PRIESTS’ ANNUAL RETREAT

Rev. Fr. David Okolie

When I was about embarking on this year’s *annual canonical RETREAT,* one of our students asked me thus: ‘Please, Fr., is it that programme wherein they would be ringing bell for you people like students? Another student quickly added this other question: “Do they flog you people there too”?🙂

Well, how I answered these their questions would be story for another day.

However, if I may try to reframe the questions of these young minds, it would go thus: *“Is it true that Priests’ activities (from morning rising to bedtime) are REGULATED during retreat?* Yes, it is true and that is exactly why some priests find it quite burdensome to attend retreat. *But, the truth remains that a life that is not REGULATED cannot be spiritually, pastorally, intellectually and morally productive.* Again, these persons fail to see beyond this external regulations the whole intention of the Church which has to do with *GOING BACK to Jesus Christ, the Master of the Vineyard, in order to draw new strength, new insight and then to be RENEWED.* The above idea is beautifully captured by the Canon Law when it legislates thus:

👉🏼 *“In leading their lives, CLERICS are bound in a special way to pursue HOLINESS since, having been consecrated to God by a new title in the reception of orders, they are dispensers of the mysteries of God in the service of His people. In order to be able to pursue this perfection: they are first of all to fulfill faithfully and tirelessly the duties of the pastoral ministry… they are equally BOUND to make time for SPIRITUAL RETREATS according to the prescripts of particular law..”* (cf. Can. 276 §1-2).

👉🏼Therefore, a priest would really be doing himself a lot of *SPIRITUAL HARM* if he either fails to attend the annual canonical RETREAT or when he attends, chooses to be PASSIVE during the course of the retreat; thereby staying away from the spiritual activities of the retreat. What about those who, for no cogent reason, decide to leave before the end of the retreat without receiving the *End of the Retreat Blessing* to which is attached PLENARY INDULGENCE? Well, all the above attitudes can only be best described as SELF-DECEPTION.

👉🏼Finally, dearest friends, when you attend the annual retreat, try your best to go with your writing materials with which you would take note of the wonderful messages that God would communicate to you through the *RETREAT MODERATOR.* You would be able to always fall back to such beautiful Spiritual Guides if you were able to WRITE them down. Do not forget this wonderful Latin adage thus: *‘Literata Scripta Manet’* (i.e, Written words remain).

We pray the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Priests, to always support us. Amen🙏🏼

Remain blessed🙏🏼