In just a few weeks we will begin the season of Advent, entering into a new liturgical year. The season of Advent invites us to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus into our lives. One of the ways that we can do that, one of the ways that we can prepare ourselves to recognize the ways that Christ comes among us is by taking time in silence & prayer. Sometimes in the course of our lives we can get so caught up in everything going on that we need to be reminded of taking that time with God, that time away from all the activity of life.

Taking that time away from the activity of life is what I will be doing in the week ahead. Every year, according to Canon Law (the law of the Church) a priest is required to take an annual retreat. How the retreat is done (individually, in a group, etc.) is up to each individual, but the requirement to take the retreat is consistent. It can be so easy to get caught up in all the doing all kinds of good things for the Church and for all the people of the parish that we need to take a step away from all the activity to center ourselves on who we are in God. So, please pray for me, both in the week ahead & every day as I spend some much needed time with our Lord.

But not only is it important for priests to take this concentrated time with God, it is a good spiritual practice for every single one of us. At our recent parish council meeting, as I shared about my upcoming retreat, the question was raised about offering some type of retreat(s) at the parish level as well. I’ve asked our parish council to start by looking at some of the retreats that are out there and that other parishes are offering & attend those to help us gain some ideas. Rather than reinventing the wheel, let’s see what’s out there already and see how we can build on that and/or bring things like that into the life of our parish.

Please pray for me while I’m on retreat this week and know that you will be in my prayers as well!