outside the town, intending to
encounter with God as He really is
linger only a few days, but he
so that all creation was seen in a
remained for ten months. He spent
new light and acquired a new
hours each day in prayer and also
meaning
worked in a hospice.
experience that enabled Ignatius
It was while here that the ideas
to find God in all things. This
for what are now known as the
grace, finding God in all things, is
Spiritual Exercises began to take
one of the central characteristics
shape.
of Jesuit spirituality.
It was also on the banks of this
It is here at the ‘Cova’ (cave) in
river that he had a vision which is
Manresa, that I have spent the
regarded as the most significant in
last
his life. The vision was more of an
International Ignatian Immersion
enlightenment,
Course.
about
which
he
5
and
weeks
relevance,
attending
an
an
later said that he learned more on
There are 35 participants from
that one occasion than he did in
about 18 countries representing all
the rest of his life. Ignatius never
continents. About two-thirds of
revealed exactly what the vision
the participants are Jesuits, while
was, but it seems to have been an
the rest are consecrated women
2