Whilst God can be found in all things, sometimes it helps to step out of the noise of the world completely and pray for a while. This experience is often called a retreat, in the sense that it means withdrawing to focus on your relationship with God and consider the deeper things of life. Retreats are typically a guided experience and can vary in style, from weekends to weeks, from silent to more conversational - there are many different kinds of retreat. However, a retreat experience is always an experience of an oasis, an adventure of prayer. Find one that works for you.
‘I wanted to integrate this online retreat at home in my daily life. My guide immediately made me feel safe and able to speak freely in our daily meetings. She was an attentive listener, and each meeting was very intense. After the meetings, she later emailed some suggestions ranging from art, poetry and music which she thought could help me. When I said the Psalms touched me the most, she selected specific ones for my reflection. Every day, I gained new insights that seemed to connect with the previous discussions, and which threaded through my life.’ Hazel
‘I can highly recommend this methodology for a retreat. I was fortunate to be able to isolate myself from others in the house and have a lovely garden in which to walk – connect with nature and away from noise. I found that I related very well to my director with clarity – better than if I were present in a room. My director was an excellent listener and interjected with the right questions for me to go deeper into my spiritual/human development areas of growth. I would certainly repeat an online retreat again and would dearly look forward to the opportunity.’ Anon
‘I went into a four-day retreat not really expecting anything except a time of peace and to give focused time to my relationship with God. What emerged was life-affirming and fruitful, quite difficult to express in words. The spiritual director guided me skillfully and offered me resources that I continue to use in my daily life.’ Andrea
‘I found that an 'at-home retreat' offered time and space to pray, in an everyday setting. Compared to a live-in retreat, this retreat took place in the midst of daily ordinary activities. Instead of being distracting, the everyday activities helped me bring my prayer into daily life.’ Lilian
Find an Online Retreat
Our three spirituality centres are very different: St Beuno's is a residential spirituality centre in rural North Wales; the London Jesuit Centre offers courses and events in theology, spirituality, and social & environmental justice in London's West End; and the Ignatian Spirituality Centre is in Glasgow city centre and offers a range of spiritual activities and courses. What they all have in common is their foundation in the spiritual teaching of St Ignatius: to seek God’s presence in our daily lives, and to understand His call. In addition to these, The Edinburgh Jesuit Centre provides a programme of events to help people continue their faith journey encompassing spirituality, prayer, scripture, theology, and current issues in society.
