Romania: online and itinerant Spiritual Exercises
The experience of the Spiritual Exercises in Romania is growing. Besides the experience of the Spiritual Exercises which was carried out online because of the pandemic, even the one-hundred-kilometre journey of the Via Transilvanica took place.
Between November 17th and December 17th, the 30 days experience of Spiritual Exercises online was given to 65 young people who were accompanied by 9 spiritual guides. The theme was: “Called to love”. Three principal meetings were held each week: one with all the participants to explain the points for meditation, one for sharing in small groups and one with one’s personal spiritual guide. “We have experienced that God can also work online” Fr. Jani explains “even if we certainly prefer face-to-face meetings”. The collaboration of the two scholastics Ambrozie and Edi, that of the nuns who follow the Ignatian charism and of a lay collaborator was very helpful.
The Way that unites
Another significant experience was that of the journey of the Exercises which takes place on foot through the Transylvanian Road. “The project has existed in Romania since 2018,” he explains. “It is about following a route, like that of Santiago, called Via Transilvanica – the journey that unites. It is about 1000 km long walking through 10 counties. We have already travelled through some parts of it together with Magis in 2018 and 2019. This year, together with 8 young people, we travelled 70 km in four days, following the program of the Spiritual Exercises, as we meditated on the biblical texts of the encounter with God on the mountain. When we started it was very foggy with a temperature of -7 ° and as we came towards the end of the journey the sun came out and the temperature rose to + 8 °. In the morning, the points for meditation were given, then during the journey an hour of silence followed with the possibility of spiritual direction while walking. In the evening, we celebrated Mass. This is truly an animating journey, an experience rich in listening, with beautiful spiritual conversations, surrounded by the wonders of nature “.
Fr. Jani
