What are the Spiritual Exercises?
February 24-26, 2023
An Ignatian, Silent Weekend Retreat for Men
In an age where the Church was being ripped apart by theological debate, St Ignatius Loyola was led by God to help people experience God’s love directly. 500 years later Jesuit Priest Fr.Michael Sparough, SJ and Episcopal Priest Fr. Al Johnson are teaming up to share insights from their own experience of St Ignatius' soul enriching, life changing program of spiritual renewal. This is a retreat for both those new to The Spiritual Exercises as well as veterans of many retreats. Join these two dynamic preachers and prayer leaders in a deep ecumenical dive into the heart of Ignatian spirituality.
Retreat Masters:
Fr. Al Johnson
Fr. Al Johnson is a native Chicagoan (South Side) and an Episcopal Priest. Locally he most recently served as Rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Barrington. Now he serves in the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania on a part-time basis. Al also serves as the volunteer chaplain for Barrington Countryside Fire District as well as participates regularly in the AA community in Barrington and in Erie, PA. Fr. Al is also married to Vickie and together they have three children, two alive, Hannah and Zachary, and one that died in 1989, Nicholas. They have been residents of the Barrington Community since 1990.
Fr. J. Michael Sparough, SJ
Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ is a retreat director and spiritual director at the Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama and a Doctor of Ministry from St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. He is the founder of Charis, a national Jesuit retreat ministry for young adults in their 20s and 30s, and has trained spiritual directors at Loyola University-Chicago.
A prolific writer and speaker, Fr. Michael has published books, CDs, and DVDs on prayer, discernment, and the sacraments with Franciscan Media, Paulist Press, Liturgical Training Publications, Loyola Press, and Heart to Heart. He is seen regularly on Shalom World Catholic Television and is heard regularly on Sacred Heart radio in Cincinnati and WSFI Catholic Radio in greater Chicagoland.
His latest co-authored book is What’s Your Decision? An Ignatian Approach to Decision Making and is published by Loyola Press.
Fr. Michael’s weekly video homilies can be seen online at www.HtoH.US.