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October 6, 2023Priest Retreat(s)All the priests of the Diocese of Savannah will be on their annual retreat with Bp. Stephen Parkes next week from Monday, Oct 9th to Friday, Oct 13th down in Jacksonville, Fl. at the Marywood Retreat Center. Our retreat master will be Bp. Felipe Estevez, the retired bishop of St. Augustine diocese.
The Catholic Code of Canon Law (#276) requires that every Catholic priest in the world make at least one annual retreat, and that retreat should be for around five days, though each particular bishop has the authority to determine the length. All bishops “provide” this opportunity for their priests by booking a retreat center and a retreat master. Some bishops allow their priests to choose between this retreat or to make their own private retreat. Some bishops “require” their priests to be on the annual diocesan retreat because it builds fraternity and communication between priests of the diocese who rarely see one another or have the opportunity to interact socially, especially in a rural diocese like ours. And they also “interact” spiritually, praying with one another and for one another, at Holy Mass and during the Liturgy of the Hours which are celebrated in common.
The social aspect is also very important. The priests share meals, take walks and go to confession or spiritual direction to one another, or to the retreat master. But mostly, the priests have a chance to talk and listen to Jesus…with no homily to give tomorrow or no meeting or anything else that requires preparation. The annual retreat is a key part of the holiness which every priest desires. God only speaks in the silence.
As you know, part of the work which God has called me to do is to be the retreat master for these kinds of priest retreats around the U.S. For this reason, I am typically away from St. Michael’s parish for about five days per month. Priest retreats usually end by Friday at noon so that the priests (and retreat master) can return to their parish for the weekend masses.
What does the retreat master do? Typically, he gives two 45-minute conferences per day, one in the morning and one in the evening, about holiness in the life of a parish priest. He also gives the homily at the communal Mass. After lunch and in the evenings, the retreat master is available for private conferences and spiritual direction/confession with individual priests.
I do plan to go to Jacksonville on Monday to be with my priest brothers for a few days. However, I will return by Wednesday night because I will travel to Steubenville, OH on Thursday for their annual vocation day at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. I will remain in Ohio for the weekend, because the following Monday and Tuesday, I will be the retreat master for the priests of Cincinnati. This is a much shorter Day of Recollection than the usual five days. I will return to Tybee Island on Wednesday, Oct 18th.
Fr. Jerry Regan will be celebrating the masses on the weekend of Oct 14-15, as well as some of the daily masses while I am away.
Please pray for the priests of Savannah while they are on retreat, and for vocations to the priesthood!
Fr. Brett Brannen
Pastor
