Santa Clara University

Spiritual Formation

Spiritual Direction

The Jesuit School provides ongoing spiritual direction for any student who requests it.  This support includes paying spiritual directors so that students do not incur an added expense.  At the beginning of each fall semester, the Director of Spiritual Formation arranges a meeting at which a number of spiritual directors are introduced to interested students and, from this meeting, students go on to set up exploratory meetings with potential directors and eventually select one.  

Retreats

JST offers a 5-day directed retreat in August each year and a week-end retreat in January.   The August retreat is a silent, directed retreat in the Ignatian tradition and takes place at El Retiro Retreat Center in Los Altos, California.  Students pay a small fee.  The January retreat occurs the weekend before the Spring semester begins and takes place at San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville, California.  Students also pay a small fee for this retreat.  Because not all of our students are able to leave to make a retreat, a series of mini “retreats in daily life” and day-long retreats are offered throughout the semester.  There is also a wealth of local retreat centers where students may make a retreat.