REPORTS ON ONGOING FIC COMMON RETREAT-ST LOUIS COMMUNITY, WA, 31^ST AUGUST -7^THSEPTEMBER, 2022.

THEME: LOVE AND UNITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES

SUB TOPIC: ENHANCING LOVE AND UNITY AS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FRATERNAL BROTHERHOOD AND COMMUNITY LIVING.

RETREAT PREACHER: REV. FR. TIMOTHY BAGHRMWINE (JESUIT)

DAY ONE

The 2022 FIC common retreat was opened officially in the evening of Wednesday, 31^st August in St. Louis Community’s conference hall by the Provincial Superior (Br. Seregeous Dery). In his welcome address, Br. Seregeous underscored the significance of this crucial spiritual exercise in the life of every Brother and entreated the participants to maximize the opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate themselves during the period. After that the Vice Provincial Superior (Br. Dr. Clement Naapire) took turn to introduce the Retreat Preacher to the Brothers. Having set the mood for the retreat, retreatants retired to bed at about 9pm.  

Thursday morning dawned crisp and clear. In a very quiet and composed atmosphere, the brothers converged in St. Louis Chapel to call on the Lord in order to  begin the day in the context of a Eucharistic Celebration presided by the retreat preacher. 

By 9:00am the retreatants had seated in the conference hall for the first conference of the day. The preacher started off by stirring the Brothers to do a bit of self-introspection. He posed a rather rhetorical question by asking: who am I? He said the question was meant to provoke an in-depth reflection of our unique identities. He then added that in our attempt to answer this question, we would unequivocally be referring to the things that identify us as individuals. These things, he continued, are either hidden, known or denied.

Furthermore, he emphasized that there is a parallel relationship between who we are and what we bring to the community. He then delved deeply into the dynamics of community life where he dissected some of its basic concepts: love, peace, joy, acceptance, forgiveness, sacrifice etc.

He further exhorted the Brothers to be flexible enough to live with and accommodate others who are different from us in terms of temperament, education and competence. He said flexibility was so important to the extent that any Brother who failed to adjust his life to changing circumstances was bound to fail in the life. Every religious community is supposed to experience growth and such growth is usually characterized by three integrating elements: a life of silent reflective prayer, a life of service and an option for the poor. 

In a nutshell, he concluded by say that without the community there is no religious life because it is the community that make us religious.

Written by;

Br. Prosper Ganye