“Through his own experiences (both in his daily life and his prayer) St Ignatius came to understand an important truth: God desires for us to make good decisions and will help us do so. All we need to do, besides having good intention, is not only rely on our God given reason, but also pay attention to the movements of our heart, which are also given to us by God.” James Martin SJ
‘A Listening Heart’ will explore the art of Discernment as described by St Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercises. Participants will be given time to reflect on and consider the ‘guiding principles’ for discernment in the light of their own experience, so that they might, with increased awareness and freedom, make choices that lead to fullness of life.
This Retreat will:
- Give you the personal time and space to stop, rest and reflect.
- Introduce you to Ignatian Spirituality and the tools it offers for everyday living including Ignatian Discernment and the Awareness Examen.
- Give you time to both share your experience and listen to the experience of others travelling a similar path.
- Give you time to consider how God is calling you in your life.
- Offer you the opportunity for individual Spiritual Direction.
An important aspect of the Program is the community experience. Time to sit and relax in the company of others is also an important part of this retreat. This happens informally around meals and morning and afternoon tea and in small groups where people have the opportunity to share the fruit of their reflections and experiences.
Who is it for?
The Retreat would suit anyone who is seeking to learn more about Ignatian Spirituality and the tool of discernment. For those working in Ignatian Ministries, it also offers a unique opportunity to deepen your experience of the Ignatian Charism and way of proceeding.
Where is it held?
This weekend retreat will be held at the Jesuit Villa House which is located at beautiful Gerroa on the Illawarra Coast just south of Kiama and is approximately 2 hours from Sydney CBD. Situated only metres from the beach, it has expansive views overlooking Seven Mile Beach and the National Park. The sheer beauty of the surroundings and ever-changing nature of the beachscape makes this an ideal location to take time out to relax and reflect. The Villa offers eight rooms which can be for single use or twin share. Whilst bathroom facilities are shared, they are located very close to the bedrooms. The Villa also has a large kitchen, dining room and common room for use during the Retreat.
When: 8pm Friday 11th August to 3pm Sunday 13th August 2023
Where: Jesuit Villa House, 58 Burke Parade, Gerroa NSW
Price: including accommodation, all meals except Saturday night (which will be eaten out together at own expense), retreat materials and spiritual direction sessions if desired: $520 per room. Please note that each room has two beds. If you would like to share a room (and provided we can find someone to share) the cost of the retreat would be $260.
Contact Sandra to enquire and make a booking:
Email info@jisa.org.au or Phone 1300 392 636
