Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign Retreat

USA, Cathy Johnson. Twenty-one members from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee attended the weekend retreat at St. Bernard’s Retreat Center in Cullman, Alabama. Retreat Master was Father Gerold Langsch, National Schoenstatt Movement Director, U.S.A. The retreat was organized by Cathy Johnson, Alabama State Coordinator. The theme was “Called, Chosen, Prepared, and Sent.”

Father Gerold emphasized the importance of daily striving for holiness and gave practical points for doing so. A few of the topics Father spoke about were the various forms of prayer, contributions to the capital of grace, and how to explain Schoenstatt spirituality. Regarding praying, he gave an example of a couple who for some reason had to part ways.

The man wrote letters, which for some reason were returned. Eventually, the couple managed to get together again. The man brought with him all the letters he had written and started reading them to the woman. The woman got a little upset and told him that she didn’t want him to read the old letters because she was right there. She wanted him to express his feelings to her at that moment, not what he felt in the past. Father said that is what we need to do with God and our Blessed Mother. They are right here with us and want us to talk to them. Reading prayers may serve as a good beginning, but then we want to talk to the Lord from heart to heart.

Covenant of Love

Also on tap was a tour of St. Bernard’s church at the Monastery. The tour was given by Father Joel Martin, OSB, also headmaster of St. Bernard’s Prep School and choir director for the monks. Father Joel was on EWTN’s Live with Father Mitch Pacwa in 2009 talking about Gregorian chant. Several people attended Sunday morning Matins during which the monks chanted the Liturgy of the Hours.

Terry Ward (Tennessee) and Lucille Loe, (Alabama) both made their Covenants of Love during the closing Mass.

Amazing insights

In her summary, Cathy Johnson challenged everyone to take what they learned from the retreat and write down just one thing that they wanted to work on. Then to work on that one item and before going to bed, see how successful they were. They needed to keep doing that every day. Doing so would be the first step in keeping a Daily Spiritual Order.

Several attendees are fairly new to the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign and expressed their amazement at how much more there was to Schoenstatt than they perceived. They said they learned so much from being among other Schoenstatt sisters and brothers.

There were three surprise visitors from Virginia at the closing Mass and ceremony. They had conversed with Lydia Concepcion, State Coordinator of Georgia, the night before who invited them to participate with us. They are very interested in the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign and stayed for fellowship after the conclusion.

Our Mother really does take perfect care! Everyone is already looking forward to the 2012 retreat.