The Society of Jesus
in Belize
The Jesuit Community of Belize is offering this retreat for our sisters and brothers in the Ignatian Family in Belize and the United States, as a way of celebrating the Ignatian Year together. The Ignatian Year we are in is the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuits.
The retreat is open to anybody who wants to deepen their encounter with the mystery of God during this Advent, and who is open to the expectations below. For those familiar with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the retreat is an adaptation of the the First Week of the Exercises, meaning that its focus is on having an experience of God's mercy. God wants to be born in our hearts anew, just as on the first Christmas, but first we have to let go of some of the baggage that weighs us down. The material might seem a bit heavy at times: the retreat invites us to take a good look at some of the sin and wounds we all carry, but we do so in order to let God lighten the burden!
Who should make this retreat?
About this Retreat
How exactly does a retreat like this work?
Melhado Hall, Belize City
Ask Yourself...
* Are you coming to the end of the year feeling drained and in need of spiritual renewal?
* Are you hungry to encounter Christ in new ways this Christmas, beyond the noise and commotion of the holiday season?
* Are you longing for inner silence, but are not sure how to find it?
* Do you feel stuck in your life, in need of direction or inspiration, and do you believe that Christ can help you find it?
What to expect
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The retreat will formally begin on Sunday, November 28, which is the first Sunday of Advent.
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Each day you should come to this website to look at the daily material for prayer and reflection. You can come whenever you want. The material will be here.
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Our hope is that you would spend 15-20 minutes in prayer each day.
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There will be more prayer suggestions than you could possibly every use! Do not try to use all of it. Use only what works. Click here for other good prayer suggestions.
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On Tuesdays, starting on Tuesday November 30th, we will gather by Zoom to share with each other about what happened in our prayer the previous week, and to look ahead at what themes are coming the following week.
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Is there a cost?This retreat is free of charge! The only thing we ask of you is that, if you decide to start the retreat, you make a commitment to seeing it through the whole way.
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Do I have to participate in the small group faith sharing?We expect everyone who signs up for the retreat to participate fully. That means committing yourself to doing a 15-20 minute prayer period each day, as well as gathering on Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM (USA central/ Belize) for faith sharing. Sharing the graces and struggles is a way that God can speak to us through the experiences of others.
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I won't be here for a week. Can I still participate?The nice thing about an online retreat is that you can access the prayer materials and you can join in the Tuesday night faith sharing from anywhere, so long as you have an internet connection. If you are not able to participate at all on the retreat for an entire week, then perhaps it would be best to make another retreat with us some other time, when your schedule allows.
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Can only Catholics participate in this retreat?No, not at all! We welcome persons of all faith traditions. But please be aware that the content of the retreat will be explicitly religious and Christ-centered. If you are not a Christian, you may find it a little hard to follow.
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How old does someone have to be to make this retreat?We would ask that all participants be 15 years old or older. It is not so much a matter of age, as it is a matter of maturity. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this.