The Diocese of Fort Worth's annual clergy retreat was held at the Montserrat retreat house on Lake Dallas this year. It's always held at Montserrat and that's fine by me, I like Montserrat, it's tranquil.
That's partly because the retreat's silent and I like that too, time to reflect and pray and, for me, to take a near total break from "tech" as well as the news.
Silence notwithstanding, by tradition we tend to meet up after Compline for a drink and a laugh and I got to know one of our military chaplains. He's just retired and once celebrated the Mass at Saddam Hussein's shell-shocked palace. Quite a thing.
Similarly, chaplains to the Knights of Malta can say Mass on a shield on the field of battle, the shield acting as an altar. I pointed this out and everyone was impressed, perhaps our new bishop will extend the privilege to diocesan priests. After all, we're all about the Church Militant.
Then, all too soon, the retreat was over and it was time to leave the peace of Montserrat and venture into the metrosprawl maelstrom which is I35E. And that, by the intercession of St. Ignatius Loyola and Charles Stuart King and Martyr, is the story of that.
God bless,
LSP
8 comments:
We at the DLC don't like the idea of retreating - ever. But if you say so, I guess it's ok.
I went to a church retreat recently, and though not a silent one, it was refreshing.
Peace and quiet are good...
We hate it, LL. But this was a different kind of retreat, advancing in a different direction as a way towards victory. I know, counter intuitive but still, sometimes it makes sense to regroup.
It did me lot of good, Brig. It's important to get away and refocus on God, I always think.
Most definitely, NFO.
Spent the evening scrolling through y'all's blogs a bit! Been too long! Forgot your priestly group went to Montserrat for retreats... I heard about it at church a few years ago and have fallen in love with that place!! They even asked me to join their "Ambassador Team"-- which I agreed to bc it gives me more excuses to hang out there... nothing like an ambassador with self-serving motives! I tried to contribute by designing some merch for an unofficial store ( https://www.zazzle.com/store/montserratretreat), which it turns out they'd rather I not do... so yeah, they might be regretting giving me that name badge. But what the hell, I find the whole thing fun. :) Yay, Montserrat!
Jenny, I LOVE Monsterrat! I really do.
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