 2 includes an evening lecture every ‎month.

Important Dates for the 2023-2024 Program:

Evening online lectures once a month, from 7pm to 9pm on the following dates: Sep 26, Oct 17, Nov 28, Jan 2, Feb 20, Mar 19, Apr 30

Who Would Make The Exercises?

The Spiritual Exercises Retreat is designed to help a person find their unique Identity and discern their unique Role in God's Plan of Salvation for the world. In the course of the Retreat the person making the retreat will be helped to learn how to discern Christ’s voice more clearly in their life, so that they can use their life to serve God in some definite and significant way. The Exercises do require discipline. For example, finding time for one full hour of prayer each day is essential. The Exercises also require some emotional and psychological maturity.

Where do the meetings take place?

The person praying the Exercises can do their one hour of assigned daily prayer at home. The one-hour weekly meetings with the person giving the Exercises can take place at the JSAV Centre (address in Contact Info section) or at a church meeting room - depending on which is the most appropriate and manageable, especially given the busy schedule of the retreat director. (During a pandemic the appropriate measures are taken to keep everyone safe, e.g. all meetings are online.)

Are there other (shorter) Retreats that you offer?

If you do not yet feel ready for the full Spiritual Exercises Retreat at this point, but you are still interested in Ignatian spirituality, there might be various other options for you. It is possible to receive a taste of the Exercises and benefit from learning Ignatian prayer through shorter retreats, talks, or workshops which occasionally may be offered. Please our Upcoming Events page to find out what might be available.

It might be possible to inquire about monthly spiritual direction session (especially after having made the Spiritual Exercises Retreat). Spiritual Direction sessions aim to help one discern God’s voice in one's prayer & one's life. Inquiries can be made to see if any might be available.

Where can I ask more Questions or Register for this Retreat?

To request an Application Form for this Retreat, or for more information, please email the Coordinator: coordinator@jsav.ca