Bishop Thomas Connolly, retired Bishop of Baker, Oregon and Sister Mary Beverly were the directors for the 2006 Retreat held at Nazareth Retreat Center in Boise Idaho. The retreat lasted from July 10-18.

My retreat was a blessed event. It was a taste of Heaven. I love being able to have wonderful food prepared and served to me 3 times a day, have the opportunity to nap and "contemplate" 2-3 times a day, attend daily Mass, get spiritual direction daily, and be able to enjoy the peace and solitude of the beautiful surroundings of Nazareth.

The topics chosen by Bishop Connolly for spiritual nourishment were:

1. The Luminous Mysteries

2. The Rosary as explained by Pope John Paul II

3. Remembering to keep Holy the Lord's Day as explained by Pope John Paul II

I now have a much deeper appreciation for those "absent" years of our Lord's life that are highlighted in the Luminous Mysteries. Also, the idea that the rosary is not so much a Marian prayer as it is Christ Centered.

The third topic brought about the idea that the Lord's day is a very special reminder of how much we are made in the image of God as He "rested" on the 7th day and gazed upon His work and how it was "very good." The idea of not working on Sunday if at all possible and enjoying the day with the Lord was emphasized and hopefully I will be able to implement that into my new outlook on the Lord's Day.

I really appreciate the effort that Bishop Connolly and Sister Beverly put into developing the themes of the Retreat. The talks were well presented and full of new and insightful views of scripture and the teachings of the Holy Father.

Eight days went all too quickly but I will cherish the friendships that I made there and the "pause that refreshes" that allowed me to get off the treadmill for a short time and smell the roses.

The retreat next year is already planned for around the same time in July. It will end on a Sunday.

May God bless all you who got the opportunity to attend the retreat. Enjoy the pictures and I hope they will bring back fond memories. Please remember me in your prayers as a struggling pilgrim wandering my path to Heaven.

Peace and Love,

Mike