West Kalimantan – The Indonesian Montfortian of the West Kalimantan Region hold a group retreat every year. In 2023, the retreat will be held on September 19 – 21 at the Montfort Menyurai Mission House. The retreat was attended by priests and Montfortian brothers and guided by Father Lodo, SMM. The retreat opened with Mass in the chapel of the Montfort Menyurai Mission House
Father Lodo, SMM presented reflections on the theme of Incarnation, the Path to the Integration of Our Human Identity and Spiritual Identity. In the first session, Montfortian were invited to think about their identity as Montfortian. This reflection is related to the call of the 2023 Chapter General's captains that the transformation of Montfortian identity is to become missionaries on the path of the Incarnation of Wisdom. This identity is also related to the call to introduce Self-Dedication to Jesus, the Wisdom incarnate through the Blessed Virgin Mary, as a means to live out the promises of baptism.
Identity as a Montfortian cannot be separated from the personal identity of every Montfortian which has been formed since childhood in the family and community. So in the next section, Pastor Lodo invites the participants to look at this personal development and how it influences the development of the Montfortian identity and vocation as a Montfortian.
In the third session, participants were invited to imagine how Jesus received children. By seeing Jesus' acceptance of these children, it is necessary to have an attitude of self-conveyance and humility in the Montfortian so that they can carry out the Montfortian mission.
In the fourth session, the retreat participants took part in groups to share their respective life experiences related to personal identity, Montfortian identity, and their relationship to their mission as Montfortian.
On September 21, 2023, the retreat closed with a Joint Eucharist celebration and in the evening, a joint recreation event was held full of friendship and brotherhood.
September 22, 2023, will be the end of the meeting at the Annual Retreat for Montfortian in the West Kalimantan Region. After breakfast, each entity got ready to return to their respective communities. But before we went home, we still had time to chat and joke together.
Montfortian Communications Team
