The Catholic bishops of the Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops hold an annual spiritual retreat for all the bishops active or retired within their region. This would mean all bishops from Winnipeg and to the north and to Canada’s west coast. For various reasons, not all bishops are able to attend, but among those that could participate this year, were four of the Ukrainian Catholic bishops, including Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski of the Eparchy of New Westminster.
This year, the retreat was held at the great Benedictine Monastery – Westminster Abbey - located in Mission, British Columbia. The massive complex, besides housing the monastic community, also includes a seminary, minor seminary (high school) and a large ‘guest house’ where the bishops stayed.
The retreat - some held in silence, some in common prayer, with opportunity for fellowship as well - is a unique opportunity for the bishops to come together not in conference or some formal event, but to truly spend time in prayer and reflection and to hear some truly inspiring and challenging talks. This year the director of the retreat was Jesuit Rev. John Murphy, Dogmatics professor and Director of Spiritual Formation of Bishop White Seminary in Spokane Washington.
Fr. Murphy’s vast knowledge and experience made his talks engaging from beginning to end, filled with examples and fascinating “footnotes” from English Literature (in which he also specializes) and from the arts and theology. He provided a daily Biblical reading plan to provide resources for preparation for the topics. Some of his themes included: “Whom to you trust with your desire for happiness?”, “The Price of Self-knowledge”, “The cost of perseverance and the beauty of patience”, “Passing from self to God”.
The Lord blessed the days with beautiful weather that allowed for daily walks around the vast property enjoying the sunshine and lush greenery. The food and hospitality were excellent. The guesthouse has a chapel where the Bishops conducted their daily morning prayer, Eucharistic Liturgy and special events like a Holy Hour and personal prayer. The monks invited the bishops to join them to experience their daily vespers in the main cathedral-like church. Given seats among the monks in the choir area and provided with the user-friendly texts, it was only minutes before brothers and bishops alike sang the unique and ancient melodies in unison. Their psalms echoed through the cavernous church and vaulted ceilings.
Bishop Michael, for whom this was his third such retreat with the bishops, said that they have all been wonderful, but during this retreat he felt both most comfortable and yet most challenged. The meditations and themes would be applicable to any follower of Christ, but they seemed to really strike home for him as he wades into his third year as the Bishop of the Eparchy entrusted to his pastoral care.
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