The Friars returned from their five day annual canonical retreat refreshed and rejuvenated.
They all gathered at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament’s priest retreat house on Sunday January 6, 2020. Most of them arrived exhausted and ready for a quiet break. The Shrine’s wooded and secluded landscapes provides a peaceful and prayerful retreat experience.
Fr. Mariusz Koch, CFR was this year’s retreat director. He is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. His talks focused on Franciscan communal life and charism, personal holiness, prayer, the cross, and consecrated life. Father enlightened and inspired the friars with his wisdom, knowledge and divine insights.
The silent retreat day begins with praying the divine office and morning prayer, breakfast, morning talk, break, Mass and midday prayer, lunch, afternoon break, evening prayer, dinner, evening talk, free time and bedtime. During breaks the friars engage in extra prayer, rest, spiritual reading and exercise. The five day retreat ends with a solemn Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament’s main sanctuary.
The friars are grateful to the Lord for providing them rest and for Fr. Mauriusz ministry to us. They are now ready for another year of charitable service to God and neighbor.
Amen. Hallelujah amen!!!
All praise, Gloria, honor, thanksgivings, wisdom, power and might be to God almighty now and ever more. Amen. Hallelujah amen!!!
As a Secular Franciscan who has been moved away from my Fraternity, I miss being able to go to the retreats and am most happy to know that the Friars are still able to have wonderful retreats! Since the pandemic, I have not only been isolated, but became ill also & so have not been able to go to Mass (as my health returns, I hope to be able to return to my parish for Mass one day in the not too distant future.) so I depend on EWTN for daily Mass. Thank you for the videos of the Mass because my TV server took EWTN out of the “package” I subscribe to. I very much appreciate all of the different methods you use so those of us who can’t physically get to Mass, can at least watch & try to participate from home. God bless each one of the EWTN friars & workers and THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!! Pax et Bonum to all!!!!