RETREAT FOR PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS
Oct. 9 – 15, 2016
“Retreat is an encounter God and to confront oneself,” stated Rev.Dr. Peter Chakiath, OCD, Retreat Preacher from Trivandrum on Oct. 9, 2015 at 8.30 p.m. He further stated that one who encounters God, not only changed, but transformed like St.Paul, St.Matthew, Zacchaeus, Samaritan woman, etc. The theme of the Retreat was MEANING, MISSION, MERCY AND CHALLENGES OF RELIGIOUS LIFE. He spoke on Identity and Mission of Religious Life; the role of the Religious is transformation/transfiguration into Christ to transform the world through prayer, meditation, and contemplation. The Mission is the contemplative action and active contemplation. Prayer is Being with God, friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He stated that it is easier to take monk from the world, but not easy to take world from the monk; what destroys one is his/her mind set; humility is the Mother of Salvation/Mother of all Virtues. Speaking about detachment he adumbrated with example “man takes drink, later drink takes drink, finally drink takes man”, thus he loses freedom to act and detachment becomes difficult. Detachment is the conformity with the WILL of God. He explained that when one detaches from all desires, the spirit of God possess him/her, just as while emptying water from a bottle, the air gets filled in. Speaking about charity and love, he pointed out that smile can solve many problems and silence can avoid many problems. He shared with the retreatants the experience of the DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL, which a beloved of the Lord experiences; growing in humanness is the growing in holiness. He did explain the three vows of religious: obedience, poverty and chastity as well as the mystery of the cross and the Word of God in the life of Religious. Commenting on the retreat Sr.Bibiana, CTC, and Sr. Anastatia, SCJM, stated that it was indeed inspiring, enlightening, enriching, insightful, helpful, meaningful, useful, applicable, practical, deeply spiritual, effective, affective, and deepened awareness to be better and transforming religious. The participants expressed their gratitude to the director and staff of Nav Sadhana for their cordiality, hospitality, approachability and availability as well as for the green, clean and serene atmosphere. The Retreat was concluded with a solemn Eucharistic Celebration on Oct.15, 2016 at 10.30 a.m.
