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April 2008
April Happenings at The Retreat Center
- The Retreat Center sponsored a second Covenant Love Retreat, designed for couples preparing for marriage. One fourth of the group will be married at St. John Chapel, while the majority will celebrate their marriages in parishes of the Archdiocese. The staff includes clergy and lay who are experts in their fields of theology, spirituality, communication and finance. Especially effective has been the witness of couples who have been married for a variety of years and are prepared to field questions about real life as a married couple. The preparation included the celebration of Eucharist and the optional celebration of Reconciliation. The next Covenant Love Retreats will take place at the Center June 7-8 and August 9 and 10, 2008.
- Once again, our largest number of guests during April was made up of youth. Eight parishes brought youth for a Confirmation Retreat. The Archdiocesan Office for Youth Ministry conducted a training program for Hispanic Youth and three additional parishes provided retreat time at St. John for their young people.
- We welcomed a dozen Protestant Church communities for times of spiritual renewal and refreshment. The Samaritan Chapel provides them with a dedicated space for prayer and worship. Their numbers nearly matched those of the youth.
- A weekend WorldWide Marriage Encounter complemented our wedding ministry and our commitment to enrichment for married couples.
- Four national Catholic lay organizations brought adults to the Center, seeking their own renewal. We are especially grateful to our colleagues in the Archdiocese who invited their professional colleagues to The Retreat Center.
- Hospitality to Religious Congregational Chapters is a significant part of our ministry at The Retreat Center. This month a Community of 130 sisters spent nine days in prayer and discernment to elect new leaders and to set a path for their mission in the next several years. A Congregation of men religious conducted their regional meeting here for several days this month and a second Congregation of Sisters began a Chapter of Elections during the final days of April. Our staff is privileged to be of service for these important ecclesial events in the life of religious communities.
- The Archdiocesan leadership program for clergy convened two separate groups for several days this month.
- Introduction to Spirituality, a fifteen-week Sacred Heart Major Seminary course concluded their Thursday evening sessions.
- Our hope is that all 1400 guests who came to The Retreat Center this month had a fresh experience of the presence of God in their lives.
Dominican Spirituality
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