Hundreds of people at Holy Trinity Parish have done the weeklong retreats in daily life offered by the Center for Jesuit Spirituality.

Here’s how the retreats work.  Announcement of an upcoming retreat will appear in the Sunday bulletin for several weeks prior to the retreat.  After registering for the retreat, a person agrees:

To pray using Scripture for one half hour a day; To do brief journal writing about their experience of prayer; To meet privately for a half-hour each day with an assigned, trained spiritual director; To attend the opening and closing session of the retreat at the parish center.

Twice each year, in October and March, we offer an introductory week of directed prayer we call Phase I.  Once a year, in December, we offer a follow-up for people who have done the first retreat (Phase II).  We also offer a six-week retreat during January and February for those who want a more extended introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.  This retreat is referred to as Phase III.

Phase I and II retreats begin on Sunday afternoons with a two-hour gathering.  These evening includes introductions, an explanation of the structure and history of the retreat, pointers and handouts on prayer, an experience of guided prayer, plus an opportunity to share the fruits of that guided prayer with each other.  Retreatants then meet briefly with their assigned spiritual director.  There they finalize individual meeting times and receive Scripture readings for Monday’s Prayer.  The retreat closes with another gathering on the following Saturday morning.

Phase III retreats begin on Saturday morning with a two-hour gathering similar in format to Phases I and II.  During this Phase III retreat, the retreat and spiritual director meet once a week for an hour.  Throughout the six weeks, retreatants pray with assigned Scripture passages for an hour each day and reflect on their prayer by writing in a journal.

For those who are ready for it and can make the time commitment, we offer the complete Spiritual Exercises.  This retreat is also individually directed.  It usually covers a period of seven or eight months, and as with all our retreats in daily life, the retreatants continue to go about their regular activities or work, family, etc. while they are engaged in this program of prayer.  For more information call Martina O'Shea at 202-337-2840 Ext. 107 or Email:  Jesuit Center.