Going on Retreat: A Beginner's Guide to the Christian Retreat Experience [Paperback]

Margaret Silf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002

Each year thousands of people seek personal renewal and enlightenment through spiritual retreats. In this valuable guide, author Margaret Silf answers questions such as:

• Why do people make retreats?

• What types of retreats are available?

• What role do retreat companions play?

• How should I prepare for my retreat?

• How can I sustain the retreat experience?

• Where can I find a retreat center near me?

Also discussed are the costs of various types of retreats, the amenities that are provided, and a complete description of one of the most popular retreat formats, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What kinds of retreats are available for Christians? How much do they cost? What is "spiritual direction"? Once I am on a retreat, how in the world am I supposed to fill the hours? Margaret Silf provides answers to these questions and more in Going on Retreat: A Beginner's Guide to the Christian Retreat Experience. The book is heavily weighted toward a more liturgical Christian experience, with a separate chapter on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius; most of the retreat centers listed in the appendix are Roman Catholic or Anglican (Episcopalian). Silf is a fine writer and the book is full of wise spiritual counsel as well as practical tips.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This is a useful, practical guide for anyone-whether clergy or laity, theologian or neophyte-contemplating a retreat. The author of several books on prayer and spirituality, Silf offers advice that is fairly generic-though as the subtitle aptly suggests, this book is best suited for the Christian community. Most of the book focuses on a structured retreat experience, generally at an established center, but Silf also defines a retreat as any break from everyday life spent in solitude, prayer, or meditation. In addition to describing what readers can expect on a retreat, Silf provides a list of such centers in 25 states, many of which are affiliated with the Catholic Church. Members of Protestant denominations might locate other centers through their local church or by word of mouth-which, as Silf points out, is a good source since such recommendations are based on personal experience. Suggestions for preparing for retreats and for returning to one's workaday world afterward are included, as is a recommended reading list. Very suitable for public and church libraries.
Mary Prokop, Savannah Country Day Preparatory Sch., GA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 201 pages
• Publisher: Loyola Press (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0829419942
• ISBN-13: 978-0829419948
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Silf travels widely in her work as a retreat director and speaker on Ignatian spirituality. Her books include Compass Points, Inner Compass, Close to the Heart and Going on Retreat(Loyola Press) and The Gift of Prayer: Embracing the Sacred in the Everyday (Bluebridge). She lives in England.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very useful introduction on what to expect, October 5, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Going on Retreat: A Beginner's Guide to the Christian Retreat Experience (Paperback)

Going On Retreat: A Beginner's Guide To The Christian Retreat Experience is a straightforward guide by Jesuit trained author Margaret Silf, to finding a suitable retreat in which to meditate and embrace one's Christian faith. Anecdotes of personal experience by the author, as well as simple guidelines for anyone embarking upon a Christian retreat for the first time, make Going On Retreat an brisk and very useful introduction on what to expect and what to do.