Retreats

​“The first and foremost duty of all religious is to be the contemplation of divine things and assiduous union with God in prayer” (Can. 663 §1). Thus states the canon from the Code of Canon Law that is most well-loved by religious men and women. While each religious strives towards contemplation and union with God in prayer above all things, Can. 663 §5 further instructs: “They are to observe faithfully an annual period of sacred retreat.” 
​Deo gratias! sings the heart of a religious!

​It is true that our first duty is prayer, and in our life as religious we gradually learn to do so without ceasing. This means we learn to pray in the midst of an active apostolate (where there are always more lessons to plan, grades to turn in, or one more email or phone call to respond to) and here at the Convent amidst our duties and projects at home (where there is always another irrigation line to be repaired, an area in need of cleaning, or inventory of supplies that facilitate our life). These are our duties too, and while we learn to pray in the midst of them they should not be first and foremost and they do bring, over time, a certain weariness. 

​The Church knows this, and so she instructs her religious to faithfully observe an annual period of retreat in which they can “Come away…and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). As Marian Sisters, we observe not only an annual period of retreat, but also weekly and monthly times. Every Tuesday morning for us is a “Retreat Morning” – a morning of individual prayer and deeper silence that helps restore us mid-week.

​Each month we are also blessed with a Retreat Sunday, which begins with our Sisters taking hours for all-night Adoration and progresses into a day of prayer and silence. These cherished days allow more time than our daily horarium does for spiritual reading, extended meditations on Scripture, or simply being with our Eucharist Lord. 

​Our Sisters make their annual retreat in May or June, and when that time comes each of us is eager to receive anew the graces of prayer and rest! This year our House of Formation received an inspiring preached retreat on how they can live their Baptismal priesthood in consecrated life, and how this priesthood differs from the ministerial priesthood of Holy Orders. 

​All of our Sisters were able to attend the conferences for the Professed Sisters annual retreat this year, which had the theme “Arise and Come”. It was inspired by the Song of Songs and the teachings of St. John Paul II and many others on the “feminine genius”. In the conferences our retreat directress reflected upon living and healing our identities as beloved daughter, sister, bride, and mother in light of being consecrated women. 

​Having received so richly from our annual retreats, our Sisters are looking forward to being present at our diocese’s first Women’s Retreat this month. After all, retreats are not just for religious! At times our Lord invites each of His faithful to come and rest in Him during a time of retreat. Is he inviting you? If yes, respond with our Lady’s “Fiat!” and ponder with her in your heart all the graces our Lord has given you, is giving you, and desires to give you!