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July 2002
Dickinson, TX
Each year during the month of July, the Oblates' Christian Renewal
Center in Dickinson, TX sponsors a series of retreats designed for
Altar Servers from various parishes in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston.
This year Ricky López and David Muñoz, two Oblate Pre-Novices from the
Blessed Joseph Gerard Community in Miramar, FL presented the retreats. A
total of five retreats were scheduled this year, although only four were
held. Three of those retreats were two-day retreats and one was a four-day
retreat for older Altar Servers.
Many altar servers believe that the only service they can provide is that
which they offer in their Parishes at the weekend liturgies. The goal of
this year’s retreats was to show the altar servers additional ways to serve,
especially in their communities. The focus was placed on a quote by St.
John of the Cross, “Where there is no love, put love and there you will find
love.” This quote challenged the altar servers to be warriors for Christ in
the world. The quote accompanied an experiment with fire where the
participants were shown how a little flame could create a larger flame that
illumines the darkness of a room. That flame is the love of Christ that we
offer others and we receive that light in return.
The four-day retreat focused on the same theme; however, the participants
were transported away from the retreat center to places in the Houston area
to put what they learned into action.
Tuesday morning they were able to offer their services at Casa Juan Diego, a
house of the Catholic Worker Movement where illegal immigrants are given
temporary shelter. The participants were able to help with the cooking,
sorting clothes, playing with the children, putting underwear into
hospitality bags, and putting laundry detergent into sandwich bags. During
the debriefing session that night, many of the participants expressed how
thankful they felt for what they have.
Wednesday was dedicated to vocations. The Director of Vocations of the
diocese, Father Clint Ressler, and the Program Coordinator at the Christian
Renewal Center, Mr. José Castro, gave the participants a tour of the
Downtown Chancery. The participants saw the various offices and departments
needed in the diocese. They also had the opportunity to meet Bishop Joseph
Fiorenza and Bishop José Vazquez. This gave the young men and women the
opportunity to see the hard work needed for the diocese to function. After
leaving the Chancery, they joined the celebration of the Eucharist presided
by Father Ressler in the chapel at St. Mary’s Seminary. After lunch they
were given a tour of the grounds of the seminary and a brief explanation of
the lifestyle of a Seminarian. The last stop was Villa de Matel, the
motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, where they
received a tour of the motherhouse and its magnificent chapel.
The retreats gave the participants an opportunity to come closer to God, but
gave the pre-novices a taste of retreat ministry. Father Eugene Cañas, OMI,
director of the Christian Renewal Center, informed the pre-novices that they
were given the opportunity to prepare the retreats to experience what
retreat ministry is like. That was the goal, and it worked! Retreat
ministry is an aspect of our Church that is hardly noticed but is of great
importance. Both the altar servers and the pre-novices benefited from the
retreats.
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