THE MISSION OF MANRESA

To help men and women grow spiritually
through prayer, reflection, guidance, and teaching
according to the Ignatian tradition

The Old Front Door
a watercolor by Harrison (1963)
[click image for other "Manresa" art]

EXPLANATION OF THE MISSION STATEMENT

Men and Women:

We are Catholic and Jesuit but are here to serve all who seek a closer union with God and growth in their spiritual life.

Spiritual Growth:

There are many dimensions of spiritual growth which we address:

• an awareness and experience of God's unconditional love for us,
• our love of God and neighbor,
• discernment of God's will,
• fidelity in prayer,
• a knowledge and practice of one's faith,
• service to others,
• a commitment to promotion of the faith that does justice,
• looking beyond ourselves to the well-being of the Church, society, the community, the family, the workplace, and particularly the needy.

Prayer and Reflection:

We offer the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and various adaptations of these Exercises in conference retreats and individually directed retreats, the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life, days of prayer and recollection, different forms of individual prayer, and the celebration of the liturgy and of devotional practices.

Guidance and Teaching:

Members of our staff are available for spiritual direction or to recommend spiritual directors. We provide a variety of workshops, one-day and semester-long, as well as other learning experiences to respond to the spiritual needs of the individual and those engaged in pastoral ministry. In particular we offer a two-year Internship in Ignatian Spirituality to give professional training to the individual for ministerial service, especially for the ministry of one-on-one spiritual direction and other care-giving situations requiring skilled listening.

Ignatian Tradition:

As Jesuits and people who share in Ignatian spirituality, we work from the perspective of that spirituality expressed in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, which affirms:

• God's presence in our lives and world,
• God's unique self-communication to each individual,
• the necessity of treating each person individually,
• the possibility of discerning God's presence and will in our lives,
• God's compassion for the suffering of the world and forgiveness of sinners,
• God's self-revelation in Christ Jesus,
• our call to freedom and commitment,
• a following of Jesus in personal discipleship,
• a desire to share his companionship and work for the salvation of the world,
• an openness to share the sufferings of the Lord entailed in that following,
• awareness of God's unconditional love for us,
• and the loving gift of our whole selves to God in return.