The 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, referenced often as the 19th Annotation or Ignatian Retreat in Daily Life, is an increasingly popular retreat option for persons seeking the experience of the Spiritual Exercises. The 19th Annotation allows for persons to complete the Spiritual Exercises with others over several months, engaging in Ignatian prayer practices, readings, and meditations, while meeting regularly with a spiritual director.
The Clough School of Theology and Ministry offers a week-long summer intensive for spiritual directors seeking a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises in order to better accompany others through the Spiritual Exercises, particularly in the 19th Annotation format. It is essential that spiritual directors who accompany others through the 19th Annotation have completed the Spiritual Exercises themselves.
This 1-credit course seeks to form spiritual directors who seek specialized training in facilitating the 19th Annotation retreat. In the first portion of the class, the theological and practical/pastoral dynamics of the four weeks of the Exercises will be explored with a seasoned theologian/spiritual director steeped in the Exercises. The second portion will then provide the opportunity for in-depth small group reflection on these dynamics along with discussion of directing someone through the specific movements of the Exercises.
Monday, July 14 – Friday, July 18, 2025
9:00am – 1:00pm ET
Online, Synchronous (Zoom)
The aim of the 19th Annotation Intensive is to provide trained spiritual directors who have completed the Spiritual Exercises with the education and formation to support accompanying others through the 19th Annotation.
Prerequisites:
To register, please complete our application form and indicate Non-Degree, Intensive on the 19th Annotation on the Program Information page. The cost of this 1-credit course was $1,318 in 2024; the 2025 rate will be set in March 2025. Financial aid is available to all applicants.
If you have any questions about the form, do not hestiate to contact the admissions office: cstmapply@dos5.net.
Fr. Kevin O'Brien is a Jesuit priest who serves as executive director of an innovative two-year associates' degree program in Bridgeport, Connecticut on a new campus of Fairfield University. This initiative, named Fairfield Bellarmine after the patron saint of the university, is aimed at expanding access and affordability in Jesuit higher education. The program features a core curriculum in the humanities and sciences and major tracks in business, computer science, health studies, and liberal arts. Born in Canada and raised in South Florida, Fr. O’Brien practiced law and taught high school before joining the Jesuits in 1996. As a Jesuit, he has taught business law, philosophy, ethics and theology on a variety of campuses. Fr. O’Brien also has a long association with the Jesuit Refugee Service, which assists and advocates for migrants and refugees across the world.
Tomeu Estelrich is the Director of the Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Boston College, and also teaches in the Department of Philosophy. He earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy at the Pontifical University Comillas (Madrid, Spain), a Licentiate in Philosophy at the University of Salamanca (Spain) and a Licentiate in Theology at the School of Theology of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain). He is the author of Ciencia y Ecología de la Creación, (Univesidad Técnica Particular de Loja Press, 2004. Second edition 2011) and many papers on spirituality and the philosophy of Simone Weil. Prior to his appointment as director, he served as assistant director of the Jesuit Institute, the Center for Student Formation, and Intersections. In 2022 he taught philosophy at the Central University of Ecuador and the Technical University of Loja (UTPL) for two years. Since 2006, he has been a member of the American Weil Society, part of its executive board, and its VP and President from 2014 to 2019. He is married and has one son.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis after this date until the program is full.
A non-refundable fee of $75 is required for every degree and non-degree application submitted.
Please note: The application fee cannot be refunded for any reason. If you qualify for a fee waiver, you should not pay the fee when you submit the application form. Fee waivers are granted to the following applicants: Jesuits, veterans, applicants currently completing a year of service or who are Pell Grant-eligible, and current CSTM students. We do not waive the application fee for other reasons.
CSTM is committed to providing financial support to applicants. On your application form, please be sure to fill out the Financial Information section, and also include the amount of support your employer is able to provide.
Applicants should submit a one-page essay addressing the following questions:
We require transcripts from all colleges, universities, seminaries, or theological schools that you have attended. Each transcript should contain a list of all coursework taken, grades/marks received, and, if applicable, degree granted and date of degree confirmation. If your college or university will send official transcripts electronically, they can be emailed to stmadm@dos5.net. Otherwise, transcripts must be mailed and be contained in a sealed, signed envelope. If your transcript is not in English, a translation must be provided. Please alert us if your transcript will be arriving with a different name than the one you are using on your application (e.g. your maiden name).
For this program, only unofficial transcripts are required.
For applicants using the U.S. Postal Service:
Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry
Simboli Hall
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
For applicants using FedEx or UPS:
Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry
Simboli Hall
9 Lake Street
Brighton, MA 02135-3841
The resume must be uploaded as part of the application. It is helpful if you highlight relevant ministry, service, and leadership positions you have held.
Applicants who are Catholic diocesan priests or deacons, or members of religious orders must submit a letter of approval and financial support from their bishop, major superior, or Provincial. Please select "Bishop/Major Superior" as the recommender type on the application form.