Archdiocese of Los Angeles - Diaconate Formation Program

Aspirancy Year 2 - Spiritual Exercises (2021-2022)

Books for the Year-Long Retreat:

Kevin O’Brien, SJ. The Ignatian Adventure. Loyola Press, 2011. – $14.95
- Kevin O'Brien, SJ. La aventura ignaciana. Loyola Press, 2017. – $14.95
Rec: Timothy M. Gallagher, OMV. Meditation and Contemplation. Crossroad, 2008. – $14.79
Rec: Jim Manney. A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer. Loyola Press, 2011. – $9.95

AUGUST 21-22, 2021

Initial Retreat: Beginning the Year of Spiritual Exercises (read O’Brien, pp. 1-11)
- St. Peter Claver, Simi Valley: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sat & Sun
Week beginning August 22: Start using the Examen Prayer daily
Handouts:
- Ignatian Meditation and Contemplation (bilingual PDF)
PPTs:

August 28, 2021

Introductory Presentations (read O’Brien, pp. 13-31)
- PPT: Preparing for the Journey
Week beginning August 29: Pray with material from Handout A1
Week beginning September 5: Pray with material from Handout A2
Handouts:
- Ps of Preparation for Prayer (bilingual PDF)

September 11, 2021

Introductory Presentations, cont.
- PPT: Journaling and Review of Prayer
Week beginning September 12: Pray with material from Handout B1
Week beginning September 19: Pray with material from Handout B2
Handouts:
- Questions for Journaling (bilingual PDF)
- Questions for Review of Prayer (bilingual PDF)

September 25, 2021

Initial Meetings/Introductions with Individual Spiritual Directors
Preview of Weeks 1 & 2
- PPT: Spiritual Direction
Week beginning September 26: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 1
Week beginning October 3: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 2
Handouts:
- Speaking with a Spiritual Director (bilingual PDF)

October 9, 2021

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 1 & 2
Preview of Weeks 3 & 4
- PPT: Distractions in Prayer
Week beginning October 10: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 3
Week beginning October 17: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 4

October 23, 2021

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 3 & 4
Preview of Weeks 5, 5X, 6, 6X
- PPT: Colloquy and Repetition
- PPT: Principle and Foundation
- HO: Principle and Foundation (PDF)
Week beginning October 24: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 5
Week beginning October 31: Pray with material from Handout 5X

NOVEMBER 6, 2021 – Marriage/Celibacy Workshop Weekend (not at SPC, but at St. Clare, Canyon Country)

[ZOOM Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 5 & 5x]
Week beginning November 7: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 6
Week beginning November 14: Pray with material from Handout 6X

November 20, 2021

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 6 & 6x
Preview of Weeks 7 & 8
- PPT: Boredom and Dryness in Prayer
Week beginning November 21: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 7
Week beginning November 28: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 8

December 4, 2021

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 7 & 8
Preview of Weeks 9 & 10
- PPT: Intro to the Discernment of Spirits
Week beginning December 5: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 9
Week beginning December 12: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 10

December 18, 2021

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 9 & 10
Preview of Weeks 11 & 12 & 13
- PPT: Gentle Reminders and Rules for Discernment of Spirits
Week beginning December 19: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 11
Week beginning December 26: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 12
Week beginning January 2: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 13

January 8, 2022 (by Zoom)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 11 & 12 & 13
Preview of Weeks 14 & 15
Week beginning January 9: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 14
Week beginning January 16: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 15

January 22, 2022 (by Zoom)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 14 & 15
Preview of Weeks 16 & 17
Week beginning January 23: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 16
Week beginning January 30: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 17

February 5, 2022 (by Zoom)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 16 & 17
Preview of Weeks 18 & 19
Week beginning February 6: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 18
Week beginning February 13: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 19

February 19, 2022 (back at St. Peter Claver Church)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 18 & 19
Preview of Weeks 20 & 21
Week beginning February 20: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 20
Week beginning February 27: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 21

March 5, 2022 – at Bishop Alemany High School (11111 N Alemany Dr, Mission Hills, CA 91345)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 20 & 21
Preview of Weeks 22 to 24
Week beginning March 6: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 22
Week beginning March 13: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 23

MARCH 18-20, 2022 – R.E. Congress Weekend (Anaheim, CA)

[ZOOM Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 22 & 23]
Week beginning March 20: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 24
Week beginning March 27: Pray with material from Handout 24X

April 2, 2022

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 24 & 24X
Preview of Weeks 25 to 27
Week beginning April 3: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 25
Week beginning April 10: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 26
Week beginning April 17: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 27

[April 16 – Holy Saturday – No Meeting]

April 23, 2022

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 25 & 26 & 27
Preview of Weeks 28 to 30
Week beginning April 24: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 28

April 30, 2022

[NO Individual Spiritual Direction]
Week beginning May 1: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 29
Week beginning May 8: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 30

May 14, 2022 – at Bishop Alemany High School (11111 N Alemany Dr, Mission Hills, CA 91345)

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 28 & 29 & 30
Preview of Weeks 31 & 32
Week beginning May 15: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 31
Week beginning May 22: Pray with material from O’Brien, Week 32

May 28, 2022

Individual Spiritual Direction: Review of Prayer from Weeks 31 & 32
Finishing the Year of Spiritual Exercises

June 24-26, 2022 – Candidacy Retreat

Friday 11:00 am to Sunday 3:00 pm
El Carmelo Retreat House, 926 E Highland Ave, Redlands, CA 92374
Closing Mass includes Rite of Candidacy

ADLA Diaconate Formation, Year 2 - Daily Schedule

(for most Saturdays beginning Oct. 9, except Nov. 6, March 19, April 30)

9:00 – Morning Prayer (together with Year 1 Aspirants)
9:40 – 10:30 – Rotation Period 1
  Break
10:40 – 11:30 – Rotation Period 2
  Break
11:40 – 12:30 – Rotation Period 3
  Lunch
1:30 – 4:30 – Afternoon Instruction
4:35 – Evening Prayer (together with Year 1 Aspirants)
5:00 – Departure

	Subgroup A	Subgroup B	Subgroup C
9:40 – 10:30	*Indiv. Spir. Direction*	Fr. Jim Clarke	Mr. Carlos Obando
10:40 – 11:30	Mr. Carlos Obando	*Indiv. Spir. Direction*	Fr. Jim Clarke
11:40 – 12:30	Fr. Jim Clarke	Mr. Carlos Obando	*Indiv. Spir. Direction*

Spaces for Individual Spiritual Direction at St. Peter Claver, Simi Valley

Parish Center: Melecio’s Office
Parish Center: Library
Parish Center: Room 5 Closet
Parish Center: Old Sacristy
Church: Bridal Room
Church: Sacristy 1
Church: Sacristy 2
Church: Confessional 1
Church: Confessional 2
Church: Cry Room
Church: Flower Room
Church: Music Room

Zoom Sessions:

Due to special programs on Nov. 6, 2021, and March 19, 2022, there are no individual meetings of directors and directees on those Saturdays. But so that you don’t break the momentum of the retreat, with a 4-week gap between sessions, directors and directees should meet on your own time by Zoom (or FaceTime or other video conferencing) on any day close to Nov. and March 19, respectively.