The Catholic Encyclopaedia describes the necessity of retreat: “In the fever and agitation of modern life, the need of meditation and spiritual repose impresses itself on Christian souls who desire to reflect on their eternal destiny, and direct their life in this world towards God.”
The purpose of the spiritual retreat, as an addition to daily spiritual activities, is to temporarily leave behind busy schedules and the usual distractions we all face for a time long enough to allow relaxation and for an inner change to occur: the ongoing conversion of heart that is critical to deepening faith.
A yearly retreat is required by canon law & our particular law and it imitates Jesus' own example of prayer before public ministry. At the threshold of the Easter season, Divine Providence Province organized the annual retreat for 42 priestly confreres in India in two batches in Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, Beschi Illam, Dindigul. The first batch of retreat was held from May 8, 2022 to May 13, 2022 and the second batch from May 15, 2022 to May 20, 2022. Fr. Michael Doss, SJ, Superior and Director of Beschi Illam was the retreat guide for both the batches.
The retreat began with the night prayer with a reflection on the conversion story of Zacchaeus. The preacher focused on the deep desire that Zacchaeus had to see him and the conversion of the heart that took place after the visitation of Jesus to the house of Zacchaeus. Retreat preacher focused on the following themes for the five days of retreat: Gifts of the retreat – to reform the deformed, to conform the reformed, to confirm the conformed & to transform the confirmed; God’s love and acceptance regardless of our status in life, rules for a blessed day & different way to love; sin & forgiveness; mission of Jesus Christ; meaning of religious life and living the evangelical counsels. There was ample time for personal reflection and for personal prayer. Eucharistic adoration was conducted every day based on the themes of the day shared by the preacher. There was a day spent to reconcile with God through the sacrament of reconciliation. Since the retreat place is situated adjacent to the old age home for Jesuit priests, it was good to relate and receive the spiritual assistance from the experience and knowledge of these experienced priests both in spiritual life and mission.
This annual retreat refreshed and revitalized, gave opportunity for more time spent in prayer and contemplation, and rekindled and deepened one’s relationship with God. Moreover, it was an opportunity to seek God’s healing grace and thereby attain a degree of spiritual renewal and rejuvenate the priestly vocation.