Monday 28 September 2026 – Saturday 3 October 2026
St John of God Retreat Centre, Shaolwater
Tree of Life offers an annual 6-day Silent Ignatian Retreat, where retreatants can experience the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. The Exercises invite people into a profound experience of finding God in all things. They have a dynamic that frequently evokes deep conversion and a renewed sense of coming home to oneself, often illuminating how you will live out your life of faith.
The retreat invites people to engage their journey of faith, and to deepen God’s life in them, by becoming present to the Divine through times of praying with scripture and other spiritual readings, journalling, and daily spiritual direction. Art materials are provided for those who want to engage creatively, and walking around the grounds of St John of God Retreat Centre and along the beach provides spaces for reflection in creation and wonder with God. The intentional time to pray, wander, or sit and contemplate God soothes busy hearts and gently invites a quiet noticing of the Spirit’s presence in nature; the song of a bird; the leaves of a tree; the colour of a flower; the touch of the sun or wind. What was always there is seen and felt again as if for the first time!
The daily rhythm of prayer, Eucharist, and spiritual direction provides a comforting structure that holds one in the silence and allows space for the deep, abiding presence of the Divine to be felt and known in the everydayness of our lives, meeting God as ever-present in all things.
“Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”
If this sounds like something you would like to experience, contact The Rev’d Judy Van Rossum at judithaclay1@bigpond.com
Monday 27 September 2027 – Saturday 2 October 2027
St John of God Retreat Centre, Shaolwater
