What is a "retreat" and how many kinds are there?

The word “retreat” retains its basic meaning when used in a spiritual context. It is a withdrawl, a stepping back, for a period of time, to look at one’s life and perhaps to make some determinations for the future.

Within the context of Ignatian spirituality, there are many ways in which to make The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and many kinds of Ignatian retreats.

1. A 30 day retreat — The retreatant meets with a director over this period making the Exercises the way Ignatius suggests them in his book.

2. An eight-day retreat — The “essentials” of the Exercises are made over a shorter period of time, even sometimes in five or six days.

3. A directed retreat — The retreatant meets daily with a person experienced in giving the Exercises; the material for prayer is more personalized.

4. A preached retreat — The material for prayer is given to a group of retreatants by a person experienced in giving the Exercises.

5. A 19th Annotation retreat — At the beginning of his book, The Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius writes 20 annotations (we today would probably call them “prenotes”), the 19th of which addresses the fact that most people do not have the leisure of being able to retreat from an active and busy life for 30 days. He suggests that such persons make The Spiritual Exercises by devoting a fixed period of time each day (about an hour plus) and practicing this over many weeks (programs vary from 24 to 36 weeks). This way of making the Exercises is usually done as a directed retreat, although some directors are using this way now in group settings.

6. A Retreat in Everyday Life — This is usually another name for a 19th Annotation retreat, although the name is used by some for offering a brief retreat to busy people that has little if anything to do with The Spiritual Exercises.

7. A Retreat Based on The Spiritual Exercises — This really could mean many things, so one needs to read the fine print of what will be offered.

8. An Ignatian Retreat — This also could mean many things, so one needs to read the fine print of what will be offered.

9. Other — There are many programs being offered nowadays, especially in parishes, that flow out of The Spiritual Exercises, although we would not call them “retreats” as such. Usually they are seasonal offerings, for example at Advent or Lent, and were encouraged by St. Ignatius in his 18th Annotation where he suggests applying some of the Exercises to the specific needs of a person who is unable, for any one of a host of reasons, to make a “retreat” as such.