You can subscribe with a donation to The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation and get access to 11 video lessons, reflection exercises, a library of content, and much more.
We offer two subscription plans: $8 billed monthly or $60 billed annually—a value at $5 a month.
Please note: Your subscription is not tax-deductible.
If you'd like to try Cloisters Ignatian Prayer before making a commitment, you can watch the first video lesson and complete multiple reflection exercises for free. Just enter your email address to create a free account.
Your subscription serves as a donation to The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to promoting the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola and making them available to people of all faiths.
Cloisters Digital continues this mission with the Cloisters Ignatian Prayer. An easy-to-use, personal digital experience that follows a centuries-old way of enlightenment.
As a supporter, you have unlimited access to 11 video lessons and multiple reflection exercises. Plus, you’ll find a growing library of content that supports your spiritual journey, including classic TV programs from Bishop Sheen and sermons recorded live at The Cloisters on the Platte.
You can give a gift subscription via our partner, GiftUp, by clicking on this link. A gift subscription allows the recipient to create their own account. You can send your gift by email or print a hard copy.
You can cancel your subscription to Cloisters Ignatian Prayer by logging in to your account and navigating to your subscription plan. If you decide to resubscribe you can pick up where you left off.
If you are a registered member and currently have a subscription plan, you can delete your account anytime but you must first cancel your subscription plan. If you think you might resubscribe later, we recommend maintaining your account. It's free, and we do not share your personal information with anyone.
Click if you still wish to delete your account.
Please note: It may take up to 14 days to completely delete your account information after you make a request.
The retreat is a Jesuit tradition in which attendees gather for three days (and up to a month) to study the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and silently contemplate their relationship with God. We want to make this type of experience accessible to everyone in their everyday life.
Cloisters Ignatian Prayer is modeled on a retreat, but it can be used anywhere, on almost any device. Over 11 video lessons, noted religious scholars guide you through the Spiritual Exercises and give you the tools to develop your own spiritual practice. Like a retreat, it’s an opportunity to escape the noise of the outside world and discover your authentic self.
St. Ignatius was a soldier-turned-theologian in 16th century Spain. While recovering from a battle injury, he read a book of the lives of the saints and discovered a relationship with God. He then created the Spiritual Exercises to continue prayer and reflection. Ignatius later founded the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, who practiced the Spiritual Exercises during month-long silent retreats.
Composed by St. Ignatius of Loyola between 1522–1524, the Spiritual Exercises are a collection of meditations, contemplations, and prayers. Ignatius, a soldier, created the prayer method while recovering from a battle injury. He knew if he lacked physical strength, then physical exercise would be beneficial. And likewise, one needs practice to maintain spiritual strength. From the beginning, Ignatius envisioned ways of adapting the Spiritual Exercises so that they could be accessible to many people.
Cloisters Ignatian Prayer is for anyone, of any faith, who wants to deepen their spirituality through contemplation. While the Spiritual Exercises have roots in Catholicism, the method of discovering your authentic self—and grappling with matters of grief, sin, love and forgiveness, as we all do—can benefit everyone.
Because not everyone has the time and resources to attend an in-person retreat, we’ve made the Spiritual Exercises accessible in an easy-to-use application.
No, users of many faiths have found the Spiritual Exercises beneficial. Cloisters Ignatian Prayer is available to anyone who wants to grow spiritually.
Cloisters Ignatian Prayer is a digital experience modeled on the Spiritual Exercises, a centuries-old method of meditation and prayer, and can be accessed any time through 11 video lessons and multiple reflection exercises. Plus, our growing content library of films, recorded sermons, and articles further enriches your learning. Revisit lessons and reflections whenever you wish and use them as tools to build your own spiritual practice.
The Spiritual Exercises are divided into four weeks—which are not conventional calendar weeks, but stages of meditation and practice. Each week focuses on a different theme:
Week One: An awareness of one's own sinfulness and of God's mercy
Week Two: A desire to know and love God
Week Three: Feeling sorrow and compassion for the dying Christ
Week Four: The resurrection of Christ
Don’t feel like you need to complete the program in four weeks! You’re encouraged to take your time completing each lesson and move forward when you feel ready.
We recommend finding a quiet, comfortable space and reducing distractions. Following each video lesson, you’ll see up to five readings, which could include a Bible passage or prayer. Each includes a reflection prompt. There are also five additional thought prompts.
Choose at least one reading or thought prompt and quietly reflect on it. Use your five senses to place yourself in a scene from scripture or imagine a conversation with Jesus or one of the saints. Feel free to write your thoughts down in a journal. Afterwards, tap to complete the exercise and move forward to the next lesson when you're ready. Take as much time as you need to complete your exercises—as little as 15 minutes a day can make a difference.
Everyone's journey is personal, and that’s why we encourage you to move through each lesson at your own pace. Cloisters Ignatian Prayer is designed as a tool for your ongoing spiritual practice. We encourage you to revisit the prayers and reflections you find meaningful and try choosing new ones to change up your experience.
Our program is divided into four weeks like a traditional Ignatian retreat—but think of them as stages of meditation rather than conventional calendar weeks. Again, take your time, and don’t feel rushed to finish in four weeks.
Of course! We want Cloisters Ignatian Prayer to be a tool for your ongoing spiritual practice. As you revisit prayers and reflections, you may approach them in a new way. Our hope is that your experience will be different each time.
Remember, your video lessons and reflection exercises are available for the duration of your subscription. Plus, you have unlimited access to a growing content library featuring recorded sermons, films, and articles.
Currently, the app does not have interactive community features. But we encourage you to use Cloisters Ignatian Prayer with family and friends if you’re looking for a shared experience.
Currently, the app does not support communication with spiritual directors. Our video lessons and sermons in the library are prerecorded and available on-demand.
“Many in the Archdiocese of Omaha and beyond have been blessed by participating in weekend retreats at The Cloisters on the Platte. I am grateful to Joe Ricketts for establishing and sustaining this opportunity to draw closer to Jesus Christ on an Ignatian retreat. Now I am pleased to know that some of the same spiritual richness experienced at the Cloisters is being shared digitally. I encourage all to find here a regular and accessible aid for prayer and spiritual growth.” - Most Rev. George J. Lucas, Archbishop of Omaha
“Spending time with the Lord is one of our greatest opportunities as modern people of faith. It’s also one of our biggest challenges. Cloisters Ignatian Prayer helps to bridge that gap. Providing an Ignatian retreat that anyone can access at any time will give thousands of people the opportunity to meet the Lord in a profound and intimate way. I pray these lessons inspire you to know, love, and serve God more every day.” - Fr. Michael Rossmann, SJ
“The videos, verses, prayers and reflections offered are beautiful, insightful and offer the potential for real and warm intimacy with our Lord. I find myself eager to take in the next video and at the same time needing and wanting to go back and review previous videos and sessions again. All in all, the urge to see what is next has caused me to progress through the material faster than perhaps I should this first time. However, I can see myself, going through the sessions much slower in future sessions and experiencing so much more. The material has so many layers. You can get so much out of this material on so many different levels.” - Guy M.
“I love Cloisters on the Platte. Such a beautiful place. I love leading retreats there, rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. And their new app is incredible. I had a lot of fun recording talks and videos for it with several Jesuit buddies. The app is simple, accessible, and prayerful. Maybe you're looking to deepen your own retreat experience after a visit to Cloisters or another Jesuit retreat center. Or, maybe you're curious-- who is St Ignatius? How can he help me? Try it. Carve out a few short minutes. Be renewed and refreshed in prayer today.” - Fr. Joe Laramie, SJ, Pope’s Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer)
Located near the banks of the Platte River in Gretna, Nebraska, The Cloisters on the Platte is a place for quiet reflection in nature. Envisioned by entrepreneur and philanthropist Joe Ricketts, the Cloisters brings the 500-year tradition of Ignatian spirituality to visitors of all ages through in-person retreats. The grounds also feature the Stations of the Cross, a walking path and sculpture garden dedicated to the life of Christ, which is free and open to the public.
You can schedule a three-day retreat through the Cloisters on the Platte website. Retreats are available separately for men and women throughout the year.
The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and relies on charitable donations to help maintain The Cloisters and the Stations of the Cross. You can make a tax-deductible donation on the Cloisters on the Platte website or mail a check to:
The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation
23332 Fishery Road
Gretna, NE 68028
All revenue from app subscriptions supports The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation. Please note: your subscription is not tax-deductible.