SOUTH AFRICA, Sarah-Leah Pimentel. The Schoenstatt Women’s League in Johannesburg recently held their annual retreat. In many ways, this retreat was very different from any other they had ever been on before as a group. It was the first time that they led the retreat themselves because Sr. Joanne, who previously gave direction to the group was transferred to another city at the start of the year and also spends a significant amount of time giving assistance to the Movement in Nigeria and Kenya. Having to be leaders and participants simultaneously made the weekend far more challenging, but in many ways, this also allowed the Holy Spirit to work and this produced many fruits.
The theme for the weekend was Fatherhood. Although this may seem an odd topic for a group of women, it soon became clear that many of us have had very negative experiences with our earthly fathers and this has had a profound effect on our relationship with the Heavenly Father.
The group therefore spent a good portion of the first day working through personal encounters with human fathers, celebrating those moments when our fathers fulfilled our expectations and giving each other the space to share more painful experiences.
As children of a loving Father, God has a plan for each of us
The second part of the day was spent exploring the personal relationship with God the Father as a place in which we can find the rest our souls long for. Elements from Pope John Paul II’s play A Radiation of Fatherhood allowed the women to explore the delicate relationship between Father and child.
The material of the first day led us into the theme for the second and third days: As children of a loving Father, God has a plan for each of us. Various activities, ranging from acrylic painting to group discussions, quiet time and reflective readings helped the young women to answer the question: What was I created for? The life that emerged from these exercises was so abundant that the program that had been planned for the third day had to be abandoned as they explored many new insights with the depth they deserved.
“I learnt a lot about being free, trusting people, looking at the world we live in differently.” – Kgalalelo Mmuoe
The weekend was exactly what most of us need: an oasis in the midst of the chaotic busyness of our daily lives.
