Making Decisions with the Wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola

“What should I do?” In a sense, it is the question we ask ourselves. It applies to everyday situations and major life choices. We know it is important to make good decisions, but we often don’t know how.

Fortunately, there’s help. St. Ignatius of Loyola was a master decision maker. His “rules for discernment” have helped countless people make good decisions for nearly 500 years.

This retreat, which is open to men and women ages 18-35, takes place over the course of a Friday evening and Saturday during the day. Retreatants return to their own residences for the night.

It’s an affordable retreat option that will take place at different universities and young adult parishes in the Midwest in the 2019-2020 academic year.

The retreat will consist of a series of talks given by Jesuits. Each talk will be followed by time for reflection. There is also Eucharistic adoration, Reconciliation, and Mass. Participants will leave the retreat with practical tools for making good decisions.

To get a feel for the retreat, check out this video from the “What Should I Do?” Retreat at the University of Michigan:

Expectations for a Host

• Advertise the event (website, social media, flyers, announcements)
• Provide food: a snack on Friday evening, breakfast and lunch on Saturday
• Charge something, e.g. $15, with all money going back to the host to cover your expenses
• Provide a space for the event with a projector, screen, tables, chairs
• Allow space for a Jesuit to make an announcement about the event at a popular Mass 4-5 weeks before the retreat
• Coordinate registration, both online before the event and as people walk in
• Provide music for the liturgies and a priest to help with Reconciliation

The Organizer

Fr. Michael Rossmann, S.J.was ordained a priest in 2017. He works with people in discernment across the Midwest. He started the “One-Minute Homily,” a video series on social media. Fr. Rossmann has degrees from Notre Dame, Loyola University Chicago, and Boston College. Goals in life include meeting LeBron James and getting people to spell his last name with two N’s. He can be reached at umivocpro2@jesuits.org.

Retreat Schedule

Friday Evening: “What Should I Do?”
6:30 – Check-in, registration
7:00 – Welcome
7:15 – Talk 1: St. Ignatius and the Perennial Question
8:15 – Eucharistic adoration and Reconciliation
9:15 – Social time(People return to their residences for the night.)

Saturday Morning: Discerning Spirits
8:45 – Breakfast available
9:15 – Welcome
9:30 – Talk 2: Characteristics of Consolation and Desolation
10:30 – Talk 3: Responding to Consolation and Desolation
11:30 – Mass
12:15 – Lunch

Saturday Afternoon: Making Decisions
1:00 – Talk 4: Phases to Good Discernment
2:00 – Talk 4 (continued): Phases to Good Discernment
3:00 – Talk 5: Decisions, Confirmation, and Things to Remember
3:45 – Questions, conversation, evaluation
4:30 – Departure