Three Daughters of Jesus Participate in an International Spirituality Conference
From June 14 to 19, 2026, the Cave of Saint Ignatius of Manresa (Spain) hosted the International Symposium “Spiritual Exercises and Affective-Sexual Integration”, an event that brought together more than eighty men and women religious and laypeople committed to the ministry of spiritual accompaniment, from different continents.
Arisleida Rincón, Johanna Bretón from the Dominican Republic , and María Luisa Berzosa from Spain participated in this important forum for training and dialogue . In addition, María Luisa Berzosa served as a speaker, presenting—alongside Alberto Elices (Crismhom – Madrid) —the lecture “Accompanying the Complex Processes of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the Church, ” as part of the session dedicated to the Second Week of the Spiritual Exercises.
Below, we share our sisters’ testimonies about this experience.
A Core Belief: Embracing One’s Own History Through the Experience of God
It is not possible to advance on a profound path of personal integration without recognizing and embracing one’s own history, wounds, and affective-sexual reality, allowing all of this to be illuminated by the experience of God. This conviction permeated the International Symposium “Spiritual Exercises and Emotional-Sexual Integration,” held at the Cave of Manresa from June 14 to 19, in which the Daughters of Jesus—Arisleida Rincón, Johanna Bretón, and María Luisa Berzosa—participated alongside more than eighty people from different continents.
Days of reflection, dialogue, and shared learning
For several days, we shared moments of reflection, dialogue, prayer, and learning with men and women religious and laypeople committed to the ministry of spiritual accompaniment. The gathering allowed us to gain a more holistic understanding of the person and to explore in greater depth the relationship between affective-sexual maturation and the spiritual life.
Inspired by the four-week itinerary of St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, we explored topics related to emotional life, human growth, personal wounds, and processes of accompaniment. The lectures, roundtable discussions, and shared conversations reaffirmed a fundamental conviction: the experience of God does not occur apart from human reality, but within it and through it.
The Enrichment of Cultural Diversity
One of the most enriching aspects was the exchange with participants from very diverse cultural backgrounds. Listening to their experiences, challenges, and journeys helped us broaden our perspective and recognize that accompaniment requires sensitivity, discernment, and a deep respect for each person’s process.
We returned grateful for all we experienced and learned. As Daughters of Jesus, this experience strengthened our conviction to continue promoting a form of accompaniment that fosters human and spiritual growth, helping people discover God’s loving presence throughout their lives.
We left Manresa with the certainty that grace is at work even in fragility and that, when spirituality and humanity walk hand in hand, paths to integration, freedom, and hope open up.
A testimony that invites us to keep moving forward
The participation of Arisleida, Johanna, and María Luisa in this International Symposium reflects the Daughters of Jesus’ commitment to spiritual accompaniment that embraces the whole person, without leaving out any aspect of their life story.
