By Carol Drake Special to the Intermountain Catholic
ST. GEORGE — Following a light Sunday luncheon in Kuzy Hall for about 40 women, Saint George Catholic Church was host to a mini-retreat on Nov. 10 facilitated by Holy Cross Sister Yvonne Hatt, from Christ the King Parish in Cedar City.
Sr. Yvonne, who entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in the 1950s, told of how she came to be the spiritual advisor for the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Southwest Deanery’s women’s councils after Marie Hartry of her parish learned about other vowed religious women who are advisors in their dioceses. Sr. Yvonne taught for 28 years in California, Utah and Idaho. She spent three years in Israel, then moved to St. George for about a year before returning to Cedar City in 1997 where she currently resides.
Sr. Yvonne spoke of prayer, and if those who pray really listen to what God has to say, they may find themselves being asked to do some things they do not want to do because those things are their own plans or are uncomfortable. She cited people from the Bible, like Mary and Joseph and Moses, who portrayed great faith and trust in what God asked of them. History would be different if they had turned away from God because of a lack of faith and disbelief, she said.
Everyone has a personal prayer style, she said; there is no right or wrong way to pray. Sr. Yvonne suggested taking the readings for the upcoming weekend Mass and reading the first on Monday, the responsorial psalm on Tuesday, and the second reading on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, take time to reflect on how all three come together and are somehow interwoven.
For an activity, Sr. Yvonne had a leafless tree pasted on a 3½" x 4½" card. She then placed five leaves on it representing areas in which people spend time and interact with others. These areas were family, church, community, workplace and recreation. She asked those present to consider what they might do to help make things better within these areas and make everyone feel more welcome as part of the group.
Part of the discussion focused on issues of guilt and matters of forgiveness. Some in the group felt they had found possible answers to difficult situations in their lives, which in a few cases resulted through shared experiences by others present at the retreat.
Lastly, Sr. Yvonne shared a handout from St. Anthony Messenger titled "Pray It Forward – Devotions for a Palestinian Mother."
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