Theology teacher Rob Garavaglia has always wanted to complete the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, but has never found the time. Next semester, however, Garavglia will have the time, as he will be away on sabbatical. 

Garavaglia is already preparing for his sabbatical, which he will begin on July 24 and which is set to last through the first semester. 

The Exercises are a collection of prayers and meditations developed by St. Ignatius in order to help people draw close to God as he did after his conversion. They are designed to be completed  over a 30-day retreat, but it can be shortened. Garavaglia will be completing the exercises at the Sacred Heart Retreat House in Colorado. 

 "I'll be doing some reading and looking at St. Ignatius in their program which is geared for faculty and staff," Garavaglia explained. "This will set the tone for the rest of my sabbatical, where I'll be interviewing people and seeing what their spiritual needs are and how the Exercises can help them."

Garavaglia has been preparing for this event for the last couple years, including earning a certificate in spiritual direction from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. 

"I'm hopeful that I will  find opportunities for people to just encounter God's love and to see the way in which God desires to use them for the building of His kingdom. So I'm trying to let go of whatever expectations I have and just be open to the ways in which God would like to use these experiences," said Garavaglia.