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Poll

How long since your last 5 day Ignatian retreat?

1-2 years
3-5 years
5-10 years
More than 10 years
Never been on one

Author Topic: How long since your last 5 day Ignatian retreat?  (Read 6559 times)

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Re: How long since your last 5 day Ignatian retreat?
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2026, 04:26:59 AM »
Responded two years ago and no retreats on the horizon. My arthritis has gotten worse and most of the retreat houses I’ve seen are not very accessible. That little chapel downstairs in Ridgefield, If I somehow managed on my bottom to get down the stairs, coming back up would be like mountain climbing. I’d have to wait until everyone was gone and go up slowly on all fours. If I recall, there’s a not terrible sturdy railing on on side only. The other way in and out are the cement stairs outside, not at all safe. There are other smaller stairs like up into the classroom, down into the room with the wood stove, the refrectory, into the retreat itself in front. I cannot kneel so I’d have to find another place for confession.  If I managed to kneel in the chapel confessional, an extraction team might be required to get me up and out.
I’m increasingly cautious with the SSPX these days. I know there are novus ordo priests who may or may not be conditionally ordained. In some places I hear they use novus ordo facilities so who knows if there are already consecrated hosts in the ciborium, if they ARE even consecrated. If they are consecrated and at the novus ordo, give communion in the hand, there’s a risk I’m walking all over particles of Our Lord on the floor or even on the pews, sitting on Him?  Even if it’s just flour and water, there are people who believe it to be Christ and are scandalized or think it must be okay to treat Jesus like crumbs from a bag of chips. 
If it’s one of the old guard priests in a chapel used only for the proper Mass, then okay. Many of these priests they’ve now stuck away in some remote location where they don’t bring in lots of money and have a stagnant population and economy. I can think of several priests who’ve now been the same place for over a decade. So long as he doesn’t make waves, they leave him alone to minister to his flock. Actually, I think that is good to have some places that are more like a regular small parish rather than everyone getting a new priest every other year. There’s no continuity for how things are run, activities outside of Mass, having a spiritual director. It’s akin to my experiences with medical insurance. Every year it’s a new health insurance, I have get a new primary doctor and any specialists I might need. The prescription formularies are different and I either pay out of pocket or have to transition to different medicine that may or may not work or have unacceptable side effects. One year I can Hospital A and B; the next year, I can use neither and have to travel a long distance past A and B to Hospital D because it’s the only one in network. This is not conducive to good health. It’s the same with getting a new priest every September. It’s not conducive to individual spiritual health and growth in holiness, and it’s not good for the chapel as a whole. One priest gives excellent adult catechisms. You just about really start learning and he’s transferred. The next priest isn’t the academic-teacher type. The classes are just dropped and there are lots of family with children events. In two years, you get a priest who’s very into classical music and literature. A series of prominent people come and give recitals and readings. These are good fundraisers if there is a group of people who enjoy “highbrow” and truly good Catholic arts. As professionals are coming, they need to be compensated, so only the better off parishioners attend the events. They also need to make some money for the chapel or the Society. What sometimes ends up happening is that certain parishioners just take over. They call the shots, and the priest dances to their tune. I’ve noticed this particularly with brand new young priests and a group of mostly older women. He does as the ladies say. It’s not a healthy chapel.

Nobody’s perfect or can fulfill everyone’s needs. There’s no one traditional group that can claim to act in the stead of the Church in calmer waters. Same goes with retreats. I’ve heard of a few places where the five day Ignatian retreat is condensed into three. The retreatants provide their own housing, which means they go home at night or stay as guests, get a motel, or RV. They are to try and maintain an attitude of recollection. The retreat is at the chapel or other facility from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Meals are eaten together, silence is maintained as is usual. The reason is that just as the 30 day Ignatian retreat intended for religious was reduced first to seven days then to five by Fr. Vallet to enable working men at the turn of the 20th century in France and Belgium to strengthen their spiritual lives. European workers have historically had many more vacation days than Americans. Realistically, how many family men or women, working with children, homeschooling, etc. can take off five consecutive days?  Most places of business aren’t going to allow it. And how many men can work as usual, homeschool, and care for the children for five days in a row?  Many traditional families do not have the support of grandparents, extended family who can come in and keep things up and running smoothly. In the days prior to WWI, it wasn’t unusual for middle class or upper working class families to employ domestic help, a nanny or maid could do the job. I don’t know of any traditional families with lots of children who employ a nanny or servants. I do know of people who have a cleaning lady come for three hours once every other week, but that’s quite different.
The cost and logistics of travel to a retreat have become completely out of reach for many people. A well intentioned person thought I might like to go on a pilgrimage in Korea. Sure, I’d probably love it. People can walk, bike, use golf carts or motorized scooters, so I could do it but….I can’t just get on a plane, fly to Korea from New York, get to the retreat place, rent a motorized bike or mobility scooter, plus pay for the retreat itself! Then I have to get home. The transportation is not included in the retreat, neither are all the meals or means of moving other than your feet! There’s no charge for feet. Shoes and socks are up to you. Maybe some very devout souls go barefoot? No extra charge! 
But a three day retreat say, within an hour and a half drive from home, that I would do. I’m not holding my breath however!