Life to the Full!! Project news of a number of events thus far this year Much of the time this year has been focused on retreat work in varying forms. This includes, one to one spiritual direction sessions given by Colette at the Centre. These are individual meetings, usually lasting around one hour, where the focus is on finding where God is calling each of us in a unique way, to live life to the fullest. Spiritual direction has been offered down the ages to anyone searching to deepen their relationship with God. However, at a time when many are searching for greater meaning in life, spiritual direction is becoming increasingly in demand. Many too wish to extend the experience from an hourly meeting usually each month, to having time apart on retreat for several days in a retreat house, where there is the opportunity to meet daily with a spiritual director. Retreat houses are often set in beautiful locations, and give the opportunity to escape from the noise and business of every day life. Often such houses are in very quiet places where much of the day is spent in silence, apart from the daily meetings. This type of spirituality was introduced nearly 500 years ago by St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Ignatius was a Spanish soldier and aristocrat who discerned his calling after suffering nearly fatal wounds on the battlefield. He established the Society of Jesus (known today as the Jesuits) in 1540. Ignatius instructed the early Jesuits to go out and "find God in all things." That is the signature spirituality of the Jesuits. Ignatian spirituality is grounded in the conviction that God is active in our world. As the great Jesuit paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin wrote: "God is not remote from us. He is at the point of my pen, my pick, my paintbrush, my needle and my heart and my thoughts." The spiritual path laid out by Ignatius is a way of discerning God's presence in our everyday lives. And doing something about it. Spiritual direction can take many forms One to one meetings: For many people the most practical routine of spiritual direction is by having monthly one to one meetings with the spiritual guide. Weeks of Guided Prayer: A popular alternative or addition to the individual meetings, is to take part in a week of daily meetings with a prayer guide often known as a Week of Guided Prayer. The daily meeting usually lasts a maximum of half an hour and the retreatant is given material to pray with or mediate on that day with the opportunity to return the next day to discuss what came from those mediations. The whole purpose of the process is to journey with God through whatever issues the individual brings to the meetings. These weeks are commonly held in chaplaincies and in Parishes. Residential retreats at retreat houses: For those who wish to spend time away and usually in silence, spiritual direction may involve spending time in a retreat house for anything from one night to several months. Sacred Heart, Westhoughton, Week of Guided Prayer: Following the request of Bishop John to have as many Weeks of Guided Prayer (WGP) as possible in parishes throughout the diocese, in March, Colette and Sr. Winnie Morley (of the Cenacle Liverpool), commenced a training programme at St Antony s, to train prayer guides in listening skills.
In June the St Antony s prayer guides ran a WGP at Sacred Heart Church, Westhoughton thanks to the cooperation of Fr. Richard Aspden, the parish priest. Whilst the numbers were small the impact was very significant for those involved. Here are some comments from those who attended: I would advise anyone who is seeking inner peace and on a mission to find God, that you be guided through it. We cannot do it alone, but we can do it together This week has been hard, but that is only because working on the spiritual self is not easy. My guide was very gentle yet challenging enough so that I could get to the core of what I need to work on. The Holy Spirit was certainly at work during this time. I recommend anyone that needs to reconnect with God, do so through this programme. It is hoped to run more WGP in due course. Weekend On Retreat for the St. Antony s Team. In July, Colette and six from the St. Antony s team, went on a weekend s retreat to Pantasaph Priory in North Wales. The team was accompanied by a Peruvian priest, Fr. Miguel. For some in the group this was their first experience of going on retreat and of having a taste of being in silence. The weekend was a great success and here are a few of the comments and photos of the team..
8 Day retreat at Barmouth with the Jesuits Colette has once again been part of the Jesuit led team of spiritual directors at the Jesuits retreat house, situated by the sea in Barmouth. 20 people were on retreat and were of a range of nationalities and spanning 23 to 85 years of age. It was a beautiful atmosphere and a very profound and uplifting time for all. For anyone interested in attending this retreat next year, please find details at: http://www.beunos.com/barmouth.htm Here are a few photos from the retreat The team of directors.alex Harrod, Fr. Damian Jackson SJ, Sue Bennett and Colette
Group photo at the end of the retreat The retreat house in the middle of the photo
View from the house Looking ahead From 5 th to 30 th October, Colette returns to Lima, Peru, to help in the home run by the Brothers of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. This will be her 13 th visit to this Home where there are 27 severely disabled boys cared for by the Brothers. Brothers Sebastian, Nati, Juan and Kinzi
Colette with Ricardito St Beuno s Colette was led to discover these amazing work of Mother Teresa s Brothers, here in Collyhurst Manchester and across the globe, during her own 30 day retreat at St Beuno s, the Ignatian retreat house in North Wales, where Colette is also a visiting spiritual director. St Beuno s gardens
St Beuno s St Beuno s grounds