ANNUAL RETREAT IN BRAZIL

With the guidance and accompaniment of Father Donizetti, SJ, and the CRB (Conferência dos Religiosos do Brasil – Conference of Religious of Brazil) team, the region Brazil of CMM Brothers held the 2024 annual retreat with the CRB at the house of Retiro Vicente de Paulo (RVP) in the week from the 23rd to the 30th of June 2024.

The retreat was conducted in the Ignatian style – Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola – and the reflection was based on the Campanha de Fraternidade 2024 (2024 Fraternity Campaign – CF 2024), whose theme: Fraternity and Social Friendship (Fraternidade e Amizade Social); and motto: “You are all brothers and sisters” (Mt 23:8).

Throughout the week, we were instructed, initially, to understand and internalize “the meaning of life as Social Friendship, which translates into a relationship of mutual care between people, in the family, in the religious community, in society and on Planet Earth, our common home, home for all of us”. Referenced mainly in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti (FT, 2020), CF 2024 brings concepts that help us understand “[…] the Love that goes beyond the geographical borders of territory and space” (FT n. 1) and call us “[…] to overcome enmities and take care of each other” (FT no. 57).

Furthermore, based on the evangelical reading of the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Mc 4:35-41 –, we were guided to experience this week with Jesus’ invitation: “Let’s go to the other shore!” (Mc 4,35). Make a crossing together with Christ Jesus, despite the strong winds and waves.

Afterwards, we were guided, each day, to reflect and pray – talk with God – through the small subtopics: Everyone’s house, Our Father, The presence of Mary in the Spiritual Exercises, The messianic signs, If the grain dies, Callings to form a community, To be good Samaritans, He loved them until the end, Mission.

Thus, with our silence and the sound of the Retiro’s ecological nature, we experienced a week of intense prayer and reflection. In our sharing, we realize the importance of the connection and care we need for our brothers and sisters and our common home. After all, we have only one Father, the one who is in heaven and is present among us through our similarities, the wind that blows, the leaves that sway, the waters that flow in the river, the birds that sing, etc.

Finally, being children of God, we are called to live as a church, good Samaritans who, hand in hand in faith, hope and charity, advance to announce the Good News of Christ in search of building peace and love, through of our prayers and missions that we undertake in our life and vocation journey.