Past Spiritual and Formation Events

Building upon modules from Session 1 last fall, OIS Director Hung Pham, SJ hosts this ONLINE consideration of Week Two Rules of Discernment culminating in ways to engage in communal discernment. The course meets Thursday evenings and will conclude in May.

LENT 2024: “An Acceptable Time” Online Retreat

HEALING PILGRIMAGE to VIETNAM (January 2-15, 2024)

Retreatant-Pilgrims returned to various cultural and historical sites in North, Central and Southern Vietnam on this pilgrimage designed for those seeking a depth of healing and encounter that comes from exploring memories and restoring peace of mind and heart. Accompanied by OIS Director Hung Pham, SJ and OIS Pilgrimage Coordinator Lan Nguyen, this special group of faith-filled companions were amazed at and by all the graces they encountered. 

LINKS to PHOTOS and PILGRIM LETTERS forthcoming.

ADVENT 2023: “Hope Against Hope: Voices from the Borders”

This year Advent retreatants explored how being grounded in HOPE inspires endurance as we journeyed together toward the CHRISTmas mystery, especially when challenged by experiences of uncertainty or turmoil. We were honored to be accompanied by young voices of wisdom from various geographical, social, and cultural “borders,” namely, from Brownsville, Texas to Chiangrai, Thailand, from a university campus to the inner city.

To view presentations co-hosted by OIS Director Hung Pham, SJ and Bridges Executive Director Steve Givens, visit THIS LINK.

2023 UCS Colleagues Retreat: “Finding SOLACE in the Sacred Heart of Jesus”

Collaborators and colleagues working within UCS province institutions gathered for a prayerful encounter with Jesus who loves us passionately and invites us longingly into deeper union and purposeful labor.  Following the rhythm of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, friends from across the province simultaneously shared silence and collegiality from four venues made possible via hybrid technology.

2023 LENTEN RETREATS

In English: Longing for Jesus

In partnership with the Ignatian Spirituality Program of Denver, retreatants from across the globe embarked upon a Lenten encounter with Jesus for whom we long, and Himself, who longs for us.

In Vietnamese: 7 Last Words of Christ

This Lent we shared a week-long online journey of reflection upon our noises, our possessions and detachments, along with our struggles in our journey of faith and how we find ourselves when we look up to the Cross and listen to Jesus’ seven last sayings to His loved ones.

2022-2023 COURSE: Theological Dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises

For those who have received the Exercises and desire a deeper understanding of the rhythm of the retreat, this TWO SESSION online course (Fall, 2022 and Spring 2023) met weekly online.

ADVENT 2022: “God-With-Us BeComing Us-With-God”

In collaboration with the Bridges Foundation of St. Louis, UCS OIS hosted a global community of English-speaking participants who gathered online over the four Sunday evenings of Advent to reflect upon the Kingdom Parables as preparation for the Incarnation. An extensive group of Vietnamese-speaking retreatants from across the globe also entered deeply into this unique Advent theme during

UCS celebrates Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Bringing the Ignatian Year to prayerful and historic closure, the Ignatian Family of St. Louis enjoyed warm hospitality extended by the faith community of the Shrine of St. Joseph whose Jesuit and miraculous roots and run deep. Fr. David Suwalsky, SJ, Vice President for Mission and Identity at Saint Louis University, concelebrated with brother Jesuits. Inspired by Fr. General’s invitation, all present renewed the Society’s consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Summer, 2022: UCS COLLEAGUES RETREAT (July 16-22, 2022)

“From RE-MEMBERING to RE-STORING: I Am Making All Things New”

Colleagues working in apostolates from across the province shared quiet time, physical and virtual space encountering with the Lord this summer. Our gratitude abounds to friends at Sacred Heart Retreat House in Sedalia, Colorado, the Jesuit Spirituality Center in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, and St. John’s College hosting from Orchid Bay resort in Belize.

Following the rhythm of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, each day of this silent, hybrid retreat consisted of presentations, reflection points, time for private prayer, Eucharist, and other forms of communal prayer.  A highlight for retreatants is the opportunity for daily spiritual director in English or Spanish.

STL IGNATIAN FAMILY: Care for Our Common Home Event

Coinciding with the Papal invitation to partake of the “Laudato Si’ Week” (May 22-29), friends and colleagues of the UCS province gathered at White House Jesuit Retreat for an appreciation gathering and Mass. These lovely grounds were open for exploration and the celebration, co-hosted by Ignatian Volunteer Corp Director Sr. Amy Diesen, OSF, began with a reading of the St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation. Fr. Dan Daly, S.J. presided at Mass, and a picnic dinner was enjoyed by all in attendance, including many of our Secular Franciscan friends.

Ignatian Year PILGRIMAGE STOPS conclude in El Paso, Texas

We are grateful for the privilege of “Tracing the Footprints of God” along with UCS Provincial Tom Greene, S.J. while he went on pilgrimage through the USA Central Southern Province of the Society of Jesus. Please visit THIS LINK to be reminded of our time shared in Grand Coteau, Denver, Belize, New Orleans, Kansas City, At. Louis, Houston/Dallas, and most recently, El Paso/Brownsville.

2022 LENTEN RETREATS: JOURNEYS into the HEART of GOD

Spanish, English and Vietnamese speaking communities across the globe prepared for the Easter mysteries with an Ignatian consideration of the Stations of the Cross hosted by UCS Office of Ignatian Spirituality retreat teams led by Fr. Hung Pham, S.J. or Fr. Pepe Ruiz, S.J.

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY and ANTI-RACISM: A Call to Conversion

Nearly 200 people each evening attended three thought-provoking encounters with renowned presenters on this important invitation to follow the path of racial justice hosted by St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis, Missouri, in collaboration with Jesuits’ Central and Southern Province, and the UCS Office of Ignatian Spirituality. Awaiting links to view recordings.

“Creating a SACRED SPACE of ENCOUNTER” Workshop

Ignatian Ministers of the Spiritual Exercises met in Denver, Colorado, at the new home of the UCS Office of Ignatian Spirituality February 16-20, 2022, to learn how to design and plan an Ignatian Retreat with Fr. Hung Pham, S.J. and Fr. Pepe Ruiz, S.J., who co-facilitated this training workshop in collaboration with Ignatian colleagues.

UCS COURSE OFFERING: “Theological Dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises”

Course participants explored the “Theological Dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises” weekly over the course of two extended sessions. Session I covered Preliminary through First Week material while Session II addressed the Second through Fourth Week.

INTERNATIONAL OFFERING: “Christian Faith Topics through the Lens of Ignatian Spirituality.”

The newly formed UCS Office of Ignatian Spirituality welcomed interested participants to partake of the seminar: “Những tiêu đề trong đời sống đức tin theo tlinh đạo I-Nhã” (Various topics in the Christian Faith through the lens of Ignatian Spirituality).  This encounter represented the first collaborative course with Jesuits and Religious Colleagues from Vietnam.

2021 ADVENT RETREAT: “A Time to Heal, A Time to Dream.”

UCS OIS united with individuals and communities across the globe for an online Advent Retreat to prepare the way for fresh encounter with the Lord.  Fr. Hung Pham, S.J. and Fr. Pepe Ruiz, S.J., in collaboration with esteemed colleagues from across the province, led retreatants on a journey of openness, healing, and renewed trust in God’s bringing to birth “something new” for each of us. Thanks to the generosity and diversity of the retreat team members, English, Spanish, and Vietnamese speaking participants experienced the retreat in their native languages.

2021 COLLEAGUES RETREAT: “Tracing the Footprints of God”

To celebrate the beginning of the Ignatian Year, UCS province colleagues traveled the path taken by Ignatius to recognize and appreciate a “space of interiority” where God has been working in us by sharing silence, encountering God, and companioning one another in grace. We are deeply grateful to our province retreat centers in Colorado, Missouri, and Louisiana, as well as St. John’s College, for securing a venue for encounter in Belize.  Additionally, several colleagues were able to join the pilgrimage in an entirely virtual format.

IGNATIAN SEMINAR in English (April – August 2021)

In collaboration with the Ignatian Spirituality Center (Kansas City), the newly formed UCS Office of Ignatian Spirituality hosted learning modules on Monday evenings from 7:00-9:00 p.m. (CST). Each four-week module could be taken independently. Themes included: Prayer in Ignatian Tradition, Engaging Holy Scripture in Ignatian Tradition, Discernment in Ignatian Tradition, and Special Topics in Ignatian Spirituality. We are grateful to the Ignatian Spirituality Center (Kansas City) for hosting registration.

PILOT COURSE: “Theological Dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises” (Spring, 2021)

At the approval of Father Provincial Tom Greene, SJ, Provincial Assistant for Formation Hung T. Pham, SJ, led a trial 10-week course with province colleagues and friends to explore in greater depth the theological dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. By identifying theological dynamics in the Exercises, participants developed a greater appreciation for them and learned to apply them in various academic, ministerial, and pastoral contexts. For this first trial course, registration was by invitation only, however, future courses and seminars will be offered.

LENTEN RETREAT: “Fall in Love & Stay in Love” (Spring, 2021)

The Office of Ignatian Spirituality led Virtual Lenten Retreats in three languages. The theme was “Fall in Love & Stay in Love” with Jesus, who shows us the way to true leadership and guidance. Led by Fr. Hung Pham and lay colleagues, retreats were offered in February and March, 2021.