Why spiritual retreats are so crucial

“And He said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’” - (Mark 6:31)

Widely neglected in our day and age, but of great importance for growth in the spiritual life and for the ordering of one’s temporal life, is the occasional making of a spiritual retreat – at least annually. This is true for everyone, regardless of their vocation and state in life. As noted by Pope Benedict XVI (writing as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger), “Without doubt, a Christian needs certain periods of retreat into solitude to be recollected and, in God’s presence, rediscover his path” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some Aspects of Christian Meditation, October 15, 1989, www.vatican.va). A time of spiritual retreat refreshes the whole person – soul, body, mind, and spirit. It provides time for contemplation and prayer – in short, it’s a time for “a friendly intercourse and frequent solitary conversation with Him who, as we know, loves us” (St. Teresa of Avila, Life, Chapter VIII).

A retreat involves a “Withdrawal for a period of time from one’s usual surroundings and occupations to a place of solitude for meditation, self-examination, and prayer, in order to make certain necessary decisions in one’s spiritual life. Although the practice is older than Christianity, the example of Christ’s 40 days in the desert makes such retreats part of divine revelation, to be imitated, as far as possible, by his followers” (Modern Catholic Dictionary [MCD], by Fr. John Hardon, S.J., p. 466).

The word “retreat” means to “pull away from” or to “pull back” and is associated with military combat—for example, when soldiers in combat pull away from or retreat from the front line of battle. When making a good retreat, that’s exactly what the Christian is doing: he or she is pulling back from the affairs of everyday life and re-connecting with God in a special way in surroundings that are conducive to this end.

According to Fr. John Hardon, S.J. who was a renowned retreat master himself, “As a formal devotion among all classes of the faithful, retreats were introduced with the Counter-Reformation, led by St. Ignatius of Loyola, and followed by St. Francis de Sales and St. Vincent de Paul” (MCD, p. 466). ...

Worth noting, too, is that Pope Pius XI, in his Apostolic Constitution Declaring St. Ignatius Patron of all Spiritual Exercises [July 25, 1922], wrote: “We desire that retreat houses, where persons withdraw for a month, or for eight days, or for fewer, to put themselves into training for the perfect Christian life, may come into being and flourish everywhere more numerously.” So it is that many religious orders own, staff, and operate retreat houses or retreat centers, as do some dioceses and Catholic lay-based organizations. All of these will offer calendars of specifically themed retreats (e.g., for individuals, married couples, father-son, mother-daughter, Ignatian, etc.) and will also give the name and credentials of the retreat master giving the retreat.

One final note: While a registration fee is often required for a spiritual retreat, it is usually a reasonable one given the costs associated with hosting a group of persons at a retreat center (such as food, utilities, groundskeeping, general staffing, etc.). So, do some research and check out what Catholic retreat houses exist in your diocese and surrounding area. Make sure they’re reputable for their faithfulness to the teaching of the Church, and then invest in your spiritual life – and make a spiritual retreat.

(Excerpt from Fr. Menezes’ forthcoming book, Faith at the Forefront,
to be published by EWTN Publishing in conjunction with
Sophia Institute Press in Spring 2022.)

FR. WADE L.J. MENEZES, C.P.M., is the assistant general of the Fathers of Mercy, an itinerant missionary preaching order based in Auburn, KY. He hosts EWTN Radio’s Open Line Tuesday and authored the soon-to-be-released book Faith at the Forefront. His other titles include The Four Last Things: A Catechetical Guide to Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell and Overcoming the Evil Within: The Reality of Sin and the Transforming Power of God’s Grace and Mercy (EWTN Publishing).