There are few constants in life. But one constant is having red beans and rice on the first night of the retreat at Our Lady of the Oaks in Grand Coteau.
Last week, I went on my 13th silent retreat under the oaks. Every year that I go, I feel like I get more and more out of it. One year, I felt a lot lighter when I left because I feel like I left a lot of baggage behind. I surely didn’t feel lighter because of the red beans and rice and bread pudding, but I digress.
A year or so ago, a new director took over the operations and merged the retreat house and St. Charles Borromeo College into one Grand Coteau Retreats. With all the changes and updates, I feel like the retreats now go a little deeper to help us on out spiritual journey. This year was no different.
Here are a few highlights.
Like last year, we had Benediction and all night Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. My Latin isn’t the greatest, but I always enjoy when it is incorporated into church services. Also, I don’t spend time with our Lord as I should in Adoration, so it was nice to spend time with Him while on retreat.
The big highlight of the retreat was the candlelit procession to the replica of the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. We were supposed to have the procession last year, but the weather had other plans. So, this year was our first time having it. We processed from the retreat house to the grotto, which is located behind St. Charles Borromeo Church behind the old Jesuit cemetery. Once we got to the grotto, we asked the Blessed Mother for her intercession. Among the things I asked was for Mary to intercede for me and ask her Son to ask for what I don’t know what to ask for and don’t know how to ask. Ok, I probably should have asked for better grammar. Maybe next year.
For the first time, I did something I never did. I bought a book in the bookstore. Ok, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Big deal, Tony, I didn’t know you could read.” Well, this book is Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. The cool thing is St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of writers and journalists. Maybe I’ll be a better writer after reading it.
The best thing about the retreat was it was the end of Lent and ended on Palm Sunday. I was asked to read for Mass on Sunday, which meant I had to narrate the Passion. Now, look, I can announce a baseball game easy. I much rather that than reading at Mass. I’ve been reading at Sacred Heart for about 10 years, and it’s just different to be reading right up front with the bright lights and all those eyeballs on you. Narrating the Passion is on a even higher level because you also have a set of eyeballs looking at you from behind. Plus, there was a deacon on the side of me. I soldiered through it, and nobody threw any tomatoes at me. That’s always a plus.
Seriously, though, all the retreats in Grand Coteau are meant to follow the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and help us better know, love, and serve God. This year was no different. I highly encourage you to make the retreat at least one year. You don’t even have to be Catholic. You may not be Catholic when you go, but you’ll be Catholic when you come back.
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