Manresa Writing Retreat

All full-time LMU and LLS faculty are eligible to participate, regardless of discipline, rank, or length of service. Sponsoring units may identify additional criteria for eligibility for their sponsored participants.

Please note: At this time, participation is open only to LMU employees. Unfortunately, this program cannot accommodate partners, children, or other guests.

There is no cost to participants. 

If you are interested in attending the retreat, please contact your Dean's Office or the OFDE for information about sponsored spaces and the process for applying. You may indicate your interest in a  sponsorship by filling out the request form linked above.

The retreat runs from Monday afternoon to Friday midday. Lodging includes single accommodations with private bath in a peaceful setting. Bedding and linens, all meals, and wi-fi are all provided free of charge. Participants are welcome to bring additional items to make their stay comfortable and productive, or to share with colleagues. (Puzzles, games, art supplies, and snacks have all been shared at previous retreats!)

The majority of the retreat program is unstructured for participants to use in whatever way will be most useful for them. Each morning and evening, optional sessions will be offered on various topics related to LMU's mission, Ignatian identity, and vocation as a teacher-scholar at a Jesuit, Marymount institution.

An informational meeting will take place via Zoom before the retreat; first-time retreatants are strongly encouraged to attend. A suggested packing list and FAQs will also be provided ahead of time. 

The Division of Mission recognizes that each participant's needs are unique. We intend the retreat to contribute to your scholarly research, writing, and/or creative work, but that will look different for each individual. Some may benefit from long blocks of uninterrupted time to write without distraction. Others may wish to rest, read, or stroll freely, allowing ideas to develop in an unhurried atmosphere. Others may find it helpful to connect with colleagues to discuss projects and get feedback. This retreat is designed to facilitate any or all of these options for participants. It's up to you to decide what will be most helpful!

That said: Please note that individual guest rooms have limited soundproofing and are not appropriate for extended calls or meetings, as this will be audible and cause disruption to neighboring participants. In general, we recommend that participants minimize audio/video calls during the program as much as they are able. Participants find that this practice best supports their own focus and that of colleagues, and consistently note how valuable they find it to "unplug" and step away from typical daily obligations for a restful and productive retreat.

This program is designed to offer faculty uninterrupted, extended time to work on their research and projects. Participants are expected to remain on-site for the full duration of the retreat, from Monday afternoon through Friday lunchtime, unless an emergency arises. If you are unable to commit to the full retreat program due to other commitments, please allow another colleague to make full use of this opportunity.

Here are a few testimonials from previous participants:

• “I LOVED this retreat. It was wonderful getting to know other faculty... I got a project finished that I've been struggling to complete for the last nine months!”
• The whole thing was amazing: meal-time chats, program, AJU grounds, and most of all: the writing time.” 
  
  
• “Having a space to think and write without having to worry about meals and family obligations was absolutely invaluable.”
  
  
• “I cannot thank…the [Division of Misison] enough for this incredibly valuable and enjoyable experience. It was ‘off the charts’ both professionally AND personally for me, and the absolute best and most productive way I could have spent the LMU Spring Break."
  
  
• "This was the most valuable experience I have had in my 10+ years at LMU.” 
• "It was so affirming to meet many wonderful colleagues at the retreat. I feel like this was the campus networking experience I've been starving for. And now I have a list of new folks to turn to for different kinds of support as I navigate the tenure track."
  
  
• “I felt such an appreciation for my LMU colleagues and it made me feel much more integrated into the university.... I felt reconnected and rejuvenated.”
  
  
• "Being able to use the unstructured time to focus on writing in a peaceful setting without all the usual interruptions made a huge difference. I finished in 2.5 days what would have taken weeks to finish without this protected time."
  
  
• “I loved the conversations about LMU's mission and the connection to the Jesuit approach to teaching, learning, and engaging with the whole person.”
  
  
• “I’d all but forgotten what a joy it is to write in a relaxed manner since that almost never happens!”
  
  
• “It was fantastic. I wish I could attend every year.”

Manresa is the name of a small town in northeastern Spain, located on the banks of the Cardoner River. Here the young St. Ignatius of Loyola spent almost a year in prayer and reflection, in the solitude of a cave along the banks of the river. In response to his experiences and struck by inspiration, he began to write. His compositions in Manresa eventually became the text known as the Spiritual Exercises, the foundation of the entire Ignatian and Jesuit traditions.

Like Ignatius's cave, this retreat will offer you space and time set apart from the busyness of our everyday contexts...and, we hope, inspiration and creativity.