Hua Hin Retreat (8 January)

The Epiphany

Today was a Sunday, Epiphany Sunday to be precise, but it sure didn’t feel like it.  Here at the retreat center every day is like the day before.  It was the third day of retreat and we continued our explorations and reflections on the personages of scripture with Sr. Barbara Reid.


The Maryknoll crowd drinks a lot of coffee–and starting early in the morning with some people up at 4:00 AM every day.  Fr. Bob Wynne has been the faithful coffee man readying 90 cups each night for the next morning but this year the center has also added two coffee machines which have proven popular.  Here Marj Humphrey (L) and Julie Payment get the first cup of the day.

 

The unexpected, unseasonable rains have continued ever since the first morning.  Here Olga Pacumbaba rinses off her feet after walking over from the Ursuline Sisters house across the street where our overflow people are staying.

 

More shoes outside of the chapel during morning prayer.

Fr. Bob Wynne and Jonathon and Simone Reyes chatting in the chapel before prayer.

 

Sr. Barbara Reid continued her presentations about scripture, today focusing on terms used to describe the Trinity and how they might be interpreted to describe the roles of our traditional categorizations of Father, Son, and Spirit.

 

At the end Fr. Bill McIntire offered some reflections on the topics discussed this morning.

 

Ivan Lopez, one of the teachers in the China Teachers Program of Maryknoll, gave his reflections also.  It has been a delight to have the China teachers with us at these retreats the last few years.  Their youth and energy and different perspectives add to the wonderful mix of theologies, personalities, and experience that make up this annual gathering.

 

One of the sisters reflecting before the liturgy begins.

 

Today Rodrigo Ulloa was the presider for the liturgy.  He is a former student of Sr. Barbara from the days he studied at the Chicago Theological Union in his seminary formation.  She noted at lunch that it made her proud to see a student who has continued on a successful career path like Rodrigo has.

 

Sr. Ann Sherman from Cambodia and Maria Montello from Cambodia worked on the prayer services for this week.  Maria could not attend the retreat so Ann has been leading the different prayers.  This is the Sunday evening prayer.