TBA
March 30, 2026 - April 9, 2026
LHR, United Kingdom
Deadline:
Please submit your application on or before
March 16, 2026
Instruction:
Those Interested Must:
- Click the Sign Up button to launch the form and fill it up. If you have attended a retreat with us before, please send us an email of intent so we can enlist you and guide you through confirming your participation.
- Undergo an interview through phone call or video call. The schedule of the interview will be set upon submission of the application form.
Payment:
- Pay via bank deposit, online transfer, or PayPal.
- This payment is refundable seven (7) days prior to the event.
- The payment details will be sent to you upon acceptance after your interview.
Contact:
0917 188 6883
programs@spiritualformation.center
"Breath: Living the Spirit of God Through the Spiritual Exercises" seeks to make the profound wisdom of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola not just a periodic retreat experience, but a lived reality, deeply woven into the fabric of everyday existence.
• Day 1 – March 31 (Tue) – Arrival in London
Upon arrival you will be assisted by our Local Representative. Board the bus to transfer to your hotel in Oxford, a peaceful retreat that sets the stage for our next days of inspiration and learning. Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Oxford
• Day 2 – April 01 (Wed) – Oxford & C.S. Lewis
Tour Magdalen College (C.S. Lewis and Tolkien), the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, the Radcliffe Camera and Radcliffe Square, Hertford College (Tyndale), Bodleian Library (King James Bible), Balliol College (Wycliff). Travel to Headington to visit the Kilns, where C.S. Lewis lived, and Holy Trinity Headington. Dinner at a local pub before returning to the hotel.
Overnight: Oxford
• Day 3 – April 02 (Thu) – Cambridge
Travel to Cambridge (145 km / approx. 2 hours). Arrival in Cambridge, start tour including Great St Mary’s, The University Church, Old Schools, King’s College Chapel, Queen’s College, Round Church, The Backs. Drive to Tyndale House.
Lunch break.
Free time before returning to Oxford for dinner and overnight.
Overnight: Oxford
• Day 4 – April 03 (Fri) – Oxford to York
Check out of hotel for 320 km drive to York. With lunch stops. Arrive in York for check-in and free time. Dinner and overnight.
Overnight: York
• Day 5 – April 04 (Sat) – York’s Living Legacy
After breakfast, walking tour: York Minster, St. William’s College & Chapter House, Bar Convent Tour & Lunch, York Castle / Clifford’s Tower, Shrine of Margaret Clitherow. Free time in The Shambles.
Overnight: York
• Day 6 – April 05 (Sun) – Durham Cathedral & Saints
Visit Durham Cathedral, resting place of St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. Other highlights of Durham: Market Place, Framwellgate Bridge, Prebends Bridge, Durham River, City Walls, The Bailey, Palace Green, Durham Castle, Elvet Bridge, Old Racecourse, Durham Prison. On your own: Sunday worship.
Overnight: Durham
• Day 7 – April 06 (Mon) – Seahouses
Travel to Seahouses (approx. 1.5 hours) through the scenic countryside of County Durham and Northumberland. Arrive in the harbour town of Seahouses to spend the next 3 nights learning about Celtic Christianity.
Overnight: Seahouses
• Day 8 – April 07 (Tue) – To Lindisfarne, Holy Island
Cross the causeway (tide permitting). Visit Lindisfarne Priory, St. Aidan’s Statue, and St. Mary’s Church. Enjoy a sunset beach walk. Return to hotel.
Overnight: Seahouses
• Day 9 – April 08 (Wed) – Farne Islands
Visit Inner Farne Islands (boat trip) for a nature trip and views of wildlife and history.
Overnight: Seahouses
• Day 10 – April 09 (Thu) – Edinburgh
Early drive to Edinburgh. Drop off at hotel. Free time or optional rearrangements.
Overnight: Edinburgh
• Day 11 – April 10 (Fri) – Farewell UK
Transfer to airport for flight back to Manila. Return home with renewed faith and unforgettable memories.
• Day 10 – April 09 (Thu) – Arrive in Edinburgh
Upon arrival, pilgrims assemble and meet with the group to continue drive to Oban near the Craignure port.
Overnight: Oban
• Day 11 – April 10 (Fri) – IONA Transfer
After breakfast, transfer to Craignure port in Oban. Take the ferry to Mull. Upon arrival, proceed by bus across Mull to Fionnphort. Take another ferry to Iona. Meet local representative for transfer to St. Columba Hotel.
Overnight: Iona
• Day 12 – 19 – April 11 (Sat) to April 18 (Sat) – Iona Pilgrimage
Iona Pilgrimage with John Philip and Ali Newell.
Overnight: Iona
• Day 20 – April 19 (Sun) – Iona to Edinburgh
Transfer from Iona port → Fionnphort → Bus across Mull → Craignure → Ferry → Oban. Upon arrival, transfer to Edinburgh. Check-in at hotel.
Overnight: Edinburgh
• Day 21 – April 20 (Mon) – Return Home
Transfer to airport for return flight to Manila via Dubai.
• Part I: Celtic Christianity Pilgrimage (March 31 – April 10, 2026)
– 20 Participants: $4,272.00
– 25 Participants: $3,986.00
• Part II: Iona Retreat with John Philip and Ali Newell (April 7 – 20, 2026)
– Please Inquire
• Transfers and private transport
• Hotel accommodations (twin / double sharing)
• Breakfasts and dinners
• Guided tours and entrance fees
• Tips and gratuities
• Travel insurance
• Travel kit / Tour briefing
• Services of Tour Director throughout Part I Tour
• Air tickets
• Lunches
• UK Visa (if required)
• Pre and post trip extensions
TIME IN IONA – God made Himself known, April 1–21, 2026
Our 2026 pilgrimage began in Oxfordshire, with visits to both Oxford and Cambridge. We explored the universities not only to experience their academic legacy, but also to connect with the stories of C.S. Lewis, the Reformation, and the origins of the first English Bible. Wandering through these historic towns, I felt the deep roots of Christianity that shaped their foundations; the monks who built these universities intended them as bastions of both spirituality and education. While they remain towers of learning, I could sense spirituality fading amidst modernity. As I walked among the beautiful buildings, rich in tradition and history, I felt an unexpected grief for what was lost.
We were encouraged to imagine as a spiritual practice, bringing to life the early years when heroes of faith and intellect filled these corridors. It was as if these halls were holy places, where God’s grace flowed and new ideas were born. Morning prayers opened our hearts, teachings inspired us, and we found new ways to connect with God. We admired the architecture, the rolling hills, and the stories—of struggle, transformation, violence, and hope—that shaped these places. Despite turmoil and change, the faithful bore fruit through difficulty. I marveled at how God created us resilient, able to produce enduring works even in darkness.
In Durham, Lindisfarne, and the islands, I appreciated the saints’ longing for solitude and the spiritual draw of isolation. God often meets us in nature and quiet. I found myself longing for that same privilege: time alone with God in creation. At Durham, the church was alive and vibrant, welcoming families and the elderly, providing community and companionship for all who sought God.
Walking the pilgrim’s path across the tidal flats to Lindisfarne gave us a taste of the hardship earlier pilgrims must have felt. The cold, mud, and uncertainty challenged us, but reaching the island brought exhilaration and a sense of accomplishment. Some tried to find shortcuts, but in the end, we all returned to the well-trodden path, learning the wisdom of perseverance, acceptance, and unity—the lessons of the Serenity Prayer lived out in muddy boots.
We journeyed on to Iona, the island of St. Columba. The weather was harsh and the threat of disruption was constant. Each message from the ferry or bus company amplified my anxiety: would we be delayed, would my group of nine be stranded? Yet God’s message was clear—disruptions will come, but keep your peace. Despite storms and warnings, we arrived safely, comforted even by small joys like a table set for ten. Iona felt different: cold at first, but gradually more welcoming as we settled in.
On the second day, the group grew with the arrival of more retreatants. I was disappointed when our table was broken up and we were asked to mix with others. It was a disruption I hadn’t expected, but I soon realized it was an invitation to broaden our connections and embrace community beyond our familiar circle.
The days on Iona were filled with rhythm: daily prayers, teachings by John Philip Newell, walks through wind and rain, building a sand mandala, sharing reflections, solo time, worship, movement, reading, and fellowship.
Slowly, I came to know God in new ways. The experience taught me the value of non-conformity and the beauty of our unique, God-given identities. I resonated with the Celts, whose faith resisted forced conformity, and felt at home among them.
I learned that God’s love is vast—how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18–19). In that space, among diverse faiths and perspectives, I saw that God’s heart holds room for all our differences, sins, and eccentricities. My own prejudices limit me, but God is limitless. Only by His grace can I hope to expand beyond my boundaries and embrace the fullness of His love.