On March 11-15, 2019, the twelve friars of the Provincial Delegation in Chile conducted their annual spiritual retreat, led by Katie Van CAUWELAERT, a consecrated lay member of the Prado Women’s Institute.
The site of the retreat was the Trappistine monastery of “Nuestra Señora de Quilvo” in Curicó, Chile. It is a beautiful, fraternal and welcoming place that, for some years now, has become very dear to the friars and a benchmark location for their spiritual retreats.
The first day was dedicated to meeting together fraternally, reflecting on themes of community life, programmed inter-community activities, and the joy of being together.
In the following days, in keeping with the Delegation’s Four-Year Plan, “Transforming Ourselves in Order to Renew Ourselves,” Katie invited the friars to review their relationship with the Lord in prayer, helped by biblical and Franciscan texts. The friars were invited to pray, while being mindful of the wounds, failures, conflicts and crises of their lives, together with the achievements and successes of their personal and apostolic-missionary lives. In the end, they were asked to pray with renewed openness, to continue to embody, with gentleness and creative fidelity, the plan for themselves and for the Delegation.
During Evening Prayer on the last day, the friars shared their personal life plan for this year, in an atmosphere of prayer and listening. The friars then moved on to a final evaluation of the retreat. Everyone appreciated this valuable time to strengthen each other’s lives, as well as the fraternal life of the Delegation.
Friar Jack GINTING, OFM Conv.
