A Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity was present recently for the first formally-named Holy Spirit Parish of St. Stans and Newman, Stevens Point, WI Busy Student Retreat February 8-12, 2015. Here UW Stevens Point students gathered Sunday to Thursday for prayer, one on one meetings with a spiritual companion, preaching and dinner. It was an awesome time!
The two most important elements of this retreat were the commitments to spend time in personal prayer and reflection each day, and to meeting with a spiritual companion to discuss one’s journey and the fruit of prayer and reflection.
As Catholic Christians community is important. Members of Holy Spirit Parish volunteered their time and gifts to serve dinner every night of the retreat. Closing the day with praise and preaching, participants were also invited to gather for Mass as their schedule allowed.
Students began to learn the ways in which God is part of daily life and to develop patterns of personal prayer. These 2 suggestions were given to keep alive this new matter of living the Gospel:
- Use the daily Lectionary readings for Mass everyday in prayer.
- Reflect on some of these questions each night:
- How has God come to me today and how have I responded?
- Did I feel drawn by God anytime today through another person, an event, art, music, a book, etc.?
- How did I meet God in fears, joys, a misunderstanding, sufferings, temptations, work or other experiences or moments of my day?
- How did the Word of God come alive to me today in prayer, interaction with others, at Mass, through nature, etc.?
- In what ways have I been the sign of God’s presence and love to my brothers and sisters, to my friends, my classmates and others?
- What happened today that I should be thankful for?
