What is the 19th Annotation?

What is the 19th Annotation?*

The 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is a profound and transformative retreat experience that is made over a period of nine months in daily life.  The Exercises are organised around four “weeks” as they were originally given during the structure of a 30-day retreat.  These include Creation, the unconditional love of God, my personal vocation, and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Participation includes:

·      A desire to deepen one’s prayer life and relationship with God

·      A commitment to one hour of personal daily prayer, with review and journaling

·      Where possible individual weekly meetings with your own spiritual guide from early September to early June.

 Some Practical Considerations

The actual director of the retreat is the Holy Spirit.  The retreat director is a guide to help and accompany the retreatant.

·       The relationship of retreatant and director is privileged and confidential.

·       Each retreatant is encouraged to obtain and keep a journal for notetaking on Friday nights and for one’ own reflections

·      Attendance at an initial meeting with the group who will be making the retreat

·      Interested individuals should be in ongoing spiritual direction.

·      Willingness to share one’s prayer

·      Openness and Generosity

Ignatius himself found that many people could not, because of family or business reasons, take thirty days off, leave home, and go away for a retreat.  So he created an adaptation of the Exercises, which would be extended over a period of time.  This is what is known as the 19th Annotation.  This journey with the Lord helps the retreatant to grow in spiritual freedom and the ability to find intimacy with God in the midst of everyday life.

You are invited to:

 Encounter the living God and God’s presence in creation, your personal life story and current life circumstances.

 Practise the Examen daily if possible

 Better discern your deepest desires to understand God’s call and presence   in your life and in the world.

 Become Contemplative in Action, experiencing more deeply the vision of “finding God in all things.”

*the term comes from the original Spiritual Exercises as a footnote to describe the variations allowable from the usual enclosed setting 

Prayer of St Ignatius

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and all my will—all I have and possess.  You, Lord, have given all that to me.  I now give it back to you, O Lord.  All is yours.  Dispose of it according to your will.  Give me love of yourself along with your grace, for that is enough for me.  [Spiritual Exercises 234]