A five day residential retreat in Kannada concluded at Divine Call Centre Mulki on 20^th February 2010. This retreat was specially organised in preparation for Lent as an opportunity to renew people’s life in the Lord. The first two days retreat was conducted by Divine Call Centre Retreat team. The Potta team carried on for the next three days. The centre and the people were specially blessed by the presence of   Rt. Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, who celebrated the Holy Eucharist on Thursday 18^th February.

A five day residential retreat in Kannada began at Divine Call Centre Mulki on 16^th February 2010, on the eve of Ash Wednesday. This retreat was specially organised in preparation for Lent as an opportunity to renew people’s life in the Lord. The first two days retreat was conducted by Divine Call Centre Retreat team. The Potta team will be carrying on for the next three days. The centre and the people were specially blessed by the presence of His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore Diocese, who celebrated the Holy Eucharist on Thursday 17^th February, along with Rev. Fr. Cyprian Lewis, Director DCC Mulki, Fr. Sylvester Rego, Administrator, DCC Mulki,  Fr. Francis D’ Souza,  Rector - St. Peter's SVD Minor Seminary Kirem, Fr Abraham D’ Souza, Asst.Rector - St. Peter's SVD Minor Seminary Kirem, Fr. Norbert Lobo, Parish Priest - Church of Our Lady of  Immaculate Conception Mulki and Fr. Johney Vattamala, Treasurer, SVD -INM Province Mumbai. The Bishop urged the people to remain faithful to the Word of God, to Christ and to the Church.

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

It is difficult to forgive. But forgiveness is a gift which everyone possesses. It is a great power which can change the world if exercised properly. But one needs to be strong mentally, spiritually and intellectually in order to forgive. The programmes of the recovery groups, many therapists and doctors speak of the value of forgiveness – forgiveness of self and others and forgiveness by others.

Forgiveness is not simple or easy. Like recovery it is a process. Many of us mouth superficial forgiveness. But this quick and easy forgiveness is pseudo forgiveness which does not stand the test of time.

What is true forgiveness?

The Holy Bible tells us that “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). Further we can say Jesus loved the world so much that he instituted his only Church (Mt 16:18) so that his mission of teaching, governing and sanctifying may continue in the world. His Church becomes his extension on this earth. We cannot think of Jesus leaving his followers without any future support system. Christ did not leave his children orphans, but rather instituted a Church - his family, his body - where he resides until the second coming. He took to himself another Body. This second Body of Christ is called his Mystical Body. By being baptized into that Body, one true Church of Jesus we are united in the same true faith, the same sacrifice or worship and using the same sacraments under the authority of the successors of Peter, the Pope and bishops in communion with him. This is what St. Paul in his letter to Ephesians writes “you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one Baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all and throughout all, and in us all” (Eph 4:4-6).

Here I would like to share with the readers of this article about a retreat I had for a family of ten – parents and their eight children – in one of the suburbs of Brisbane.

One day while I was in charge of our Retreat House at Brisbane, I had a phone call from a man enquiring a place for a family retreat. As our accommodation was not suitable I replied in negative. A week later the same man spoke to me asking whether I could be in their house for a day to help them to pray together as a family. Our conversation over the phone ended by a request from the other end for a family retreat. I accepted the request without much thought to what it implied.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights…(Mathew 4:1-2). As Lord Jesus began His ministry, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. In the desert there is nothing to satisfy our senses. It is here that our body with all its senses craves for worldly pleasures. As we fast more and more being away from the world, we become aware how much we have been enslaved by the pleasures and wealth of this world. Fasting does not consist just in depriving ourselves from food. Real fasting involves controlling of all sensual pleasures and cravings.

Divine Call Centre, Mulki, being one of the most influential retreat centres in spreading the Word of God, ventures into yet another innovative way to reach out to the World in spreading the Good news.

Divine Call Centre, Mulki, has come out with a New Konkani “Christmas Special” CD: “BALOK EK ZALMALA” with Carols composed especially for Church programmes during Christmas season & school performances on Christmas themes.

This CD was released by Rev Fr. Norbert Lobo, the Parish Priest of Immaculate Conception Church, Mulki, after the Solemn Mass on the eve of Advent on 28^th November, 2009 at Divine Call Centre, Mulki in the presence of Rev Fr. Cyprian Lewis SVD -the Director of Divine Call Centre and Rev.Fr. Melwin of Kinnigoli Parish.