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What is It?
A "Holy Spirit Retreat for Catholic Parishes" is a spiritual development process that has evolved
over a thirty (30+) year period. Its principal objective is to lead
participantss into a deeper, more intimate relationship with God,
by making them more aware of and more open to the power and the
action of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
The Retreat is fully Catholic, rooted in Sacred
Scripture and supported by teachings from the Catechism of the
Catholic Church and papal encyclicals. Pope John Paul II, in his Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, in referring to parish renewal states
"It is not a matter of inventing a new programme. The programme already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition "(#29).
The focus of the Retreat is to renew parishes by helping members experience the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Pope John Paul II has described the experience as "a grace directed to sanctify all people, to renew in them the taste for prayer, and to discover with the Holy Spirit the sense of thankfulness, of joyful praise, of confident intercession, and be converted into a new fountain of evangeliztion. "
The Leaders' Manual is designed to assist the
Retreat Coordinator and team members in planning each week of the
Retreat. It is to be used in conjunction with the "Living
Your Life in the Spirit of God" daily prayer guide.
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