Participants in the Eastern Regional Retreat, 2007

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Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, New York once again hosted the Eastern Regional Retreat for St. Augustine Province, June 10-15, 2007. A dozen Recollect friars from our three Eastern houses and from Mexico City—the Provincial Residence in West Orange, New Jersey; St. John Parish in the Bronx, New York, Our Lady of Lourdes in Mexico, and Tagaste—were represented at the retreat, which was directed by Fr. John Benedict Weber, O.Carm., from Carmel Retreat House in Mahwah, NJ. The main theme of the retreat was contemplative prayer as it is rooted in the Scriptural example of Jesus, the evangelical counsels, and the tradition of Augustinian Recollect religious life.

The retreat opened on Sunday evening with a holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament presided by Fr. John Gruben, and reflecting the liturgical celebration of the day: Corpus Christi. The full retreat schedule began on Monday and consisted in a morning and afternoon conference by Fr. Weber and an evening discussion session for the community, drawing on the talks of the day for subject matter. An afternoon devotion alternated between the rosary and the “Emmaus Walk” (reflection in pairs on Scriptural passages.) An atmosphere of silence pervaded the retreat with conversation limited to the evening meal. At lunch time there were readings from the Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata and the Sermons of St. Augustine. Community Mass was the center of the day, with different community members presiding at the liturgy each day and Fr. Weber delivering the homily. Fr. Fidel Hernández and the students organized the music for the daily liturgies. On Thursday a votive Mass was celebrated for the deceased members of the Province. Community members renewed their vows during the liturgy on Friday, the final day of the retreat.

Feedback on the retreat from the participants was quite positive. All agreed that Fr. Weber gave stimulating and dynamic presentations, and that he possessed a broad understanding of contemplative prayer and its historical development in religious life to the present day.

Fr. John Gruben, OAR