Slide Show

At mid-day on a rather brisk mid-January Monday, ten California Recollects gathered at Los Angeles’ Cardinal Manning House of Prayer for Priests to begin their annual spiritual retreat. They would be together in prayer and silence from January 14-18.

The House of Prayer has been the site of the last three OAR regional retreats. It affords unparalleled accommodations for this purpose. Situated on a spacious private estate, its grounds, which are tastefully terraced and artistically landscaped, offer matchless views of that section of Los Angeles. The House’s many secluded paths lead to hidden fountains and waterfalls, well-kept gardens, inviting resting places, out-door statuary, and Stations of the Cross – all conducive to prayer, reflection, and solitude.

Again this year the retreat master was Fr. Jack Stoeger, the director of the House of Prayer and long-time spiritual director of the Archdiocesan seminary in Camarillo. Each day he addressed a morning and afternoon conference to the retreatants as well as a nutritious homily at the daily Eucharist.

The theme of Father’s conferences was “The Mystery of the Incarnation in Our Lives”. He provided excellent points for devout, biblical meditation as he focused on the Annunciation, Magnificat, Visitation, Nativity, and Epiphany. His concluding talk was “In the Word Made Flesh is Our Hope”. As always Fr. Jack held everyone’s rapt attention with his imaginative, eloquent, and charming delivery which bespoke his profound study and preparation.

Each evening the Recollects devoted an hour to a reflective, directed consideration of one point of the Constiitutions as provided for communal study in the booklet Las Constituciones fuente viva.

The retreat came to a close at noon on Friday after the traditional renewal of vows and a hymn in honor of Our Father St. Augustine. All then repaired to St. Benedict Parish in Montebello, where they joined other local OAR’s at a lunch celebrating the birthday of Frs. James McGuire and Felix Daganta.

Fr. James McGuire, OAR