This 8-week directed retreat follows the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. We will use First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis, a guide based on the Pope’s writings and compiled by Austen Ivereigh, the Pope’s biographer.

A reviewer noted that “[w]e really do find ourselves ‘on retreat with the Pope’ with material from his time as a retreat director supplemented with insights from his teachings as Pope. It is hard to think of another writer capable of forging the synthesis we see here of a coherent Ignatian retreat process with both a deep understanding of the spiritual approach of a remarkable…Argentinian Jesuit and the magisterial teaching of a constantly evolving papacy.” 

“The first thing you need to know about First Belong to God is that it is the script for a spiritual retreat…not a book to read.”

The retreat will begin with an orientation meeting and then follow with 8 weekly meetings at which retreatants will share their experience of prayer in group spiritual direction.

Sunday evenings

Sept 29 (orientation); Oct 6, 13, 20, 27; Nov 3, 10, 17, 24

7-8 PM

Our Lady of Hope Parish Hall at St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Ave., Portland

There is no fee for this retreat BUT you will need to obtain a copy of the book First Belong to God: On  Retreat with Pope Francis. Austen Ivereigh.  Loyola Press, 2024.  Cost is about $20.

FULL. REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Sponsored by the Ignatian Spirituality Partnership of Maine and Our Lady of Hope Parish, a Jesuit Ministry.      Frs. John Michalowski, SJ and Paul Sullivan, SJ are the retreat directors.