During the internship program, participants live in the historic Rock House on the grounds of the Jesuit Spiritual Center. Built in the late 1800s, the house was bought by the Jesuits in 1927 and used to host retreat groups, including young men from Xavier College in Cincinnati. Since that time, it has also been home to Jesuit novices, priests, and lay ministers. The house was recently renovated in 2017 to prepare for the next generation of guests.

Each intern has their own private room, and use of the various common spaces on the first and third floors, which included a large dining room, living room, library, solarium, and kitchen. The third floor contains various study rooms, an office space, and a music rehearsal room.

In addition to housing, Interns receive a community food stipend to cover all meals, a personal monthly stipend, and health insurance.

All Christians are called to be a living witness to their faith. As part of the Ignite Internship, participants have an opportunity to develop and share their personal witness. Our ministry team works one-on-one with each intern, coaching them on the art of storytelling. Throughout the course of the year, interns have an opportunity to share their faith story with thousands of young men and women.

In addition to sharing in this formal setting, interns share their witness through their hospitality to all of our retreat guests. Our center provides retreats for over 12,000 men and women each year, all seeking a deeper encounter with Christ. Our team is committed to offering transformation experiences, rooted in the Gospel, as expressed through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, –  Matthew 28:19

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola provide a foundation for the retreat model used by the Youth Ministry team. Ignite Interns learn to facilitate a variety of interactive experiential learning exercises with groups of students ranging in size from 10 to 600. Activities include games, prayer services, icebreakers, trust exercises, presentations, and skits. Developing skills in small and large group facilitation is a key benefit of the program. Our goal is for each intern to leave the program equipped with the knowledge and skills to be successful in a variety of ministry professions.

In addition to facilitating retreats, Interns learn the process of planning and designing each retreat, as well as well as receiving detailed evaluations and feedback.

Whether working as a Youth Minister, Campus Minister, Religious Educator, Service Coordinator, or other ministry profession, understanding Music Ministry and being able to incorporate it into your work is a valuable skill. Each intern learns to play an instrument, and receives regular lessons and instruction on how to grow their own musical ability. Music is utilized in a variety of settings, from high energy Praise & Worship events, to Adoration and Mass.

Beyond instruments and signing, interns also learn skills working with multi-media tools. From setting up a professional sound system to building powerful presentations, a variety of different opportunities are available to develop technical skills.