posted on March 8th, 2011
The Holy Week and Easter Celebration at Loyola Hall this year will include a Cross Walk on Good Friday for any who wish to participate.
As one of the options on Good Friday you could be part of a group that carries a cross through the lanes and footpaths near Loyola Hall. This five hour walk will culminate in the celebration of the Good Friday liturgy with all the other retreatants back at Loyola Hall — a memorable way of entering into Jesus’ passion.
Our annual Holy Week Celebration is aimed primarily at those aged 18-35. More details can be found in our events listing.
posted on October 27th, 2010
Our two-year evening course in spiritual direction (or spiritual accompaniment) began a few weeks ago with a small but enthusiastic group coming to Loyola Hall for two hours each Monday evening. We’ve begun by exploring in a number of ways what we mean by a ‘contemplative attitude’ in spiritual accompaniment and what the experience of the sacred God feels like.
“the good angel touches the soul gently, lightly, and sweetly, like a drop of water soaking into a sponge” St. Ignatius
It is just the latest way we are offering training in spiritual direction in the Ignatian tradition — each year we offer shorter residential courses in the skill and practice of spiritual accompaniment, regular days of ongoing formation for those already practising, plus weekends and longer courses in spiritual direction supervision. We also have a number of weekends reflecting on the theology and practice of spiritual accompaniment and the Spiritual Exercises.
posted on October 25th, 2010
A quick glance at our printed programme might lead you to overlook the main work that goes on here at Loyola Hall — our year-round schedule of individually-guided Ignatian retreats.
We offer silent retreats with individual spiritual direction in different sizes to suit different needs. Maybe you are pressed for time or just want a brief taster? We have weekend retreats that begin on a Friday with evening meal and finish mid-afternoon on the Sunday. Want a deeper draft of the retreat experience? We have midweek retreats which run from the Monday evening meal until after lunch on Friday and 8-day retreats (as seen in the BBC2 programme The Big Silence).
posted on October 25th, 2010
Stamping … punching … scrapping … not words you’d usually associate with a weekend retreat at Loyola Hall. However this was the first Contemplative Scrapbooking retreat being run here and it was a great experience of praying in a different way.
Some retreatants had never scrapbooked before whilst others had some experience but everyone entered into the silence and the contemplative scrapbooking and found it very enriching. Here are some quotes from the retreatants:
‘A wonderful chance to spend some time blending prayer and creativity.’
‘A complete scrapbooking novice, I am amazed at the depth I travelled in prayer.’
‘I was a little nervous as I’m not the least artistic. I shouldn’t have been. It was amazing, deeply spiritual and I think we learnt a new way to pray and a new hobby.’
‘I’ve used scrapbooking for journalling and this has taken me into using it for prayer – it’s been a revelation and a joy.’
If you missed the opportunity but still wish you could have taken part, then put next year’s Contemplative Scrapbooking weekend in your diary and book yourself in: 28th – 30th October 2011
posted on October 23rd, 2010
The BBC2 series The Big Silence kicked off last night. The Loyola Hall team gathered to watch, not only because it covers the experience of a silent retreat — our main work — but also because our own Ruth Holgate was one of the four retreat directors featured.
