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Our Work

“And did we not brush up against some Mystery together here?
Did we not speak here as the angels speak,
in a language beyond words?
Did we not hear God singing to us?
What can compare to that, really?”

~ Paul Mariani

The Jesuit poet and literary critic Paul Mariani penned these words near the end of his graceful memoir, Thirty Days: On Retreat with the Exercises of St. Ignatius. The 2003 book draws from a journal he kept during what is known as “The Long Retreat” when Mariani made the full 30-days of the Spiritual Exercises created by St. Ignatius Loyola. 

Many more people experience the inspiration of St. Ignatius when they make a weekend retreat or an eight-day retreat. Increasing numbers of people go through a special adaptation of the Exercises that takes up to six or eight months by praying an hour per day and meeting with a spiritual director regularly.

Whatever form the Spiritual Exercises take, they have a transformative power to reshape lives and unloosen an incredible freedom to respond to God’s invitation to come closer.

The U.S. Central and Southern Province runs five traditional retreat houses, in Convent, Louisiana; Dallas, Denver, Grand Coteau, Louisiana, and St. Louis.

In addition, the province has several spirituality centers that offer instruction in spiritual accompaniment. Learn more about our retreat and spirituality centers via the links below. (The images in the table below act as links to learn more about each center.) 

The Ignatian Spirituality Project

The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) has a presence in several cities around our province and offers spiritual care and companionship programs for men and women in recovery from homelessness and addiction. ISP volunteer teams partner with transitional shelter and recovery centers to invite individuals into faith-based communities of hope, belonging and transformation. Learn more about ISP.

Find a spiritual director in your area.