Readers will embark on a unique retreat experience guided by Pope Francis himself, delving into his teachings through the lens of Ignatian spirituality that has influenced him. Drawing on the wisdom of Pope Francis and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Austen Ivereigh has written a captivating spiritual guide for our turbulent age. Designed as an eight-day Ignatian retreat, First Belong to God serves as a roadmap to deeper discipleship. It does this by focusing on the three foundational forms of belonging: to God, to creation, and to others. Structured around the core principles of St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises, First Belong to God encapsulates the key aspects of the Francis pontificate: the essence of being “God-belonging” entities – the way God’s mercy challenges our self-reliance – the journey to building the Kingdom in the footsteps of Christ – heeding the cry of the earth and the stranger – striving for fraternity by championing synodality. Whether you’re embarking on a solitary spiritual expedition or a journey with like-minded individuals, First Belong to God offers the next best thing to a personal retreat with Pope Francis: a full-soul immersion into his wisdom via the classic Jesuit retreat that shaped him so profoundly.
