ANNUAL RETREAT 2024 OF
INFANT JESUS DELEGATION NAGALAND - MANIPUR
Capuchin friars of Infant Jesus Delegation of Nagaland and Manipur, had
their annual retreat from July 01 to July 05, 2024 in Capuchin House,
Dimapur. Thirteen friars of five different communities namely St Francis
friary Choithar, St Francis Friary Nongdum of Manipur, St Francis friary
Lazami, St Thomas Friary Tamlu and St Clare Friary Akuluto of Nagaland
gathered together for a renewal retreat preached by the renowned preacher Fr
Ronny Lean OP. Fr Ronny Lean OP is a retreat preacher in Emmaus retreat
centre, Sarijahan – Assam. The preacher began the retreat with eucharistic
celebration on July 01 at 6.30 pm. For the introduction talk he took the
Gospel passage Luke 24: 13-35, which speaks about the two followers of Jesus
walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. Jesus suddenly
comes along with them. They realize the presence of Jesus through the
breaking of the Bread. The preacher also asked the friars, throughout the
retreat to walk along with Jesus on the way to Emmaus to have the deep
spiritual experience.
On the second day all friars had the opportunity to have the confessions and
to lay down the burden of sins, to have the healing touch of Jesus. Everyday
morning at 6 am adoration was conducted by the Preacher along with Morning
Prayer. First session of spiritual talk was at 9 am and eucharistic
celebration was at 11.30 am. Retreatants had the lunch at 12.30 pm
Thereafter at 3 pm second session of spiritual talk was given. At 6.30 pm
preacher led all the friars to have a deeper experience of Christ through
the Adoration and evening Prayer. Immediately after the supper, all were
gathering for praying the Rosary. The preacher was creative in his spiritual
inputs. On the third day during the mass, he washed the feet of friars,
making known that unless we become humble, neither we can receive the grace
of the Lord nor we can serve the people of God. On the same evening he asked
everyone to get a small stone while coming for adoration symbolizing the
Bible passage Ezekiel 36: 26 – 27, “I will remove from you, your heart of
stone and give you a heart of flesh.” He also asked everyone to write down
all the hurt feelings of the past in a piece of paper and to bring it before
the blessed sacrament to offer to the Lord. During the adoration he burnt
all the papers that were brought and offered them before the blessed
sacrament symbolizing, ‘God has healed all our inner deep wounds, he has set
all free, to begin the mission of Christ in a new vigour.’
several topics of the retreats were ‘Mary the mother of Jesus, Inner
healing, Eucharist the source of our life, forgiveness, you are the chosen
one, Prayer and your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.’ Inorder to have
smooth functioning of the retreat, the friars were divided into three groups
to animate the adoration, Rosary, helping out in the kitchen, arranging for
the mass and to choose hymns for the liturgy. Retreat concluded on 4th July
at 6 pm with the adoration, during which the preacher anointed every one
inorder to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. In the thanksgiving speech
Fr Brayan, the councilor thanked Fr Ronny for inspiring retreat. He also
thanked Fr Isaac Rodrigues the Delegate, for making arrangement of the
annual retreat and choosing very good preacher to guide the friars.