Spiritual Exercises for the Pope, Curia

Each year as Lent begins the Pope and his household and cardinals and others from the different Vatican offices gather for their annual retreat. For any who wonders what they are and what shape they take, Salesian Father Enrico dal Covolo, the giver of the spiritual exercises this year, briefly explains their structure and the daily themes.

The spiritual exercises take place for the Roman Curia in the first week of Lent, from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning. Participating in them, in addition to the Holy Father and the papal household, are cardinals and superiors of the different dicasteries.

...the structure of the exercises is made up of three meditations, two in the morning and one in the afternoon: there are 17 meditations in total, including the opening and closing ones.

The motive of the spiritual exercises is always the same, valid for all the faithful: "to put one's life in order," to use the words of the great master of spiritual exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola.

More may be found at this interview with Fr. dal Calvo.