In the spirit of the Jubilee Year of Hope and the Geraldine Year, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Saint Gerard Majella, the Redemptorist Brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Aparecida gathered from July 21 to 25 in Vila Santo Afonso, Guaratinguetá, São Paulo, for a Spiritual Retreat.
The annual meeting, already a tradition of the Province, began on Monday the 21st at 6:00 p.m. with Holy Mass and concluded on Friday the 25th at 12:00 p.m. with the Eucharist presided over by the Provincial Superior, Fr. Marlos Aurélio da Silva, C.Ss.R.
Forty confreres participated in the retreat: brothers, priests, and deacons, who experienced intense days of spirituality, reflection, and fraternity. The retreat was led by Brother Raimundo Bezerra, of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, residing in Paraguaçu, Minas Gerais.
The Mission of the Redemptorist Brother
With the theme “Redemptorist Brothers: Pilgrims of Hope,” participants were invited to renew their vocation and consecrated mission to be a sign of joy, hope, and fraternity in the communities where they live.
The program included sermons, moments of listening, silence, and contemplation of nature, typical of the rural setting of Guaratinguetá. There were also group sessions with synodal dynamics, where brothers from different communities could share experiences and strengthen bonds of communion.
These were fruitful days for consecrated life. Inspired by Saint Gerard, the Redemptorist Brothers continue their mission of bearing witness to the abundant redemption with simplicity, hope, and service to the poorest and most abandoned.
(courtesy: a12.com)
Here is a video with testimonials from some participants and the retreat guide:
