In our daily lives filled with alarm clocks, televisions, radios or iPods, cell phones, and ever-present city noise, it’s easy to get lost in the noise of the every day. Ignatius House, a Jesuit retreat center located on the Chattahoochee River in metro Atlanta, provides the perfect place for men and women of all faiths and backgrounds to disconnect from the digital and reconnect with the spiritual through silent weekend retreats.

“As a culture and more importantly, as individuals, we need to rediscover the value and importance of silence,” offered Bob Fitzgerald, executive director of Ignatius House. “With our action-packed lives, our endless distractions, and ever-present noise, there is something profound and personal about taking a brief amount of time to seek out rest, renewal, and reconnection in the quiet.”

Located on the Chattahoochee River in Sandy Springs, Ignatius House’s more than 20 acres include spaces for reflection such as walking trails, decks overlooking the river, benches along the water, and indoor and outdoor chapels. Every moment at the retreat center offers countless opportunities for quiet reflection, introspection, prayer and relaxation. Open to men and women of all faiths and backgrounds, the silent retreats provide a respite from today’s busy lifestyles to allow for quiet, personal reflection in an environment that encourages people to explore and embrace God’s beautiful creation.

During the year, more than 40 themed weekend retreats are offered and each begins on either a Thursday or Friday evening with dinner and concludes by mid-day on Sunday. Retreats begin with a reception and dinner where the retreat director provides a welcome and introduction to the weekend. Silence begins after dinner and remains until the final day’s mid-day meal. The comforting silence within the weekend allows individuals to experience the quiet needed to open their senses to their surroundings and open their hearts to reconnect with God. The silent retreat experience is guided by short 30-minute presentations that include readings and reflections on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. These exercises are designed to help develop one’s relationship with God. The quiet time in-between the presentations provides individuals with the time necessary for reflection, rest, or renewal. While at Ignatius House, retreatants need not worry about watches or time obligations while on retreat. Gentle bells on the grounds announce the next conference or meal, further allowing individuals to unplug and disconnect.

In addition to weekend retreats, Ignatius House offers a Day of Reflection the first Saturday of every month. For those seeking a more in-depth experience, each July five-, eight-, or ten-day individually directed retreats. All retreatants are provided a private room and bath and all meals for the weekend. More information, including a full schedule of retreats is available at www.ignatiushouse.org.

About the Jesuit Center at Ignatius House
Ignatius House (www.ignatiushouse.org) is the place to unleash yourself from the digital world and experience the spiritual one. Open to men and women of all faiths and backgrounds, Ignatius House offers silent, guided retreats. It is owned and operated by the Jesuit Fathers and Brothers of the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus and is the only center located in Georgia. The retreat center is named after Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a sixteenth-century nobleman and the founder of the Jesuit Order. The Spiritual Exercises that are practiced are based on the notes that St. Ignatius himself made as he underwent his own spiritual conversion at Manresa, Spain. Ignatius House is located on more than 20 peaceful acres along the Chattahoochee River in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a northwest suburb of Atlanta.

A listing of scheduled silent retreats is available at www.ignatiushouse.org.