CRS
Boston-2010 Leaders Retreat
Each January
CRS Boston has provided a retreat for leadership. Originally the retreat was
for the CRS Boston Service Team to reinvigorate them for their service role in
the coming year. In recent years the gathering has expanded to include leaders
from area prayer groups. This year we experienced more multicultural participation,
a reflection of the growing unity among Boston area prayer groups.
Tony
Waddimba from the Ugandan
community organized the program and Father Gregory Staab, OMV from the
Prudential Center’s Franciscan Chapel was our retreat master. On Friday,
January 8 we gathered in the Espousal Center’s Guild room. After a period of
praise and sharing of word gifts, Father led us through a reflection about
repentance.
Father
interleaved his presentation in English and Spanish to accommodate the
diversity of those assembled. After the reflection, those present shared their
ideas about the elements of humility needed for true repentance.
Next we
proceeded to the chapel and celebrated the Mass of the day. Our praise and
singing was led by the Hispanic music ministry.
On
Saturday, January 9 we were treated to additional reflections by Father
Staab. He drew heavily from the
teachings of St. Therese of Lisieux and Saint Faustina about confident trust in
God and our veneration of Mary, the mother of God.
The
morning discussion led to small discussion groups where people could share
their insights. Later we were treated to a delicious lunch furnished by the
Hispanic community.
During
the day we were led in praise by the Haitian, American, Ugandan, and Hispanic music
ministries.
The
afternoon reflection was followed by open-microphone sharing within the entire
group.
We
concluded the afternoon with Mass.
We the
prayed over Father Staab, both in thanksgiving for the insightful gifts he
shared with us and to ask the Holy Spirit to continue to anoint Father’s
ministry.
Our day
concluded with a brief supper and a talk by CRS Boston director, Vin Cerasuolo,
about the growing unity experienced by the renewal in the past year. Also he
told of a number of initiatives in this new year.
We asked
ourselves why we had come to this weekend retreat. A clear answer is that, like
in Luke’s gospel story about the sisters Martha and Mary, we had chosen the
better place to be: we spent the weekend sitting at the feet of Jesus.