I am just relaxing today. I did have the 11:00am Mass but I’ve spent the day over here in the rectory rather than in the office at the center. It closed and no one is there, so I’ve just worked here on the computer. I am going over to Little Flower around 6pm for the annual priests’ cookout. I always enjoy the chance to see the guys. I don’t think Fr. Ron or Fr. Percy is going but I hope to see Fr. Jim, Jerry Trancone, Fr. Beattie, and maybe some of my classmates. I’ll report on that tomorrow.
For today, I want to share with you the retreat that I participated in at the Dominican Retreat House in McLean. I had given a day of recollection for the Sodality at Our Lady of Grace, at Leisure World and one of the ladies asked if I would mind her giving my name to the sister at Dominican Retreat House as they are always looking for priests to help with retreats. I said, “Sure”. Sister Agnes called me last March and since we have a priest who helps on weekends, I thought Septemeber would be easy. As it turned out, with Fr. John and Fr. Jim leaving and a new pastor and a retired priest coming and me retiring; a required a little moving around to be able to go. However, I am happy I did because it was a pleasant retreat for me as well. I felt like a real priest. I was available for private conversations and heard confessions for three hours and that’s something I love. I gave three conferences – The Exodus, Jesus, The Spirit and Lectio Devina; and celebrated three Masses and preached. The sisters do the prayer services, which I attended and they were very good and very thoughtful. It was scheduled that only two of the meals would have talking but I was “forced” to be the first in line for supper on Friday. As people came to the table I welcomed them and started conversation, then all the other tables joined in and there were three meals with talking. The others had music or a talk by tape, and although I’m use to “quiet” meals, it was nice.
The ladies came from everywhere; one from Florida and one from North Carolina – they had gone “on line” and found the retreat. Many have been on this particular retreat for 4 or 5 years. Some heard about from those ladies and came for the first time. I think I will do something like this again – not right away as I was tired when I got home- but it was a good tired.
Let ME know next time you a retreat.