Presenters: Jesuit Retreat Team
The silent retreat has only recently become part of the Vincentian Volunteer programme. It came about at the suggestion of past volunteers who had listened to their Jesuit counterparts. The volunteers have found the silent retreat a very inspiring experience.
Loyola Hall is a Jesuit retreat house on the outskirts of Liverpool. It is a house of prayer - a place of peace and quiet. There are many prayer-rooms, a large chapel, a library, an art room and extensive private grounds. The Vincentian Volunteers are made welcome in this house where people come from all over the world, to rediscover what is important in life.
The silent retreat is a chance for our volunteers to experience silence, perhaps in a new way, in an individually guided retreat. The first couple of days are spent looking at different ways of praying, sharing our faith story, and how to get in touch with our deeper selves. The last five days of the retreat is a time of silence during which the volunteer meets with the director once a day, and then has the opportunity to pray and reflect in many different ways: writing, painting, using clay, walking – respecting the silence for oneself and the others, and then coming together for the daily Eucharist.
The silent retreat is a very unique experience, and for some it can be the highlight of the volunteer year.
www.loyolahall.f2s.com/