# BISHOPS GATHER AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY FOR ANNUAL RETREAT

- Link: https://nweparchy.ca/2026/01/bishops-gather-at-westminster-abbey-for-annual-retreat/
- Published: 2026-01-20T13:14:09-08:00
- Author: Website

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The Catholic bishops of the [**Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops**](https://www.cccb.ca/the-catholic-church-in-canada/regional-episcopal-assemblies/)
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](https://nweparchy.ca/).

This year, the retreat was held at the great [**Benedictine**](https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02443a.htm)**
Monastery** – [**Westminster Abbey**](https://westminsterabbey.ca/) - 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](https://bishopwhitesem.org/)
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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Liturgy)
and special events like a [Holy Hour](https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-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.