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Retreat Schedule > The Chosen Retreat

The Chosen Retreat

An Extended, Midweek Retreat forAdults

June 17 - 20, 2024

Groups Attending: Individuals

This retreat begins on Monday, but there is still space available. To register, call the office at 847-381-1261.

Summary

During this retreat you will have the opportunity to reflect on the life of Jesus and his first followers in a whole new way. Together with other retreatants and members of our Ministry team at Bellarmine, you will watch The Chosen, the first-ever multi-season show about Jesus starring Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie as Jesus.  

To learn more about The Chosen, check out their website or watch the “Season 1” trailer here.

Retreatants can choose to watch either Season 1, 2, 3 or 4.

Description

The show is receiving great reviews including from many Bellarmine retreatants and members of our Ministry team:   

Maureen Garvey:

“I believe that God can speak to us through our imagination.  In the series, The Chosen, we accompany the characters (Jesus, Mary, Mary of Magdala, Nicodemus, Peter, Matthew, etc.) by imagining scenes from the gospels in new ways. I love the humor and humanness of the characters in The Chosen. The movie makes the New Testament stories come alive and have meaning for me today. As I dig deeper, I experience God in a personal way, encouraging me to love as Jesus loved.” Learn more about Maureen Garvey

Rev. Carol Ann Munro

“I’ll admit to having been a skeptic at first. I’ve rarely liked the ways I’ve seen Jesus portrayed in films, and have usually been highly critical of the ways scripture has been used, or misused, in the telling of the story in media. The Chosen flipped my world! Here was a Jesus I actually yearned to follow! Having The Chosen as a spiritual resource has deepened my appreciation of Jesus’ humanity, the disciples’ overwhelmed confusion at what they were being asked to do (not unlike my own), and God’s creative interweaving throughout. I delight in being a part of the Bellarmine retreat because of the great joy of being able to experience the episodes with others, sharing insights, and how God is speaking to them through this wonderful portrayal of Jesus’ ministry — a ministry that continues to be ongoing in all of our lives!” Learn more about Carol Ann

Deborah Dellumo

“The Chosen has been a wonderful blessing for me. It has drawn me closer to God and helped me reflect on what Jesus is saying to me through my own life story. The show is a well-done depiction of the gospel stories, including the actual text and the midrash (back story of the Gospels) which brings the Gospel story to life. It has prompted me to dive deeper into contemplating the life of Christ. Every time I pray with the episodes, I discover new meanings and insights as I encounter the love of God. Watching The Chosen in a group setting and sharing faith is a rich experience for all. We witness the ‘Good News’ of Jesus not only in our own lives but in the lives of each other!” Learn more about Deborah Dellumo

Lori Jones

“The part of Ignatian Spirituality that has been the most challenging for me has been Ignatian contemplation, praying using one’s imagination and visualizing or inserting oneself into gospel passages. Well, viewing The Chosen has certainly helped lay that challenge to rest. Being able to see the depiction of the human side of Jesus as well as his relationship with the disciples and others has been fascinating, as have the interactions between the disciples themselves. Being able to meet in small groups to discuss the episodes and then having the quiet time to take it to prayer has strengthened my relationship with Jesus and brought it to a much more personal level.” Learn more about Lori Jones

Retreat Experience Gallery

Retreat Leaders

Bellarmine Jesuit Ministry Team and Additional Spiritual Directors

The ministry team and other trained Spiritual Directors lead the spiritual direction of retreats and programs at Bellarmine.  

Deborah Dellumo

Deborah Dellumo received her training in a 3-year Advanced Internship in the Ignatian Tradition from Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, IL., and in a two-year Spiritual Companioning Program from the Spiritual Life Center in Hammond, IN., directed by Fr. Bill Creed SJ. She currently practices Spiritual Direction at St. Paul Catholic Community in Valparaiso IN. and Directs the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in a large group setting in the parish. She enjoys giving the Spiritual Exercises and providing spiritual formation and retreats within the parish. Debbie is a graduate of the Diocese of Gary Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program. She has served as Coordinator of Liturgy and Spirituality, and Director of Religious Education for Children and Adults. She has been married for 44 years, has 4 children and five grandchildren.

Maureen Garvey

Maureen Garvey holds an MA from the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin. She and her husband, Kevin, completed the Diaconate Training Program in 2004 at the University of St. Mary of the Lake. Maureen completed a 30-week at home retreat of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and volunteering twice a week as a member of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. Maureen meets with people seeking spiritual direction in person at Holy Cross Church in Deerfield, IL and online.

Lori Jones

Lori Jones is a frequent retreatant at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House where she recently completed their internship program in Spiritual Direction. She currently journeys with those seeking spiritual direction both in person and online. She is a parishioner at St. Mary in Des Plaines having served there in various ministries. Lori received a BA in Criminal Justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago and did her graduate work at Rosary College in River Forest. She worked for 36 years in customer service for FedEx and retired in 2020. Lori is thrilled and blessed to have recently been called to be part of the launch team for Ignatian Ministries, an online resource led by author, spiritual director and retreat facilitator Becky Eldredge. It is a place of accompaniment and support for those inspired by Ignatian spirituality in their ministry work and also a place to deepen their own faith. But according to Lori, her spiritual home will always be Bellarmine.

Rev Carol Ann Munro

Carol Ann Munro is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.   In her 43 years of ministry, Carol Ann has served as a parish pastor, hospital chaplain, development officer, retreat leader and spiritual director. She is active in 12 step recovery in both AA and AlAnon, is a member of the Women’s Ministry Team at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, and a volunteer with the Ignatian Spirituality Project, which provides spiritual companioning for people recovering from homelessness and addiction.