Canisius College

We all have some kind of Spirituality already alive within us.  It helps us love and serve others here at Canisius.  Would you like to deepen this life?

Have you found yourself a little restless, vaguely discontent, wondering about the direction of your life?  Is there a desire for something more, but you’re not sure what?

Have you heard about the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL) but feel you’re not ready for the time commitment it requires?  Consider this:

The First Invitation

We all have some kind of Spirituality already alive within us.  It helps us love and serve others here at Canisius.  Would you like to deepen this life?

Have you found yourself a little restless, vaguely discontent, wondering about the direction of your life?  Is there a desire for something more, but you’re not sure what?

Have you heard about the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL) but feel you’re not ready for the time commitment it requires?  Consider this:

The First Invitation

The First Invitation is a prayer experience that takes you another step gently into your current spiritual life to see what you are looking for.  The First Invitation is meant for people who are interested in exploring that something “more” at a pace that is suitable for them.  This prayer experience is hand-crafted for each individual.  To make The First Invitation you don’t have to be a Christian, a Catholic or a member of an organized religion.  It is open to all faculty and staff.  You will learn how to identify and deepen your relationship with God or a Higher Power as you understand it, through various spiritual techniques, some taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. This experience enables faculty and staff to integrate their own understanding and relationship with the mystery of God with an Ignatian understanding of this gift.  One also deepens their faith in this process as God – as each one understands God, reveals God’s self to each one of us.  

For some people The First Invitation turns out to be a time to get in shape, to build up stamina, and tune-up their spiritual lives so they can eventually make the full Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life, which begins in September of 2010. 

What’s involved in The First Invitation?

Spirituality as outlined by St. Ignatius involves reflection and communication with the Divine, prayer, and using imagination and awareness exercises to help you track what’s happening at a deeper level in your life.   This involves talking with someone who has deeply experienced this for many years and is qualified to help guide you in your journey.  The format will be either one-on-one, with a trained companion, or in a group, working with a trained group leader.  If you chose to participate in the group-format, you will be listening to your companions about what happened.  

There are monthly meetings for everyone with different presentations and the opportunity to listen to other participant’s experiences.  There is no required sharing in meetings. 

You will be asked to spend some time with God and to practice methods of communion with God that work for you.  You will decide how much time you can spend, how often you can practice the methods, what methods you want to try, and how often you want to meet with your spiritual companion or group. Your spiritual companion will instruct you in methods, listen to your experiences, and provide direction to help you deepen your experiences. 

How to apply?

We chat with anyone interested to discern what will work best for each person.  For an interview call Fr Tom Colgan,SJ, X-2420, or email him colgant@canisius.edu.  This appointment is necessary to adapt the Prayer Experience to each person.

Requirements for The First Invitation

1. Some flexibility and initiative:  This prayer experience is best suited for people who want to deepen their relationship with God/Mystery and who would like to take a gentler, more relaxed approach to doing so.  Some people may fear they have no spirituality.  This Prayer Experience surfaces and clarifies what appears to be hidden.

2. Some time to reflect or pray: Participants are invited to find their own rhythm of prayer that is best suited to them, in terms of frequency and duration.

3. Participants meet with a spiritual companion (or in a group) at some interval convenient for them (weekly, bi-weekly, every third week.)  

4. Some participants meet monthly as a group.  Sharing is not mandatory. 

5. Participants are encouraged to gradually write a faith-autobiography which is private or can be shared with the director.

The Spiritual Exercises In Everyday Life (SEEL)
Begins at Canisius College in September of 2011

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, developed his Spiritual Exercises so that people could retreat for 30 days of prayer and silence to grow in their relationship with God and learn to listen for the voice of the Spirit in their lives.  Eventually he also adapted these Exercises for people who could not, for various reasons, go away for 30 days.  This adaptation at Canisius College, The Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life, is referred to as  SEEL.  This retreat invites Canisius faculty and staff to go through The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius with the guidance of a spiritual director over a period of eight to nine months.

For Whom?  The SEEL Participants

The Spiritual exercises in Everyday Life are for people at Canisius College:  faculty, staff, and students who are diverse in age, gender, spirituality, ethnicity, and faith traditions.  Because Canisius is a College and not simply a Catholic Parish, SEEL is offered to a wide and rich variety of people.  The Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life are presented in an inclusive way to whoever is here and interested in benefiting from them.  There is no need to be a member of some particular Church or religion.

Who will benefit from the Spiritual Exercises?

Those who desire to grow in their relationships with Mystery.  I.E. those who want to be closer to God as they understand God. 

Those who have important decisions to make about their life. Should one marry, be single, or join a religious community?

Those who want to integrate the Jesuit Spirit and discernment  into the curriculum and their classes.  Doing the Exercises develops the affective and intellectual receptivity’s  needed to practice and model the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm in one’s personal area of expertise.

Those who have a desire to live life at a deeper level, i.e., those wanting more closeness or intimacy with God, others, and our world that needs justice.

Those who want to discern the next step in their life. 

Those who seek to understand the path their lives have taken.

Those who are in transition.

Those in leadership positions. 

How to apply?

We personally interview everyone interested  to discern what will work best and who would best accompany them.  For an interview please call Fr Tom Colgan, SJ 888-2488 or email him colgant@canisius.edu and ask for an interview appointment for The Spiritual Exercises In Everyday Life.  During June or July please contact Professor Pat Van Verth, X-2435.

Second, participants fill out an application.  Applications can be obtained in Old Main Room 207 or downloaded here. (.pdf)

Who are the directors and what is the cost?

Ignatius of Loyola considered ‘God’ the Director.  We still use the term ‘spiritual directors’ or ‘prayer companions’ for those who journey with participants.  Spiritual Directors at Canisius College are qualified people who have experienced the Exercises of Saint Ignatius, have studied them, and have been trained to give them.  There are people in Buffalo and at Canisius College who are qualified spiritual companions - lay women, Jesuit priests, and people from different Christian denominations.   Canisius College pays for all expenses involved in the retreat. 

What are the requirements for SEEL?

SEEL is best suited for people who wish to enter into a deeper relationship with Mystery/God  and who have established some form of discipline in personal prayer, or who practice some form of reflection.

There will be Preparation Sessions in September to ease into the retreat. 

We strongly request that you write a faith-autobiography before the retreat begins.  This brief summary of the main nature of your faith (your religion if you participate in one, or your non-denomination/denomination, a brief summary of shifts or exits and the main story of your faith experience) has proven to be something that makes centering on the retreat easier and your spiritual companion will be more in tuned with you, and sooner.  Faith autobiography formats can be downloaded here. (.pdf)

Participants are expected to pray daily for about an hour, do a brief reflection on their experience and meet with their prayer companion every week or two depending on each person’s situation.  

There are one-hour monthly meetings (usually from 12:00 noon to 1:00PM during which the SEEL team presents key meditations and those taking the retreat can share aspects of their journeys with each other if they so desire. 

If you have any further questions about the Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life, please call: 

Fr Tom Colgan,S.J.  X-2488,  or email him colgant@canisius.edu
Or Call Professor Pat Van Verth X-2435,  or email her vanverth@canisius.edu