The Silent Directed retreat is an ideal opportunity to take intentional steps forward in your relationship with God and reflect on what God’s invitations are for you right now. A silent retreat is a great way to reconnect with God. It is an opportunity outside of our everyday life that gives us time to rest in God’s love, to understand more deeply who we are and who God is calling us to be.

If any of the following apply to you:

• You’re experiencing or anticipating a transition in your life
• You want to take the next step in your relationship with God
• You are looking for rest and quiet
• You want to be connected to others in prayer
• You want to gain a greater appreciation for and perspective on life

Then the Silent Directed Retreat may be exactly what you need.

For more on the opportunities that a silent retreat can bring, see this article about Marquette silent retreats, or this poem written by a regular Silent Directed Retreat participant.

• $70 for undergraduate and graduate students (including students graduating in December 2024)
• $200 for faculty and staff
• $700 for alumni

The retreat fee covers food and lodging for the duration of the retreat, all retreat programming, and spiritual direction for all retreatants. Financial assistance is readily available; contact Pablo or Michael if additional funding would help you take part in this year’s retreat.

Jesuit Retreat House
4800 Fahrnwald Road
Oshkosh, WI 54902

Jesuit Retreat House is a gorgeous retreat center located on the shores of Lake Winnebago. It features comfortable single rooms with private bathroom, a paved walking trail, three chapels of various size and focus, several lounges with fireplaces and prayer spaces, an art room, an exercise room, and delicious and varied meals.

Monday, January 6:

3:00pm - Meet at Campus Ministry (for those retreatants using Campus Ministry transportation)

5:00pm - All arrive at Jesuit Retreat House

5:30pm - Introductions

6:00pm - Dinner

7:00pm - Introduction to retreat center and spiritual director

7:30pm - Opening prayer, silence begins

 

Tuesday, January 7 - Friday, January 10:

8:00am - Breakfast

11:45am - Ignatian Inspiration (short talk on an Ignatian theme)

12:00pm - Lunch

3:30pm - Gentle Yoga

5:15pm - Mass

6:00pm - Dinner

7:30pm - Evening Prayer Service (format changes each evening)

Retreatants will also meet sometime every morning or afternoon with their spiritual director for 30-60 minutes. All offerings besides spiritual direction are optional, and retreatants are encouraged to intentionally create space for rest, time outdoors, reading, prayer, and anything else to which they feel drawn.

 

Saturday, January 11:

8:00am - Breakfast

Sometime during the morning - final spiritual direction session

10:45am - Closing Prayer and end of silence

11:30am - Mass

12:00pm - Lunch and departure

1:30pm - Departure

3:00pm - Arrive on campus

What happens on a silent retreat? Is it hard not to talk?

“I don’t think I could go for that long without talking!” Many people think this when they hear about a silent retreat. The first day or two in silence can be an adjustment, but retreatants come to find that each day has a rhythm. There is time for quiet, for prayer, for walking outside and for daily conversation with your spiritual director (30-60 minutes per day). Retreatants gather for spoken and shared prayer, and, as always, there is conversation with God. We do not always realize how much of our life is filled with noise, thoughts, and busy-ness. Silence makes room for listening, for response, and for contemplation. Many retreatants find that silence is their favorite part of the retreat, and they are amazed at the community that forms in the midst of silence.

What is a spiritual director/spiritual direction?

A spiritual director is someone who is trained and able to offer guidance and companionship to someone who is seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationship with God. Spiritual direction can help us to pay more attention to how God is speaking to us and how we are responding to God. For more general and in-depth information about spiritual direction, please visit the Ignatian Spirituality website.

Can Marquette's Retreat Leave Benefit be applied to the Silent Directed Retreat?

Yes. Staff and faculty receive two days per year of retreat leave which may be applied toward the Silent Directed Retreat. The retreat does not depart until Monday afternoon, so with the retreat benefit included, a staff or faculty member can participate using only two days' worth of vacation.

• Spiritual direction and daily mass were extremely helpful for me in engaging with my faith during this silence. 
• This was an absolutely incredible retreat. The way I am living my daily life is different as a result of it.  
• I really enjoyed talking to my spiritual director. I think I got really lucky because I feel like I was able to build a connection with her by getting to know her and just knowing that she was patient and present regardless of my position spiritually.