Retreat Ministry Formation
When is the Practicum?
The practicum will be held Monday, June 8 - Friday, June 12, 2026.
Who is invited?
This practicum is designed to form lay persons, Jesuits, priests, religious sisters and brothers, involved in or moving into the ministries of parish missions, days of reflection, or preached retreats rooted in the Ignatian spiritual tradition. Participants need to have made the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius (complete 19th annotation or 30 Day retreat). Participants who have only made preached retreats need to have experience making at least 7+ years of annual weekend retreats at a Jesuit retreat center or house.
Description
The practicum is an intensive workshop that explores aspects of retreat planning, unfolding of Ignatian themes, and offering talks and presentations that lead others to encounter and prayer. The practicum offers insights on the following:
- Formulating and framing presentations and talks rooted in the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
- Developing themes and flow of presentation based on the framework of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
- Identifying audiences: Who is the audience? What do they need? What help do you have to offer?
- Exploring best practices for the use of scripture, handouts, technology, artwork, music, liturgy and sacramental symbols in retreat design
During the practicum participants will:
- Attend plenary presentations
- Work in small groups and individually
- Formulate and write presentations/talks
- Meet one-to-one with experienced mentors
Registration Deadline
The registration deadline is April 30th, 2026 or until all spots are filled. We recommend registering soon as spots are filling up fast.
Cost
The cost for this week-long practicum, including a private room and meals, is $1,095.
We are also offering a commuter option for $895. The commuter option does not include daily breakfast or a private room. Commuters should plan to arrive Monday evening before dinner between 4 and 6 pm, and then arrive between 8:30-9 am Tuesday morning until Friday morning and leave between 8 and 8:30 pm in the evenings each day. Please note the retreat ends Friday after lunch.
The Environment
Bellarmine retreat house sits on 80-acres of lovely property providing an atmosphere for creative, focused work and quiet time to listen for inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Outdoor spaces include walking trails, various prayer gardens, a gazebo shrine, stations of the cross, as well as a few patios, and many outdoor chairs in sun and shade. Bellarmine has two libraries, a resource center, two chapels, and a dining room to enjoy wholesome meals.
Each day you will also have the option to participate in the Eucharist, and time to:
- Pray and reflect between presentations
- Write drafts of your own witness talks
- Explore Bellarmine's sacred spaces
Your stay includes daily meals (starting with Monday dinner and ending with Friday lunch).
Bellarmine Experience Gallery
Bellarmine Main Entrance
Sacred Heart Chapel
Mary McKeon Library
St. Joseph Gazebo
Mother Teresa Garden
Eastern Africa Collection
Fireplace Lounge
Dining Room
Winter on the Grounds
Resource Center
Sacred Heart Statue at Sunset
Susie's Memorial Garden
Madonna Library
Lower Level Lounge
Presenters
Carol Atwell Ackels
Carol is Director of the Ignatian Spirituality Institute in Dallas, Texas. There she offers spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition, teaches classes in Ignatian spirituality, and forms persons moving into the ministry of spiritual companioning. Carol launched and continues to give formation workshops to shape Jesuits and lay who are moving into retreat ministry and spiritual companioning in the Ignatian tradition. She guides others through the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in various formats at Jesuit retreat houses across the United States including weekend retreats, the Exercises in Everyday Life, and one-to-one directed retreats.
Carol is co-author with Fr Joe Tetlow, SJ of Finding Christ in the World, a 12-week Ignatian retreat. In collaboration with Fr Anthony Borrow, SJ, she developed the Toward Greater Freedom retreat for students and parents at Jesuit high schools.
Carol holds a J.D. from Southern Methodist University (SMU) Dedman School of Law, Dallas as well as a Master of Art in Theology and Leadership from Gonzaga University, Spokane. She and her husband reside in Dallas and are the parents of five adult children, and grandparents to four – all of whom are the light and love of life.
Fr. Michael J. Graham, SJ
Delegate for Higher Education – Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States President of Xavier University from January 2001 through June 2021, Fr. Graham served Xavier as both a faculty member and senior advancement officer prior to becoming president and his passion for the specifically Jesuit mission of Xavier animated his presidency in multiple ways. Since retiring as president, Fr. Graham has deepened his appropriation of Jesuit spirituality and led the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in a variety of ways at a number of midwestern Jesuit retreat houses. For several years, he worked with the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, especially assisting Jesuit university trustees better understand the Jesuit mission and identity of their schools so as to lead them more effectively and in greater fidelity to their origins. Currently, he works with the staff and Provincial Superiors of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States in issues regarding higher education. He is active on a variety of boards of Jesuit ministries, including several university boards. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Fr. Graham holds degrees from Cornell College, the University of Michigan and the Weston School of Theology (now, the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry). He entered the Jesuits in 1978 and was ordained in 1988.