Parish's mini-retreat to focus on the Eucharist; all welcome

+ Enlarge

LAYTON — As part of the ongoing Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, St. Rose of Lima Parish and the Flame-Keepers group are hosting a mini- retreat. The Sept. 24 event will focus on the revelations of St. Gertrude, a 13th-century German Benedictine nun and mystic.

The theme of the retreat is “St. Gertrude and The Revelations of The Sacred Heart: Setting the World Ablaze with The Fire of God’s Love.”

The retreat will include four sessions on the revelations, discussion, readings, Lectio Divina prayer, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. It will conclude with a 5 p.m. Mass  to be celebrated by Father Gustavo Vidal, pastor. Participants will have the opportunity to consecrate themselves to the Blessed Mother after the Mass.

As he and the Flame-keepers members discussed and prayed about the subject for the retreat, they were inspired to focus on St. Gertrude’s Sacred Heart revelations, Fr. Vidal said. “That’s what God put in our hearts. … St. Gertrude is the only female mystic saint in the Church who is called the Great. She had incredible revelations about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”

The repeal of Roe vs Wade by the Supreme Court on June 24, the feast of the Sacred Heart, also inspired the organizers, he said.

“It was a triumph of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the power of prayer,” Fr. Vidal said. “It was God trying to tell us something about the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. That’s where the divine love comes out in humanity. He is longing, he is yearning, he is dying to have our love; he wants to be loved. He wants people to know how much he loves us. One that communicates that very well is St. Gertrude.”

The focus of the retreat is in line with the call of Bishop Oscar A. Solis and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to participate in the Eucharistic Revival, Fr. Vidal said. “We want to set the world ablaze with the fire of God’s love. The only way that we can come to know God, that we can come love God and that we can come to be on fire with his glory is through the Eucharist.”

The Flame-keepers organize annual retreats for men to encourage them to be better Catholics. They are also affiliated with the Militia of the Immaculata Villages.

WHAT: Retreat on the revelations of St. Gertrude

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church,   210 Chapel St., Layton

COST: $50 per person or two for $75

Open to all adults. Lunch and dinner are included; participants also will receive a T-shirt, rosary, notebook and coffee mug. Register at Flame-Keepers.com.