| There are about 55 Maryknoll members working in the three MMM countries of Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and they get together each year in January for a group retreat and meetings. Because some Maryknollers in other parts of Asia do not have access to a local retreat, another 40 or so persons join us for this week. We meet in the Salesian Retreat Center in the southern Thailand town of Hua Hin. |
Sunday, 11 January, was a travel day for most of the retreat participants although all the Maryknollers from Thailand had come a day early and spent this day in meetings. After the meetings, everyone gathered for an opening liturgy. Today is the celebration of the baptism of Jesus so everyone was greeted with a sprinkling of water at the door.
Father Peter Cho Phan, a Vietnamese-born U.S. priest, the chair of the Catholic Social Thought department at Georgetown University, was our retreat leader this year, and he also presided at the opening liturgy in the chapel at the Salesian Retreat Center.
As always there are announcements, especially at the beginning of a gathering, and Luise Ahrens, one of the three-person MMM Coordinating Team, handled that chore with a smile.
Many of the participants at this year's retreat have known each other for years, but this January gathering is the only time they see each other. Especially the first few days, this is a common scene as people renew friendships and make new ones.