First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis

by Austen Ivereigh

Decades before he was elected pope the Jesuit Fr Jorge Mario Bergoglio was a renowned spiritual director and retreat giver, steeped in the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius . Drawing on many retreat talks he gave in the 1970s-90s, which have never been translated into English, the Pope’s biographer has created a powerful Ignatian retreat that offers a contemplative route into the key teachings and vision of the Francis pontificate.First Belong to God uses the classic week-long “short form” of the Exercises , linking Ignatius’s famous contemplations with Francis’s call to a synodal, fraternal, and ecological conversion. Each day contains points for reflection taken from Fr Bergoglio’s retreats, a well as guided meditations, Scripture references and suggestions for reading and prayer. First Belong to God can be used as a companion guide either for an individual or group retreat in a formal retreat setting under a director, or by a parish or community over a longer period such as Lent or Advent.

Genres: Christian, Spirituality, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published February 29, 2024

About the author

Austen Ivereigh is a British writer, journalist, and commentator on religious and political affairs who holds a PhD from Oxford University. His work appears regularly in the Jesuit magazine America and in many other periodicals. He is well known on British media, especially on the BBC, Sky, ITV and Al-Jazeera, as a Catholic commentator.

Reviews

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I tried to read this I was finding it dense, which made it harder for me to stay on track. The reason it feels dense is that there are so many necessary lessons.
Of course I know some of these things intellectually, but the presentation is beautiful.
Some examples: when it comes to my gifts (such as my personality, talents, etc) it is necessary to focus on the giver, not the gifts. Also, in meditation about sin, look where mercy fits in.
The biggest thing, and the thing I learned at AA, is that we should be in a constant state of prayer, a constant awareness of where we are in the world.
The book is in sections with lessons and questions so readers can get a deeper understanding of themselves and of spirituality.
I'm thinking about buying my own physical copy when this comes out because I loved it and I can keep learning from it. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is worth buying purely for the introduction which is the story of the author's knowledge of Pope Francis. I found it rivetting. And fortunately for me, it reinforced all I've previously heard about the Pope's spirituality. The book title speaks for itself: to be a good Christian, a follower of the Christ, first you must belong to God ie your primary relationship must be with God. Therefore your prayer and scriptural life takes precedence over everything else. Pope Francis was a noted retreat leader before he became pope and this book sets out a week long retreat programme.

The rest of the book is charts laying out a routine to follow to create your own retreat. I had two problems with these. One was that I read this on an ebook where the layout did not work but I could have opened it online and printed everything out. I've no experience with buying this as a hard copy but I do wonder how well that would work. I guess it depends if you have access to a scanner or photocopier and how tightly the book is bound.

My second problem was even more practical. Who among the laiety can take this amount of time out to read the scriptures, pray and meditate? I'm 64, retired and often do have that time now but I certainly didn't as a young woman caring for my sick mother, younger siblings and attending school. Nor when I was married, bringing up four children and working. There was no time that I could take a week out of my life.

I would recommend this book with the proviso that the reader not be discouraged. If you can take a week for a retreat - great! This book is specifically for you. If not - we'd all like to feast but most of us cannot. But we must still eat. Take what you can from this book to provide food for the journey. Add one single thing to your daily routine. When the opportunity arises, add another.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the Advanced Copy of this book and the opportunity to review.

Recommended with the above provisos.

4 stars.

[AM · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book wasn't terrible, but it's not really a retreat book and was not very relevant for me.

I feel it's both trying to do too much and geared toward a very specific audience - people with significant accomplishments and privileges living fairly comfortable lives and in positions of authority within the Church. Pope Francis does indeed speak to people who are not in those positions, but those words are not included in the book. Doing the readings from Pope Francis, I did get to read those words, but then the guiding questions the author gives always went in a different direction from those.

I can see it maybe being used for local leadership meetings or for retreats with various Catholic charities. However, even then it's a lot of reading for a retreat. It wants you reading multiple chapters from encyclicals and other works by Pope Francis every day on top of the lengthy chapter in the book for the day. The author also talks quite a bit about internal church politics, which is not really what I want on a retreat.

I think it would be better for some type of class or book club on Pope Francis and Ignatian spirituality in a Catholic leadership program.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘First Belong to God’ is an extraordinary book. Never have I highlighted so much and been touched by so many passages. Not being able to set the full retreat time aside, I am only up to Day 5, but wanted to review this book before finishing it.

It is so rich in thoughts from Pope Francis. The book is designed for an eight-day Ignatian retreat. If you are unable to set aside the eight days in a row, I would recommend reading and praying through only one day at a time, not rushing through this book all at once. The spiritual exercises at the end of each day are also valuable and not to be skipped over. It would also be a wonderful book to work through with a group.

There is much to think about and let soak in. Austen Ivereigh is the author, but he is very careful to let the words of Pope Francis shine through. It is beautifully written, and gentle but challenging. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to draw closer to God, whether they are Catholic or not.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author had gathered together some of Pope Francis' retreat talks, which were based on St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises. I have always loved Ignatian spirituality and have read many books based on these exercises. I can't think of any that weren't helpful in my prayer life, but for some reason this book didn't quite work for me. Perhaps "me" is the key word there, or maybe it was the style of the writing. It just seemed as if too many things were added rather than focusing on contemplation. I had assumed that this was a contemplative retreat, but it really wasn't.

I don't want to dissuade everyone because there are many people that would find this useful and fruitful. There are some very good points in here! It just wasn't the type of reading experience that I was seeking.

I received this eARC courtesy of NetGalley and Austen Ivereigh.

[Vanda Chittenden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austen Ivereigh's "First Belong to God" isn't just a book, it's a guided retreat led by Pope Francis himself. Drawing on Francis's wisdom and the Ignatian spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Ivereigh crafts an eight-day journey to deepen your relationship with God, creation, and others.

Each day unfolds like a gentle conversation with the Pope, inviting reflection on themes like discernment, compassion, and ecological responsibility. Ivereigh seamlessly weaves Francis's teachings with inspiring meditations, scripture passages, and practical prayer suggestions.

Whether you're a seasoned retreat-goer or simply seeking spiritual renewal, "First Belong to God" delivers. It's like having a wise mentor walk alongside you, offering personalized guidance and encouragement. The format is flexible, perfect for individual or group retreats, and even for daily reflection throughout a season like Lent or Advent.

This book is more than just information; it's an experience. You'll emerge with a renewed sense of belonging – to God, to the world, and to your own authentic self. If you're yearning for a spiritual recharge, "First Belong to God" is the perfect companion.

#FirstBelongtoGod #NetGalley

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my second read, I found that I liked the talks a lot. I particularly appreciated his drawing on some of Francis' unpublished retreat talks from his earlier life. Ivereigh's suggestions for prayer weren't very helpful. They were decent suggestions for study or reflection.