During the second half of this year, our Pentecost Retreat Intensive (which was run as in-person 4/5 day retreats in Canberra and Sydney in June) has been attended by a further 35 participants in various formats: Kathryn ran a small group based in Penshurst (Sydney), while Judy and Berna hosted online small groups and our program of videos and small group sessions was run by our friends at the Yona Shalom prayer group in Townsville.

God gifts each one of us with the life that is best for us. Can you see the gift of God in your life at present? The particular gift given of each group in religious life is called our charism. Charism means a gift freely and graciously given, a grace.

My favourite retreat ever has been this year’s Claiming Hope: Creative Healing Retreat. It was an opportunity to bring whatever needs we had for healing to Jesus in creative prayer times that used all sorts of mediums.

No, this is not one of those corny jokes that have a rather lame answer that casues you to groan, but the foundation of one of the most poignant moments I have experienced in my work in youth justice. My role sees me providing prayer services for the clients on a fortnightly basis, and music and song has proved to be a powerful means for connecting them into a prayerful space.