Monday-Thursday, July 20-23, 2026
Getting Accustomed to the Regimen of a Well-Orchestrated Retreat
For the next few days, this was the tenor of our lives. Early morning wake-up calls (at 5.30 am) were punishing, to say the least. A loudspeaker would blare out a hymn that never failed to wake me up with a terrible start, my heart palpitating unpleasantly until it settled down. Half an hour later, (at 6.am), there was black coffee served to all—a way of waking up participants (in case the blaring alarm hymn had been inadequate). At 7.00 am, the entire group gathered for Praise and Worship, a spirited singing session with a full band in attendance. These musicians are part of the Music Ministry, and they did an excellent job getting the congregation to sing loudly with them. The Charismatics do not do anything quietly—their worship is all about sound and fury. They also punctuate their singing with actions (the raising of arms, the rhythmic clapping, the swaying from side to side, etc.). It soon became routine for us, but initially, it was all a bit overwhelming to watch. Praise and Worship was followed by an hour-long lecture by which time my stomach was rumbling so fiercely as to make it impossible to focus on what was being said.
At 8.30 am, we trooped into the Dining Hall for breakfast. It was always tasty with a different kind of ‘bread’ served daily—one day appams, another day Malabar parotta, another day idiyappam (string hoppers)—always with sambar or curry. There was also always a hard-boiled egg (for those who needed protein with every meal). This was followed by a choice of tea or coffee.
Post-breakfast, there were more lectures, more healing sessions and at 3.00 pm daily, there was the Divine Mercy Chaplet that was recited by the entire congregation. Lunch followed with more lectures or praying sessions interspersed until tea-time. Post-Tea, there were more lectures until dinner. There was always Mass at 7.00 pm (most often said by Fr. Augustin which unfailingly included a 40-60 minute homily). I have to say that I found it tedious in the extreme and I often wondered how much more of it I could take. I suppose what kept me going was the fervor and devotion of everyone else around me. They were completely fixated on the altar, on the words of the speaker, on the notes emanating from the keyboard or the guitar. None of them seemed to find the sessions too lengthy, too repetitive or too boring. Their devotion was truly inspirational.
In the midst of the sessions, Llew and I found the time, one afternoon, to explore the vast premises of the Center. We took a walk down to a river along whose bank the Center has been constructed. There are structures through which the 14 Stations of the Way of the Cross are spelled out in plaster of Paris sculpture. The entire facility is thick with greenery and tropical vegetation. We could smell ripe jackfruit on the trees and see other fruit plantations and orchards all around us (mango, cashew, banana, coconut). It is a perfect setting for quiet contemplation and meditation on the various lessons we were taught through the talks. Sadly, there was no time given for any of these activities—probably because, from experience, they realize that people will simply sit around and chat because they were craving relief from the spiritual overdose. I often wished I could slip out and sit under a tree and listen to the wind rustling its branches or watch cheeky squirrels scampering along to the top. But there was never any opportunity to enjoy this. Meal-time offered some respite from the spiritual treadmill when we could actually chat with each other as we enjoyed our food. It was during these times that we laughed about the more humorous speakers and the badly-needed comic relief that they brought.
On one of the days, there was a mandatory fast (except for those with heath issues who were unable to maintain a fast). This was held to support the youth and children who would be attending their Confessions that day. After breakfast, there was no food served until tea-time. I have to say that I did not really feel hungry (as breakfast was hearty) but by tea-time, I was ready for a snack. And dinner that night was a feast! There was vegetable biryani, fried chicken, chicken curry, two vegetables and even chocolate for dessert!
The penultimate day—the second-last day—was the most powerful. It was the day devoted to Iner Healing and it was conducted by Fr. Joseph Edattu who is based at a similar Divine Retreat Center in Ramsgate, Kent, UK. He is a terrific speaker and the examples he used to teach were so perfectly apt that I took most counsel from his words. He conducted a session in which people were asked to surrender all their petitions, woes, worries, etc.to the Lord. The place was darkened, all electric lights switched off, the only light coming from a few candles on the altar. The monstrance was exposed throughout this nearly 90 minute session when people lost all their inhibitions and cried aloud in anguish that was heartrending to hear. It made me realize how much emotional, financial, physical hardship people endure on a daily basis and how difficult it is for them to carry their burdens. At the end of the session that included music, singing, chanting, call and response measures from the priest at the altar, people were told to come forward to let the congregation know if they had experienced any healing at that session. Eric, who was a member of our group, a retired sea captain, who had lost his sight and was near-blind, went up to the altar and gave his ‘testimony’. He reported that during the healing session, he felt a strong sensation near his eyes and when he opened them, he found that he could see all the colors and patterns of the altar clearly—something he had been unable to do when he had arrived for the Retreat.
