Lenten retreat to focus on redemptive suffering

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WEST HAVEN — St. Mary Parish’s Militia Immaculata Villages are sponsoring a virtual Marian Lenten retreat titled “A Lenten Journey with Mary: On Suffering, A Catholic Perspective.” The retreat, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 27, will be led by Father Kolbe Missionaries Jillian Cooke and Ada Locatelli. Deacon Jack Clark will lead the opening morning prayer, an online Liturgy of the Hour.

The retreat will be a great introduction to those who might be interested in the Knights at the Foot of the Cross MI Village, which has a particular focus on redemptive suffering, said Donna Masek, MI coordinator.

The theme “tied in nicely with Knights at the Foot of the Cross, Village of the Immaculata, that we try to offer our daily challenges united with the cross of Christ as a prayer for ourselves and to offer as a prayer for the MI movement,” she said. “During Lent is a wonderful time for us to learn more about redemptive suffering.”

The free three-hour online retreat will include two sessions as well as breakout sessions and discussion. The topics will be “On the Catholic Meaning of Suffering,” highlights from St. John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter “On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering,” and “Kolbe, the MI, and Redemptive Suffering.” The retreat will conclude with online Eucharistic Adoration streamed from the MI National Center. Adoration will include the Holy Spirit Prayer, Chaplet of Seven Sorrows and a shorter version of the KFC Daily Consecration Prayer.

The upcoming retreat is already drawing registrations from across the country, Masek said.  

“I’m excited about it because it’s bringing people together who are in so many different areas,” she said. “It’s interesting to see the mix of people that are coming and the diversity of areas they are coming from. We’re excited about who is being called and who will be able to journey with us this year.”

The retreat will be a great introduction to the Knights of the Foot of the Cross Village, Masek said. Those who are interested may continue to participate with the group in online consecration preparation March 5, 12 and 19 from 8 to 9 p.m. nightly. An online consecration ceremony will be held March 26, 8 to 9 p.m. for those who wish to commit to Knights at the Foot of the Cross.

To register for “A Lenten Journey with Mary,” contact Masek at mi-utah.stmary@gmail.com.

Once registration is received, participants will be sent the Zoom videoconferencing link to the retreat.

The retreat is also being sponsored by the national MI organization and the Father Kolbe Missionaries of the Immaculata. Goodwill offerings to help the missionaries and the MI work are being accepted at registration, which will close Feb. 24 to allow organizers to distribute retreat materials to participants.