Every year we take a group photo. The platform steps in the meeting room make a good staging area but we’ve just about reached the limit of the number of people we can accommodate there!
All the meals are good at the retreat center and there is always plenty to eat. Here Ray Finch, John Beeching, and Jim Kofski make their breakfast selections.
Morning prayer in the chapel. It is a shame that Maria Montello who prepared the prayers with Ann Sherman was not able to attend this retreat because of illness at home.
Today Sr. Barbara spoke about notions of salvation and how the gospels describe and interpret the death of Jesus.
Paying attention has not been difficult this week. Barbara Reid is an engaging speaker, well prepared and with really well produced visuals to illustrate her teaching.
Break times between the morning sessions are really important. There are a lot of genuinely interesting people in this group and the breaks are a time when people are together and have a chance to meet others they may not know.
The breaks, for better or for worse, are also times when planned and unplanned meetings take place. Here two members of the Society’s general council, Tom O’Brien and Ray Finch, get together about the issues that follow leadership around the world.
This morning Mike Sloboda was the presider for the liturgy before lunch.
This sail-like awning is one of the additions to the retreat center since our last visit last year. It provides more space for larger groups and enables conference-goers to have gatherings of various types outside.
Here is a section of the newly landscaped grounds between the two wings of the center. It creates a restful, inviting area for walking and reflection.
Each year the group of Maryknoll Lay Missioners who come to Hua Hin go out to dinner together one evening, hopefully to welcome their newest members or at least just to celebrate being in mission together. This evening the rains continued to pour but we had an enjoyable evening and dinner.