Loyola Jesuit Center
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
A Place Of Peace, Rest, Illumination, And Closeness To God
Loyola Jesuit Center is a very special place. It has been used for retreats since 1927. Since then, thousands of people have walked through its doors, seeking peace, restoration and God’s presence. In today’s busy and often uncertain world, such a place is needed more than ever. Our retreats offer people of all faiths, cultures, and ages and from all walks of life, a place of peaceful silence where they hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, find serenity, and deepen their relationship with God.
About Loyola
Loyola Jesuit Center is located on over thirty acres of beautiful lawns, gardens, and woodlands in a quiet section of Morristown, in northern New Jersey. It is in this peaceful atmosphere that thousands of retreatants have come since 1927 to Encounter God, Illuminate The Heart, and Enjoy Peace.
Our ministry is inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is rooted in the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola. A journey in meditation, praying with Scripture and finding God in all things—this is the foundation of our silent retreats. Loyola is dedicated to creating a rich variety of retreat experiences and providing an atmosphere of quiet, peace, and prayer in which men and women of all faiths, ages, cultures, and from all walks of life, are encouraged to discover and respond generously to God’s personal invitation to wholeness and holiness.
Mission
Loyola Jesuit Center is inspired by the Person and Good News of Jesus Christ as experienced in the Roman Catholic tradition of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
We commit ourselves to meet people of all ages and cultures, wherever they may be in their spiritual life, and offer them the resources and contemplative atmosphere to foster the spiritual fire necessary to be free and fully alive as children of God.
We hope to inspire people who will continue the mission of Jesus—bringing God’s mercy, love, and justice into the world.
Vision
Loyola Jesuit Center will be a destination of choice for Roman Catholics and all Christians—indeed, all people of good will—and become an even more vibrant center for all who are seeking spiritual growth through the discovery, renewal, and deepening of personal faith in Christ.
Retreat Overview
Loyola Jesuit Center is dedicated to creating a rich variety of retreat experiences for men and women of all faiths, all ages, all cultures, and from all walks of life in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere for contemplation and meditation. All retreats and programs are based upon Ignatian Spirituality (spirituality for everyday life) and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. The Spiritual Exercises are, in brief, a “pathway to God,” an experiential approach to personal faith and union with God. That is why, during our retreats, there is ample time for private reflection and personal prayer. Time at Loyola provides the opportunity for you to step out of the busy world, slowing down to reflect on God’s presence in your everyday dealings.
Loyola’s spiritual offerings include silent weekend retreats, and days and evenings of prayer. The Loyola Program also includes offerings to help you move deeper into your spiritual life as you are ready and called, including week-long directed and preached retreats, private retreats, spiritual direction and ultimately the Spiritual Exercises given to us by St. Ignatius, which Loyola offers as the Full Spiritual Exercises (30 day retreat), the 19th Annotation format (retreat in everyday life) and a custom designed, condensed eight-week version. In addition, the Loyola Program includes retreats for children/teens, Confirmation retreats, retreats for young adults ages 18–39, retreats for the homeless, Matt Talbot/St. Camillus retreats for those in recovery, as well as offerings in Spanish.
Retreats can be arranged on mutually agreeable dates and the program adapted to the needs of the particular group.
Whether it’s a day, evening, weekend, or longer, Loyola retreats meet you where you are on your spiritual journey and help you Encounter God, Illuminate the Heart, and Enjoy Peace.
Directed Retreats
A directed retreat is an individually guided silent prayer experience in which the retreatant follows the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius while listening for God’s personal word spoken through the Sacred Scriptures. Each retreatant is assigned a Spiritual Director with whom the retreatant meets daily for reflection and spiritual discernment. These retreats are for those who are experienced with sharing their interior life and with prior experience of spiritual direction. Loyola offers eight-day directed retreats during Holy Week and the summer months which includes daily Mass, Reconciliation, Sacrament of the Sick, and plenty of time for private prayer. Directed retreats can also be scheduled on an individual basis throughout the year.
Preached Retreats
Preached retreats consist of individuals who are on their own personal retreat, but are given talks by a retreat director each day to prepare and orient them for their own prayer and reflection. They follow the themes of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Preached retreats include daily Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of the Sick, and plenty of time for private prayer. Loyola offers preached retreats during Holy Week and in the summer. Preached retreats are open to all without prior experience of spiritual direction.
Private Retreats
Private retreats are scheduled on an individual basis throughout the year. Retreatants may come to be in silence and pray on their own with the option to participate in daily Mass. Also, retreatants may request a Spiritual Director and enjoy a private Directed Retreat as described above.
