The ministry of the Spiritual Exercises has evolved enormously these last decades. What was originally considered to be an outreach to priests and religious women and men, and given by priests mainly, has developed into a Church ministry provided also by religious men and women as well as laity. Now more people are able to avail of spiritual retreats in times of rapid changes that need constant discernment.
The course is addressed to committed Christian men and women, who live and work in East Africa:
Women and men religious involved in the formation of their candidates
Priests who work as formators or spiritual guides in major seminaries or formation houses.
Priests engaged in pastoral work in parishes, pastoral centres and chaplaincies.
Lay women and men who understand the retreat guidance as a ministry in their local Christian communities
Those interested are invited to submit the application form together with a 1-page reflection on their faith journey.
The applicant must have done at least once a personally guided 8-day Ignatian retreat
2 letters of recommendation of people able to comment on the applicant’s potential as a spiritual guide. These should be forwarded to the Director of Mwangaza Jesuit Centre.
Finally, applicants will be asked to attend an interview with the Centre’s director.
The course is residential and is divided into four 4-day blocks. It will be offered at Mwangaza Jesuit Centre.
Attend all eight training sessions over the course of 2 years
Share in peer groups on the experience of the past months
Engage in discussions, role plays, case studies
Help organize and participate in Eucharistic liturgies and community prayers
Between training sessions, prepare and submit four written assignments for supervision.
Engage in 2 guided retreats supervised by a Mwangaza staff member.
The course explores the areas of psychology, Ignatian spirituality, theology and Scripture, in reference to retreat guidance.
The 1st block focuses on images of God; types of prayer; methods for delivering content and self-awareness; listening skills; Annotations 1-20 of the Spiritual Exercises.
The 2nd block deals with the text of Ignatius’ autobiography; the consciousness examen; personal faith journey; stages of Spiritual Growth; dynamics of conversion; retreatant’s spiritual progress in the different stages of the Spiritual Exercises; close study of key meditations and contemplations of the Spiritual Exercises.
The 3rd block studies ignatian discernment in the Spiritual Exercises; consolation and desolation; three times for decision-making; naming four levels of awareness in us; description of types of retreats; Scriptural basis for the Four Weeks of the Spiritual Exercises; planning a retreat.
The 4th block concentrates on the purpose of the interview with the retreatant and the role of the discerning guide; ethics for relationship between guide and directee; Annotations for guidance; rules for scruples; complex psychological situations: recognizing pathologies; handling a retreatant’s psychological issues in prayer; grief, healing, trauma, anger.
Each participant will be required to produce 4 assignments, corresponding to the topics given in each block.
The participant’s performance in the practice of guided retreats will be assessed by her/his supervisor together with the Centre’s residential core staff.
Participants will be evaluated by the staff at the end of the four blocks. Continuation in the course will not be automatic.
Dates of the four blocks for 2024 will be annouced by September 2023. Each block will run from Monday evening until Saturday morning and be scheduled between April and November.
Other qualified resource personnel will be invited to facilitate specific sessions.
Ksh 140,000 for one year, fee payable in four instalments at the beginning of each block. A non-refundable registration fee of Ksh 10,000 should be sent on acceptance to the course, deductible from the first instalment. Payment includes handouts and some stationery. Limited bursaries available.
Complete applications including the documentation requested must reach us February 15, 2024 incomplete applications will not be considered. These courses have limited places available