On Thursday, February 23, 2023, the retreat for the second group of scholarship recipients of the John Paul II Foundation Home in Lublin began. Traditionally, they took place in the monastery of the Sacred Heart Priests in Pliszczyna. The retreat was led by Włodzimierz Płatek, a Sacred Heart Priest who for many years served as the Deputy Director of the Foundation Home, and now is the director of the Domus Mater in Krakow and the priest of ‘RodzinaTak.pl’.
The theme of the retreat was the call from the Chaplet to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: “Sacred Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may love You more and more”. Every morning there was lauds, a conference with teaching, group work, which related to reflection on the questions: what conscience means to us, how to form it, how to love not only ourselves but also our neighbor. Every day there was a holy Mass.
On Thursday, on the day of arrival, there was a delicious dinner, Holy Mass and an organizational meeting and an introductory evening.
The next day, Friday, was the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, so we prayed in a special way for the cessation of this war and for all its victims. In the evening we participated in the Stations of the Cross.
On Saturday there was adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, during which it was possible to receive the sacrament of penance. In the evening we had a free time, which was spent e.g. by playing board games.
On Sunday, February 26, we were visited by Fr Jan Strzałka, who at the end of the retreat celebrated the Holy Mass along with Fr Włodzimierz. Before the dinner, scholarship recipients expressed their gratitude to Fr Włodzimierz and all those who contributed to such a wonderful organization of time and stay in Pliszczyna.
Love for ourselves and neighbor is an essential part of our daily lives. Let us persevere in prayer and be as merciful to one another as God is to us, especially during Lent. Grateful for the John Paul II Foundation Home, our priests, benefactors, employees, we are asking for God’s protection and all the necessary graces.
Anna Vovchanska
Photo: Sviatlana Konan
