First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis

With a Foreword by Pope Francis

‘Austen Ivereigh has done a great service in bringing together the retreat talks I gave…with my teachings as Pope. In this way, he allows both to illuminate, and be illuminated by, St Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises’.  Pope Francis

‘the next best thing to a personal retreat with Pope Francis: a full-blown immersion into his thinking via the classic Ignatian retreat that so deeply shaped him… an invaluable asset for priests, catechists and retreat-givers seeking further background information or direction.’  Intercom

‘… a wonderful aid to anyone keen to engage with what Pope Francis has been saying…a formidable and easy to use resource for parish and religious communities.’ The Tablet

‘Austen Ivereigh’s “First belong to God. On retreat with #PopeFrancis” is a book I recommend to enter into the experience of the Exercises with the guidance of Francis.’
Antonio Spadaro SJ, former editor of La Civiltá Cattolica

‘A wonderful tool for anybody who would like to do a retreat either individually or as part of a parish or community group’Faith Alive, Mid West Radio

‘an amazingly rich book, which everyone, both believers or doubtful, can benefit from reading with patience and pondering with care.’   The Irish Catholic

‘offers insights into the priorities and teachings of the Pope, while exploring the wisdom of St Ignatius on which the Pope has drawn throughout his life.’  Independent Catholic News

A well-designed guidebook with pragmatic instruction for spiritual retreats.’   Kirkus Reviews

Listen to Austen Ivereigh’s interview on Faith Alive, with Monica Morley here:
https://on.soundcloud.com/kcnTX

Here, the Pope’s biographer has created a powerful Ignatian retreat that offers a contemplative route into the key teachings and vision of the Francis pontificate.

First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis uses the classic week-long “short form” of the Exercises, linking Ignatius’s famous contemplations with Francis’s call to a synodal, fraternal, and ecological conversion. Each day contains points for reflection taken from Fr Bergoglio’s retreats, as well as guided meditations, Scripture references and suggestions for reading and prayer. First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis can be used as a companion guide either for an individual or group retreat in a formal retreat setting under a director, or by a parish or community over a longer period such as Lent or Advent.