August 15, 2023 – by Joe Williams

This story originally appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of “Jesuits” magazine, published by the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus.

As a spiritual and contemplative people in the Ignatian tradition, it’s easy to grasp the many reasons for going on retreat. Time away from the ordinary allows room for the extraordinary to break in.

Stepping out of routine lets us examine where we find God in our day to day and notice what’s happening in our lives. The silence of a silent retreat provides intentional time for prayer and the quiet needed for those insightful little thoughts, pushed down by the busyness and noise of everyday life, to finally have a little room to breathe and make themselves known to us.

That’s retreat.

Understanding the value and importance of taking time away to step back, Contemplative Leaders in Action (CLA) purposefully bookends their 18-month Ignatian Leadership program experience with an opening and closing retreat. There are also three Days of Reflection interspersed throughout the curriculum.

This past spring, nine CLA cohorts gathered for their closing retreats at various retreat houses in locations throughout the East Coast and beyond. It was a time to spend in community, a chance to reflect on their experience together, and ultimately a moment to look toward the future as thoughtful leaders of tomorrow.

“We consider the closing retreat to be a look back on their leadership journey,” says Elise Gower, Associate Director for CLA. “It’s not a look back at the program, but an opportunity to prayerfully reflect on the personal and shared experience of the last 18 months. It’s time to notice God’s movements in their individual and shared growth and development, spiritually and as leaders.”

“I was very appreciative of the time we had to reflect and discuss with others about how we have each changed and grown over the course of the program, how we have accompanied each other during times of discernment,” says Amanda McCulloch, CLA-Baltimore. “What a blessing it is to now have each other as part of our stories!”

“The closing retreat was probably my most meaningful and sacred part of the two-year experience,” says Helen Brosnan, CLA-Washington, D.C. “That kind of time away spent in prayer, away from our day to day, is necessary. And it was transformative for me.”

The CLA retreat incorporates art and creativity, beginning, just as they begin each monthly cohort session, by creating a sacred altar at the center of their gathering, prayer, and conversation. Each member brings an item based on a theme to place on the altar in a moment of personal sharing. Personal and group collages reflect elements of individual identity, spirituality, and vocation as participants reflect on their call beyond CLA. There’s also communal mealtime, small and large group sharing sessions, and the opportunity to attend Mass as a cohort.

“To me, retreats help bring a kind of a reinvigoration of spirit and force me to reckon with some of my own interior movements,” Helen goes on to say. “This retreat really cemented for me that I need to have this kind of spiritual community as a part of my life, or I will wither. It showed me that a constant, trusting, and loving spiritual community is important for me. That needs to be a part of my spiritual journey to be able to thrive.”

Just as a key component of the daily Examen includes looking toward tomorrow, so does the CLA closing retreat. It’s not just a look back; it's a sending forward. As Elise puts it, “In CLA, we say that leadership is a spiritual practice; it's something linked to a person's spiritual identity and journey. As a developed spiritual leader, how am I now going out into the world to enact the practices that I've learned?”

The commissioning ceremony, in which CLA participants are called to go forth as leaders who center Ignatian values and principles, was framed around the Gospel story of the washing of the feet. “The foot washing in the Gospel is really a moment in Scripture of a call to service, a call to discipleship,” observes Elise. “Like Jesus says, as I am doing for you, you do for others. And it interweaves a commitment to justice and servant leadership.”

“One of the movements of spirit I had on retreat was a sense of clearness, understanding, and self-assuredness about both my call to leadership and my ability to lead,” reflects Amanda. “I feel prepared to move forward with newly developed skills on my journey to fulfill God’s plans and desires for me.”

Learn more about Ignatian leadership and CLA’s program for those in their 20s or 30s at contemplativeleaders.org.

Interested in making an Ignatian retreat?
Check out East Coast retreat houses, opportunities, and resources at jesuitseastois.org/retreats.