The visit of our Brother Luis, Superior General of the brothers brought signs of joy, peace and many blessings. Two spiritual retreats (Motus Christi) were held in the parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paul de Soa. The students and the Christians of the parish were full of enthusiasm to participate in the retreat, because for some it was the first time they had attended a Motus Christi.
The first Motus Christi took place on December 6, 2019. We had two conferences, the first given by the Superior General, Father Luis, and the second by our Sister Anne, Provincial Superior of the sisters.
Father Luis spoke about Faith. He began by saying that our faith has many other elements besides the creed, which are personal. Our faith is unique and personal. He said that sometimes God gives us a deep faith through tragic events, if we remain open to his grace, without allowing suffering and pain to prevent us from seeing what God wants to show us.
He also said that we don’t need extraordinary miracles – as He did to the people of His time – to have faith, because we have the lives of the saints and our personal lives, where we see what faith can bring about in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. He challenged us to look, in the silence of prayer, at the people, at the situations that our Father has placed in our hands and that we must take care of, and be grateful, etc. He also challenged us to look at the people, the situations that our Father has placed in our hands and that we must take care of, and to be grateful, etc. He did this to the people of his time – to have faith, because we have the lives of the saints and our personal lives, where we see what faith can bring about in our lives and in the lives of those close to us.
The conference of our sister Anne was inspired by the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, “Christus Vivit”, to transmit to us the enthusiasm, the company and the example of young saints, such as Bro Thierry, a young Cameroonian Carmelite in process of beatification.
At the time of the charismatic touch, there were beautiful testimonies, especially on how the presence of the identes missionaries enriched the spiritual life of these young people and how the parish of St. Peter and St. Paul is a home for most of them. During the charismatic touch, a student who was attending Motus Christi for the first time, broke down in tears because she was living this beautiful experience for the first time and she really felt like a family. She also thanked her friend who had invited her.
Another student, seeing the young woman so moved, expressed his sorrow at not having invited anyone, even though he too could have made someone else experience the immense joy of God by inviting her to this retreat.
The second Motus Christi took place on December 11, 2019. Father Luis spoke about vocation. He began by saying that we participate in retreats to remind ourselves that God is calling us for something new, specific and personal. God comforts us with a mission. We walk together, but he gives us different missions. Father Luis spoke of vocation as the mission that God entrusts to each one of us. He asked us to dedicate the day to understanding what God wants tell us.
