The Life at Sea programme, originally developed by the Croatian Province, and now adopted by the Slovak Province, offers a creative way of adapting the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises to a unique setting. By combining sailing, community life, prayer and spiritual accompaniment, the initiative creates a space where young people can encounter God and reflect on their lives through the lens of Ignatian spirituality. JCEP encourages the sharing of good practices and experiences between provinces, as initiatives such as Life at Sea can inspire others and contribute to a richer and more collaborative approach to formation and youth ministry across the European Jesuit network.

From 4 to 11 July 2026, 16 young people from Slovakia took part in Life at Sea, an innovative spiritual experience combining sailing with the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. Departing from Biograd na Moru in Croatia aboard two sailing boats, the group sailed along the Adriatic, visiting Telašćica Nature Park and the town of Sali on the island of Dugi Otok before returning to Biograd. For the participants, however, the journey was about much more than sailing: it became a week of prayer, silence, community and discovering God in the midst of everyday life.

The programme was rooted in the tradition of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, inviting participants to slow down, listen to God and learn to discern His presence and action in their lives. Life aboard a sailing boat provided a particularly powerful setting for this. Before a boat can leave the harbour, its ropes must be untied. This simple gesture became a symbol of the inner freedom that St Ignatius calls indifference: the freedom to let go of what holds us back and to remain open to where God may be leading us.

The sea as a place of encounter

Throughout the week, the changing wind, the shared responsibility for the boats and the simplicity of life at sea created natural opportunities to learn about cooperation, trust and mutual care. The sea became both a physical environment and a space for inner reflection.

Each day included meditation on Scripture, periods of personal silence, Mass, communal sharing and the evening Examen, the Ignatian prayer of gratitude and reflection on God's presence in the events of the day. Participants also met regularly with their spiritual companions.

A personal relationship with God lies at the heart of Ignatian spirituality. St Ignatius invites people to approach God as a close and trusted friend and to become attentive to the gentle invitations through which God speaks in everyday life.

Finding God in all things

The feedback from participants showed both the impact of the experience and the potential for the initiative to develop further. Above all, their reflections expressed gratitude for a week that offered them space to step away from the pressures of everyday life and see their lives from a new perspective.

Life at Sea also offers a creative reminder that the Spiritual Exercises do not need to take place only within the walls of a retreat house. A sailing boat, the open sea and the silence of the horizon can also become a place of encounter with God. In the spirit of St Ignatius, the aim is not to escape from the world, but to learn to find God in all things and to respond with greater freedom to His invitation in everyday life.