Adult Retreat #125March 1 - 3, 2024
The theme for this year's Lenten retreat is "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ." Retreat Co-Directors: Edward Paz and Mike Wong |
The Bishop's Invitation
Dear Friends:
Peace be with you!
When Jesus began his ministry, he was careful to select a group of disciples who would spend a greater amount of time getting to know him, learning from him, and receiving a mission from him. They were called his Apostles. When Jesus appeared after the resurrection, it was usually to a group of disciples, sometimes small, sometimes large. When the Holy Spirit came down as tongues of fire on Pentecost Sunday, he came into a room where a group of Jesus' disciples was gathered. The Lord, in his wisdom, knew the value of sharing his life, his message and his mission with groups.
Jesus Christ is alive today! He rose from the dead. Although he ascended into heaven, he still makes himself physically present to us as the "living bread come down from heaven" in the Eucharist. It is there we encounter him, come to know him intimately, learn from his word and receive a share in his mission.
Although the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives as followers of Jesus, we still need to spend time with other disciples of Jesus to remind us that each of us has been given unique gifts that are needed for the functioning of the entire Body of Christ. We need to nurture those gifts through our common reflection on the Scriptures and on the support and challenge that our fellow Christians give us. We need to join hands and hearts with them as we take up our mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus in our families, our schools, our places of work and in our community.
Basic Christian Communities of Hawaii (. . .) provides a structure for the gathering of Christians that is so important to our formation as disciples of Christ and in our common commitment to Christ's mission. It also has proven to be an instrument the Lord uses to turn the doubtful into believers, to strengthen the weak, and to help ordinary people do extraordinary things through the power of God's grace.
The door is always open to new seekers and new disciples who want to enter into a supportive community with their fellow Christians to deepen their love of Jesus and their commitment to him. I invite you to prayerfully consider opening your heart to the experience of Basic Christian Communities, so that you can grow as a faithful witness to Jesus.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu
Peace be with you!
When Jesus began his ministry, he was careful to select a group of disciples who would spend a greater amount of time getting to know him, learning from him, and receiving a mission from him. They were called his Apostles. When Jesus appeared after the resurrection, it was usually to a group of disciples, sometimes small, sometimes large. When the Holy Spirit came down as tongues of fire on Pentecost Sunday, he came into a room where a group of Jesus' disciples was gathered. The Lord, in his wisdom, knew the value of sharing his life, his message and his mission with groups.
Jesus Christ is alive today! He rose from the dead. Although he ascended into heaven, he still makes himself physically present to us as the "living bread come down from heaven" in the Eucharist. It is there we encounter him, come to know him intimately, learn from his word and receive a share in his mission.
Although the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives as followers of Jesus, we still need to spend time with other disciples of Jesus to remind us that each of us has been given unique gifts that are needed for the functioning of the entire Body of Christ. We need to nurture those gifts through our common reflection on the Scriptures and on the support and challenge that our fellow Christians give us. We need to join hands and hearts with them as we take up our mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus in our families, our schools, our places of work and in our community.
Basic Christian Communities of Hawaii (. . .) provides a structure for the gathering of Christians that is so important to our formation as disciples of Christ and in our common commitment to Christ's mission. It also has proven to be an instrument the Lord uses to turn the doubtful into believers, to strengthen the weak, and to help ordinary people do extraordinary things through the power of God's grace.
The door is always open to new seekers and new disciples who want to enter into a supportive community with their fellow Christians to deepen their love of Jesus and their commitment to him. I invite you to prayerfully consider opening your heart to the experience of Basic Christian Communities, so that you can grow as a faithful witness to Jesus.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu