From the Pastor’s Desk

Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners,

             Two weeks ago, I began a 30 day silent retreat called the “Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius” at a retreat house in the midwestern United States.  The Spiritual Exercises were created by St. Ignatius of Loyola.  The retreatant spends five hours in contemplation daily, reflecting on the mysteries of the Lord’s life and on one’s own life in light of Jesus’s life.  Of course, the five hours are not prayed all at once!  They are spread out throughout the day.  Each day, the retreatant meets with a retreat director to discuss how things are going.  In addition to meditating for the five hours, I also fulfill my daily obligations of praying the Sacrifice of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours.  Meals and physical exercise fill out the daily schedule.  I am very grateful for this time of intense prayer.  

            Each of the weeks during the Spiritual Exercises has a different focus. During the First Week, the retreatant reflects on one’s own life in light of God’s love and call to holiness.  One is invited to see how one’s own sinfulness has been an obstacle to God’s grace.  The retreatant has the possibility to review his life and to make a general sacramental confession of his sins committed throughout his whole life.  The idea is to open oneself up to God’s forgiveness and purification in order to make room for His call.  The retreatant finishes the first week meditating on the call to follow Jesus Christ.

During the Second Week, the meditations and prayers are centered on Christian discipleship.  The retreatant reflects on Jesus’s birth and baptism, the Sermon on the Mount, various accounts from Our Lord’s ministry of healing and teaching and the account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead.  God willing, one makes concrete decisions about how to follow Christ more closely and be a more faithful disciple. 

During the Third Week, the retreatant meditates on the Last Supper and on Our Lord’s arrest, Passion and Death. One reflects on Our Lord’s love being poured out in the Eucharist. Finally, in the Fourth Week, the retreatant meditates on the Resurrection of Our Lord and the appearances of the Risen Lord to his disciples. Experiencing the joy of Easter moves the retreatant to joyfully desire to more fervently proclaim the good news. 

Be assured of my prayers for all of you during my retreat. I look forward to seeing you again soon at the beginning of the new liturgical year! 

 In Christ,

Fr. Berg