The Long Retreat

An invitation to register for The Long Retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. Come journey together as companions to know Jesus more intimately, to love him more intensely, and to follow him more closley.  The Retreat begins September 25th and concludes May 2024.

For more information please contact Nancy Johnson, nancymj1972@gmail.com, 407-756-6298 or Norm Stachura, normstachura@mac.com, 407-408-8116

IS THIS YOUR TIME TO MAKE THE LONG RETREAT?

  • to find the way to a deeper, intimate relationship with God?
  • to walk the seasons of the Church year, a path that mirrors your own reflective experiences, with a group of people who search for the ‘MORENESS’ that awaits them in this life?
  • to commit to a serious time of reflective prayer each day?
  • to gather with the group each Monday evening for faith sharing?

THE LONG RETREAT follows the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.  The process promotes the development of a life-long habit of prayer, an intimate relationship with God, and the formation of Christian Community.  Central to the Exercises is discerning our call as participants in the mission of Jesus.  The retreat helps us grow in freedom to follow the values of Christ in the midst of our everyday life, and to recognize our own unique call as sons and daughters of God.

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?• faithful attendance at weekly meetings from September to mid-May (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? St. Gabriel Life Center
  • When? Mid-September to Mid-May from 7:00- 9:00pm each Monday.
Materials: The Take Lord Receive Series of five books which will be available at the program for a modest cost to cover materials.

The Long Retreat through the years: