One of the experiments that a novice has in the first year of the Novitiate are the monthly Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius and is in a way the most important of them all. The Spiritual Exercises help us get our life in order and to enter in a more profound relation with the Lord. For us seven ‘young’ novices this experiment was from the 14th of January till the 18th of February under the caring guidance of our Father Master.

To someone it might seem strange or even mad spending five weeks in silence with nothing to do. From personal experience I can tell you that time passes by quickly as you are faced with different meditations and contemplations that Saint Ignatius proposes. But this isn’t the aspect that I would like to share. The most surprising thing for me during the month was the community life between us seven, other novices and members of the Novitiate community.

The attention that we received from our super house minister before parting and during the month was amazing. He took care of every detail so that we wouldn’t get distracted during the month. At the same time, together with Father Socius he organized pilgrimages for us every Saturday to a different sanctuary. On the other hand Father Socius also prepared for us an interesting course on the technical part of Ignatian Spirituality. And let us not forget our ‘older’ brothers novices that accompanied us with their prayer.

Last week we went over once again through the Spiritual Exercises with Father Pino Piva to see at a distance and more clearly the experience we had during the month. It is interesting how the distance with the help of guidance opens even a deeper aspect of the Spiritual Exercise. During this course I also realized the importance that the community life has on the spiritual growth of the individual. During the sharing of the personal experiences that we had during the monthly exercises we could see things even more profoundly.

As I write this piece, the words of Saint Ignatius at the end of the Exercises come to mind in which he says that the love isn’t measured by words but by the acts and that we are called to shear the talent and goods that we have received from God our Lord.