Retreat

 

It's that time of year when our diocesan clergy go on retreat at the Jesuit set up on Lake Dallas, Montserrat. It's good to get away and refocus on the spiritual life. 

It's been good, too, to hear a series of excellent meditations by Bishop Iker. What an outstanding bishop. But more on this later, it's time for Mass.

Salve,

LSP

Retreat!

 

There we were, advancing in a different direction at our annual diocesan clergy retreat, which has resumed in full after two years of the Covid Craze. And good thing too, what a faithful group of priests, just a pleasure to be with.

Our retreat conductor was excellent, Abbott Luis Gonzales, OSB, who gave a series of conferences on the spiritual life, drawing heavily on Dom Columba Marmion. And what's wrong with that? Nothing whatsoever and we were challenged to advance in perfection.

That in mind, you'll be shocked and surprised to know there weren't any priestesses, guitar playing nuns, liturgical dancers or rainbow blessings at the retreat. No, only the Faith once delivered by Christ to the Apostles and thence to us.

Well, it was over all too soon but I left refreshed in spirit. Go to Montserrat's incarnation on Lake Dallas if you can, it's a good place and its silence is important.

God bless you all,

LSP

Retreat!

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

Suscipe

I know it's easy to scorn the Jesuits for being a bad crew of Marxists and associated evildoers, but Ignatius Loyola was a great saint. Here's one of his prayers, the Suscipe.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

that is enough for me.

Powerful.

God bless,

LSP

Get Back!

All too soon the retreat was over and everyone drove off into the metrosprawl to their various destinations. You need a retreat after that drive, so I spent the night in Dallas before heading back to the rural idyll that is The Compound.

What did I gain in the few days away at Montserrat retreat house? A new-found appreciation for the rule of St. Benedict, Chesterton, and a significant dose of humility mixed with contrition. All very good things, as was the company of fellow clergy and the opportunity to worship together.

It was good, too, to step away from the news for a short time, but I couldn't help noticing that a 17 year old Danish woman is going to be punished for fighting off a "refugee" with pepper spray. The message seems pretty clear; women of Europe, don't you dare defend yourselves against your new Islamic overlords. 

So where's the feminist outrage? That seems to be in inverse proportion to the number of Germans purchasing firearms. Or, to put it another way, there isn't any.

Make of this what you will,

LSP