Internship in Ignatian Spirituality and Spiritual Accompaniment
Between New Year and Holy Week each year we offer a modular internship programme, suitable for a sabbatical, in ignatian spirituality for those who wish to develop their skills in accompanying others in their relationship with God. Each module of the internship (with the exception of the week of guided prayer) can be taken separately.
The elements of the internship are:
- The full Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola
- Course in Spiritual Accompaniment I (Prayer Guides' Course)
- Being part of a team giving a week of guided prayer in a local parish
- Course in Spiritual Accompaniment II (Spiritual Direction Course)
- Review days
Full Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius
January 3rd - February 7th, 2009
A 30 day silent retreat that follows the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola. The retreat is individually guided and each retreatant moves at his or her own pace through the Exercises. The exercises themselves involve prayer, reflection and silence. The life of the retreatant is challenged by the life of Christ. Most of the prayer is scripture based.
Offering £1,530 sterling (includes full-board and fees).
Spiritual Accompaniment Course I (Basic Prayer Guides Course)
February 11th - 20th, 2009
A well established and popular course given by the Loyola Hall team. Through both input and practical experience we aim to give participants the skills and confidence to get in touch with their own prayer experiences so that they may, in turn, give guidance to others. This is basic training for those who wish to be involved in one-to-one spiritual accompaniment.
Topics Include:
- Methods of Prayer
- God's Plan
- Listening Skills
- Faith History
- Discernment
- Feelings
- Reflective Living
- Images of God
Offering £500 sterling (includes full-board and fees).
Week of Guided Prayer
February 23rd - March 1st, 2009
A supervised experience of offering one-to-one spiritual guidance to people in a Week of guided Prayer in a local parish or other setting. Note that this unit of the internship can only be taken by those doing the whole programme, and eligibility will be determined by the intern's performance on Spiritual Accompaniment I.
Offering included in the overall cost of the internship programme.
Spiritual Accompaniment Course II
March 2nd - 15th, 2009
In spiritual direction, Ignatius of Loyola sought not to tell people what to do, rather to help them detect God's movements deep in their own hearts, and thus, find the God who is in all things and above all things. This course is for those who have some experience of guiding others in prayer or in counselling and who wish to develop further their skills of spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition. This is primarily an experiential course working through the themes of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, therefore it is preferred that anyone undertaking this course has made the full Spiritual Exercises, either according to the 19th Annotation or closed 30 day retreat.
Offering £700 sterling (includes full-board and fees).
The offering for the full internship, which runs from January 3rd to March 17th includes accommodation during the periods between the individual modules and participation in a Week of Guided Prayer locally. In 2009 we invite an offering of £3,405 sterling.