The Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (Savary)
October 10 - March 20, 2026
Program Cost: $500.00
Summary
The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola have been a powerful and resilient force in shaping Christian life and spirituality. Saint Ignatius Loyola believed that well-designed spiritual exercises can help improve and renew one’s spiritual life just as well-designed physical exercises can help improve and renew one’s physical life.
Savary states: “The New Spiritual Exercises in the Spirit of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ focuses on the graces and blessings God gives for consciously creating a positive difference in our world. They are based on the scriptural revelation that God has a great project going on - much more than keeping souls from falling into sin and hell - and that we are all invited to become fully and actively involved in this divine project…In The New Spiritual Exercises you are invited to become a co-creator with God with the divine vision formulated by Jesus: “That all may be one.” John 17:21”
As Savary contemplates the text of Ignatius’ Principle and Foundation, he emphasizes “Ignatian indifference’ concerns our deeper openness. Savary presents the challenge Ignatius and Teilhard make to us today when he states that “ultimately, Ignatian indifference is the freedom to meet God and collaborate with God in all circumstances, even if those circumstances are the opposite of what we instinctively want for others and ourselves. This understanding is an integral part of what Teilhard means by the concept of ‘diminishment.’” (page 48) During this retreat we will be asking “where in this present moment are you receiving the grace where you are being freed to meet God and to collaborate with God in circumstances which are the opposite of what you instinctively want for others and for yourself?”
View the syllabus here before registering.
Description
We will gather 12 times online from 7:30am to 8:45am on October 10, 24, November 7, 21, December 5, 19, 2025, January 9, 23, February 6. 20, March 6, 20, 2026. Between our sessions together, we will read Savary’s text, pray the scriptures, and then two days before our session together we will post our written personal reflection. When we gather, we will proceed through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius both in large group where our focus will be on one aspect of the Exercises and then in small groups of five for discussion and sharing, and then in large group process of prayer and discernment - all aimed to sort out personally: what is God asking me to “do” in my unique situation?
The cost is $500 (scholarships are available) payable to Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House at the time of registration.