Bishop Solis: Lenten retreat is an intimate moment with God

+ Enlarge

Greetings of Christ’s peace and love! We crossed the mid-point of our Lenten journey this weekend called “Laetare Sunday,” the Church’s call to “rejoice” in anticipation of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ on Easter. It is important to find joy during the penitential season of Lent, and not because the spiritual discipline of prayer, fasting and giving alms will soon be over in a couple weeks. Rather, it helps us focus on the gift of salvation made possible through the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Passion, death and Resurrection, the expression of the infinite and unfathomable love of God for us.

During Lent, the whole Church embarks on a journey of faith renewal through repentance and conversion of heart. We pray to be aware of the abiding presence of God in our lives and in the world. We fast and abstain not only from food but especially from sin to grow in holiness. We also give alms to express our dependence on God’s providence, and to share the gifts he has given us out of love for our brothers and sisters in need.

A spiritual retreat is an opportune time for our community of faith to walk together in renewing our relationship with God and with one another as one family, the Body of Christ. As Pope Francis said, “In the face of so many wounds that hurt us and could lead to a hardness of heart, we are called to dive into the sea of prayer, which is the sea of the boundless love of God, in order to experience his tenderness.”

I invite all our brothers and sisters to join the annual Diocesan Lenten Retreat on March 23 at St. Vincent the Paul Church in Holladay under the direction of Father Ray John Marek in English and Father Alfredo Basualdo in Spanish.

Likewise, I ask all our brothers and sisters undergoing preparation for their full incorporation into the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), to attend a separate retreat together with their sponsors on March 16, at St. John the Baptist Church in Draper. I will direct this retreat, which will be good preparation as you become full members of the Church.

A retreat is a chance to get away from our daily work and ordinary activities so we can spend intimate moments with God in prayer to dispose our heart to listen to his voice calling us to return to him with all our hearts. As Pope Francis has mentioned, “There is so much noise in the world! May we learn to be silent in our hearts and before God.” The Diocesan Lenten Retreat and the RCIA retreat will provide a time away from the world’s noise so that we can listen to God.

Prayerful wishes of God’s blessings!

Editor’s note: The 2024 Diocesan Lenten Retreat will be Saturday, March 23 in St. Vincent de Paul Parish’s Holy Family Hall, 1375 E. Spring Lane, Holladay. The retreat in English will be from 9 a.m. to noon; the retreat in Spanish will be 1-4 p.m. Free, but registration required; contact (English) Trisha.norcross@dioslc.org or 801-328-8641 ext. 363; (Spanish) Jacqueline.rivera@dioslc.org or 801-325-8641 ext. 332. Registration deadline is March 20.